Serving the Community: Greenville Employees Build Wheelchair Ramps for Area Residents

September 30, 2008 - The BE&K Building Group is known for giving back to the communities in which it operates. Our colleagues in Greenville have validated this reputation through a series of initiatives in recent months. Working through "Hands on Greenville," a local non-profit community service organization, Kenny Anderson, senior project manager, and Mitzi Scarborough, office manager/marketing coordinator, identified several volunteer opportunities where Greenville employees could leverage their expertise and demonstrate their passion for construction to benefit some needy neighbors.

In early June, our employees teamed with a group from General Electric to construct a wheelchair ramp at the home of an 87-yearold man who desperately needed the access it provided. Kenny Anderson stated, "I think the other participants will agree that it was extremely satisfying and rewarding to see the gratitude expressed by the homeowner for our efforts." The BE&K Building Group's volunteer work crew included Rick Anderson, Steve McGrey, Randall Jackson and Marion Kobusch.

In mid-August, BE&K Building Group employees had another chance to build a wheelchair ramp for a Greenville resident, this time for a cancer survivor. With the help of Kenny Anderson, Randall Jackson, Rick Anderson, Ken Olson, Danny Ponder and Mitzi Scarborough, along with the organizational efforts of Marion Kobusch, our team was able to give the gift of "independence" to a 54-year old woman who recently underwent surgery to amputate both of her legs due to complications following chemotherapy.

On a Saturday morning in late September, Greenville's ramp-building team once again sprang into action with saws, screw-guns and hammers in hand to build a wheelchair ramp at the home of a local couple who have faced extreme difficulty due to the husband's need for hip surgery. In addition to constructing the wooden ramp, our scope of work included a concrete transition from the ramp to the driveway. In less than eight hours, our team not only completed its largest ramp to date, but also made repairs to existing railings supporting the home's front steps. The couple were extremely grateful to the BE&K Building Group's volunteer construction crew, which included Kenny Anderson, Rick Anderson, Anthony Harden, Marion Kobusch, Steve McGrey, Mark Manos and Carol Neely. Our collective efforts have made it easier for the couple to get from the house to the car for doctor visits; and, the wife foresees the possibility of their taking the dog for walks together once her husband's new motorized scooter arrives.

Following these "Hands on Greenville" volunteer construction projects, Mac Carpenter, BE&K Building Group senior vice president and head of the Greenville office, commented, "Wow, outstanding! Thank you all for your personal contribution to help meet a great need and in making a difference in these people's lives. It makes me even more proud to be a part of this great team." Kenny Anderson added, "With the continued support of the BE&K Building Group and the employees of the Greenville office, we hope to continue these types of worthwhile endeavors. Thank you again to all who participated!"


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