Wheelchair Ramp Building Project
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The Wake County Bar Association has a proud tradition of dedicating itself to public service. Each year hundreds of Wake County lawyers participate in public service projects sponsored by the WCBA. In 2000 alone, over 300 WCBA lawyers participated in public service projects sponsored by the WCBA public service committee. More than 600 Wake County lawyers donated legal services to the County's Volunteer Lawyer Program. Countless others lawyers quietly participate in volunteer and public service activities outside of the WCBA and donate their time, services and resources to the betterment of the community.

In 2000, the public service tradition of the Wake County legal community was recognized by three prestigious awards received by the WCBA - the North Carolina Bar Association's Chief Justice Award, the Governor's Award for Outstanding Volunteer Service, and the Wake County Volunteer Award.

The following projects are examples of the public service projects undertaken by the WCBA.

Wheelchair Ramp Building Project

In April 2000, the Wake County Bar Association, through its Public Service Committee, launched a new project to address needs of the senior citizen population in Wake County. Over the course of the summer and fall of 2000, teams of WCBA lawyers built eight wheelchair ramps at homes of economically disadvantaged elderly citizens. The ramps allow elderly occupants to move safely and easily from their driveways to their home, thereby allowing otherwise homebound senior citizens greater independence and self-sufficiency.

The project has been undertaken in partnership with Resources for Seniors, a Wake County-based non-profit agency. Resources for Seniors provides the materials for the ramp construction and licensed contractors to supervise volunteers; the WCBA provides teams of volunteers. Generally, a team of 6 to 8 volunteers with little construction experience can construct a ramp in three hours, making the project ideal for a Saturday morning activity.

A number of area law firms organized teams to participate in the ramp building project. One team, made up of seven district court judges and the district attorney, attracted television media attention for the ramp building project as well as the needs of our county's elderly population.

The WCBA is committed to continuing its involvement in this project, as well as other projects, to improve the lives of senior citizens. If you wish to participate in this project, to form a ramp building team, or to suggest other projects targeted towards the needs of local senior citizens, contact the Public Service Committee of the WCBA.