RAMP Wheel-A-Thon Rolls into the community

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A pack of “wheelers” parade around downtown DeKalb Saturday morning raising money to help support RAMP’s services and helps raise disability awareness in the community.

By Taylor Thanos

The weather did not stop the RAMP organization’s 10th annual Wheel-A-Thon Saturday from rolling onward.

With plenty of help from the community and volunteers, the Wheel-A-Thon was able to raise over $11,000 in donations and sponsorship support.

“With help from wonderful volunteers, sponsors, NIU Fraternity Phi Beta Sigma and our community we were able to work around the weather conditions,” said Tina Vavra, the DeKalb County Manager and two year coordinator of the event. Due to the weather conditions, the registration took place inside and the route of the Wheel-A-Thon was revised earlier in the morning.

After participants completed the revised route, they were welcome to free food, beverages and awards from a number of sponsors.

Vavra said she would like to give a special thanks to all sponsors in particularly, Sycamore Country Store and Catering, 456 N. Main St.,; Culver’s, 1200 DeKalb Avenue and Charles Rose, attorney at law.

The RAMP organization, created in 1980 is a non-profit, non-residential center for Independent Living. The organizations main goal is to empower people with disabilities to realize there are no limits to what they can do. Last year RAMP raised over $234,688 in special events.

With a majority of RAMP’s staff and board of directors having a disability, it feels the organization has an intimate understanding of the needs and solutions to assist the lives of the disabled, said Holly Hanson, a supporter of RAMP Services.

“RAMP is really a vital organization to help those with developed mental or obtained disabilities,” she said.

For more information on the RAMP organization, visit their website at www.dekalbcountywheelathon.kintera.org.