Newsletter

Volume 7, Issue 10

October 2025

Message from Mark Denzin

Texas Ramp Project Executive Director

Celebrating 40 Years of Building Ramps Across Texas

It’s an exciting time for the Texas Ramp Project! From Amarillo to Zavala County, El Paso to Texarkana, and everywhere in between, there’s a real groundswell of support happening. You can feel it in the energy of our volunteers, see it in the media stories popping up across the state, and hear it in the gratitude of the families whose lives are being changed.

Ramps are going up in Lubbock, Nacogdoches, Sherman, Austin, San Angelo, Houston, both sides of the D/FW area, and countless other communities. It’s all thanks to the incredible teamwork of our supporting regional teams, volunteers, local partners, and referral agencies who are stepping up in record numbers. The heart and hustle behind these builds are what make this movement so special.

A big shout-out goes to the 40th anniversary committee, made up of Brittany Pratt (chair), Nancy DeLuca, Lee Harris, Eric Estrada, Zaheen Chowdhury and Sandy Knutson. Their creativity and collaboration have helped spread awareness of our mission far and wide.

In celebration of the 40^th anniversary, region coordinators have planned and executed special ramp builds, featuring volunteers sporting newly designed red shirts. They have also made good use of the press kit and templates to advise local media about their special builds. They have been scoring local TV and press coverage. A number of the articles are included below.

As we look ahead, the Texas Ramp Project is growing, connecting, and building more than ramps—we’re building community. And that’s something worth celebrating. Thank you to all of our regional teams, volunteers, partners, donors, and supporters who make this mission possible. Every board cut, every screw turned, every dollar given, and every story shared adds up to something life-changing.

Stay tuned for our upcoming year-end giving opportunities! Your support helps us keep this momentum going into 2026 and beyond—funding more builds, recruiting more volunteers, and bringing accessibility and hope to even more Texans.

Join us in keeping the momentum going! Whether you volunteer to build a ramp, make a donation, or help spread the word, you are part of a movement that’s transforming lives—one ramp, one family, one community at a time.



Come build with us!

Mark

Media Document 40 Years, 30,000 Ramps

Region coordinators are having success with media materials, including a press kit and news templates provided by central support, to document the Texas Ramp Project’s 40^th year of building ramps for people with disabilities who can’t afford one on their own. Here are just some of these media successes.

Members of the Texas Ramp Project’s CoServ team gathered on October 2 to build a ramp for 77-year-old Moses Sandoval of Ponder, a military veteran who lives alone and requires a walker. There were six steps at the threshold of his mobile home. The crew of 15 volunteers, headed by Conan Tearney, built Mr. Sandoval a 55-foot ramp to make it easier to come and go. They donated a total of 60 man-hours on that Saturday morning. Mr. Sandoval was referred to the Texas Ramp Project by Meals on Wheels Texoma.

CoServ employees started building ramps in 2015. The crew quickly formed its own team and has been actively providing ramps in Denton County and other parts of the CoServ service area ever since.

The October 2 ramp build was extra special because it provided the backdrop for a big-check presentation of $10,000 to the Texas Ramp Project. The 2025 award brings the total grants from the CoServ Charitable Foundation since 2014 to just over $100,000. CoServ is an electric cooperative and gas distribution company serving eight counties in North Texas with over 504,000 combined electric and gas meters.

CoServ presented the Texas Ramp Project with a $10,000 check at a recent ramp build in Ponder. Pictured are (from left) Mark Denzin, TRP executive director; Jennifer Ebert, coordinator, CoServ Charitable Foundation; Moses Sandoval, ramp recipient and CoServ member; Kay Prather, Mr. Sandoval’s neighbor and friend and a CoServ member; and Pat Burns, CoServ board director, District 2, and CoServ volunteer. In the background is Guy Mode, CoServ director of design services and CoServ volunteer.

Volunteer of the Month: Conan Tearney, Denton

One of the great gifts to emerge from the CoServ partnership is Conan Tearney, the electric co-op’s client services manager for the past 10 years. CoServ presented its first grant to TRP for use in Denton County in 2014. Within a year, Conan and a few other CoServ employees were building ramps in the CoServ service area. That number has since grown to at least 15, and Conan is its leader.

Conan joined up back when the late Beverly Ford was in charge of Fort Worth and surrounding counties. Beverly saw potential and nurtured the fledgling team, training Conan to do site surveys and lead construction. Today Conan coordinates with the homeowners, completes site assessments, and schedules and leads ramp builds. He works closely with Denton coordinator Ron Anderson to plan each project.

One of the joys of building with TRP is getting to know the homeowners. “The connections I have made are great, not only those who have volunteered to come out and build ramps but also the homeowners that we meet and help,” Conan says. “These are priceless experiences.”

Conan was born and raised in Missouri, served in the U.S. Marines for six years, and worked for an insurance company before moving to North Texas in 2004. He joined CoServ in 2014. He lives in Corinth with his wife, Anna. They have a 27-year-old son.

Outside of his work and ramp building, Conan enjoys camping and taking to the trails in his Jeeps (yes, plural!). “Anna prefers the trails that have cabins at the end of them, so we are sure to plan accordingly when she comes.” In recent years the couple has visited Montana, Utah, Tennessee and South Texas.

Like so many TRP volunteers, Conan has a heart for helping others. “Speaking with the homeowner after we are done and hearing the appreciation and relief in their voice is such a reward,” he says. “The relief can be seen in their face, and that is an experience that I am proud to be part of.”

We'd love to hear from you. If you would like to nominate a volunteer to be featured as the Volunteer of the Month send your nomination to Sandra Knutson,: sjknutson@texasramps.org and she'll follow up with you for the details.

Recent Grants and Donations

The Donald D. Hammill Foundation has awarded a $17,500 grant to the Texas Ramp Project for use in Travis and Williamson counties. The Hammill Foundation has partnered with TRP every year since 2012. Over the years the Foundation’s grants have totaled $142,250, enough to fund at least 180 of the 1,600+ ramps built in the two counties since inception.

Other grants and donations (excluding individuals and government reimbursements) received in the past month include the following:

• $17,500 from Donald D. Hammill Foundation for Austin Central Travis County and Austin North.
• $8,800 for Austin Central from Chapelwood UMC, Houston.
• $7,500 for East Texas Van Zandt from TVEC Charitable Foundation.
• $7,500 for Austin Central Bastrop County from Born Again Emporium, Inc.
• $5,000 for Dallas from North Texas Realtors in Action Foundation.
• $5,000 for Bryan/College Station from St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, Brenham.
• $5,000 for Bryan/College Station from A Ray of Hope Community Volunteers.
• $5,000 for East Texas Tyler from End-Right Family Foundation.
• $1,925 for Waco South from Waco Habitat for Humanity.
• $1,000 for East Texas Tyler from Tyler Rotary Foundation.
• $1,000 for Texarkana East Cass County from Linden First Baptist Church.
• $900 for East Texas Tyler from Leach Family Trust
• $703 for Amarillo from Amarillo Habitat for Humanity.
• $500 for Texoma from Kiwanis Club of Gainesville.
• $500 for Austin East from Hostyn Parish, Holy Rosary Church, La Grange.
• $500 for Austin East from St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church, La Grange.
• $500 for statewide from Post Family Fund.
• $450 for Austin West from Hill Country Fellowship.
• $400 for San Antonio Northeast from Laird Construction.
• $250 for statewide from Donnell Foundation.
• $250 for Austin East from Sts. Peter & Paul Parish Plum, La Grange.
• $200 for Austin North from United Methodist Women, First UMC Georgetown.
• $100 for East Texas Tyler from Langen/Wink Bible Class.

Reminder Note to Donors!

The Texas Ramp Project is eternally grateful for the many donations we receive every week from so many different sources. We could not build ramps without your support. Please note that if you would like your donation to be used for a specific geographic region, be sure to note it on your check or alternative form of payment. Donations that are received without a specific designation may be considered unrestricted and may be directed to the area of greatest need.

Building Basics: Time-Saving Tools on the Job

By Roy Harrington

A ramp build team leader has a ramp that needs to be built and a crew of volunteers ready to do the work. An established, experienced team requires very little attention from the team leader. Theoretically, they could build a ramp with only the sound of drills, saws and lumber cut lengths being called out to the saw operator. They know all the steps to build a ramp and can move from task to task without being directed or asking questions of the team leader.

But there are specifics for every ramp. What modules and in what order? How many handrail uprights/risers/balusters are needed? If decking with planks, how many 48-inch and 60-inch planks are needed? Despite experience, they need this information.

When you have a less experienced team, there are all the above questions, plus more. How long are the handrail uprights? What size lumber is used for the handrails. How many screws are used to attach? These questions can consume a lot of the team leader’s time, taking their attention away from team management and build quality checks.

Simple Tools to the Rescue

There is a simple “tool” that answers all these questions (and doesn’t need batteries). Katie Simpson builds ramps in the Denton area, and she has an answer. Katie recommends the use of what she calls a “briefing board” containing information that answers most of the build-day questions. In Katie’s words:

Does the Cutting Order Matter?

Another important build-day tool is an “ordered cut list” for the saw operator(s). Whether your team uses a jig or builds modules the way many of us were taught by John Laine, if cutting the lumber for each module while it is built, the pieces are needed in a specific order.

This example cut list works when using a jig.

Or this example, which is in a different order and ties to the way many of us learned.

A list like this allows the saw team to keep busy while ensuring the module/frame assembly team gets pieces in the order needed. In addition to assembling the modules, when the ramp is being built, deck boards (unless using plywood decking) will be needed before handrail uprights. An ordered list of how many 5-foot deck boards, 4-foot deck boards and handrail uprights will continue to keep the saw team busy while the rest of the team installs modules and begins decking.

The example below is from one of Katie Simpson’s briefing boards and shows the ordered cut list for each module, with the modules shown in installation order and the needed handrail uprights/stiles needed.

Summary

Anything that minimizes the number of questions fielded by the build team leader will improve both the quality of the completed ramp and the volunteer experience. In addition, the saw can easily be the bottleneck with multiple people waiting for needed components. An ordered list of any known pieces like the boards for assembling each module, decking boards and uprights will allow the saw team to cut many parts before they are needed to minimize waiting time.

Do you use briefing boards and/or cut lists or any other build-day aids? Collaboration across regions helps all of us. So please feel free to share with your peers and/or send any corrections and suggestions or tools and processes used by your teams building ramps to texasramps.roy@gmail.com.

Ramp of the Month, Smith County

East Texas Tyler Region

Steps can be so formidable when one needs to crawl up and down them to come and go from home. This is what 58 year old Ms. G. from Mineola was having to do to access and exit her home due to her multiple disabling conditions. Eight TRP volunteers donated 24 hours in building her 41 foot ramp, thereby allowing Ms. G. safer and easy access to her home and the community. The referral for this ramp came from her doctor.

You are encouraged to use the TRP Media Consent, Waiver and Release form for your builds. To access the form, click here.

Click on the logo below to access the TRP website.

We hope you enjoy having the newsletter sent to you directly, as it is filled with useful information, building hints and tips, data collection updates and processes, client stories, special announcements and recognitions.

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Also, do send email addresses of people in your region who should be receiving it, along with their name and TRP region, to Sandy Knutson at sjknutson@texasramps.org.

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