Brownsburg Sertoma Club Helps Make Everyday Life Safer for Local Family

What might not seem like a lot of money to some people can unlock a world of possibilities and freedom for others. 

For 3-year-old Josie and her family, simply leaving home each day was a physically demanding challenge. Born with a metabolic disorder that caused significant brain damage, Josie requires around-the-clock care and uses a wheelchair for mobility. Because her family's home was not wheelchair accessible, every trip outside was exhausting for the young girl and her caretakers. Her full-time nurse had to carry Josie's wheelchair out of the house first, then return to carefully transfer Josie into it. As Josie has grown, those transfers have become increasingly difficult and physically demanding.

Knowing the family had already stretched their financial resources to provide Josie with the specialized care she needs, the Brownsburg Sertoma Club stepped in to help. Through matching funding with the Sertoma Club Grant program, the club was able to fully pay for the materials needed to build the family a new wheelchair ramp.

With those materials in hand, volunteers from the St. Malachy Knights of Columbus donated their time and talents to construct a sturdy, safe wheelchair ramp for little Josie. The finished project now provides the three-year-old with a safe path from her home to her wheelchair while reducing the physical strain on her caregivers.

The project is another example of what can happen when community organizations come together to meet a family's needs. Brownsburg Sertoma Club and the St. Malachy Knights of Columbus have a history of working side by side to improve their Indiana community, including sponsoring the installation of a Safe Haven Baby Box at the Brownsburg Fire Station.

For Josie and her family, this latest collaboration represents more than a new ramp. It provides greater accessibility, increased safety and the peace of mind that comes from knowing a caring community is ready to lend a helping hand when it's needed most, and this makes us #ProudToBeASertoman!