The Texas Ramp Project works through local volunteers to build wheelchair ramps for people who can't afford them, and now the program is building in Blanco County, too.

The team's first project here was a Veterans Day event, building a 50-foot ramp for a disabled vet who had been dependent on others to get him in and out of his Johnson City mobile home.

Now he can come and go on his own.

How important is that? Important enough that KXAN-TV in Austin sent a reporter out to do the story on the project for Friday night's news.

"This is a big step for Blanco County residents who find themselves trapped in their homes because they can't get up and down stairs," said Ben Redler of Marble Falls, head of the Ramp Project area that includes Blanco, Burnet and Llano Counties.

"Local volunteers design the ramp and raise money for materials, then the state-level organization matches their money to pay half the cost. Plus, Home Depot gives us a discount on materials. Then the Blanco County volunteers spend two half-days in construction and someone has another finished ramp."

The Johnson City Veterans Day job was the local group's first in this county, but not the last. They already have two more approved recipients awaiting ramps, one of whom should have it as a Christmas gift, and the other should have it for the new year.

The First United Methodist Church in Johnson City has been collecting donations for the ramp project, and the money will be turned over to the Texas Ramp Project to be matched and returned -- doubled -- for ramp-building projects in Blanco County.

The ramps are free to the recipients.

To get on the list for a free wheelchair ramp, a recipient must be recommended by a medical professional (doctor, home health nurse) or social worker to verify they need the ramp and can't afford to pay for one...well over a thousand dollars if built commercially.

Then the state-level organization verifies and approves the application, and the person goes on the list for a construction date.

A doctor, nurse or social worker can submit an online application at texasramps.org/Topic.aspx?wiki_id=29.

Donors or volunteers who want to help can contact JoAnn at 830-868-7414.