Twenty-five First Coast residents gained greater mobility and access to the world outside their homes with the help of the Florida Building Material Association members who stepped forward with materials to support Northeast Florida Builders Association Builders Care rampathon late last year.
Inspired by the overwhelming need of First Coast residents for wheelchair ramps, Builders Care mobilized teams of volunteers to build 25 ramps with materials supplied by FBMA and NEFBA members.
Conditions such as Lou Gehrig’s disease, Alzheimer, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy and spinal cord injuries leave patients dependent on wheelchairs for mobility. Ramps are a vital modification for many who want to live at home and remain independent as they age. The needs are great and waiting lists are long.
NEFBA members Builders Firstsource of Florida, Lumber Unlimited, Manning Building Supplies, Carolina Lumber Co. and Durham Building Materials contributed the materials used to build the 25 ramps.
The ramps were built in conjunction with Make a Difference Day, an annual event on the fourth Saturday in October. More than three million volunteers across the country participated in various projects. Participants registered their volunteer projects at the Make A Difference Day Web site.
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Trident Realty was named the December member of the month. Trident’s selection was in recognition of the company’s philanthropic contribution to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
Trident Realty served as the title sponsor of Water’s Edge Oceanfront Condominium Moonlight Martinis, an annual event that raises funds for cystic fibrosis research.
“We are honored to have been a part of Moonlight Martinis, and we appreciate this special recognition,” Trident President Ron Buckley said. “The event was delightful and a wonderful way to support the efforts of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.”
Moonlight Martinis guests enjoyed live jazz, eclectic martini bars, gourmet cuisine and an extravagant live auction at the J. Johnson Gallery in Jacksonville Beach. The event raised $116,000 for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, nearly 20 percent more than the foundation’s 2004 goals.