‘Make it a Grand Week’- Olivia Lobertini, The Grand on Central

CCHS students build wheelchair ramp for LaFollette Veteran

By Charlotte Underwood

LAFOLLETTE, TN (WLAF)- Students in Campbell County High School’s Construction Building and Trades class built a wheelchair ramp for a LaFollette Air Force Veteran who was nearly homebound without it.

The project not only taught them about the skills of the construction trade, but also about “giving back to their community.”

According to Becky Pierce, East Tennessee Human Resource Agency’s Director of the Office on Aging, she was contacted over a month ago by Vicky McCauley with Adult Protective Services regarding a client of hers who was “wheelchair bound and could not leave his house without assistance” due to the lack of a wheelchair ramp.

“She called me and asked if I knew anyone who could do a ramp for him; for him to leave his house for doctor appointments, the fire department would have to come and physically lift him off his porch,” Pierce said.

ETHRA’s Office on Aging receives grant funding through the LaFollette Medical Foundation each year for a certain amount of money to purchase materials for ramps for elderly people in the community. However, the organization cannot pay someone to build the ramp.

“The funding can only purchase the supplies; someone has to volunteer to build the ramp,” Pierce explained. That’s where the local CCHS building and construction students came in.

“I contacted Andy Baird, the CCHS Building and Construction Trades teacher and asked if we purchased the materials, could they build a ramp for this man and he said absolutely,” Pierce said.

“We take on small projects off campus or in the classroom and transport them. A person I know at ETHRA reached out to me with a need, and we felt like we could help,” Baird said.

Campbell County High School students began building the ramp “from scratch” on December 10^th.

The students built the ramp at the high school and the ramp  and then transported it to LaFollette; it was attached to the gentleman’s house recently.

The ramp is at the home of Jerry and Sheila Puckett on East Ash Street in La Follette.  They’ve lived there for 35 years.  Jerry is an Air Force Veteran. Sheila had initially called Vicky McCauley with Adult Protective Services about the possibility of a ramp. Having the ramp installed has changed their lives for the better

“I like it.  It’s wonderful, because rolling Jerry up and down the porch steps in his wheelchair was nearly impossible,” said Sheila Puckett. She also said, “the students were so courteous and did a good job.”

“I just think it’s great that these kids stepped up to do this for him; it’s wonderful for them to give back to the community like this,” Pierce said.

Campbell County High School Student Caden Suttles said building the ramp had an impact on him.

“I like doing this. It’s fun, it makes me feel good.”

“Projects like this are good for the students; we like giving back to the community,” said CCHS Building and Trades instructor Andy Baird.

A NOTE FROM THE GRAND ON CENTRAL: “There is so much good going on in our community, and I want to share all this good with you every Monday here on WLAF in hopes that you will start your week in a grand way making each week a Grand Week,” said Olivia Lobertini, owner of The Grand on Central.

Below, take a visit through The Grand on Central.

For bookings, email Olivia Lobertini at ohlobertini03@gmail.com. Check on avails HERE. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 01/06/2025-6AM-PHOTOS COURTESY OF WLAF’S CHARLIE HUTSON)