Home Builders Foundation ramps up mobility for metro-area families

BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

When Matt and Caroline Procik moved into their Castle Rock home over a year ago, it was mostly accessible to their daughter Juniper’s wheelchair, with one major exception - the step at the front door.

Lifting 3-year-old Juniper and her wheelchair over the front step became a daily task for the Prociks any time they had to leave the house.

“ ankfully she’s small enough right now that I can carry her up or down the stairs, but it’s not going to be that way forever,” Matt said. e family tried going through their insurance, Medicaid, to nd a contractor to build a ramp, but the process was long, and they had little luck nding someone to take the job. en the Prociks found the Home Builders Foundation, an Englewood-based nonpro t that works to make homes accessible. e Prociks family project became part of the organization’s annual Blitz Build, where volunteers construct mobility ramps for free throughout the Denver metro area.

“We had contractors come out, but no one wanted it,” Caroline said, adding that they were told construction could take up to a month.

On May 19, volunteers from Haberer Carpentry and FirstBank worked through on and o drizzle building a ramp that Juniper would be able to use the very same day.

Juniper, who has a rare genetic variant, an RHOBTB2 mutation, helped on the scene, Poelman said. loves to explore downtown Castle Rock and her neighborhood, listen to music and swing outside. Her new mobility ramp will help her more easily access many of her favorite things, the Prociks said.

“I’m happy to not have to maneuver the step every day, it’ll be a big di erence,” Matt said. “We walk into town with Juniper, so it will be great to get out into Castle Rock without going up and down the stairs.” rough Blitz Build, the Prociks are the rst of many families to receive no-cost mobility ramps this year.

Beth Forbes, executive director for the Home Builders Foundation, said this year’s Blitz Build will serve 24 clients with teams of volunteers building ramps on weekends from May through October.

“Relatively simple projects, like ramps, can make a really big difference for our clients,” Forbes said. “We have a lot of great local support, so these projects don’t even cost Home Builders Foundation except for time coordinating volunteers.” e average cost of a mobility ramp is upwards of $5,000, according to the Home Builders Foundation. Since the Blitz Build started 13 years ago, volunteers have installed 220 ramps, valuing around $950,000. with a K-9 unit and the Englewood Police Department also

Home Builders Foundation is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. e organization serves Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broom eld, Denver, Douglas, Elbert, and Je erson counties.

For more information, go to hbfdenver.org.

The district informed maintenance personnel and contractors to double-check all hatches and ladders after completion of maintenance in the future, Moyer wrote. She said checks of these locks will be part of regular security sweeps going forward.

Ward appeared in Arapahoe County District Court for an advisement hearing on May 20. Her case was set for a formal fil - ing of charges on May 25, court executive Shaun Clark wrote in an email to Colorado Community Media.

Ward failed to appear in court on May 25 and a warrant has been issued for her arrest, Clark wrote.