Connections Winter 2019 Servants at Work Affiliates in Action LAKE COUNTY After Kathy Giannini’s teenage daughter returned home from a youth group experience of building five ramps in five days with SAWs in Indianapolis, she knew they had to find opportunities to help folks in Lake County who were trapped inside their home. Finding none, the retired steel mill manager and engineer met with SAWs founder Rik Hagarty and board member David Kennedy in 2018 to discuss becoming a SAWs affiliate. Four ramps later, Kathy is serving as the Area Coordinator for Lake County and is actively searching for a warehouse or other suitable space that can be used by SAWs rent-free to prefabricate frames for ramp construction. Once that location is identified, Lake County will be considered a full SAWs affiliate. When asked about her most memorable experience with SAWs, Kathy shared an exchange she had with an AfricanAmerican ramp recipient living in Section 8 One of four ramps completed by SAWs in Lake County’s first build season. housing in Gary. Sitting together in Sherrelle’s living room as Kathy was conducting the site evaluation, she told Kathy that she was so determined to vote that she planned to skip dialysis and use her walker to walk three blocks to the bus stop and take the city bus to the polling site. Kathy was floored in that moment by thinking about what she takes for granted as a person with mobility. When Kathy asked her if she would accept a ride, Sherrelle paused briefly and then said, “Yeah – that would be nice.” The two women bonded as they made their way to the polling site in downtown Gary and Kathy was moved when Sherrelle indicated that she would prefer that she come inside with her instead of waiting in the car. “This was a moment of bridging two worlds and it was the ramp that brought us together.” SAWs Traveling Trainer Mark Harmon, SAWs Advocate Kristin Marlow-Kellerman and Lake County Area Coordinator Kathy Giannini clearly enjoy their time on the build site. Items for Sale! The new look of SAWs continues to spread awareness of who we are and what we do. We have short-sleeved and longsleeved t-shirts in adult sizes S-3XL available for $10 and $18 each, respectively. We also have black stocking caps with the green SAWs logo on the front for $15 each. Please email Emily Barrow at ebarrow@sawsramps.org to order. Having lived in Lake County all her life with a career in the steel mills and having volunteered with the homeless population for the past thirty years, Kathy said, “Not a lot stuns me. But this one knocked me upside the head.” Thank you, Kathy, for getting SAWs off the ground in Lake County! SAWs merchandise
4 Publizr Home