Project is part of United Way Day of Caring

Bobbie Lynch was thrilled when about a dozen volunteers showed up Friday morning to install a new 21-ft. ramp up to the back door of her mobile home. Both she and her son, Jeffery Phillips, a quadriplegic now receiving therapy, need the ramp to get in and out of their house.

The volunteers were from United Way, some of the 200-plus people helping out on 26 projects throughout Linn County for United Way's Day of Caring on Sept. 12. The day is the organization's way of kicking off its annual fundraising campaign, which last year raised $1 million.

In addition to building the ramp, they mowed and weeded her yard and trimmed dead blooms off several plants.

Her reaction? "Unbelievable."

"I could never have had it built without these guys," she said. "I'm just so thankful. It's just like Christmas - better than Christmas. Without this, Jeff would never be able to come back here."

The volunteers at Lynch's house were from Home Depot and Wah Chang.

Also in Lebanon, Umpqua Bank volunteers painted interior areas and did yard work at the Lebanon Boys & Girls Club and Home Depot volunteers built a small ramp at a home on Spicer School Drive.

United Way learned about Lynch through Volunteer Caregivers in Albany, which received a call from a social worker at Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center, where Phillips, 37, was treated after he was severely injured in a hit-and-run accident in the Upper Calapooia area. He's receiving therapy and will need more surgery.

Lynch, 58, is disabled and uses a power chair, though she can walk short distances with a cane.

The mobile home Lynch lives in was purchased by her parents in 1994. Her dad died before they could move in and Lynch's husband, Kenneth Lynch, died about a year later. Over the years, her mother, Bonnie Hanson, developed Alzheimer's. Lynch moved in four years ago to care for her.

About a year ago, the state removed Hanson from the home because Lynch could no longer care for her. Lynch was not happy with the decision, which was made abruptly. Phillips helped take care of both women at that point.

In return for paying for Hanson's care at an Alzheimer's facility in Portland, the state will take ownership of the home when Hanson dies. Lynch will be allowed to remain there for the rest of her life. She pays the property taxes out of her disability checks.

Volunteer Caregivers

Volunteer Caregivers has been providing services to seniors and disabled persons 55 and over in Albany for 25 years. Director Suzanne Driver said they are looking at expanding into Lebanon.

The organization fills a need for people who fall in the cracks between other services, she said.

Among the services they provide are building wheelchair ramps, installing grab bars in homes and providing transportation with their handicapped van and volunteers' personal vehicles. They also do yard work, visit people and provide lots of information and referral, Driver said.

Last year the organization racked up 10,870 hours of service for 678 people. Although they list 436 volunteers, most work on one-time projects. About 37 help out year round.

Everyone in the organization is a volunteer except for Driver, who works part-time, and a part-time assistant director. They are paid minimum wage. Volunteers are all retired or semi-retired.

Volunteer Caregivers receives funding from United Way, has a grant from the Council of Governments that allows mileage payments to volunteer drivers and receives donations of money and in-kind services from churches and other groups.

The organization is governed by a nine-member board. It is having a 25th anniversary part from 1 to 4 p.m. on Oct. 5 at the Albany Senior Center.