Every time they left, they held their breath.
A set of weathered, worn wooden stairs was how the family of 6-year-old Elijah Purcell came and went from their home in the Greenwood Estates community. Elijah, who had been diagnosed with autism and epilepsy, had already fallen from the stairs before. They needed a safer way to get in and out.
“We are afraid [our steps] are going to fall through while our 6-year-old and/or the baby is on them. We are at a loss,” said Chelsea Shirels, Elijah’s mother.
The family saw their worries dissipate Wednesday morning in a flurry of elbow grease and community service. Employees from Rehab Medical, a medical supply company, had partnered with the nonprofit Servants at Work to build an accessible ramp.
For Elijah’s family, the new ramp was of life-changing significance. But the project also marked a milestone for Servants at Work, better known as SAWs. The build was the 5,000th finished ramp for the organization, which works to address the immense need for accessible inclines throughout Johnson County and beyond.
Each one marks the chance to expand the world of residents who previously were confined by mobility problems.
“Our volunteers have been so committed to helping people get their freedom back,” said Tim Thurston, executive director of SAWs. “Now, in October of ‘25, to celebrate our 5,000th ramp, it’s incredible. I’m humbled by their enthusiasm to get people out of their homes safely, by their commitment to be here.”
The sounds of power drills and circular saws punctuated the still morning at Greenwood Estates on Wednesday morning.
Close to a dozen people went to work building the ramp, piece by piece. The group measured and sawed lumber, built brackets to create an even incline and installed planks for a safe walking surface.
They tore out the weathered, rotten stairs that had been in place, while other volunteers started assembling lumber, digging places where the lumber would sit and putting together the framework of the ramp.
Project manager Walt Maxson directed the process, following the template that had served SAWs so well for 4,999 other ramps.
Within a few hours, the recipients not only had a finished ramp, but a renewed opportunity for independence.
The work was hard, but worth it to those who took part.
“SAWs really aligns a lot with what I’m passionate about,” said Heather Morecraft, director of customer experience for Rehab Medical. “You get to see who you help. It’s a full-bucket feeling.”
Founded in 2003, SAW is a faith-based, volunteer-powered nonprofit organization serving clients throughout Indiana, as well as Arizona and Virginia. The organization specializes in building Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant wheelchair ramps for people living with permanent or long-term disabilities in low-income households.
The organization provides freedom and independence with the ramps. Leaders and their army of volunteers are guided by the belief that everyone deserves dignity, with the aim to serve others with compassion and create life-changing access to the world beyond their front door.
“To get to this point is a testament to our volunteers,” Thurston said. “We have over 4,000 volunteers in the state of Indiana, and because of them, we can do this.”
In 2024, SAWs built its 4,000th ramp, but the demand for the ramps is constantly growing. Last year, applications were up more than 50% from 2023, with hundreds of people on a waiting list.
But as SAWs has increased its workload, it has gained the attention of more organizations and community groups in the area.
In the spring, a Leadership Johnson County group planned a Ramp-a-thon, building ramps at seven locations throughout Johnson County, which essentially cleared the backlog of residents needing ramps, Thurston said.
Rehab Medical has been one of the companies that have been active with SAWs for years.
“The partnership we have here with Rehab Medical has allowed us to grow the mission, to affect more lives and to make a much bigger impact on all of the communities we serve,” Thurston said.
Headquartered in Indianapolis, the company provides complex rehab technology, such as manual wheelchairs, power wheelchairs and power scooters, to improve people’s lives through custom mobility equipment tailored to individuals’ unique needs.
Because they deliver this equipment to customers’ homes, they often see the need for accessible ramps.
“At Rehab Medical, our mission is simple and deeply rooted in everything we do: to improve lives. We provide mobility equipment that allows individuals to regain freedom and independence within their homes. When we looked at the work SAWs is doing — building wheelchair ramps and creating safe access into and out of the home — the partnership was a natural fit,” said Kevin Gearheart, president of Rehab Medical, in an emailed statement.
Rehab Medical has been financially supporting SAWs since 2019. In 2023 and 2024, they completed eight ramps total and donated more than $33,000.
This year alone, the company has also participated in four builds and expects to contribute more than $30,000.
“Both organizations serve the same purpose from different angles. We focus on independence inside the home, while SAWs focuses on accessibility to the home and the community,” Gearheart said. “When a person receives a wheelchair but cannot safely enter or exit their house, independence is still limited. Together, we remove barriers — literally and figuratively.”
For the 5,000th ramp build, Rehab Medical provided both funding and volunteers for the milestone. Their support is an extension of the strong partnership between the company and SAWs — one that also supported the 4,000th ramp build last year.
“Rehab Medical exemplifies what it means to be a true community partner,” Thurston said. “Their support ramps like this possible for families who need safe home access.”