HOME BIOGRAPHY PHOTO GALLERY SENIOR CITIZENS NEWS LINKS CONTACT                       By Lori Caldwell, Post-Tribune staff writer GARY - As two carpenters installed a wooden wheelchair ramp outside her front porch, Aretha Moore was inside making plans to use it. "Now I can get in the Christmas spirit," Moore told Commissioner Rudy Clay, D-Gary, who provided the money and workers to build the ramp at Moore's Glen park home Friday morning. Moore, 50, suffers from lupus, which created a circulation problem that forced doctors to amputate both legs two years ago. Since then, relatives - but mostly her daughter, Brenda Adams - had to carry Moore down the steps on her sloped front yard three times a week to take her to kidney dialysis treatment, Clay said. "I've been trying to get a ramp," Moore said. The first person she asked was Deputy Mayor Suzette Raggs, who attends church with Moore. "She said we had to qualify," Moore said. "Then, nothing happened." With no help in sight, Moore saw a story in the Post-Tribune about another woman Clay helped receive a ramp and mentioned to Vernell Nichols, a fellow dialysis patient. Nichols made some calls, and the ramp was under way. "I was happy as a lark," Moore said. "The commissioner has called me every step of the way. I can't wait to get out. I'm used to being independent," she said. Clay, who called the structures "freedom ramps," said Lake County's larger cities provide ramps through grants from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Gary's money, however, has already been depleted this year, the commissioner said. Using money from his accounts, Clay bought almost $600 worth of materials and called on Rodney McNeal of Griffith and George Young of Gary to do the construction work. McNeal designed the ramp, which the two men began building earlier this week. "It will be done today," McNeal said as he showed Clay how he intended to use several support posts to give the ramp stability. Clay has paid for three Gary residents to receive ramps and has already planned to help a Brunswick family next. "I didn't know how much need there was," Clay said Friday. Commissioner Clay continues to donate money to build wheelchair "Freedom Ramps" for people. Clay said many disabled people in Gary are like prisoners in their own homes and are fire trapped because they do not have wheelchair ramps. Clay said, "Somebody's got to do it," and he will continue to help build the ramps.... because the city of Gary said they "ran out of money" and could not build any handicap ramps.	Clay gives fundraiser to build more wheelchair ramps. Click here.               There is a change in the way lots can be disposed of. Click here.               Clay proposes using casino funds to pay property taxes for senior citizens. Click here.                 Clay holds the "Toys for Kids that Santa Claus Forgot" program. Click here.
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