Maine West teacher, students help disabled in the community
Retired teacher Paul Bartholomae is known to the Des Plaines Community Foundation as the “Ramp Man” at The Homestead House at Maine West High School in Des Plaines.
He will be passing on his “Ramp Man” role to another teacher to work closely with students and encourage the building of wheelchair ramps to help free disabled and elderly people who are trapped in wheelchairs in their homes.
“There are three new ramps for the students to construct this fall and they have finished two of them with Mark Egan, a Maine Township teacher who has rapidly been assuming my former duties as 'Ramp Man,'” said Bartholomae.
“The ramps are the most important thing we do for the Des Plaines residents in need,” he said. “It becomes a problem when the elderly or disabled can't get out of their homes to get to the doctor.”
At the time he retired, Bartholomae and his students just completed the 40th ramp, several new sheds, shelving and picnic tables at Maine West.
Though he is retired, he is continuing to volunteer his time with students and the DPCF board, but this school year he has passed the torch to a new Ramp Man in District 207, Mark Eagan of the Special Education department.
Egan is a teacher at Frost Academy in District 207, where he has worked for 28 years. Frost is a day school for alternative learning for kids from Maine East, West and South schools.
“This is my first year working with Paul. I was behind the scenes for past 14 years. So now, since Paul retired, I am the new 'Ramp Man' at Maine West,” said Egan.
“Currently, I have one group of six students in the Home- Maintenance class program,” he said. “But we would like to expand it to other schools so we can expand the crews. The six students are sophomores through seniors.”
Many of the students have preferential learning styles, like hands-on and visual learning. These alternative learning styles help expose the students to experiential learning — for example, construction or subcontractor jobs.
Bartholomae said he would like to see more students volunteer with Egan at The Homestead, including students enrolled in the Applied Technology class from Maine West.
Headquarters for the Home Maintenance Class students is The Homestead, an old farm house that has been converted through the efforts of the Building-Trades students for life-skills classes.
“What makes the program so successful is the cooperation among students,” said Bartholomae, a 34-year veteran instructor at the school.
“They divvy up tasks, and each brings different strengths to the table. And they work — just like a real-life crew,” he said. “They have even expanded to building sheds and minor cabinetry. It is really a hands-on experience for some of these students and can turn into a future career.”
Bartholomae noted that the crew has completed one ramp for a lady who has to go for dialysis several times per week.
“This ramp was assembled at Homestead largely by Mark Egan's class, with some help from the Life Skills students,” he said.
Mark Egan's class helped transport the ramp to the job site, and Jake Migasi (former Maine West student the top student in the Home Maintenance class for the past two years) was hired for a day by the Des Plaines Community Foundation to assist with the installation of the ramp. Migasi was also the recipient The Sadie Rose Argus Leadership Award 2016 scholarship.
“Egan's class disassembled a ramp at 2355 Scott St. This was a ramp that was installed by my CWT and Home Maintenance classes about five years ago,” said Bartholomae.“This ramp will be stored at Homestead until we receive a request for a ramp that will match the setup of this ramp. We currently have a ramp in Des Plaines that is being used for the fourth time.”
Egan's class has begun to assemble a ramp for another Des Plaines resident who paid for the ramp. His class will also install it.
“We have had a request for a ramp for an 11-year-old girl in Des Plaines for some time,” said Bartholomae.
“I just met with the mother, and we decided to go with a portable ramp that will be installed by Egan's class as soon as it is ordered and arrives. It will need to be fastened to the concrete stoop and sidewalk,” he said.
Rosemary Argus, executive director or the Des Plaines Community Foundation, appreciates all the volunteer work by Paul Bartholomae, and expresses a special “thank you” to Bartholomae for working with the students and encouraging the building of wheelchair ramps.
“The wheelchair ramps allow folks to take a walk, go to the park or even go out for ice cream,” said Argus. “The Building Trades students have touched the lives of residents, young and old, with various challenges.”
The Des Plaines Community Foundation buys the supplies, including tools and wood, while the students provide the labor during 45-minute class periods. The program trains students who are eager to learn construction skills and help the community.
“Utilizing their construction skills to build ramps, decks, picnic tables, and paint houses, they have come to the aid of many residents that needed assistance,” Argus said. “During winter, they have shoveled snow for residents. During spring and summer, they have mowed lawns and cut bushes.”
Some of the DPCF programs include; Neighbors Helping Neighbors Program Committee; Healthy Community/Healthy Youth Program Committee; Intergenerational Program Committee; and Seasons of Service program Committee.
The foundation has no paid employees and is 100-percent volunteer. The foundation is a 501c3 organization and funds are obtained from individuals, businesses, and corporate tax-deductible contributions, as well as from other foundations.
For tickets to the annual fundraiser, go to www.DPCharties.org or www.desplainescommunityfoundation.org, or call Rosemary Argus at (847) 297-4932 or (847) 525-5566.
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