San Marcos Resident Receives Free Wheelchair Ramp As Part Of TXST University Safe At Home Program

Staff Reports

Texas State University Students and members of the San Marcos Community came together on Friday, April 26, to build a wheelchair ramp for a resident in the community.

Texas State Health Administration students, with the help of local contractors and McCoy Building Supply, hammered away to construct a wheelchair ramp for San Marcos resident, Clementi Saucedo.

The project was part of the Safe At Home program, which aims to reduce the risk of death or injury from falls at home.

According to SAH program director, Johnny Etienne, Ms. Saucedo has undergone several surgeries, which have limited her mobility; the free wheelchair ramp will offer her increased freedom at her home and reduce the risk of her falling.

SAH is one of three model programs in the Service-Learning Excellence Program at Texas State University.  

The Service-Learning Excellence Program’s mission is to enrich the collegiate learning experience by encouraging civic engagement, compelling student reflection and fostering meaningful community relationships.

According to the Texas State University website, the Service-Learning Program was founded in 2001 by the former program director and Professor in the School of Health Administration, Cecil Renick. The program started with MAP Rides in 1997 after Renick received a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

MAP is an intergenerational program, which specializes in partnering university students with community elders or people with disabilities, according to Etienne. 

Know someone in a similar situation as Mr. Saucedo and who could do with a little freedom and safety around the home? Safe at Home relies on the community to reach out and share the stories of locals who are suffering from health conditions or have a high risk of falling.

To find out more about the safety projects they can do besides building wheelchair ramps or to share the story of someone you know in the community, call the service-learning excellence program office at 512.245.8234 or SAH Program Director, Johnny Etienne at 512-245-9265 or talk to one of the program’s community partners.