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Md 23
District 23-C
Thompson Lions Club

Thompson Connecticut United States
Club Number:9099
Club Address:PO Box 28, Thompson, CT 06277
This Page address: http://thompsonct.lionwap.org
Our other Web Address: http://www.socialweb.net/Events/64921.lasso
Mail To
bulletWhen:1st and 3rd Tuesday 6:30 pm
bulletWhere:Colonial Restaurant 290 Thompson Road Webster, MA 01570 508-943-4040
Name Office Tel Home Tel
President 860-923-2269
1st Vice President 860-923-2101
Secretary 860-928-9412
Treasurer 860-923-9448
Membership Chairman 860-923-2101
Check out some of our pictures at: http://groups.msn.com/ThompsonLions/shoebox.msnw?Page=1 Article published Jun 21, 2007
Neighbors build ramp for Thompson boy
By JOHN PENNEY
Norwich Bulletin

THOMPSON -- Zachery Ball, a 10-year-old boy with a passion for Legos and fossils, was spending a little quality time outside his home Monday, enjoying the sun and mild temperatures while zooming around the surface of his new handicap-accessible deck.

"It's nice," said Ball, before taking off in his titanium sport wheelchair. "It lets me wheel around pretty fast."

The conception and construction of Ball's new deck was a regional community effort involving residents and businesses from across the area. They all came together to give a little boy an expanded sense of independence.

Nearly eight years ago, Ball was injured in a car accident. After being fitted with a metal head and neck brace, Ball was sent home. Within 10 days, he had lost all sensation in his lower extremities. His mother, Rebecca, said improper medical treatment resulted in her son being permanently paralyzed from his chest down -- a situation she said Zach has accepted with grace and optimism.

"He's a brave boy that doesn't dwell on his limitations," said Rebecca Ball, 29. "He has an incredibly magnetic personality. When he goes into a room, he lights it right up."

About six months ago, Zach and Rebecca moved into their new home off County Club Road. The house, in a quiet area of Thompson surrounded by woods, lacked a handicap ramp, which meant Rebecca had to carry her son down a short flight of stairs when entering or exiting the house.

In January, Bruce Elliott, Zach's former physical therapist and a longtime friend of the Ball family, began talking with local groups about raising money for a small metal ramp for Zach. The results far exceeded Elliott's expectations.

"The Thompson Lions offered all the labor needed to build the ramp," Elliott said. "That allowed us to build a bigger deck at no cost to the family."

Lions President Jeffrey Barske said his group always is looking for opportunities to help residents.

"When a special situation comes about to help someone in need, we jump on it," Barske said.

After the initial donation, Elliott said other groups and individuals from Putnam, Willimantic and Woodstock started to come forward with offers of money and material, all for a boy they'd never met.

"The project is a tribute to the concepts of human spirit and community service," Elliott said.

In addition to the decking, framing and concrete supplies, groups, such as the Putnam Lions and students from the University of Connecticut and the University of Hartford, also sent in cash to acquire final construction items.

The deck, completed in slightly more than a day, wraps around the front of the Balls' house, with a gentle sloping ramp leading to the driveway. The floor is level with the front door and a pair of French doors leading to Zachery's room.

The building crew also added a wide wooden shelf to the deck, which, Monday, was covered with small plastic army men.

"Having all these people donate their time, money and effort was a great thing," said Rebecca Ball. "For Zach, just being able to look out his window has made a huge difference in his life."

"It's fun out here," Zach added, while the wheels of his chairs quickly spun around the deck.

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Page created at 2007-05-18 and Last updated at 2007-10-10.