By Cameron Poague

Special to the Reporter

It’s not hard to see the good in this world — you just have to know where to look.

Take the corner of Northeast 140th Place and 100th Avenue Northeast in Kirkland, for example, where Angela Maccarrone can now freely and safely get in and out of her home thanks to a new wheelchair access ramp built free of charge by builder company Lochwood-Lozier Custom Homes.

The ramp was donated as part of an annual event called Rampathon, during which volunteers from the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish counties donate their time and skills to build ramps for Puget Sound residents in need.

This year, Lochwood-Lozier in Redmond made the trek to Kirkland to help Maccarrone’s treks a little easier, both short — such as going to the store — and long — helping others realize their own potential.

“My life goal is to bring hope to those with disabilities and other adversities and this ramp allows me to independently go out in my community and accomplish this goal,” Maccarrone said. “I hope to inspire others coping with adversity (so) that they can have meaningful lives. And this ramp is a way for me to accomplish this.”

Rampathon tends to positively affect all involved.

For recipients, the impacts are obvious. For builder volunteers such as the Lochwood-Lozier team, the effects can be equally evident. In fact, many builder companies have made Rampathon an annual event.

For Lochwood-Lozier President Todd Lozier, the decision to participate in the event is a given.

“For (us), Rampathon is a tradition that we look forward to every year,” he said, reflecting on why the list of both builder and recipient applicants continues to rise year after year. “There are very few events like this that present a unique opportunity to give back in such a meaningful way.”

The event also makes it easy for builder participants to serve in the communities they where work and live. Helping those who share the same figurative backyards to become both the best people and neighbors they can be is a way to bring cities such as Kirkland a little closer together — and not just for a day. Rampathon provides freedom and opportunity for today and tomorrow, because those two words shouldn’t contain restrictions. And without restrictions, people like Maccarrone can now go out and make the kind of impact they want.

She now has a whole range of activities that have become possible.

“To me, Rampathon and this new ramp means independence and hope,”Maccarrone said.