The Following is this week’s I AM, YOU ARE, WE ARE Honoree; by Nicole Van Hyfte and Ashton Greer:
Steve Paxton was born at Lakeview Hospital in Danville in 1948 and has called Vermilion County his home ever since. He talks about growing up on the lake and is reminiscent of the go cart racetrack that used to be on the north end of town. “That was all our playground.”
Steve has many ties to the community being a descendant of the Grab-It-Here grocery chain. He attended military school in Missouri, was in the US Army for over 10 years, and came back to settle down in Georgetown. Upon his return, he started helping with the Special Olympics, and in the early 90s, he started the Vermilion County Handicapped Association. The VCHA builds wheelchair ramps across the county for individuals who need them. They have now built over 400 ramps. “We all started doing this before we were married. Now, our kids are grown up, and we’re still building ramps. We’re all grandparents now!” Steve and several retired construction friends can now build a ramp in 2 hours compared to the 2 days it took when they first began.
One of Steve’s favorite “ramp stories” was when they had completed a ramp, and the woman came outside to see it with her caregiver with a big smile on her face and said, “I’m going to Walmart!” She hadn’t left her home in over 2 years.
The VCHA crew builds ramps the second and forth Sunday of every month. They rely on their annual motorcycle raffle to make enough funds to keep going. This year, they are raffling off a 2022 Harley Davidson Road King. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased throughout the community. The drawing will be September 10th at Fatman’s Warehouse.
Steve has now lived in Georgetown for over 40 years. When asked what he loves about Vermilion County, he answered, “I was born and raised here; I like all of it.”
Thank you, Steve, for your kind heart, your service, and your willingness to help others.
To learn more about the Vermilion County Handicapped Association, please visit https://www.facebook.com/Vermilion-County-Handicapped-Association-218378201625013.
If you have someone you would like to share,
visit https://forms.gle/deCPiQ1cxn1pDLhZ9
or contact Ashton Greer, City of Danville agreer@cityofdanville.org or
Nicole Van Hyfte, Vermilion Advantage nvanhyfte@vermilionadvantage.com.
