Rebuilding group ramps up pace in Oysterville: Schoolhouse entrance path was in bad shape
Published 9:52 am Tuesday, May 6, 2025
Volunteers from Rebuilding Together Pacific County made swift work of the repairs needed on the ramp to the old Oysterville Schoolhouse.
Volunteers at Rebuilding Together Pacific County sometimes deserve a break as Tom Boyer demonstrates.
The completed project enhanced both the safety and the appearance of the entrance way.
The ramp and its support were rotted away.
The folks at Rebuilding Together Pacific County enjoy working for a good cause.
This time around, instead of helping someone privately, they went public in a big way.
More than 15 volunteers stepped up to replace the rotted ramp at the old Oysterville School.
They had to tear out the old ramp, which was in a very bad condition and unsafe, replace a support post and all the surface boards.
And a delighted Marilyn Raymer, who has taken over as president of the board of the Rebuilding group, noted that the volunteers accomplished this in just three hours.
Raymer noted that Rebuilding Together Pacific County’s mission is to keep low-income homeowners safe and warm in their homes. But its secondary purpose is to build community, by using volunteers to accomplish this, helping other nonprofits and working with local businesses.
She commended the volunteers and Oman’s of Long Beach for providing the materials.
“This project was about building community,” she said. “We do some ramps for individual homeowners, but this is for the community. It gives us a chance to get to know new friends and laugh.”
She said the joy was in service.
“There is great satisfaction in knowing that a few hours of work will benefit many others and enhance their enjoyment of our community,” she said. “We couldn’t do what we do without our community partners, like Oman’s and Sons, our volunteers and our donors.”
Those working with Raymer included Nick Michaud, Al Gunsul, Leslie Ferguson, Darcy Wills, Tucker Wachsmuth, Bill Bontem, Michael Goldberg, Hank Voderberg, David Oliver, Mike Busto, Jon Lee, Donna Boyer, Tom Boyer, Tom Jicha and Tony Suit.
Rebuilding Together Pacific County was formed in 2007 and is one of about 100 chapters around the nation.
People interested in helping fund the program can send donations to Rebuilding Together Pacific County, P.O. Box 283, Long Beach WA 98631. Email rtpacific283@gmail.com or call (360) 244-0277 for information or to volunteer.
Its website is rtpcwa.org. The group is also on Facebook at Rebuilding Together Pacific County Washington.
Requests for help must go first to the Olympic Area Agency on Aging’s Senior Information and Assistance center at 1715A Pacific Ave. N, Long Beach, open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., weekdays or call 360-642-3624 extn. 2210.
