Providing access for all

Guy Laframboise had stamped coupons with addresses and placed them on carry-out pizza boxes for a couple of hours every night since he was in high school.

But the 26-year-old, who needs a wheelchair to get around, recently lost his job because business was slow.

He was born with cerebral palsy, but, Laframboise says, he never lets it get in the way of how he lives his life. He kept a job for years, attends college and volunteers some of his time for a good cause.

Losing his job is nothing but “a speed bump in the road,” he said.

After all, he has leads on other jobs and doesn’t plan to be out of work for long. He credits Project Independence for some of his accomplishments, like learning the bus routes and getting around. In return, Laframboise volunteers with the nonprofit organization that helps him and others like him live independently, and find and maintain jobs.

He serves on the Walk for Independence committee. A fundraising walk is scheduled for Sunday in Huntington Central Park to raise money for an elevator in the Project Independence office.

Recently, Project Independence merged with another organization of its kind named Vantage Foundation, and moved to a bigger office space with two stories.

But there is no elevator.

“It seems incredibly embarrassing to have space that’s not accessible to everyone,” said Debra Marsteller, Project Independence executive director. “We support people with developmental disabilities. But even if we weren’t serving people with developmental disabilities, universal access is so important.”

When Mitsubishi Electric in Cypress heard about Project Independence’s need for an elevator, the company donated one.

“We were so thrilled,” Marsteller said. “We are still thrilled.”

But Project Independence is still far from having an elevator operating at its office.

Funds raised from the walk will pay for putting the plan together, an engineer and an architect, and permission and approval from the Fire Department and the city, Marsteller said.

Laframboise has already done for the walk by telling people about it. He’ll also be there helping where he’s needed.

“Project Independence just helped me get out in the community a lot more than I could’ve hoped to be able to do,” he said. “Because of being able to be out in the community, it helped me be a better advocate for Project Independence.”

If You Go

Walk for Independence is from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday at Huntington Beach Central Park, 6622 Lakeview Drive.

For more information on how to donate, contact Debra Marsteller at (714) 549-3464, ext. 232 or go to www.proindependence.org.