When most folks want to leave their homes, they simply walk out the front door.

But it hasn’t always been that easy for Federal Way resident Margaret Long.

Long suffers from a bone disease that causes her to be confined to a wheelchair.

Until last weekend, when she wanted to leave her home, she had to maneuver out through the garage because a step at her front door prevented her access.

On Saturday, employees from Potter Construction donated time and materials to build Long a wheelchair access ramp at her front door as part of the 15th annual Rampathon event organized by the Master Builders Care Foundation.

The foundation provides free wheelchair access ramps for low-income disabled homeowners in King and Snohomish counties. This year, ramps were installed at homes in Federal Way, Burien, Snohomish, Enumclaw, Redmond, Kent, Mill Creek, Seatac, Shoreline, Lynnwood, Issaquah, Seattle, Monroe, Brier and Kirkland. At Long’s house, carpenters built a platform and a 5-foot-long ramp that descends the height of the front step.

“It’s a simple thing that we take for granted, being able to get in and out of our house, but for them it’s a chore,” said John Nass, the project developer who designed the ramp.

Long said she was grateful when she learned that she would receive the new wheelchair ramp that she sought.

“It’s gonna help me to be able to get out of my house,” she said.

Contact Margo Hoffman: mhoffman@fedwaymirror.com or (253) 925-5565.