'Sharing God's love': Faith-based Hosanna group's volunteers repairing 25 Johnstown homes

Jul. 8—JOHNSTOWN, Pa. — A Johnstown woman is happy that her 88-year-old mother can visit, thanks to volunteers who constructed a wheelchair ramp on Thursday at her home in the 700 block of Ash Street in the city's Hornerstown section.

Edith Darlene Bush said she was excited to learn that Hosanna Industries Inc., a faith-based nonprofit organization from the Pittsburgh area, would do the work after her homeowner's insurance refused to replace the dilapidated ramp.

"It was broken down," she said. "It was the third time it collapsed."

Her mother had trouble walking on the ramp with her cane.

"I'm so grateful to get this done," she said.

Nine volunteers from churches in the Pittsburgh area and four members of Hosanna Industries spent the day pounding nails and sawing wooden boards.

The work was necessary as the ramp was unsafe and unusable, said Becky Hetzer, Hosanna Industries' director of mission resources.

Hosanna is working with the Johnstown Redevelopment Authority and the 1889 Foundation to repair 25 homes in the city and is about half done, she said.

"The plan is to start a Hosanna-style nonprofit in Johnstown to do this kind of work," Hetzer said.

Andrea Wheeler, of the Pittsburgh area, has been a volunteer for 20 years.

'We're using the talents and gifts that God gave us," she said. "We're sharing God's love with other people to help make their lives a little better."

Bush said the group will return on Monday to finish installing new railings.