By Keysha Drexel
Journal editor
In just one day last week, a crew from a Homewood-based construction company built a new building to benefit an organization that helps children with disabilities.
Twin brothers David and William Seigel, owners of Twin Construction Companies, and their crew constructed the 12-by-20 building at the Greater Birmingham AMBUCS headquarters on Canyon Road in Vestavia Hills April 11.
“We take it as a challenge for a good cause,” David Seigel said. “We have a strong belief in giving back to the community we’re blessed to work in.”
Greater Birmingham AMBUCS is a nonprofit organization that reaches out to children and others with disabilities to help with mobility independence through AmTryke therapeutic tricycles and wheelchair ramps.
Dave Upton of Vestavia Hills re-established the Greater Birmingham chapter of the national AMBUCS organization in 2007. In 2012 he arranged for the purchase of the building on Canyon Road to serve as the chapter’s headquarters.
Upton said the new building will be used to check and adjust the therapeutic tricycles before they are given to children. Members of the Vestavia Hills Fire Department help assemble the tricycles, he said.
“After the fire department assembles them, we tweak them. We make sure the tires have enough air and that kind of thing,” Upton said. “We also have a licensed physical therapist that helps to adjust each tricycle so that it is right for each child.”
Gray Murray, a member of the Greater AMBUCS board of directors, said other companies also helped make the new building a reality.
“Some of the materials were donated by Alpha Lumber and Cash and Carry Building Supply,” Murray said.
Additionally, foundation materials were donated by Kirkpatrick Concrete and Murray Building Company, Upton said.
Vestavia Hills Mayor Alberto “Butch” Zaragoza, on hand for the one-day build last week, said he was glad the generosity of the community will allow AMBUCS to serve even more people.
For more information on the Greater Birmingham AMBUCS chapter, visit HYPERLINK “http://birminghamambucs.org” birminghamambucs.org or call 823-7800.
