Roxboro legion laments loss of stolen access ramp

Members of theRoyal Canadian Legion inRoxboro were shocked to discover Friday morning that the custom wooden access ramp they had built to cope with harsh winter weather was missing.

Fraser Debney, poppy chairman for the legion. built the wooden ramp himself to help users avoid icy patches and wet spots on their way into the building.

The ramp wasabout six feet long, 20 inches wide and painted bright yellow with a non-slip surface.

"It was heavy.I'm surprised that somebody took it because it was made with large pieces of wood," saidDebney.

"I can't see somebody walking away with it."

He said for someone to remove the ramp overnight Thursday, they must have loaded it into a vehicle and maybe had an accomplice.

John Floud, president of the Roxboro legion, told CBC that he was in a state of "disbelief that would somebody would actually steal from the legion."

"We know people will steal just about anything but this is not the sort of thing you expect," he added.

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For Debney and other members, it's the idea that someone would steal from an organization that helps veterans and seniorsthat bothers them the most.

"Think about who you take it from next time," he said. "You're sacrificing our vulnerable citizens."

He added that if the ramp isn't returned, he's resolved to build another one.