Emily Bowman's Home To Become Accessible and Accommodating

The Roswell-based charity known for helping families in need is expanding its reach into Woodstock.

Sunshine on a Ranney Day has offered to help the family of Emily Bowman prepare for the Woodstock woman to return to her home from Children's Health Care at Scottish Rite. 

Holly Ranney, co-founder of the organization, said volunteers will soon begin work on converting two rooms on the ground level of the family home into one large, wheelchair accessible room for Bowman to use once she's discharged from the hospital.

A wheelchair ramp will be built outside to allow Bowman to come inside the home. 

Ranney said they will also remove the carpet and put down laminate flooring so Bowman can move easily around the room. She also said designers will come in and paint the room to add a personalized touch for Bowman. 

An ADA-accessible shower will also be installed in a half-bathroom on the ground level and another room will be built for Bowman's mother to stay close by. 

Ranney said work on the ramp and flooring will start this weekend and volunteers will soon move to the work on the inside. 

Sunshine on a Ranney Day is also helping the family of Tripp Halstead.

The Bowmans reached out to the organization and asked if they could help in any way possible. Ranney said they made a visit to the Bowman home late last week in Woodstock and did a walk-through to see what could be done.

Bowman's mother Debbie Bowman wrote on the Bows for Bowman's Facebook page on Saturday that her daughter will be released on May 29.

Her daughter continues to battle the injuries in the aftermath of the Feb. 16 hit-and-run accident. 

Bowman said her daughter "has not made much cognitive improvement," and she may have some hearing loss in her right ear.

"I can't begin to say how hard this is - to know that she was doing some of the things she was doing previously before the shunt surgery and now I feel as if we are back at square one with her," she said adding she will never "give up hope and prayers for her recovery."

Bowman, a former Kennesaw State University student and Woodstock High School graduate, was hit by a pick-up truck as she and a friend walked along Oak/Oconee Street on Feb. 16. She washospitalized in critical condition at Athens Regional Medical Center until March 8 when she was then moved to the Shepherd Center. She was later discharged to give her more time to recover before taking on physical therapy.

Ranney added the organization is also asking for any volunteers who are interested in helping with time, money or labor to contact them directly on their website.

Ranney said helping the family was a decision that was second nature to them. 

"That’s what our charity is all about," she said.