George Braddock

After three years at UNLV on a football scholarship, and summer work as a union carpenter, Pittsburgh native George Braddock moved to Oregon in 1974. "I worked in the woods a couple of years, then went back to carpentry," he notes. "I helped build Autzen Stadium and remodel Mac Court." When the bottom fell out of construction in 1980, Braddock got licensed and went into business for himself. A client, UO psychology professor Dan Close, got him interested in specialized construction to meet the needs of developmentally disabled adults. "Dan envisioned the closure of Fairview," he says. "He saw potential for the physical environment to empower people in the community." Since 1986, Braddock Construction has completed more than 1500 projects for people with disabilities, from wheelcair ramps to entire houses. Since 1999, Braddock has been asked to consult with regional centers in California on housing projects that integrate the disabled. "It's fascinating stuff," he says. "People can become citizens in the full meaning of the term." This weekend's Oregon Country Fair will be the 27th in succession for Braddock's popular booth, the Ritz Sauna.

happening people photograph and story by Paul Neevel Eugene Weekly / 10 July 2003