Before the 2012 International Roofing Expo officially got under way, attendees and exhibitors were ready to roll up their sleeves to participate in Community Service Day, volunteering to help renovate homes for families in need on Tuesday, Feb. 21. The effort was the result of a partnership between the International Roofing Expo, NRCA’s Disaster Relief Committee and the Central Florida chapter of Rebuilding Together, a non-profit, volunteer-based program that repairs and rehabilitates homes and non-profit community facilities. The sponsor of Community Service Day is Sika Sarnafil, which will be exhibiting in booth 525.

“The International Roofing Expo is so pleased to be part of this exciting day,” said Lindsay Roberts, Director of the Expo. “Our attendees and exhibitors who volunteer to this vital cause will help provide a small piece of the American dream to families in need.”

Brandi McElhaney, Senior Conference Manager for the IRE, noted that some of the Community Service Day projects included replacing the roof on one home, painting three homes, fence repair, and installing a wheelchair ramp, as well as property cleanup and landscaping. “In addition to these projects, we solicited Tecta America to replace a roof on a transitional woman’s home that provided abused women safe shelter right before the Christmas holiday,” she said.

McElhaney noted this was the third year in a row the event has taken place in conjunction with the IRE. “The show was in New Orleans in 2010 and we wanted to help out the victims of Hurricane Katrina in the city,” she said. “One of our advisory board members, Bill Good, Executive Vice President of the NRCA, is on the board of Rebuilding Together, so we chose Rebuilding Together to partner with in these three cities and they have been a great partner.”

McElhaney had high praise for the volunteers as well as the event’s the corporate partners, including her company, Hanley Wood, which presents the IRE. “Hanley Wood is passionate about giving back and we are thrilled to be involved in this project,” she said. “I would like to personally thank Sika Sarnafil, who has graciously sponsored this day for the last three years; we hope to continue our partnership with them.”

Working with the attendees can be inspiring, noted McElhaney. “The energy on our worksites is so amazing,” she said. “You will never find a more rewarding project that truly helps the end user. To see the look on these homeowners’ faces as their homes are literally transformed in front of their eyes is the best reward you can get.”

Bill Good, Executive Vice President of NRCA, the show’s official sponsor, agreed. “This is such a worthy cause to lend a helping hand to those less fortunate,” he said “This is a great opportunity to support the roofing industry, while giving back to the Orlando community.”