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International Roofing Expo (IRE) attendees, exhibitors and show management were invited to arrive the day before the show, roll up their sleeves and give back to the Las Vegas area by participating in the fifth annual Community Service Day. Approximately 75 volunteers donated their time and energy to help renovate and revitalize three houses belonging to elderly and disabled Las Vegas residents. This year’s event was sponsored by Sika Sarnafil and held in conjunction with the Southern Nevada chapter of Rebuilding Together. Lunch was sponsored by OMG Roofing Products. Additional sponsors included Commercial Roofers Inc., Par-3 Landscape & Maintenance, First Choice Tree Service, Frazee Paint, Quest Construction Products and Port of Subs.

At the home of Sharon Wilson, volunteers cleaned up the property and did exterior painting. At the Humberto Santana residence, where the spray polyurethane foam roof had previously been replaced by Commercial Roofers Inc. of Las Vegas, volunteers landscaped the front yard, handled exterior painting, cleaned up the property and trimmed the trees. At the home of Maria Hernandez, volunteers installed 40 feet of new wooden fencing, painted the exterior of the home and cleared debris from the backyard.

Senior Conference Manager Brandi McElhaney has participated in all five Community Service Day events and looks forward to it every year. “The energy is amazing,” she said. “A lot of these volunteers are just getting to know each other, but we just get together and get it done. It’s amazing how quickly they got things done today. Mrs. Hernandez came out to show her appreciation, and she was in tears.”

Jay Thomas, vice president of marketing for Sika Sarnafil, has also been on hand to work on the event every year, and Sika Sarnafil has been the event’s sponsor since it was launched. Thomas noted his company plans to sponsor it again next year, when the show returns to New Orleans. “It’s an honor to be involved,” he said. “It’s a great organization with great people to work with, and we’re happy to do it, and we enjoy it and get a lot out of it personally — and the weather is good!”

Michelle Shetrom of Comercial Roofers Inc. served as the house captain for the Santana residence. “We re-roofed Mr. Santana’s house in December, so I was familiar with it,” she said. “Quest donated the foam for the re-roof. Today we removed a cement planter, painted the house, and put landscaping rock in the front and the back. We have a great team. Our team rocks — no pun intended.”

Lindy Ryan, Southeast regional manager for Tecta America, came in from Sanford, Fla., to help out. “I’m enjoying it,” she said. “It’s fun. I met a lot of people I didn’t know before.”

Bram Lukasse traveled all the way from his home in the Netherlands to attend IRE this year. He and his daughter Liza Lukasse, who was living abroad in the United States as an exchange student, were both onsite at the Wilson residence to lend a hand. “We really like the American people and way of life,” Bran Lukasse said. “I’m trying to learn from the American way of applying roofs to better my company.”

“It’s important to do some good work and help the people here,” he added. “I think they need it. It’s just lovely to be here.”

Tracey Donels, service department manager of KPost Company in Dallas, participated in the event for the first time, but he says he’ll be back. “It felt good to get out and give back to the community,” he said. “I met people from across the country, and we all pitched in to do our part.”

Next year’s Community Service Day is currently in development. For more information, visit http://theroofingexpo.com/Attendee/Home/SpecialEvents/CommunityServiceDay.