giving back to the community

"IT WILL BE A REALLY BIG TREAT FOR US TO WORK ALONGSIDE PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES WITH WHOM WE'VE BECOME FRIENDS THROUGH THE ASSOCIATION."

- Don Novak, Remodelors Council member

During 44 years as a professional remodeler, Don Novak, owner of Novak Construction Co. in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, has worked on more houses than he probably cares to count. The highlight, however, came only two years ago when his local Presbyterian church took 25 volunteers to Birmingham, Ala., to help tornado victims.

"I was going to ask my then 14-year-old grandson if he wanted to go, and he asked me first," Novak says. "So we loaded up the truck with tools and bedding and headed on our way."

The experience gave Novak a chance to work alongside not only his grandson but also a large contingent of other teenagers. All but seven of the 25 volunteers were younger than 18, and only three of the teens were boys.

"We started early on a Monday morning, worked 12 to 14 hours a day and packed up on Wednesday," Novak says. "The girls were just fantastic. They would bandage up their hands, and they never whimpered."

As a result of that experience, Novak looked forward to participating in the Habitat for Humanity build during the week leading up to the 2002 International Builders' Show in Atlanta. The NAHB Remodelors™ Council sponsored construction on one of the five houses.

"It will be a really big treat for us to work alongside people from all over the United States with whom we've become friends through the association," Novak says. "Building a house from scratch also will be a lot easier than what we normally do. It's much harder to take things apart and rebuild when your client is living in the house."

Created in 1982, the Remodelors Council represents the interests of more than 10,000 members of the remodeling industry. Based at NAHB headquarters in Washington, D.C., the council works in partnership with more than 150 NAHB-affiliated state and local builders associations. Its goal is to provide information, certification, education and recognition programs to remodeling industry members, as well as to improve customer service.

The IBS presented Remodelors Council chairman Alan Hanbury Jr. with his first Habitat for Humanity building experience. "It's a pretty fantastic opportunity to tie our professional names together," Hanbury says. "We're trying to get as many local chapters involved as we can to show their support. We're also working with the Southern Council of Remodelors and doing some promotions encouraging people to come early [to the show] and to get involved."

Tony Thompson, president of Remodeling Services Unlimited in Columbia, S.C., helped coordinate recruiting efforts among local chapters in South Carolina and North Carolina to bring volunteers to the show.

"We hope to have a minimum of 10 volunteers a day over the five-day period," says Thompson, who plans to be at the build site every day. "They'll drive nails, pull wires ... basically do whatever is needed. We're also working with local building suppliers to donate funds for construction."

Like Novak, Thompson regularly participates in volunteer building projects through his church, which sponsors construction of a house every year. He also participates in efforts sponsored by his home builders association and has taken his crew to do everything from installing cabinets to running trim.

"Any time you do something to give back to the community, it gives you a good feeling," Thompson says. "It's not every day that you get to do something as grand as building a house. Even donating a meal gives you a good feeling."