Focus

In 2014, NRCA celebrated the first National Roofing Week with great success. This year, National Roofing Week will take place July 5-11 and once again will feature a Children's Art Contest.

NRCA's second annual Children's Art Contest promotes awareness of the importance of having a roof to grade school-age children, showing communities the value of professional roofing contractors in their neighborhoods.

The contest is open to children in grades 1-8 who are relatives of NRCA contractor members and their employees. In preparation for a child's participation, NRCA encourages its members to talk to children about how they install and repair roof systems and why their jobs are important. Not only will this give children ideas about what to draw, but it also will educate them about the value of roofing professionals.

Finalists from each group will be selected based on the artwork that most effectively illustrates what roofs do. Voting then will be open to visitors to NRCA's website; visitors will be able to vote for their favorite entry in each group.

Winners will be chosen from the following age groups: Grades 1-3, Grades 4-6 and Grades 7-8.

The winner from each group will have his or her artwork featured on 2015 National Roofing Week material and additional promotional materials to be displayed at industry events throughout the year, including the 2016 International Roofing Expo® and NRCA's 129th Annual Convention in Orlando, Fla. Prizes also will be awarded to the winner from each group.

The deadline for entries is April 15. More details can be found at www.nrca.net/artcontest or by contacting Charlotte Norgaard, NRCA's media relations manager, at cnorgaard@nrca.net or (847) 493-7548.

Ambika Puniani Bailey is editor of Professional Roofing and NRCA's associate executive director of communications and production.