Focus

For the third year in a row, NRCA has partnered with CNA Insurance Cos., Chicago, and the CNA Foundation to co-sponsor the 2015 CNA/NRCA Community Involvement Award.

The award program honors charitable works by NRCA contractor members. I urge them to submit any charitable project, activity or donation completed between Jan. 1, 2014, and Dec. 31, 2014. One winning charity will receive $5,000. Two honorable mentions each will receive $1,000. The deadline for submissions is Dec. 31, 2014.

It is important to note projects, activities or donations do not have to involve roofing work. For example, this year's winner, Oklahoma City Roofing & Sheet Metal, Oklahoma City, hosted more than 80 children of military personnel for a day of horseback riding, livestock and ranching education, and buggy rides for its Horseback Heroes event, which is co-sponsored by the Oklahoma 4-H Foundation.

In a message to NRCA, Oklahoma Roofing & Sheet Metal President Gerry Shepherd stated that because of the award, the company will be able to stick to its goal to never turn a child away from participating in Horseback Heroes.

"Although it requires us to buy and add another bucking dummy and find 20 more horses and two more buggies with teams to pull them, it also requires many more volunteers, more breakfast foods, more drinks and more lunch items," Shepherd says. "Because of the award we received, we will be able to serve every one of these kids."

Award submissions should include supporting information regarding the charitable work performed (a minimum 100-word description is required). In addition, a testimonial letter from the receiving charity should explain how the charitable work or donation helped its operations. Entries also should include any additional materials, such as photographs, press clippings, video, etc. A panel of judges from CNA Insurance, the CNA Foundation and NRCA will determine the winner and honorable mentions.

The awards will be presented at NRCA's Awards Ceremony and Cocktail Reception Wed., Feb. 25, 2015, during NRCA's 128th Annual Convention in New Orleans. For more information, contact Charlotte Norgaard, NRCA's media relations manager, at (847) 493-7548 or cnorgaard@nrca.net.

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