When the ABC-TV program “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” came to Lena, Ill. to give the Stott family their dream of running a small organic farm and living as “green” a life as possible, it was only natural for ABC Supply’s Freeport, Ill. branch (#199) and American Construction Metals (ACM) to lend a hand.
An ACM metal roof, with its energy efficiency, recycled content and recyclability, is a perfect fit on the eco-friendly farm that now also includes solar panels and a water retention pond. The project also provided an opportunity for the branch to support four customers that were involved in the project.
On a more personal note, it was a chance to continue ABC Supply’s tradition of giving back to the community.
The episode featuring the project – episode #715, “The Stott Family” – aired on Nov. 15. To view it online, visit http://abc.go.com/shows/extreme-makeover-home-edition.
Volunteering from the branch were Branch Manager Kevin Shea, Outside Sales Associate Todd Bardell, Inside Sales Associate Tom Ames, Delivery Service Manager Nick Kreeger and Driver Brian Groezinger. Pitching in from ACM were Metal Roof Product Manager Gary Zigler, Lead Trainer Matt Dalicandro, Territory Manager Dan Baldauf and Territory Manager Sonny Hogue.
In just over 24 hours they, along with volunteers from two roofing contractors, installed 50 squares of KenLoc 26-gauge standing seam structural steel metal roofing and all of the associated trim.
The Stott family’s desire to “live green” made the ACM roof an ideal choice. The ENERGY STAR®-qualified roof reflects the sun’s rays, helping reduce cooling costs by up to 40 percent. All ACM roofs also are made of at least 25 percent recycled material and are 100 percent recyclable.
General contractor Hasken Construction LLC and project coordinator Lumber-Jack Builders LLC are long-time customers of the branch. So, when Lumber-Jack asked the branch to get involved in the project, the team unanimously agreed.
“We wanted to support our community and show people that ABC Supply is here for them,” Kevin said. “Ken Hendricks supported Beloit and helped rebuild it into the city it is now. Freeport is only 45 miles from Beloit and has gone through many of the same turns that Beloit did, with manufacturers leaving the area. We wanted to take the spirit of what Ken did in Beloit and bring it here to Freeport.”
The two roofing contractors who signed on for the project – Kundert Construction and Borgmann Construction – also are branch customers. The project not only became an opportunity to strengthen those relationships, but also to educate the contractors about ACM and its products. Both do extensive work in steel construction and metal roofing, but Kundert had never used ACM products and Borgmann had never used KenLoc panels.
To ensure everyone was up to speed, Todd, Gary and Matt arranged a day-long training program at the ACM plant in Beloit, during which the contractors got hands-on experience installing the panels on a training roof and the team mapped out what would be needed for the project. The advance work paid off on the job site.
“Thanks to the training, and because Kundert and Borgmann are experienced in working with metal, everybody knew what to do,” Kevin said. “Everything went smoothly and the installation went quicker than we expected.”
For both Kevin and Gary, among the most memorable aspects of the project was the coordination and cooperation among the approximately 200 volunteers who were on the job site at any given time.
“It was amazing to see how well the chaos was controlled,” Gary said. “Everybody was helping each other and looking out for each other. No one was complaining or arguing. Everything went so smoothly.”
Kevin summed it all up, saying “It was an awesome experience. It was the chance of a lifetime. The emotions of everyone involved and the appreciation you get from the family make every bit of the time and effort worthwhile.”