Back to New Orleans for Community Service Day

By Cass Jacoby, RCS Reporter.  

Heidi J. Ellsworth meets with Community Service Day organizers to talk about the profound experience of giving back to the community in the place where it all started. 

Season 3, Episode 8 of Coffee Conversations starts the year off right talking with the thought leaders about the International Roofing Expo® Community Day. Featuring IRE Keynote Speaker and NRCA CEO Reid Ribble, Brandi McElhaney with IRE, William Stoudt with Rebuilding Together and Bill Bellico with Sika, as they look forward to the good the IRE team and roofing community will do for New Orleans the first week of February.  

Each year the International Roofing Expo partners with Rebuilding Together to make critical home repairs for those in need. Join Heidi J. Ellsworth and this panel of Community Service Day organizers as they dig into 2022 IRE Community Day and share how roofing professionals can get more involved.  

The Honorable Reid Ribble is the NRCA's chief executive officer, now in his fifth year of the position. "I'm looking forward to that because it is a beautiful tie in for the community service event,” says Reid. “Because Katrina happened when I was NRCA's president or chairman of the board, going back to New Orleans, and talking about it and being involved in Community Service Day, it really resonates with me.”   

Brandi McElhaney is the senior conference manager for the IRE. In addition to putting together the conference program, she also works to organize Community Service Day. “New Orleans was our first Community Service Day and it happened about three years following Hurricane Katrina,” says Brandi. “We continued it now for 13 years. But it is by far my favorite day of the year. We're able to literally change people's lives. And it's unbelievable the transformation of these homes.”  

Bill Bellico is the vice president of marketing and inside sales for Sika. “We've been acting as the primary sponsor of this event for a lot of years,” says Bill.  “So we're excited to be here today to talk about it and promote this great event.” 

William Stout, is the executive director with Rebuilding Together. “We are really looking forward to having the IRE back and thanks to Informa for being amazing partners,” says William.  “I'm a New Orleanian, so this means so much to be able to support our neighbors, friends and family with the work that we're doing. We're really grateful.” 

“I think that says a lot about our roofing community,” adds Brandi. “They give back, they roll up their sleeves.” 

Read, Listen or Watch the entire Coffee Conversation to gain more insight on the Community Service Day at IRE 2022 and to learn about how you can get involved.