ACI Mechanical, Inc. – Ames

Ahrold Fay Rosenberg – Des Moines

AmericInn – Fort Dodge

Bailey Nursery – St. Paul, MN

City Supply Corp. – Des Moines

Country Landscapes, Inc. – Ames

D.A. Tabbert Co. – Fort Dodge

Dahl Air Conditioning & Heating Co. – Van Meter

The Dana Company – Des Moines

Decker Truck Line, Inc. – Fort Dodge

Denison Drywall – Denison

Diamond Vogel Paint – Fort Dodge

Drake Staffing & Search Groups – Des Moines

Electrical Engineering and Equipment Co. (3E) – Windsor Heights

Electrical Materials Co. – Fort Dodge

Ferguson Enterprises, Inc. – Fort Dodge

Fletcher Wood Products – Fort Dodge

Fort Dodge Asphalt – Fort Dodge

Franke, Herr and Associates – West Des Moines

General Fire and Safety Equipment Co. – Des Moines

HÖW'-GAN Electric & Security – Marshalltown

hth Companies – Union, MO

Hy-Vee – Fort Dodge

Interstates Companies – Sioux Center

Jensen Turf, Inc. – Nevada

Jim's Carpet One – Fort Dodge

Kinseth Plumbing and Heating – Belmond

Kruck Plumbing and Heating Co., Inc. – Boone

Logan Contractors Supply, Inc. – Des Moines

Martin Marietta – Ames

More Than Floors – Humboldt

NAI Electrical Contractors – Ames

Pederson Sanitation Corporation – Fort Dodge

Plumb Supply Company – Fort Dodge

Price Industrial Electric, Inc. – Hiawatha

Proctor Mechanical Corp. – West Des Moines

Professional Plumbing Service, Inc. – Fairfax

QCI Thermal Systems – West Burlington

Quality Electric – Altoona

R&G Electric, Inc. – Humboldt

Resource Services, Inc. – Des Moines

Rhiner's Plumbing Co., Inc. – Clive

Rhino Materials – West Des Moines

Roto-Rooter Sewer and Drain – Fort Dodge

Smitty’s Lawn and Landscape – Fort Dodge

Stoney Creek Inn – Johnston

Story Construction Co. – Davenport

Van Meter Industrial, Inc. – Des Moines

Webster Electric, Inc. – Waukee

Woodruff Construction Co. – Fort Dodge

Highlighted companies are ABC of Iowa members.  

ABC of Iowa Wins a 2008 National Chapter Award of Excellence in Community Service - Innovation

The Chapter Awards of Excellence are presented to recognize chapters for new innovative ideas or high achievement chapter programs. Entries have been judged by a team of chapter presidents that evaluates entries based on presentation overview, narrative, member involvement in creating the program, and the program's overall effectiveness and purpose.

While many chapters and members participate in existing home improvement programs, the Iowa Chapter took this idea a step further by taking on the entire process on its own. Members were anxious to contribute to the community and searched for a unique way they could help a deserving family. The Community Service subcommittee identified veteran, Spc. Andrew Birzer, a three-time deployed medic with the Iowa National Guard whose HumVee was struck by a roadside bomb. Suffering from a traumatic brain injury, the soldier has chronic headaches, speech problems, short-term memory loss and post traumatic stress leaving him unable to refurbish the fixer-upper he and his family purchased prior to his deployment and unable to return to his job at John Deere. The Iowa members completed $70,000 to $80,000 in home improvements in a one week time slot contributing time, money and materials.

Project Before & After Photos




The Freedom Riders helped move the Birzer family
out of their house before the renovations began.



MEET THE BIRZER FAMILY
Left to right: Theresa, Andrew, Colin, Samantha & Stephanie.

MEDIA COVERAGE ON THIS STORY

Injured Soldier Returns to Improved Home

Getting A Family Back on Their Feet

Fort Dodge Soldier, Family Cope with War Wounds

Saying Thanks to Spc. Birzer

Home Sweeter Home

Wounded Iowa Soldier gets a little help from ABC of Iowa

By John Strawn

 What happens when an Iowa family is in need? People turn out in droves to help in any way they can.

That was the story coming out of Fort Dodge in late August when members of Associated Builders and Contractors of Iowa joined forces with Operation First Response to help an injured Iowa soldier and his family remodel their home.

Iowa National Guard Spc.  Andrew Birzer and his family received the home improvements Aug. 18 – 23. While his family has been in the home for almost a month, Birzer is expected to take pleasure in the renovations first hand when he is medically released from Fort Leonard Wood in Kansas, where he has been stationed for the last eight months. Spc. Birzer was injured after two deployments and a traumatic brain injury (TBI) when an improvised explosive device (IED) rocked his vehicle in Afghanistan in 2006. He was then deployed for a third tour, this time to Iraq.

“Andrew’s injuries and three deployments have put a serious burden on Andrew, his wife and children.  Samantha has been taking care of their three children, work, the house, as well as fighting for her husband's benefits. In talking with Samantha on several occasions about what her family has been through, the stress from her husband being deployed a total of 41 months, his injuries, taking care of him and their children is horrendous.  This family has endured more in a few years than most of us see in a lifetime.  Andrew has served his country and his fellow Iowans well; he and his family have made many sacrifices.  They deserve only the best we can offer them,” says P.J. Sesker-Green, spokesperson for Operation First Response.

Operation First Response is a group that provides a variety of services and support to military families. When ABC of Iowa inquired about helping an Iowa soldier involved in the War on Terrorism, the two organizations combined forces to help the Birzer family.

ABC of Iowa Membership Director Reid Den Herder took the lead on this project and helped coordinate the renovations to the Birzer home. Member companies donated labor, material or money to the project. By the time the project was complete, nearly $70,000 worth of repairs were made.

Members replaced the electrical system, put down new floor, installed new windows and doors, installed a new heating, ventilation and air conditioning system, remodeled a bathroom, placed new insulation in the garage, renovated the kitchen and landscaped the yard.

The work not only benefited the Iowa soldier, but his entire family. Samantha, his wife of 17 years; along with his three children Stephanie, 16; Theresa, 13; and Colin, 11; stayed in hotels in Johnston and Fort Dodge for a week while the work was completed.

Spc. Birzer served as a medic with the Fort Dodge-based Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 1st Battalion, 194th Field Artillery. After sustaining his injuries, Birzer spent several months at Walter Reed Medical Center near Washington D.C. He returned briefly to Fort Dodge in October 2006 and eventually ended up at Fort Leonard Wood.

The soldier was back in Fort Dodge in late August to see first hand the results of the ABC of Iowa project. His wife says he was amazed at the results.

Den Herder says Birzer earned the gift. “It felt like we were able to do something for someone who was in need because of something they did for us.”