The Contractor’s Association of Minnesota (CAM) recently partnered with the MN DAV and the Carver County Veterans Service Office to perform our first ever Community Outreach project together.

Carole Fink of Chanhassen, MN is a Vietnam era US Navy Veteran, a Special Education Teacher for 18 years and a Peer Support Specialist at the MN VA Hospital for 13 years.

After a career of serving others, she found herself needing a little help herself. She uses a walking cane and has not been able to use her rear porch deck steps because they are not handicap accessible.

Iron River Construction of Chaska, MN volunteered their services and materials to remove her old porch deck steps and replace it with a new maintenance free, handicap accessible porch deck. Carole was extremely excited to have her porch deck steps replaced so she can now use it and it also gives her a 2nd exit from the house in case there is ever a house fire.

The Contractor’s Association of Minnesota would like to thank the following for their assistance with this Community Outreach Program. Iron River Construction for completing the project, Master Key Claim Services for coordinating the project, the MN DAV and the Carver Country Veteran’s Service Office.

We all look forward to our next service project together with the MN DAV!

MN Association of Exterior Specialists has joined BATC and Lyman Roofing and Siding to help with donations and the contribution effort for HFOT and the Solt residence.

Homes for our troops is a privately funded non-profit organization that has completed over 180 homes for wounded veterans nationally. 90% of funds raised go directly to wounded veterans. The Solt home will be the 2^nd project in MN done by HFOT. Later this year, they will start a 3^rd house in Moorhead for a MN National Guard soldier who was injured on a deployment with the 34^th Infantry Division Red Bulls.

In the United States, we have over 1.7 million veterans who have deployed since 2001 with 34% deploying more than one time. Roughly one of every 5 suffers from a major depression or PTSD, with only half getting treatment. The Solt home is an example of how we can help our fellow veteran-citizens with the challenges they face.

Please, think about your neighbors, the families at your church or that individual at work that may need help. Just last week we had approximately 500 soldiers of the 34^th ID combat aviation brigade from the twin Cities return from a year long deployment. The reintegration process is difficult, please do whatever you can to help out.

The Blue Bird House is a group home operated by Homeward Bound in Plymouth that provides 24 hour care for four medically fragile men. The home has been transformed by the addition of a light filled great room, the addition of a second bathroom and bedroom, more storage and a first floor laundry room. MNAES provide all siding material and labor through Iron River Construction. On February 17th keys will be turned over to the Bluebird House at a key ceremony.

In 2015 The MNAES had the opportunity to make dreams come true for one family and the staff and members of a group home by providing support through our community outreach committee. Army SPC Marco Solt is a Brooklyn Center native whose vehicle encountered an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) on his first deployment in Afghanistan. Marco lost both of his legs in the explosion and now uses prosthetics and his wheelchair to get around. MNAES provided LP siding and all the installation labor through PCS Residential for the house along with roofing material and installation labor through All Star Construction. Marco’s home was equipped with over 40 special adaptations including widened doorways, lowered countertops, roll-under cook tops and sinks designed to ensure full wheelchair accessibility and provided to him mortgage free during a key ceremony in November.