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R emodelers remem- ber where they came from, share lessons learned along the way and speak to the motivation that comes from giving back. Community ser- vice isn't just a trend or resume builder for many remodelers; it's something they believe in and strive to exemplify. Read on as four remodelers share their community service experiences. Nicole Donnelly Miramar Kitchen & Bath San Diego miramarkitchenandbath.com Back in 2000, Miramar owner Nicole Donnelly approached 10 years in busi- ness. Her com- pany was moving its showroom and the economy was a bit crazy, but Donnelly decided it was time to look beyond herself and her company. "At some point, I decided I couldn't keep complaining about being so busy or things being tough, and I decided I wanted to give back," she says. "I real- ized I need to give back for my own sanity; I needed to feel like I was doing something, especially when I have been so blessed to be part of this great community." Donnelly adopted her first dog around 1993, which inspired her to get involved in charities for animal shelters. Attending and sponsoring the Fur Ball by the San Diego Humane Society, placed Donnelly in a room with like-minded people, inspiring her to begin contributing to bigger animal shelters in the area. Around 2005, she shifted focus to the smaller, grassroots efforts that are helping the ani- mals unlikely to be adopted at normal shelters. Connections made through her efforts to help animals reached out to Donnelly and the San Diego chapter of NARI, of which she is currently president, about helping revamp an ani- mal shelter so it could be used by several local animal shelters to offer pet care to low-income people. Local contractors and NARI members donated their time, skills and materials. "When it came to the [ani- mal hospital] project, my skills scheduling residential remod- els came into play since it was my job to get the volunteers together," she says. "I've defi- nitely learned a lot about larger projects doing these charity remodels because the scale is so much bigger than my usual work, and it's helped me because I get to work with subcontrac- tors I wouldn't normally use." This passion for animals extends to the Miramar Kitchen & Bath offices, which Donnelly describes as "pet-friendly." Her showroom has a wall of animals and supported causes, which also extends to the company's Facebook page where upcom- ing events often are promoted. "To know that we're actu- ally doing some good in the community makes me feel like everything I do is worthwhile," Donnelly says. "Every bathroom I sell, every kitchen I sell I know that a part of that is going to help an animal and that really keeps me motivated." Spencer Shaw Idaho Bath Solutions, a Re-Bath and 5 Day Kitchens franchisee Meridian, Idaho rebathnw.com Spencer Shaw, president and owner, believes that his compa- ny's community service efforts can be broken into two catego- ries: causes that are a natural fit for the company or causes that the company's owners feel pas- sionate about, like charities that support children. Occasionally, opportunities will come up that allow Shaw to combine those categories. Shaw was contacted by a fellow business owner about an auction he was putting together to benefit the Boys & Girls Club. The company donated a tub-to- shower conversion to the silent auction. However, the winner was unable to use it. "From time to time, someone will buy something in an auction atmosphere and then realize it's not a good fit for what they need in their home. Then they have to find a new individual to take it over, which we kind of had to do with that one but it ended up working out well," he explains. "At the end of the day, the Boys & Girls Club still got the money generated from the auction." The company has also monetarily sup- ported the Strong Kids Campaign with the YMCA, which pools money for less privileged children to be able to use the YMCA facilities and participate in programs they couldn't oth- erwise afford. Another fit for the company is its work with Habitat for Humanity. "Doing bathroom and kitchen remodel- ing, we occasionally have materi- als that don't get used on jobs but can't necessarily be returned, so we do quite a few product dona- tions to Habitat for Humanity through their Re-Store," Shaw says. Looking ahead, Shaw would like his company to get involved in the Susan G. Komen foun- dation by possibly becoming a sponsor of the organization's Run for a Cure in the Boise, Idaho, market. From a business standpoint, he appreciates the opportunity to get his company's name out in the community by supporting causes he and his company are passionate about. "I think community service is an important characteristic of a company for customers to con- sider because it shows that the company is vested in the com- munity," Shaw says. "They're in tune with their surroundings, which I think makes them a stronger company and will ulti- mately result in the customer feeling more confident in the business that they're choosing." Helping hands Remodelers give back to causes close to their hearts using skills, money and more from their businesses 38 July 2014 QR ForResidentialPros.com PROFITS: Community Service | By Kacey Larsen QUR_38-39_ComServ714.indd 38 6/30/14 2:03 PM