By Emma Peterson. 

How roofing companies are changing veterans’ lives, one home at a time. 

With a constant news cycle, it’s hard to keep up with everything happening in the world. But we are here to share some good stories about good people. For your daily dose of happy news, here are four stories of communities coming together to protect veterans who have spent their lives protecting our country.  

1 – A Texas Navy veteran 

A roofing company in southeast Texas, SETX Roofing Pros, held a community giveaway, “Operation Overwatch,” at the end of last year. The recipient of the giveaway was Anthony Cordel, a disabled Navy veteran living in Lumberton, Texas. Anthony served aboard the USS San Jacinto from 1996 to 2001. At the end of his career, he was medically discharged after being diagnosed with Becker’s muscular dystrophy. 

After returning home, he was faced with new limitations and expenses that made big home repairs, like a roof replacement, out of reach. So, when SETX Roofing Pros selected him for their Operation Overwatch giveaway, they couldn’t believe it. As Anthony told 12News, “I’m at a loss for words. It didn’t seem real until the supplies arrived yesterday.” 

For Steve Pike and the team at SETX Roofing Pros, they were just happy to make a difference in their community. He shared, “Roofs aren’t cheap, and we work hard all year long. This may be another day at the office for us, but we’re really trying to make an impact in Southeast Texas.” 

2 – A Korean War veteran in Wisconsin 

Heading North, we have a story about a veteran in Madison, Wisconsin. Gerald Boehnen served in the Korean War in 1951 and 1952, and his son nominated him for Heins Contracting’s sixth annual Roofing A Vet campaign. When he found out that he was chosen for a new roof free of charge, he was shocked, telling WMTV, “I couldn’t believe it to be truthful because I never won nothing in my life.”  

When asked about the campaign and reroofing, Bryan Heins, co-owner of Heins Contracting, simply said it was born of a desire to give back to the men and women who served our country. He shared, “It feels great to give back to people and especially giving back to people like our veterans where I feel like for everything they do for our country that they don’t quite get enough recognition especially the older veterans when they’ve been through so much.” 

3 – An Ohio Air Force veteran 

Over in Ohio, the Third Estimate runs a program with a similar goal of giving back to veterans called the Third Patriot Project. Through this program, they are able to provide a free roof for one or two veterans each year, veterans like Jared Bzdock.  

Jared served in the U.S. Air Force over the course of six years and was deployed on two tours in Iraq. He found out about the program when he met Tara Colopy, the CEO of the Third Estimate, at his local Veterans Association. When Tara heard that he and his wife’s roof, which had been replaced just five years ago, was going soft and losing shingles, she knew that she and her team could help.  

Jared almost couldn’t believe it, telling News 5, “Who does that? Who gets a new roof for free? Most people think of a roof like, ‘Oh, it's just a roof.’ But no, it's like somebody handing you $20,000. It's amazing.” 

4 – A National Guard veteran from Minnesota 

Our final story today comes from Minnesota and centers around Trevor Nelson, a U.S. Army National Guard veteran. Trevor has dedicated his life to serving and giving to others, having joined the guard at 17, back in 2003.  

Last fall, the Owens Corning Roof Deployment Program, Purple Heart Homes and Priority Construction came together to give Trevor a thank-you gift for his decades of service – a brand-new roof! The gift was incredible for Trevor and his family, who told ABC 6 News, “I got the call while I was at work, kind of beside myself, I didn’t think I’d get approved... It’s very humbling, it’s surreal that this is getting done and I won’t have to worry about my roof for another 20, 30 years, [it’s incredible].” 

By Emma Peterson. 

The Third Estimate’s BuildHERS Scholarship empowers young folks, like The Coffee Shops’ own Hannah Ford, to build their careers. 

Last year The Third Estimate, a roofing company based in Northeast Ohio, introduced their BuildHERS Scholarship. The goal of this scholarship is to “empower young women to pursue careers in it for the construction industry to grow.” Open to students around the nation that are “in good academic standing at an accredited high school, trade school or college,” there were two scholarships given out in 2024 and they were able to raise an additional $1,000 to offer three scholarships this year.  

Here at The Coffee Shops, we are not only thrilled to see how The Third Estimate is supporting the future of roofing, but we are also incredibly proud to share that our R-Club intern, Hannah Ford, is one of the recipients of the scholarship this year! To learn more about the scholarship and Hannah’s future goals in the roofing industry, we sat down for a quick interview with her. Hannah’s first step on the path towards this scholarship was seeing a post about it on RoofersCoffeeShop.com. She explained, “I actually saw it on the RoofersCoffeeShop scholarship webpage. And so I applied for it.” 

For her application, Hannah had to submit her proof of enrollment, answer some questions, send in a letter of recommendation (which she got from Coffee Shops Marketing Manager Alex Tolle) and submit a personal statement about her career goals in roofing. Hannah shared a bit about what she wrote, saying, “I have found that the roofing industry embodies the spirit of community. Every day, roofing professionals work to ensure that families and communities are protected from the elements... Throughout my life, I have found myself in male-dominated fields from participating in high school debate to studying business in college. And my goal has been to make a meaningful impact and drive positive change for others like I see roofers doing. I want to be one of the women who leads the next generation of people and I can see a future for that in this industry.”  

And the next thing she knew, Hannah was getting a call about receiving the scholarship! From there, The Third Estimate usually connects their awardees with their team in Ohio for a facility tour in person. However, for Hannah who is based on the other side of the country, things went a bit differently. She explained, “I was actually the only person who isn't from Ohio who got the scholarship. They often give it to people in Ohio because that’s where they’re located, but it’s not an eligibility requirement. Since I couldn’t go in person, I met with the CEO (Tara Colopy) online and we just talked for an hour.” Over the course of that hour, Hannah got to talk to Tara about her goals (both school-wise and career-wise) and get what she called invaluable advice from a woman who has walked the path before her.  

If you are or know of a student like Hannah who is working towards a career in the industry, there are a lot of scholarships out there available from companies like The Third Estimate, SOPREMA and WSRCA. You can also check out The Coffee Shops’ scholarship page to see a running list of what scholarships are available!  

The BuildHERS Scholarship seeks to equip young women with the skills and confidence needed to succeed in this traditionally male-dominated field.

The Third Estimate is proud to announce the return of the Northeast Ohio BuildHERS Scholarship, an initiative dedicated to empowering and supporting young women pursuing careers in the construction industry. This year, in addition to awarding three $1,000 scholarships, the program will also offer exclusive internship opportunities, providing recipients with hands-on experience and invaluable industry insights.

The construction industry offers a wide range of career paths beyond hands-on trades, including project management, marketing, sales, customer service, finance and operations. The BuildHERS Scholarship seeks to equip young women with the skills and confidence needed to succeed in this traditionally male-dominated field.

How to apply

Eligible applicants must be female students in good academic standing, currently enrolled or accepted into an accredited high school, trade school or college for Fall 2025. To apply, candidates must:

1. Submit an online application
2. Provide a personal statement (500 words max) detailing their passion for the construction trades, career goals and how the scholarship will help achieve them.
3. Include a letter of recommendation from a teacher, employer or community leader.
4. Provide proof of enrollment or acceptance into a construction-related program.

Applications are due by May 2, 2025. For more information, visit The Third Estimate's website!

About The Third Estimate

The Third Estimate is a trusted leader in the home improvement industry, dedicated to delivering quality craftsmanship and exceptional service. Committed to community engagement and workforce development, the company actively supports initiatives that promote diversity and career opportunities in construction.

Think Third Patriot Project honors U.S. military members and veterans.

On Spring of 2025, active-duty U.S. Army Specialist (Spc) Corey Locker will receive a brand-new roof from The Third Estimate, as part of the Think Third Patriot Project. This initiative is dedicated to giving back to military members and veterans who serve our country, and they selected Corey Locker as one of this year's recipients.

The Think Third Patriot Project by The Third Estimate, is an initiative created to honor military members and veterans, as well as the families who support them. Since its inception in 2023, the project has provided new roofs for two military families, making a lasting impact on those who serve.

Event details

Who

• The Third Estimate
• Active-Duty Army Specialist (Spc) Corey Locker
• Representatives from The Third Estimate will be available to speak with media about the Think Third Patriot Project.

What
The Third Estimate will provide a new roof, including materials and labor, for Army Specialist Corey Locker, as part of the Think Third Patriot Project.

When
Spring of 2025

Where
Kent, Ohio

For more information on the Think Third Patriot Project and The Third Estimate, please visit thethirdestimate.com/think-third-patriot-project/.

About The Third Estimate

For nearly three decades, The Third Estimate, led by the Colopy family, has built a close-knit team of professionals dedicated to delivering quality and treating customers like family. This commitment drives them to bring their best to every project, fulfilling the company's vision of excellence. To learn more about The Third Estimate, visit thethirdestimate.com