(Not to be confused with the "Builders"... Salvationists at the show: North End Corps Sergeant-Major - Carlton Smith; Greater Hartford Area Coordinator - Major Brian Glasco; and North End Corps Officer - Captain Brian Thomas.)

67th Home & Remodeling Show

And The Salvation Army Team-Up for Success

HARTFORD - The Home Builders & Remodelers Association of Central Connecticut held their 67th Connecticut Home & Remodeling Show at the Connecticut Convention Center on February 28 and March 1 and 2. It was a perfect weekend for the show... too cold to do any outside projects and no snowstorms to prevent anyone from driving to the Convention Center. The event is considered “Connecticut’s Largest Home Show” and it certainly lived up to that. It was crowded for all three days, with many families checking out home improvement, building, and remodeling exhibits featuring thousands of ideas for the home and yard.

The Salvation Army of Greater Hartford participated in the event with their Emergency Disaster Services truck (EDS). The vehicle, which is also called "a mobile kitchen," is normally parked at the East Hartford Public Safety Complex and responds to emergencies all across the Greater Hartford Area. For the Home Show, the truck is parked on the floor of the Convention Center for the weekend. The truck has the capability to serve approximately 4,000 meals per day and can be driven when and wherever the need arises. Tours of the truck were given by Salvation Army Officers, development department staff, and emergency volunteers. Many visitors had never seen the Army EDS trucks up close and this was a wonderful opportunity to educate the public about this invaluable Army program. This is the seventh year the Army has participated.

The men and women in the Home Builders & Remodelers Association have been longtime supporters of The Salvation Army. With monetary donations and in kind “construction” services, the men and women that make up this group are great friends of the Army. Major Brian Glasco, Greater Hartford Area Services Coordinator, said, "The Salvation Army is blessed to have such wonderful support from the Home Builders & Remodelers Association. We have developed strong ties with this group. They are experts in their chosen fields and they are always available to help us for our projects. Some big, some not so big, but they are always there for us. I wish to especially thank Bill Ferrigno, our current Greater Hartford Advisory Board Chairman and also a past President of the Home Builders for his help. Bill contributes much of his time (and money too) to help keep our programs operating. I thank Bill for his leadership and our great friendship."