The Ontario Industrial Roofing Contractors Association (OIRCA) is sharing its members’ skills through a new charitable foundation. The OIRCA Rooftop Rescue Foundation has recently completed its first project, providing design services, project management, roofing materials and labour for a newly re-roofed learning centre for dyslexic children in Hamilton.

OIRCA’s past president, John Petrachek of Atlas-Apex Roofing, put forward a vision for the charity as he wrapped up his term earlier this year. The first project illustrates OIRCA’s mission to support others in their building projects — providing a key capital component that will literally top up charitable efforts and help to stretch funding organizations’ budgets.

Members’ efforts in Hamilton contribute to the Scottish Rite Charitable Foundation of Canada’s program to build a network of learning centres across Canada. The Hamilton centre, which is slated to begin offering free reading tutorial services in sync with the new school year in September, will be the ninth to open since 2003.

OIRCA members participating in this inaugural project include Semple Gooder Roofing Corporation, Convoy Supply and Dave Walden, former owner of Conestoga Roofing. In future, the foundation’s board will consider applications from registered charities and individuals in Ontario.