“The Power of Getting Involved: NTCA Lends a Hand in Jackson, MS, Habitat Project”

By Bart Bettiga, NTCA Executive Director

For the past several months I have been promoting promotion in projects sponsored by the newly-formed Tile Partners for Humanity (TPFH). I recently joined their board of directors as Vice-Chairman. Ally Fertitta, TPFH Executive Director, had convinced me of the importance of this worthy cause. As editor of TileLetter, it is easy for me to promote a cause in which I deem worthy of consideration. But it was not until just recently when I actually got my hands dirty on a project near our corporate headquarters in Jackson, MS, that I truly understood the importance of what we are doing here. Simply stated, getting involved in the TPFH projects around the country change lives. How often can we make such a simple and profound statement?

The Jackson Project

My church periodically gets involved in Habitat for Humanity projects. When I heard about the particular needs of Sonja Lindsey’s family, I knew it was the perfect time to get involved on a personal level. All of Sonja’s three children suffered from asthma, and ceramic tile was a natural choice to prevent organisms from contributing to their breathing problems. It took just a few calls to friends in the industry to get the ball rolling.

Industry Support

The first call I made was to Mark Shannon of Crossville, who promptly arranged for 400 square feet of AV-16 12x12 porcelain tile to be shipped to their local distributor, BPI of Jackson. The BPI staff loaded our pickup truck and set us up with tools and supplies needed to get us started. Crossville has supported many of the TPFH projects in its attempt to gain momentum, and they were once again willing to make a difference here in Jackson. I thank them for their generous support in this project.

Georgia Pacific Corporation generously supplied us with a palette of DensShield tile backer for this project. Thanks to Steve Rausch, the material arrived on time and was installed in the kitchen, dining room, laundry room, and two baths. This was applied with a latex-modified mortar two days prior to the installation.

Another company that has supported TPFH is Laticrete. Through BPI, they provided us with enough thinset and grout for the project. Jackson, MS, distributor BJ’s Tile and Stone, a longtime supporter of NTCA, helped us with thresholds for the home’s transitions.

Volunteer Support

Bob Brown, NTCA membership director, received an introduction into the fine art of tilesetting on this project. Habitat for Humanity staff members assisted us on this project every step of the way. Several of their staff had installed tile before and were a huge help to get the project done on time.

We first cleaned the subfloor and mixed the Laticrete latex modified thinset. The DensShield tile backer was installed and covered in about six hours. Two days later, we began to set the tile. I spent most of my time cutting tiles for the crew and making sure our grout lines were straight. It was fun to work hand in hand with all of these people. It was two weeks before Christmas when we finished the tile installation. Those walking by the home could hear the sounds of ten men singing Christmas carols very poorly. The Mormon Tabernacle Choir we were not. But the camaraderie was evident in the home.

It became very clear to me that Habitat for Humanity staff members are not there to get rich. Although they do get paid, e very single one of them that I talked to were quality individuals who knew they were making a difference every time they pounded a nail into the subfloor.

Community Involvement

On our final day at the job when we were cleaning up, United States Congressman Chip Pickering of Mississippi came by and worked for several hours with us on the home. Pickering complimented us on the tile installation and stated how important the Habitat project is in Mississippi. “Adequate housing in Mississippi is a major issue, and I am very pleased to see the difference that Habitat for Humanity makes in people’s lives,” said Pickering.

On the day of the dedication, most of the NTCA staff was in New Orleans for a Board of Directors meeting. But Gigi Wall, NTCA accountant and administrative director, was able to attend the ceremony. Her photos of Sonja Lindsey and her three beautiful children are the proof that all the efforts of those involved were well worth the effort.

Conclusions

There is no better charity for our industry to embrace than Habitat for Humanity. The newly formed TPFH is the vehicle for this to occur. For more information on how you can make a difference, contact TPFH executive director Ally Fertitta at ally@tpfh.com or by phoning 770-416-0200. Look for more details to follow in TileLetter on the unbelievable industry-wide effort taking place over the next few months in Houston, Texas.

QUOTES:

“I tell you and you forget. I show you and you remember. I involve you and you understand.” – Eric Butterworth

“My family is very appreciative of all the efforts by NTCA to provide tile for our home. My boys and I love it!” – Sonja Lindsey, Habitat for Humanity homeowner

TileLetter February 2004
This article was reprinted with permission from TileLetter, the official publication of the National Tile Contractors Association. For more information, call (601) 939-2071; (601) 932-6117 fax; www.tile-assn.com.

Bart Bettiga, NTCA executive director, sets tile in the new home.		Crossville donated tile for the Lindsey home.
New home owner Sonja Lindsey and her family in their new home.		NTCA installed Crossville tile in the Lindsey home.
NTCA's Bart Bettiga and Bob Brown work with volunteers.		U.S. Congressman Chip Pickering at the Habitat site in Jackson.
Volunteers set tile in the Lindsey home.