Langlois Roofers donate roof to Harbor House

Fleeing the pervasive violence of an abusive home life, the women and children who seek the safety of Harbor House—the only shelter serving victims of domestic violence in Kankakee and Iroquois counties—will sleep better now. The 50-plus year-old facility sports a brand new roof.

Thanks to the generosity of Kankakee’s Langlois Roofing, Inc., along with union laborers from Sheet Metal Workers Local 265 in Carol Stream and United Union of Roofers and Waterproofers Local 11 the dilapidated flat roof is gone.

From tear off to clean up, Langlois Roofers completed the project, valued at $38,000-to-$39,000, in less than six hours. Trucks filled with roofing materials and a team of installers arrived at the crack of dawn on May 25 at Harbor House.

“I just cried when Rende said he’d install the whole thing for free,” said Janice Krizik-Schmidt, the soon-to-retire president of Harbor House-Kankakee County Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

“I’m totally blown away by his generosity. This is just so huge,” she added.

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Having read a story earlier this month about Harbor House’s “Put a Lid on It” campaign in the Daily Journal, Langlois said he was moved. “I read the story and thought I have to help these women.”

He responded by reaching out to Harbor House Board Member and Kankakee County State’s Attorney Jim Rowe to get more details about the condition of the roof. Right then and there, Langlois told Rowe he’d take care of it, the total cost.

A follow-up call between Langlois and Krizik-Schmidt was even more revealing. She told Langlois that last spring, before some temporary patch work was completed by the maintenance man, the water was literally draining through one of the light fixtures and that buckets were regularly placed in the hallway near the entrance.

Langlois said he had no idea how bad conditions were and resolved to complete the roof project, and fast. At a meeting with installers, Langlois asked them if they’d donate their time. They agreed after hearing about the conditions at Harbor House.

At company headquarters on Grinnell Road, Langlois sat behind his desk talking about how the project came together. “I’m not comfortable talking about this in public. I didn’t do I for publicity,” said Langlois, “but if it inspires someone else to help with construction projects over there, I’m all for it.”

Including sons Andrew and Rende Langlois, Jr., close to 25 installers were on site at one time. Langlois was quick to recognize that the less interruption to Harbor House the better.

“I told everyone at the meeting that we’ve been in this community for 56 years. And this is what you do; you help your community. And I’m blessed to be able to do this.”

For Craig Muzzarelli, a member of the Sheet Metal Union, donating his time to this project was an opportunity to give back to a community for the kindness he received as a child. “When I was a kid, I was sickly. …A lot of organizations helped me out… When I heard about this, I thought to myself, this is time to pay it forward.

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Charles Shipley, a member of the Roofers Union, said he was raised to respect women, especially those experiencing domestic violence in the home. His mother, Eleanor Shipley, was a staff member at Harbor House in the 1980s.

Aware that just under $5,000 was also contributed by other donors from the community, including Riverside Healthcare and Dr. Saroja Yalamanchili, Langlois has asked the Harbor House board to get permission from them to use the funds for other repairs that the facility needs.

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Twitter at: @HarborHouseDV