Utica Residents in Need to Get a Free New Roof

Utica residents Robert and Judith Urbin are this year’s winners of a much needed new roof for their home, courtesy of a nationwide program that provides contractors with resources to give a free roof to a deserving local homeowner.

The annual No Roof Left Behind event, provided by the Shelby Township-based business Ridgecon Construction, offers community members a way to help good neighbors who have fallen on hard times.

The Urbins have had an unfair share of life challenges. In 2003, their middle daughter Haley was killed in a car accident at the age of 15. Then in 2011, Robert had to leave his job due to medical issues and has been unable to work since that time. This past January, Judy was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma; she is also unable to work while she undergoes chemotherapy.

The Urbins were nominated for the contest by their friend Kathleen McArhur, of Sterling Heights. In her entry, she wrote, "Despite their challenges, the Urbins are very generous towards others. When Haley died, Rob and Judy raised thousands of dollars to fund a scholarship in Haley’s name to be given to a graduating senior from Utica High School. Much of the money they gave was from their own personal funds. They need but can’t afford a new roof, which is why I nominated them for the No Roof Left Behind program."

The community is invited to the No Roof Left Behind roof installation party at the Urbin’s home, located at 46284 Sterritt on Saturday, Sept. 28, starting at 9:00 a.m. (weather permitting).

"Sometimes bad things happen to good people.  And sometimes the adversity that strikes a neighbor is so serious that even life essentials, like having a roof over your head, has to take a back seat to the crisis at hand,” said Ridgecon co-owner Matt Elie. "We recognize these personal challenges and we know that we have the ability to make a difference, so we’re very proud and delighted to give back to a community that has been so supportive of us."