IronCast Ep. 14 | Construction Angels

Watch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/TsSibmrsssw?si=8BOkkn8cq05dT3SZ

In this episode of the IronCast, we go live with Kristi Ronyak, CEO, Founder, and National Executive Director of Construction Angels—the nonprofit providing immediate support to families after a construction‑site tragedy.

We’re on location at the GT&E Annual Golf Classic, where this year’s event raised an incredible $159,000 to directly support families right here in Pennsylvania. Kristi breaks down how Construction Angels responds within hours when the unthinkable happens, and how their team steps in to help the families left behind.

If you work in construction, support the trades, or care about making an impact in your community, this is an episode you don’t want to miss.

👍 Like, comment, and subscribe to help spread awareness for Construction Angels and the families they serve.

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:02

This is the Iron Cast podcast being recorded out here in beautiful Butler, Pennsylvania. We are at the second this is the golf classic, and we are here out here on the golf course. So this is being recorded. We actually had to stop earlier because they were actually taking care of the greens. So if you hear some things in the background, that's what's going on. We are getting set up here for a wonderful, beautiful, sunny, perfect, I would say almost perfect day of some great golfing. And just ecstatic to have you, Christy Rognac, who is the CEO, the founder, the national executive director of construction angels. Christy, welcome to the Iron Cast.

SPEAKER_00 0:54

Thank you. Thank you so much.

SPEAKER_02 0:56

And welcome to the GTE Golf Classic.

SPEAKER_00 0:59

Yes, thank you.

SPEAKER_02 1:00

This is your second one we're doing here.

SPEAKER_00 1:03

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 1:03

So, Christy, I would love to just hear from you. Tell us all things about construction angels. But first more, let's let's hear a little bit about you. Where are you from?

SPEAKER_01 1:15

Originally from Ohio. I'm a third generation of an asphalt family. So I actually grew up in the industry. Oh, wow. Yes.

SPEAKER_02 1:22

That's awesome.

SPEAKER_01 1:23

Hence the reason I'm still here and I love it.

SPEAKER_02 1:25

You love it. I could tell. When we were getting here in the morning, I was kind of early. That's usually how I roll. And everything was just kind of somber. And then all of a sudden, Christy, you showed up, and it was just like this different energy just comes in here. So I just I can feel there's a lot of passion for what you do. So can you tell us a little bit more about construction angels?

SPEAKER_01 1:48

Sure. I actually went to the World of Asphalt Trade Show back in 2009 with my family. And I met a woman who was walking around collecting money for one of our own. And I asked her, What is one of our own? And she said that a construction worker had a fatality and he left behind a spouse and children. And I thought, oh my God, that's terrible. So I wanted to donate to this charity, or what I assumed was the name of a charity. And I couldn't stop thinking about it. So the whole entire flight home, I thought, I really want to get involved with this and start raising money. You know, I was working in the construction industry in Florida and wanted to just start raising money for this charity because none of the construction associations I was a part of were doing anything specific to construction workers. And I didn't realize that there was that many construction workers affected. It's it's like 3.5 construction workers every day in the United States.

SPEAKER_02 2:41

Wow. Wow. I didn't I didn't know that. Yeah. That's a lot. It is. And so was that the original spark that started the creation of construction angels? Was being there in that moment and seeing the need?

SPEAKER_01 2:55

Well, finding out that there was a need because the charity didn't exist. So she was actually just doing it for that family. Wow. But the reality was there was no construction charity for fallen construction workers for all these years. So we actually started it 15 years ago. And because of Groff Tractor, we're here in Pennsylvania today. And thank you very much for helping us get into the state of Pennsylvania. 36 states now.

SPEAKER_02 3:22

36 states that you're in. And I'm assuming like this has been a process over the years. Oh, yes. So what I understand, we're the only GTE is the only, I would say, partner here in Pennsylvania.

SPEAKER_00 3:36

That's correct.

SPEAKER_02 3:37

And this is the only event happening this year for Pennsylvania.

SPEAKER_01 3:42

So far.

SPEAKER_02 3:43

So far.

SPEAKER_00 3:44

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 3:44

Yes, that's true. We I mean we there's a lot left of the year here, so there's a a great opportunity for others to get involved and to help help the cause. I call it a movement, you know, just because it's growing.

SPEAKER_01 3:55

Yeah, you know, this is a sold-out golf tournament. And I did see that well, one of the construction associations in Pennsylvania is coming out here today to support it. So, you know, maybe they'll start the movement through the associations to maybe get more people involved or maybe get some of their members to want to participate also.

SPEAKER_02 4:15

There's just something incredible when people come together. Yeah, we're we're coming here to play some golf. You know, we eat the food, we do the things, there's prizes, there's a lot of neat things, but there's just something added to that when you're coming here for and we're all coming together for a purpose.

SPEAKER_01 4:33

Yeah, you know, a lot of people do fundraisers for cancer. You know, I mean, cancer like affects so many of us. Oh, hello. Hello, hi. So, you know, different charities affect so many different things. And again, I think that's what makes us passionate about what we do. And so something that makes me passionate about this, and I think why this might not be a hard sell to get people to come out to this event is because many different people have either lost a loved one onto a job site. I'm a, like I said, I'm a third generation of an asphalt family that started in 1939. Wow. We had a fatality in 2021. So none of us are exempt. You know, like the possibility of any of us having a fatality at any day on the job site is a reality. And this last week was Safety Week. I spoke on two different job sites about the importance of safety and employers keeping the employees safe and them abiding by it. So I definitely think that the passion of why people are coming here for the movement, as you call it. Right. It's like maybe they've had a fatality or maybe they've had customers. I know you guys have helped us connect with other customers over the years to help their families as well.

SPEAKER_02 5:45

Yeah. And I noticed your your what's your mission statement?

SPEAKER_01 5:49

We provide immediate financial assistance and grief counseling to the spouse and children 19 years and younger that are left behind when a construction worker is involved in an accidental work-related fatality. So we actually provide $10,000 to the spouse andor children 19 years and younger, and $3,000 if they do not have a spouse and children. And we offer grief counseling so they can find a grief counselor of their choice that we will pay them. And then also scholarships. So if a child lost a parent, they can apply every year in July to be anything that they want. And the second type is to try to keep our kids in the construction industry. You know, that's how I stayed in the construction industry was because my family was in it.

SPEAKER_02 6:33

Right. Now I noticed you said immediate. Why was immediate support such a crucial part of this model of construction angels?

SPEAKER_01 6:44

So let's say I lost my dad of cancer, but I had about a month knowing that that process was going through. These people, they say goodbye to their loved ones, they go out the door to work, and they're not coming home. So what do they do? You know, especially think about the family that has the two-month-year-old, the two-year-old, the four-year-old, and she's a stay-at-home mom. When does the financials start, you know, coming in? So we can be the immediate conduit if anybody can complete the assistance request form found on our website. The sooner we get it, the better.

SPEAKER_02 7:16

Right.

SPEAKER_01 7:16

Before the six months from the date of the incident, then we can turn around and provide them with $10,000, at least it's some type of cushion, until you know, there might be some death benefit or the the insurance, you know, could kick in.

SPEAKER_02 7:31

So there's a gap.

SPEAKER_01 7:32

There is a gap.

SPEAKER_02 7:33

And there there and I love that you said that there's you you provide, you know, financially for grief counseling. And I think that that's the hugest thing I've been in circumstances of family members that are going through a loss. I don't say in immediate like it just happened. And that is one of the hardest things I've ever had to do was be in that moment, you know, or those first moments after that tragedy has happened. And you know, I've also have gone through loss myself and our family and friends. And it it's just such a it's a such a tough thing to sit there in that moment with people. And you know, there's all these questions and there's all these stages of grief, you know, the denial and all that stuff that you have to walk through. I found the best thing was to have somebody there. Is is presence, you know, and to have somebody like your, you know, yourself and and construction angels to to have that immediate response is is huge. It's such a big support.

SPEAKER_01 8:47

You know, we we've created a few bonds with wives. I mean, you know, what as soon as the form is completed, we are letting the family know and letting the company know, like, hey, we got the form, we got approved, and we're going to call the family. And then when we call the spouse, they're they're so emotional. And I get emotional. I don't even know them, but I'm I can grieve for them. I can feel their pain, you know, and it is very emotional. That's one of the saddest parts of my job is to realize, recognize that there's an issue. The the happy part of the job is to be able to help out. And then the fun part is this. This is the fun part. Sure. You know, so there's a lot of stages as well.

SPEAKER_02 9:28

And how do you how do you manage all that? I mean, you know, take it operationally. How does how do you go through all that to deliver that promise across the country in all those states?

SPEAKER_01 9:41

You know, John Deere has been a great supporter of ours for over six years now. Just companies, even companies of your family partners, you know, like Lee Boy and and whatnot, like Sementec, they've started doing fundraisers, helping us do fundraisers, but they also get involved. They also let us know when there's a fatality or s or direct their customers like, hey, we're so sorry for your loss. They're also writing the emails. They're going out there and finding these fatalities and trying to connect them with us sooner than later. So, I mean, they're really involved with the whole process itself, even leading up to finding the families.

SPEAKER_02 10:19

Right. You know, so it it definitely takes a village, doesn't it?

SPEAKER_01 10:23

It does. It does. And everybody can feel that pain. You know, recently here there were three construction workers, three iron workers. Yes. I heard about it in Florida. It made national news, and like three iron workers had a fatality in Philadelphia. And immediately we jumped into play and and spoke to Ed with Groff and he said, Hey, let's take care of them. And we were able to donate 20,000 to two of them and 3,000 to the other family that didn't have a spouse or children.

SPEAKER_02 10:52

Wow. What was that like for that family? I don't want to get into the specifics of it because we want to respect people and their families. But what stood did anything stand out to you with that? What happened there and your response to that?

SPEAKER_01 11:09

Oh, I I know that like part of the iron workers had communicated together about us already. So that was helpful that they maybe knew about us here in Pennsylvania to be able to help out the family. Just, you know, making the initial phone calls to them. I mean, it's not that one family even stands out over another. It's the emotional, you know, discussions that you have with them. And and every family's grieving different. Some of them are okay, like where I'm crying and they're not crying. And then others are, you know, you're just listening to their story about how unexpected it was and what are they gonna do now? And you're like, hey, we're there for you, you know, take your time. Remember, this this one week, if we even find out about it in the first week, yeah, that's like their, I want to say hell week. They're just going through the motion of of going through understanding like what's going on. And then after the funeral, it's like they have to start picking up the pieces. That's when everybody disperses and things get a little quiet. And sure, that's when we want to reach back out and say, Hey, you know, are you maybe interested in grief counseling? You know, just don't pressure them, but everybody grieves in their own time as you were doing.

SPEAKER_02 12:20

Yeah, and it's and it's perfectly acceptable. And you know, I would encourage people, you know, that grief counseling can help walk through those stages to get on the other side of it. Right. Chrissy, so I understand, you know, that when we get behind something, it's nice to know like the impact. And a lot of times, like you said, it it it it cuts to home uh deeper when you know, and I and from my understanding, and correct me if I'm wrong, but all the money at the GTE golf classic is going directly back into Pennsylvania.

SPEAKER_01 12:54

That's correct, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 12:56

How do you think that helps this fundraiser?

SPEAKER_01 12:59

I mean, clearly it's it's sold out, you know, it's not just the uh the people behind it and the passion that that you guys have at Groff Tractor behind it, but it's their customers. And they've heard about it, they've already seen us in action here in Pennsylvania to be able to help those families. So I think that also helps why it's sold out. But it is the the funds raised today. I think there's over $150,000 that we've already raised so far, and it's in the morning.

SPEAKER_02 13:25

And we're just getting started, right?

SPEAKER_01 13:27

Yes. So all of that money is for families in Pennsylvania.

SPEAKER_02 13:31

Yeah, that's awesome. You also mentioned, and I want definitely want to talk about this because you know it was safety week. When I think about this, you you know, it seems like you do a lot with safety, and to me, that's that could possibly be something that puts construction angels, quote unquote, out of business, right?

SPEAKER_01 13:50

Please put me out of business, please put us out of business.

SPEAKER_02 13:52

That's then that's the goal. Like we don't want to we don't want to have to use those funds. And and safety is huge. And and I know here on the Ironcast, we really haven't hit on safety a lot. It's been brought up a bunch, but I really would like to talk about safety. Construction is one of the most dangerous industries in the U.S. that we know. What safety trends or challenges are you seeing right now that concern you the most?

SPEAKER_01 14:17

I can tell you what safety trend has been affecting us for the last three years. The job sites I just got done speaking at were vertical construction, like uh Gil Bain and then Gray's. So Gil Bain was in Florida, and another one was a vertical data center from Gray's in Ohio, Columbus, Ohio. They had us out there to talk about safety because you know, safety is everybody's responsibility, not just one or the other. And it's not just the employer's responsibility, it's everybody to watch out over their brothers and sisters. But the trend that has really been affecting us, and it affects my heart even more, is that the people, and and as safe as we are, and as many toolboxes we do, and everything else, and prepare our guys or women to go out there on the job and be safe. There's people hitting our workers on the roads. It's it's terrible. It's the general public that one isn't slowing down, or two, they're speeding, or they're drinking or texting or whatever they're doing, they're, you know, dysfunctional, but they're not paying attention. So I'm a big advocate of putting these work zone cameras, or, you know, instead of just hiring police officers to sit out there and give tickets, if the police officers want to catch people speeding, come to our work zones. That's where you'll find them. That's right. And if they had the work zone cameras to give out uh speeding tickets just by their license, it's not a it's not a tax, it's a fine because they're violating. We have signs out there, we have, you know, messages, please slow down for our workers. You know, in Michigan, they even have signs that if you hit or kill a worker, you know, there's prison time and there's a steep fine. So that is that has really been impacting us. Over half of the families that we've helped out over the last three years are road construction fatalities, and it's a lot from people hitting our workers.

SPEAKER_02 16:08

Yeah. And I know in Pennsylvania, I think this is happening next month. They're really even stiffening the using phones while driving, even at, even to the extent that, you know, even if you're at a stoplight. Because I know what the phone is addictive. Right? The phone is addictive. I'm just gonna call it out there. And it's so easy. You hear that ping, that notification, and you and you just have no idea when you take your eyes off the road for a few seconds, what could happen in front of you? So picking back up here with safety, how do you collaborate? And I know you touched on a little bit here, but let's let's dive in a little bit. How do you collaborate with construction companies, associations, even unions to promote job site safety and awareness?

SPEAKER_01 16:58

I think a lot of them do the promotion. So they when they align themselves with us, they're already doing maybe OSHAs, they have safety seminars, they have a lot of that stuff where they have members, which is why that's beneficial for us. You know, we are pretty tight with the AGCs, even some of the ABCs support us in vertical construction, some of the heavy highway contractors associations, the NUCAs, 811s. So a lot of them that have members, they support us. And then, you know, if everybody was safe on the job site, clearly they wouldn't need us. Right. However, unfortunately, like we just talked about, we're still gonna be needed because accidents happen, but also the fact that the general public, you know, we don't we're not educating the general public to stay out of our work zones.

SPEAKER_02 17:45

They're not, you know, enough playgrounds. So if you could change one thing about how the industry approaches safety culture, what would that be?

SPEAKER_01 17:54

Oh, that's a good question. I think internally, our industry in as a whole does a very amazing job between toolbox talks, between the different associations, between job site meetings and safety meetings, and you know, getting your hard hat stickers or whatever to pass to be on that job site. Yeah. I really think that our industry does a great job of it, you know, and accidents do happen, but I think we need to get some more education out there to the general public, more signage, more remember that maybe that has has happens to do with the like the DOT.

SPEAKER_02 18:28

Yep.

SPEAKER_01 18:29

Maybe different DOTs in different states, maybe we could utilize more of their help.

SPEAKER_02 18:33

Yeah, exactly. So you offer three types of scholarships, including for children who've lost parent and for students, you know, that are pursuing the construction career. What outcomes have you seen from these programs?

SPEAKER_01 18:49

You know, we're only 15 years old, so we're learning something new every day. Yeah. I do know that, you know, having somebody lose their parent now they're down one income. And it's probably the breadwinner. So if let's say you take a husband and wife, and the husband was killed on a work, a job site, and now there's three kids left behind that that one mother either now has to go to work or whatnot, but she has to be able to help try to put these kids into college, or we'll say, just come into our industry. We'd be more than happy to help you. Yeah. But those kids can apply. We want to be the additional funds that because that other parent is not there, we want to help that family out. So it's all about helping one of our own in the construction industry. So please have your kids apply. It's usually every July this year, it is July 3rd. Okay. We ask that the applications be in. So if they lost a parent, they can apply to be anything that they want vocational, trade school, college, whatever. Wow. The second type is to try to retain our kids in the industry. As you guys know, it's we're losing people to our industry. I mean, yes, we are. They know it's dangerous. They don't want to be outside, they want to have, you know, come out of college and have that million-dollar job. It takes a lot of hard work, but you know, we will take kids right from high school. I know that our industry is doing much better about going into the schools to try to pull them into the trades and educate kids that, hey, you don't need to pay off a $100,000 student loan for five or six years of coming.

SPEAKER_02 20:20

That's right. Jump right in.

SPEAKER_01 20:22

Right. And, you know, one other thing that we've done recently is we hear from other people and we learn from other people. There's no book, you know, about going along with this. So we actually had a spouse who had kids and thought, okay, now I'm one parent. I'm now putting myself through school. Is that something construction angels can help us out with? So we just voted that sure, we would love to help out spouses. If they're gonna take the initiative to put themselves through school, we'd love to help them because now they're down a parent. We want to help them to take care of their kids. And she said it was actually keeping her mentally like busy and filling up a lot of time. And it was actually really therapeutic to take her mind off, you know, such a sad situation and and really help her out.

SPEAKER_02 21:08

I think when people go through pain, when they're when they can see purpose come out of that, what a what an amazing opportunity to help that grieving process and and provide that purpose for them to keep going. You know, some that could be the thing that gets them up in the morning. Right. That's awesome. So I mean, you seem very passionate. So why why is investing in the construction education so important and such a big part of your mission?

SPEAKER_01 21:35

We don't have enough machines out there these days to do our jobs. So we just we really need to educate people to come into the trades. You know, we're we're losing a lot of the trades, we're losing a lot of, you know, the the skilled workers. Our construction age just continues to raise and get higher and higher. So we're always looking to bring new, fresh kids in that are willing to learn or willing to even go to school to learn how to manage the jobs or Follow in their parents' footstep or whatnot. And, you know, we we welcome kids outside of the industry that their parents might not be in it. But we do actually offer the third type of scholarship is for educational organizations that are teaching people about our construction industry. Yeah. So they can apply too.

SPEAKER_02 22:19

That's awesome.

SPEAKER_01 22:20

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 22:21

What do you wish young people s understood about the construction industry?

SPEAKER_01 22:27

I wish they could see how much I loved it. You know, even going to the job going to the asphalt plants with my dad and seeing my cousins out on the paving cruise and at the asphalt plants. How how fun it was when I actually started working in the industry down in Florida. I was on the high-rises, I was on the underground projects. I was on the roads, you know, like watching these projects develop and watching them like start from nothing or a pile of dirt. And, you know, how this created jobs and housing, you know, housing projects and whatnot. I find it very interesting and I've just always admired and loved construction.

SPEAKER_02 23:06

You know, it's such a cool industry.

SPEAKER_01 23:09

It is.

SPEAKER_02 23:10

We uh Rachel and I were actually who she's here, she's on the other side today. Uh usually she's here correcting things that I say wrong. And but we're actually on a on a site for Thaddeus Stevens, and we were with a whole group of young young adults that were out running equipment, learning how to use grade control. And uh to me, that was just like an amazing experience to see passionate younger people finding a career, working in the you know, you know, in their processes to get into the industry and have a head start. So I just love your passion for that because that's something I'm extremely passionate about too. And us here at GTE are passionate about. So let's talk a little bit about growth, partnerships, sustainability, all that kind of stuff. Construction Angels you know, relieves heavy, heavily on sponsors. Yes. You know, you guys rely on that extremely deep. And fundraisers like what we're doing here today, associations, what makes a partnership truly meaningful or transformative? You know, we've talked about that that movement, which is your mission. What what is what do you see in that?

SPEAKER_01 24:31

So as I mentioned, we're in 36 states. Having a sustainable fundraiser is one thing. We have about 85% of the funds that we raise is from fundraisers. And the remaining balance is from sponsorships, like state or regional or national sponsorships. So that could be for a whole year. Their logo goes on our website, or it goes in the email blast that we send out, or the newsletters, just showing that they're a part of it. So, as we mentioned, there's only one fundraiser currently in Pennsylvania. In Florida, where we started 15 years ago, we have eight fundraisers. Oh wow. In Michigan, they have a clay shoot and a golf tournament. So we are in various states, but getting a host like Groff Tractor is our host today for this event. So provide all the funds for construction angels and the teamwork and the time, the months that goes into planning, you know, every detail that you guys do, it is a lot of work. I mean, it's a lot of fun for us and to have people out. So a fundraiser is a lot, but you could easily just make a donation.

SPEAKER_00 25:36

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 25:37

You know, a one-time donation or a sponsorship donation to still help out either in your state, or you can just have your money go to help any construction family in the United States.

SPEAKER_02 25:50

So, what has taught you leading this organization about resilience? Both from an organizational and a personal stance.

SPEAKER_01 26:03

I don't know how to answer that.

SPEAKER_02 26:05

Well, let's just say this. You came in here with a lot of energy.

SPEAKER_01 26:08

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 26:08

And you just said there's eight fundraisers in Florida. And, you know, and as we gain more momentum and more states, you know, as this keeps growing. How do you keep doing it? How do you keep going?

SPEAKER_01 26:19

You know what? So I guess passion. I mean, that would be my answer to a lot of different things is I am passionate about what I do. I'm, you know, it you don't make a ton of money at it. It takes me to states maybe I've never been to before. It takes me to meet people I may not have ever met before. You know, even learning about different construction things is interesting to me. Like I've never been a part of drilling, the drilling associations before. All of a sudden we are. The crane manufacturers are starting to, you know, open up their doors to us. It's amazing how big our industry is, yet how small things are. So I guess the passion of, you know, other people's passion now, you know, even knowing about it or maybe having been affected by something, their passion is starting to show. I've never been to Arkansas, but we had an event in Arkansas, you know? Nice. And so just other people's passions, I think, other people's understanding what it is and how that hits home to them to help us maybe get a fundraiser started in a different state. You know, my our goal is to be in all 50 states by the time I'm 50. There you go. By 2030.

SPEAKER_02 27:27

So that's like what, 25 years from now?

SPEAKER_01 27:29

No, but thank you very much. I appreciate it.

SPEAKER_02 27:33

Well, so let's dive a little deeper here. What's the hardest part of your job that people on the outside rarely see?

SPEAKER_01 27:41

A lot of people don't know how many construction workers actually have a fatality. And when they hear what construction angels is, they're more understanding that it helps out the spouse and children. Because usually when they think about it, they're like, oh, construction workers, you guys, you make enough money, don't you? We're not helping out the workers. We're helping them out when they've had a fatality. So the remaining ones is the spouse, which is typically the women, the women, typically, not always. The women and the children. So if you want to look at us like a women and children charity, you still can, or a children's charity. But I just think opening up people's eyes that this is really happening, even in our own industry, that don't realize how many construction fatalities there are.

SPEAKER_02 28:25

I had somebody when I told them that we were going to be doing this, and I was coming out here to, you know, do the iron cast on site with with you and construction angels and learning about it, and they're like, Well, isn't that why you have life insurance?

SPEAKER_00 28:38

Right.

SPEAKER_02 28:39

And I was just like, Well, there were we go back to that gap. And and I just think, you know, people having that awareness, and that's probably something that you've probably heard before. Well, isn't that why you have life insurance? Or, you know, these things are put in place. You know, somebody didn't do something right. Well, no, there's that gap.

SPEAKER_01 28:58

Right. And raising awareness is just as important as raising funds, right? Because if people aren't aware, then they might still be speeding through our job sites, or they may it may not have dawned on them like, wow, my state does have a lot of fatalities, or hey, we pride our state on not having that many fatalities because their work zone safety, you know, awareness programs are are taking effect into their state.

SPEAKER_02 29:24

So as we kind of close out here, I want to look kind of future-facing here because obviously this is growing, and it's neat to see that growth and and be part of this. Is our second fundraiser that we're doing here with you? I've seen in the industry there's a there's a lot of movement in the industry. There's growth in renewable energy, infrastructure. We did talk about, you know, the the on off the road, you know, on the road difference there. And there's a lot of technology happening right now, too. How do you see construction angels evolving with that growth in the industry?

SPEAKER_01 30:06

I'm hoping that maybe we can we do have a lot of support from underground contractors, equipment dealers, civil contractors. I think I would really like to have more help from the vertical contractor, you know, aspect. A lot of their subcontractors are having fatalities like the MEP contractors, whatnot. Yeah. But just, you know, raising more awareness, maybe having some, maybe these young kids can come up with some different safety protocols that maybe we're missing or more apps or something that can help protect the drivers. Yeah. Just but raising awareness, and we're only 15 years old. So it's not like we've been around as long as the Boys and Girls Club or the American Cancer Society. So because a lot of people don't know about construction angels, or they're not even privative to the information that, oh, there's construction fatalities, how often does that happen? It's all about like raising awareness and then finding those people that either want to help out and support us or get behind us in some way. And, you know, even fr from the government side is to try to help us out.

SPEAKER_02 31:13

Right.

SPEAKER_01 31:13

I mean, we we can all do better working together, I think.

SPEAKER_02 31:17

Oh, I agree with that. And that and I think you know, we want to kind of we we hit on some pretty difficult subjects here, you know, we're and we're here for a good cause, but there is excitement here today.

SPEAKER_00 31:30

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 31:30

And I'm sure you've seen that excitement. You get to do this a lot, a lot more than I do. What what what do you love most about you know this this event here?

SPEAKER_01 31:40

What I love most about this event here is working with everybody who's been on the conference calls for multiple months leading up to it and then weeks leading up to it. Their passion, the organization skills that your team has is like breathtaking. I wish every one of our hosts could, you know, have a meeting and go to their PowerPoint agenda and the layout of every detail, who's going where, what they're bringing. Like there's at least 30, maybe more volunteers here today, just from Groff and John Deere as a whole. It's it's amazing to see all of your, like I said, your extended family, you know, work in groups coming here, John Deere Financial, like a lot of these other supporters coming here, getting here early, the equipment out here. It looks like a mini-con expo. I mean, all the all the events and the time and the passion, even from the staff that that led up to today, that's what I'm so thrilled about. And then to see it like executed today, like it's sold out. We're all anticipating like all the people to come here, win a ton of prizes, raise a ton of money, win some games out on the course today. It's a beautiful day. And I live in Florida and I looked at the weather. I thought, 38 degrees. Oh my gosh. But yeah, we're sitting here, and it's like as if the angels had like planned this day to be perfect.

SPEAKER_02 33:03

It's a it's a beautiful spring day. And you know, with spring, I love, I love the spring. I'm more of the summer, I like it hot. I actually lived in Florida for a couple years. Took me a little bit to get used to it. It's a different kind of heat. But there's something about spring in Pennsylvania. You know, you see the birds, starting the flowers, the trees, all that beautiful stuff. But I also love the rabbits. In fact, I had I I started training some rabbits in my backyard. I would I was just training them to get in line. And then I then once I finally got them trained to go in line, it's hard to train them to go to to hop backwards. It was a receding hairline.

SPEAKER_01 33:41

Uh, I was gonna say you're going somewhere with this.

SPEAKER_02 33:45

Thank you. So I am curious. Why do you know we're here at the at the golf course and I I've seen some folks here, and and I'm just curious, why do you why do golfers have to have two pairs of pants to golf?

SPEAKER_01 33:57

I don't know.

SPEAKER_02 33:58

In case they get a hole in one.

SPEAKER_01 34:02

I've never heard that. I've never heard that. You you gotta come out with some more jokes.

SPEAKER_02 34:08

That is actually the only two I brought for today.

SPEAKER_01 34:11

I have some for you. Um I won't say them now.

SPEAKER_02 34:13

Okay. Well, we'll work on those later. We're gonna be out in the course a lot, and we're just kind of getting, you know, the day started here. But no, I I love that. I love that we get to have you here on the Iron Cast. We've been actually talking about this for a while. So there is anticipation. There's a lot of work, and I know what was put into this. I was on a few of those calls as well. And but yeah, I think just having your presence here though has been awesome. Thank you. You know, getting behind something and having you on the Iron Cast to hopefully spread the awareness, you know. Maybe we'll get some more folks to jump up and and start helping out in Pennsylvania. So we're looking forward to today. I know you are as well. Any last minute thoughts? You know, we have listeners out there that any words of encouragement or anything that you want to add here, just kind of to send us off on this episode.

SPEAKER_01 35:03

Uh, I guess if you guys miss this year and you want to get in next year, then as soon as it opens up, you know, register because this event will sell out. And if you want to make a donation to help families in Pennsylvania, our website is constructionangels.us, like United States. You can make a one-time donation or even reach out to us. Contact at constructionangels.us if you'd like to be a state sponsor or support. Ed's one of our Ed Miller is one of our state representatives here in Pennsylvania. You can reach out to him and anybody at Groff, really. I mean, it really is a family, like they're very supportive. So for sure. I'm just so excited to be here today. And it finally came to fruition.

SPEAKER_02 35:48

I'm happy. Well, I hope to see you next year.

SPEAKER_01 35:51

Thank you. Or sooner.

SPEAKER_02 35:54

What was that, Rachel?

SPEAKER_01 35:55

In Hershey. Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 35:57

Oh, this is gonna be in Hershey next year.

SPEAKER_01 36:00

It will be.

SPEAKER_02 36:00

We'll have to have chocolate.

SPEAKER_01 36:03

Lots of chocolate.

SPEAKER_02 36:04

Lots of chocolate. Come for the chocolate, support a good cause and hit a few golf balls.

SPEAKER_01 36:09

Anything you would like to say about, you know, your excitement about the hair.

SPEAKER_02 36:13

Oh man, my excitement about today was this was sitting down talking to you. I I I love talking about construction. I love, you know, the Iron Cast was built on these are real stories, real people, real conversations, all things iron, and everything in between. And this is foundational stuff that we're talking about. So I want to encourage people out there. If you on the fence about supporting something, you know, this is what hits home. With you know, with this is a construction industry podcast. This is the iron cast. And there's something that when we help people, it does so much more for us. It's it's it's that it's not because we do it because, you know, oh, I feel good about doing this. It's it's purpose. So there's purpose behind this. Get involved, get on the website. I was on the website. You guys do a great job there. That's awesome. Learn more about it, you know, really search your heart for it and give from your heart.

SPEAKER_01 37:14

Yeah, there's a ton of information on the on the website, as you said. Under contact us, there's some videos. There's another John Deere video right on our home screen of the website. Very emotional on a job site. I encourage kids, you know, to learn more about our industry, get involved, you know, even when you start young and play around. I encourage women to get involved. We need more women in our industry as well. And and yeah, if anybody has questions, please reach out to me even.

SPEAKER_02 37:42

That's right.

SPEAKER_01 37:42

I'll be around.

SPEAKER_02 37:44

Excellent. And on that, the Ironcast is out.

SPEAKER_01 37:48

Thank you.

SPEAKER_02 37:49

Thank you.