National Home Improvement Company Steps Up to Assist Hurricane Charley Recovery Effort

CINCINNATI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 18, 2004--
Handyman Connection's Central Florida Franchise Donates Supplies and Rallies Craftsman Network to Aide Recovery Efforts





Nearly 12 years have passed, but the memory is still fresh for Tampa resident Randy Smith. His home was among the hundreds decimated by Hurricane Andrew in 1992. He was also among the thousands of Florida residents victimized at the time by unscrupulous contractors who swooped in to profit from the tragedy. So, when Hurricane Charley bore down on his home state, Smith felt he had a responsibility to help.

"The reconstruction of my home took more than two years and eventually cost me tens of thousands of dollars more than it should have," says Smith, now the owner of a Handyman Connection franchise serving the central Florida communities of Ft. Myers, Sarasota, Tampa, Clearwater and Charlotte County. "Unlicensed contractors came and went almost daily, but we were so desperate to get our lives back that we couldn't see how badly we were being taken advantage of."

Hoping to spare current victims a similar fate, Smith has put both his personal and professional life on hold this week to assist relief and recovery efforts. Over the weekend, Smith organized a local effort to collect relief supplies for storm-stricken communities. By Sunday night, a truck filled with water, diapers, food and clothing collected by Smith's co-workers, vendors, friends, family and neighbors was on its way from Tampa to Punta Gorda.

Now with the backing of Handyman Connection's corporate office in Cincinnati, Ohio, Smith is organizing his local network of craftsmen - remodelers, drywall contractors, finish carpenters, electricians, plumbers, tile workers and others - into teams to travel to Punta Gorda and surrounding communities to assist the rebuilding effort.

"This is a particularly difficult time for families displaced by the storm to find contractors who are licensed, qualified and insured," says Smith. "The good contractors are already overwhelmed, creating an opening for the crooks to move in."

The Handyman Connection team's objective is to be on-location and ready to work before con-artists can get a foothold and start taking advantage of storm victims.

"We want to let families know we're there to help, by offering written estimates up front, performing guaranteed work and adhering to the same pricing we always offer," says Smith. "We'll still be around next week and the week after that; we're neighbors and friends and we just want to do our small part to get these folks back on their feet."

Smith and his team of contractors will arrive in Punta Gorda later this week. To get in touch with them, homeowners should call Handyman Connection's office in Tampa, Florida at 813-631-1008 or call the national Handyman Connection hotline at 1-800-88-HANDY. Handyman Connection's central Florida franchise opened in 2001 and was named National Franchise of the Year in 2002. Locally owned and operated, the franchise is also a member of the Better Business Bureau.

About Handyman Connection

Handyman Connection provides worry-free home repair and remodeling services throughout 80 markets across North America. Founded in 1990, Handyman Connection is the largest organization of its kind and works with more than 4,000 experienced Craftsmen who specialize in small- to medium-sized home repair. Each craftsman has a minimum ten years of experience in trades such as carpentry, plumbing, painting and remodeling work. Handyman Connection proudly partners with Habitat for Humanity International to provide training to volunteers at Women Build sites across the United States and Canada.

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