Rebuilding Broward Together

By Linda Trischitta

A participant in the Builder's Olympiad, Barrera was a member of one of five teams from the construction trade and the Pompano Beach Rotary Club. When not competing in skill tests, they also labor for elderly, disabled and low-income homeowners whose residences are repaired for free by Rebuilding Together Broward County. The group is currently fixing two Fort Lauderdale properties, which are among the 122 homes and 20 nonprofit facilities it has made safe and sanitary in Broward County since 2003.

Rebuilding Together hoped to raise $20,000 from attendees and sponsors on Saturday. Also pushing wheelbarrows around the red dirt floor of the arena: workers from Miller Construction Co., A Construction Maintenance Group Inc. and Holland Builders Inc. Kids enjoyed a family festival, eating cotton candy and having their faces painted to look like Spider-Man. Miller Construction's team took home the coveted "Golden Hard Hat" trophy, mounted on a wooden pedestal. "We let them hold onto it for a year, kind of like the Stanley Cup," said Larry Martineau, a Rebuilding Together board member.

An architect, Martineau devised nine skills tests that included a toilet seat toss and nail hammering. The pipe dream game had a "Just Say No" award for the man who showed the most posterior, below-the-belt skin. Tony Jefferson, foreman of Advanced Roofing, said it was fun to show off for their families. "It's important to help the community," Jefferson said. "And we've got that male ego thing going. We like the competition." He wasn't kidding. Jefferson won an "Eye of the Tiger" certificate for exceptional performance. Copyright © 2009,

South Florida Sun-Sentinel