As the 2005 deck season begins to wind down, I am pleased to let you know that just about all of the member builders that I have spoken to are booked out 90 days and beyond. That's the good news, the concern is how many more decks we might have built with more crews better management and more resources. All the more reason for our association to grow and become stronger.

The State of the Industry address at DeckExpo in February 2006 is expected to be impressive. More and more homeowners are spending their discretionary income on home improvements. We are seeing more and more statistics showing that adding a deck gives a better return on investment than many if not all other home improvements.

It is important to note that consumers are more educated about the many products and choices that are available on the market today than ever before. That means we need to be more informed than ever before. The best way to do that is to be working together, manufacturers, suppliers and contractors working together, participating in discussions with other members of our industry. You can do that easily on the NADRA forums (building, materials, and business) to name a few, there are another fourteen committees within the Association.

If you have a special interest or an area that you have expertise in, your presence on a committee is crucial. As President Theodore Roosevelt once said "Every man owes a part of his time and money to the business or industry in which he is engaged. No man has a moral right to withhold his support from an organization that is striving to improve conditions within his sphere."

Many thanks to those members who have stepped up and taken on some responsibilities to help our association. Your NADRA Board of Directors has been hard at work improving the website, keeping you informed. We are beginning the fund raising process to keep your Association moving forward. As the proverb goes "many hands make for light work".

We have come a long way over the last year but we have really just scratched the surface of can be done when an industry works together supporting the interests of our industry at large.

If you have any questions, suggestions or comments about NADRA, please give us a shout, (1.888.NADRA.4U).

Sincerely, your President,

Michael "Copper" Beaudry