Veteran surprised with free new roof

By Jenny Yu.  

One Montana family won a contest put on by their local roofing company, receiving the much-needed gift of a new roof. 

When Cheryl and Marty Ash of Billings, Montana, received a surprise visit from YellowBall Roofing and Solar, they thought it was simply news that they were in the running for the company’s “Nominate a Veteran” campaign. But to their surprise, they weren’t just in the running; they were the winners!  

“[I was in] amazement. I couldn’t believe it,” Marty Ash told MTM News. "We had no idea, so it was a total surprise, especially seeing all the people.” 

The good news came at the perfect time, as the family had recently received bad news from a roof assessment. “We had just gotten it inspected but found out that the insurance was going to be way out of pocket for us,” Marty said. This prompted them to try their luck with YellowBall’s contest. “I was at work, heard it on the radio and told Cheryl about it. She entered us, and here we are. The winners!” 

The Ash’s aren’t the only ones delighted by the outcome. Justice Graham, owner of YellowBall, expressed how gratifying it was to provide this service for Cheryl and Marty. “We just felt that it's important to give back to the community, and what better way than to give back to a veteran?” Justice said. With many years of experience in the roofing and solar industry, Justice knew the value and impact this gift would have for the recipients.  

Cheryl and Marty certainly appreciated the help. “Getting this is going to alleviate a lot of stress from both of our lives,” Marty said. 

Furthermore, the event provided hope and validation for Marty as a serviceperson for our country. “Everybody standing in the yard, congratulating us and saying, ‘Thank you for your service’ means a lot, especially to a vet,” Marty shared, offering their own gratitude. “I just want to thank YellowBall and everyone who came here to support us with this surprise.”