ADB Scholarship Fund
The ADB Scholarship Fund & American Deck Builders Golf Tournament were established in 2020 dedicated in loving memory of Craig Lawrence and Karen Topa. This cause is very near and dear to our hearts, as it is in honor of our family members. Our nonprofit (501c3) is dedicated to raising funds for scholarships benefiting graduating seniors at our alma maters, Chenango Valley and Chenango Forks, who are entering the workforce or trade school. Additionally, we support selected local families going through medical hardships due to a cancer diagnosis and contribute to cancer research initiatives. Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, we've made a substantial impact, raising over $40,000 since 2020.
For more information about scholarship opportunities, please call us at 607-648-3872, email Kristy at ktopa@americandeckbuilder.com, or follow or Facebook Page at Annual ADB Golf Tourney in memory of Craig Lawrence & Karen Topa.
5th Annual ADB Scholarship Fund Golf Tournament will be held on July 20th, 2024!
Craig graduated from Chenango Forks High School in 1980. After graduating, he attended the SUNY Delhi Carpentry Program. After completing the Carpentry Program, Craig moved to Dallas, Texas and worked construction for several year and also became a diehard Dallas Cowboys fan. Craig moved back to Binghamton where he married his childhood neighbor, Kelly and had two kids, Brendon and Ashley. Craig enjoyed going to Brendon and Ashley's sporting events and enjoyed playing golf and hockey. When he moved back to Binghamton, Craig worked for the Carpenter's Union for several years, but decided that he wanted to start his own construction business. In 2001, Craig started American Deck Builders and was the area's only deck building specialist. Craig loved challenging himself to build high-end, custom decks, and he became one of the country's first Trex Pro Contractors. When Craig passed away in 2013, Brendon took over the business along with Craig's long-time employee, Brendan Walter.
Karen graduated from Chenango Forks High School in 1982. After graduating, she attended Ridley Lowell Business & Technical Institute to become a Travel Agent. Once she had kids, she began working at Chenango Valley so she could be on the same schedule as Kristy & Justin. She always said her number one job was to be a mom, and it's safe to say she excelled at that. Once the kids entered high school, she transitioned to working flexible merchandising jobs and eventually started working for American Deck Builders when the kids were out of school. During this time, she was so excited to work with her nephew Brendon. She knew how special it was to be a part of the family owned business, and to continue to keep her brother-in-law Craig's legacy alive and thriving.
Family was everything to Karen. There is nothing she wouldn't have done for her family. Making memories and spending time with the ones she loved most was her favorite thing to do. She shared her warm spirit and bubbly personality with every person she met along the way, whether it was through school, work, or being the best mom and wife. She was a ray of sunshine that had a way of making every single person feel loved, understood, and welcomed into her life. We hope that this scholarship can continue to spread the hard working and compassionate legacies left by both Karen and Craig.
