Miracle plays out at site of home makover
Published: March 17, 2006
What a difference a week makes!
Sunny skies and a drying, yet chilly, wind helped production get back on schedule at the “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” house in Harrison County Wednesday.
Volunteers and spectators chatted on shuttlebus rides to the site as work continued on the roof and inside the new home.
Spectators marveled at the accomplishment and watched as roofers carefully worked at putting the finishing trim on the highest part of the peak of the house.
While Brian, Michelle, Alex and Sam Hassall have been on a donated vacation since Friday, over a thousand volunteers have been building them a newer, healthier environment for their family, said Josh Blatt, of John Henry Homes, as he juggled interviews in the VIP tent.
“Sometime today we will be turning the keys over to the design crew,” said Blatt. “(Today) the family will get to see it for the first time.”
Some volunteers have been staying in groups in hotels or commuting to the site each day, said Blatt.
“I stayed here until Monday, then had to go home to get a nap,” said Blatt.
Spectators have been a regular sight. Some have been making daily treks to rural Sunrise, which has a Berry address that made for some creative map following.
“It was a little confusing, finding out how to get here,” said Kelly Ingles of Walton. “I brought my children up last night, but we missed the last shuttle. They had to go to school today so I promised them I would try to get a photograph of Ty for them.”
Host and designer Ty Pennington came into view of spectators about 11:30 a.m. and paused to wave to the crowd as he tried to change from his hiking boots into mud friendly footwear and get on with finishing his part of the project.
Donations of goods fueled the project, but without volunteered time there would have been no house. Carpenters, roofers, cooks, carpet experts and dozens of specialists filled the ranks each shift. They did whatever was needed.
Some volunteers felt a special bond with the family they have never met.
Members of the Covington police department managed the parking area near Claysville Christian Church Wednesday.
“We just wanted to do whatever we could,” said Megan Tucker, Community Relations Officer. “I took my vacation time to do this. It is the least I could do for a fellow officer. It is a brotherhood.”
One commodity some volunteers, who had to stand long hours, wished for was a place to sit down for a few minutes.
“Next shift I’m going to park my truck right there and use the tailgate as a chair,” said Lori Auton, dispatcher at Covington Police Department who was directing traffic to proper parking areas.
Once the keys are passed it will be up to the design team to “dress” the house.
“They have been shopping and will be unloading what they purchased later,” said Deborah Clark, sales director for John Henry Homes.
A crowd numbering in the thousands is expected for the reveal to the family today, said Clark.
The exact time of the reveal was not available, but expected to be in the afternoon, said Blatt.
“Nobody believes something like this can be done until they get together and do it,” said Clark. “There are contractors working here that have never worked together and getting this miracle completed. It is a wonderful sight.”
More goodwill arrived Wednesday afternoon when Wells Fargo presented a check to family representatives for $30,000, to pay off the second mortgage on the old home.
Donations for taxes, insurance and maintenance costs are still needed, said Dustin Rose of Cynthiana.
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