Jerm, Have you seen Ty Pennington yet?

[Suselit]

Please tell us about the Extreme Team's visit to your area?

[Jerm]

Not yet Suse, but I am working on that! I do know several people that has went out the the site and and helped with different things and they have seen the "design team". I am hoping that I get to go out and help out, I think it will be lots of fun.

For those of you that don't know let me catch you up to speed. Extreme Makeover-Home Edition surprised everyone and came rolling into my neck of the woods last week. Our local law enforcement met the team in town and then escorted them out to the site. Once they got to the site the police were not allowed in only the design team. They are here to build three buildings in a camp here. This show will also be a first for them because normally they tear down the house well this time they burned it down. The camp is for children with disabilities. Just like they always do they sent the owners on a trip to the beach somewhere. The construction takes a week and it goes 24 hours a day. Local lumber yards here are keeping someone on staff 24 hours if they happen to need supplies. They said that one day this past weekend they needed supplies at like 1:30 in the morning, LOL! Camp is going on right now and there are children there. Kurt Warner the football player brings his child who I believe is blind to the camp every summer. Late Friday evening (we're talking after 9:00 pm) Trisha Yearwood stopped by to surprise the campers. She performed a song for them and then stayed afterwards to sign autographs, and take pictures with them. If you watched last weeks episode you will know that they were in Alma, Arkansas. After Alma this is where they headed. The lady that they built a home for in Alma was at this site this weekend helping out. I noticed that tonight's show was a rerun. The design team has no idea where they are headed until they are already on the bus headed this direction which is kind of interesting. The camp is located in a very remote location and unless you are a local or have been there before you won't be able to find it. Construction people, etc. are coming in from Arkansas and different places so in order for them to find it and to also not let the masses know where the site is they have done something kind of interesting. They have posted "happy birthday signs" up on street signs and the people that are coming know to look for the signs and follow them and they will lead them right to the site. To the average person just driving by they might think that someone is having a birthday down that road but actually that is where the location is for the "makeover". My family and I drove out the the site today and you can't fathom the people that is there. The site is closed set but from the road you can see the construction and all of the people that came out to help. There is also police at the two entrances. In order to get in you have to have some special things. One being the official T-shirt, a green, rubber arm band, a hard hat, and one other thing that I can't remember right now. You can't just show up at the site and say you want to help because they won't let you. I am sure a lot of it has to do with the children that are in the camp right now as well as other safety issues. I know someone who owns a "stop and shop" type place and they took 10 pizzas over to the site to donate to them and they were told that they could leave the pizzas but they couldn't donate it to them, they would need to send them a bill. I guess it has to do with donating something to the "team" as oppossed to donating it to the camp. They don't want you to donate to them but to the camp. One of the little boys in my class mother works at a restaurant where they all ate and she was given a $100.00 tip at the end of the meal. I am sure there is a lot more to tell I will just have to wait and see. I hope I can be in the thick of things and give you all the scoop.

[NascarDuck3]

That is sooooo cool Jerm !!! Let us know what happens.....jez watched the double episode tonight on tv....Love that show !!! It's so GREAT to see someone doing something for people in need...These people that sponser this show and the people who do the work shows what AMERICA is all about

[ggh]

The show couldn't have picked a more deserving place to go! It's a great ministry!

[Branson Mom]

That is very cool. The Springfield Newsleader has a big write up in yesterday's paper about it here.

[bgroman]

I was at SDC Saturday, I saw a camera crew wearing t-shirts with "Extreme Makover: Home Edition" on the backs. My wife figured the family might have been there that day.

basil

[Suselit]

I think that this show will air in October. We really have got to watch it...SDC on it and everything.

[VBeason]

They were in KC earlier this year in April. The Johnson Family was the family and it was quite a site to see. This home was about 2 miles from mine and it was amazing what they did in the space and time they did it in. They are a great team and can't wait to watch this one as well.

Vickie

[PatiCake101]

Yes, this is VERY exciting, I can't wait to see this one, of course I like to see them all. I always am blubbering like an idiot by the end, I have yet to make it thru one without crying.

The fact that they were at SDC is exciting too. Jerm...let us know when you manage to get your way in there!

[ozarkcastle]

Had a friend come in the office today that got to work on this one. He had some great stories to tell. Can't wait to see the show. cw

[engel]

Actually, the Nick home in Alma was done some time back, but broadcast had to be delayed for some reason.

[Jerm]

Update:

Well to make a long story short I was about to resign to the fact that I was not going to be able to be a part of this event. I had exhausted all the contacts I had to get me in and they just couldn't do it. This morning a fellow teacher said that she would have liked to have gone out by there and at least driven by but she didn't know how to get out there. I told her that today was the last day and by the time we would get out of school there will probably be no one there but I will take you out after school and you can at least see where they were working. After school I did a few things that I needed to do before tomorrow and then we went out. She asked me if I thought she should bring a camera and I told her no that I was sure that everyone would be gone and it woud be over. Well, LOL! When we got out there we learned different. I pulled up in my car to a BUNCH of people with signs, etc. in front of the camp entrance. A HUGE camera was going over the entire road, production crew were everywhere. A Fedex truck was in front of me and when we pulled up I thought we were in the procession of the family returning from their trip. A security person comes up to me and says that it is going to be a while before I can go, so we back up a little bit and all of the sudden we catch a glimpse of Ty. My friend and I were so excited that we just got to see him and then after a bit they motioned us on through and my car went under the camera that was stretched over the road and I was so busy looking around I almost hit Ty out in the street, LOL! We drive on a bit perfectly content when we get to the second entrance and there is a sign there that says spectator parking and there was no guard there. So my friend and I decided that we are spectators so we go in and park and walk up to the top of the hill where all of the excitement was going on. I found a person that was working there and asked if it was ok that we were there and he said sure and that if we wanted to be apart of the "welcome home" group we needed to get on up there because the family was coming and they would block the road. We got there and the people that work there said go ahead and cross the road and stand with the other people. So I got to be in the filming of the show. You will have to look for me I am the one wearing the dress clothes. I got to see ALL of the designers, a few of them like Constance, etc. were not there they were filming another show somewhere else but they have some new designers that hasn't appeared yet on tv. They will be in some of the newer episodes so you will have to be watching for them. I got to see the family arrive in the limo and get out and all the designers were talking with them and then they took them off into the camp. I had a BLAST!! The group that I got to be a part of had been standing in that one spot since 12:30 this afternoon and when I got their it was probably 3:45 and I didn't even have to stand an hour. Can you believe that one shot took so long? When the family arrived, they had to get back in a get out several times to get different shots. The producer of the show was there and I got to see him, he was answering questions for people and he said that even though the family was there it was going to be like 4 hours before they would get to see their house and all the other improvements. When you watch it on tv you think that when the family arrives that the house is ready then for them to see but that is not true. They were still doing wall paper, putting in windows, etc. while the family was there. Also the people that are working and that stands out there (like I did today) and greets the family when they come home, you think they are local people but that is also not true. Some are local but others are not. There were very few faces that I knew that were there. I would have known them if they lived here in the area. I followed a vehicle out today that was from California. Go figure!! An interesting tidbit about Ty, he would get out of a vehicle and do a little taping or something and then get back in under the air conditioning, and then get out again and do a little more, and then get back in, etc. I have also heard from some of the workers that it is amazing the things that they just throw away or burn that they didn't use that was perfectly good. The family was sent to Hilton Head, SC for their "trip". Also, Lance Bass of N'Sync was at the camp yesterday doing some work. I really enjoyed the experience of this and it is a "Hollywood" type experience a little different than what you might see on the show. Also, a little birdie told me that the next location they will be headed to is Urich, Missouri. This is a small town up by Kansas City. Be on the lookout for this. Engel about the Arkansas location they were at and I said that is where they came from to here, I don't really know that is just information we were told. They usually pick places that are easy driving distances from each other. Some friends and I are going to try to tour the house and other buildings after all the people leave. If I hear or think of anything else I will be sure to post it.

[popeye]

WOW! That is so cool Jerm! I wish I could have been there, I will be watching for you on the show! Thanks for sharing!

[VBeason]

OHHHH, they are coming closer to KC again? I'll have to let the gang know here. One of our folks here at the bank works at Sears part time and she submitted an idea for a "break room makeover" and her's was picked as a finalist so she got an autographed picture of Ty -- has it on her desk at work! LOL! I just knew she would be at the one in KC, but she didn't get to go because of work schedule and keeping up with 2 high school boys. She joked and figured they had a restraining order out against her LOL! I'll have to tell her. Urich is such a small town, it will be interesting to see what happens. They will be pulling from Clinton, Harrisonville, Belton/Raymore/Peculiar and all over I'm sure. If you hear anything more - let me know.

Vickie

[Branson Mom]

What a great story Jerm! I'm glad you got that opportunity!! Thanks for sharing it with us!