On Monday, December 7, the ABC show Extreme Makeover Home Edition visited Gainesville, FL. EMHE is a reality TV show, hosted by Ty Pennington, whereby each episode features a family that has faced some sort of hardship (for example, a natural disaster or a life threatening illness). The show's producers coordinate with a local construction contractor, which then coordinates with various other companies in the building trades to make-over the family's home... in SEVEN days (during which time they send the family on an all expenses paid vacation)! Usually, they completely demolish the house and build an entirely new one. The build is documented in the episode, and on the seventh day, the house is revealed to the family.
Here is an excerpt from the press release about the deserving family here in Gainesville:
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“EXTREME MAKEOVER: HOME EDITION” LENDS A HELPING HAND
TO A GAINESVILLE FAMILY WHOSE NON-PROFIT MUSIC SCHOOL UTILIZES THE ARTS TO STRENGTHEN AND INSPIRE THE COMMUNITY
(Gainesville, FL December 7, 2009) - “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” travels to Gainesville, Florida to meet Tobin and Jill Wagstaff, college sweethearts who started their own non-profit music school to provide services in the arts that would provide significant experiences for everyone, including those with financial limitations or disabilities. Pouring all of their time and resources into this school has left very little for the vast and necessary repairs needed to fix their rotting home. In just seven days, team leader Ty Pennington, the design team, and the Gainesville community will rebuild the home that is literally crumbling around them and give back to this family who gives so much to their community.
Growing up in Gainesville, Jill Wagstaff always noticed the huge impact the arts had on the lives of her friends and family. In college, she met Tobin, who shared her love of the arts, and they eventually married and had four beautiful children: Tobin James Jr., 7, Rudy, 6, Dallas, 5, and Larissa Jolene, 4. In 2002, the Wagstaffs started Studio Percussion, Inc., a non-profit music school and arts center specializing in the use of drums and percussion to encourage and inspire students towards community involvement and leadership development.
The family runs this organization out of their home, in the space where Dallas and Larissa Jolene currently sleep. The studio currently serves about 200 people, half of which receive financial aid or a full scholarship. The non-profit organization can only afford to pay Tobin, 29, a salary, so Jill, 32, must also work as a pre-school teacher to help pay the bills. Their utter devotion to their family, their school, and their community leaves little time and resources to tend to their home, which is in dire need of repair. The floors and rooftops are completely rotting away and the electrical system throughout the house is faulty. Now, it¹s up to the “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” team and hundreds of local volunteers to build a safe, new home that will allow this family to continue to support the arts in the lives of their family and their entire community.
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One really amazing part is that all of the materials and labor for the home are donated, and many skilled and unskilled volunteers assist in the build. The reason I am featuring this on our blog - other than the fact that it is a really amazing show - is that I and a friend of mine acted as (unskilled, obviously) workers! We were there on the third day of the build (Dec. 10) from 6:00 a.m. until noon. We assisted in everything from clearing brush/trees that had been cut down to build the home, keeping the build site clear of extra pieces of lumber, serving food in the catering tent to the skilled workers who don't get much of a break, and (as evidenced in the picture of me with my arms outstretched), "protecting" the VIP tent, which was solely for those individuals or companies who donated enormous amounts of money or materials. We even had a visit from the Gator Mascots and cheerleaders to show their support.
It was such a phenomenal, unparalleled experience, foremost because the people on the show are so giving of their time, and also because, well, they build a house in seven days! Today (Dec. 14) from 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. is unveiling of the house to the family when they return from vacation, and I'm so excited for them.
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