By Dawn Fluhler

Jennie Wilder is much more than “wife of Hallmark CEO Derek Wilder.” As she and other Hallmark employee-volunteers prepare for Family Day at the Extreme Makeover Home edition build site, it is apparent that she is deeply involved in the entire project.

She hustles and buzzes around from place to place answering questions and making sure things are going smoothly and turn out just right.

This week has been a 24/7 job for the Wilders. Jennie says her main assignment here is to “support my husband.” She makes sure Derek has warm clothes, plenty of food and takes rests.

His mom and dad are on-site, too, helping Jennie take care of Derek. The Wilders are living in a trailer during the build, and Jennie says she is getting much more rest than Derek. He sleeps with a radio. He rarely turns it off.

Their daughters are here, too. Kylene, a 19-year old sophomore at Anderson University, is here helping her dad all week. She runs whatever errands he asks and takes his phone calls. Courtney, 15, is helping with whatever the family needs.

But Jennie, thoughtful of the outpouring of community generosity, described the loads of straw that were hauled in to absorb mud and deep water left behind after heavy rains. Volunteers in blue Extreme Makeover volunteer t-shirts and white hats worked frenetically to spread the straw.

“It was breathtaking,” said Jennie. “Just humbling. Incredible.”

No matter the long hours and sleepless nights, Jennie says, “This is an experience that we’ll never, ever forget.”