We are happy to present a second set of photographs provided to us by Janel Bantz Photography.
More pictures are available after the jump. And for more information on Janel Bantz Photography, go to http://www.janelbantz.com
By Rhett Umphress
Anyone who came to volunteer at the “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” build likely met Anita Knepp. Knepp was the volunteer coordinator at the build. She would check in both skilled and non-skilled participants as they came through the volunteer tent for each day of the build.
Knepp is a sales manager at Hallmark Homes. She became the volunteer coordinator when she was asked to do lead that effort by the producers from ABC.
Along with finding volunteers for some of the non-build tasks, Knepp also traveled the site performing miscellaneous activities. She would make sure that trash dumpsters were empty, make sure that everyone had the proper apparel and badges, and just fill in where she was need, she said.
And what the hardest part of the build?
“Lack of sleep,” she said with a chuckle.
By Dawn Fluhler
Maconaquah School District assistant superintendent Dr. James Callane coordinated the school bus shuttle service between Grissom AFB and the Extreme Makeover build site.
Callane met with “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” location managers a week before the Cowan-Brown build. Together, they devised an inclimate weather transportation plan for the build week. Following the downpour early in the week, the plan was put into effect.
“We had a rotation of bus drivers working three hour shifts,” Callane said. “Since our corporation has four spare buses, we were able to use those buses during the hours when we were transporting students to and from school.”
By Dawn Fluhler
Bus drivers from the Maconaquah School Corporation drove spectators and volunteers from Grissom Air Force Base to the “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” build site for five days because of the rain and muddy field parking areas. Buses would run 24 hours a day, shuttling workers back and forth between the two sites.
In total, 27 regular and substitute bus drivers participated in the round-the-clock shuttle service.
“There was such an outpouring of people that we just kept going,” said Karen Grove, a 32-year bus driver with the school corporation.
By Rhett Umphress
Jane Mitchell has been volunteering at the “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” build since Saturday. In the last two days alone, she has put more than 20 hours in by helping in any way that she can.
Mitchell is acquainted with the Cowan-Brown family as her art teacher, Becky Osmond, is Heather Cowan’s mother.
“The family really deserves this,” Mitchell said.
By Jenelle Bickel
Brittany Ramus and Brandon Sloan have been volunteering throughout the whole week here at “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” build. Today, they are selling merchandise from Hallmark Homes such as T-shirts for $10 and hats for $15. All the proceeds go to the Cowan-Brown family.
Ramus and Sloan have been involved with many different volunteering activities during the five days they have volunteered. Their previous duties included bus duty, where they made sure everyone got on and off the buses safely, as well as making sure everyone returned the hard hats that were provided. These two volunteers also helped with put up drywall for the house, and made sure the construction workers got refreshments.
“We’ve volunteered for five days, and it’s been fun,” Ramus said.
As the time for the revealing of the house grows nearer, many people are buying more merchandise to support the family.
Lynn Imel is here to support her daughter, Amber Smitherson, an accountant for Hallmark Homes. “Amber calls me and has me bring things she needs to the site for her,” Imel explained. Imel sat with her daughter and grandchildren, Allison, 11, and Carson, 6, at the food tent table and ate lunch while they waited for more instructions. Allison and Carson exclaimed, “We only have two more autographs to get!” while talking about the auction on Saturday where they got most of their autographs. The money is still being counted but the amount raised by the auction is rumored to be around $18,000. Allison was very excited about the new Cowan-Brown home and is glad to be here even though she is not old enough to help with the house.
Devon Luttrell is a 17-year-old student from Tipton, Ind. Her mother’s friend got involved with Extreme Makeover: Home Edition earlier this year and brought Luttrell and her mother along to help this time. Luttrell helps by manning the VIP tent, handing out sandwiches and drinks to the workers along with anything else she is needed for. “It is pretty crazy that I am only 17 and I have an all access pass!” Luttrell explained, “I was like ten feet from David Cook and Xzibit and I didn’t realize I was allowed to go talk to them!” Later her mother informed her what “all access” meant and Luttrell will not make that mistake again. She plans to approach any and all celebrities she sees from now on.
Two airmen, Karl Ackerman and Chris Sterling, took off work to volunteer. Sterling said he scheduled off and Ackerman said he would call in an hour or so and call in, “I probably should get on that,” Ackerman explained. They worked all night long starting at 11 p.m. “They asked me what I was good at and I said everything. So yesterday I was an expert sider, today I am an expert trimmer and who knows maybe tomorrow I’ll be an expert plumber,” Sterling explained.
Most of the jobs Sterling claimed to be an “expert” at meant he had done it once or twice. They worked with one man who gave them measurements to cut wood but the measurements were too short. “We came back the second time and he was gone,” Sterling said before Ackerman chimed in, “and he took our nail gun too!” Overall they have had a good time and really enjoyed helping this family.
By Bryce Tibbs and Jillian Riffey
Another unusual site from Family Day was a group of local clowns from the Peru Circus. Their colorful outfits and charismatic personalities helped brighten the day. The clowns said they knew there were going to be a lot of kids on site and they wanted to make the kids smile. The clown troop included Michelle Feltis, Ginnie Williams, Kayla Deardorff, and Chloe Hunt.
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