“Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” subcontractors bond at reception prior to Knoxville project

Tom and Merri Lee Fox, at left, of Gift Gourmet & Interiors; Christi and Scott Branscom, in center, of Grace Construction; and Libby and Kevin Keck of SchoffnerKalthoff Mechanical Electrical Service

I hope you have heard by now that the Emmy-winning ABC television show “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” is coming to Knoxville to build a home for a deserving family next month. This is the show that enlists tons of community volunteers and donated materials and — while the selected family is whisked away for a week-long vacation — rebuilds a special home for them over the course of just a week. The project, which normally would take almost a year to complete, is accomplished by literally thousands of local folks toiling around the clock to get it done.

Robin Irwin, right, Brian Curtis and Emily Harper, all of Gift Gourmet & Interiors, offer yummies to the subcontractors gathered in their store.

The reason I hope you have heard about it is that the contractor chosen to be the lead builder on the project, Grace Construction, selected Moxley Carmichael to handle the public relations for it. I can’t tell you how surprised and flattered I was to get a call from Scott and Christi Branscom at Grace Construction inviting our firm to get involved.

It’s been a whirlwind, to say the least. We signed up just a month ago and have been privy to behind-the-scenes preparations the likes of which I never imagined. To make things even more interesting, the day after we held a news conference to announce the project, ABC announced it was canceling the series after nine seasons. The Knoxville episode will be a two-hour special to air next year, but the show will have officially ended by then. To me, that means the Knoxville show will be even more special.

Catering for the evening was provided by Holly Hambright of Holly's Eventful Dining in Homberg Place. One of her trademark dishes is candied bacon -- and there was plenty!

The show of support has been overwhelming. The media have been great. All three TV stations have covered our announcements, even though the show will air on the ABC affiliate here. The News Sentinel, WIVK radio, Journal Broadcast Group, B97.5, and our on-line friends at the Knoxville Daily Sun also have helped out and so have many others. We greatly appreciate that. Because of the media support, we have filled all the slots on all the round-the-clock shifts for general volunteers and are now adding folks to a waiting list. But the organizers still need skilled volunteers, which are those trained in the construction trades. They also need certain construction materials. A list of everything needed can be found by going to the Moxley Carmichael website (www.moxleycarmichael.com) and clicking through to the official “Extreme” website. We also designed special souvenir T-shirts that can be acquired for a donation to the Knoxville Family Build Fund, which will support the special family that is selected. Donations to that fund are being accepted at all Home Federal Bank branches. Home Federal itself has donated $20,000 to kick off the fund raising. (Home Federal also is a Moxley Carmichael client, we are proud to say!)

And I can’t even begin to list all the generous folks who have donated goods and services. We will be putting out a news release with all their names and listing them on the official website. The subcontractors who will work with Grace Construction to make the new house a reality are a very critical group, of course. In an attempt to help them bond before the project starts, the owners and employees at Gift Gourmet & Interiors invited them to a reception a few days before Christmas. Gift Gourmet & Interiors is donating  all the furnishings for the VIP tent that will be located at the build site, as well as some of the furniture for the house itself.

Here is a peek at that fun event.

There will be several other thank-you functions for the other folks involved. (That’s what the VIP tent is for, after all!) So, stay tuned. And if you’d like to help out, please go to that website!

From left, Gay Lyons, Gina Changas and Kim Henry show off the design of the souvenir T-shirts. The Knoxville team has been branded "Extreme Volunteers!" Gay is the food coordinator on the build, Gina is the VIP coordinator and Kim is the volunteer coordinator.

Jonathan and Lori Gano, at left, of Heritage Homes and Designs, and their daughter, Vyala, in the center, pose with Mark and and Patty Cummings of ProBuild.

From left, Myron Tipton of East Tennessee Land Surveyors; Robert Thompson of Volunteer Dirt Works; Ben Pinnell of Hickory Construction; and Sara Hedstrom Pinnell of Hedstrom Design, a landscape architecture firm.

Dan Phillippi, general manager of WATE-TV, and Rhonda Rice of the Knoxville Chamber. The Chamber is providing much needed computer work on the project.

Dawn and Richard Ford took the visit as an opportunity to do a little browsing. Dawn is on my PR team and is handling a special event which will be announced shortly. (Thanks, Dawn!)

Matt Barrick, left, and Bill Evans, both of WATE, with Becky Hancock, who is on the project's food team headed by Gay Lyons. (More than 3,000 people must be fed around the clock for a week! All the major meals are donated.)

From left, Russ Watkins of Partners Development, Terri Clemens, Scott Branscom and Curt Clemens.

Here's another look at some of the great food by caterer Holly Hambright.

Yum!

Some of my favorite Christmas icons are nutcrackers! They remind me of my grandmother, who also liked them. Aren't these at Gift Gourmet & Interiors festive?

And I almost couldn't resist these adorable reindeer.

WATE videographer Shawn Davis gets Christi miked for an interview.

Scott Branscom, left and Chaz Howard. Chaz sometimes is the assistant to the show's star, Ty Pennington. But for the Knoxville episode, he is going to be the official still photographer. Several staff members of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" are from the Knoxville area.

John Craig, left, poses with Judith Foltz and Sam Maynard, both of whom are on the food team.

Christi Branscom poses with her daughter, Gracie, left, after whom Grace Construction is named, and Janet Testerman, a member of the food team.

Debbie Stevens, left, with Gary and Julia Bentley

Need a cute little Christmas moose? I bet they are on sale now!

Thanks to Knoxville Mayor Madeline Rogero for dropping by the reception, as well. To keep up with all the Extreme action, “like” ExtremeHomeTN on Facebook (click here) or follow @ExtremeHomeTN on Twitter (click here).