Kathy Hamilton, left, leads the breakfast line.
The “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” house is built, the Watson family is moved in, and the folks who worked on it are back to their normal lives, perhaps a little bit changed by the experience.
All this is good. But one thing I hated to see go was the VIP tent! It turned out to be a wonderful venue for parties and fundraisers. Definitely not your same ole, same ole.
This is just a quick little blog post about a breakfast held there last Monday. The invited guests were members of the Executive Women’s Association of which Christi Branscom, president of Grace Construction, the lead builder on the Extreme project, is president-elect. Also invited were members of Women in Construction.
By this time, the house was nearly finished and Christi invited Extreme’s executive producer, George Verschoor, to say a few words. He told us that the Volunteer state had really “stepped up” to build the house through very tough weather. And he told us again how our VIP tent was the best in the history of the show. Thanks, Gift Gourmet & Interiors.
Here’s a peek at the fun little breakfast.
OK. We are definitely in the right place.
Carolyn Jensen, development director of Alzheimer's Tennessee, gets breakfast.
Debbie Stevens, left, and Linda Davidson socialize. Debbie's law firm, Lewis King Krieg and Waldrop, sponsored the soiree. Linda is in development with UT.
Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Sharon Lee, left, and Rosalyn Tillman, dean of Pellissippi State's Magnolia Avenue campus.
Dawn Ford, left, and Kathy Hamilton sit down to breakfast.
KUB's Susan Edwards in the buffet line.
French toast from 31 Bistro on Market Square
Naturally sweetened butter, I was told.
Coffee, hot chocolate and hot tea were provided all week long for the VIP tent and all 4,000 folks on the build site by Green Mountain Coffee Roasters. Possibly the most popular items of the week.
George Verschoor, executive producer of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" with Christi Branscom, president of Grace Construction
Christi thanks the breakfast sponsor, Lewis King Krieg and Waldrop.
Monique Anderson, left, and Janell Cecil
Georgiana Vines, left, and Maribel Koella
From left, Terry Morgan, Michelle Henry and Christi
Regina Dean, left, head of WUOT radio, and lawyer Celeste Herbert
Fron left, Jeannie Dulaney, Gwen Brown and Ruth Ellis
From left, Christi, Sue Hicks, Erin Brownlee and Gina Changas. Gina was VIP coordinator for the Extreme project and did a fabulous job.
Here is what the house looked like as we left breakfast on Monday.
It was a great event. Thanks for the special invitation to EWA.
31 Bistro was so excited to be able to provide the food for this breakfast–thanks to the sponsorship of Lewis, King, and Krieg. I had just written about 31 Bistro for Metro Pulse and knew their food would be a hit, but it was going to be a stretch for them. Up stepped Andie Ray who contacted Debbie Stevens. Besides getting everyone fed (priority #1), the Food Team wanted to introduce some restaurants guests might not have experienced. I’m so happy it all worked out. It was a definite Win-Win.