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Volunteers begin work at Extreme Makeover home

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By Doug Harris, Staff Writer Updated 12:44 AM Sunday, August 2, 2009

BEAVERCREEK — The streets around the home at 548 Carthage Drive were abuzz with activity today, July 31, as the Extreme Makeover crew and scores of blue-shirted volunteers began preparations for the new home being built for the Terpenning family.

Work teams began to arrive at 6 a.m. to empty the home of its contents. Food and refreshments were being hauled in. And about 25 semis, RVs and trucks were parked along the street and in the neighbors’ yards.

The home will be bulldozed at 10 a.m. Saturday, and the demolition will take about three hours.

“We can’t help physically because we’re too old, but we can let them use our yard,” said neighbor Elizabeth Mingus. “They said they’d put it back in the same condition. I trust them.”

James and Shannon Terpenning of Beavercreek were surprised by a knock on the door from the ABC reality show on Thursday.

The family has four children: Josselyn, 6; twins Justin and Jacob, 2; and Joshua, 1. James’ adopted brother Joseph, who has cerebral palsy, also lives with the family. Both men use wheelchairs.

After a weeklong vacation, the family will return on Aug. 6 and be introduced to their new home.

Terpenning, a Wright State University grad, is a civilian information technology specialist for the Aeronautical Systems Center (ASC) at Wright-Patterson Air Force, where he’s worked for nearly 10 years.

Long Cleaners, which has a location in Beavercreek, is one of several local companies volunteering its services. All the family’s clothes will be washed and dry-cleaned while they’re away.

Home to Home Transitions of Dayton will pack personal belongings and valuables and find places for them when the new home is built. And while the family will be getting new furniture, Lincoln Storage had two semis on site for larger objects the Tepennings may want to keep.

“To have all the vendors step up, especially with the economy, makes you proud to be a Miami Valley citizen,” said Tom Perry, owner of Long Cleaners.

Volunteers Heather Steck of Fairborn and Melissa Henry of Dayton were almost giddy over being part of the mammoth operation. They spent part of their six-hour shift unloading a truck of groceries.

“Oh my gosh, we couldn’t sleep last night,” said Steck as perspiration dripped down her forehead. “We were up at the crack of dawn.

“I’m not a morning person, but we’ll be doing 6 a.m. shifts all week because we just want to help the family and wanted to be a part of it.”

They’re fans of “Extreme Makeover” and admit one of the incentives for sacrificing their time was to work alongside Ty Pennington, the show’s heartthrob host.

“I think any lady wants to get a little look at Ty,” Steck said.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2125 or at dharris@DaytonDailyNews.com

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