By Joyce Kryszak
Buffalo, NY – Thousands of volunteers continue to race against time to complete an extreme home makeover for a family on the west side. But the ABC television show has transformed much more than a house.
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The school auditorium was packed with volunteers. The extreme makeover crew gave a final rally call to organize the flurry of work that has to be done on the project that expanded to rehab dozens of houses and garden spaces.
The energy and good will was infectious. After working nearly round the clock, volunteers said they were ready to give more. Bill Meldrum is one of them. Meldrum rests his broad body against the auditorium wall and sighs. But it's a good sigh. He lives a couple doors down from the Powell home. He says the impoverished neighborhood needed this.
People and businesses have donated services and materials, labor and time to improve the neighborhood many gave up on when drugs and gangs moved in. Western New York Americorps is overseeing the volunteer workforce. They've had some practice. The group has been working in this neighborhood for a couple years rehabbing houses. But executive director Mark Lazzara says this project puts wind under all their wings.
The show's executive producer would agree with that. Brady Connell says they've accomplished far more than he ever envisioned. Connell says Buffalo has definitely raised the bar.
Saturday the new house - and neighborhood - will be revealed when the Powell family arrives back home from Florida.