Story originally printed in the La Crosse Tribune or online at www.lacrossetribune.com
Published - Thursday, July 24, 2008
Richland Center family getting extreme home makeover
The Anders family of Richland Center got a welcome surprise this morning — a wake-up call by Ty Pennington and the crew of ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" announcing that they would be the lucky recipients of a new home, built at a whirlwind pace in 106 hours.
The show, in its sixth season, chooses a family facing hardships to receive a new home.
Rochelle Anders, a first-grade teacher, was widowed four years ago when her husband suddenly died from a heart attack. She has four children, Tess, Reid, Drew and Tyler, who range in age from 12 to 20.
Their home is in poor condition, according to a release from the show. The roof is peeling apart, the wood siding and ceilings are crumbling, and squirrels, birds and mice are nesting in the walls. With only a wood furnace to heat the home, the children had to live with relatives last winter.
The identity of the family has been shrouded in secrecy for days, but it was evident that a family near Madison would be chosen when Veridian Homes of Madison was tapped to run the build site.
The house is set to be demolished Saturday. Construction will begin Sunday and end Thursday, July 31, when the family is scheduled to return from an ABC-sponsored vacation to find a brand new home planted firmly in their property.
The build will continue day and night until the home is finished, with the help of generators and floodlights, said David Simon, Veridian's president of operations.
A call for volunteers resulted in an overwhelming response by 2,500 people, said Ceci Anderson of Veridian Homes.
All stories copyright 2000 - 2006 La Crosse Tribune and other attributed sources.