'Extreme Makeover' sends out call for help

Representatives of the hit television show ?Extreme Makeover: Home Edition? are calling on southwestern Connecticut residents for help with their latest renovation. The home makeover is taking place

News 12 Staff

Jul 31, 2007, 1:22 AM

Updated 6,336 days ago

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Representatives of the hit television show ?Extreme Makeover: Home Edition? are calling on southwestern Connecticut residents for help with their latest renovation.
The home makeover is taking place at 285 Hollister Avenue in Bridgeport. Representatives from the show say they are looking for volunteers to join in and help with the remodeling.
The deadline to complete the house is Wednesday.
The Brown family?s house suffered damage from a flood and a fire. The ?Extreme Makeover: Home Edition? crew showed up last week, tore down the house and started on a new one. They?ve been working at a fast pace, but the show?s stars are not sure if they have enough help to finish the house in time.
They estimate that they are about a day?s work behind.
Rick?s Roofing, a Norwalk-based company, was called in at the last minute. The scheduled roofing contractors did not show up over the weekend.
?I got a call Sunday, I was in church,? Richard Tavella, from Rick?s, said. ?So I gathered up five of my guys.?
Tavella said his employees are working as fast as they can. He?s donating more than $6,000 worth of labor.
Show officials say they are looking for volunteers who specialize in a wide variety of skills. They say general carpenters are needed. They are also looking for plumbers, general contractors, electricians, framers and roofers. They are also in critical need of night help.
The show is also looking for people to help paint or donate tools. They say people don?t have to be skilled in a certain trade to donate their time. Any help is welcome.
Paige Hemmis, from the show, says they've had to delay a family's return a couple of times during the show?s history because the house wasn't ready. Show officials say they are determined not to have that happen again, and they are willing to work 24 hours a day until Wednesday if necessary.
Anyone who wants to volunteer is asked to bring their tools to the corner of Hollister Avenue and Stratford Avenue in Bridgeport. Volunteers should say they are with the COBRA team, and they will be put to work.