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Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
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Ray-Smith Family Home Revealed
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Submitted: 09/16/2007 |
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Bangor - All last week we showed you the making of not only a reality show but the transforming of a family's life
ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition was in the Maine town of Milbridge organizing volunteers to build a dream house for one lucky family. Sunday, Ty Pennington, the show's host, revealed the new home to the Ray-Smith's for the first time.
Ty Pennington wiggled and shook to get the crowd of hundreds ready and motivated for the Ray-Smith Family to come home. The couple and their three children were kept away from seeing the construction. The crowd went wild as a limousine carrying the family pulled up in front of the show's famous bus that just happened to be blocking their view of the residence. Then Ty told the bus driver to "MOVE THAT BUS." The family couldn't believe their eyes. The home, valued at over half-a-million dollars and made by the hands of volunteers, is now all theirs. "They deserve it, quite frankly," said Mike Wight, President of Broughman Builders. "Teachers don't get the recognition they deserve, especially in the state of Maine. This type of thing needs to happen more often." Gary Ray, Brittany Ray's father expressed his thanks for the volunteers, "I just can't believe that there can be so many wonderful people that can do such wonderful things."
Since last Tuesday, when the Ray-Smith's home was demolished, crews worked day and night constructing the 4,300 square foot, Bostonian-style profab home. After 120 hours and $2-million dollars for the cost of supplies, furniture, food and production expenses, the job was complete. A very thankful and happy Ron and Brittany tried to put into words how they felt, "An absolute dream. It's very hard to put into words what this means...amazing. I think most of all, the real story is the community. How they came out to make this happen. Broughman Builders, Mike and Daisy for putting their own house on hold to help out another family, a very special thank to them. They are angels. And everyone who came out to work on this project."
Ty Pennington, the host of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, talked with us about the Ray-Smith Family and his experience with the show. "All of us have had that teacher in the past that really changed the direction. There were a couple in my life that I wouldn't be where I am today unless someone really cared, listened, and set me in the right direction that I felt like I could really accomplish something. That's what's so great about Brittany, she sheds light on just how important good teachers really are." He says his job is not just about bettering someone's life. "It really does make you feel like you do something worthwhile, that you make a difference. As an artist, to be able to use your creativity and make someone's life a little better, that's really the ultimate reward. It's an awesome feeling. I'm just lucky enough to have an awesome job." Ty's main focus inside the house was the master bedroom. Since the family and crew believed the house to be haunted, ghosts were his inspiration. "All I can tell you, what's amazing is when "Mom" saw the room, she knew exactly what my inspiration was." The 40-something, Atlanta native is an artist who put himself through school doing carpentry. By combining his creative talents with changing the lives of others, he says he's doing what he loves, "As long as I have a creative outlet to do positive stuff that makes a difference, I'm very happy with what I am doing."
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More Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
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Countdown to the Reveal
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Submitted: 09/14/2007 |
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Bangor - Friday is Day 5 of our coverage of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition going on in Maine's own town of Milbridge. We caught up on the progress of the new Ray-Smith Family Home and we went behind the scene for what goes into the making of the show.
The siding is up, the lighting is in and work is on schedule at the Ray-Smith Home project. When we talked to Broughman Builders' President, Mike Wight, "Since Thursday, we go more of the siding, the drywall is complete, done mudding and taping and now we're starting to paint." Volunteer construction crews, suppliers and even those who cook for them have been working around the clock in order to finish the house before the reveal at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday. "These people leave their jobs, take vacations from their jobs, sometimes leave their families for 40 hours straight, to come and help be get this house built," praised Denise Cramsey, Executive Producer of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.
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Extreme Milbridge
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Submitted: 09/13/2007 |
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 We are in Milbridge all this week for the production of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. The Brittany Ray and Ron Smith Family was chosen out of thousands of entrants to the nationwide contest as the family most deserving of a new home.
Bangor - In a town of only 1,500 people, Milbridge has been transformed from a quiet little community to a buzz of activity and excitement. "It has a pretty good effect on business. The people are excited. Traffic's definitely on the increase," stated Jan Rossi, Manager of the 44° North Restaurant. NAPA employee Brian Hastings says, "It's been exciting. The crew has come in and purchased a few items. It's been good." "For something like this to happen in Milbridge. It's such a small community; most of our associates know the family personally, we have some that are related to them," said Leola Carter, owner of the Milbridge Shop & Save.
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Volunteers Needed!
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Submitted: 09/12/2007 |
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 The work of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition is still in progress this week in Milbridge
Bangor - Crews have been working around the clock to build a "home-come-true" for the Ray-Smith Family who is vacationing in Disney World with their three children. Wednesday was all hustle and bustle for the production team from Hollywood and volunteers.
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Haunted Demolition
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Submitted: 09/11/2007 |
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Bangor - Extreme Makeover: Home Edition is in Maine this week. They have chosen Milbridge as the town and the Ray-Smith Family, who, this coming Sunday, will have a new home. We are at this site all this week to keep you updated on the progress of the job and the demolition of their haunted house.
Monday, we learned that there were strange goings-on inside the old Ray-Smith home. "The events that took place in this house are spectacular and horrifying, even for a region like Maine," said Marcus LiBrizzi, an English professor from UMaine Machias. The family, apparently, has witnessed seeing scissors, pins and other sharp objects standing on their points at random times over the last twelve years with no explanation.
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Extreme Makeover Volunteers
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Submitted: 09/10/2007 |
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 Extreme Makeover: Home Edition crews set up tents Monday and directed some of the hundreds of volunteers that will be helping out with the weeklong project.
Bangor - Each volunteer had his or her reason for being involved. "There are a lot of deserving people. It touches my heart, every time I watch the show. It gives me pleasure to volunteer and do anything I can to help this project," said Jerry Howard, a volunteer from Harrington. Each volunteer did his or her part, like putting important family items in boxes and moving them out of the house. "We packed up their clothes, dishes and personal belongings to put into storage," stated Brian Adaska, a volunteer from Bar Harbor. Adaska said while he was packing up the Ray-Smith's belongings he was told not to move a picture of the family's grandfather that hangs inside the house. The family says every time the photo is disturbed, something eerie happens inside. "I haven't touched the picture," Adaska claimed, but he added that a séance was planned for Monday night with Ty and everybody.
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