Economic impact & fundraising opportunities related to Extreme Makeover

Robin Bostrom of Main Street West Union, said she has been advised the economic impact on the community as a result of Extreme Makeover's presence, will be close to $1 million. 
The following information is being disseminated by Main Street West Union:
In conjunction with the build this week, there will be a couple of fundraising events taking place.  A “Stuff the Bus” food drive to benefit the Northeast Iowa Food Bank is being held with North Fayette and South Winn schools.  Everyone is encouraged to help fill the school bus located at the high school to the roof with non-perishable food items.  


This is the local charity identified by the family.  There will also be collection cans placed around the community for cash donations to the Family & Build Fund to help cover expenses for the family. If you would like a can for your business, please call the Main Street office at 422-3070.  There is also a raffle taking place with a chance to win a tour of the house and several autographed items from Ty and the show’s designers.  Raffle tickets will be available for sale at the Main Street  office and sell for $5 each or 5 for $20.  All funds raised go to the Family & Build Fund and can be left at the Main Street office. 

NF Volleyball Game 
Everyone is invited to attend the NF Volleyball game on Tuesday night.  If you bring 5 non-perishable items you will be admitted free.  We hope to have someone from Extreme at the game to talk about the build but it has not yet been confirmed at this time.  


Reveal Day
The reveal day is Sunday, Oct. 9 at 2 p.m.  This is the “Move the Bus” day and a large crowd is expected.  The show’s producers have said to expect 10,000+ people for this event.  If you would like to be there you will need to shuttle out from the fairgrounds.  Additional shuttle sites will be determined during the week and will be blasted out via email, newspaper, and radio.  

More 'Extreme' news

Spectators will not be allowed at the site until Tuesday morning. Spectators can park at the Fayette County Fairgrounds, 100 W. Franklin entrance, West Union, and will then be shuttled to the build site. All spectators are encouraged to bring a non-perishable food item for the Northeast Iowa Food Bank. Spectators should plan for lengthy periods of standing.

There is also a raffle being held in conjunction with the makeover. Tickets are $5 each or 5 for $20. Prizes include an exclusive tour of the Extreme Makeover home, autographed hardhat by Ty and the design crew and autographed T-shirts by Ty and the design crew. The drawing will be held Saturday, October 8; need not be present to win. Contact Janelle Darst, Janelle.darst@uni.edu or 319-273-3676 to purchase tickets.

The excitement was Extreme around West Union today!

Around noon Sunday, Oct. 2, to the blare of a bull horn & Ty Pennington shouting the exciting announcement through a megaphone, Audrey Gibbs and her six children officially learned they had been selected by ABC's Extreme Makeover to be the subject of one of their documentaries for this season's shows.

Rumors had been circulating for weeks as the family knew it was one of five finalists. But as contractors for both deconstruction, and new construction were organized by the ABC ExMakeover crews and contractor Larson Construction, many living in the area became pretty certain they knew who had been selected. Many, many local residents have volunteered their time this week and a number of local businesses and contractors will be working at the site, too, from providing materials to doing the landscaping.

Audrey and the six Gibbs children: from 20-year-old Josh to 13 year old Daniel, have most likely by now, been whisked away to fly to Boca Raton, Fla., where they'll spend the week basking in sunshine and enjoying life a little before they return this next weekend to see their newly constructed home. The progress of the deconstruction/construction this coming week will be something to watch. However, Highway 150 north of West Union will be closed in that area all week, to allow for crews to come and go as needed. Tear down of the house begins Monday morning, with a new foundation expected to be poured the same day. Crews will work round the clock, 24/7 to see the new house put into place before the family returns from their vacation to Florida.

For those who may not know ... Audrey is the widow of Jon Gibbs, who died as a result of cancer, 11 years ago. Oldest son, Josh has graduated from Harley Davidson motorcycle repair school; Nathan is graduated from high school & works on a local farm.

Soon there'll be frost on the pumpkin . . .

Although we did experience a light frost around the middle of September, it didn't really kill anything – and that's even though our log home in humble Frog Hollow sits only a few hundred feet above sea level!

But the leaves are fast falling from the walnut trees in our yard. Yesterday's rain and windy gusts caused hundreds of oak leaves and acorns to fall to the ground – sometimes sending the chickens and me running for cover.

While autumn is a time to think of apple pie, pumpkin cheesecake and hot chocolate, for some reason I'm craving french silk pie. Here's a recipe from the new baking book published by Better Homes & Gardens and given to me by my stepson one year for Christmas.

Enjoy!