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“I spent a lot of time on that house, it was hard work. You fight a battle with something like that, it’s easier to fight a battle overseas because something like that (struggling to repair a home) will beat you down!” Sherman Heathcock

“We are so thankful for everyone in this community who came together to do this for us. This is not just a house to us.  It’s a blessing to us! It’s going to change our lives.  It’s giving our children back a father and it’s giving me back a husband.  There are no words to express how we feel!” Gina Heathcock

Southern Miss School of Mass Communication and Journalism Blog
Day 8: December 10th, 2009

8:00 a.m. – We’re up bright and early at the job site! It’s a little chilly but it hasn’t stopped the volunteers from making sure the house is ready for the big reveal today!

8:30 - The volunteers are frantically adding the finishing touches to the landscaping in front of the house and by sanding the walkway.

9:00 – A swarm of relatives from Alabama have flooded the spectator area bringing with them good tidings, holiday cheer and posters that read “Alabama cousins are extreme” in hopes of being caught on film by the Extreme crew.

9:30 – A volunteer is setting up a light pole out front. It looks especially festive as close to the Christmas season as we are and really ties the yard together.

10:00 – Furniture has arrived! John, Paige, and Michael have a crew of volunteers unloading all the furniture from an Ashley’s home store truck. The chairs and armoires that are going in look very elegant. The Heathcock’s are in for a treat.

11:00 - Scott Holmes, volunteer coordinator stopped by to give us the scoop on some special gifts for the Heathcock family. “We wanted the ornaments to show our Christian spirit and our support of the true meaning of Christmas,” said Holmes. “We also wanted to give the Heathcocks an opportunity to give something back to the community that has given them so much.”

City Glass donated over 200 pieces of glass to be used for Christmas decorations and Michael’s donated the paint. Volunteers spent hours decorating the glass squares. Donna Woods and Kelly Thornton formulated the design on each ornament. The house on the ornaments resembles the Heathcock home and the pine tree is representative of the Pine Belt.

12:30 – We just talked to one of the producers, He said they’re hoping to have everything done by 3:00, but there’s still a good bit left to do. Everyone is really excited! They are cleaning the windows and finishing up the final touches on the exterior of the house. The crowd is already cheering anticipating the arrival of the family.

1:00 – One of the builders told us that this was “More than just building a house for a family, we built a house for people that we know, which made it more special than anything.” Concerning the family, he said “I just think they’re going to be blown away!”

1:45 – The crew just put in the last tree in the front yard and the have started putting up the flag pole. People are lining up on both sides of the street waiting for the revealing.

2:20 - It’s crazy down here. We keep thinking that the family is here, but they are just filming other shots. All of the designers are running around trying to get everything ready for when the family arrives!

2:38 – Christian Slater, Johnny Littlefield, Army guys and the Sheriff Deputies just got the flag pole up! This is coming down to the wire!

3:20 – Still waiting on the family…We talked to Susan Adema who brought 30 men in to do the flooring. She said, “This was quite a task considering all of the weather that we had in the middle of the process. Someone asked me if she was bored during the 16 hours it took her guys to lay all of the ceramic tiles and laminate, but I told them there was no time to be bored! We were too busy getting the job done. The goal is to complete it in the time given and they did, worked through the night but they did.”

3:41 - The crowd is screaming for the family as they pull down the street, everyone crowds together trying  to get the best view of the limo. Ty welcomes them out and the family immediately begins to cry as a sense of awe washes over them. Hundreds of people came out to support them, several of them are waving American flags and signs that say “We support our troops!” If they didn’t before, now they know that the entire community was behind them during this whole process.

4:00 – The crowd begins to chant “Move that bus!” As the bus pulls away, the family is overwhelmed with excitement to see their knew house. There’s not a dry eye in sight as the family begins to hug one another.  The builders come up to show their support and the family begins to hug them and the designers as well.

4:15 – The family rushes to their new home. When they reach the porch, the mother looks at her children and cries, “I know, I know! I’m excited too!!” as she jumps up and down. The crowd continues to cheer as the family finally enters their new home that everyone worked so hard on.

Scott Thornburg, Katie Ford, Leslie Burge, Kyle Neaves, Samone Faulkner, Carly McCrary

Welcome the Heathcock family to their new home Thursday and help us “move that bus.” Estimated arrival time is approximately 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm. It’s a big moment for everyone involved in this project. Be a part of it!

“Yesterday morning, we were in serious trouble. I knew that John Brown was a minister and I gave him and Michael French specific prayer requests,” said David Thompson, the lead builder with AAA Homes of MS. “We need carpenters right now!”

Without carpenters, the entire project will halt.

“We had a threat of severe weather for yesterday afternoon that could have brought lightning. Lightning shuts us down and I was afraid that the volunteers would not return.” Within minutes of the prayer, the rain was gone. With 2 hours, four carpenters were on site.

“What we needed today was sunshine and wind. We got them both,” said Thompson. “God has smiled on us.”

Southern Miss School of Mass Communication and Journalism Blog
Day 7: December 9th, 2009

8:00 a.m. - Rise and Shine! The sun is finally peaking through and there appears to be no rain in sight.

8:28 am – John Brown, assistant to the Mayor solicited prayer warriors from Hattiesburg and surrounding communities yesterday via Facebook and other media outlets. “It is our continued faith and prayer that has renewed the purpose of this project.  The storm that was supposed to hit last night didn’t come, we’ve received more workers, and the contractors are finally encouraged.”

9:05 a.m. – The workers are anxiously leveling out the mud in the front yard so that the landscapers can work their magic.  The paint that has been chosen is becoming more noticeable since they first started this morning.

10:00 a.m. – Lee Everett said, “the insulation was blown in last night and the heat has been turned on.” About 75% of the flooring on the inside of the house is complete. The plumbing is done, most of the painting on the interior is finalized and appliances are being installed throughout the house.

10:23 a.m. - Volunteers have begun working on the driveway by leveling the gravel.

11:05 a.m. - David Thompson, the lead builder with AAA was interviewed to get his take on the drastic shift in progress.

“Yesterday morning, we were in serious trouble. I knew that John Brown was a minister and I gave him and Michael French specific prayer requests,” said Thompson. “We need carpenters right now!”

Without carpenters, the entire project will be on halt.

“We had a threat of severe weather for yesterday afternoon that could have brought lightning. Lightning shuts us down and I was afraid that the volunteers would not return.” Within minutes of the prayer, the rain was gone. With 2 hours, four carpenters were on site.

“What we needed to day was sunshine and wind. We got them both,” said Thompson. “God has smiled on us.”

11:30 a.m. – The volunteers have finished the painting of the exterior while Encore Azalea has brought in the shrubbery, trees, and other materials for the landscaping.

12:30 – Second shift has started and lunch seems to be on everyone’s mind! Wintzell’s Oyster House Restaurant helped serve food to the VIP tent and volunteers.

12:33 - The rain over the last few days was not the best condition to build a house in, but it did not stop this design crew or the volunteers.  The house really seems to be coming along and everyone is working hard to finish it all before the reveal tomorrow.

12:40 - While volunteers finish painting and laying down flooring on the inside, the AAA Homes of MS Construction crew and volunteers are hanging siding on the exterior of the house and hanging out on the roof installing shingles.

12:45 - Although the weather did push back the schedule a little bit, they are shooting for the furniture to be in by the end of the day.

12:47 - Rumor is… Ty will be back today! Just a rumor – but one we all hope to come true!

1:10 - These volunteers are so dedicated. It is amazing how great the community of Hattiesburg really is.  We band together in times of need. That was shown in the aftermath of Katrina and even today – 4 years later! This was obviously a prayer answered for the Heathcock family!

1:15 - John Littlefield, a member of the EMHE Design Team, just stopped by the VIP tent to grab some food and coffee.  He stopped to take a few pictures.  This guy is on television all the time surrounded by cameras – yet he seems so down to earth.

1:25 - Steve Nixon, Sales Agent with AAA Homes of Mississippi, just stopped by for a chat.  He was able to shed a bit of light on the technical terminology regarding the build of the house.   “This is the first green-certified home in Hattiesburg and every thing used in both inside and outside of the house will help the home owners with low energy use, which reflects how much the bills will be monthly.” The siding used for the exterior of the home is called hard board vinyl siding and is completely green.

2:34 - It’s 67 degrees and we could not have asked for a better day regarding weather.  While it’s still a little muddy – the sun is out and the wind is providing just the right amount of breeze.  I’m sure the crew and volunteers are relieved!

4:00 pm – Shift three has started and… Ty Pennington is officially back!! He is on scene to oversee the afternoon construction indoors and take time to visit with supporters and volunteers.

4:20 pm - Ty and David Thompson, AAA Homes of MSAAA Homes of MS, head supervisor met on the home’s front porch and discuss building progress, landscaping and final construction details.

4:45 pm - AAA Contractors and designers take a 30 minute briefing to finalize scheduling details.

5:00 pm - Dinner arrives compliments of Simply Southern Catering, of Ellisville – giving volunteers a small break and a change to build up strength for the following long night ahead. 

Rhonda Walters, owner of Simply Southern Catering, made a wrong turn which lead to an answered pray for many site directors.

When she spotted the volunteer tent at the Cloverleaf Mall she realized things were taken longer than expected.  She found a volunteer and when they realized she was a caterer they told her to not move. She was told they needed to feed 150 volunteers tonight and she responded with, “mark it off your worry list, I’m bringing food for 150.”

This is only one example of the generosity shown throughout this week.

5:15 pm - When a AAA Homes representative was asked if furniture would be moved in tonight he stated, “Yes, we are going to move in furniture and it is going to be a long night.”

5:30 pm - Stella Payton Lockheart lifts spirits with words from a song she was inspired to write a song entitled, “The Spirit That Builds”

“…So let it give and let it build, until it builds your heart and you give yourself away…”

6:00 pm - Loads of dirt and timber were delivered to the site and the front yard was continuing to be leveled. Preparation for landscaping is underway.

6:45 pm - We were able to sit down with Bo and Adam Pennebaker, owners of Ashely Furniture Homestore in Hattiesburg and Meridian, who are platinum sponsors of this project.  For over six weeks the process of furnishing this home has been underway.  Designer Michael Moloney came in on Friday to complete the selection of furniture, mattresses and accessories for the home.

Although tonight was originally marked as the company’s Christmas party, changes were made and the employees are celebrating the holiday season on site with volunteers.  “Over 50 employees are out on site as volunteers and about 9 more wait with two loaded trucks for the move in signal,” said Bo Pennebaker.

The Pennebaker brothers support reinforces the community’s support for the Heathcock family.

7:00pm - Volunteers have almost completed leveling all the dirt in the front yard. It is almost time for the turf.

7:30pm - Additional designers Michael Moloney and Paige Hemmis have arrived….move-in must be soon!

9:00 pm - Certified Restoration Drycleaning Network arrived with the Heathcock Family’s clothing.

In the season of giving, we were called upon to give a great gift. Although the house may not exist one day, the love it was built upon will last forever.

Christen Amick, Becky Bullock, Samantha McCain, Sharen Ross & Samone Faulkner

Southern Miss School of Mass Communication and Journalism Blog

Day 6: December 8th, 2009

8:00 a.m. – Just arrived at the site; the weather is much better than it has been, but showers are sure to grace us with their presence soon.  The roof is finally complete and the workers are diligently adding another layer to the outside walls.

8:45 – The workers are tunneling through the muddy trenches as they lay the foundation for the underground plumbing while a nearby bulldozer carries away the unwanted rubble and debris.

9:10 – These workers are literally knee deep in mud and seem to be enjoying every minute of it.  I don’t know how they are able to do so; it must truly be the “spirit that builds.”

9:40 – Walking over to the house, let me rephrase that, wading through the mud to the house!

9:45 – We just got to take a quick tour of the house!  It is really coming along!  We walked in the side door, passed through the kitchen, where the cabinets are already in place, then walked through the living room, the children’s’ bedrooms and got a quick peek at the master bedroom!  Tile is already in place in the bathrooms!  It is hard to believe it has only been a few days!

10:03 – HERE COMES THE SUN!

10:05 – Just kidding…  HERE COMES THE CLOUDS!

10:10 – We sat down to have a chat with Eric Pendleton, owner of Penco Construction.  He and his crew have volunteered their time to hang and finish dry wall this week.  Some of the crew was here until 3 a.m. this morning!

Pendleton says he has worked on strict deadlines in the past, but has never had to complete a project this quickly.  However, due to the enormous amount of volunteers, Pendleton trusts that the project will be completed on time.

“Yesterday there were people doing electrical wiring, heating and air conditioning, guys still working on framing, insulators and even guys laying tile,” said Pendleton.  “Today there are even more workers, there is a lot of clutter, but we are all working together very well.”

Just as many other volunteers feel, Pendleton is glad to be a part of this wonderful experience.

“I wish I could do this every day and help to change people’s lives.”

11:18 – The rain is back in full force but the volunteers only slow down enough to don ponchos and head back to work.

11:20 – Johnny drops by the tent covered in mud!  He grabs a quick lunch before going back to work.

Carlie McCrary, Melissa Weinberger and Samone Faulkner

Press Conference

1:00 p.m. – Heading to a press conference at the Hattiesburg Library with builder David Thompson and media relations coordinator Cliff Brown.  The press conference will address the theme of the project “The Spirit that Builds.”

1:15 – Just arrived at the Hattiesburg Public Library for the press conference.  As we wait on the press conference to begin we are looking at the beautiful mural that hangs over the circulation desk.  The mural, which hangs 30 feet above the circulation desk, measures 10 feet in height and 167 feet in length, was painted by University of Southern Mississippi Professor Bill Baggett.  The mural, named “The Spirit that Builds,” depicts the city of Hattiesburg through a series of pictures.

1:30 -  The press conference begins!  Hattiesburg Mayor Johnny Dupree opens the floor speaking of the great service the Hattiesburg community is providing through this project.

David Thompson, of AAA Homes, thanked Bill Baggett and the city for allowing them to use the theme, explaining how well it described the project and the volunteers.

“It [the spirit] is alive and working in this city,” said Thompson.  “The title could not be more fitting.”

Baggett explained his purpose behind the mural, saying that it represents the history of the area in a creative way, telling its own story.  He believes that the theme “The Spirit that Builds” accurately represents the project.

“The project we are seeing undertaken simply typifies the community itself,” said Baggett.  “Hattiesburg is a unique place.  There is a natural leap from the painting to the project.”

Carlie McCrary

Back on the Site

12:02 p.m. – Rain continues to fall.  The ground is muddy and volunteers are soaked, but everyone keeps pushing on!

12:31 – Rain has temporarily stopped, but the sky is still completely gray.  Volunteers are working in the yard to move equipment and clear some of the mud.

1:00 – Volunteer builders are putting siding on the house while others are working on the front porch.

1:20 –The rain has started back up.  Roofing shingles are being installed on an overhang of the house.

1:39 – Rain has let up again.  Builders are back out working on the siding.

The three designers just took up cards to send overseas to the troops from the volunteers having lunch in the food tent.

2:08 – Siding is almost finished on a front section of the house! Builders are on the roof using a circular saw to cut bits of board for a part of the roof in the front of the house.

2:30 – No rain right now!! Station is set up for cutting plywood and siding under the gazebo-like addition on the front of the house, along with a station near the road and out of the mud.  More people are out and about trying to get wood cut and doing more on the roof while the rain is letting up.

3:00 – Sitting here in the VIP tent with David Thompson, one of the builders.  They have decided because of the weather tonight, that no volunteers will be needed after 4 p.m. for safety reasons.  There is a possibility of having to evacuate the site due to possible tornado warnings, so more people here would be more people to move to a safer site.

3:04 – Builders are reinforcing the sewer line by making room to put rocks around it so the pipes will not get crushed.

3:46 – Volunteer builders are caulking some of the windows in the front.  Still no rain right now, but storms are expected later in the evening.

Olivia Hurst, Matt Stockmeyer, Brandi Cook

Urgently need skilled carpenters on build site. Bring your tools. Report to the check-in station for trades at Cloverleaf Mall today by Trees and Trends for transport to site… now! Weather is hammering us. If you can help, we need you!

IMPORTANT WEATHER ALERT: Winds up to 60 mph are predicted for tonight. Work will proceed as long as conditions allow. However, SPECTATORS and VIP ACTIVITIES ARE CANCELED FOR TONIGHT due to the weather.

Southern Miss School of Mass Communication and Journalism Blog

Day 5: December 7th, 2009

8:00 a.m. – Just arrived for the morning shift, and the volunteers are still at work despite the rain and 44 degree weather.  “The Spirit that Builds” is definitely evident through the volunteers’ hard work and determination to beat the odds and finish this roof on time.

8:33 – The workers fight back the rain, while installing the last pieces of plywood onto the roof.  It also appears that all the windows are in! The insulation truck arrives so they must be preparing to blow in the cellulose-type insulation – an energy efficient material that contributes to the green status of the home.

9:30 – Congressman Gene Taylor just arrived!  WHLT, USM, WDAM and Hattiesburg American stopped by for interviews.  But Taylor is not here just for a photo-op.  He is actually going to spend the day working with the construction crew on the house, and he is dressed to do so, wearing blue jeans and a gray sweatshirt covered by his EM: HE T-shirt!! “I’m looking forward to getting out there and actually doing some work,”

He said that he knows Sgt. Heathcock personally, and he seemed genuinely excited to be able to give back to this deserving family. Taylor used phrases such as “a wonderful young man” and “a great citizen” to describe Sgt. Heathcock.  “This is incredibly generous,” said Taylor.  “It’s wonderful what they are doing for him, and I don’t think anyone is more deserving.”

He noted that almost everyone he knew, including himself, lost their home as a result of Hurricane Katrina.  “It gives you a much better appreciation for your home and other people’s homes,” said Taylor.  “A lot of people helped me put my house back together, so I wanted to be here to help the sergeant put his house back together.“

“I want to send a message to Sgt. Heathcock that I appreciate him; while he’s gone, we want to be here for his family,” said Taylor. He also noted, “Mississippi can’t help but benefit from this. To see all the thousands of people that are donating the most precious thing they have which is their time, but also the folks that pay for these materials.”

10:15 – The doors are being brought in and a small bulldozer is leveling the dirt around the house. Excess debris and materials are being transported to a nearby dumpster.

10:30 – Congressman Taylor stopped by to drop off his dry socks and change from his muddy Sperrys into a pair of comfy rain boots recently purchased from Wal-Mart. It turns out that the boots were too small; headed back to the store to try for a second pair.

11:00 – Hattiesburg Police Department Major Hardy Sims is over the Hattiesburg officers who have been assigned to the project. “When it was disclosed who the family actually was and we discovered that it was actually a brother, a fellow law enforcement officer, that was the icing on the cake for us,” said Sims.

“It’s a blessing not only for the homeowners, but for the community and it’s a blessing to me to be able to be a part of such an endeavor,” said Sims. It could also potentially bring about similar projects throughout the city each year, he added.

11:10 – Paige Hemmis, one of the EM:HE designers, was last seen entering the front doors of the home, clad in her matching hot pink coat and hard hat.

11:20 – The Hattiesburg mayor is back! He speaks with the head builders from AAA Homes as they gaze over the blueprints of the house.

11:25 – Congressman Taylor spotted in a pair of tall rubber boots. He must’ve been successful on the hunt for a pair that fit!

11:40 – The rain had slacked off, but it is starting up again.

11:50 – “We’re here! We’re wet and we won’t quit!” said John Brown, assistant to the mayor of Hattiesburg, as he entered the VIP tent.

1:00 p.m. – Forrest Country District 1 Supervisor David Hogan stopped by to talk with us in the tent. Coincidentally enough, he said his family purchased the home that the Heathcocks live in back in 1968 and he lived here until he was 8 years old.

For those keeping count, we can now account for 14 years of prior residents to the Heathcock home and both of those individuals have made an impact in improving their former residence for the Heathcock family. What a small world.

1:25 – Even Congressman Gene Taylor (D.) is getting his hands dirty. The Congressman is working alongside other volunteers and is helping the siding crew. We’ve seen him do anything from help carry product to the side of the house to grab trash and haul it away to the dumpster.

1:55 – The construction crews are having to put down a fine gravel on the mud just so people aren’t having to trudge through all the water puddles that have accumulated throughout the day. It’s not a heavy rain but the water is continuing to come down which is making a real mess of things. None of the workers have slowed down though which is a testament to their commitment to this project. Each and every volunteer should be commended for their efforts over the course of this week.

3:05 – Siding is just about finished up on one side of the house and work has started on the front side of the house. Workers have had to throw a tarp over the top of the house to keep the rain from dripping indoors.

3:25 – Designers Paige and Michael are out taking pictures with spectators and checking out the progress on the house.  Congressman Taylor even came by to have a few words and take some pictures with both designers.

The rain seems to have died down and the tarp that once covered the roof is now gone. Workers have picked up the pace on laying down shingles.

Samone Faulkner, Casey Rawls, Jamal Robinson, Kyle Neaves, Scott Thornburg

4:30 – Congressman Taylor just came by to pick up his Sperrys and head out after a full day of work. The roofing, along with the siding on the front of the house is coming along.

6:30 – The framing of the entire house is now complete. The electrical work is finished and they are now starting the dry wall and sheetrock.

7:30 – Roof is getting close to being done.  The inside is about 7-8 hours behind schedule.  Through the muddy grounds, the men and women are working hard to get back on schedule.

8:45 – David Thompson with AAA Homes confirmed they are behind a few hours due to weather conditions and a few minor setbacks, but he is not worried. Thompson anticipates bad weather tomorrow, but is ready “to ride the toughest bull you’ve got. Bring it on! Our men are working like champions. This is extreme. There are a lot of heroes out here.”

Alison Crumpton, Ali Blackledge, Mary Lois Hanna

Southern Miss School of Mass Communication and Journalism Blog

Day 4: December 6, 2009

8:00 a.m. – Just got on site and it’s about 33 degrees. It looks like the builders are working on the foundation.

8:18 – Just spoke to a volunteer construction worker. Turns out they are about 5 hours behind schedule. They had some problems throughout the night. I’m sure they will pick back up. They always pull through and finish on time. I don’t know how they do it!

9:00 – Preparations for the cement to be laid seems to be the theme of the hour. The volunteers continue to work diligently to catch up for the time lost.

9:37 – The sun is starting to come out and warm things up. Some of the builders are looking over the plans for the house. Everything seems to be going rather smooth.

9:55 – Within the next hour we can expect the cement to be laid while the framing and walls are being made.

10:13 – John Littlefield and Christian Slater are here to check on the progress of the makeover with enthusiasm written all of their faces.

10:30 – “Swinging Wide,” yells a volunteer as the cement truck approaches and begins laying the foundation to the Heathcock family’s home. ABC Producer Time came over and jokingly pointed out, “That’s a cement truck,” and then went on to inform us that the cost of regular cement is about $75/sq ft.,  and with the special additive that speeds up the drying process to only 2-3 hours, it doubles the value of the cement to about $150/sq ft. In total, there are 8 trucks being utilized to deliver the cement.

11:13 – Newk’s Cafe just arrived with van’s full of food for the VIP tent. People will start coming in for lunch soon.

11:40 – The film crew gets some shots of the cement being poured.

1:00 p.m. – The concrete is all poured and the volunteers are smoothing it out now. It will be a few hours until the concrete is solid enough to start framing up the house.

1:45 – Trucks have started to arrive with the first pieces of the house’s frame.

3:35 – Paige and John are on the foundation now waiting for the lumber and pieces of the frame to come down. The cameras are following close behind.

4:00 –  Framing on the house is coming along very quickly which should help make up for some of the time the builders lost last night. The production and construction crews are starting to turn on the lights to settle in for a long, cold night of work.

5:10 – It’s been barely an hour since the first walls were put into place, and now virtually all of the outside walls are standing. Things are moving along so quickly and even though the sun has gone down the workers are still working tirelessly! We met Tammy Walters, a woman who lives down the street from the site; the catering tent covers her entire front yard.

“They‘re good people, they work hard,” Walters said in reference to the Heathcocks. “So allowing [the crew] to use our yard is a very easy way to give back and allow something good to happen to [the family].”

Tammy also thinks highly of the EM:HE team: “They are wonderful; everybody that we’ve encountered has been very nice, very appreciative; they want to make sure that all of the neighbors are as comfortable as possible; they did a good job preparing everybody for what to expect.”

5:31 – Michael and the production crew are filming some shots just before the rest of the exterior walls go up. After a few takes, they finally get what they want, leaving Michael to finish out the shot with a nice rendition of Lionel Richie’s “All Night Long” on top of a pile of lumber in the front yard. Always the entertainer.

5:40 – The trusses for the roof have arrived!!

6:20 – In addition to the constant sound of hammers, there has also been a continuous audience watching the activity. Volunteers, VIP’s, and spectators from around the community have lined the barricades down the street all day.

6:48 – While part of the building crew is taking a short dinner break, the other volunteers are working on the roof. The framing for the far left section of the house is near completion, and at this rate it looks as though the entire roof will be finished before midnight!

And by the way, there is a crane that is 86 feet tall moving the trusses, and it’s right in front of us. This thing is HUGE!

6:50 – We met officer Ricardo Taplin, one of the security guards on site, who works for the Hattiesburg Police Department:

“To have this quality of a TV show come to Hattiesburg is outstanding!” Taplin said.

Taplin also praised the community effort that has been taking place through this process: “Everybody is coming together as a team. I mean, people are letting [the crew] use their yards for this!”

7:00 – Mayor Johnny DuPree has arrived on the scene! We were lucky enough to steal him away for a few minutes as he was walking in:

“I don’t think words can adequately say how excited we are here in Hattiesburg, to have the opportunity for the entire world to see Hattiesburg in the best light,” said Dupree.

Mayor DuPree added that while Mr. Heathcock is away serving his country, “we’re ensuring that his family will be safe and have a decent home to live in.”

8:15 – David Thompson from AAA stopped by to give an update on the progress of the home. He told us that due to some “gumbo dirt” – or rather, some bad dirt under the old house – the project was delayed by four hours. However, the crew rallied throughout the night and is now an hour ahead of schedule!

He also said that there was a pit operator that worked until 3 a.m. in the gravel pit to solve the dirt problem, and that this man deserved a shout-out….

So HERE’S TO YOU, Mr. Pit Operator, for a job well done!

8:40 – Amongst the volunteers is Cindy Pearce, one of Sherman’s  three sisters. Cindy said that she, along with her two younger sisters, were the ones that nominated their brother and his family for the show.

She is playing a dual role in this project; she is volunteering around the job site as well as helping with the care package drive for the troops. The volunteers are also collecting food for the humane society as well as Christmas cards to send overseas to the military.

8:50 – Sherman Heathcock’s mother, Faye Heathcock, and his aunt, Helen Davis, are also on the scene.

Faye’s pride and respect for, not only her son, but everyone serving our country is unmistakable:

“Law enforcement officers are there to protect us just as the soldiers protect our freedom. The firemen, the emergency personnel, ambulance drivers, all of those people that protect us are represented by this [project]. I wish with all my heart that every one of them could experience something of this magnitude, because they are our protectors.”

Helen added: “It’s hard to put into words what it means for people to come out and volunteer to do all of this, from building the house, to [donating] the food – everything. It’s wonderful, Sherman and Gina are going to be thrilled.”

10:08 – We bloggers are calling it a night! When we arrived this morning, they were beginning work on the foundation…now it’s really starting to look like a house! Extreme Team, To The Top!

Lisa Parker, Casey Rawls, Sammi Greco, Mary Allen, Austin Collins, Bethany Seal, Liz McKean, Kyle Neaves

Southern Miss School of Mass Communication and Journalism Blog

Day 3: December 5, 2009

8:00 a.m. – Just arrived on site.  The crew, builders and volunteers are here and ready to start the day.  The temperature is around 35 degrees and snow is still on the ground! This is VERY unusual for South Mississippi weather.

10:05 – Ty comes over to speak with Paula Anderson, who was a resident of the home in the 1950s.  He takes a look at an old photo of the home which was built in 1952.

10:30 – The designers’ bus just arrived and Johnny, Paige, Michael and Ty welcome celebrity guest Christian Slater.  The group talks with Christian who is excited to be a part of the project.

11:30 – Ty takes out a video camera and begins to film a video that will be sent to the Heathcocks in Disney World.  He records all of designers and Christian as they send a greeting to the family.  This will be the last video the family sees of their original home!

12:00 p.m. – I just talked to Sabrina Jones who was the recipient of an Extreme Home Makeover in 2007!  She came down from her home in Brandon, Miss., to show her support for the family.  She explained how she felt when she first found out she was receiving a new home, and she is excited for the Heathcocks. “Sometimes I come over the hill going home and just begin to cry when I see our house,” said Heathcock.  “We just think everyday how truly blessed we are.”

12:42 – Johnny and Paige just ran to the bulldozers!  They lower the arms of the bulldozers and start to demolish the house!  Volunteers are cheering in the background.  Ty continues to make a video for the family, filming as the house comes down!

1:45 - Just got back from lunch. It was awesome! There was a tent with a variety of food for the volunteers. Certainly no one is starving around here.

2:25 - The site for the new house is being cleared at a rate faster than we expected. We knew this project would move quickly, but never at such an amazing pace.

2:50 - Trucks are coming in one after another to load all of the rubble from the house and move it out.

3:24 - David Thompson with AAA Homes came and sat down with us. We asked him how he thought things were going so far. He said, “We’re just now getting to the construction part of this. Tomorrow will be an amazing day because you will get to see a house being put up.”

5:02 - It’s getting pretty dark outside and the construction team has set the lights up so they can work through the night! Everyone is working so hard today. Sean Hancock, builder leader, just told us that multiple track hoes are removing the final debris off the lot and that within the hour they will lay the foundation for the house. Hancock said by this time tomorrow we should have a house with shingles up. He also said, “This is such an exciting and humbling experience. I can tell that everyone else involved feels the same.”

5:30 - It may not be snowing, but 45 degrees is still cold. I’ve also heard that tonight will be a record breaking low of 26 degrees! But that hasn’t slowed the workers down.

8:06 - It’s down to 34 degrees outside and the volunteers are still working on the foundation. They plan to work through the night installing plumbing, pouring the slab and framing the house!

Leslie Burge and Katie Ford

What a day for Gina, Annie, Gary and Tessa! Ty knocked on their door about 9 a.m. Thursday and their lives changed in an instant.  In the next few days Extreme MakeOver: Home Edition, with builder AAA Homes of MS, will demotion their leaking, deteriorating home and replace it with Hattiesburg’s first NAHB Green Certified home.  It will also be a MS Power EarthCents new home.

Thursday hundreds of volunteers braved the cold for the Braveheart March to the Heathcock’s home.  Cheers, tears and joy could be seen and heard through out the Heathcock’s neighborhood from family, friends and volunteers.  Now the work begins!

Sherman Heathcock, 39, and his wife Gina, 40, are working themselves to the bone in order to afford the best education for their children Annie, 12, Gary, 10, and Tessa, 7. In addition to his work for the Army National Guard, Sherman works as a sheriff’s deputy, a SWAT team leader, a grocery store security guard, a neighborhood watch group organizer, and volunteers his time to provide security for his kids’ school and coach his son’s football and baseball teams while Gina works part-time as a paralegal. During Sherman’s first tour in Iraq, Hurricane Katrina sent several large trees crashing through their property and onto their home.  Adding insult to injury, while beginning to tackle the long list of repairs, Gina fell victim to a re-roofing scam. The rotting ceilings and damaged foundation are crumbling beneath them and with Sherman currently serving in Iraq, his wife and kids are worried about losing the battle in their own home. Now it is up to the “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” team and hundreds of local volunteers to rebuild the house of this hometown hero.

The Heathcock family will go on vacation to Disney World while “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” team leader Ty Pennington, designers Michael Moloney, John Littlefield, and Paige Hemmis, local builder AAA Homes of Mississippi, and community volunteers rebuild their home.

The location address is: The Heathcock Family – 618 S. 18th Avenue, Hattiesburg, MS 39401. Click here for full story.