Extreme Makeover Home Edition Finishes 50 State Tour in Louisiana

Extreme Makeover Home Edition Finishes 50 State Tour in Louisiana 2/18/08

EM:HE TO WRAP UP 50-STATE TOUR IN LOUISIANA "EXTREME MAKEOVER: HOME EDITION" FINISHES THE 50-STATE TOUR BY CALLING A NATION-WIDE BUILDER COALITION TO HELP THE EXTREME TEAM TACKLE LOUISIANA

The producers of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" announced today from Walt Disney World the exciting news that Ty Pennington and the show's designers are heading to the final state in their 50-state tour and will be knocking on the door of a family yet to be chosen in the state of Louisiana to receive a new home in just seven days.

In a first-ever effort to put together a coalition of past builders from all over the country, "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" is calling on the building industry to join forces and help with what may be the toughest challenge yet. With Hurricane Katrina still taking a toll on families on the road to recovery and resources and manpower scarce, it will take the efforts of the entire country to come together to make a difference.

"Even three years later, the gulf region is still suffering in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, and I believe it's going to take the entire nation to re-build, which is why it makes sense that we would need an extreme coalition of builders from all across this country to pull together and help make a difference in New Orleans for deserving families on the show," says Denise Cramsey, executive producer for "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition."

First on board was Deltec Homes, who have gathered construction talent from their home state of North Carolina, including The EcoBuilders, Round House Consulting and Jones Construction, and from all over the gulf region, including G & S Construction and Shultz Construction from Mississippi, and Dana Dugas Affordable Homes, Inc., NSC Construction, inc., David W. Stewart, Inc. and Rutledge Builders from Louisiana.

"This show is about the barn raising of the 1900s, where a community comes together to change lives. Louisiana is that life, and this time the community is our nation. To make a real difference along the gulf coast will take the nation. We make that step by bringing builders together, some who lost their houses and business, and others we have met in our 50-state tour," says Conrad Ricketts, executive producer for the show. "Together we will show the nation that impossible is just a word."

"Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" is proud to announce the leadership teams from past builds will be Sterling Homes of South Carolina, Simmons Homes of Oklahoma, Jeff Junkert Construction of Montana, Heritage Homes of North Dakota, Shoemaker Homes of Mississippi, Alure Home Improvement of New York, Capitol Homes of Tennessee and Atreus Homes, and Communities of North Carolina, Georgia, New Mexico and Arizona. Each team will gather volunteers, subs and trades from each state and travel to New Orleans for the week of the build.

"To end our 50-state tour in Louisiana speaks to the nation about family, extended family, neighborhood, and community, and how we as a nation can join together to help rebuild," says Ricketts.

To volunteer for this extreme build please go to ExtremeNewOrleans.com and sign up. This episode will air as the Season Finale in the May sweep. Final details will be announced in March.

"Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" is produced by Endemol USA, a division of Endemol Holding. It's executive-produced by Denise Cramsey and Conrad Ricketts. David Goldberg is the president of Endemol USA.

Source: ABC Press Release