Columbus, Ohio Submariners Pitch in for Makeover
Story Number: NNS041124-15
Release Date: 1/7/2005 1:51:00 PM
By Mary Anne Mascianica, Puget Sound Naval Shipyard & Intermediate Maintenance Facility Public Affairs
BREMERTON, Wash. (NNS) -- A Kingston, Wash., family benefited from the generosity and teamwork of Navy volunteers when ABC's hit TV show, "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" built them a new 3,200 square foot custom home Nov. 10-17.
In the episode, which airs on ABC Jan. 9 at 8 p.m. eastern, nearly 200 crew members from USS Columbus (SSN 762) and USS Ohio (SSGN 726), together with Seabees from Bangor, Wash., and some crew members' spouses, answered the call to help build a new home for the Dore family.
The family, a widow and her three daughters, had been living on their property in a utility shed with no running water, cooking on a camping stove and depending on their neighbors for showers, since their house burned down in March.
Despite the chilly, wet, windy weather, the six-bedroom home was built, furniture moved in, and the landscaping completed, including a fountain and hot tub, in a week's worth of around-the-clock labor. Thanks to the Sailors' teamwork with the construction company, a neighborhood eyesore was quickly transformed into a $500,000 home now located on a manicured piece of property.
Chief Machinist's Mate (SS) Scott Harkins from Columbus took the lead to organize volunteers, and Ohio agreed to partner with the boat named for its own namesake's state's capitol to form "Team ColumbusOhio."
"We had several meetings during the two weeks prior to the event beginning, and I was overwhelmed from the start," said Chris Larsen, location manager for the show. "Chief Scott Harkins from Columbus and Ohio's Senior Chief Dan Brannon had crew members jumping to volunteer. Before I knew it, there was a 24/7 watch bill made out with four shifts and posted. I was stunned! They took over and ran with the ball like I've never seen before."
The Seabees from Bangor came through in a big way as well, providing more heavy equipment and more bodies to help.
"We started by delivering 80 Columbus and Ohio Sailors in our four, 15-ton trucks the first day. We brought in dozers to demolish the old burned out home and utility shed the family had been living in," said Master Chief Utilitiesman Christopher P. Murphy. "We also put up tents for the production crew's living, working and eating spaces, and we put in a drinking water tank. The teamwork coordination it took to pull this all together was pretty tremendous."
The Sailors worked every job the production crew needed help with - the landscaping, painting and anything else.
Navy
01-07-2005, 16:13
Columbus, Ohio Submariners pitch in for makeover 
