.- Hundreds of Belmont Abbey College students flocked to the Wheeler Center on the Belmont Abbey campus Dec. 1 to get fired up for the upcoming "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" build that is taking place in the Charlotte area on Dec. 11-17.
Joining in on the evening's presentations were leaders of Belmont Abbey College, Bellamy Homes and Endemol USA, the producers of the popular television show.
Belmont Abbey College, in partnership with Bellamy Homes, "Extreme Makeover" and other sponsors, will rally around one local family to build them a new, safe home. The project will require more than 3,000 volunteers.
Dr. William Thierfelder, president of Belmont Abbey College, said that when the college was contacted about this opportunity he didn't know anything about the show personally, but after speaking to people about what "Extreme Makeover Home Edition" does for families, he knew that it was divine providence.
"It's Christ's direct call, to help those in need. We were approached with this opportunity, so I took it as Christ's divine providence that maybe this is something we should be involved with...To me this about our mission here. The Benedictine spirit has always been to help people in need...the monks have always done that here at the college...I really see this as an extension of their charism."
Bellamy Homes partners Frank Hereda and Wade Miller thanked the students and others gathered at the pep rally for their excitement and interest in making a difference in one family's life.
"We're so thrilled that you came out tonight... We're going to build an entire house in one week... It's your efforts that are going to get this done," Miller said. "It's amazing to me how fast we're going to get it done.
"We hope that these extreme things are going to lead to extreme feelings inside of all of us and we'll take that spirit and go out and impact the community."
Helping to energize the crowd were Otis from 95.1, the Chris Lane Band playing hit music, the South Point High School Marching Band, some of the TopCats (the Carolinas Panthers Cheerleaders), and the LadyCats (the Charlotte Bobcats dance team).
"Extreme Makeover Home Edition" is an Emmy award-winning reality program which airs Fridays from 8 to 9 p.m. EST on ABC.
For updates about the “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” project going on in the Diocese of Charlotte, go online to www.catholicnewsherald.com.
Printed with permission from Catholic News Herald, newspaper for the Diocese of Charlotte, N.C.
