I had the opportunity over the past week to photograph the building of a new home for the Keefer family of Etters, PA as they were selected by ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition to kick off Season 9 in September 2011. ABC chose Musser Homes Builders Inc. of Dillsburg, PA, to lead the way on building the home along with 4,000+ volunteers.
As many of you know, the Keefer family was one of a few families in South Central Pennsylvania that were candidates for ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. It was on Father's Day, Sunday, June 19th, that the family received the trademark "Door Knock" from Ty Pennington and the design crew letting the Keefer family know that the were chosen by ABC for the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. Brian was chosen due to a gymnastics accident he sustained on July 1, 2008, which damaged his spinal cord and left Brian paralyzed from the chest down.
Day 2 of the Build
On day two of building consisted of pouring the foundation and rebuilding part of the family's original home along with Brian's new wing.
U.S. Representative Todd Platts, of the Pennsylvania's 19th congressional district, works as a volunteer on the home.
An unidentified laborer adjusts wooden beams temporarily holding up exterior walls in Brian's section of the home
Designer Tracy Hutson, center, of ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," walks around on the work site
Carpenter Ed Sanders, right, of ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" chats with Kasey Griffiths, 11, left, of Dillbsurg in the VIP section
Volunteer Trisha Vajdic, foreground, of Dillsburg, carries lumber on the work site
The prebuilt walls are unloaded on the work site
Excavators and builders work on the front section of the Keefer home
Day 4 of the Build
On day four of the build, skilled volunteers finished installing the interior tile, as well as cabinets and a deck to the back of the newly expanded wing of Brian's section of the house.
Below, Musser Home Builders, Inc. president Jeff Musser, right, chats with a fellow construction worker
Skilled volunteers work on different sections of the house
ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" executive producer Brady Connell talks about the section built for Brian's needs
Many people were asking me where Ty stays while he's working on designing a house. The answer: Ty stays in this bus in the production area
ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" director Colin Donahue, right, goes over all of the story lines that need to be met for the day inside the production trailer
ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" lead carpenter Justin Ballard works on a custom made shuffleboard table inside Art World
Volunteer carpenter Ron Pivarnik works on a project inside Art World
Volunteer workers work together to complete the deck on the back side of the Keefer residence
Volunteers carry products from a truck
Volunteer workers complete the siding on the new edition
Sara Donovall of Mechanicsburg shovels dirt along side of the driveway
Day 7
On day 7, the house was ready to be revealed for the Keefer family upon their arrival home from their vacation in Colorado Springs.
Below, spectators climb a hill on the path as they make their way to the ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" work site
Musser Home Builders, Inc. President, Jeff Musser, on hand to answer any last minute questions from the media
The Extreme Makeover: Home Edition bus is moved up Dubbers Drive to block the newly renovated home for when the Keefer family arrives home
Volunteers finish up with the last minute details, including cleaning mud from the driveway
ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition designer Paul DiMeo straightens his bandana prior to interacting with the crowd
ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition designer Paul DiMeo chats with people in the VIP area
Musser Homes Builders Inc. President, Jeff Musser, left, along with ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" designer Paul DiMeo,center, chat with a construction worker
ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition designer Jillian Harris chats with spectators
ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" designers Ty Pennington, left, Jillian Harris, center, and Tracy Hutson, right, chat with each other during a break from filming
ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" designer Ty Pennington does some filming prior to the Keefer's arrival to their new home
ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" executive producer Brady Connell, center, thanks all the volunteers for their hard work all week
Dawn Keefer exits the van upon arriving home
Members of the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore, MD, cheer as Brian is unloaded from the family's van
Spectators take pictures of the Keefer family upon their arrival home
Hundreds of spectators cheer the famous words "Move That Bus"
The Keefer family reacts after seeing their new house for the first time
The ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" design crew cheer as the Keefer family see their new home for the first time
Brian Keefer gets a pat on the chest from one of this brothers after the family saw their home for the first time
Patrick Rummerfield, right, of St. Louis, MO, the first quadriplegic to fully recover from the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore, MD, along with Dan Cummings, left, who is also a quadriplegic that can now walk with a walker welcome Brian Keefer home
Steve Keefer, right, holds his wife, Dawn Keefer, middle, after Musser Homes Builders Inc. President, Jeff Musser, left, tells the family that their existing $90,000 mortgage has been paid in full by donations
ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition designer Ty Pennington and the Keefer family make their way up the driveway towards their new home
The Keefer family lead by Brian Keefer enter their new home for the first time
The Keefer's newly completed home on Dubbers Drive
Press Conference
Below, Beth Musser, right, along with her husband and president of Musser Homes Builders Inc., Jeff Musser, explain the many different stories that came from building the Keefer's new home over the past week
Dawn Keefer, right, reads a card she wrote thanking Musser Homes Builders Inc. along with the thousands of volunteers who helped to build the family's new home
Dawn Keefer, left, gives Beth Musser, right, a hug during the ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” press conference
The Keefer family reacts after being presented a check for $5200.00 from Giant Food's manager of public relations and community relations Chris Brand
Brian Keefer, center, receives a hug from ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” executive director Brady Connell
Steve Keefer, left, along with wife, Dawn Keefer, right, receive a hug from ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” executive director Brady Connell
ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” executive director Brady Connell explains to the Keefer family about how they were the family chosen for a new home
The Keefer family, left to right, Colin Keefer, Scott Keefer, Adam Keefer, Brian Keefer, Steve Keefer, and Dawn Keefer, all share a laugh together following the ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” press conference
It was an absolute privilege to be given the opportunity to cover the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition build for the Keefer family. It amazed me that if you left the site for just a half an hour, when you returned, something with the house looked different due to the countless hours of time that were donated to this special project by the many skilled and general volunteers. Be sure to watch the season premier of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition on Sunday, September 25th on ABC as it will feature the build for the Keefer family.
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