KC Star 4/05

Makeover Bring out Fans, Donors
Community shows support for firefighter and family

Hundreds of people Monday swarmed about the lawn and inside the home built in less than a week for Kansas City Firefighter Stephen Johnson and his blended family.

Thousands of people, fans of “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” have descended on East 79th Street in Kansas City throughout the week to watch the crews demolish the Johnson’s family’s old 1,200-sqare-foot ranch home and build a new, tow-stor, two-car-garage house that is nearly four times the size of the old one.

Many of the onlookers came expecting a glance at or autograph from show host Ty Pennington. Others came bearing gifts, food and drinks for the workers, even bags full of money they collected and household supplies for the Johnsons.

Kevin Green, president of Kevin Green Homes, general contractor in charge of the construction, said he had been inundated with offers from local businesses, corporations, and individuals who want to donate something t the makeover project.

“Everything you see here from nails to the grass, and every drop of sweat has been donated,” Green said.

A lender who will be revealed when the show airs – broadcast tentative is scheduled for May 15 – paid off the mortgage on the Johnsons’ old home. The new one is free.

From the moment the public learned that Johnson, on of six firefighters who in a barrage of fun fire pulled a wounded paramedic to safety last year, would get a new home courtesy of the ABC make over television show, Green’s marketing team has fielded a call about every 10 minutes from Kansas City area residents who want to help.

People have offered to donate “just about every conceivable consumer item, cookware, digital cable, computer service, and someone even wants to video tape every time in the house for insurance purposes,” said Tony Libra, director of marketing firm working with Kevin Green Homes.

“The support from the community has been overwhelming,” Green said. “I think it is indicative of Kansas City.”

There already have been many pledges of money. Green said that when a family gets the keys to their new house, a college scholarship fund will be set up for the five children, two of them boys adopted by Johnson, who is a singles parent. Information about the fund will be online at kevingreehomes.com

While thousands have visited the 24-hour work site already, producers expect thousands more to show up between noon and 3 p.m. on Wednesday when the family returns to get a first look at their home. To avoid traffic congestion, the Convention and Visitor Bureau of Greater Kansas City is offering free shuttle service from parking lot A at Kauffman Stadium to the site. Buses will run today and Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. every 30 minutes.