At the beginning of the season, we set out to travel to all of the 50 states — well, at least 25 this year and 25 next year — to help a different family in each state. We started in Alaska back in June and just recently finished in New York. What a great way to finish off a very long, but very incredible season.
We arrived in a little town called Colonie, which is located in upstate New York. Snow covered the ground and temperatures were near freezing, but by the end of the week, the snow had melted and the sun was shining. We had a bigger crew than normal — Ty, Michael, Tanya, Tracy, Paul, Eduardo and myself — because we had a bigger job than normal. Not only did we set out to make a difference in the lives of an amazing family, the Oatman-Gaitans, but we also set out to make a difference in many families' futures by building a recreation building for Camp Heartland — a camp for kids with AIDS and their families.
We were met by George Sr. and George Jr. of Amedore Homes, who brought their entire family to help out on this build. It was great to meet all of these amazing men — and behind every great man is a great woman. We got to meet them all! Everywhere you turned, you would meet an Amedore… and you felt like you were just part of the family.
We built a new facility at Clearpool Education Center. Clearpool is a N.Y. camp for inner-city school children and it welcomed Camp Heartland, which uses the Clearpool property, with open arms. Going to Camp Heartland was one of the most amazing experiences I have had on the show. While Tracy, Paul, Eduardo and I worked on the house, Michael and Tanya worked at the camp. The night before the family came home, as we were finishing up the house, Michael and Tanya invited us to the camp to show us their progress and join in a ritual — the campfire. There, we got to see the effect this place has on the lives of so many children and their families who have been affected by HIV and AIDS. We saw the artwork of so many kids that had come to the camp, many of whom are not with us anymore. It breaks your heart to see the pain that these kids have endured — not just physically, but emotionally as well. They have been shunned, ridiculed and cast aside because of a disease they could not prevent… just like the boys in the Oatman-Gaitan family. But Camp Heartland is a place that they can come and just be kids — where they don't have to worry about what others will say or do — and have fun.
After viewing the rec center, we all gathered around the campfire. There, we sang songs and many people stood up and told their stories. Many of the people that got up to speak weren't supposed to live past the age of 5, yet here they are, telling their stories at the age of 21 and older. I looked around and there wasn't a dry eye among us. I was sitting with the Arena family — a family we had met in Season 3. They took time off of work to come down to the camp and help out. And as I sat with the Arena kids on my lap, we had a very special surprise — a surprise singer. Who is this surprise? You will have to tune in to find out.
The Arena family wasn't the only visitor from past seasons — Sal, Doug and all the gang from Alure Home Improvements came to build at the camp. This was their sixth build! Six times — can you believe it? And we knew we were in good hands with Alure. They really are a part of our family, and it was so good to see them again.
The entire week I spent building my favorite room that I've ever done on the show. I did a Nightmare Before Christmas room for the oldest boy, DJ. It was so much fun! Everything you see in the room was built by hand to replicate the sets of the movie. If you look closely, you will see that every detail matches. It was a lot of hard work — from bending the metal for DJ's bed and fireplace screen, to unending welding, to placing the fireplace stones crooked, to building a small treehouse out of plaster — it was a lot of work but so very worth it. DJ loved the room and instantly put in the soundtrack to the movie. When you are in this room, you feel like you are transported into the film.
This family was amazing, and Debbie is the kind of mother that everyone should strive to be. She has definitely made a difference in the lives of these kids, and after this week, has made a difference in the lives of all of us as well.
|
