African American Success Story
struggling, is just a powerful statement of the courage and the strength that our veterans show,” she said.
This episode, the First Lady said, is a
perfect way to highlight a military fami- ly’s efforts “and also give them some- thing back, something more than they could have imagined, because they de- serve it.” Extreme Makeover designer Sabrina Soto called Marshall an “angel from heaven” for her dedication to homeless veterans. “It’s not just about the women living
here, it’s about all the women veterans who will be helped in the future because of this build,” she said. “The fact that we’re going to give her double the space and more resources is amazing.” The new Jubilee House is a sprawling
log-cabin style home with a front porch and second-story deck. Soto pointed out a few of the home’s interior features, in- cluding a resource center with multiple computers and a dining hall. “It will help [veterans and their families] to be more comfortable in the space and to
feel
grounded, and I think that’s what a lot of these ladies are missing,” she said. The other heroes of this build, Kor- man noted, are the volunteers. More than 3,000 military and civilian volunteers from the local community pitched in around the clock to build the house in a week. After the Marshall family -- and several female veterans and their fami- lies she supported -- were whisked away for a dream vacation at Disney World, volunteers braved the
relentless heat,
which topped out at over 100 degrees, to sweep, shovel, move rocks and carry out countless other tasks as instructed. A day earlier, volunteer
Cheryl
Monette was out front shoveling, cov- ered in dirt and sweat. She had worked two or three shifts a day since the build started and stayed on until the end. “It’s a wonderful, positive [way] to help the military,” she said. “My hus- band just retired after 26 years, so for me
34
Designer Ty Pennington asks Barbara Marshall if she’s ready to enter her new, 5,000- square-foot home July 21, 2011. The ABC reality series Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
selected Marshall to receive a new, custom-built home after hearing of her efforts to help homeless female veterans.
to be able to give back as a military spouse is awesome.” Equally soaked fellow volunteer Sharon Davis said she’d done everything from passing out water to driving “gators” to the dumpsters. “It’s amazing just to know what little part we play,” she said. “There’s noth- ing better than to give to someone who needs it.” “It’s always a race to the finish,” said Chip Smith, president and owner of Blue Ridge Cabins, the builder of the home. But despite the hard work, Smith added, he knew his company had to get involved as soon as he heard Marshall’s story. “She came back and identified a need, used her own money, didn’t ask for any- thing from anybody, and started making a difference in the lives of a lot of homeless female veterans,” he said. “Just to see someone take that initiative is inspirational for all of us. We knew we had to do some- thing to help.” Seemingly overnight, the house trans-
formed from a dirt- and gravel-filled ex- panse crawling with hundreds of volunteers to a spotless red-shingled home, complete with glossy white rocking chairs swaying on the sprawling front porch and brightly col- ored flowers sprouting across the lawn. Many of the volunteers who had earlier been working on the home turned out for the “reveal,” their blue Extreme Makeover shirts standing out in the crowd. Marshall’s neighbors crowded onto shaded porches to see their friend gain a new home and to catch a glimpse of the First Lady.
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Marshall’s next-door neighbor, Car- oline Chambers, could have stayed at a hotel, courtesy of the show, but opted to stay in her home and watch the action. A VIP tent was parked on her front lawn and her grass was trampled into the dirt, but she didn’t mind any of it, she said. “I didn’t want to miss it,” she said.
Earlier in the week, Chambers tried to gauge what her neighbor’s reaction would be upon seeing the house. “She may faint,” she said. “I almost did when I saw the house.”
Another well-wisher, Valeria Hasan, also turned out to watch construction. The house is a “wonderful blessing,” she said, for the family and for homeless veterans. “You wouldn’t believe there are re-
ally homeless vets,” she said. “They served in the war, protected us, and end- ed up homeless. You never know what situation you’re going to end up in.” Families like the Marshalls exist all over the country, the First Lady noted, and “it’s our responsibility to step up and make sure they get the support they need.”
Not everyone can build a home in a
week, she said, but everyone can do something. “Home Edition stepped up,” she said,
“by taking care of these families and do- ing it in a huge, magnificent way.” The episode featuring Barbara Mar-
shall and her family is slated to air on ABC on Oct. 21.
The Black EOE Journal
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