An ‘Extreme’ chance to help family in need
By Erin Edgemon, Post business editor
The most thrilling part of being on the set of a network television show is not seeing the star but seeing all of the commotion and all of the pieces coming together. The commotion and the excitement are on an even more spectacular scale on the set of ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition where volunteers work at a frantic pace to create magic for a family who lost everything.Working amid the flurry of activity was an experience John Anderson, owner of Anderson Pool %26 Spa in Murfreesboro, will never forget. Volunteers and crew from the show spent one week in August building the dream home of Amy and Jerrod Hawkins of Hendersonville. Amy’s selflessness made national news. She was left paralyzed after using her body to shield her sons during an April 7 tornado. “The scale of it was unbelievable,” Anderson said. Anderson, an international and national award-winning custom pool builder, played a major role in building a pool for the family. His company was just one of several Middle Tennessee builders and contractors who worked to pull off the job. The show is slated to air tonight at 8 on ABC. “It looked impressive,” Anderson said of the construction. “They worked 24 hours a day. People were standing around like flies waiting for their time to work.” Construction on the home started on a Sunday afternoon and by Monday night the roof was on the house. “But the fact that so many people could get together on this project %26mdash; it was a once in a lifetime opportunity,” Anderson said.He said it made him feel great to be able to do something that means so much to the family. “The greatest pleasure in life is giving and helping other people,” Anderson said. “There is nothing that gives me more pleasure than giving to others or helping somebody now that we are in the position to do so.” Nikki Oakley, Anderson’s daughter and Anderson Pool %26 Spa service manager, said it was exciting to be able to be a part of the show and to know that they are making an impact. “It was unbelievable,” she said of the project. “You see it on TV but you wonder how it happens. “I was standing still and it was like a blur around you everyone was moving so fast,” she said. Anderson didn’t get to see the house and pool completed, but he did get to see the show’s hunky host and carpenter Ty Pennington. Anderson, who has been building pools for 51 years, was chest deep in water tiling the pool when Pennington walked by, he said.”He was about as scruffy looking as he is on TV,” Anderson said laughing. Anderson is looking forward to visiting the Hawkins family after the show airs and bring them $1,000 raised by Anderson’s customers. It is enough money to pay for a year’s worth of pool chemicals and chlorine. Anderson Pool %26 Spa donated $6,000 in labor and materials to the project. The crew of 10-12 worked late into the night and finished the pool in four and 1/2 days %26mdash; an astonishing feat, Anderson said.The custom pool is astonishing in itself. Anderson said the Gemini freeform pool has a revolutionary design and is technologically advanced. It has a prefabricated sun-tanning plaza with three waterfalls. The pool is fitted with a wheelchair lift and a ramp to the sunbathing plaza.Business Editor Erin Edgemon can be reached at 869-0812.
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