Wests go to the 'Extreme'

In October Tim and Lisa West of Bonners Ferry spent four days  on the site of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition in Louisville Kent.

 Often referred to as Extreme Home Makeover, the show is a reality television series providing home renovations for less fortunate families, hosted by Ty Pennington.

Each episode features a family that has faced some sort of recent or ongoing hardship such as a natural disaster or a family member with a life-threatening illness. The show's producers coordinate with a local construction contractor, which then coordinates with various companies in the building trades all over the country for a makeover of the family's home.  Many skilled volunteers assist in the rapid construction of the house.

This is where Tim West and John Deer comes into the picture. Tim works for corporate  John Deer out of Moline, Ill., as a Forestry Application Specialist. He was contacted by his boss Nate Clark who is John Deer’s  global marketing manager. Clark told Tim that John Deer was chosen to supply equipment and operators  to the show.

The man, a father of six, who was receiving the new home makeover worked as a self employed tree trimmer, Tim West told the Herald. Tim said they wanted to use as many people from the forestry industry as they could to help with the home. 

“Gabe Rygaard from Axmen was one of the stars who roared in on one of the two skidders we supplied, which can be seen on the show this Sunday,” said Tim. “He made a grand entrance.”

It was a hurry up and wait situation, said Lisa West who works for Dr. Doug Beazer in Bonners Ferry.  Lisa went along on the journey to Kentucky with her husband.

“Just being part of it was exciting, we the machines there and staged them a couple miles away and waited for our que for about 10 hours,” said Lisa.

The West’s briefly visited with the stars of the show including Ty Pennington and Paige Hemmis but were unable to get pictures taken with them.

“ We got to visit with them and to hang out with them and talk to them a little,” Tim said.

The repairs or new home build the show provides is  performed in seven days while the family is on vacation which is documented in the episode. If the house is beyond repair, they replace it entirely. The show's producers and crew film set and perform the makeover but do not pay for it. The materials and labor are donated.

The edition the West’s participated  in will air at 8 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 9 on ABC.