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HAYATTSVILLE, Md. - The cast and crew of 'Extreme Makeover: Home Edition' joined forces with local volunteers, hoping to improve the lives of some people in our region.
The Tripp family is in Disney World for the week while the cast and crew of 'Extreme Makeover' and volunteer crews begin tearing apart their old home in order to build a new one.
Residents of the Hyattsville neighborhood cheered wildly as a backhoe tore apart a home on West Lanham Drive.
"It's exciting," said one resident.
That's because the ABC show is in Prince George's County shooting a episode about the Tripp family. The couple works and has three young sons. They run a church ministry for children, using their own money to bus neighborhood kids to fun and safe activities. Their new home will go up with only donated supplies and labor.
"We get given hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of great equipment for a beautiful home for a beautiful family in the middle of a recession!" said Ed Sanders with 'Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.'
The project operates at break-neck speed for the builder and contractor.
"We had nothing four weeks ago and then to go to design it--we had plans within four days," said Sean Murphy of G&M Contracting in Vienna, Va.
Fans of actor and producer Tyler Perry snapped pictures as fast as they could as the star joined the cast and more than 3,000 volunteers.
"We received about three times the number of volunteers we can actually place so the outpouring from the community has been spectacular!" said Volunteer Coordinator Michelle Bosau.
"It's wonderful that families are able to have something so amazing happen in their lives," said Cindy Kaszirer, NW Washington resident.
In just a week a team of volunteers will have removed this massive pile of debris and built a brand new, 2800 square foot, energy-efficient home.
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