Extremely Engaged in the World

Oct 07, 2010

ex When “Extreme Home Makeover” arrived in Fargo-Moorhead, many excited Cobber alumni came out to donate their time, talent and business to the effort.

The show, which gives a new house to a deserving family, bulit a home for the Grommeshes of Moorhead.

Alyssa Dahl ’09 “accidentally” volunteered the first time. A friend called her Saturday night to meet at a top-secret location Sunday morning where they were taken to the ice arena and followed Ty Pennington and the "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" team to surprise the family. Dahl says it was an exciting and emotional experience. She also volunteered with the clean-up crew after the build was completed.

“It’s a way to get involved in the community, support a great cause and bring people together for a common goal,” Dahl says.

While some Cobbers donned blue polos and hard hats on the construction site, others worked behind the scenes. Sarah McCurdy Hinnenkamp ’03 stayed busy blogging for Heritage Homes, the company contracting the build. She posted daily to the build’s webpage and her Facebook page. Hinnenkamp, who also teaches a communication course at Concordia, took her students on-site to get live footage of the construction.

Ted Horan ’96, owner of Erbert and Gerbert’s in Fargo-Moorhead, gave more than 250 sandwiches to feed hungry construction crews. Helping out is a part of their corporate culture, Horan says. Erbert and Gerbert’s has given sandwiches for Habitat for Humanity builds, Relay for Life and other area events. He says his Concordia education prepared him to see beyond himself, giving him a strong desire to donate.

Brenda Levos ’92 worked with the design team. She got involved while attending the pep rally with her daughter Megan. When the show’s design producer mentioned they still were in need of graphic designers, she introduced herself, and “it just blossomed from there,” says Levos. She designed wall artwork and vinyl graphics, primarily for Peighton, the Grommesh’s 11-year-old daughter. Although the experience was exhausting, she knows it is worth it.

“It’s wonderful to know you are helping a family who does so much for others.”


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