Thursday, November 17, 2005
From the Bus and Beyond...
Post by MG, freelance writer
I was sent out today to speak with the people on the bus and on the hill to find out what their thoughts were on EMHE being in Sandpoint. Below are a few thoughts that the "locals" have... Please keep in mind, that all of these people considered themselves "locals" - everyone wants to be a part of Sandpoint, it seems. :) Please be aware that one of the quotes is a little on the colorful side.
Rachel (29) and her son Ruben (5) from Bonners Ferry (at right):
"I think it's wonderful. And I think it's about time that people realize that North Idaho is one of the neediest places around."
Pete (50's) from Sandpoint who works for Watson Security:
"I think it's a wonderful thing for Sandpoint."
Cheryl (50's) a homemaker from Priest River:
"We're tickled that it's here. I enjoy watching it. Everybody is helping a lot and that's good to see."
Pat (60's) from Newport / retired:
"I think it's exciting for the family. I like what they do. All the companies that provide materials, food, donations should be commended. This show is better than any other reality TV show that is on."
Hope, a kindergarten teacher from the Selkirk School:
"Oh, I am so excited! We have such a great town. To help a family like this is so great. I'm really in to seeing people help each other. So many people I know (In construction) are up there."
Alicia (32) cashier at Exxon in Sandpoint:
"I think it's awesome. The only concerns that I have is that I think Sandpoint is already big enough and I don't want it to get any bigger. But all in all... it's good."
An un-named passerby who is an RN and lives in Sagle:
"I think it's fantastic. To give people the opportunity to help someone who needs it is really special."
Kathy from Dominos:
"As a business owner they came in and hit up all the local businesses and it's kinda weird. It's good what they're doing, though."
Sharon and husband, who live in Priest River and work in construction:
"I think it's good. I think it's good for our area."
Bill, who is a single father of two and lives in Oldtown.:
"It's cool"
Another local who remained anonymous:
"I don't know what is the big **** about this show. There isn't anything special about it. I really don't give a rat's **** about it. I'm having second thoughts about even going up there, I wouldn't be going up there but one of my friends is working up there"
Jim and Bonnie, employed at Schweitzer (at right):
"I think it is the best thing - it brought our community together in ways that it normally wouldn't have. We needed this."
All in all, people "on the bus" have a pretty positive outlook on what's going on in our little town. Some however do have a different opinion.
As far as construction today: They were hanging some of the siding on the place today and basically doing a lot of finish work. It's all starting to really come together and looks like a house. I'm not sure what other work there is to be done on the inside... now that the walls are up its a lot harder to see what's going on.
Spoke with a couple different volunteers up there though who said that everything is running smoothly and that they are caught up timewise. They did catch a little problem a couple days ago when a well was put in to place and bolted down and they later figured out that they couldn't get in to the room because the wall was too long. I'm not sure what steps they took to remedy that, but something was done about it.
I'll be up there tonight from 12-4 a.m. Friday morning...maybe later if I don't freeze first. Hopefully I'll have more of an insider's idea of what's going on at that point.
I was sent out today to speak with the people on the bus and on the hill to find out what their thoughts were on EMHE being in Sandpoint. Below are a few thoughts that the "locals" have... Please keep in mind, that all of these people considered themselves "locals" - everyone wants to be a part of Sandpoint, it seems. :) Please be aware that one of the quotes is a little on the colorful side.
Rachel (29) and her son Ruben (5) from Bonners Ferry (at right):"I think it's wonderful. And I think it's about time that people realize that North Idaho is one of the neediest places around."
Pete (50's) from Sandpoint who works for Watson Security:
"I think it's a wonderful thing for Sandpoint."
Cheryl (50's) a homemaker from Priest River:
"We're tickled that it's here. I enjoy watching it. Everybody is helping a lot and that's good to see."
Pat (60's) from Newport / retired:
"I think it's exciting for the family. I like what they do. All the companies that provide materials, food, donations should be commended. This show is better than any other reality TV show that is on."
Hope, a kindergarten teacher from the Selkirk School:
"Oh, I am so excited! We have such a great town. To help a family like this is so great. I'm really in to seeing people help each other. So many people I know (In construction) are up there."
Alicia (32) cashier at Exxon in Sandpoint:
"I think it's awesome. The only concerns that I have is that I think Sandpoint is already big enough and I don't want it to get any bigger. But all in all... it's good."
An un-named passerby who is an RN and lives in Sagle:
"I think it's fantastic. To give people the opportunity to help someone who needs it is really special."
Kathy from Dominos:
"As a business owner they came in and hit up all the local businesses and it's kinda weird. It's good what they're doing, though."
Sharon and husband, who live in Priest River and work in construction:
"I think it's good. I think it's good for our area."
Bill, who is a single father of two and lives in Oldtown.:
"It's cool"
Another local who remained anonymous:
"I don't know what is the big **** about this show. There isn't anything special about it. I really don't give a rat's **** about it. I'm having second thoughts about even going up there, I wouldn't be going up there but one of my friends is working up there"
Jim and Bonnie, employed at Schweitzer (at right):
"I think it is the best thing - it brought our community together in ways that it normally wouldn't have. We needed this."
All in all, people "on the bus" have a pretty positive outlook on what's going on in our little town. Some however do have a different opinion.
As far as construction today: They were hanging some of the siding on the place today and basically doing a lot of finish work. It's all starting to really come together and looks like a house. I'm not sure what other work there is to be done on the inside... now that the walls are up its a lot harder to see what's going on.
Spoke with a couple different volunteers up there though who said that everything is running smoothly and that they are caught up timewise. They did catch a little problem a couple days ago when a well was put in to place and bolted down and they later figured out that they couldn't get in to the room because the wall was too long. I'm not sure what steps they took to remedy that, but something was done about it.
I'll be up there tonight from 12-4 a.m. Friday morning...maybe later if I don't freeze first. Hopefully I'll have more of an insider's idea of what's going on at that point.
Comments:
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well, here's my 2 cents on the question you asked (since you didn't ask me).
it's a great thing for the family. Like hitting the lottery. good for the family!
but it seems like a lot of what's getting done is for the tv cameras. it's about the entertainment, not the family or the cause of helping people who are down on their luck - if it was about the cause then with the resources getting poured into this house they could have built five houses for five families in need.
so the other thing i wonder about is just how much money the tv network makes off this show. they're hitting businesses and people here hard to give for this thing but don't forget that they make MILLIIONS on each of those shows. nope, it's not about the cause.
and i'm not just being a total cynic, i too have chipped in a little for some of the food for the workers.
it's a great thing for the family. Like hitting the lottery. good for the family!
but it seems like a lot of what's getting done is for the tv cameras. it's about the entertainment, not the family or the cause of helping people who are down on their luck - if it was about the cause then with the resources getting poured into this house they could have built five houses for five families in need.
so the other thing i wonder about is just how much money the tv network makes off this show. they're hitting businesses and people here hard to give for this thing but don't forget that they make MILLIIONS on each of those shows. nope, it's not about the cause.
and i'm not just being a total cynic, i too have chipped in a little for some of the food for the workers.
That's why it's called EXTREME Homemakeover, they go to the extreme to build these houses.
Would people really watch the show if they just went around building everyday houses for families? No, no one would, there for no money would be pouring in for them to build the houses and no families would be helped. They have to be EXTREME to get the money to help the families. So even though it might be over kill, but at least really deserving people are getting really great gifts.
Also, I can't say for sure, but I thought I read somewhere that the show goes through every loop hole they can so that the families don't have any greater expenses than what they already had.
Would people really watch the show if they just went around building everyday houses for families? No, no one would, there for no money would be pouring in for them to build the houses and no families would be helped. They have to be EXTREME to get the money to help the families. So even though it might be over kill, but at least really deserving people are getting really great gifts.
Also, I can't say for sure, but I thought I read somewhere that the show goes through every loop hole they can so that the families don't have any greater expenses than what they already had.
I'd just like to know if the older brother was included in any of the festivities or fundraising. Poor guy, his mother dies and then he gets separated from his sister and brother, and now he's left out of the good times. Sad.
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