Area organizations, individuals go to the "Extreme" to volunteer help

Veterans Memorial Hospital Community and Home Care staff and EMS staff provide "Extreme" assistance
Staff members from Veterans Memorial Hospital Community and Home Care Staff in Waukon offered their volunteer assistance on Day Seven of the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition new construction project near West Union. Pictured at right, left to right, are Peggy Woodbeck, Cheryl Nolting, Cindy Johnson, Holly Palmer and Rosanne Wicks, all of Waukon.
The crew helped the Gibbs family move into the new home by unloading trailers through a line system from the trailers to inside the house, passing boxes from person to person. The crew helped unload household items, staged rooms and put clothes and other things away in the bedrooms, kitchen, bathrooms and garage, as well as helped assemble beds. They offered their volunteer assistance simply because "someone needed help and we wanted to help them out. We felt it was the right thing to do and it made us feel good that we were able to help."
“I hope the Gibbs family loves their new home. It was an honor to be able to help make a difference in their lives,” said Cheryl Nolting.
“It was an awesome experience. I was glad to be able to help someone in need. I’m glad to have been part of a group to lend a helping hand that will make a lifetime difference for this family,” shared Cindy Johnson, RN.
“It was a very awesome and rewarding experience. I was glad I could say I was a part of the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition and help the Gibbs family out. It was amazing to see how much got done in such a short time and to see so many people helping out and working together,” commented Rosanne Wicks.
“It was an honor to be able to volunteer at the Extreme Makeover house. I have to admit I was excited to meet the Extreme crew, but after seeing them, I realized they are people like us. I was there to help a family in need. It was a great experience and I would do it again. I hope to meet the Gibbs family someday; not to see the house, because I have, but just to give them a hug and say 'Welcome Home', and I pray God continues to bless them,” offered Peggy Woodbeck.
Veterans Memorial Hospital Emergency Medical Services Coordinator Jeff Mitchell and his son, Loren, worked an early morning medical services shift at the new construction site at the request of the West Union ambulance service. “I was glad to be able to participate in something unique in northeast Iowa. We took an ambulance over and did have a few first aid emergencies to tend to during our six-hour shift from 2 a.m. to 8 a.m. Saturday morning, so it was nice to feel like we were helping out,” Jeff Mitchell remarked. Submitted photo.

Humane Society of Northeast Iowa's "Extreme" volunteer effort
Some of the volunteers for Humane Society of Northeast Iowa (HSNEI) worked at the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition home for Audrey Gibbs of West Union Friday, October 7 as a group painting the outside of the house and the exposed trusses in the Great Room of the new family home. Pictured above (bottom photo), from left to right, are: Pat Snitker of Waukon, Katie Houlihan of Decorah, Tom Wittry of Dorchester, Carmen Hurley of Decorah, Julie Wittry of Dorchester, Brenda Flatjord of Waukon, and Kim Kloke of Waukon. Reflection: "It was a great experience for our group. The HSNEI relies on community support to fund our efforts, so this was a way for us to also help a family in need by giving community support in another way." Submitted photo.