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Richland Center 1st-grade teacher Rochelle "Shelley" Anders and her family got a new home in July, thanks to the ABC television show Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.
The Extreme Makeover crew surprised the Anders family July 24 (2008) by showing up outside their run-down rural home. Show host Ty Pennington announced via megaphone (with cameras rolling) that they had been chosen for an upcoming episode.
Anders and four of her children came running out to hug Pennington and celebrate. The crew immediately began clearing land for the five-day home construction event, and the Anders family was whisked off for a Canadian vacation while the Extreme Makeover crew got to work.
The new house was completed by Thursday (July 31, 2008), and the keys were handed over to Anders at that time.
Anders, a highly respected teacher, has five children. Four of them live with her - Tess, Reid, Drew, and Tyler, who range from ages 12 to 20. Her ex-husband died from a heart attack four years ago, and Anders has been unable to keep up with repairs to her home. There was very little paint left on the deteriorating siding, the roof was leaking, and parts of the ceiling were falling down. The house was normally heated with firewood, but Anders was unable to access firewood last winter and relied on a space heater. Because of poor heating, her children stayed with relatives over the winter.
Anders applied for the show at the urging of ReNah Chitwood, her principal at Jefferson Elementary School in Richland Center.
To follow progress on this story, visit wkowtv.com, the Web site for the Madison ABC affiliate.
Posted July 25, 2008; Updated August 1, 2008