News & Press

Altamonte Springs, Fla. (March 8, 2006) — Mercedes Homes and ABC Television proudly announce that viewers will be able to watch the build progress and completion of the home built for Sadie Holmes and her family in Central Florida on April 2, 2006.  The two-hour special, which will begin at 7:00 p.m. EST, will allow viewers to finally see all of the interior and exterior elements of the amazing home and non-profit assistance center, including the themed bedrooms for Sadie’s five children.  A special website, www.mercedes-extreme.com chronicles the 106-hour project.    

“Families helping families” was the theme of the week-long home makeover for the Holmes’ family, which began with the show’s signature “door-knock” on February 17, 2006. The Holmes’ family was chosen from thousands of applicants to receive a brand new home and operations building for their non-profit assistance center, Sadie Holmes Help Service, Inc.

Mercedes Homes, an employee-owned, family managed home builder based in Melbourne, Florida, stepped forward to help this remarkable family in their time of desperate need.  Established by the Buescher family in 1983, Mercedes Homes is a top twenty national builder that actively participates in programs that give back to all of the communities in which they do business.

“When we were approached by ‘Extreme Makeover: Home Edition’ to help build a home for Sadie and her kids, we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to help a family in need, ” said Scott Buescher, Chief Operating Officer for Mercedes Homes. “It was an amazing, even transformational experience for all of us. From our employees to our trade partners to the overwhelming community response, we’re proud to have been part of such a wonderful experience in bringing people together for a truly worthwhile cause.”

For years, Sadie Holmes, a single mother of five children from nine to 16 years of age, battled addiction but eventually won and turned her life around. The generosity shown to Sadie and her family by their community nearly a decade ago during their time of need led Sadie to establish her own non-profit organization, Sadie Holmes Help Service, Inc. The Help Service collects clothing, food and furniture to distribute to people in need of help in South Seminole County in Florida. 

In typical “Extreme” fashion, the new home was constructed in only one week.  Despite the limitations brought on by the compressed build time, the home includes Mercedes Homes’ innovative hurricane-resistant features and building methods, ensuring that the next hurricane to make its way into Central Florida will not interrupt the lives of the Holmes’ family or the lives of those in the community served by Sadie’s non-profit. 

Construction began with a “bang” on Sunday, February 19.  Mercedes Homes and ABC’s “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” presented the new home and non-profit center to the Holmes’ family on Friday, February 24.  Viewers are encouraged to tune in for this episode of one of America’s favorite television programs scheduled for Sunday, April 2 from 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. EST.

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Photography Available: Log on to www.mercedes-extreme.com for artwork.  If you need high-resolution images, please contact Lauren Furey at LFurey@mpbc.cc or Erika Spence at ESpence@mpbc.cc. 

About Mercedes Homes
Mercedes Homes is the nation’s largest 100 percent employee-owned home builder with 120 locations in Florida, Texas, North and South Carolina.  Mercedes Homes actively participates in many programs that give back to the community.  The company focuses their donations primarily on organizations helping individuals with special needs, whether medical, physical or developmental, academic programs and scholarship funds, youth programs, construction-related charitable organizations and community service. To find out more about Mercedes Homes’ community efforts, log on to their web site at www.mercedeshomes.com.  

About "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition"
"Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" is produced by Endemol USA, a division of Endemol Holding. David Goldberg is the president of Endemol USA. The series is executive-produced by Tom Forman and co-executive produced by Denise Cramsey. The show airs Sundays (8:00-9:00 p.m. ET), on the ABC Television Network.