ABC’s hit TV series “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” built seven homes in one week in Joplin.

The project consisted of 21 builders, seven designers and 10,000 volunteers from the community and neighboring states, said Camila Remolina, an officer from the MU Student Environmental Design Association. Seven officers from MU SEDA, an architecture student organization, were selected as volunteers to give back to families affected by the May 22 tornado.

SEDA President Aaron Sirna said “Extreme Makeover” in Joplin is the organization’s first time assisting in natural disaster relief efforts, SEDA officer Courtney Padgitt said.

“The opportunity is something I couldn’t pass up,” Padgitt said. “We helped move furniture off the trucks into the houses, unwrap the furniture, assist in production shoots and (help) the artists who created the murals by installing them.”

Padgitt, along with fellow SEDA officers Morgan Grawe, Emelie Henzel, Lauren Vienravee and Stephanie Rasch, worked to put the final touches on the completed houses.

“It was the perfect opportunity to volunteer and give back to others while putting to use what we have been learning in our courses,” Grawe said. “Most of our work consisted of getting it all set up in time for the big reveal the next day.”

The street where homes were built was located in one of the city’s most destroyed areas, Grawe said.

“The damage throughout Joplin spoke for itself,” Grawe said. “The city was in complete devastation, nothing left behind but bare tree trunks and concrete foundations.”

Since it began in 2003, “Extreme Makeover” had not previously incorporated recycling into the program’s agenda. Amy Santimauro and Remolina were two other SEDA officers selected to be a part of the experience through their work with the recycling team led by City of Joplin Recycling Coordinator Mary Anne Phillips.

SEDA Vice President Ashton Oltmanns, who was also a part of the recycling team, said he’s glad the team’s initiative for Extreme Makeover to be more sustainable and to promote green building was successful.

“Myself and a few other students who went on the Sunday shift were chosen to be on recycling crew,” Oltmanns said. “We recycled boxes from all of the interior fixtures to cans and bottles from around the work site.”

Material belongings weren’t the only items that perished when the tornado struck. Remolina noticed a sense of security was missing from the community when she encountered two children whose home remains in shambles.

“While driving around the building site to see the homes people were still living in, we noticed kids playing in one of the backyards,” Remolina said. “They told us how scared they were when it happened and how they’re still scared.”

Families who were chosen to be on “Extreme Makeover” lost neighbors and children. Remolina was informed of a few heart-breaking stories behind each house during her day as a volunteer. One in particular, which was about a fireman losing his family, unveiled the true reality caused by sudden disasters and the pain left behind once storms clear.

“These families lost it all,” Padgitt said. “Take the time, appreciate what you have because in a matter of minutes it could all be gone.”

**Correction appended:** There was an error in the Nov. 1 story, “‘Extreme Home Makeover: Home Edition’ comes to Joplin”. It was originally stated that Camila Remolina, Lauren Vienravee and Amy Santimauro were officers of SEDA. They were not officers, but members of SEDA and other members aside from officers also volunteered. City of Joplin Recycling Coordinator Mary Anne Phillips was not the leader of the recycling team. Instead, Sheila Collins was the coordinator of the recycling team for the ‘Extreme Home Makeover: Home Edition’. Ashton Oltmanns was mistakenly referred to as a male when she is a female. The Maneater regrets the error.