The Grochowski family was moved to tears of joy and "oohs" and "aahs" of pleasure on Monday evening when they saw the transformation of their home.
Over the previous 10 days teams of volunteers, estimated at close to 400, had almost worked around the clock to renovate and update the family's home in Aldergrove.
The family of six – father Walter and mother Terry, along with their children Sarah, Alicine, Benjamin and Samuel – have owned the home for the past 14 years. To their delight it was selected for this year's Extreme Home Repair by the Acts of Kindness (AOK) team from Aldergrove 7th-day Adventist Church.
The family was also given a vacation in luxury suites at Abbotsford and Whistler while the work was undertaken, so the "big reveal" at 5 p.m., May 23, was the first they got to see of their renovated home.
Not only was there major rewiring and plumbing work done, the ceilings, walls and floors were all redone in tastefully chosen coverings. There were also new appliances and furniture, as well as a new backyard deck and lawn installed.
The teams worked long hours, well into the nights, to ensure the work was completed on schedule — and all of the work, some of it by licensed professionals, was donated.
The family was nominated for this year's project, the eighth annual Extreme Home Repair, by a neighbour, who felt the family deserved a leg up, after the devastating loss of a brother, David, who was killed in a car crash three years ago. David had been an outstanding rugby player and popular student at Aldergrove Secondary, and his rugby jersey now hangs in a place of honour in the family's new fitness room downstairs.
"The recipients are not the only ones to benefit from the Extreme Home Repair," said AOK coordinator Mike Dauncey. "Everyone who gets involved is moved and changed with the satisfaction of having been part of a vibrant community that stepped up to make a difference in someone's life."