Extreme Makeover Begins For Some Tulsa Homes, Elementary School

Ashli Sims, News On 6

TULSA, Oklahoma -- A Tulsa school family is getting a lift from hundreds of folks they've never met. This weekend, volunteers will install $100,000 worth of upgrades at four Tulsa homes and Wright Elementary school to give them a clean slate.

5/18/2011 Related Story: Tulsa's Wright Elementary To Get Extreme Makeover

"Replacing the kitchen floor, new countertops, new appliances, new heat and air system," Lantz Newell, with Applied Home Solutions, said.It's a big job and its tough work, but the volunteers say they are loving every minute.

"It's a privilege. I'm privileged to be here," Lisa Butts said.

Lisa Butts, the co-designer on this project, said helping a single mom and her two children is what makes this so worthwhile.

"Really been an exhilarating project for us so far," she said. "I'm probably as excited as they are."The volunteers are part of a push by the Church at Battle Creek to give Tulsans a clean slate.

"If we can come in and transform their home maybe that positions them to have a clean slate or a do-over with their life," Chris Campbell, an organizer, said.

The homeowner isn't the only one getting a clean slate. She works at Tulsa Public Schools Wright Elementary and it's getting a makeover too.

Designer Stephanie Ellis is adding her handiwork to Wright Elementary School, which will get a global garden, new reading rooms, new teacher's lounge, and deep-cleaning.The crew only has two days to get this job done, but they already know they've made a difference in one mother's life.

"She was crying yesterday, when we told her she was getting a new heating and air system so they're hard working people so they deserve to be taken care of," Newell said.

Clean Slate is making over four homes and all of the families are connected to Wright Elementary School.

They plan to reveal the new Wright to students Monday morning.