'Extreme' party planned to celebrate show, help Habitat for Humanity

As I first reported last week, the Extreme Makeover Home Edition episode focusing on Eric Hebert and his family will air on ABC, Jan. 22 at 8 p.m. on KXLY.

Since the date has been made public, many of the same people who helped organize the local portion of the Home Makeover marathon construction week have come up with a plan to celebrate the airing of the show and help even more people.

An Extreme Celebration will be held at the Panida on Jan. 22 from 7-9 p.m. Extreme Makeover Home Edition will be played live on the Panida's big screen following an hour-long special on KXLY filmed behind the scenes during the construction with interviews with the family and stars.

There will be silent auctions for Home Makeover memorabilia including those cool, blue shirts, a few giveaways and some surprises. Many of the details will be ironed out during the next few weeks.

Members of the local Extreme Makeover committee had hoped the TV show experience might spawn an increase in the awareness of area families in need. The airing party takes a giant leap that direction.

There are many families in this county in worse financial shape than the Heberts. It is unfortunate, but it is the truth.

Habitat for Humanity has made a wonderful difference here. The ninth Habitat home is currently under construction in Kootenai.

Connecting Extreme Makeover Home Edition and Habitat for Humanity makes sense. That's why it the committee decided to use the occasion of the celebration of the show as an opportunity to raise awareness and funds for the local chapter of Habitat for Humanity.

So mark Jan. 22 on your calendar. Grab the family, come to the Panida help celebrate the viewing of Extreme Makeover Home Edition on the biggest screen in town. Stay tuned … and dig up your blue Home Makeover T-shirt and wear it that night to receive a free surprise.

Eric Hebert and family have promised to be a part of the celebration.

All this talk about helping people got Debbie Ferguson, Judy Baird, Dan McLaughlin and a few of us talking the other day about some of the good things this community does or has done for those in need.

How many people remember the "Paint Your Heart Out" program sponsored by the chamber? This program was going strong in the early 1990s. One year, volunteers painted more than six homes. Wouldn't it be great to see that program start again?

Rumor has it the Extreme Makeover builder Sullivan Homes looked high and low for any Idaho plumbers to help with the Hebert home but couldn't find any in this neck of the woods. They had to come from Spokane.

Belated congratulations to Ernie Belwood. The Nov. 12 roast at the Panida was nothing short of awesome. Mr. Belwood proved he could take the ribbing and give some back. The Angels Over Sandpoint once again organized a fun community event. Kudos to the Angels for their continuing support of everything good.

Speaking of Angels … One named Jones who works for the Bee celebrates 30 years today. Thirty years on earth, not working at the Bee. Give her a call at 263-9534 to give her any sage advice about what to expect the next 30 years.

This just in … The Winter Carnival will feature a heavyweight matchup that will rival Ali and Foreman. In the near corner, the staff of the Daily Bee has accepted a challenge from the Sandpoint Magazine crew to faceoff in the first ever adult spelling bee.

I'm guessing the twice-a-year publication folks will be tripped up if they are asked to spell b-y-w-a-y. How many Sandpoint Magazine writers does it take to screw in a lightbulb? To. Get it? To. The trash talking will reach a crescendo on stage at the Panida during the heart of Winter Carnival.

We'll se yu at the spelling be. I did that on purpose.

The Daily Bee will be publishing on Christmas and New Year's Day for the first time in many years. Since both holidays fall on Sundays, we are hoping you will help us by contributing your family traditions for both days.

It is our intent to publish as many Christmas traditions the next two Sundays. Please send in any Christmas traditions by Friday to: dkeyes@bonnercountydailybee.com. Any New Year traditions would be appreciated by Dec. 30.

I fulfilled the last of my New Year challenges earlier this month when I completed the Las Vegas Marathon. This year I plan on upping the physical and family resolutions. Marlisa and I discussed a few of our family resolutions while in Las Vegas and instead of renewing our vows in some cheesy, Elvis-infested chapel, we spent a short amount of time reviewing our nows.

We both felt pretty blessed with our nows, since you were wondering. I also had better odds doing it this way. Who knows what she would have said if I asked her to marry me again?

Last week's online poll: The question was "Which is the more appropriate greeting this time of year? Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays or Whatever feels right. Merry Christmas had 64.3 percent; Happy holidays had 12.5 percent and whatever feels right had 23.2 percent. The total number of votes, 168.

This week's question: Do you believe in Santa Claus?

E-mail of the week:

? Atheism is a non-prophet organization.

? I went to a bookstore and asked the saleswoman, "Where's the self-help section?" She said if she told me, it would defeat the purpose.

? What if there were no hypothetical questions?

? If a deaf person swears, does his mother wash his hands with soap?

? If someone with multiple personalities threatens to kill himself, is it considered a hostage situation?

? Is there another word for synonym?

? Where do forest rangers go to "get away from it all?"

? What do you do when you see an endangered animal eating an endangeredplant?

? If a parsley farmer is sued, can they garnish his wages?

? Would a fly without wings be called a walk?

? Why do they lock gas station bathrooms? Are they afraid someone will clean them?

? If a turtle doesn't have a shell, is he homeless or naked?

? Can vegetarians eat animal crackers?

? If the police arrest a mime, do they tell him he has the right to remain silent?

? Why do they put braille on the drive-through bank machines?

? What was the best thing before sliced bread?

? How is it possible to have a civil war?

? If one synchronized swimmer drowns, do the rest drown, too?

? If you ate both pasta and antipasto, would you still be hungry?

? If you try to fail, and succeed, which have you done?

? Why is there an expiration date on sour cream?

? Can an atheist get insurance against acts of God?

David Keyes is publisher of the Bee. His column runs weekly.