Pine Bush Equipment (PBE) employees have a special interest in this season’s final episode of “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” which aired on television on Sunday, May 20.

The company recently donated equipment and provided volunteers to help build a recreation center at the Clearpool Education Center in Kent Cliffs, N.Y.

Viewers will see two makeovers. One is the home of Debbie Oatman, a single mother of four boys, three are adopted. Two of her adopted sons are HIV positive. Her house was built on a weak foundation and needed repair. Her home makeover led to the second project — Camp Heartland.

Camp Heartland is an organization that caters to children with HIV and their families and was helpful to Oatman’s sons in learning how to deal with their health issues. The camp, headquartered in Minnesota, now has a location on the East Coast at the Clearpool Education Center, due to the second extreme makeover.

The Clearpool Education Center is a 100-year-old non-profit camp that provides services for disadvantage children from New York City and the surrounding area. The new recreation center at the Clearpool Education Center will be used not only by the Oatman children, but also by thousands of other underprivileged children from many other organizations.

When a family is selected to receive an extreme makeover, the TV production company solicits help from local contractors, businesses and volunteers. The makeover is completed in just four or five days with crews working around the clock.

“The company [Pine Bush Equipment] became involved with the ’Extreme Makeover’ when Holly Bodnar, president, was approached by Steve Croley, location manager of the television show. Steve had sought out PBE after hearing great things about the company and their community involvement. Holly made immediate arrangements to supply the show with whatever they needed,” said Donna Nowak, PBE, marketing coordinator.

“As a result, Pine Bush provided 14 light towers, which enabled crews to work through the night. It also supplied four Kubota RTVs utility vehicles to transport workers and materials on the work site, a pump and drivers to transport the equipment. The RTVs are a like golf carts,” said Nowak.

During the construction, Dave Ewald, a Pine Bush job-site specialist, was on call 24/7 to provide support to construction crews. In addition, several employees and their families volunteered their time at Clearpool. They included: Holly Bodnar; Donna Boniface, vice president; Erin Schoeberl, training coordinator; John Landi, sales representative, and his family; Donna Nowak, marketing coordinator and her daughters; and Carl Trovato, Holmes branch sales manager, and his family.

“The Pine Bush Equipment Group is actively involved in the communities we serve. It was a wonderful experience and if another opportunity would come along, we would definitely to it again,” concluded Nowak.

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