Good Morning Lutz Family!!

ABC’s Emmy-winning hit show Extreme Makeover: Home Edition has selected The Lutz family of East Setauket, New York to feature on its Emmy award winning show that helps change the lives of families and inspire remarkable community support. Each week, the show renovates the entire home of a deserving family, traveling across the country. In an unusual twist, the show set up the traditional door knock surprise by making the announcement to the family at Yankee Stadium on the Jumbotron. Ty Pennington, along with rest of the show’s design team, and Sal Ferro of Alure Home Improvements, surprised the family this afternoon in an exciting twist for the show – a surprise on the scoreboard at the Stadium.

Unable to have children, loving couple Grace and John Lutz gave their hearts to 18 adopted kids, including seven with Down Syndrome. After the couple passed away, their daughter, Kathleen, gave up her career and gladly came home to take care of six Down siblings who currently range in age from 20 to 25 years old. Everyone agreed that putting the kids in a group home or institution was not an option. It was a good plan, until Kathleen suddenly and unexpectedly had a grand mal seizure, and was diagnosed with inoperable cancer. Her brother, John Jr., was next at bat, sacrificing his successful career as a gymnastics coach to move home and care for his sister and siblings. Kathleen’s health is now stabilized and both brother and sister care for their family as a team.

The Lutz Family will be vacationing in the Hamptons while Design Team Leader Ty Pennington is joined by designers Paul DiMeo, Paige Hemmis and Tracy Hutson to partner with Alure to transform this wonderful family’s life.

This will be Alure’s eighth project for the inspiring show. While Alure is the main builder and a major contributor, the makeovers rely on numerous volunteers and community support, and all of Long Island is invited to join this amazing experience. The interest in getting involved has been nothing short of incredible to this point.

More information on the family along with directions to the site can be found on Alure’s Facebook Fan Page.

Alure Home Improvements is inviting volunteers from the Long Island community interested in providing their time, support and/or resources to help ensure the success of this life-altering project. Interested individuals or companies can find more information on how to volunteer time and/or resources at www.alure.com and clicking on Extreme Long Island link.

Alure will also coordinate a food drive for the INN (Interfaith Nutrition Network) who will collect canned or packaged food donations at the makeover site all week long and is also facilitating a project with the New York Islanders where children under 18 (who normally can’t work on the site) can get involved with helping to make some great items that will then be given to the family at the end of the week.

Sal Ferro, President and CEO of Alure, senses the excitement and energy building within the Long Island Community to help this deserving family. We are thrilled that Extreme Makeover: Home Edition has selected a Long Island family for this makeover and we are excited to not only make a difference in the lives of the deserving Lutz family, but to also play a major role part in inspiring the Long Island community to come together for a great cause. Even before the family was announced, we’ve been overwhelmed with community support from Long Islanders wanting to help without any idea of who they would be helping. Seeing the love and support surrounding this family, will make this even that much more special.”

Regular updates can be found through the Alure Facebook Fan Page, as well as information regarding contests that can earn you VIP passes to the Reveal the day the family comes home and the popular “Move that Bus: scene. Requests for updated needs of volunteers and donations will be shared via the Fan Page as well.