Locust business assists ‘Extreme Makeover’

By Tiffany Thompson, Staff Writer

Sunday, August 3, 2008 — As the Charlotte area gears up to help a family demolish and rebuild its house, one local business will be there to help out.

GraphiCal Creations, Inc. of Locust is proud to join American Heartland Home-builder for the upcoming project with ABC’s original series “Extreme Makeover Home Edition.”

“What a wonderful gratification it is to have the opportunity to give back, make a change and promote the idea that dreams can come true,” said Rhonda Benton, account executive for GraphiCal.

The project kicked off Monday and will continue through Tuesday.

GraphiCal has been responsible for creating the banners, signs, flyers and vinyl letter on the shuttle buses as well as the apparel worn during the tapings and the V.I.P. tickets.

Not only has GraphiCal created the marketing collateral for the event as well as the appropriate sign package to further market it, but they have also been volunteering.

“Our whole team has been at the site providing food for the contractors and builders, and we’ve just been helping out,” said Marla Schopler, vice president and owner of GraphiCal,

Schopler said they became involved in the event after working with some of the developers and partners.

“We sat on the committee that planned the logistics. We also created a program for any partner that would like exposure through banners or signs. We would charge a small fee to cover the cost of materials, and the rest was donated to the family,” Schopler said.

Through this program, GraphiCal was able to raise approximately $5,500 for the family. Schopler said this program became a great success when the partners learned the money they spent would be donated.

All the signage was completely donated to the show by GraphiCal, which was a donation of about $15,000.

“Involvement with the community and industry we serve is defined as our true passion and the foundation on which we have built our company,” said Schopler.

“To change the lives of one family at a time or one business at a time puts meaning in all that we do.”

Marla, along with husband David, were selected to participate in building a swing-set that was donated to the family’s church, Eastern Hills Baptist Church in Charlotte.

“That’s something about this show. They not only give to a family in need, but they help give back to the community as well,” Schopler said.

The Schoplers created GraphiCal in 1995, which initially focused on custom painted fleet graphics.

This opened the door for vehicle projects for the NASCAR Cafe Restaurants and the NASCAR Speedparks nationally, Bill Elliot’s Racing Museum and Richard Petty’s Racing Museum.

Since moving to Locust in 2003, the company began servicing a wide variety of industries in a broader geographic area. GraphiCal now offers their products and services nationwide.

The family chosen for the Charlotte episode, the Kings, live at 4214 Sudbury Road.

Their two-bath, brick-and-metal siding house was built in 1961. It was purchased in 1999 for $105,000 and does not have central air conditioning.

The garage was finished to support a 24/7 in-home daycare, but after mold was discovered in the daycare area, a friend nominated the King family to be on the show to have their home rebuilt.

Curtis and Alisha King, and their three children, Justin, Kirkland and Laila, will be spending the week in Puerto Rico as the “Extreme Makeover” crew demolishes their home and, with the help of American Heartland, J.E.D. Development, Morris & Raper and numerous volunteers, will rebuild the house.

“Extreme Makeover Home Edition” airs on ABC Sundays at 8 p.m., with the Charlotte episode airing in the fall.

For more information and updates on the progress of the home, visit www.extrememakeovercharlotte.com.

Contact Tiffany Thompson at (704) 982-2121 ext. 24 or snaponline24@carolina.rr.com.

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