News & Highlights

Extremely Happy to do Our Part

On February 19, 2007 the lives - and the luck - of the Kim and Dennis Collins family of Murfreesboro, Arkansas changed for the better when Ty Pennington and his crew, of ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition", stood in their front yard and shouted the familiar phrase "Good Morning Collins family!"

This hardworking logger and his extended family have experienced their share of challenges. Their now teenage son survived a rare form of brain cancer when he was three which has left him hearing and mentally impaired. Then, more recently, when Kim Collins favorite cousin was killed in a car accident the Collins family refused to allow the five children to be separated by the system. After a two-year court battle, they reunited the children and brought them into their home.

When RealSteel Homes, based in Rogers, Arkansas, contacted Riggs Cat to ask for assistance with equipment needed for the demolition, site prep and construction, we were more than happy to help. Marketing Manager Jon Bryant, Sales Manager Eric Johnston, and members of the Texarkana store took the lead in coordinating the delivery of a 325C excavator, two 246B skid steer loaders, eight light towers, two D4G dozers, and a 420E backhoe to the Murfreesboro site.

Demo began on a bright, clear morning in the timberlands of southwestern Arkansas. Within a matter of a few hours, the house was leveled and work on the foundation began. When they say that one hour of an “extreme build” is equivalent to one day of conventional construction, it is not an exaggeration.

Hundreds of volunteers, including a team of Riggs Cat employees from the Texarkana store, worked 24/7 - even in the midst of a horrific thunderstorm - to ensure that the house would be ready for the “Reveal” when the family returned. Although the build may be referred to by some as organized chaos, it more closely resembles a finely orchestrated performance. So much of the construction is carried out simultaneously that without an extremely detailed plan, meeting the deadline would not happen.

It was exactly seven days from the time Ty and his bull horn rousted the Collins family from their home until they returned from their trip to Disney World and were able to finally shout “Driver, move that bus!”.

Through the combined efforts of ABC’s "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition”, RealSteel Homes, countless local suppliers and contractors, and scores of volunteers, this deserving family returned to a beautiful, energy efficient home large enough to meet their needs for many years to come. Riggs Cat feels privileged to have played a small part in making this dream come true.

For more information on the Collins family and the “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” rebuild visit: http://www.realsteelhomes.net
The program aired April 29, 2007 at 7 pm.

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