Extreme makeover!
Chattanooga District church leads renovating project

By Rachel Brown
Dade County Sentinel

TRENTON, Ga. - Stacey Johnson couldn't believe her eyes as she rounded the corner on the road leading to her house.

Cars lined the street, people waited in her yard with video cameras, and the house looked much whiter than when she had last seen it.

"What in the world?" she said. "Our crazy friends have given us a welcome home party from vacation."

From coworkers, church members, and friends, to complete strangers and construction workers living outside Dade County, more than 120 people collectively volunteered five-and-a-half days to renovate Johnson's house while she, husband Chris, and their three children were on vacation.

Her home was completely remodeled and redecorated on the inside, refurbished on the outside, and turned into something that those who know the cancer patient say was closer to her pleasant personality.

"It was just like being on the show 'Extreme Makeover,'" Johnson said. "It would have taken a good year-and-a-half to two years to do all that we had planned on doing to the house. They did all of that and much, much more in less than a week."

Eddy Gifford, a member of Trenton United Methodist Church and Johnson's employer at the Dade County Sentinel, said the project started out small but grew into a large effort transcending any other project he had seen.

"I've been a member of clubs and organizations that have done a lot of things for a lot of years, and I've never been in a project that went anywhere near like this one," he said. "It seemed like the more we did, the more people wanted to do."

On the replacement list were roof gutters, carpets, kitchen cabinets, interior paint, living room furniture, a dishwasher, all interior light fixtures, all interior doors, the heating and air conditioning system, and several other amenities. The groups also pitched in on outdoor work, pulling up stumps, redoing some of the siding on the house, laying gravel on the driveway, pressure-washing the house, building a sidewalk, and landscaping the yard. Dana Nethery, one of Johnson's friends and coworkers, said the original plan was limited to repairing damaged ceilings and working on the bathroom. She said she thought of the idea after Johnson was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year for the second time in her life.

"She had mentioned wanting to do some things in her house before she was diagnosed again," Nethery said. "You know how it is when you have home improvement projects. It just takes a lot out of you and I thought, well, that would be nice if we could just go in and do it for her and she won't have to worry about it."

Gifford said he and Nethery approached their Sunday school classes at Trenton UMC in Chattanooga District for help and decided to tackle the surprise gift while Johnson was vacationing in Florida. The work just grew from there.

Volunteer Pat Bell said he met Johnson about two years ago as their children played ball together. He described her as a happygo- lucky person who doesn't let her troubles get her down.

"I would say out of everybody that I know, she's probably the most appreciative person. She deserved it more than anybody I know," he said. "She makes you realize that you don't have any problems. She's just very strong-willed and just an inspiration."

Johnson said she is complimented frequently on having a good attitude in the midst of her illness, but she denies credit for it, saying instead that her Lord, friends, and family simply make her that way.

"They are the ones that keep me up and keep me having the positive attitude," she said. "It is an emotional roller coaster. One day you can be on top of the world and the next you are full of emotions ... alone, sad, hurt, angry, depressed. I remember the day the doctor told me, he said to us, 'I wish we had good news but we don't.' As soon as he said those words all of my priorities fell into place. I realized what was important, and what wasn't, what I should spend my energy on and what I shouldn't."

Johnson has been involved with the American Cancer Society and is its honorary chairwoman this year in the Relay for Life. She underwent a double mastectomy in February 2004 following breast cancer. After six months of chemotherapy and six-and-a-half weeks of radiation treatments that put her back in remission, Johnson was diagnosed with cancer again this May.

"I know it is hard to believe, but I wouldn't trade a thing that I have been through because of where it has brought me spiritually. We can't choose the life we are given but we can choose the way we live it." she said. "If I can be a witness to someone to show what God can do, then everything I have been through and will go through will be worth it."

Johnson said words could not describe how she felt about the gesture and the support shown by everyone, including complete strangers.

"This was an absolute spiritual project," she said. "People ask me 'Is there anything you would change?' and the only thing I would change would be to have been here working with them and to witness the fellowship they all gave."

"I love to hear the different stories of the people involved. They even had church in my front yard on Sunday morning because people didn't want to stop working," she continued. "Reece Fauscett, the pastor of our church, came early and had a church service before the regular services that morning. There is no way I can repay or even come close to expressing my gratitude for what everyone did."

Reprinted with permission, Dade County Sentinel

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