by Brennen Anderson
Because of an undiagnosed condition, 2-year-old Trent Pace is handicapped and will need a wheelchair soon. Unfortunately, the pathway to his family's front door includes stairs. Well, included stairs. Thanks to Curb Appeal: The Block and some thoughtful friends, the Paces received a brand new ramp.
When HGTV's Facebook page featured a contest to be on the show, Euless resident Amy Warren recruited two neighbors, Amanda Kelsoe and Hollee Ford, recorded video footage of their houses, and created and submitted a video. Two weeks later, representatives from the show interviewed the women.
"They asked what we would look like if we won." Hollee explained that the three women "celebrated" as if they had actually won. "Then, John Gidding [the show's host] walked through the door."
HGTV chose the Euless neighbors because of their strong sense of community. That community shone when producers asked Amy, Amanda, and Hollee to suggest someone for another episode of Curb Appeal.
Amanda recommended her friends, Shane and Nicki Pace - Trent's parents. The Paces submitted an application and a video, demonstrating the difficulty of navigating their stairs. "We were notified immediately (on Trent's birthday!) that they had selected us," Nicki Pace said.
The designers and crew worked on the four houses concurrently over the course of a very eventful January.
Nicki described her families" excitement: "The kids pulled a chair up to our window every morning and just watched as the changes took place. … It will allow us to stay in our house longer."
She cited the value of strong neighbors, saying, "in Texas we have so many gorgeous evenings that are perfect for hanging out, and it is such a great opportunity to build a strong community."
The episodes of Curb Appeal: The Block filmed in Euless will air this spring on HGTV.
photo by Jason Waite
