Local stone mason's handiwork to be on TV tonight
By Steve Herring
Published in News on September 25, 2011 1:50 AM
The handiwork of a Wayne County stone mason will be seen tonight when ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" airs its season premiere at 7 p.m.
Ricky Faire was among the nearly 500 volunteers who worked on the project in Fayetteville in July. They worked virtually non-stop for a week to complete the house, he said.
"It was really and truly amazing to see how this project came together in just six days," Faire said. "The house was being built for Barbara Marshall, founder of the Steps-N-Stages Jubilee House for homeless women veterans in transition.
"Ms. Marshall's 40-year-old one-story house was replaced by a two-story log cabin style home."
Faire said that his son, Reginald, a physical education teacher at Reid-Ross High School in Fayetteville, had called to tell him he had signed him up to help out with a stone job in Fayetteville. However, he didn't tell his father what the job was, only that someone would contact him later.
"Finally I got a call," Faire said. "Someone from Blue Ridge Log Homes called and asked me if I could be in Fayetteville on (a Sunday in July) at 3 p.m. We were to meet at the parking lot at Fayetteville State University on the Langston Street side."
Faire said he and a co-worker, Charles Farmer, traveled to Fayetteville where they signed in and left for the job site.
"I truly enjoyed the entire week being there," he said. "I met a lot of new people and the first work day, we worked 32 hours without stopping. We spent the night with my son at one point. The remaining time was spent on the job site."
Faire met the stars of the show.
"When we were told that the first lady, Michelle Obama, was coming on (that) Thursday, that made the long and hard hours worth it all," he said. "There were three things that I wanted to accomplish while I was there.
"First, I wanted to be able to help somebody at that house. Second, I wanted to meet and shake hands with Michelle Obama and have her autograph my Extreme Makeover T-shirt. Third, I wanted to help Ms. Marshall and her family say, 'Bus driver, move that bus!' I thank God for giving me the opportunity to achieve all of this and more. It is a week I will never forget."