View on Day 5

Clara Ward gets her dream house today.

The story of a woman who has invested her time, talent, energy, and love to children in her neighborhood began on the rough east Erie streets but turns the page today with a chapter written in Hollywood. The big reveal, the “Move that bus!” moment comes for Clara Ward, the wheelchair-bound mom who makes sure that the kids around her have an opportunity to use their intelligence and creativity and advance their lives.

The new 3,700 square foot home will have plenty of room for Clara’s kids and a beautiful retreat for herself, with a design that reflects what homes in the area would have looked like when new, complete with covered porches on two stories.

If you want to go to the reveal here are the details from the latest release by the builder Maleno Development:

Reveal Should Take Place Between 1 and 2 p.m. Thursday

Spectators wanting to take part in the “Extreme Makeover:
Home Edition’s” “Move that Bus!” event should arrive at the site between 9 and 10 a.m. Thursday.

Builder John Maleno and his family will be on hand to see the reaction of Clara Ward and her family when they first see their new home.

The ABC crew will be filming crowd, bus and limousine shots for the television show beginning at 10 a.m. Spectators are encouraged to bring with them positive signs and their own water and snacks. They are encouraged to wear comfortable shoes since there will be long periods of waiting. And should there be rain in the forecast, they should bring with them raincoats and umbrellas.

Free spectator parking is available at Bayfront and State streets near the Erie Maritime Museum. A shuttle will run to and from the site beginning at 8 a.m. Spectators may take canned goods, children’s books and gently used toys with them on the shuttle as part of a suggested “Read & Feed Admission” to the event. The blood drive will continue Thursday from 8 a.m. to noon for spectators, vendors and volunteers to donate blood. The Community Blood Bank will have its mobile unit stationed at the volunteer check-in area, located at East 21st and Wallace streets.

During Thursday’s festivities, a raffle will take place naming four lucky winners who will receive a private tour of Clara’s home with builder John Maleno and production coordinator Rachel Kielborn. Since the extreme build began, volunteers have been selling $10 raffle tickets for the exclusive tour that will take place Friday, July 3. All proceeds will go to the Maleno Family-to-Family Fund established by the Maleno family to fund future building and renovation projects in Erie.

The handing over the keys to Clara is not the end of the story, however. As we enter a new chapter for her ministry to abused and neglected children, it is important that the community continue to support and resource her. It will be our responsibility to turn a one-week feel-good project into a catylist for real change in the heart of Erie.