PEP RALLY FOR EXTREME MAKEOVER: HOME EDITION **SPONSORED BY VBDAYLIFE / VBNIGHTLIFE**

Less than two weeks before an army of construction volunteers begins building a new home for a deserving local family, Hampton Roads residents eager to be part of the project are invited to attend an old-fashioned Pep Rally, Thursday January 20 at 7pm at the Virginia Beach Convention Center. Admission is free, although organizers request that everyone bring donations of non-perishable food to assist with The Extreme Food Drive, which officially begins that evening. 

Milan Vasic, Senior Producer for Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, will provide the audience with background on the program; and Duane Cotton, President of Chesapeake-based Trademark Construction, who is assembling the necessary skilled trades personnel and supplies, will detail what his team needs to make the ambitious undertaking a success.

The evening will also feature: 

  National Anthem by Erin Roberts of Chesapeake. 

•  God Bless America by 9-year-old Elizabeth Hughes of Chesapeake, who recently became a You Tube sensation when her microphone lost sound while she sang the Star Spangled Banner at a Norfolk Admirals game.
•  The premier of a new anthem for the Hampton Roads Extreme Makeover: Home Edition build called “It’s Our Time to Make a Difference”.  Its composer, popular local songwriter and singer Lewis McGehee will perform it.
•  Music by Peninsula band Excess Baggage from York County
•  New routine created for the build by the cheerleaders of Virginia Wesleyan College

The identity of the recipient family will not be announced at the Pep Rally. That will occur after they are officially notified during “the door knock” later this month.  It will, however, be an opportunity for individuals and groups who have registered to volunteer at www.extremetmc.com to meet each other.  Those who have not yet signed up can do so at the event.

Food donated will go towards a goal of 307,000 tons, which would be the most ever collected in conjunction with an Extreme Makeover: Home Edition build.  The Foodbanks of Southeastern Virginia, the Virginia Peninsula and of the Albemarle are coordinating The Extreme Food Drive.  Contact information is available to those organizations at www.extremetmc.com. 

Official tee shirts for the Hampton Roads Extreme Makeover will be on sale for $20 each, all funds to go toward the Build Fund, which will cover the cost of non-donated items.   Individuals or companies wishing to contribute to the Build Fund can do at www.extremetmc.com. 

Parking is free at the Convention Center, which is not charging rent or fees for use of the building that evening. No food or beverage will be served or sold that evening. 

Media contact only: Rubin Communications Group, (757) 456-5212 or joel@rubincommunications.com.   Media partners for the Hampton Roads build are the four Entercom Radio Group stations (2WD, Z-104, 95.7 R&B and The Point) along with Freedom 1650 AM and VBNIGHTLIFE AND VBDAYLIFE