SJC Participates in Extreme Home Makeover

June 23, 2010

PATCHOGUE, NY JUNE 24, 2010 St. Josephs College is pleased to announce its participation in the current Extreme Makeover: Home Edition project in East Setauket, NY this week. The College, along with a team of students and alumni, will volunteer with the construction on Thursday, June 24.

ABCs Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, which has been rebuilding homes for deserving families since 2002, selected for this project the Lutz family of East Setauket. Construction for the makeover will be led by Alure Home Improvements of East Meadow, NY. Vice President of Operations for Alure Douglas Cornwell, who received an Executive Master of Business Administration from St. Josephs College in 2008, invited the College to be a part of the project.

"My interest to involve St. Josephs was simple, said Douglas Cornwell. "Part of its expressed mission is social responsibility and service, and what better way to exemplify those traits than to donate your time and efforts to effectively change a family's life. This project is an Extreme example of that.

A group of 40 volunteers from St. Josephs College, including students from the Habitat for Humanity Club and alumni volunteers, will assist with the construction throughout Thursdays build.

"We are proud to have alumni like Doug Cornwell, who share the same values of civic engagement and social responsibility as St. Josephs, said Director of Alumni Relations for SJC Matthew Colson. "We appreciate his including us in this exciting project.

Grace and John Lutz adopted 18 foster children, including seven with Down Syndrome. The couple passed away, leaving the responsibility of caring for the rest of the family to their eldest daughter, Kathleen, who later suffered a grand mal seizure and was diagnosed with inoperable cancer. Although her condition has stabilized, the familys 40-year-old home has become cause for concern as it is in disrepair with unsafe electrical conditions, mold and deterioration. The family was informed of their selection at Yankee Stadium prior to the Yankees versus Mets game on Sunday, June 20.