By Meghan McCormick
A Moore construction company is doing its part to make sure a Slaughterville family has the well-built home it deserves.
Steve Shawn, president of Silver Star Construction, said work crews from his company are stationed in Slaughterville this week participating in ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" building project.
"We've had employees down there 24 hours a day since it started," Shawn said.
Workers and volunteers are supposed to complete the home for Brian and Audra Skaggs and their two children by Sunday. However, the wet ground and muddy fields leftover from last week's winter storm are providing challenges.
Shawn said workers pushed away 500 cubic yards of mud from the building site.
"It's up to your ankles," Shawn said as he described the thick mud.
He said before crews could get started building the house, workers hauled in tons of gravel for a road.
"When the smoke cleared, it took 2,600 tons of gravel to make that road passable and it's still not very good," Shawn said.
Silver Star crews constructed the building pad for the home structure and tore down the previous structure and barn on the property, Shawn said.
"We have at least five or six workers taking shifts," he said.
By Friday, the 3,000 square foot home and barn almost were complete.
Vernon McKown, co-owner and president of sales of Ideal Homes, said during the first days of construction, workers faced weather challenges and a few hiccups. Crews made up for lost construction time Wednesday night and Thursday morning.
"Today the weather was very beneficial," he said.
McKown said crews are now working on the home's interior.
"We are doing a final round of flooring," he said. "We will paint the inside and try to wrap it up. The barn should be done this evening."
McKown said workers didn't forget about the home's surroundings.
"They will have a yard, trees and swing set," he said. "We're building a dream home."
Shawn said Dolese, Hansen Aggregates and Boral Aggregates donated gravel and project materials. Additional companies and volunteers from Cleveland County also have donated their time to the site.
McKown said Dolese, Silver Star and Forest Lumber helped underwrite the project.
"We couldn't have done it without them," McKown said.
Shawn said Cleveland County Commissioner Rusty Sullivan who represents District 3, allowed workers to store gravel at the District 3 barn on US 77 in Lexington. Sullivan kept the facility open 24 hours a day so that crews can reload trucks and haul gravel to the work site.
"Rusty Sullivan is such a good guy," Shawn said.
Shawn said Silver Star has taken part in community projects in the past, but none of this nature.
"We have donated to the YMCA and always take part in Christmas in April," he said.
Shawn said he was glad to see there are people who are willing to come together and help with the project.
"It's good to see there are so many Oklahomans that have a good heart," he said. "Everybody has been so good. There are going to be so many unsung heroes."
Meghan McCormick 366-3539 mmccormick@normantranscript.com
