Donation of Track and Rail Products to ABC-TV's Extreme Makeover

Nora Lighting showroom stars, Cheryl Howard and Dawn Wainright of the Lighting Divas in Thomasville, Georgia, recently stepped forward and donated Nora track and rail lighting equipment to ABC-TV's newest edition of Extreme Makeover.

The ladies were part of a major Tallahassee, Florida, community effort that provided building products, finish materials and fixtures, and legions of volunteers to construct a new home in seven days for a very worthy family.

"We were delighted to be able to contribute our time and Nora Lighting products to make this dream come true," said Howard.

"Dawn and I worked with the lighting designers to provide track and rail fixtures for use in living areas for this family with severely handicapped children," she said.

George Kadzis, a prison dentist, and his wife Barbara, a lifelong teacher, are the adoptive parents of five handicapped children from Chinese orphanages, in addition to having a son of their own.

While the family was dealing with major challenges in their cramped and hurricane-damaged home, George was diagnosed with brain cancer, which took time and energy away from his desire to remodel their residence.

Local Tallahassee developer MyddeltonParker Builders coordinated hundreds of volunteers, and building professionals contributed their time around the clock, to complete the home in just seven days while the family was sent to Disneyland for a holiday.

Unfortunately, just two days after the home was completed, George Kadzis passed away from cancer.

"Cheryl and Dawn and their community efforts inspire us all," said Louise Gardner, marketing and engineering director at Nora Lighting.

"It was gratifying to see so many people come together to help a family that was truly deserving.

"The sad news about Cheryl's husband's recent tragic death was a terrible shock to all of us at Nora. We understand he died in a plane accident on Saturday, April 4. Our hearts and prays go to her and her family," said Gardner.

The Tallahassee edition of ABC's Extreme Makeover will be broadcast on Easter Sunday, April 12, 2009 as a two-hour special. Now in its sixth season, the show has won two Emmy Awards and the People's Choice Award for Favorite Reality Show/Makeover. Each episode features a race against time on a project that would ordinarily take at least six months to achieve, involving a team of designers, contractors and several hundred volunteer workers.