Contact:
Heidi Larsen
Hacker Industries, Inc.
(800) 642-3455 / (949) 729-3101
hlarsen@HackerIndusties.com
ALLSTATE INTERIORS, INC. OF MONROE, NY HELPS "EXTREME
MAKEOVER: HOME EDITION" BUILD A RECREATION CENTER
MONROE, NY - ABC's Emmy-winning hit show Extreme Makeover: Home Edition came back to the
New York area to help rebuild the lives of a family in need. This time around, Allstate Interiors, Inc. of
Monroe, NY was selected as one of the subcontractors on the job to assist with the renovation of a 100-year
old recreation center for underprivileged children in the tri-state area.
About the Family
In 1987, Debbie Oatman became a very untraditional single mother when she adopted an HIV positive baby
named DJ. Together they faced an unsympathetic community, discrimination and even death threats. Yet,
when she learned that another HIV positive child and his biological brother needed a home, Debbie didn't
hesitate to bring them into her family. Now this single mother with 4 sons is facing a challenge that she
cannot tackle alone. The safe and happy home that she has tried to provide these boys is literally sinking
into the ground. Built on a shoddy foundation, the Oatman-Gaitan home has become a death trap to
Debbie's sons' delicate immune systems.
Not only is Debbie responsible for providing these boys with the best medical care possible, but she's also
had to shield them from the ignorance bred hatred and stigma that is associated with their disease. Yet this
family stays strong and does their best to educate anyone who will listen in hopes of making the road easier
for other families in this situation.
Camp Heartland, an organization who caters to children with HIV and their families, has been instrumental
in helping Debbie's boys learn to accept their situation. The camp, whose headquarters are in Minnesota,
is coming to the East Coast for the first time this summer to Clearpool Education Center, a 100-year-old
non-profit camp that caters to underprivileged children in the tri-state area. The facility is in need of a few
renovations in order to adequately host the special needs of the Heartland campers.
In this unique project for "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition", the show will not only transform Debbie's
home to make it safe for her children, but at her request, they will also help build a recreation center at
Clearpool Education Center which will be utilized not only by the Oatman children, but by thousands of
other under-privileged kids from many other organizations.
Allstate Interior, Inc. was instrumental in the reformation of the Clearpool Education Center. Led by
President, Fred Soward, more than 20 men worked through the night to install 200 boards of drywall in 60
minutes. "We immediately said yes to this project," stated Soward. "Our talented team was ready to
jump through hoops for this family...and they did." A job this size would generally take a crew 8 hours to
complete. But, up against tight deadlines, Allstate Interiors' crew worked diligently to get the job done in
one hour to help keep the construction schedule on time.
"Everyone at Allstate Interiors, Inc. was honored to be a part of this 'Extreme Makeover'. It inspired us
all to continue to serve our communities and help those in need," said Soward.
About Allstate Interiors
Headquartered in Monroe, NY, and with branches in Massachusetts and Connecticut, Allstate Interiors
has been in the business of providing quality construction services since 1990. Many of our more than
150 installers are now into their families' second generation with Allstate. We serve customers
throughout the Northeast, from PA to ME. For more information, contact Allstate Interiors, Inc. at (845)
783-1060 or visit their website at www.allstateinteriors.com.
Allstate Interiors, Inc. services also include Hacker Industries, Inc.'s premier line of gypsum floor
underlayments, acoustical control mats and cement-based, self-leveling underlayments. Their mission is
to provide the finest in interior construction services for both commercial and residential applications.
Allstate Interiors, Inc. is a member of the Building Association of Hudson Valley and the Association of
Walls & Ceilings.
Media Note: Photos courtesy of Allstate Interiors, 2007. Individual JPEG files available by contacting Allstate
Interiors, Inc. at (845) 783-1060
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