NBC show helps Salisbury family get kitchen makeover
For the Voelpel family, the kitchen is the center of the home. It’s where matriarch Christina cooks up delicious meals for the family and where friends and relatives gather, knowing that once the food comes out, it is quickly devoured.
That’s why when Christina and her husband, Charles, were looking to do some renovations on their Salisbury home, the first place they thought to focus their attention was the kitchen. It was their first time doing any construction or repair work on the house that had been in the Voelpel name for generations; Charles’ parents were the previous owners and he grew up in the cape house, which was largely the same as it was when originally built in 1948.
However, once construction began, it soon become a lot more expensive than originally anticipated. As bills started to add up, the Voelpels stopped construction work, leaving them without a kitchen for eight months.
“It was completely devastating. It was taking the heart and soul out of the house,” said son AJ Voelpel. “That’s where all the action was and where everyone wanted to hang out. My parents’ morale was so low because the kitchen was such a big part of our family. Everyone knew that space meant so much to us.”
That’s when AJ, a multimedia and digital content producer, put his storytelling skills to task and told his family’s story to George To The Rescue. The NBC show starring George Oliphant provides home improvements for families in need and is always looking for new people to feature on the show.
A few months later, just as AJ and his siblings were talking about ways to pitch in and fund the kitchen renovation themselves, AJ got a call from producers saying they wanted to learn more about his family and the project.
After having to send in additional submissions and attending a few more meetings, producers asked the Voelpel family, including AJ, who they flew out from LA, to gather together for one last interview. What was supposed to be a screening test for producers, turned out to be a surprise reveal.
“We were all gathered in my son’s family room in Massapequa filming, and all of a sudden, George [Oliphant] comes down the stairs and says ‘surprise!’” recalls Christina. “We instantly knew they were going to do the house. It was the best feeling ever. After having watched the show all these years, who ever thought this would happen? You never think that it’ll happen to you. It was incredible.”
Oliphant, who has more than 80 rescues under his belt as he heads into the show’s eighth season, said the Voelpels stood out to him as good people who got themselves into a bind.
“They’d taken the time to do their due diligence but things didn’t work out the way they hoped it would and they found themselves in a situation a lot of people can relate to,”
Oliphant said. “It’s very rewarding to be able to say, “you’re good people, you got yourself in a situation you didn’t see coming and now we have an opportunity to give you a space way more beautiful than you anticipated.’”
For Christina, a huge fan of George to the Rescue, the experience was surreal. Christina and Charles were put up in a local hotel, vowing not to pass by the house as the construction crews redid the entire kitchen. And not only did the team redo the kitchen, but they did a plethora of other renovations as well, including adding a pantry, redecorating the living room, putting in new landscaping and adding a new washer and dryer (the first one Christina has ever had, she noted).
Helping make the project possible was donated resources and time from local companies including 3M, Chevy, Appliance World, Blackman Plumbing Supply, Cambria, Dal-Tile Group, Inc., Delta Faucets, Florence Building Supply, Harry Katz Carpet One Floor & Home, Marriott Residence Inn Plainview Long Island, Nassau Suffolk Electrical And Mechanical, National Waste, Safavieh Home Furnishings, Sherwin Williams Paint, Tuscany Marble And Granite and Waypoint Living Spaces. Another major contributor to the project was Alure Home Improvements, with Sal Ferro serving as lead contractor and Christina Piekut serving as lead designer.
Oliphant said one of his favorite parts of the show is being able to work with exceptional contractors and designers, who are always willing to go above and beyond to help members of their community.
“These contractors know the town and have unbelievably strong resources and big hearts,” Oliphant said. “It gives them a sense of pride to help their community and I’m always blown away by the communities that come together to help their fellow neighbors.”
For the Voelpel family, the joy of being in the renovated house still hasn’t worn off.
“This house was falling apart, they literally came to our rescue,” said Christina. “Being in this new house is incredible. Every day feels like the first day. It doesn’t feel like two months has gone by, it feels like we just got it done.”
The George to the Rescue episode featuring the Voelpel family airs Saturday, April 8, at 9:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. on NBC. For more information, visit www.georgetotherescue.com.
