The Extreme Makeover: Home Edition crews certainly aren't new to the Kansas City area. Their project this week in KCK is the third time they've come here and the second time just this year. But despite the fact that KMBC has extensively covered every house the show has built for a deserving family here, this week was the first time I had personally visited one of the building sites. Like many before me, I was blown away.

Perhaps this says it all: I asked one of the foremen on builder Kevin Green's team how long a house like the one being built for the Gilyeat family would normally take to construct. He told me 8 months. Of course, this one's going up in a week.

Even if you've watched the show and seen the coverage on KMBC, you still don't get a real picture of what it takes to pull this off. First: incredible planning and coordination. I spoke with the guy who was in charge of the people putting in the trim inside the home. He pulled four crews together who had never worked together before. It went off without a hitch. Just one example of the dedication of each and every worker.

There are also the neighbors who allow their street to be completely taken over for a week. Their yards are now hospitality areas or a gathering place for fans of the show to watch all the action. And of course there are those media types walking around, taking up space as well.

And then there are the volunteers who show up just to do whatever they can and be part of a great project. One elderly lady has driven from Springfield for every Home Makeover house here in KC. She wouldn't miss a day, despite the fact that her feet are killing her at the end of each shift.

If you've seen the show, you know this is one of those things that just makes you feel good. Even the most jaded observer has to be moved by what's happening. I'm glad I finally had the chance to see it all up close.