Page 1 - Aerotech News and Review, Sept. 6, 2019
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AEROTECH NEaWndSReviewJournal of Aerospace, Defense Industry and Veteran News
First two families for veterans’ homes chosen
visit each other.
by Alisha Semchuck As for as their new homes, they in- Photograph by Evelyn Kristo
staff writer
spected the finished product during a Members of the Olivares and Merlos families are greeted by HGTV host, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, HGTV designers and
Homes4Families, in cooperation segment of Extreme Makeover called local volunteers during an announcement that the two Antelope Valley veteran families have been chosen to be featured
with the reboot of HGTV’s Extreme the “Reveal†on Day Six, Aug. 30. on the network’s reboot of Extreme Makeover Home Edition. The two veterans, Mario Merlos and Ernesto Olivares Jr.,
Makeover: Home Edition, proved it were childhood friends who ended up serving in the military together and now their families will live next to each other
possible to build a residential duplex in An Extreme Makeover bus delivered in new homes built in a master planned veterans community in Palmdale.
six days when they constructed homes the families to the location at about
for two veteran families in Palmdale, 6:30 p.m. that Friday. Program host furnishings, Olivares, a 2008 graduate
at a site where a total of 56 homes will Jesse Tyler Ferguson jumped off the of Chatsworth High School said, “My
eventually stand. bus first. Then both families descended wife and I love it. My kids definitely
— Olivares with wife Amy, son David,
The construction dates ran from 7, and daughter Elizabeth, 1, and Mer- See HOME, Page 2
Aug. 24 through Aug. 30, working los with wife Stephanie, and daughters
around the clock in six-hour shifts at Leah, 5, and Camila, 3.
the build site on vacant land donated by
the city of Palmdale and designated as “This has been my dream since I was
the Palmdale Veteran Enriched Neigh- a kid, to have a house,†Merlos, an elec-
borhood® at Division Street, south of trical apprentice, said.
Avenue R.
Olivares, an aviation maintenance
A “Door Knock†took place on manager, thanked everyone “for being
Day One, when the Ernesto Olivares there for us.â€
Jr. family and the Mario Merlos fam-
ily were announced as the first people By everyone, he referred to the
selected to live at the site. Each of the Homes4Families staff; the TV crew;
1,360-square-foot homes, in a side-by- professional construction subcontrac-
side duplex separated by a common tors; and extended family members and
wall, consists of a living room, kitchen, friends along with hundreds of volun-
three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a teers who contributed funds and hours
two-car garage. of elbow grease to complete the project.
Veterans Olivares and Merlos have Olivares’ and Merlos’ extended fam-
been best friends since they met in the ily members, including their parents
third grade, forming a friendship that and others in the crowd of spectators,
blossomed over the years. They both held up signs that read “Welcome†near
enlisted in the Marines, Merlos imme- their homes on Day Six.
diately after graduating high school and
Olivares about one year later. The first glimpse of their homes re-
vealed a front porch furnished with a
While in the military, from their swing for two and two rocking chairs,
home-base at Camp Pendleton, they as well as small shrubs in the lawn area.
were deployed twice to Afghanistan at Then the families entered their respec-
different locations, but near enough to tive homes for a walkthrough to check
out the furnishings — all new and cre-
ated specifically for them.
When asked what he thought of the
Photograph by Evelyn Kristo Photograph by Evelyn Kristo
HGTV network staff and designers lead a parade of volunteers down the streets of Lancaster, as they prepare to surprise Mario Merlos, right, races out of his house with wife Stephanie and daughters
the Merlos family with the news of being selected to be featured on the network’s reboot of Extreme Makeover Home Camila, 3 and Leah, 5, as they react to the surprise announcement that they
Edition and of receiving a brand new home . The Merlos family are one of two young Antelope Valley veteran families have been selected to appear on Extreme Makeover Home Edition. The Merlos
that will be featured in an episode, airing sometime in early 2020. were one of two Antelope Valley veteran families that will be featured and given
a new home on an episode to air in early 2020.
September 6, 2019 • Volume 33, Issue 15 Serving the aerospace industry since 1986 Use your smartphone to connect to
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