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DIA Says Thanks to Philo's Montgomery Family
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Simpson, Law and Smith pose in front of the Montgomery's new home in Philo.
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Aug. 26, 2009
PHILO, Ill. - Women's basketball head coach Jolette Law and senior players Jenna Smith and Lacey Simpson ventured to Philo, Ill., on Wednesday evening to present the Montgomery family with Fighting Illini tickets and gifts on behalf of the University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics (DIA). The gifts were to show appreciation for all that Nathan and Jenny Montgomery have done for the local community through their Salt and Light organization, which feeds an average of 250 local families in need each week.
Wednesday was the culmination of a big week for the Montgomerys. On August 18, "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" traveled to Champaign County to meet Nathan, who gave up a lucrative engineering career to start a charity that feeds hundreds of hungry families in the community. In just seven days, team leader Ty Pennington, his designers and hundreds of volunteers rebuilt the crumbling home of Nathan, his wife Jenny and their four children - providing them with comfort and security they cannot afford for themselves.
Nathan was a promising young engineer on his way to a six-figure management position when he first began volunteering to help the needy. Realizing he wanted to pursue charity work full time, Nathan stepped off the fast track to launch Salt and Light, the philanthropic organization he leads as executive director. Nathan has seen the number of local families in need rise dramatically during the current economic crisis.
The altruism of Nathan and Jenny, a middle school aide who works with special-needs children, has taken a heavy toll on the family living conditions. Since both of them now earn modest salaries, Nathan and Jenny have been unable to afford much-needed repairs to the family's dilapidated 100-year-old home.
Nathan, Jenny and the kids - sons Ashton, 13, and Benjamin, 9, and daughters Addison, 5 and Lillian, 4 - went on vacation to Walt Disney World while "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" transformed their home. The house was completed earlier this week and was revealed to the family on Tuesday, Aug. 25. The show is expected to air on ABC in October.
Law, Smith and Simpson were joined by several other local businesses and organizations at the Montgomery's new home on Wednesday to present gifts to the family.
Here is list of the items donated by the DIA to the Montgomerys, who are big Fighting Illini fans:
• Six tickets to the Illinois-Michigan Football game on Oct. 31, plus an invitation to be on the field with the captains for the coin toss
• Six tickets to the Illinois-Northwestern men's basketball game on Dec. 30
• One family Go Illini Card to gain admission to all regular season home women's basketball, baseball, gymnastics, soccer, softball, track, volleyball and wrestling events
• One football autographed by the 2009 Illinois football team
• Six specialty gift packs, one for each member of the family, filled with Fighting Illini apparel and toys
For more information on the Montgomery family and on "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," visit http://www.extremebradyhomes.com/index.php/home/.
