Sparks Exhibits & Environments Lends A Helping Hand To ABC Extreme Makeover: Home Edition

Deserving Family Gains New Vision

PHILADELPHIA, PA (PRWEB) May 4, 2005 -- Sparks Exhibits & Environments, a leading provider of custom environments, is proud to announce its involvement in ABC Extreme Makeover: Home Editions (EM:HE) latest episode featuring the Dolan family from St. Petersburg, Fla.

Sparks was recommended to EM:HE by the director of the Florida Museum of Natural History. EM:HE looked to the museum for recommendations on a reliable and talented company who could sculpt and paint interactive animals for a childs room within a very difficult time frame and the museum eagerly suggested Sparks as the perfect partner. Sparks recently completed the acclaimed McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity, part of the history museum.

Like all EM:HE episodes, the Dolans story is both heartfelt and tragic. Recently, the father was caught in the cross fire during a workplace shooting where two others were killed and he was permanently blinded from a gun shot wound. Mr. Dolan, the sole supporter for his wife and three children, was forced to adjust to life without his eyesight. EM:HE wanted to provide a new, user-friendly home for the Dolans that was both a safe and accessible environment for this newly blinded father.

Sparks was asked to create an interactive room for the youngest boy, age three, with a zoo animal theme. The animals created; an eight foot elephant, a four foot lion and a monkey hanging from a tree, all appear to be behind a two foot high rock wall that sits on the floor and forms the base of the zoo environment. All the animals make their respective sounds when touched and have surfaces that feel true to the animals real skin/fur.

Originally only engaged for the zoo environment, Sparks responsibility grew during production. In addition to the zoo environment, Sparks painted a futuristic robot in the oldest boys room as part of an interactive installation with a robotic arm that was fully operable.

We were extremely honored to work on this project and amazed by the work that EM:HE does" stated Kathy Woodard, Sparks Assistant Project Manager. This was an opportunity for us to give back to the community and use Sparks extremely creative staff to assist a family less fortunate than most of us."

About Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition is produced by Endemol USA, a division of Endemol Holding. David Goldberg is the president of Endemol USA. The series is executive-produced by Tom Forman. The show airs Sundays (8:00-9:00 p.m. ET), on the ABC Television Network.

About Sparks Exhibits & Environments
Sparks Exhibits & Environments is a division of Marlton Technologies, Inc. (ASE:MTY). For over 85 years, the company has provided world-class designs and cohesive entertainment and marketing programs for clients in over 45 countries. Sparks is headquartered in Philadelphia, with additional facilities in Atlanta, Orlando, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas and Chicago. Sparks creates themed environments, museums, corporate lobbies, special events, merchandising fixtures and tradeshow projects. For more information about Sparks Exhibits & Environments visit http://www.sparksonline.com.

For information, please contact Dave Piper, Vice President, Museum Group, at 407-426-7387 or via email at dpiper@sparksonline.com.

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