SHREWSBURY, Massachusetts – It seemed like a bit of a far fetched call when I initially received it.   “We’re looking to film a television commercial for ESPN and want to do it in Shrewsbury. We’re looking for the best family room for the shoot, and are happy to pay for a place to use for the day.”   Apparently, they’d been told that if anyone knows all the folks in town, and could pick out the best family room, it would be little old me!  Having been in a few thousand family rooms in this town of ours, it took about 10 seconds to come up with the best one, and a quick call to Steve and Lisa Johnson on Rockwell Drive secured the perfect place.  For those of you who’ve seen their fantastic family room addition first hand, you’ll know the why it came right to the top of the list. It really is a stunning room.

Today was the big day, and the film crew, complete with ESPN celebs descended on this normally quiet street en masse, and turned it into a complete television studio, with a catering operation in the garage and everything.   Out with all the furniture, and in with brand new – still in the wrapper – couches.  Out with the knick knacks, black out the windows, and lo and behold a studio is born.   Hopefully the folks who moved into the house across the street don’t think this happens every day, or they’ll be short for the neighborhood.

Best part of it all, is that the studio paid a nice bit of compensation, to go towards some of my favorite charities in the area, so in the end it was a lot of fun, and for a great cause too.

Huge kudos to Steve and Lisa for donating their magnificent home for the cause, and helping lots of local kids lead a better life in the process.  What could be better!!  Can’t wait to see it on TV.