Eastipedia: Renovation Sensation

Renovation Sensation is an annual homes tour that highlights five remodeled or newly built East area homes. It’s the largest fundraising event of the year for SHARE (Students Helping in Areas Related to Education) — East’s student led volunteer organization. This year’s Renovation Sensation will be on Sept. 25 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tour passes are $30 and can be purchased online, at Hen House or at Spruce Home.

According to Renovation Sensation co-chair Tracy Tetrick, around 800 people from the East community attend the one day event each year and it typically raises a net amount of $50,000. Sponsors including Associated Plastic Surgeons, Bee Organized and The Clubhouse Experience donate money and all of the profits earned from the event’s ticket sales go towards SHARE. 

Each year, there’s a Patrons’ Party the night before the Renovation Sensation to thank the sponsors for their generosity. Patrons’ Party Passes are $75 and can be purchased online up to Sept. 19.

“Honestly, we just feel lucky to be the beneficiaries of it,” SHARE co-coordinator Krissie Wiggins said. “Hopefully [sponsors and Renovation Sensation attendees] learn what SHARE is and does at SME and in the community because that’s why they’ll continue to support it.”

The cost of sustaining SHARE is not covered by the SMSD, so Renovation Sensation was started 15 years ago to fund the program. Beginning in January, a board of East parents led by three co-chairs, Tetrick, Kelly LeGard and Anne Epstein, planned the details of the event. The board decides which homes to feature on the tour, interviews the homeowners to gather information for the tour guides and markets the event to the East community.

“It’s a well oiled machine because we’ve been doing this for 15 years,” Tetrick said. “You get a couple of chairs and committee members involved and you’ve got the great community of Shawnee Mission East attending the function so it’s a win win for everybody.”

On the day of Renovation Sensation, people who are remodeling their homes, building a new home or interested in learning about the latest home design trends take a tour through each home lead by adult and student volunteers.

“These aren’t your typical home[s], like where you come to my house say, ‘Oh, I like your chair,’” SHARE co-coordinator and former Renovation Sensation board member Sheryl Kaplan said. “[In these homes,] everything is very beautiful and every detail is seen to.”