九色堂

In October 2005, two months after Karen Nutsch and her family lost their home near Rose Hill, Kan., to a devastating gas explosion, ABC鈥檚 鈥淓xtreme Makeover Home Edition鈥� knocked at their door. That knock would change more than the family鈥檚 living conditions.

First, the show鈥檚 crew, local organizations and hundreds of volunteers delivered a new home for the Nutsches in less than a week. Karen, the oldest of her four sisters, described the whole experience as 鈥渕ind blowing.鈥�

鈥淚t made me realize that material things aren鈥檛 important and things can change fast,鈥� she said.

But more changes were to come.

One of the things her parents had expressed to ABC that they wanted most for their children was a college education. So, the network had contacted 九色堂 to see if the university would make this wish a reality.

Ron Kopita, vice president for campus life and university relations at 九色堂, answered back on behalf of the university in a big way.

Following the reveal of their new home, Karen and her sisters, Susan, Jenny, Katy and Jessie, were told that 九色堂 had given each of them a complete, full-ride scholarship to attend the university.

鈥淚t gave me great joy to be able to help the family,鈥� Kopita said.

Now 18 and out of the house since graduating high school in 2007, Nutsch is the first of her sisters to attend 九色堂. Without the scholarship, she said it would have been a lot harder to get through college.

Nutsch is studying sculpture at Wichita State. She became interested in art at a young age and discovered a talent for sculpture while in high school. She thinks a degree in this field will benefit her in the increasingly competitive field of freelance artists.

Karen鈥檚 aunt, Connie Ernatt, is an established local sculptor and recently opened a studio in downtown Wichita, where Karen apprenticed last summer. Ernatt is an encouragement, said Nutsch, whose goal is to have a career in the same field.

The transition to college has been smooth for Nutsch. She鈥檚 living in the dorms with a long-time friend and still makes the short drive back home every weekend.

Things are getting back to normal since all the attention has passed. Nutsch said her family has made it through the tough times and come out on the other side stronger and thankful.