Extreme Teams Volunteer of the Month - May 2025

Eric Hofschire is the May “Extreme Teams Volunteer of the Month!” When Sandra nominated him, she said “He's just always so happy. I think its kind of contagious and whenever I work with him he’s doing everything with a smile and he’s fun to be around.” Eric is the team leader of the Projects Team, and is a founding member of the Extreme Teams. His hard-working and compassionate spirit is always appreciated on Work Days. On days when Eric is an Extreme Teams volunteer, he can be seen driving the ECM truck, coordinating project completion, and expertly playing dumpster Tetris. Keep reading to hear more from Eric about his volunteer experience with Extreme Community Makeover.

Why did you decide to get involved in Extreme Community Makeover?

Eric has been volunteering with ECM since its inception in 2008. He is an original Extreme Teams member, having joined in the first year of Extreme Teams in 2011. He has been the leader of the Projects Team all 14 years. “I like to be outside and do house projects and yard projects. So it was a combination of my interests and kind of matching my schedule with having a couple of months off in the summer.” Eric is a high school special education teacher, so he is a regular volunteer in the summer, especially on weekday projects in June and July.

The Projects Team is known for driving the truck and filling the dumpster, but they also have other responsibilities. “We get to take the signs at the beginning of the day, so we see the projects before anyone starts on them and then we pick them up the end too. So it's cool to be able to see how much has gotten done. It really is like a tangible before and after.”

What is something unique that you have experienced during a work day?

Eric has spent hundreds of hours volunteering with ECM, but according to him every Work Day brings a new experience. “Even though I've done this for a while, every day is totally genuinely unique.” Among the most memorable experiences for him was volunteering with students from his high school. “I was with that group and the house they were at had a pet pig in the backyard. I think my kids were sophomores and for the next three years that I was with them, they would make references to the pet pig. They told other people about it and they wanted to volunteer. Those are the things that I really enjoy, the things that are completely unpredictable, they are the stories you remember after the fact.”

What is your favorite story about connecting with a community partner, resident, or volunteer?

There are residents in the ECM neighborhoods who call every year to get on the Work Day schedule, and for Eric these are the residents he feels ECM is able to connect with and impact the most. “They always are totally welcoming, totally friendly, always have like a bunch of projects. They can't pay for regular lawn maintenance for regular lawn care. So they appreciate the chance to have volunteers come in. I think like they love the social piece of it, too, just to connect.” The homeowners know the Extreme Teams volunteers and are comfortable getting to know new people. “Just about all the time, you have a connection.”

In your perspective, how do you see Extreme Community Makeover making an impact in Denver neighborhoods?

To Eric, the biggest impact that ECM is making over time is not the projects being completed, it’s the connections that are being made. “I think really from the start the idea was to try and connect people with other neighbors and with the community to give resources. A lot of people will come out of their houses that have conversations, either with us or with the homeowners.  It’s cool to see that relationship, that's what's gonna help people out in the long run. We can get a project done in a day, but that's not necessarily gonna help them long term.” Over time Eric has been able to see the stories of connection from ECM. “It's a way to get some people out of their isolation and connect them to others.”

“It’s cool to make connections and to get people talking.”

“It's hard to believe it's been 14 years. I’ve really enjoyed doing it and at the end of the day when things just click, it's such a cool feeling. This is what we accomplished, in terms of tangible projects, but also with connecting to people, making friends, and having stories that you kind of remember. Those are the things that are great for me.”

Congratulations Eric!

Congratulations to Eric for being ECM’s Extreme Teams Volunteer of the Month! Learn more about how you can also get involved in the Extreme Teams. Check back in June to see who Eric nominated to be Volunteer of the Month!