So we all remember the race for the 2008 presidency. And while there were many lofty questions asked of the Obama’s and their politics, there was really only one query plaguing the minds of women across the United States:
Mrs. Obama, how did you get those arms?
Prominent news rooms such as CBS, the LA Times, AOL News, and the UK’s The Telegraph have written stories as recent as October 2010 covering the First Lady’s biceps. Whatever she does during her workout, it’s become an international obsession. And while some readers might roll their eyes and berate the media for not covering more pressing political issues, come on girls, let’s be honest, who doesn’t want to be able to flex like Wonder Woman?
ABC recently released a statement letting the public know that Mrs. Obama (and her stunning biceps) took some time off from her busy life of politics to help out a needy family in Fayetteville, North Carolina.
Fayetteville and Cumberland County have received national recognition for being one of the best pro-military communities in the United States. It was named by TIME magazine as “America’s Most Pro-Military Town” in 2008 and as one of America’s Most Patriotic Communities by Newsmax magazine’s Peter Greenberg in 2009.
In March of 2009, Mrs. Obama made her first official visit to Fayettville. This was, in fact, the first community the Michelle Obama visited as the First Lady outside of Washington D.C.. Now, over two years later, the First Lady returned to help Fayettville live up to its motto: “Watching over those who watch over us.”
The First Lady appeared on ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition to help build Barbara Marshall a new home where she can run her Steps-N-Stages Jubilee House and continue to help homeless female veterans get back on their feet.
The project was part of Mrs. Obama’s Joining Forces initiative, a campaign geared toward involving all sectors of society in the effort to help out veterans in need. Barbara Marshall herself is a 15-year Navy Veteran who has long been working toward the goal of assisting her fellow soldiers who have also returned home.
After a week’s worth of construction, the Extreme Makeover bus moved last Thursday, unveiling the multiple family house that Mrs. Obama helped to build. According to ABC, Mrs. Obama was particularly involved in the construction of the backyard and greenhouse for Barbara Marshall’s new home.
“She’s very big about Joining Forces,” said Ty Pennington, host of the show, “Which is about taking care of the military families, but she's also about Americans eating healthy [. . .] And so we want to take some of her ideas and give them a green house so they can grow their own produce, help feed the families that are inside the Jubilee house. And maybe even give back to the community.”
While we’ll have to wait for October to see the episode, as of today, Barbara Marshall and the families living with her now have a home. Well done Mrs. Obama, and thank you for putting those amazing arms to good use.
Photo courtesy of the White House. Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy.
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