The images of the hundreds of blue-shirted volunteers who have flocked to the East 21st Street home of Clara Ward are truly heartening.

The Erie community has certainly come together under the bright lights of “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” to help a neighbor in need. The event has created a spirit and buzz that will certainly make an impact for one of Erie’s unsung heroes.

Even better, Grace Church has mustered a small army of volunteers to complete smaller home-improvement projects in the east side neighborhood surrounding Ward’s home.

But for all of the hoopla, part of me wonders where all of these people were before the TV cameras rolled into town.

There are hundreds of homes on Erie’s east side that have fallen into disrepair. Hundreds of families with limited resources who could have used a jump start in rebuilding their neighborhood. Dozens of public parks and vacant lots that have gotten almost no attention for decades.

We’ve addressed this problem on this blog in the past.

We’ve seen community leaders such as Gary Horton speak up about the neglect on the east side.

Perhaps all Erie needed was a catalyst. And perhaps TV personality Ty Pennington and his bullhorn can rally the community in ways that Erie’s home grown leaders have been unable to in the past.

My fear, though, is that once the cameras leave town, all of the volunteers will go back to their daily lives with warm memories of this experience.

And that will be it.

My hope is that someone who is truly invested in Erie will instead pick up the bullhorn and rally this army of kind-hearted people to continue what’s been started.

My hope is that we’ll see an influx of energy into the east side that will boost the spirit of those who live there and improve its value.

It sounds a bit pie-in-the-sky, for sure.

But the producers of Extreme Makeover are selling a package filled with hope and warm feelings. They are selling the idea that they can inspire change and improve lives.

Unfortunately, the show will soon move on to another city — creating the same wave of energy and excitement for another family with another compelling story.

When that happens, it will be up to those left behind to continue this work.

Otherwise, Erie will have little to show for this spectacle.