CELINA — Tears streamed down Tawnia King's face before she even got to the front door of her Celina home.

With dozens of people watching, Ms. King opened the door to a home she barely recognized. A handmade wooden island in her kitchen was replaced by a shimmering granite countertop. The kitchen drawers had been fixed. And air conditioning now piped through the entire house.

Over eight days, more than 200 residents of Celina and various businesses had pitched in to renovate Ms. King's home and paid for it out of their own pockets. The project began as an idea from her Sunday school class, but it quickly mushroomed.

"It just got bigger and bigger," said Choc Christopher, one of the volunteers. "She is just a very special person who has done so much for this community. That is why everyone wanted to give back to her. This was a way to repay her."

Ms. King, 48, moved into the one-story home on Ash Street in 1982. The small city north of Prosper in Collin County has continued to grow, but it still has just 4,850 people and exudes a small-town feel for many.

"This is too neat of a community to leave," Ms. King said. "We have our growing pains, but we have heart here. There is no other place like it."

As a single mother of four, Ms. King left many renovations at her home unfinished as she worked four jobs to support her children.

It was no secret that Ms. King, a Celina High School teacher, could use some help, and early this month, her Sunday school class at the First Baptist Church of Celina came up with the idea to help out, inspired by the ABC show Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. Before long, the project grew to include volunteers from outside the church.

Residents began searching their homes and businesses for bits and pieces that they could donate. Day by day, new items showed up and volunteers quickly installed them while Ms. King stayed with friends.

"This is a very giving town," said Sarah Waller, another volunteer. "It is just how the town is."

On Wednesday evening, Ms. King came to her home for the first time since she left June 17. A school bus blocked her driveway and a swarm of visitors eagerly waited for her to step inside.

Ms. King struggled to find the words.

"This isn't my house," she said. "This is just perfect."