Monday, June 22, 2009

Point of Grace Benefit Concert this Sunday


Local Brentwood woman, Katie Davis, is founder of Amazima Ministries International, (http://www.amazima.org/) a non-profit organization that supports the education of Ugandan children and assists with the adoption of Ugandan orphans. Katie herself has adopted thirteen girls. She has left them in the care of a good friend, and is back from Uganda for five weeks and will speak at a benefit concert this Sunday, June 28 at Fellowship Bible Church.
Katie's journey is an amazing story going back to December 2006 when she visited Uganda. While there, Katie met Pastor Isaac Wagaba who implored her to come teach Kindergarten at his orphanage in Buziika, Uganda, called Canaan Children's Transit Center. In September 2007, Katie returned to Uganda and began teaching. While working with the children, she began to see the hardships of children and families there. There are no public schools in this area, and families financially sacrifice for their children to go to school, but most cannot pay for their children's education. Katie decided to start a sponsorship program where a sponsor could pay $300 per year and provide a student with schooling, school supplies, two hot meals per day, and any minor medical care needed. By December 2008, Katie had successfully seen 150 children through a year of school. On Saturdays, Katie also provided a bible study, a hot meal, and a bath. Most importantly, Katie gave these children fellowship and the knowledge that others do care about their well being. Follow Katie's journey on her blog at http://www.kissesfromkatie.blogspot.com/ and you will be touched at the devotion of this young Brentwood woman.
Katie also works diligently to help children get adopted. The Oatsvall family is attempting to adopt children from Uganda and Katie is speaking at the June 28th benefit concert that will help fund their adoption. Point of Grace is hosting and will perform at this concert. Tickets are $10 at the door. The doors open at 5 and the concert begins at 6. The Oatsvall Team will be selling many items to benefit their ministry including tshirts, homemade flip flops, necklaces, bracelets and hats. The concert will be at Fellowship Bible Church on Franklin Road in Brentwood, Tennessee. See more about the Oatsvall's journey at http://www.oatsvallteam.blogspot.com/

Thursday, June 18, 2009

BHS Senior Collects Old Soccer Uniforms for Needy

A Brentwood High School senior is on a mission this summer to collect presently unused uniforms from past seasons. Here is information from Nick Koltz:

GOT UNIFORMS???
My name is Nick Kolts and I will be a senior at BHS. I have been involved in soccer since I was 4 years old and it has been a big part of my life. I have started an organization called "Y.O.U.", which stands for Your Old Uniforms. I am collecting old soccer uniforms and have a Y.O.U collection box by the welcome desk at the Concord Road and Maryland Farms YMCA. I am distributing them to organizations, both locally and internationally. I want to give back to youth that would love to play but do not have the means to purchase uniforms etc. Especially in this economy, there are many groups that cannot afford to purchase uniforms on their own. I am promoting this with the slogan, "Y.O.U. can make a difference in a child's life".

To date, with the help of the Brentwood Soccer Club and local high schools such as BHS, I have collected over 1000 uniforms. The first donation was recently sent to children in Honduras. More will be sent to an orphanage in Uganda in July and I hope to have some sent with the soldiers of Fort Campbell when they next deploy to Iraq and Afghanistan.

If you have soccer uniforms to donate, please drop them off at the Brentwood Concord Road or Maryland Farms YMCA. If you know of an organization with children who need uniforms, please contact me at cdkolts@aol.com.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Helping Williamson County Youth Succeed

From the United Way:
We are kicking things off with the national Day of Action. Your involvement will help create better lives for children by focusing on improvements in the areas of Education, Income and Health--the building blocks of a good life.
What does this mean?
Income-children who typically rely on the Free and Reduced Lunch Program during the school year, do not have that same reliable source of nutrition once summer arrives. These same kids are not able to come back to school in the fall, fully equipped with the tools needed to learn.
Youth Advisory Council (YAC) of Williamson County Feed our Future
Victoria Calton, a YAC leader, started a project she calls, "Feed our Future," in collaboration with Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle TN, Boys & Girls Club of Franklin/Williamson County and United Way of Williamson County to provide, throughout the summer, weekly snack packs of nutritious foods to at-risk children.

Let's join together with Victoria and the other members of YAC to help kids and support these teens who get involved and make a difference locally!

School Supply Drive
We are kicking off our drive in June in order to collect school supplies for at-risk children so that when school starts back up, these kids will be prepared and ready to learn!

We will be "pacesetters" for the Publix school supply drive that starts with collection bins in each store on July 16th.
A Collaboration of: YAC (Youth Advisory Council), Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle TN, Boys & Girls Club of Franklin/Williamson County, Publix Super Markets and United Way of Williamson County.
What You Can Do: Buy it now!
Purchase any of the suggested items and bring them to our donation station at United Way of Williamson County, Mondays thru Thursdays, 9am-4pm (additional locations will be added soon!)
Food Items Needed:

Small servings of peanut butter
Fruit cups
Applesauce
Beans & franks
Individual cereals
Non-refrigerated milk
Juice boxes
Snack crackers
Gallon size baggies
(to distribute items)

School Items Needed:
Primary school tablets
Notebook paperPencils/Pens Markers/Highlighters
3-ring binders/Pocketfolders
Spiral notebooks (single and 5-subject)
Colored pencils
School glue/glue sticks
Scissors
Rulers
Erasers
Pass It On!
Just think of what we can accomplish if everyone contributed, even just a little. Forward this information to friends and family so they can join in! For more on the mission of the Williamson County United Way chapter, see their website: http://www.uwwc.org/aboutuw.html

Monday, June 15, 2009

Sierra Leone - Sounds pretty doesn't it?

Sierra Leone is a pretty name, like Brentwood, but in fact, it is rated by the United Nations to be the poorest country in the world and it is known as the worst place in the world to live. Think about that. The worst place IN THE WORLD. Can we even imagine that living here in our beautiful American suburb?
Erica and Jason from The Raining Season based in Spring Hill, TN recently spoke at the Leonard's home in Brentwood about their mission of food, shelter and education for families in Sierra Leone, West Africa. Their non-profit organization, The Raining Season, is named for hardships that Sierra Leone's residents suffer during their rain season. They only have two seasons there, rainy and dry. Their website describes the season, "We found that the rainy season is a constant struggle for the people of Sierra Leone. Roads are impassable, labor jobs are difficult to find and disease is rampant due to the stagnant water. malaria and typhoid fever deaths are at their highest peak during this difficult time of the year."
In a 2008 Christmas trip to the region, TRS coincidentally found a group of 80 children living in a facility with no food, water, beds, education or medical care. They were simply trying to visit a little girl who was in the adoption process for another couple in America. What they found was a lot more than they bargained for. Over thirty children were malnourished and in urgent need of medical care. Every child in the operation had not eaten in four days. The TRS members took the sick children to the hospital and found that one child was within two days of death by starvation. Thanks to sponsorship and feeding programs, that child, Festus, is now healthy enough to throw a normal toddler tantrum. Miracles are at work here.
TRS is on an urgent mission to open their own children's home for these 80 children called The Covering in September 2009. They are working diligently to raise all of the funds needed to: lease the building, hire staff and caretakers, and to cover all start-up costs associated with utilities, meals, and medical care. They are even facing the atrocity of children disappearing from the orphanage. Locals believe there is a possibility of human trafficking. To see a video of the orphanage: http://www.therainingseason.org/The_Raining_Season/Gallery.html
You can help by participating at their fundraiser close by at the Legends Golf and Country Club on July 29th at 8 a.m. where teams can register to golf with the proceeds benefiting the new children's home. Details below on their flyer. Contact TRS if you or a team of you and your friends would like to participate in a great day of golf for a good cause. Click on this site to register: https://app.e2ma.net/app/view:Join/signupId:58855/mailingId:1905550/acctId:34631 .
A little history: Erica and Jason first found Sierra Leone while attempting to adopt their daughter five years ago. After discovering their adoption agency was fraudulent, they themselves went to West Africa to adopt their daughter. It took two trips and approximately twelve court appearances, but their persistence paid off with a beautiful daughter. After several years of normal Tennessee life, they just couldn't forget. They remembered all they had seen: the displaced families, the orphaned children, the lack of income. They decided to help one family at a time and that is exactly what they were doing when they found the orphanage. I hope you will take the time to explore their site and see their story through video. Thanks for taking the time to read my site. Peace and blessings!

...ONCE OUR EYES ARE OPENED WE CAN'T PRETEND WE DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. GOD, WHO WEIGHS OUR HEARTS AND KEEPS OUR SOULS, KNOWS THAT WE KNOW, AND HOLDS US RESPONSIBLE TO ACT. -PROVERBS 24:12
Details are on their website for how to donate or sponsor a child. http://www.therainingseason.org/






Friday, June 12, 2009

America's Youth Address the Plight of Ugandan Children


On June 22 and 23, there will be a lobbying event in Washington D.C. that addresses the atrocious situation facing the Ugandan region and all of its children. The rally has been titled "How it Ends" and the tagline is "It's time for Africa's longest running war to be over, and this is how it ends." Backed by thousands of people, celebrities and politicians alike are showing up to lobby on behalf of this cause. The "How it Ends" website states, "The program will include lobbying trainings, VIP speakers, a kick-off rally and will culminate in an unprecedented outpouring of activism on Capitol Hill, with hundreds of meetings taking place between Members of Congress and their constituents."
The youth of America have been banning together as word of the children of Uganda's plight spreads through the schools, churches, and clubs through groups like enough!, Resolve Uganda and Invisible Children. I am most familiar with Invisible Children, a movement that has provided specific materials and instructions on how youth can make a difference. Overnight walks and mock kidnappings demonstrate through our youth the devastating actions of the Lord's Resistance Army in Uganda. Thousands of youth participated in a peaceful "sleep out" last month all over the country. Specifically, they made news by camping outside Oprah's studios and she invited them on the show to share their story.
On March 12, Senator Russ Feingold addressed President Obama and the Senate regarding the Ugandan crisis. His statement began, " Mr. President, I rise today to express my grave concern at the continuing massacres, kidnappings and terror orchestrated by the Lord’s Resistance Army, the LRA, in northeastern Congo and southern Sudan." Feingold's interest and actions regarding this issue go back to 2004 when he authored and Congress passed the Northern Uganda Crisis Response Act. The United States committed to vigorously pursue the end of the war. Negotiations have failed with Lord's Resistance Army leader, Joseph Kony, for over five years. In fact, when Ugandan, Congolese, and South Sudanese armies went on the offensive against the LRA early in 2009, Kony's forces struck back harder killing over 900 people in a two month period. The biggest struggle for most Americans is how Kony is reinforcing his armies - with kidnapped children.
Feingold stated, "We have come a long way in just a few years, thanks especially to young Americans who have become increasingly aware of and outspoken about this horrific situation." My three daughters have been involved in various ways through the Invisible Children organization and it is uplifting to see our children right here in Brentwood striving to make a difference for children halfway around the world. I applaud America's youth. See if you can make a difference or at least make yourself aware of the plight. I feel if it were not for my children and their friends, I might not have known myself about this atrocity.
Websites:

Invisible Children

Thursday, June 11, 2009

Uncorked Concert at Arrington Vineyards with Etta James

What's better in the summer than an outdoor concert? Just heard about a great opportunity right outside our bubble THIS Saturday.
Arrington Vineyards, located on Hwy. 96 not too far off I-65, will be hosting Uncorked, the lawn concert event on June 12 with Etta James and the Roots. Etta James is a two-time Grammy award winner, NARAS Lifetime Achievement and W.C. Handy Blues Foundation honoree, with a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame, Etta James is an artist of genuinely legendary stature.
A pure blues singer, a jazz smoothie, a soulful ripper, Etta James can sing it all. And sing it all she will, along with her Roots Band. A pure blues singer, a jazz smoothie, a soulful ripper, Etta James can sing it all. And sing it all she will, along with her Roots Band.
Arrington Vineyards will be open to the public on show days however when doors open for performances, a concert ticket purchase will be required. Doors will open at 4:00pm for Etta James on June 12. Picnic-fare may be brought to the event, or food and beverage will be available for purchase.
Arrington Vineyards is owned by Kix Brooks of Brooks & Dunn and is the Southeast's premier winery. AV offers free wine tastings daily of our award winning wines. Located 25 minutes south of Nashville. Tickets are on sale now at ticketmaster.com or by calling (800) 745-3000. Day of show tickets must be purchased at Arrington Vineyards. Tickets are $50.00. AV is open Monday - Thursday 11:00am - 8:00pm, Friday and Saturday 11:00am - 9:00pm and Sunday 12:00pm - 6:00pm. For more information, visit Arrington Vineyards.
No coolers or outside alcohol permitted. AV wines will be available for purchase during the concert. To purchase wine by the bottle guests will need to stop at one of the ID check stations, show proof of age and receive a wristband. To purchase or consume wine guests must be 21 years of age or older.
http://www.arringtonvineyards.com/ or call (615) 395-0102. This event is rain or shine.

Friday, June 5, 2009

Live Music in Nashville this Summer

I love Brentwood!! I really do, but I don't understand why I don't take advantage of our beautiful neighbor, Nashville. My husband and I just celebrated our 22nd wedding anniversary and went to The Melting Pot on Second Avenue. The food and atmosphere were great. The downtown area was packed and lots of fun was being had by tourists and locals alike. Every time I visit downtown, I wonder why I don't take the time to visit more often.
Wednesday night, we had a friend come in town from Los Angeles. What did he want to do? Go see live music of course! That's what we all used to do together growing up in Brentwood. We would go all over Nashville hearing music of all genres. The three of us went to see local Franklin boy gone good, Will Hoge. He's one of our family favorites and his 2003 CD, Blackbird on a Lonely Wire, gets a lot of play on our road trips. His brother Josh is also making his way on to local radio Lightning 100.1. It was a fantastic show but the only problem with the evening was our underage teens were feeling left out of the action. http://www.willhoge.com/
Will Hoge and friends will be playing every Wednesday night in June at Twelfth and Porter. It's easy to get to this venue as it is right off the Broadway exit. I encourage you to go check it out and support our local boy as he makes a brave comeback from a terrible vehicular accident.
Another great band my husband and I love is The Long Players. In fact, he will be mad that I have blogged about them because their shows are so well-attended there really isn't room for any more of you. We Long Players fans are very loyal and adoring. This is an ever-changing group of A-list musicians and singers who pick an LP album and play every song on the album for the first set. The second set is usually a compilation of the bands' biggest hits not included on that album. Recently, they have performed Bruce Springsteen's Born to Run, Jimi Hendrix' Are You Experienced, Aretha Franklin's I Never Loved a Man the Way I Loved You, and next will perform Prince's Purple Rain later this summer. My favorite performance was the first time I saw them perform Van Morrison's Moondance and I've been hooked ever since. The success of this band really hinges on the ability of Bill Loyd and his commitment to bring the best artists together for each album. As much as I'm not willing to give up my space on the front row, I encourage you to check them out. http://www.thelongplayers.com/

Monday, June 1, 2009

Youth and Adult Volunteer Opportunities North and South

Against the Grain in Franklin is on the look out for adult volunteers who could mentor a group of ten rising fourth and fifth graders. Please contact Against the Grain at info@atghope.org and check out their website for other volunteer opportunities at http://www.atghope.org/ . My neighbor, Liz, is volunteering at AtG and is really excited about the opportunities! Join her and you will love what volunteering can do for you while you are doing for others. It's a great feeling.

Harvest Hands Community Development is looking for volunteers teens and up to help with the summer program serving kindergarten through middle school age kids. Randy at Harvest Hands says they could use help Monday through Friday from 1pm to 5pm. Fridays are field trip days and are a lot of fun. They especially need help transporting the children every Friday. Last summer, for instance, the children went to the zoo and they were talking about that trip the entire school year. If you could help but not for the whole four hours, Randy said he needs specific help from 2pm to 3pm during the study time so that the children receive more one-on-one mentoring. HH would love to have volunteers commit to one day a week or for specific hours so that the children can look forward to their time with the mentors. Call 259-9900 or email Randy at randy@harvesthandscdc.com for more information.