Make a Difference Day - do you want to?

This Saturday, Sept. 26, is Make a Difference Day nationwide. Many organizations around Middle Tennessee have organized opportunities for those ready and willing to do just that.
You can be one of more than 1,000 volunteers for Hands On Nashville Day, the community's largest day of service to Metro Nashville Public Schools. Last year 1,400 participants gave a total of 6,000 hours – the largest effort ever. Fifty-five Metro schools have requested volunteers this year.
Painting hallways, wood trim, and wooden bleachers are some of the projects high on schools’ priority lists. Cane Ridge High School has a great project that can involve an entire family. Volunteers will clear the school’s soccer field of rocks, making it safe for the players. Other opportunities include pressure washing windows, general cleaning, bleacher repair, and landscaping. A list of projects is available by clicking here or visit their website at www.hon.org.
Closer by, "Mixins 'n Fixins" will be held at the Elks Lodge, #72 at 485 Oak Meadow Drive in Franklin on Sept. 25. The event, which starts at 6:30 pm., features a barbecue dinner, entertainment, silent auction, door prizes and dancing. Tickets are $25, and all proceeds will be divided between Graceworks Ministries and Meals on Wheels.
Graceworks is an ecumenical, nonprofit ministry funded primarily by Williamson County churches, individuals, businesses, civic group and the Graceworks Thrift Store. Graceworks helps 7000 people in our community every year and has served over 100,000 people since its opening in 1995. At Christmas alone, 750 families are reached by this organization.
Graceworks has seen a 66 percent increase in the number of requests in the first six months of 2009 compared to 2008.
An ongoing need is food for the food pantry and donations to the thrift store, proceeds from which provide a large percentage of the Graceworks’ funding. So, if you are cleaning out the garage this weekend, remember Graceworks.
Also this weekend is Safe Haven Family Shelter’s fifth annual Hike for the Homeless at Edwin Warner Park. Walkers will meet at picnic shelter No. 9. Choose from two easy rated paved trails varying in length from 2.8-3.1 miles. Trails accommodate dogs and strollers, so bring the whole family!
Register to hike as an individual or a team – dog teams welcome! Enjoy food, games, inflatables and more all in support of homeless families in Middle Tennessee. See their website for more information at http://hikeforthehomeless.kintera.org.
Kelly Gilfillan is co-founder of Brentwood Home Page. Her passion is community service and mission work and hopes that through this column, others may seek to do good in the community. Contact her at kelly@brentwoodhomepage.com.

Lots of Opportunities - Something for Everyone!

Lots of Opportunities:

American Red Cross Blood Drive at Brentwood United Methodist Church on Sunday, August 9 from 7:30 am to 12:30 pm. The goal is 60 units of blood. To reduce your wait time, we encourage you to arrive before 9:00 am or after 11 am.

Better Decisions: A Rewarding Volunteer Opportunity for Women is a non-profit organization that teaches decision making skills to inmates at the TN Prison for Women. Many BUMC women have experienced first hand the satisfaction that comes from mentoring an incarcerated woman throughout the 8-week program. Volunteer training - September 12-13 (9-4 on Saturday, 1-5 on Sunday). One hour weekly meeting with your inmate partner - September 22 thru November 22. Graduation - November 16. Register online at www.betterdecisions.org. Deadline is August 15. For more information, contact Program Director, Kathy Masulis at betterdecisions@comcast.net or 832-8327.

Safe Haven Family Shelter's 5th Annual Hike for the Homeless: Saturday, September 26 at the Edwin Warner Park Picnic Shelters 9 & 11. Cost: $22/advance; $27 day of event. Kids 10 and under free. Two paved trails, inflatables, games and more. Breakfast, lunch and a T-shirt included with every paid entry. Hike Registration at 9:00 am with hike starting at 10 am. Register online at www.safehaven.org .

Graceworks Pantry is in critical need of staple food items. Needed items are powdered and evaporated milk, pasta and rice, tomato products, crackers, jelly, jello, cereal, oatmeal, canned meats, tea, coffee, hot chocolate mix, pancake mix and syrup, dried beans, condiments, bottled juices, feminine hygiene products, diapers, paper towels, soap, toothpaste, lotion, shampoo, laundry and dish detergent, cleaning products.

More tomorrow!!!

Funny Summer Traveling Story from Montana

From a dear friend's daughter who was traveling from Montana home to Maryland:
Yeah, the bat in the purse is pretty funny. Here’s the full story: I’m on the plane, getting ready for take-off, and hear a chirping noise from my purse as I’m shoving it under the seat in front of me. I hold the purse up to my ear, thinking it might be my new phone – but phone was turned off so nope, not it. I open the purse and the chirping gets louder – and now I think I have a cricket in my purse. At this point I hold my OPENED purse up to the lady seated next to me and ask her if she hears the chirping, and she says she does (can you imagine the scenario had the bat then flapped out of my purse at that moment?!?!). So I start rifling through my purse looking for a cricket and I have to start taking things out b/c my purse if black and it’s dark and I can’t see anything. I suddenly see a movement and think to myself, “whoa, that’s one big cricket” and I take one more thing out (at this point I’ve risked a bat bite about 10-12 times the entire morning without ever realizing it). I look closer into my purse for this giant cricket and the bat decides to spread its wings – now that it has room to do so – and that was the moment of shock when I realized there was AN ALIVE medium-sized BAT in my lap! I believe I yelped and said “Oh my God, I have a bat in my purse!” and I slammed my purse shut. Heads turned and I remember looking around and having the very fleeting, very naughty, and very ridiculous thought of shaking my purse out right then and there and seeing what would happen if my stowaway started flapping around the cabin and what my fellow passengers would do. (Like I said, it was a fleeting thought…) Anyway, people start murmuring “what”, “did she say bat”, etc. I start looking around and wondering what the heck to do and I’m sure I was mumbling stupidly at this point about having a live bat in my purse – and I probably had this slightly panicked look on my face because people around me start getting wide-eyed as they realized what the deal was. I press the button for an attendant but since stragglers were still getting on the plane she couldn’t get to me very quickly so I decide I need to be proactive and go dump the bat outside the plane while I still had the chance. I remember shoving this guy out of my way and holding the purse to my chest very tightly as I try to get to the front of the plane. At this point I think I must have started freaking some people out and I remember thinking “what if they think I have a bomb and jump me?” so I started saying something like “it’s just a bat” and “there’s a live bat in my purse”…which I guess to some people isn’t that much better of an option, judging by their reactions! I finally get to the front of the plane and stand over the crack between the plane and the gate ramp and start shaking my purse upside down trying to dislodge the poor bat…who at this point was determined to hang on for dear life and was probably having a heart attack. I finally get the thing out but nowhere near the crack and the flight attendant makes to kick it, but I stop her (thinking she was going to stomp on it) and take a pen and scoot it to the crack. Now I think – gravity will help it fly, but unfortunately it falls to the ground. At this point, we’re supposed to shutting the door to the plane and I realize I left Brendan and my entire purse contents at the back of the plane, so I go back - and yes, everyone is staring all bug-eyed and several people ask me if I really had a bat, and Bob is laughing thinking it’s hilarious. (Natalie said that the flight attendant ended up going down to the tarmac and scooping the bat into a cup and showing it around.) The cutest was the little boy who sat across from my row who started asking me these questions about what it looked like and something about it biting me, etc – he was fascinated.

So that’s my story!! Happy reading!

Summer Vacations are relaxing right?

Last week was an interesting trip outside the Brentwood bubble. After a whirlwind trip to Los Angeles, I am reflecting on how vacations change as your family grows up. Since we had our first child, we lived away from our family for eleven years. As my husband's career grew, so did our number of moves. That is the case for many families these days; move to get ahead.

Six states later, we moved back home to Brentwood. Our plan of staying with Nashville-based healthcare companies worked and we were back home with all of the grandparents, aunt, uncles and cousins. But all those years we lived away from home, our vacations were to our hometown of Brentwood or meeting the whole gang at the beach in Fort Morgan, Alabama. We were always taking those few precious vacation days to see our families.

Now, we have been home for nearing eight years, the kids are all teenagers and and our vacations are away from home. We are blessed to see our families on a regular basis so we are more free to explore. We started going skiing every year after Christmas. We started tying family vacations in and around cities that had soccer tournaments, volleyball tournaments, and in the last two years, colleges that were on the short list. College visits alone have taken us to Chicago, Winston Salem, Greenville, Knoxville, and Ohio. We have been on mission trips together to New Orleans, Juarez, Mexico and the girls went to Biloxi, Mississippi. Our before mentioned oldest child went to Europe with a school group two springs ago. We grow and evolve but one thing has stayed the same. Our family loves to travel and be together, no matter what the destination or the activity.

This last vacation to visit friends in Hermosa Beach, California, we tried to do it all. We hit the beach, we rode bikes on the famous beach cities strand, we went to a theme park, we went on the ocean in a boat, we toured Warner Brothers Studio, watched our beloved sunsets and we enjoyed the July 4 fireworks. Our first day on the beach provided a special moment as the dolphins came very close in to shore and were sufing the waves. Our family was thrilled to see such a rare sight and knew we were privileged to witness the beauty of nature. All of it wore us completely out, but it was so great because we were together.

Most strangely, we took a detour around a wreck on Los Angeles' 405 and ended up passing Michael Jackson's funeral motorcade, hearse and all, on their way to the Staple Center for his memorial. Later, we again passed the family in Beverly Hills following their family luncheon. As weird it was to run into the Jackson family unintentionally twice in one day, it did give me pause to reflect on my own children. MJ's kids are going to miss their dad and will have no more family moments with him. I am grateful for each and every day with them, vacation or not. I do love what great travelers they are and I hope they continue to explore the world, even if they need a weeks rest after each vacation.

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/

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.

Helping Williamson County Youth Succeed

From the United Way:

June 21 is the longest day of the year. What will you do to make the most of this special day? With all those hours of daylight, United Way of Williamson County would like to invite you to be a part of a collection drive to help youth in our community succeed.

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

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/

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:

http://www.howitends.com/

http://www.invisiblechildren.com/

http://www.resolveuganda.org/

http://www.allafrica.com/

Invisible Children

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.

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/

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.

We hiked Jackson Falls and Fall Hollow

Seven of us dodged all the storms yesterday and hiked two Natchez Trace waterfall trails. Knowing my brother-in-law, Ken, would be accompanying us yesterday, I checked in with the Natchez Trace park rangers of Leiper's Fork and they were extremely helpful with information about handicap-accessible trails. We also used the great directions from http://www.nps.gov/ website.
The kids loved the hike down to Jackson Falls but admitted the return trip up was very steep. The trail was paved for the most part so Ken could have easily have made the trip down, but coming back up was our problem. There were picnic tables and a shelter with accessible bathrooms. On the other side of the parking lot was a 1/3 mile trail leading to Bakers Bluff which provided an interesting view of a conservation-friendly working farm. This is also found as its own stop along the Natchez Trace.
Ten miles further south, all of us hiked in to see the Fall Hollow waterfall. The kids took off down the trail while Ken, Kendall and I strolled and enjoyed the scenery from the paved and bridged trail. The creek flows along flat rocks curving through the spring green of the forest. It reminded me of a famous waterfall in Ireland that I visited two years ago.
The paved trail led to a platform overlooking the waterfall where you could rest and see others hiking the steeper part of the trail. Kendall stayed with Ken this time so I could hike with the rest of the family. There are actually two waterfalls to view on this trail. At both falls you can actually walk in to the slippery area behind the waterfall. Great picture and video opportunities for the kids until my niece, Sarah Catherine, took a tumble. She was fine though!
Beautiful is the best word to describe the waterfalls and Fall Hollow was great for those who might not be able to access the entire trail. I hope to return soon and see the fifteen other stops we drove right by to get to the falls. We're so typical of a busy family that doesn't take advantage of the fantastic local tourism opportunities in our own back yard. I am going to make a big effort this summer to get outside this bubble and see middle Tennessee!

Natchez Trace Jackson Falls a site to see

Well, I have graduated my first child and the hectic holiday/graduation weekend is over. Looking forward to summer, I will be writing about many volunteer opportunities over the summer, but I also will time to time write about ideas for travel and summer fun outside the Brentwood bubble. My friend, Jackie, recently recommended Jackson Falls off the Natchez Trail and so I've looked into the idea. I am ready to pack a picnic and hike it tomorrow. It sounds like a great half day trip and I hope to take my nephew there tomorrow before he makes the flight back north to Rhode Island.

Jackson Falls is named for one of Tennessee's three presidents, Andrew Jackson, who was known to have traveled the Natchez Trace himself five times. The Natchez Trace is an ancient Indian trail that was later used as a return trip north from Natchez, MS by boaters who brought goods south on the Mississippi river. In the early 1800s, the invention of steamboats made travel upriver possible and the traffic on the trail greatly reduced.

Southpoint.com Travel Guide states about the falls, "If you only see one waterfall on the (Natchez Trace) Parkway make it Jackson Falls, mile 404. The parking area offers one of the nicest overlooks on the Trace. An old barn crests a distant hill and if you’re lucky the farmer may be plowing his fields. A steep, paved trail leads to Jackson Falls which is actually two cascades. On the uppermost and largest falls tumbles down a steep cliff in an unusual fashion while the lower falls is a more traditional tumble."

Miles are marked on the Natchez Trace by wooden posts so that you can easily find the sites along the way. Many more suggested sites can by found within ten miles either side of Jackson Falls including an old tobacco farm (401.4) and a campground/picnic site that houses the Meriweather Lewis gravesite (385.9).

The rest stop is approximately 50 miles West from Nashville's I-40 near Shady Grove, TN. It does have a pathed walkway and should be accessible to most children and adults. According to The Guide to the Natchez Trace Parkway by F. Lynne Bachleda, "The at-most ten minute hike to Jackson Falls is paved, bridged, and stepped down to the falls themselves, which makes it fairly easy."

Personally, I will enter the Natchez Trace from Highway 100 and it won't be as far for those of already in Williamson County. Hope this fantastic weather holds so we can hit the trail.

Happy Summer to all!

Shepherd Center Rebuilding Lives

Tuesday night at the Loew's Vanderbilt in Nashville was an alumni reception for Shepherd Center, a catastrophic care hospital in Atlanta, Georgia, which is consistently name in U.S. News America's Best Hospitals. Shepherd Center serves patients from all over the United States due to its reputation of excellent care. Shepherd Center specializes in medical treatment, research and rehabilitation for people with spinal cord injuries, acquired brain injuries, multiple sclerosis, chronic pain and other neurological conditions. One of the recognizable smiling faces in the crowd was Amy Hawkins, the tornado victim who saved her two sons lives by laying on top of them during the storm. Hawkins story really touched a lot of people through local media, but her story became national news when Extreme Home Makeover rebuilt their home.

My family became familiar with and indebted to this instituation starting May 1, 2008. My brother-in-law, Ken Gilfillan, fell during a routine roof leak inspection on March 14. He fell 25 feet and landed on his head causing a traumatic brain injury and many other spinal and bone fractures. After having expert care at Vanderbilt Medical Center's Trauma Unit, he was cared for at Stallworth Rehabilitation at Vanderbilt and re-entered Vanderbilt Medical Center for surgery on his spine. We were thrilled when our case manager referred us to Debbie, the Shepherd Center patient liasion. Within days of Ken's neck surgery, we were accepted to Shepherd.

On May 1, I sent Ken flying off in a small medical air ambulance to Atlanta where my husband and his parents were awaiting his arrival at Shepherd. Five long months of incredible treatment and days and days of miracles occurred at the facility as Ken worked his way back to the daily functions of life. Watching someone you love re-learn how to perform involuntary functions such as swallowing, chewing, and drinking can be exhausting. It is also an inspiration to see therapists, nurses, and doctors all working together to help your family member regain their life. The extreme effort that goes in to each patient is powerful.

So, back to the reception. It wasn't anything most of us would picture as an alumni reunion. There were no cheerleaders, college sweatshirts, or football game talk. Most of the room was filled with former patients and their families. Some patients were in wheelchairs, some on crutches, some using canes and miraculously walking across the room to shake their doctor's hand. That would be Ken. For those of on two legs, it was an obstacle course and it was one we were thrilled to navigate.

All of the injuries were different and all the recoveries were at different levels. The one common theme of all these people was the joy of life that showed on their faces. They knew this institution had brought them back to life and they were there to say thank you. The doctors were emotionally overwhelmed as patients reached out to touch them, hugged them and loved them. Someone who had not been to Shepherd Center might be shocked walking in and seeing all of the physical disability. But it wouldn't take long for anyone to see the blessings and miracles that have taken place. Read about some of these miracles on their website patient stories page: http://www.shepherd.org/home/profiles.asp .

Much of the success of Shepherd's program has been made possible by the hundreds of individuals, families and corporations that have helped support their mission over the years. In fact, alumni are very generous and anxious to give back to Shepherd. In fact, we benefited from this generosity ourselves. When Ken's insurance ran out for his rehabilitation, Shepherd stepped in and provided Ken a scholarship so he could physically be ready to return home. If you'd like to support this institution, check out their website at http://www.shepherd.org/ and see how you can help.

Food Donations needed for "Feed Our Future"

From a BHS Student:
May 15, 2009
Dear Parents and Students,
My name is Victoria Calton and I am a YAC leader at Brentwood High School (YAC is the Youth Advisory Council sponsored by United Way). I am currently working with the United Way, the Williamson County Boys and Girls Club, and the Second Harvest Food Bank in a fight against hunger. I have recently met with the Director of the Franklin Boys and Girls Club and learned that there is a need for nutritious food packs for children during the summer. These children typically rely on free school lunches for their main source of nutrition during the day; however, there isn’t a guaranteed source of nutrition for these same children during the summer months when they are not in school. I am starting a program this summer to address this need in our community—a program I am calling “Feed our Future” and will start by providing weekly snack packs of nutritious staples for at-risk children in our community. These will be delivered in partnership with the Boys and Girls Club in Franklin.
Approximately 90 percent of the children (averaging ages 6-12) who attend the Franklin Boys and Girls Club are from single-parent homes and are at or below the national poverty level. These children need our help and I am asking you to help me by providing donations, so that I can deliver these items as part of a weekend snack pack. I am expected to deliver on average 30 meals per week to the Boys and Girls Club throughout the summer and will distribute these items in one-gallon baggies. A typical baggie will contain fruit juice, dry cereal, non refrigerated milk, crackers, small servings of peanut butter, applesauce, beans and franks, and other high protein and nutritious non-perishable items.
In order to have plenty of each item, I am asking for specific donations from each group:
· Classes of 2009 and 2010: juice boxes
· Classes of 2011 and 2012: single serving apple sauces and fruit cups
· Faculty and others: single serving cans of beans and franks or Vienna sausages (with pop top, please)

I know this is short notice, but I am asking for donations (food or financial) during the last week of school and at any time throughout the summer. I will begin assembling and donating snack pack weekend meals during the week of June 1st. You can drop off items at Dr. Calton’s office at Brentwood High School. You may also email or call me to make arrangements for pick up.
This is a difficult time for everyone, but especially for those in need. Please help me fight hunger and Feed our Future…these children really need our help and a case of fruit juice or protein-packed serving of food can go a long way. Please call me if you have any questions or if you would like to learn more about snack pack meals for this program during the summer…..

Thank you for your generosity and participating in Feed our Future!
Victoria Calton (972-3809, 309-8341 or 776-2513)
victoriacalton@aol.com

Against the Grain in Franklin Doing Good Works

• There are 12,129 single mothers in Middle Tennessee


• 5,721 have pre-school children


• 4,730 are unemployed


• 4,914 do not have a high school diploma


• 7,277 are below the poverty level

Do the above facts surprise you? A statement from the Against the Grain website, "That doesn't sound like much of a life does it? But that is the reality for thousands of single mothers in Middle Tennessee and they are begging for a way out. . . begging for dignity and a hope for their children."

Rob and Meredith Kendall at Against the Grain in Franklin, TN are on a mission to empower single mothers to become self-sufficient, knowledgeable, productive members of society. Their vision includes specific goals that include making a greater impact in Williamson County and expanding their work in to Middle Tennessee, opening offices in other areas of the country, and developing a residential community specifically for single mothers where their families can live while the mother going through Against the Grain training. AtG goes one step further by wanting to position themselves to help these mothers move toward home ownership after the AtG training is complete.

For single mothers, there is hope for their family by joining the 180 program. Taking part in the program is a two-year commitment of group and individual training. The program is designed to break the family cycle of dependence on governmental programs that provide food and shelter for the families. The participants take classes such as Budgeting 101, self esteem classes, Purpose Driven Life, and two six-week parenting classes. This part of the training involves a life-coach for each participant and lasts one year. The second year continues to include the help of a life-coach and the mother works to implement all the tools she learned through the program. AtG and the life-coach assist her with implementation of her customized plan and provide her accountability measures.

In April, five mothers graduated from the first year of the program and will spend the next year taking classes every other week and will continue working with their mentors. On the AtG website, one mother quoted, "As I came to class and met all the other mothers that had stuff going on in their life almost the same as mine it made me open up and stay focused. Now I rate my self esteem a 10+++. I have to thank the 180 program for my help they inspired me that there was life at the end of my tunnel."

To help reach their goals of helping these single mothers, AtG conducted two fundraisers last week. On May 7, they conducted a Golf Scramble at the Vanderbilt Legends Golf Club where teams could play for $600. The weather was a big worry as to whether the event would occur, but the weather cleared and the tournament was a success. On Mother's Day, May 10, there was a Walk-a-Thon where the weather was not so cooperative. Walkers showed up to support AtG but lightning thwarted the walk after two hours.

In talking to Rob Kendall, I have learned that giving is down 32% this year for AtG. The fundraisers went well but not as well as the past few years. Individual donations from our monthly giving partners is down as well as our one time gifts. Realizing this is probably typical of non-profits this year, Rob still hopes gifts will continue to come in to AtG.

Against the Grain could use your support in several different ways. There is a donation page on their website http://www.atghope.org/ and another very simple way to support AtG is to make your homepage goodsearch.com. This is a search engine that is powered by Yahoo and has commited to give a penny to AtG for every search done with AtG as the selected charity. Instructions on how to do this are also on the AtG website.

Here is a list of items that are needed.

Wal Mart gift cards ($25 increments)

Gas gift cards ($25 increments)

Reliable Car for Single Mom

Land for Single Mothers Community

Volunteer Office Help

Babysitters for Thursday and Saturday morning classes

If you would like to donate any of these items please contact Meredith at 791-7885 or email info@atghope.org .

To read more about the Kendalls and how they came to work on this mission for single mothers, go to http://atghope.org/?page_id=34 and see the miracle of their story.

Safe Haven Benefits from Concert and Frist Exhibition

Frist Center is really supporting the Safe Haven Family Center this spring and summer. Right now, the Safe Haven has on display photographs taken by parents and children of the families who have participated and benefited from their shelter. The photos will be part of an exhibition, Seeing Ourselves: Photographs of Safe Haven, and is available until August 3rd. The exhibit features 22 photographs taken during a workshop led by Frist staff, Nicky Nash and photographer Alan Clark.

Furthermore, the exhibit will be displayed when the summer series, Frist Fridays, kicks off on May 29. Danielle Peck, an avid supporter of Safe Haven, will perform live in the Turner Courtyard from 6-9pm. This is a great opportunity for Safe Haven to gain awareness about their mission as this concert series brings visitors from all over Middle Tennessee.

Another concert by Peck on March 30th at the Mercy Lounge, serving as a fundraiser for Safe Haven, was a great success. According to their website, "The concert included performances by: Danielle, Halfway to Hazard, Whiskey Falls, Trailer Choir, and Tayla Lynn & The Girls. The event garnered over$10,000 in support for homeless families."

Peck serves on The Celebrity Council which she helped form in 2007 in conjunction with the Safe Haven staff. Surprised at the lack of support for this homeless shelter, she began performing benefit concerts for their cause in February of 2007. According to their website, the council is designed to maximize community awareness and demonstrate the true compassion of performing artists. Country artists such as Martina McBride and Keith Anderson are also avid supporters of the cause.

Would you like to check it out and see if your heart leads you to this ministry? Check out their website at: http://www.safehaven.org/ and you will see many volunteer opportunities including meal preparation and serving, a children's arts program, and childcare opportunities.

The Frist Fridays series, in its seventh year, will be every last Friday of the Month through July. Patrons can enjoy an evening of live music, light snacks and beverages as well as visit the diverse exhibitions on view in the Frist Center’s galleries.Frist Fridays takes place rain or shine.

Brentwood's Own Extreme Home Makeover

Brentwood Baptist sent over 800 members out on a Great Day of Service to 40 different locations. One of the groups decided to provide their own Extreme Home Makeover. The recipient of their good work was a single mom with three boys, one of the boys being autistic. There was only one problem with the project - RAIN.
The group leader, Lisa, said, "I was praying really hard for God to be merciful and stop the rain." With over 100 people ready to work on the home, the rain did stop on Saturday. However, the makeover began on a Wednesday with two people moving out their furniture followed by a Thursday of painting the hallway and ceiling. Groups of volunteers took on one room each. Their duties were to find donated furnishings for this room and then complete the task of making over the room.
Lisa said, "There were people painting in every room, outside spray painting furniture, men demoing the upstairs bathroom and deck, about forty people outside pulling weeds, making new flower beds, trimming bushes, and mowing the yard."
By the end of Saturday, they had only a few tasks left. The master bedroom and bathroom needed a few last touches from their overhaul. Draperies still needed to be finished and hung in the family room. These final touches were finished on Sunday and then the group provided a complete cleaning of the house.
"It went from a house to a home in 48 hours." Lisa said. "The boys, who were at their dad's, came home at 7:30 pm on Sunday and a group of people came to do an extreme home makover-style 'move that bus' yell and we led them on a tour with my husband acting like Ty."
The tour was a success and the family was blown away by their room. The smallest boy said to his mother, "This is paradise."
"It was the most rewarding project that I have ever worked on and I am scheming on the next one for September," said Lisa.
Well done, good and faithful servants!

To see a great video slideshow of the day, go to http://kigerphotography.shutterfly.com/
and click on "Great Day of Service." Look at the smiles on their faces...don't you want to feel that good? For more information on what Great Day of Service is and those we served in our community, go to http://www.brentwoodmission.com/ and check it out.
Background: Lisa Moody is the Drama teacher for Brentwood High School. She and her husband, David, work tirelessly on every BHS production.

Journey to Freedom Through World Relief

World Relief is an organization that performs a multitude of services internationally. Through their sixty years of disaster response, they have learned how to effectively mobilize human and material services to help disaster victims. Maternal and child care in foreign lands can include everything from teaching women to breastfeed to providing mosquito bed netting to prevent malaria. Their battle against AIDS works at a grassroots level through churches in countries like Africa where they teach citizens about the epidemic, teach abstinence and fidelity, and support the victims of the disease.

But here in Nashville, you will see World Relief working with church-based volunteers to help refugees whom are fleeing war or persecution in their homelands. Nationwide, the organization assists over 10,000 refugees each year in adjusting to their new home in America. Volunteers meet the families as they arrive in our city and walk them through the process of setting up a home including setting up a home. But reaching out to the family and being their friend is the most important job of the volunteer. Some refugees will be bewildered by common American items such as child seats and gas stoves.

From the World Relief website: Mary, a Sudanese refugee, says, “When I got off the plane, I was afraid. I did not know anyone. But then I saw many people holding balloons and banners. World Relief workers introduced themselves to me. I was startled by the kind people who greeted me. I knew at that moment that my Christian brothers and sisters would help me start again.”

Volunteers stand at the end of a long journey to America but they are also there for their first steps of freedom in America. Each family must rebuild the most basic parts of their lives. Volunteers can help them find an apartment, find furniture, and even find a job. Language barriers can be terrifying for these families, leaving them feeling helpless in their new home. The open arms of the volunteers provide a much needed friendship from the moment they step off the plane.

One way you, your kids, and your neighbors can help is by making "Welcome Kits" for newly arrived refugee families. There are eight different types of kits: Cleaning, Writing, First Aid, Kitchen, Cooking, Starter Kitchen, Family Hygiene, and Housing. If you would like to help in this area, call 615-833-7735 x222. You can also arrange to drop off the kits at that same number.

World Relief also accepts donations of furniture including couches, loveseats, chairs, tables, beds, cribs and dressers. For housing setup, they need sheets, blankets, towels, lamps, cleaning supplies, alarm clocks, showercurtains, and rugs. Kitchen needs include all dishes, glasses, pots, pans, silverware, knives and trash cans. Miscellaneous donation ideas include Kroger gift cards, Sam's gift cards, phone cards, baby items, first aid kits, and even automobiles.

Right now the Nashville office of World Relief is looking for a Refugee Resettlement Intern.
To obtain a description of or apply for any of the Nashville opportunities, please contact Deanna Dolan for more information at ddolan@wr.org.

Updates on Things Past - Exciting Things Happening!

Harvest Hands moved in to their new location on Humphreys Street. There is still a bit of work to do on both floors. Once the flooring is installed in the basement, there will a lot more space upstairs for the kids. Two more weeks of after-school program will wrap up the school year. Randy, the after-school program director looks forward to the summer program which will take place Monday through Friday, 1 to 5 p.m. If you would like to help out this summer, contact Randy at randy@harvesthandscdc.com . Our first neighborhood lunch at the new location will take place Monday, May 11. I'll be there! For more info: http://www.harvesthandscdc.com/

Rock the Chains Battle of the Bands Benefit Concert was a huge success. The event raised $7,500 for the International Justice Mission's new building in Nashville that will house recently rescued slavery victims. Kelsie Overton, a Brentwood High School senior, was just as excited that all 500 participants took a seat at intermission and heard the facts about modern day slavery. Around 166 letters were written to senators and congressman asking them to make themselves aware of this problem and take a stand against this horrible epidemic. This is a real problem and it's right here in Nashville. Kelsie passes the reigns to Kendall Gilfillan next year and she has some big shoes to fill!

The top three bands were 1) Philadelphia Project, 2) American Underground, and 3) Don't Tell Haley. The first two bands will perform at Rocket Town and the third band will perform at Borders Bookstore Cafe. Great job abolitionists!

Update on 50,000 Pairs in 50 Days: The Soles 4 Souls shoe drive by the JulianSmith.tv campaign. Their website indicates they have 14,416 pairs of shoes donated with only sixteen days left in the campaign. Check out their site and make a difference: http://www.50000shoes.com/index.html .

Update on Not Your Average Garage Sale: My friend Jackie and some of her friends held a garage sale to raise money for sending care packages to African children in preparation for their winter. Jackie says, "We made $1000.00 for missions. I have $500.00 for South Africa and sent $500.00 to Harvest Hands. It was worth the work, for sure!" Well done, my friends!

Be the Change - Greater Nashville Circle of Change

Beth Younginer of Brentwood has really stepped "outside the bubble" in the last year and a half. Summer of 2007, Beth became aware of the Circle of Change Challenge Day project and jumped in with both feet. A great informational event happens Thursday, May 7 which will undoubtedly change lives (see more below). The website of this organization quotes, "Imagine a school where a child feels safe, loved, and celebrated where bullying, violence and other forms of oppression are things of the past. This is the work of Challenge Day." Many of you may be familiar with this program through its national exposure on Oprah and other talk shows.

Beth has worked diligently since last spring to bring this concept to our Williamson County schools contacting principals, vice principals and every active volunteer she could find to spread the word. The first Challenge Day in Williamson County was at Centennial High School at the end of last school year. The principal was overwhelmed with the results and truly believed it would change her school.

Brentwood Middle School students signed up over the summer for their first challenge day and it was held at the beginning of the school year. My eighth grade daughter participated and is still talking about how it changed her perspective on all other students at school. Freshman at Brentwood High School soon followed and had their first Challenge Day late fall of 2008. Woodland Middle School and Ravenwood High School followed suit and now over 2,000 Williamson County students have been through this program. Beth says, "It's truly a God thing. I was new to the area and didn't know anyone, but it just keep going. I hope to double that number of kids in the next year."

What happens at a Challenge Day? The kids start out having fun and presented with a set of challenges. They work on getting more and more real. Each student sees the insecurity and vulnerability of all those around you. Beth explains, "We ask them to say, "If you really knew me..." and then let people get real in this safe environment. You begin to see people through the eyes of truth." They realize that in their awkward teenage self-concerned world, they don't always see the truth around them. The more people feel connected, the less likely they are to hurt each other. The experience can be gut-wrenching, liberating and supportive. You should check out their video on YouTube because I'm not sure I can put in to words what actually happens. Anything said would seem like an exaggeration, but when you see the video you understand. Take the time to watch this video, on their website: http://www.challengeday.org/ and go to the video excerpt from "Surviving High School."

Beth would like to see all of the greater Nashville area take advantage of this life-changing program. "We need to have a Be the Change Circle at each school made up of students, parents, and faculty," noted Beth. Circles of Change are groups of dedicated Challenge Day supporters who work together to promote and support local Be the Change School Teams. Circles of Change members are committed to living, funding, and supporting the principles of the Be the Change Movement. "It's about accepting people for who they are," says Beth. If you want to learn more, there is a meeting TOMORROW! Contact Beth Younginer immediately if you would like to attend at bethyounginer@comcast.net and here is the meeting info:

Greater Nashville Circle of Change
Thursday May 7, 2009
6:30-8:30 p.m.
Fellowship Bible Church
1210 Franklin Rd.
Brentwood, TN
Learning Center Room 205 (building straight ahead on right when entering from Franklin Rd.)

Check them out on Facebook: http://apps.facebook.com/causes/120385

Miriam's Promise - Making Families

"One adoption won't change the world, but it will change the world for that one child" is the idea behind Miriam's Promise, a Nashville-based full-service non-profit agency serving families and children in Middle Tennessee. They are a full-service crisis pregnancy and adoption agency offering free counseling, real choices and open adoption. Miriam's Promise derives their identity of Miriam through the bible story of Moses. Moses sister, Miriam, is a heroine who looks after and protects her infant brother. She works to ensure his safety in a turbulent time when all male babies were in danger. Miriam's Promise trys to do just this and works to ensure the well-being of children before, during and after birth.

Several families I am acquainted with in Brentwood have greatly benefited from Miriam's Promise through the adoption process. These families hold this agency close to their hearts and continue to take an active role in their fundraising efforts in the hopes of helping other families. One board member became involved not through adoption, but in her interest to assist with adoption and hopefully help stop unnecessary abortions. But for whatever reason one might serve this agency, many volunteers are needed to keep this service available. It is a place of hope and peace, and a place where you can watch the miracle of families happen.

Here are several ways you can volunteer:

Miriam's Promise has been extremely blessed by the generosity of many local churches and civic groups. They regularly receive donations of infant clothing and baby care items for our clothing closet. These items are given to our clients and to other organizations that serve young moms. These gifts must be organized into bins by size, sex, and type so that these items can be easily found by counselors. Volunteers who could do this task are needed on a regular basis.

Babysitting for support groups is another way to volunteer. Approximately 16 ongoing support groups occur each year for adoptive families of older children, trans-racial families, waiting families, and birthparents. Many of these families have very small children who need babysitting services during the monthly support group in which their parents are involved.

Miriam's Promise holds two major fundraising events each year. In the spring, they have a dinner, art show, and live auction called Pasta and Promises. The artists selling at this event donate a portion of their proceeds to Miriam's Promise. Volunteer duties include tasks such as logistics, catering, decoration, artist development, silent and live auction, ticket and table sales, and communications.

In the fall, a team Golf Challenge is hosted by Miriam's Promise. For the Golf Challenge, players raise money before the date of the tournament, and then play golf and receive prizes based on how much they raised. Volunteers are vital to make these events a success. Miriam's Promise need help with pre-events, sponsorship development, prize development, catering, and "day-of-event" needs such as registration, golfer relations, beverage cart drivers, and accounting of contributions and pledges.

Volunteers are also needed in specific technical areas such as marketing brochure development, client information systems, and archiving closing records for adoptions. If you would like to know more about helping Miriam's Promise, please check out their website http://www.miriamspromise.org/ and check the "How You Can Help" section. You can also call their office, located at 522 Russell St., at 292-3500.

TWO More Great Things To Do this Weekend

Rock the Chains Battle of the Bands Benefit Concert is tonight, Friday, May 1 at 7pm at Brentwood United Methodist Church. A group of teens from local area high schools have banned together to make this benefit an awareness tool on modern day slavery. These socially active kids consider themselves abolitionists, fighters of slavery. Come learn more about this plague on modern day society. Seven high school bands will be competing for the grand prize of playing at Rockettown. Admission is $10 and very cool tshirts are available for $10. This event will be thoroughly chaperoned, and no attendees will be allowed out of the building. The event ends at 10 p.m. and prompt pickup of teens would be appreciated. Can you read the logo on the right? It says I'm an Abolitionist. Student design too!

Another great event this Saturday could help some of us get back on track after the crazy year. Debbie Smith provides life coaching and spiritual direction for individuals who are seeking guidance related to career, relationships, and spiritual growth and development. Debbie spent 15 years in various financial and business leadership positions prior to starting her practice here in Nashville. Money, Margin & the Meaning of Life is a seminar on how faith informs our decisions about money, time and the future. Money, Margin & the Meaning of Life is a 1 ½ hour interactive workshop that provides a “real- faith-for-real-life” framework for thinking about these important aspects of our life (money, time, future). How does faith in God impact the practical realities of our lives? Does faith mean the absence of anxiety? What does it look like for faith to inform decisions about money, time and our future?Join Debbie for a lively and inspiring morning of connection and conversation on Saturday, May 2, 9:00-10:30 at David-Kidd Booksellers in the Bronte Bistro Café Conference Room. Email Debbie at debbie@debbiesmithcc.com to make a reservation. (Space is limited to the first 40 who register) Cost is $10 per person (payable in cash at workshop sign-in).

Debbie holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration,a Master of Arts in Professional Counseling and is also a Hudson Institute Certified Professional Coach. Debbie is a member of St. Bartholomew's Church.

Check out Susan Leather's blog on all things Brentwood. BrentWord link to the right side of my page.

Harvest Hands Gets Their New Digs

Harvest Hands, a nonprofit Christian Community Development organization in South Nashville, is moving into their new digs. The new location happens to be one of the oldest churches in Nashville, the former Humphreys Street United Methodist Church. Many friends of the program will gather to help the move take place this Saturday, May 2. The new facility will continue to serve the community in much the same way including an after school program, a housing program, Monday neighborhood social lunches, emPOWER sports, celebrate recovery, and creative mentoring businesses. The neighborhood where Harvest Hands is residing is near the Tennessee State Fairgrounds and is known as the Wedgewood Houston area, names for the two streets that make the North and South boundaries. Harvest Hands is just a quick ten-minute drive from our Brentwood Bubble Old Hickory exit.

Currently the after school program serves approximately 20 area children at a small house on Wingrove Street. However, with the new location, Harvest Hands will be expanding those numbers with the upcoming summer program. Each week, the summer program will be open 1-5 pm on Monday through Friday. Groups have been gathering on weekends to turn this old church into a kid-friendly space. The program is looking for volunteers for the summer, everyone from teenagers to the perky senior types are welcome. Contact Randy, the after school program director, if you would like to discuss helping on summer afternoons. You can email him at randy@harvesthandscdc.com and he can provide more information.

The Harvest Hands website states, "We are here to provide opportunities of growth and empowerment to our neighbors in the community. Each of our opportunities are Christ-centered and encourage spiritual growth through relationship with God." And you can see the neighborhood pulling together when you attend one of their Monday lunches. Four groups of people from all over the area have committed to cook once a week for these gatherings. The food is always good and the company is always better. At any given time, you may see four or five different age groups, ethnic and racial backgrounds breaking bread at the table together. People are reaching out to each other and forming bonds that will make this community stronger.

Harvest Hands has made a commitment to go on a journey with all of their neighbors. Their website states, "We are also committed to the empowerment of children, youth and families so that they might become all that God has created them to be." I volunteer with this organization in both of the programs outlined above because I believe we can make a difference. These children and these families could use a helping hand and you have to walk side by side with them and hold their hands. One truly has to invest themselves in a program like Harvest Hands for the organization to make a difference.

Check out their website and see if you might join us on this journey. http://www.harvesthandscdc.com/

Just in message from Courtney Hicks at HH:

We need help packing and moving this Friday and Saturday! We will be packing Friday from 10 am - 12 noon and 1 pm - 3 pm at 432 Wingrove. We will officially move on Saturday beginning at 9 am from 432 Wingrove Ave. to 424 Humphreys St.. If you can help, please let me know! Also, please forward this to anyone you may know who would like to help. Thanks for your commitment to Harvest Hands!!Thanks!!Courtney HicksDirector of Communications & DevelopmentHarvest Hands CDC615.770.2944courtney@harvesthandscdc.com

The 50,000 Pairs in 50 Days Challenge

The 50,000 Pairs in 50 Days Challenge

Soles4Souls • A shoe charity giving shoes to those in need

Soles4Souls • A shoe charity giving shoes to those in need

National Barefoot Week - Just in Time for Summer

Soles4Souls, an international footwear charity based right here in Nashville, is on a mission to impact as many lives as possible with the gift of shoes. Their slogan in fact is "Changing the World One Pair at a Time." Soles4Souls facilitates the donations of shoes, which are used to aid the hurting worldwide. It's a grassroots organization with collections sites in churches, schools, doctor's offices, and retail shoe stores. Just last week, Timberland and Soles4Souls announced a campaign to have collection sites in their stores with customers receiving a 10% discount with a donation.

To facilitate this mission further, Soles4Souls is promoting a National Barefoot Week, June 1-7, 2009. The kickoff for this nationwide event is June 1, which will National Barefoot Day. Actress Scarlett Johanssen, who recently donated 2000 pairs of shoes from her Reebok running line, will be serving as a spokesperson for this event. During this year's Barefoot Week, the charity will also donate more than 325,000 pairs of new sandals to needy people in five cities: New Orleans, Atlanta, Miami, Detroit, and Taylor, Arizona (Indian Reservation). The hope is that through this event, people will become engaged and invested in this charity.

Soles4Souls is taking an environmental approach to the subject also. A quote from their website stated, "A sad fact is that there are 300 million children in the world who have never owned a pair of shoes, while the same number of shoes were tossed into American landfills last year," he said. "We want to give people a reason to clean out their closets and help needy people while reducing the strain on our landfills at the same time," Elsey said.

Soles4Souls website is http://www.giveshoes.org/ and I recommend you check the site before you finish your spring cleaning or next time your clean out your closet.