I love Thanksgiving. It's a perfect complication of the Three F's: family, food, and football. My grandmother makes more food than any one family should ever eat and we don't do the whole "eat in moderation thing." We don't even eat until we're full. We eat until we hate ourselves, then we take a nap, and then we do it again. It's a family tradition.
In honor of the second best day of the year (Christmas being the first), I'm going to share The First Thanksgiving Proclamation, published on November 26, 1789 . May we, all these many years later, remember how blessed we are, not just today, but everyday. No matter how little we may have, as long as we have each other, we have more than we will ever need. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
"Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; and
Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me to recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.
Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enable to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted' for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and, in general, for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us.
And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions; to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have show kindness to us), and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.
Given under my hand, at the city of New York, the third of October,
in the year of our Lord 1789.
(signed) G. Washington"
November 28, 2013
November 24, 2013
Let's Catch Up
Wow, guys! I can't believe it, but November is already almost over. We've had a wild month so far. We've been all over the South in just a few weeks: from the studio to the mountains to Sanford Stadium, down to Jekyll, up to Charlotte and Gatlinburg, and back down to the good ole swamp in time to put up some Christmas decorations, play Michael Bublé's album forty-seven million times, and dig out our stretchy pants for Thanksgiving. I spend the entire summer wishing for the fall, and when it gets here, it flies by! But I'm not complaining; we've had a great time, and we've been able to travel as well as begin the final stages of our first full-length album. Woohoo!
We got to do some work with Lewis and Raulerson and Friendly Express, a group of wonderful people we love dearly! We were so honored to be included in both the annual Charity Golf Tournament and the first annual Friendly Express Family Turkey Run! We had a great time, and our brother Braeden ate a grand total and a personal record of 9 of Mr. Terry's jumbo grilled chicken wings. The golf tournament raised a record amount of funds to be distributed to several grassroots charities in and around the area, and the Turkey Run was a hoot (or should I say a gobble?)! We're looking forward to next year's golf tournament and race. I've added some pictures from both the tournament and the race, as well as the Lewis and Raulerson family wearing their "Feeding Families on Friday" shirts. Remember to go down to your local Friendly Express on Fridays to buy fountain drinks and coffee; ten cents from every purchase is donated to local food pantries. It's a great cause, and we're thrilled to be so close with a company that does so much to give back to the community.
But the fun doesn't end there! In January 2014, we will be releasing our first full length album, including brand new music and all sorts of fun songs to (try to) dance to. We've had such a blast making this album and can't wait to share it with you. Actually, we're so excited to share it that we're going to be releasing a series of videos called "Making Breaking the Rules," which will give you a behind-the-scenes look at the making of our album, including the writing, recording, and mixing process, as well as the general method of our madness, and an exclusive look at our past as we move into the future. Keep checking back for more details and exclusive content only available to our biggest fans.
And there's MORE news! With the launch of the OneHeart Organization, we will be offering one-of-a-kind merchandise to support and fund the OneHeart Team. You can buy t-shirts and sweatshirts to show your support towards creating hope, inspiring joy, encouraging faith, and sharing love through the OneHeart Organization. This is a dream come true for us, and we can only hope that we can use this incredible opportunity to make some other dreams come true.
One more thing! We've created a Tumblr account (www.lbeausandfroyo.tumblr.com) so we can get to know you guys better, and you can see the side of us that's hard to express in 140 characters or less! (Disclaimer: there is a lot of Loki. We do not need your judgment. If you're not Loki'd, you're not living right.) So follow us, reblog us, ask us questions, and let's all take a moment to admire the god of sass and fabulous hair. That being said, remember to follow us on Twitter (@BeauAndLuci), like our Facebook page (/OfficiallyBeauAndLuci), follow us on Pinterest (BeauAndLuci), and share us with your friends. 'Tis the season to be generous, right?
Finally, in this season of love and thanksgiving, remember to keep those who have lost loved ones in your thoughts and prayers, and always, always, always take the time to say "I love you." Tomorrow is never a guarantee, and you can never tell someone you love them too much. The holiday season isn't for reminding us to wish for everything we don't have; the holiday season is for reminding us that we already have everything we could ever wish for. Say I love you, take the time to appreciate the people around you, and count your blessings instead of calories (FYI, the average Thanksgiving meal contains between 3,000 and 4,500 of them. Focus on the blessings and eat the turkey. And a second helping, because it only comes once a year.)
We got to do some work with Lewis and Raulerson and Friendly Express, a group of wonderful people we love dearly! We were so honored to be included in both the annual Charity Golf Tournament and the first annual Friendly Express Family Turkey Run! We had a great time, and our brother Braeden ate a grand total and a personal record of 9 of Mr. Terry's jumbo grilled chicken wings. The golf tournament raised a record amount of funds to be distributed to several grassroots charities in and around the area, and the Turkey Run was a hoot (or should I say a gobble?)! We're looking forward to next year's golf tournament and race. I've added some pictures from both the tournament and the race, as well as the Lewis and Raulerson family wearing their "Feeding Families on Friday" shirts. Remember to go down to your local Friendly Express on Fridays to buy fountain drinks and coffee; ten cents from every purchase is donated to local food pantries. It's a great cause, and we're thrilled to be so close with a company that does so much to give back to the community.
But the fun doesn't end there! In January 2014, we will be releasing our first full length album, including brand new music and all sorts of fun songs to (try to) dance to. We've had such a blast making this album and can't wait to share it with you. Actually, we're so excited to share it that we're going to be releasing a series of videos called "
And there's MORE news! With the launch of the OneHeart Organization, we will be offering one-of-a-kind merchandise to support and fund the OneHeart Team. You can buy t-shirts and sweatshirts to show your support towards creating hope, inspiring joy, encouraging faith, and sharing love through the OneHeart Organization. This is a dream come true for us, and we can only hope that we can use this incredible opportunity to make some other dreams come true.
One more thing! We've created a Tumblr account (www.lbeausandfroyo.tumblr.com) so we can get to know you guys better, and you can see the side of us that's hard to express in 140 characters or less! (Disclaimer: there is a lot of Loki. We do not need your judgment. If you're not Loki'd, you're not living right.) So follow us, reblog us, ask us questions, and let's all take a moment to admire the god of sass and fabulous hair. That being said, remember to follow us on Twitter (@BeauAndLuci), like our Facebook page (/OfficiallyBeauAndLuci), follow us on Pinterest (BeauAndLuci), and share us with your friends. 'Tis the season to be generous, right?
Finally, in this season of love and thanksgiving, remember to keep those who have lost loved ones in your thoughts and prayers, and always, always, always take the time to say "I love you." Tomorrow is never a guarantee, and you can never tell someone you love them too much. The holiday season isn't for reminding us to wish for everything we don't have; the holiday season is for reminding us that we already have everything we could ever wish for. Say I love you, take the time to appreciate the people around you, and count your blessings instead of calories (FYI, the average Thanksgiving meal contains between 3,000 and 4,500 of them. Focus on the blessings and eat the turkey. And a second helping, because it only comes once a year.)
November 17, 2013
Fully Dressed
Once again, Rick Bragg has written an article that made me laugh aloud. In this particular feature, he details the subtle differences between stuffing and dressing. With Thanksgiving rapidly approaching, I truly believe that knowledge is power when faced with the inescapable question: What is stuffing, and why would anyone stick their hand up the back end of a raw turkey to make it?
You can keep your stuffing. My favorite Thanksgiving side is just that—on the side—and we call it dressing.
The word “stuffing” had a lot of connotations when I was a boy. None of them had anything to do with food.
Sofas had stuffing. But then again, I rarely heard the word “sofa.” We sat on “couches.” The first time I heard the word “sofa” I thought it was “Sofia,” and I never did figure out why anyone had to sit on the poor woman. Once, I heard someone say they had to restuff their Sofia. This haunts me still.
I digress. Teddy bears had stuffing for insides. Baseballs had it. We were urged to “knock the stuffing out of it.” If you caught a big fish, or shot a deer, or even a big gobbler, you could have them “stuffed and mounted.” I was mightily confused.
Thanksgiving turkeys, however, did not have stuffing, though sometimes my aunt Jo did shove a whole stick of margarine in there. Stuffing, I would be educated, was another word for dressing. And our dressing, as God intended, was cooked separately, in a shallow baking dish or pan.
It was not something the great cooks in my family were willing to debate.
“Stick your hand up the back end of a raw turkey?” said my aunt Gracie Juanita, shaking her head violently from side to side. “That is not natural.”
“Ain’t even human,” my mother said.
But the word stuffing was everywhere, come November. I heard it on the television, usually accompanied by images of a massive turkey with a golden cascade of breadcrumbs tumbling from its insides. Was I missing out? Why didn’t we have stuffing if they had stuffing on Father Knows Best?
“You ain’t missing nothin’,” my mother told me.
I would learn that, like so many things I struggled to understand, it was a Southern thing, like why a faucet inside the house was a faucet but outside the house it became a hydrant. And Southerners, especially mine, did not tolerate in-the-bird dressing.
“It was kind of like dating a Catholic,” said a very Southern friend. “Thank you, but, no.” I dated many Catholics. I never had stuffing.
I would learn it stemmed from a generational fear of undercooked poultry. How could the turkey cook all the way through, my people reasoned, if the heat could not swirl around inside the bird? Onions, lemons, butter, and other seasoning were allowed, but a thick gob of breadcrumbs was salmonella waiting to happen. But even if bacteria were not an issue, the cooks in my family would have shunned stuffing for one simple reason: taste.
Our dressing started with an iron skillet of cornbread, mixed with onion, sage, and the fatty, golden nectar from boiled turkey or chicken, usually the pieces that would otherwise be thrown away. It was baked until a golden crust formed on the top, leaving the inside firm but creamy. Too dry and it set up like cake. Too wet and it was a watery mess. It had to be perfect, and usually was.
Years ago, I stood in a supermarket, staring at a “stuffing mix” of spices and prepackaged breadcrumbs—tiny, hard little cubes. Mama, I thought, was right again. But when I mentioned that we were having turkey and dressing at my house, my Yankee friends looked confused. You mean, they asked, the stuff you put on salads?
It is a miracle we fought only one war.
All credit goes where credit is due, to the wonderful writer Rick Bragg and Southern Living magazine. I only hope that this extremely scientific approach at explaining the differences between stuffing and dressing has finally alleviated the hysteria, stress, and insanity that has plagued you ever since you learned that stuffing, to some, is not the foamy stuff in the couch or whatever is inside a baseball. May you have peace and uninterrupted sleep for the rest of your days, now that the mystery has been solved. The only stuffing that will be at our table will be the act of eating until we hate ourselves, as it should be. Happy Thanksgiving, y'all!
You can keep your stuffing. My favorite Thanksgiving side is just that—on the side—and we call it dressing.
The word “stuffing” had a lot of connotations when I was a boy. None of them had anything to do with food.
Sofas had stuffing. But then again, I rarely heard the word “sofa.” We sat on “couches.” The first time I heard the word “sofa” I thought it was “Sofia,” and I never did figure out why anyone had to sit on the poor woman. Once, I heard someone say they had to restuff their Sofia. This haunts me still.
I digress. Teddy bears had stuffing for insides. Baseballs had it. We were urged to “knock the stuffing out of it.” If you caught a big fish, or shot a deer, or even a big gobbler, you could have them “stuffed and mounted.” I was mightily confused.
Thanksgiving turkeys, however, did not have stuffing, though sometimes my aunt Jo did shove a whole stick of margarine in there. Stuffing, I would be educated, was another word for dressing. And our dressing, as God intended, was cooked separately, in a shallow baking dish or pan.
It was not something the great cooks in my family were willing to debate.
“Stick your hand up the back end of a raw turkey?” said my aunt Gracie Juanita, shaking her head violently from side to side. “That is not natural.”
“Ain’t even human,” my mother said.
But the word stuffing was everywhere, come November. I heard it on the television, usually accompanied by images of a massive turkey with a golden cascade of breadcrumbs tumbling from its insides. Was I missing out? Why didn’t we have stuffing if they had stuffing on Father Knows Best?
“You ain’t missing nothin’,” my mother told me.
I would learn that, like so many things I struggled to understand, it was a Southern thing, like why a faucet inside the house was a faucet but outside the house it became a hydrant. And Southerners, especially mine, did not tolerate in-the-bird dressing.
“It was kind of like dating a Catholic,” said a very Southern friend. “Thank you, but, no.” I dated many Catholics. I never had stuffing.
I would learn it stemmed from a generational fear of undercooked poultry. How could the turkey cook all the way through, my people reasoned, if the heat could not swirl around inside the bird? Onions, lemons, butter, and other seasoning were allowed, but a thick gob of breadcrumbs was salmonella waiting to happen. But even if bacteria were not an issue, the cooks in my family would have shunned stuffing for one simple reason: taste.
Our dressing started with an iron skillet of cornbread, mixed with onion, sage, and the fatty, golden nectar from boiled turkey or chicken, usually the pieces that would otherwise be thrown away. It was baked until a golden crust formed on the top, leaving the inside firm but creamy. Too dry and it set up like cake. Too wet and it was a watery mess. It had to be perfect, and usually was.
Years ago, I stood in a supermarket, staring at a “stuffing mix” of spices and prepackaged breadcrumbs—tiny, hard little cubes. Mama, I thought, was right again. But when I mentioned that we were having turkey and dressing at my house, my Yankee friends looked confused. You mean, they asked, the stuff you put on salads?
It is a miracle we fought only one war.
All credit goes where credit is due, to the wonderful writer Rick Bragg and Southern Living magazine. I only hope that this extremely scientific approach at explaining the differences between stuffing and dressing has finally alleviated the hysteria, stress, and insanity that has plagued you ever since you learned that stuffing, to some, is not the foamy stuff in the couch or whatever is inside a baseball. May you have peace and uninterrupted sleep for the rest of your days, now that the mystery has been solved. The only stuffing that will be at our table will be the act of eating until we hate ourselves, as it should be. Happy Thanksgiving, y'all!
November 10, 2013
Can't
Can't is the worst word that's written or spoken;
Doing more harm here than slander and lies;
On it is many a strong spirit broken,
And with it many a good purpose dies.
It springs from the lips of the thoughtless each morning
And robs us of courage we need through the day:
It rings in our ears like a timely-sent warning
And laughs when we falter and fall by the way.
Can't is the father of feeble endeavor,
The parent of terror and half-hearted work;
It weakens the efforts of artisans clever,
And makes of the toiler an indolent shirk.
It poisons the soul of the man with a vision,
It stifles in infancy many a plan;
It greets honest toiling with open derision
And mocks at the hopes and the dreams of a man.
Can't is a word none should speak without blushing;
To utter it should be a symbol of shame;
Ambition and courage it daily is crushing;
It blights a man's purpose and shortens his aim.
Despise it with all of your hatred of error;
Refuse it the lodgment it seeks in your brain;
Arm against it as a creature of terror,
And all that you dream of you some day shall gain.
Can't is the word that is foe to ambition,
An enemy ambushed to shatter your will;
Its prey is forever the man with a mission
And bows but to courage and patience and skill.
Hate it, with hatred that's deep and undying,
For once it is welcomed 'twill break any man;
Whatever the goal you are seeking, keep trying
And answer this demon by saying: "I can."
-Edgar Guest
May we always remember we are capable of anything. Nothing is impossible for the hopers and dreamers who are crazy enough to believe their far-flung hopes and improbable dreams can come true. Go out and be brilliant.
Xx, L.
Doing more harm here than slander and lies;
On it is many a strong spirit broken,
And with it many a good purpose dies.
It springs from the lips of the thoughtless each morning
And robs us of courage we need through the day:
It rings in our ears like a timely-sent warning
And laughs when we falter and fall by the way.
Can't is the father of feeble endeavor,
The parent of terror and half-hearted work;
It weakens the efforts of artisans clever,
And makes of the toiler an indolent shirk.
It poisons the soul of the man with a vision,
It stifles in infancy many a plan;
It greets honest toiling with open derision
And mocks at the hopes and the dreams of a man.
Can't is a word none should speak without blushing;
To utter it should be a symbol of shame;
Ambition and courage it daily is crushing;
It blights a man's purpose and shortens his aim.
Despise it with all of your hatred of error;
Refuse it the lodgment it seeks in your brain;
Arm against it as a creature of terror,
And all that you dream of you some day shall gain.
Can't is the word that is foe to ambition,
An enemy ambushed to shatter your will;
Its prey is forever the man with a mission
And bows but to courage and patience and skill.
Hate it, with hatred that's deep and undying,
For once it is welcomed 'twill break any man;
Whatever the goal you are seeking, keep trying
And answer this demon by saying: "I can."
-Edgar Guest
May we always remember we are capable of anything. Nothing is impossible for the hopers and dreamers who are crazy enough to believe their far-flung hopes and improbable dreams can come true. Go out and be brilliant.
Xx, L.
November 3, 2013
OneHeart
“Do not think that love, in order to be genuine, has to be extraordinary. What we need is to love without getting tired. Be faithful in small things, because it is in them that your strength lies.”
-Mother Teresa
Here at Camp Beau + Luci, we are driven by two things: a passion for music, and a desire to help those in need. So much has been given to us that we feel it is only right to give back to the community, whether local or global. Because of this, we have sought out a way to tie our music career with the chance to change lives. A lot of brainstorming and long discussions later, we found our starting point: The OneHeart Organization.
The OneHeart Organization was built around the simple mission to Create Hope, Inspire Joy, Encourage Faith, and Share Love. We hope to use The OneHeart Organization as the basis for our own humanitarian foundation in the future, but for now, we will be getting involved in several grassroots that offer aid, encourage creativity and a passion for learning, emphasize the importance of a healthy, active lifestyle, and touch the loves of those in need, both in the local and global community.
We have been lucky enough to develop a partnership with some really incredible organizations already, and have a number of events coming up. The first organization is a local charity called Angel Arms Missions (https://www.facebook.com/angelarmsministries?fref=ts or http://yarbroughministries.weebly.com/angel-arms-backpack.html), which provides clothing, school supplies, and weekend nourishment for children, as well as clothing and nourishment for the homeless and those living at or below the poverty level. Angel Arms Missions is dedicated to meeting the basic needs in the community and providing both spiritual and physical resources for people in need. We will be helping with the Backpack Program, which provides food for kids who don't have the assurance of regular meals when school is not in session. Angel Arms Missions also partners with Bethesda House, which is a non-profit organization created to address the spiritual, physical, and emotional needs of broken people (http://www.bethesdahousewaycross.org/).
Another organization close to our heart is the Friendly Express Charitable Foundation (http://friendlyexpress.com/Community). Friendly Express operates with the mindset of giving back, not only to their customers but the community as a whole. They have recently launched the Feeding Families on Friday campaign, donating a portion of all fountain drink and coffee sales made on Fridays to local food pantries such as the Mary Street Mission, Manna House, St. Joseph's Loaves and Fishes, Tabatha's Place, and the Sycamore Tree. They also have a drop off location at each store to collect non-perishable food and toiletries, which are then donated to those in need. We will be working at the annual Friendly Express Invitational Golf Tournament on 7 November, and all funds raised through the golf tournament will be donated to Kingdom Care, Dreams Come True, and Hospice Satilla, as well as many other organizations and foundations devoted to caring for the community. Friendly Express is also hosting a 5K Turkey Run on 16 November to benefit the Marry Street Mission Thanksgiving Dinner, which we will help serve. If any of you guys in the area are interested in taking part in the Turkey Run, you can find the registration form here (http://myfriendlyexpress.com/Files/TurkeyRunRegistration2). Please take the opportunity to be a part of this cause. For $25 dollars, you will not only have a blast but get the satisfaction of helping others and making Thanksgiving special (and getting in that run you've been meaning to go on for the past, oh, five years or so!).
Everyone remembers their first bike, right? Unfortunately, some children never have the chance to experience the joy of riding a bike. Bikes4Kids, an organization created and operated by Competitive Road Cyclist extraordinaire Crash MacDuff (http://rxmacduff.wordpress.com/), who has competed in various European and Americana multi-stage cycling events including the Tour of Austria, Tour of Italy, Tour of Spain, Tour of Poland, and Tour of Venezuela and will be racing in the Toronto 2015 PanAm Games and the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Crash delivers bikes to children who would be unable to have a bike otherwise. We are raising money to purchase bike helmets, so that every child given a bike will be able to enjoy it safely. Crash has also launched a new branch of his organization, No Kid Hungry, to donate meals to children and families in need, ensuring that children are able to enjoy their bicycles and have enough to eat at the same time. Crash is not only a friend and a huge encouragement to us but a humanitarian that we hope to work with in a larger capacity in the future. He encourages a healthy lifestyle and offers the resources to achieve one while giving a child the fun of a bicycle, and we are thrilled to be a part of such an incredible organization.
A fourth organization that has been a fixture in our home for many years is Operation Christmas Child (http://www.samaritanspurse.org/what-we-do/operation-christmas-child/). Franklin Graham has dedicated his life to meeting the needs of people and proclaiming the Gospel around the world. As the CEO of the Samaritan's Purse, he has grown Operation Christmas Child since 1993 into the massive movement it is now. In the 20 years Operation Christmas Child has been active, over 100 million boys and girls in more than 130 countries have experienced the love of God and the joy of Christmas through a simple shoe box filled with gifts. We will be packing our own shoe boxes to be sent off in National Collection Week (18 - 25 November). We encourage everyone to get involved in such an easy project. A little time and a $7 donation to cover the shipping of each box can do so much more good than any of us could imagine.
Staying true to our roots, we will be performing at Blackshear Church of God's "Sunday Night Show" (http://www.blackshearcog.com/) on 15 December, which will benefit BCOG's music ministry. We are looking forward to it, all of the events we've mentioned thus far, and the ones we will be be involved in over the next few months. Pursuing a career in music has opened many doors for us to be able to help those in need, and there is no feeling greater than the one you get when you know you've done something to make someone's life a little easier. We are dedicated to leaving the world a better place than it was when we arrived, and we are so excited to really get involved in the charities and foundations through The OneHeart Organization.
That being said, we are thrilled to to announce the kickoff of The OneHeart Organization t-shirts, which will be released shortly. All proceeds will go towards funding the events and projects we've mentioned, as well as ones we haven't even found out about yet. Just like a baseball or football team wears jerseys to identify themselves, we will be building a team of people dedicated to helping others with and through The OneHeart Organization. We are beyond excited to be a part of such an awesome opportunity and remain humbled and amazed by the continued support, encouragement, thoughts, and prayers that have been sent our way! Let's band together to make a difference. By ourselves, we can do very little, but together, we can do anything.
Lots of love,
Beau + Luci
-Mother Teresa
Here at Camp Beau + Luci, we are driven by two things: a passion for music, and a desire to help those in need. So much has been given to us that we feel it is only right to give back to the community, whether local or global. Because of this, we have sought out a way to tie our music career with the chance to change lives. A lot of brainstorming and long discussions later, we found our starting point: The OneHeart Organization.
The OneHeart Organization was built around the simple mission to Create Hope, Inspire Joy, Encourage Faith, and Share Love. We hope to use The OneHeart Organization as the basis for our own humanitarian foundation in the future, but for now, we will be getting involved in several grassroots that offer aid, encourage creativity and a passion for learning, emphasize the importance of a healthy, active lifestyle, and touch the loves of those in need, both in the local and global community.
We have been lucky enough to develop a partnership with some really incredible organizations already, and have a number of events coming up. The first organization is a local charity called Angel Arms Missions (https://www.facebook.com/angelarmsministries?fref=ts or http://yarbroughministries.weebly.com/angel-arms-backpack.html), which provides clothing, school supplies, and weekend nourishment for children, as well as clothing and nourishment for the homeless and those living at or below the poverty level. Angel Arms Missions is dedicated to meeting the basic needs in the community and providing both spiritual and physical resources for people in need. We will be helping with the Backpack Program, which provides food for kids who don't have the assurance of regular meals when school is not in session. Angel Arms Missions also partners with Bethesda House, which is a non-profit organization created to address the spiritual, physical, and emotional needs of broken people (http://www.bethesdahousewaycross.org/).
Another organization close to our heart is the Friendly Express Charitable Foundation (http://friendlyexpress.com/Community). Friendly Express operates with the mindset of giving back, not only to their customers but the community as a whole. They have recently launched the Feeding Families on Friday campaign, donating a portion of all fountain drink and coffee sales made on Fridays to local food pantries such as the Mary Street Mission, Manna House, St. Joseph's Loaves and Fishes, Tabatha's Place, and the Sycamore Tree. They also have a drop off location at each store to collect non-perishable food and toiletries, which are then donated to those in need. We will be working at the annual Friendly Express Invitational Golf Tournament on 7 November, and all funds raised through the golf tournament will be donated to Kingdom Care, Dreams Come True, and Hospice Satilla, as well as many other organizations and foundations devoted to caring for the community. Friendly Express is also hosting a 5K Turkey Run on 16 November to benefit the Marry Street Mission Thanksgiving Dinner, which we will help serve. If any of you guys in the area are interested in taking part in the Turkey Run, you can find the registration form here (http://myfriendlyexpress.com/Files/TurkeyRunRegistration2). Please take the opportunity to be a part of this cause. For $25 dollars, you will not only have a blast but get the satisfaction of helping others and making Thanksgiving special (and getting in that run you've been meaning to go on for the past, oh, five years or so!).
Everyone remembers their first bike, right? Unfortunately, some children never have the chance to experience the joy of riding a bike. Bikes4Kids, an organization created and operated by Competitive Road Cyclist extraordinaire Crash MacDuff (http://rxmacduff.wordpress.com/), who has competed in various European and Americana multi-stage cycling events including the Tour of Austria, Tour of Italy, Tour of Spain, Tour of Poland, and Tour of Venezuela and will be racing in the Toronto 2015 PanAm Games and the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Crash delivers bikes to children who would be unable to have a bike otherwise. We are raising money to purchase bike helmets, so that every child given a bike will be able to enjoy it safely. Crash has also launched a new branch of his organization, No Kid Hungry, to donate meals to children and families in need, ensuring that children are able to enjoy their bicycles and have enough to eat at the same time. Crash is not only a friend and a huge encouragement to us but a humanitarian that we hope to work with in a larger capacity in the future. He encourages a healthy lifestyle and offers the resources to achieve one while giving a child the fun of a bicycle, and we are thrilled to be a part of such an incredible organization.
A fourth organization that has been a fixture in our home for many years is Operation Christmas Child (http://www.samaritanspurse.org/what-we-do/operation-christmas-child/). Franklin Graham has dedicated his life to meeting the needs of people and proclaiming the Gospel around the world. As the CEO of the Samaritan's Purse, he has grown Operation Christmas Child since 1993 into the massive movement it is now. In the 20 years Operation Christmas Child has been active, over 100 million boys and girls in more than 130 countries have experienced the love of God and the joy of Christmas through a simple shoe box filled with gifts. We will be packing our own shoe boxes to be sent off in National Collection Week (18 - 25 November). We encourage everyone to get involved in such an easy project. A little time and a $7 donation to cover the shipping of each box can do so much more good than any of us could imagine.
Staying true to our roots, we will be performing at Blackshear Church of God's "Sunday Night Show" (http://www.blackshearcog.com/) on 15 December, which will benefit BCOG's music ministry. We are looking forward to it, all of the events we've mentioned thus far, and the ones we will be be involved in over the next few months. Pursuing a career in music has opened many doors for us to be able to help those in need, and there is no feeling greater than the one you get when you know you've done something to make someone's life a little easier. We are dedicated to leaving the world a better place than it was when we arrived, and we are so excited to really get involved in the charities and foundations through The OneHeart Organization.
That being said, we are thrilled to to announce the kickoff of The OneHeart Organization t-shirts, which will be released shortly. All proceeds will go towards funding the events and projects we've mentioned, as well as ones we haven't even found out about yet. Just like a baseball or football team wears jerseys to identify themselves, we will be building a team of people dedicated to helping others with and through The OneHeart Organization. We are beyond excited to be a part of such an awesome opportunity and remain humbled and amazed by the continued support, encouragement, thoughts, and prayers that have been sent our way! Let's band together to make a difference. By ourselves, we can do very little, but together, we can do anything.
Lots of love,
Beau + Luci
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