Charlotte Nonprofits and Charities

Incredible !!!!! I hawk came walking in my yard this morning with a broken wing. I called the Carolina Raptor Center to ask if there was something I could do. The man the answer the phone was very friendly and with 8 minutes a volunteer show it up at my door and drove the hawk to the hospital in Huntersville, NC. My respect do the this great organization and support volunteers. The world need more organizations like the Carolina Raptor Center.

Every now and again I find that I have been an accidental eyewitness to something extraordinary. Musically, I was at Newport the night Herbie Mann redefined the song “Comin’ home.” I was at “The Garden Party” when Rickie Nelson was booed. I happened to be in Tiananmen Square in Beijing the day the students occupied it. I’ve come to think of these as “Forrest Gump “moments. <br> <br>On Saturday May 15, I had another sense of seeing the exceptional when I participated in drumSTRONG2010 at Misty Meadows in Weddington. The event‘s stated goal was to break its own previous record for non-stop drumming, and the cause was raising funds to beat cancer. I know both goals were achieved. <br>Along the way, the participants experienced something greater than themselves, and that’s always an extraordinary sensation. <br> <br>First, there was the drum circle experience. DrumSTRONG founder Scott Swimmer rang a gong at 1:45 PM on the main stage, and 200 yards away, the drum circle started up the beat. My son Sean and I wandered over a few minutes later and were motioned to a couple of unoccupied drums in the third tier of the circle. We picked up the rhythm and started to enjoy the process. <br> <br>I’m not sure I can describe the mental transformation that occurs when you are banging away on a drum in synch with 60 or so others. You get lost in the rhythm; hands never hurt, arms don’t ache and time passes without notice. It’s pleasant, sleepy and mystical all at the same time. The drum circle facilitators would occasionally change the pattern and offer individuals a chance to play a special drum as one became available. I spent my last 45 minutes drumming at one end of a huge bass drum that had been crafted from a wine cask and mounted head high on a sawbuck. On the other end was a woman who seemed the embodiment of the late Cass Elliot. Occasionally, she would vary the bass counterpoint that we were providing for the larger circle, and I would improvise back. It’s worth mentioning that the sum total of my musical training took place on a cello when I was nine, so this was a whole different deal. I was in drum nirvana! <br> <br>Then, there was the diversity of people who sat or stood in to play. When I reluctantly left the circle in the late afternoon, I focused for a moment on who was there. Families with school age children drummed along side groups of high school and college students. People of all sorts of ethnicities were represented, and the generational mix was even more remarkable. Some drummers were my age and older, and a few seemed to have materialized from Haight–Ashbury and “the summer of love.” Everyone was smiling, or had that “lost in the rhythm” expression. <br> <br>In his opening remarks, Scott Swimmer used the metaphor “bubbles of love” <br>to describe the fact that this same activity was happening simultaneously in over fifty cities in twelve countries. There was even a bubble machine that occasionally blew a cloud of bubbles over drum circle, reinforcing the image. (As long as you didn’t think of Lawrence Welk…) <br>“Bubbles of Love” It’s worth mentioning that drugs and alcohol were noticeably absent from the event (both were expressly prohibited and everyone I saw complied). I drove by Misty Meadows at sunset on Saturday night, and a multicolored tent city had mushroomed between the drum circle and Providence Road. Many people had organized themselves into teams to keep the drumming going through the night and into Sunday. <br> <br>I planned to return to drumSTRONG Sunday afternoon, but other family activities intervened. We live about three miles from Misty Meadows, and at 5:45 pm, I walked into my back yard and heard a wonderful drum beat crescendo emanating to the North. It rose above the trees, it dwarfed the rumbling of thunder in the distance, and it marked the end of an extraordinary experience that I had been privileged to share. Psalm 95 came to mind - “ Make a joyful noise…” and for 28 special hours a group of individuals came together, and in the interest of beating cancer, they did. <br>

Women of Carolinas fight life is such a wonderful organization! Talk about woman empowerment! I volunteered for the Queens supporting Queens and it was amazing! So many woman coming together supporting each other!

Glorious Performance Team (GPT) is a wonderful organization that provides our youth with variety of opportunities to showcase and develop their talents. All students are free to be themselves. I have volunteered on several occasions and have witness some of the students in action; they are truly amazing. Mr. & Mrs. Dolphus support and encourage students to reach their fullest potential, which is what every kid needs. GPT gives back by partnering with local schools to connect with youth from all walks of life to shine their beacon of light. I proudly nominate GPT for the Top Non-profit award! Outstanding leadership and wonderful students!

So glad to see this corrupt program being dismantled. So many parents and children were literally brutalized by their unfair, half hearted, questionable recommendations written up. To the staff attorneys who dedicated time into conducting impartial investigations to better understand the needs of the children, my heart goes out to you. To the other gas lighting, prejudice, dismissive, vile staff attorneys who got paid to play with people's lives, Burger King is hiring.

I find this non-profit doing the work of bringing recognition to visual artists often marginalized in today's society.

Founded in 1993, CHARLOTTE BLUES SOCIETY (CBS) is dedicated to the promotion and preservation of the American Blues tradition through the presentation of concerts, forums, and educational programs in Charlotte and the surrounding areas.<br><br>We held a "Blues in the Schools" Program at NW School of the Arts in Charlotte for students and staff featuring Lipbone Redding in 2019. Past artists participating in our "Blues in the Schools" in Charlotte include Joe Bonamassa and Keb' Mo'. More events are being planned for 2020. <br><br>We are sponsoring a Youth Blues Group to attend the International Blues Challenge (IBC) in Memphis TN in January 2020. The group is "Crank Sinatra" , five young men ages 14-18 and really talented! They performed at the October Blues Band Challenge to the members and guests at the event and received rave reviews! A video of their October 2019 performance at the CBS event is below. <br><br>Representing CBS in 2020 at the IBC in the Band Challenge is a new local Charlotte blues group, Chad Harris and The Blue Herons. Their performance at the band challenge on October 6 2019 is below<br><br>Earlier this year, Jake Haldenvang represented CBS at the IBC in January 2019 in the solo/duo category. He won the Solo/Duo Challenge in 2018. In 2009 at the age of 12, he represented CBS in the Youth Group at the IBC. We have watched and supported his He is now on "The Voice" (Season 17) <br><br>CBS books local, regional, national and international artists for our monthly meetings/events, held the first Sunday of the month Jan-June & Aug-Dec. Events are currently held at The Rabbit Hole, a venue in Charlotte, NC in the eclectic Plaza-Midwood area. 1801 Commonwealth Avenue. <br><br>CBS also has quarterly open blues jam sessions for anyone interested in taking the stage.<br><br>The group has memberships available, for single and families as well as bands. The memberships entitle free or reduced rates for monthly events. <br><br>Fund raisers include raffles of donated instruments, CD's, Music memorabilia, and other items. <br><br>The group is solo supported through the membership and fund raising events, is a 501(c) 3 organization. <br><br>CBS membership is currently over 300 and growing. <br><br>website: www.CharlotteBluesSociety.org<br><br><br>

One Voice Chorus of Charlotte is a wonderful organization of which I am a very proud member since 2010. It is a non audition chorus that makes beautiful music for change in our community and surrounding area. In One Voice, I have found life long friends and a warm, caring family and each person that joins is also given the same priceless experience. Joining One Voice has been one of the best experiences of my life and one of the best gifts I have ever given to myself in return.

I have been a part of Expressions Of Faith Ministry since the beginning in 2001. It is the only Christian organization with performing arts being the emphasis. This organization outreaches to the community through hosting events where Christian performing artist come out and perform and people are ministered to. This organization has also been involved in preparing meals for an area shelter; purchasing clothing for several homeless families; and donating food to area daycares that were in need of assistance to help reduce their food expenses.