Donelson Non-Profit – August 2019

Hip Donelson celebrates our 10^th Anniversary!  It’s been one of the most extraordinary community efforts I’ve ever been involved with and I don’t believe when Andrew Bradley created it, did he, Frank Trew or I ever think it would become what it’s become today thanks to so many passionate and dedicated community leaders.  There will be a special celebration after the Friday, September 13^th Hip Donelson Community Farmer’s Market.  I hope you’ll make plans to attend.

Speaking of Frank Trew, we continue to honor his memory and unparalleled community spirit by engaging in a community service project we call a Day of Trewth.  This year, we beautified the Post 88 Auxiliary Veteran’s Memorial with the help of members of Holy Rosary and many community members.  It turned out great and encourage you to check it out.  Thank you to everyone who donated their time, materials and money.  Special thanks to District 15 Beautification Commissioner Michele Mazzu, who helped organize much of the event with JVI Secret Gardens consulting on the landscape design.

I had a blast being in dunk tank at a recent Hip Donelson Community Farmer’s Market that raised $274 for The Donelson Gateway Project.  Big thanks goes to Regal Realty Group and Hunter Briley for bringing the dunk tank to the market and letting us engage the community and raise money for a great cause an non-profit at the same time.  Since it was about 90 degrees outside, it felt great.  Thanks to everyone who stopped by and donated.  Vice Mayor Jim Shulman even stopped by.  He may not have hit the target with the ball, he still donated generously and found his own way to dunk me as you’ll notice in the picture below.

Thanks to Donelson neighbor and MNPS teacher Dr. Rich Ripani, he’s founded the Nashville Youth Jazz Ensemble and it’s become popular quickly and giving great opportunities for our young musicians.  I’m excited to join their board of directors.   As a 501c3 non-profit, NYJE gladly accepts donations.  If you’re interested in supporting great music education opportunities for our kids, please consider visiting the website and donate at their website above.

I had a great time being part of a panel of arts leaders to support a board of director’s retreat for Moves and Grooves.  The Frist Museum’s Corinne Bergeron, Nashville Office of Arts & Culture’s Lauren Fitzgerald and District 29 Council Member Delishia Porterfield and I enjoyed giving their board our experiences and encouragement to better support their mission.  We discussed the role of Moves and Grooves and the state of non-profit support of kids in arts education and applying STEAM to their curriculum.  Moves and Grooves serves over 1600 underprivileged youth annually through afterschool and summer arts education opportunities in Metro since 2002.  Their latest project is the MAGIC Clothing brand.  A line of t-shirts and athletic apparel designed and promoted by teens to support youth employment in Middle Tennessee.  The MAGIC apparel was created in 2017 based on recommendations from the Mayor’s Office Youth Violence Summit as a way to connect youth to opportunity and hope.  By giving youth a positive outlet through art to express themselves, they are empowered with a voice and a choice.  The goal through MAGIC is to employ 100 creative Davidson County high school teens each year.  Teens will work six hours per week, work alongside professional artist mentors and learn the art of entrepreneurship while managing the online MAGIC Clothing store.  In addition to mastering their artistic craft, teens receive ACT/SAT support, attend financial literacy workshops and gain valuable college and career development experience to prepare them for life in the real world.