Come down to Joes Crab Shack on the Branson Landing Monday September 3rd 2012 for fun for a good cause! Joes Crab Shack and Stone County Fire Department are hosting a fundraiser for MDA and Jerry’s Kids. Its an all day event at Joes Crab Shack come in for games and of course a good time. We hope to see you there. Thank you from all of us at Joes Crab Shack and Stone County Fire Department!!!

BRANSON, MO, JULY 17, 2012 – The public is invited to attend an unforgettable day of hope on Friday, July 20, for the Homes of Hope Joplin “Raising the Roof” benefit event at Branson Landing.

An array of family-fun activities will kick-off the event at 10 AM. Children can show off their inner creativity and participate in the “Draw Your Dream Home” t-shirt design activity. Then, guests can purchase raffle tickets for their chance to win show tickets to numerous Branson shows, dinner for two to different Branson Landing restaurants, tickets to Silver Dollar City, Ride the Ducks and more!

Southwest Missouri-native musical group, City Limits, will take the stage at 7 PM. In their third decade of performing together, the group of four high school friends guarantees a high-energy performance of rock-n-roll favorites.

Then, at 9 PM, America’s Got Talent® finalist, Pete Peterkin, will guest host a special musical performance by five of the top 10 American Idol® finalists as part of the benefit concert. Finalists set to perform include: Ace Young, Diana Degarmo, Scott Savol, Siobhan Magnus and Alexis Grace. These five finalists perform in The Finalists, LIVE! tour at Andy Williams Moon River Theatre in Branson.

“We are so excited to be able to end our run huge with a full-on, blow-out, free show this Friday night at the Landing,” says Season 5 finalist, Ace Young. “Bring your family and have fun with us this Friday at the Landing and make sure to pick up some show merchandise and tickets for our Saturday night show at Andy Williams Moon River Theatre and help us help Joplin. With the effects of the tornado still visible, this Saturday, we want to donate a percentage of our show ticket sales to help Joplin’s city rebuild.”

All proceeds raised from the concert, raffle and t-shirt activity on Friday will be donated to the Homes of Hope Joplin.

Homes of Hope Joplin, a nonprofit organization, was founded in Branson and created to build homes for those whose homes were destroyed in the May 22, 2011 tornado. The organization’s goal is to build 20 energy efficient, cost effective, small carbon footprint homes. For more information, please visit www.bransonlanding.com or www.homesofhopejoplin.org.

To view a complete show schedule and to purchase tickets to The Finalists, LIVE! tour at Andy Williams Moon River Theatre, performing now through August 18th, visit www.AndyWilliams.com or call (800) 666-6094.

# # #

A Critical Point in Time for CAM Food Pantries

July 11, 2012… Over the past 25 years, Christian Action Ministries (CAM) has helped to fight hunger in Taney County. Currently CAM operates food pantries in both Branson and Forsyth, as well as a monthly mobile outreach to eastern Taney County and an average of five major food drops per year. For several years now, the need has continued to escalate to the point that CAM is now assisting an average of over 1,000 families per month. Those seeking help are provided a four-day supply of nutritionally balanced food for each member of the family. Food drops, sponsored by various grants, enable families to gather a significant supply of food from a semi-truck load distributed at the First Baptist Church parking lot in Forsyth.

According to CAM Board Chairman Jack Burke, “We have been blessed with an extremely supportive community that has enabled us to continually meet the needs and actually expand our services. However we are approaching a critical point in time with the Farm Bill of 2012 that is now being debated in Congress. As it stands, the bill would cut approximately $16 billion dollars from the SNAP Program (Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program formerly known as food stamps). Since the majority of the people we help are on the SNAP program, these cutback will put additional strains on our supplies. Estimates vary, but experts predict that 1.8 to 3 million people will be cut from the SNAP program under the cutbacks in this bill.”

Burke went on to explain that there have also been recent cutbacks in the monthly shipments of federal commodities, “Normally we receive 6 to 7 commodity items per monthly shipment. This month it was reduced to only two items and it appears that this shortfall will continue for a while.”

When shortfalls hit the CAM inventory, CAM then proceeds to purchase subsidized food through the regional Ozark Food Harvest bank and/or supplement their stock with wholesale purchases from local food markets. The food bank is the first choice because CAM is able to purchase food for 12 to 18 cents per pound. The alternative of purchasing from retail food stores is considerably more expensive.

That’s where the problem is further compounded according to Burke, “Thanks to generous grants and specific fundraisers, we have substantial credits on hand to buy food from the Ozark Food Harvest. However, they have been hit by reductions as well and their current selection is very limited. That means we have to use cash on hand to buy direct from food stores. Local managers have been wonderful in keeping costs down for us, but it’s still 6 to 10 times more expensive than using the food bank.”

These economic hurdles increase the importance of CAM’s upcoming annual fundraiser, the 4th Annual Gospel Sing-Off to be held on September 2nd at Sight & Sound Theatres.
As Burke explained, “We still need more businesses and organizations to sign up as sponsors for the event in return for advertising in the program. Currently Branson Tourism Center and SIX are key sponsors for the event and we also have commitments from CenturyLink, L&J Plumbing, and the Titanic. But we definitely need more sponsors to help us raise the operational funds we need to continue serving the county.
Then of course we need the community to come out in force and attend the event. My goal is to fill Sight & Sound, which means a little more than 2,000 ticket sales.”

Sponsorship information and contestant entry information can be found at www.christianactionministries.org. Tickets can be purchased through Sight & Sound or Branson Tourism Center. Price is $12 for adults, $6 for children.

This year’s Sing-Off will open with a guest appearance by Branson’s Voices of Glory, top five finalists in America’s Got Talent and a closing appearance by last year’s winners, Southern Raised. Celebrity judges include George Dyer, Jak Knudsen, Monte Schisler, Ronnie Page, and one of the Voices of Glory. Emcee will again be Bob Hubbard of Foggy River Boys fame.

The Sing-Off features 10 finalists competing before a panel of celebrity judges. First place wins $1,500 plus 3 half-hour performance slots at Silver Dollar City on the following day for the closing of their Country Gospel Picnic festival. Second and third place win $1,000 and $500 respectively.

Christian Action Ministries operates food pantries in Branson and Forsyth, as well as a monthly mobile outreach to eastern Taney County communities. CAM is currently serving an average of 1,000 families per month. Anyone wishing to organize a food drive, donate cash, food, or time, can call Pat Davis at 334-1157 or visit the CAM website at www.christianactionministries.org.

Jack Burke
Christian Action Ministries
[email protected]
417-527-8031

CenturyLink Food Drive – Feed the Children -FOOD DRIVE – June 25-29, 2012

Each summer Jesus Was Homeless sees a spike in need due to the fact that kids are out of school and not receiving school lunches. This summer you’re invited to help support Jesus Was Homeless by participating in the CenturyLink Backpack Buddies Feed the Children Food Drive. This is a community service project to help fight childhood hunger in CenturyLink markets. Join us and be a CenturyLink Backpack Buddy!

The CenturyLink Clarke M. Williams Foundation will match all donations given through this drive at $1 per pound up to 1 million pounds total. If you choose to make a monetary donation, every dollar donated will be calculated as 6 pounds and will be matched with a $6 donation to Jesus Was Homeless up to 1 million dollars company wide.

Your donations will help Jesus Was Homeless meet the growing need right here in the Branson community.

How You Can Contribute
Donate at the CenturyLink Retail Store: Bring non-perishable food items to the CenturyLink Retail Store located in the Gretna Plaza on Hwy 248, next to Arvest Bank, Monday-Friday 10:00 am – 6:00 pm.

Donate directly to Jesus Was Homeless: Write a check to Jesus Was Homeless or donate on-line at www.jesuswashomeless.org the week of June 25th-29th.

What to Bring
Food:
Individual boxed or pouch drinks (Capri Sun, Kool-Aid, etc.)
Granola Bars
Individually packaged fruit cups (Applesauce, Peaches, etc.)
Individually bagged Chips
Cookies
Individually boxed cereal
Snack size items
Individual Mustard Packs
Individual Mayo Packs

Household Items:
Ziploc Sandwich Bags
Napkins
Plastic Spoons
Deodorant
Shaving Cream
Toothbrushes
Razors

For donation information contact:

Bryan Stallings
Customer Care Manager – Southern Missouri
2001 Hwy. 248, Suite 4
Branson, MO 65616
Tel: 417.334.9244
Cell: 417.335.1083
Fax: 417.334.2979
[email protected]

Our new Rock and Roll Up Your Sleeves summer campaign allows the opportunity to combine the need for blood with our donor’s love for music in a campaign based around the popular rock and roll music genre.

•Every donor will receive a Rock n Roll Up Your Sleeves T-shirt (example below).

•Blood donors will be eligible to win a Gibson guitar, courtesy of the Gibson Foundation, and we will be awarding 6 guitars.

•As a special incentive for youth donors ages 16-21, they may also enter to win a $5000 college scholarship for future education costs.

AMERICAN RED CROSS BLOOD DRIVE at:
Branson’s IMAX Entertainment Complex
3562 Shepherd of the Hills Expwy
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
10:00a – 2:00p

For more info, or to make a blood donation appointment, please contact the Red Cross at 1.800.GIVE.LIFE.

Thank you for helping to save lives.

The newest game in town is the National Safety Forces Motorcycle Rally, it is a rally for those heroes we often forget to thank, our Military, Police Officers, Firefighters and EMS workers. Although we are thanking those heroes with this rally it is open to all who would like to come see it. No need for a motorcycle just come by Area ’57 in beautiful Branson and see what is there June 7th – 10th, 2012.

We have live music, motorcycle stunt shows, lots of national vendors and hundreds of motorcycles. This is the first year for this rally and we are trying not to be confused with the local Branson Motorcycle Rally. Both rallies are on consecutive weekends but are raising funds for different charities. The National Safety Forces Motorcycle Rally is donating money to the Wounded Warrior Project and to the Ghost Rider Foundation that assists Military members who have post-traumatic stress disorder. We are expecting riders from as far away as California and Ontario, Canada and have reservations at the Ramada Branson from people from Detroit, Cleveland, Chicago, Houston, Daytona and many others.

Admission to the rally is free and open to the public. We look forward to seeing you there.

Dan Luttrell
NSFMR
Director

I am writing on behalf of Homes for Our Troops; a non-profit organization that builds specially adapted homes for service members that have been severely injured in combat after September 11, 2001.

We are presently preparing to build a home for Marine Cpl Justin McLoud in Festus, MO. , starting June 15, 16 & 17, 2012.

Marine Cpl. Justin McLoud, deployed with the 3/5 Darkhorse Marines, was on his third deployment when he was left a triple amputee after an IED blast in Sangin, part of the northern Helmand Province of Afghanistan, on December 10, 2010.

We are looking for volunteers to help over the weekend, Meal & Beverage Donations and Volunteers to do some local outreach for us before we come out for the Build brigade. If you can help in any way or have any leads that might help us with our planning please contact me as soon as possible!
Thank you

Doreen Lewis
Community Outreach Coordinator
Homes for our Troops
6 Main Street
Taunton, MA 02780
phone: 508-823-3300
Fax: 508-823-5411
www.homesforourtroops.org

Waxy O’Shea’s and the Branson Tourism Center are teaming up to host “Trivia Night at Waxy O’Shea’s,” 235 Branson Landing Boulevard, on Thursday, May 10th starting at 7:00 PM with the doors opening at 6:00 PM. The Trivia Night is being held for the benefit of “Relay For Life.” A great evening of fun, fellowship, and prizes for a great cause.

Article entitled,”Track Family Fun Parks Gift of Hope Benefit this Saturday” states:

The Track Family Fun Park #3, located at 2505 W. Hwy 76, Branson, directly across Highway 76 from the Andy Williams Moon River Grill, will host a benefit for the Gift of Hope and its Backpack Club and Christmas Share programs on Saturday, April 28, 2012 between 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Those attending will enjoy reduced rates with “$5.00 per 1 pass ride including Classic go-karts, bumper boats and mini golf.