I moved to Nashville with a beat up car and $700 in my pocket. I’m thankful I had a spirit of confidence in me that kept me out of trouble.Looking back, I realize that one misstep and “homelessness” could have happened to me. The reality of that hit me right between the eyes seven years ago and led me to partnering with the Nashville Rescue Mission.

 

My first meeting with them was enlightening. I knew they provided food, clothing and shelter to the homeless, but I had no idea how much they did to help those battling addiction. There’s something about addiction that steals self-confidence away from a person and makes it hard for them to overcome. The Mission provides these men and women with the tools and time they need to rebuild what they’ve lost in the midst of their addiction. I knew right then and there, this was a cause I wanted to get involved with and support.

 

I had always been in charge of frying the turkey for our family’s Thanksgiving dinner. Over the years the requests for turkeys kept growing. Soon I found myself frying turkeys for my friends and neighbors down the street. That’s what gave me the inspiration for the “Mission Possible” Turkey Fry.

 

I thought I’d invite a few friends, fry a few turkeys and invite the media to build awareness over the plight of the homeless and addicted in our community and what the Mission was doing to help those in the struggle. I had no idea it would take off like it has—but I’m so glad it did. Over the years my heart has grown for the work the Mission is doing to help the homeless and poor and to lift those struggling out of the pit of addiction.

 

There’s a lot of work and preparation that goes into getting things ready for the Turkey Fry. We need turkeys… lots of them. We need fryers. We need propane tanks. We need cooking oil. We are so grateful to the many wonderful sponsors who step up and help out with a lot of these needs.

 

I will say this…when all is said and done, it’s the longest day of the year for me, but truly the most gratifying. My favorite part is at the end of the day—being beyond exhausted and knowing we helped a lot of people.

 

I hope you will join us for this year’s Turkey Fry. You might see your favorite celebrity, enjoy a fried turkey leg or seeing the amazing work the Nashville Rescue Mission is doing, decide to get involved, volunteer, give, pray or whatever the good Lord calls you to do. Amazing things are happening and we’d love for you to be a part of it.