Kellie Pickler Named 'Dancing With the Stars' Champion
J. Cole Performs 'Born Sinner' on 'Late Night With Jimmy Fallon,' Reveals Competitive Spirit Against Kanye West
Beyonce Releases New Anthem, 'Grown Woman'
Blake Shelton Joins NBC in Organizing Oklahoma Tornado Benefit Concert
Kellie Pickler Gets Puppy Surprise After Moving 'Dancing With the Stars' Performance
Charlie Sheen Gets Back To His Roots
Toby Keith Returns to Help Family, Friends in Moore, Oklahoma
WHOOPS! Obama Makes Big Gaffe
Black Hippy Release 'U.O.E.N.O.' Remix
Jury Foreman: '18 Days Of Testimony Hurt' Jodi Arias
Toby Keith Says His Hometown of Moore, Oklahoma 'Will Perservere' After Deadly Tornado
New Trayvon Martin Evidence Features Incriminating Photos, Texts From Teen
Mariah Carey's Dress Busts Open During 'GMA' Performance
What It's Like To Talk To A 2-Year-Old
Miranda Lambert's MuttNation Foundation to Aid Moore, Oklahoma Animal Rescue Efforts
Mariah Carey Curses And Busts Out Of Dress On Live TV
Best Friends Reportedly Die Holding Each Other In Tornado
Bridge Collapses In Washington State
Killed Soldier In London Attack Identified
Rapper Accused Of Faking His Own Death To Escape Payments
Helen Flanagan Launches PETA Campaign As Only She Knows How
AMAZING PHOTO: UFO Spotted Over San Diego
LISTEN: Terror Inside Elementary School As Tornado Hits
Jodi Arias Jury DEADLOCKED
Danny Tanner Is Fighting With Topanga
Surgeons Remove Giant Hairball From Tiger
WATCH: Police Force Shows Up To Support 5-Year-Old Who Lost Her Dad
Teenager's 'Awww'-Inspiring Drawing Wins Big At Google
Brave Woman Stood Down Armed London Attackers
Luke Wilson Caught Staring At Fan's Chest
REVEALED: Disturbing Trend In Human Intelligence
PHOTO: Dog Guards Dead Victim's Body After Oklahoma Tornado Disaster
LOOK: Bank Vault Saves 22 Lives During Tornado
Vince Gill
In making the decision, the editorial board noted, "Amy Grant and Vince Gill not only make a meaningful impact on the global stage through their music, but their philanthropy also helps people throughout Tennessee."
Earlier this year, one of Nashville's largest charity umbrella groups, the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, gave the couple its 18th annual Joe Kraft Humanitarian Award in an awards ceremony at a Nashville hotel-hosted banquet.
"At the beginning, Vince walked out and he was already crying after going through the well-wishers in the lobby," says foundation president Ellen Lehman.
An emotional video presentation during that event was followed by the gift of a quilt to the couple representing the 60 nonprofits and organizations they have supported.
"I loved everybody in that whole room. That's how I felt. It made me so glad to have lived in the same town for all of my life," Amy recalls. "I knew we were not in New York or Chicago, because it was a whole room of people visiting, telling old stories, not in a rush."
"I'm proud to be a part of that [philanthropic] community." says Vince. "I'm proud that there's a whole side of Nashville that doesn't have anything to do with music at all that likes us. Nashville, it's my hometown. It has a giving personality, and for a lot of people, [serving others] is a way of life."
It's a way of life that began for the Oklahoma native at the start of his music career in the early '80s, when he first received invitations to play and to host fund-raisers.
"I think the very first thing I did was host a little golf tournament for Mercy Homes because somebody asked me. 'Really? You want me to host this? OK!'" the singer says. 'If somebody thinks you can help, that's such a great feeling."
The couple's involvement in charity events this year included co-headlining a fund-raiser show for the historic Franklin Theatre in downtown Franklin, south of Nashville; hosting (Vince) and performing (Amy) at the Jammin' to Beat the Blues fund-raiser show for the Mental Health Association of Middle Tennessee and hosting the eighth annual Vince Gill and Amy Grant Golf Classic in Aspen, Colo., to benefit Challenge Aspen, which provides recreation and cultural outings for people with disabilities.
Cheer
2 Comments