by Kayla O'Connor | Mar 26, 2015 | News Slider
The sound of Charlie Daniels’ fiddle will no longer echo throughout Allen Arena, but the money will continue to roll in for Lipscomb’s veteran scholarships. On Aug. 12, the Charlie Daniels Band’s 40th anniversary Volunteer Jam will take place at Bridgestone Arena. Profits from the event will go toward The Journey Home Project, a non-profit organization that connects donors to veterans, and The Predators Foundation, a charity organization that uses fan fundraising to help the community. A portion of The Journey Home Project’s proceeds will fund Lipscomb’s Scholarship for Heroes program. “Charlie Daniels is a huge veteran supporter, and he loves Lipscomb,” said April Herrington, director of Lipscomb veteran services. “He had a concern with the fact that we were moving it from campus, but once he realized that it was going to support us even more than it had, he was thrilled about the event.” Herrington said she hopes to increase the cap on the scholarship with the bigger venue. “All in all, I think it’s a great move, and I think it’s going to benefit our program a lot,” Herrington said. “It’s going to be a lot bigger than it could have ever been on campus.” From 2010 to 2014, Daniels partnered with Lipscomb to host his Scholarship for Heroes concerts to benefit Lipscomb’s veteran students and their dependents with tuition cost. Last year’s event rewarded over $52,000 to veteran students. First-year nursing student and veteran Rachel Lanahan is a recipient of the Scholarship for Heroes. After eight years of medical work in the military, Lanahan was offered an intelligence job that involved flying unarmed aircraft oversees. After a few years, she said...
by Kyrsten Turner | Mar 4, 2013 | News Slider
Charlie Daniels may be sending the devil down to Georgia, but he’ll be back in time to headline Tuesday’s Scholarship for Heroes Tour. “It’s an amazing night,” April Herrington, the assistant director of Lipscomb’s veteran services, said. “You’ll get to see Charlie Daniels perform. I know a lot of the students here are probably not familiar with Charlie Daniels, but he is a great supporter,” Herrington said. “He has been on this walk with us for four years. Ever since we started, he’s been right behind us to support us.” The concert series first started four years ago as a way to recognize Lipscomb’s Yellow Ribbon students. “That was the original start of the Charlie Daniels concert,” Herrington said. “Then it was called Operation Yellow Ribbon. Now, it’s been changed to Charlie Daniels’ Scholarship for Heroes.” “The concert raises money for scholarships to help pay for students who were not 100-percent eligible for free tuition. The money goes toward them to help supplement their cost so that hopefully, when we raise enough money, they can go to school, tuition free as well.” Herrington said donations of over $30,000 were collected at last year’s concert and Lipscomb was able to award 10 scholarships for the current year. They hope to raise even more Tuesday night. There are approximately 175 yellow ribbon students, so every little bit helps. A reception will be held Tuesday night before the concert for veterans and sponsors. The veterans will also have a special meet-and-greet session with the artists before the big performances. “We have several great performers coming,” Herrington said. “Basically, the concert is going...
by Kelsey Durnin | Apr 4, 2011 | News Slider
The second annual Operation Yellow Ribbon was a huge success! The event featured General Tommy Franks as keynote speaker and performances by Charlie Daniels, Wynonna Judd, The Grascals and Montgomery Gentry. Charlie Daniels was honored by being appointed a colonel. The whole event was hosted by GAC’s Storme Warren. Prior to the show, veteran students and other VIP guests had the opportunity to meet with Gen. Franks and Daniels as well as the performers: Montgomery Gentry, The Grascals and Wynonna Judd. The Grascals’ banjo player Kristin Benson and guitarist Terry Eldredge were excited for the opportunity to show support for troops and veterans. “This is a worthwhile event we’re proud to be a part of,” says Benson. The Grascals played two songs including their cover of The Monkees’ “Last Train to Clarksville.” “It’s great, anyway you can honor them,” Eldredge said, a bit choked up. “They dodge bullets for us. Anybody who does that deserves to be honored.” Daniels has always been a notoriously patriotic supporter of the military and its veterans, and has performed at both Operation Yellow Ribbon events at Lipscomb. This year he played a new song asking everyone to pray for the troops. He also played the Charlie Daniels Band classic, “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” with accompaniment from The Grascals. “There is a Santa Claus and his name isn’t St. Nick, its St. Charlie Daniels,” said Eldredge. To add to the night’s excitement, David Hughes announced Lipscomb’s new partnership with Sentinels of Freedom, a program which awards scholarships to qualifying veterans who were severely injured in the line of duty. The first student...
by Kelsey Durnin | Mar 28, 2011 | News Slider
The second annual Operation Yellow Ribbon event will be this Tuesday, Mar. 29 at 7 p.m. in Allen Arena. “We hope this inspiring evening of stories and songs will do three things,” said David Hughes, assistant dean of students and director of the Yellow Ribbon Program. “We want it to raise awareness about the Yellow Ribbon Program, honor the military and veterans and help raise funds to support Yellow Ribbon.” General Tommy Franks, who is also the author of New York Times bestseller American Soldier, will be the keynote speaker again this year. General Franks spoke at last year’s Operation Yellow Ribbon on the importance of family, faith and flag and will be delivering a message just as strong this time around. Hughes describes him as a dynamic speaker who can “have you in stitches one minute, then crying the next.” The event’s evening benefit concert has been arranged by the Charlie Daniels Band production team absolutely free of charge to show their support for the military. “Without the Charlie Daniels Band production team this event would not happen,” Hughes said. “They are that integral to this.” The benefit concert will feature acoustic performances by Charlie Daniels, Wynonna Judd, Montgomery Gentry and the Grascals. Hughes says, however, this will be much more than a concert as each performer will also be telling stories. Funds raised by the event will go to support the Yellow Ribbon Program, which has been established at Lipscomb since on Aug, 1, 2009. This program is part of a partnership with the Department of Veterans Affairs which allows veterans to pursue an education at public or private...
