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Urban Toot enjoys the summer!

June 30, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Hey, Is it just me or have you also noticed that it’s summer? Yup thats right. Summer Rules, School is… well out and so the good folks at Urban Toot have decided to blog on a summer schedule. We know, we know, you will miss us. You want to hangout at the pool or at the beach. Sure we can do that. Just bring your favorite book, a bottle of something tasty to drink and some sun tan lotion and we’ll all be set.

Okay, Okay, just kidding.

Sorta.

The truth is that Urban Toot loves Summer and we really want to enjoy it. We’ll be posting from time to time, but just not our normal 5 articles a week. So for the summer we’ll be posting here and there. We’ll be checking the comment box below. If you really want us to come back leave us a message below. Tell us what you like about Urban Toot and what type of articles you’d like to see more of. We’ll do our best to oblige.

Filed Under: 1, That's Just Crazy Tagged With: , ,

Little Free Library in Glendale!

May 18, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Have you ever heard of the Little Free Library?

One of our Urban Toot Staffers and his family have decided to take on this very cool project of creating their own mini public library. The exact location hasn’t been determined yet (we’ll let you know when it is).

How little you ask. Very little. Here is a picture of a common library.

Little Free Library

Here is the deal. The Little Free Library says that their Mission is to: 

  • To promote literacy and the love of reading by building free book exchanges worldwide.
  • To build a sense of community as we share skills, creativity and wisdom across generations.
  • To build more than 2,510 libraries around the world–more than Andrew Carnegie!

Sounds pretty cool! What is so appealing to us is that it promotes literacy and community. It makes a statement of  “We trust you. we know that you could steal all the books, you could damage our little library but we trust that you won’t.” In other words it builds community.

In today’s world of me, me, me it’s tough to find a worthy project that’s worth supporting. In fact sometimes it’s tough just to find a project not to be cynical about. Today Urban Toot wants to challenge you to be more then just yourself and to get behind a project in which many, many things can go wrong but the Staff at Urban Toot wants to believe that it will go right!

We’ll keep you up to date with what’s going on with the Free Library Project. In the mean time what community projects do you support? Let us know in the comments, we’d love to hear from you!

 

Feature Photo Image from Neighborhood Library Builders Guild’s Facebook Page

Filed Under: 2, Books, Community, That's Just Crazy Tagged With: , ,

Killer Community

May 18, 2012 by Leave a Comment

I’m a really fortunate dude.

Everyday, I discover another way that I have been completely blessed. Last weekend, I was reminded what an amazing community I’m a part of. My son’s school is close by and is home to the only Dad’s Club I’ve ever heard of. In the 50’s, the Dads of the school got together and began to sow the seeds of a community that served the school, loved the kids and created space for Fathers to find something that, honestly, is really rare: a community.

For 65 years, the Dads have worked alongside the PTA to do a unique kind of fundraiser called The Fathers’ Follies. I’m not going to be shy about it: it’s burlesque, it’s barbershop, it’s barbarian. It’s awesome. For two months, the Dads gather once a week so that the dancers can dance, the singers can sing and the actors can do their thing. The script is penned by a gifted (and somewhat tripping) writer. The sets are astounding. The legacy is legendary. Generations of Dads have been a part of this and now I’m a part of it, too.

It could easily written off as silly and eccentric, and it is those things, but as strange as it sounds…The Fathers’ Follies are Dads at their very best.

OK, so the balloon boobs and dresses are a bit over the top, but these are busy guys, professionals who carve minutes and hours out of their schedules because they love their kids. These guys love their families. They love one another. It’s difficult to tell where the best time is had: on stage or back stage, in rehearsal or performance. It doesn’t matter what stage, we have a great time together. Whether we’re learning lines, melodies dances, painting sets or hot gluing costumes, the sweat equity builds friendships. I am privileged to share a bow with these guys.

As for me, I got to pretend to be a singer for a while. As a local pastor, I don’t get to be that “artistic” too often. And as a 25+ year performer, it’s a challenge. This year, though, I got to do the best Freddie Mercury I could muster. A sextet of singers doo-wopped “Killer Queen” and I got my 15 seconds with a mic. I had a BLAST. Big thanks to Steve-O, Mark B, Tom the Martian and the whole killer crew for sharing their time so I could play at tenor.

If you live in Glendale, I can tell you when the next Follies are: Mother’s Day weekend 2013. Barring Mayan disaster, the curtain will rise Friday at 7pm. You will see a fun show, for sure, but you will also see strong relationships, close families, significant sacrifice and hidden courage. You will see the result of conversation, teamwork, partnership and camaraderie.

You will see community…a killer community!

Chris is pastor of @glenpres church in Downtown G-Town. He twitters at @prophets facebooks @chrisdharrison and blogs at prophetsandpopstars.com.

Filed Under: Education, Events, Featured Left, That's Just Crazy

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