Check out this link to read more about the International Academy of Achievement Summit that Amy and Vince participated in in South Africa from July 3 – 8, 2009.  INCREDIBLE organization.  This link shows photos and recaps the summit.  Definitely worth clicking…..  so click here:

http://achievement.org/autodoc/pageg…009/index.html

I received a couple of photos of Amy and Vince's performance at The Grand Ol Opry (May 30) and thought I would share them with all of you.  (Photos by Chris Hollo / courtesy of the Grand Ol Opry)

I apologize for the delay and the lack of updates while Amy was in Africa, but she lost her iphone early in the trip and never "phoned home," so to speak.  Anyway, we will be posting a personal blog from Amy recapping her experience in Africa as well as lots of photos in the days to come….

Here are the first few photos…

Hey everyone -

I gotta tell you… this new world media stuff is creating a lot of busy work.  I wake up every day and I'm faced with all sorts of options of what to check first..

work emails? personal emails?  my facebook account? friendsofamy facebook account? my twitter account?  friendsofamy twitter account?  or perhaps myspace if I can still remember the log in password? 

or do I blog…or do I read and make comments on the amy grant message boards?  do i text amy and nudge her to twitter (she does her own but needs "encouragement" from time to time) or should i be really ambitious and ask her to blog.

and that all happens before the actual work day begins…..

I guess what I am trying to say that although I am a big fan of social networking and think it creates an incredible opportunity to stay connected to friends, family, and things of interests in an ever increasing medium, it also creates a lot of busyness that sometimes can feel a bit overwhelming. 

Personally, I have reconnected with high school friends, people I grew up with in California and relatives where time and distance have taken a toll on our connection.  Professionally, I have been able to network with a bigger group of people and keep my finger on the pulse of what's hot and what's not.  Professionally (and personally) I've been able to put a face to so many of the names that have supported Amy's career through the years and have been able to offer up prayers for those battling illness, unemployment, depression or just struggling with life in general. 

It is all good — but it also takes a lot of time — and time is something we can not get back.  So my encouragement to all of us is that while I fully support and encourage social networking, I think we also need to put a HIGH value on our face-to-face time with friends, family, spouses, partners, employees, neighbors, dogs, and the person standing in line behind you at the grocery.  If you are bold enough to befriend someone on facebook or follow them on twitter, be even more bold in person and say "hi" to a stranger… or tell your parents or children that you love them when they least expect it.  Let us not hide behind these new-fangled social networking mediums (as much fun as they are and as much good as they do) and let's not diminish the value of quality time with the people we come into contact with.

Just food for thought at the end of a very busy day.  I'm going to turn it all off in 30 minutes and go on an adventure walk with Braden tonight and catch lightening bugs.  No cell phones allowed.

Jen

In case some of you missed it, here is the Challenge America press release that was serviced to the news wires after the event.

Challenge America initiative launches to inspired audience

At the john f. kennedy center for the performing arts

in Washington, DC

Hosted By Amy Grant and Vince Gill with Michael McDonald, Alison Krauss, Darius Rucker, Mac McAnally, Melinda Doolittle, NY Times Bestselling Author Stephen Mansfield and Bob Woodruff, Support Returning Injured Veterans.

Washington, DC (June 11 , 2009) – The Challenge America initiative to support returning injured veterans and their families by virally networking recreation, jobs and housing programs through ChallengeAmerica.com, recently launched with a rare musical event played to an inspired audience on the stage of The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.

The night, hosted by Amy Grant and Vince Gill, was filled with poignant stories from ABC’s Bob Woodruff, NY Times Best Selling author Stephen Mansfield and music from Grant, Gill, Michael McDonald, Alison Krauss, Darius Rucker, Melinda Doolittle and Mac McAnally.

“Challenge America provides each of us the opportunity to help to satisfy our injured Veteran’s simple need for a job, a home and the chance to recreate with their families when they arrive home and begin to heal,” remarked Houston Cowan, Founder of Challenge America and Co-Founder/CEO of Challenge Aspen, the adaptive sport, cultural and competitive sporting group from which Challenge America extends.  “This Kennedy Center launch is the first step in an effort to give back to the men and women who have served us so well. ChallengeAmerica.com will continue to add comprehensive local and national resources in the area of jobs, housing finance and life-building recreation,” he added.

“Challenge America begins with each one of us.  There is no small effort and every one of us can do something that has impact on Veterans living in our own community,” adds Amy Grant.  “Whether you’re a basketball coach who starts a wheelchair basketball league on Saturdays in your community or you’re a banker who finds ways to connect an injured Veteran with a loan or a job, all of us can help in our own small way.  The challenges are great and the possibilities are greater,” she says.

Dr. and Mrs. Michael Morykwas were 4-Star General Sponsors for the launch event and received recognition in a special award presentation from Houston Cowan and Amy Grant for their dedication to Challenge America.  Dr. Morykwas invented the VAC, a medical device credited with saving countless lives of injured veterans.  Upon receiving the award,

Dr. Morykwas announced that he would match his own sponsorship contribution.  The American Red Cross, and its affiliated philanthropic group The Tiffany Circle Society of Women Leaders, was also a key sponsor of the event.  Bonnie McElveen-Hunter, Chairman of the Board, gave and received special thanks.

Challenge America (http://www.challengeamerica.com)

Recording with Matthew Ryan went great today! Brown Bannister still rocks! Pictures coming soon….

Sat 6/6 9:00 pm ET

Amy Grant stops by The Message studios for an entire hour to talk about what’s been going on in her life lately. She’s involved with a very worthy cause called “Challenge America” which aids our wounded veterans in very unique ways. She’s also got some big news about new music in the works!

Amy sent a tweet about this last night but I wanted to make the offer available to those of you who use the website and who don't "tweet."  (I still can't believe we are forced to talk like this!)

Many people have asked how they can support the Challenge America cause without being able to actually attend the event (based on distance, conflicts, etc.).  Well, the Challenge America team has been working with their donor base on an offer to sponsor veterans to go to the concert in their place.  The way it works is this — a donor makes a $500 tax deductible donation to Challenge America and for that donation, the Challenge America team will work directly with Walter Reed and other military organizations to bring a seat a veteran at the concert in the patron seats (first few rows of the orchestra).  It's a win-win for everyone.  The donor gets to contribute to the cause and gets a tax deduction and the veteran gets to go to an event they normally couldn't afford and be honored by Amy, Vince and their musical friends.

If interested in making a donation, please contact management@amygrant.com. 

I know it is a lot to ask of you. $500 dollars is a lot of money for anyone these days.  But maybe a few of you are in the position of being able to help.  We never know unless we ask…

Thanks for even considering…

Jen Cooke

I think this one is worth checking out… let me know what you think.

Washington Post interview with Sally Quinn

Jen