JPF Home Page Forums General Messages Brian Austin Whitney Blog Sunday, July 9th, 2006

Hi Folks,

We had a great time yesterday at a family July 4th pig roast and party (yeah, didn't want to rush anything here.. ). It was at my little brothers place, the one who's house burned down last winter and he lost everything. He's currently living in a place donated temporarily by some friends while they get back on their feet. They don't have a lot right now, but I did take note of the guitar that he purchased with the donations from generous JPF members. It's one of his few possessions and one that he immediately showed off to everyone who was there, which was a proud moment for me to know our fellow members here didn't forget his contributions to JPF and our website when we were just starting out. It wasn't about being a huge amount of money (it's a simple, relatively inexpensive guitar) but it was the thought behind it that makes it a very valuable thing for him and for all of us in the family. It illustrates that sometimes doing SOMETHING.. ANYTHING to help someone, even if it's a small thing, can really have a positive and hopeful impact on someone's life. It has definitely been part of the healing process for my brother and his wife and I am guessing even once they are back on their feet and possessions start to fill their next living space, that guitar will have a special and unique meaning to him because of your generosity and the fact that you all cared, even though he'd only personally met a few of you.

The party was a lot of fun. There's a game played in the Midwest called (hold your jokes) Corn Hole.. which is a bit like Horeshoes, only you use bean bags and a board at an angle with a hole in it to score. Sounds weird, but it's actually a lot of fun. That and volleyball, and several other games made for a great and low cost day for family and friends who have a lot to be thankful for that Lewis and his wife Jeana are still here with us to celebrate. In a year that's been filled with a lot of family and friend tragedies (probably more than any other year of my life and it's only half over) this was a high point. It wasn't about money or fame or success or anything special... it was just an appreciation that we were all there, together and able to share some time where the only concern was getting a good versus rotten piece of corn on the cobs, or getting our bean bag to land on a slanted piece of plywood. Sometimes that makes for the best days of all.

Thanks again to those who pitched in to our family and to those who pitch in to others when they need a little boost.

We're All In This Together!

Brian