CREATIVETS FOUNDER, RICHARD CASPER, HONORED AS ONE OF CNN'S HEROES OF THE YEAR 2022

 

Last night was a huge win for our country's veterans. CreatiVets founder and executive director, Richard Casper, was named one of this year's CNN Heroes of the Year. Richard was recognized for his outstanding work with fellow veterans and his mission to heal through various forms of art.

Richard served four years as in the United States Marine Corps, with a combat deployment in Fallujah, Iraq. During his deployment, he was hit by four IEDs in just four short months, causing him to suffer a traumatic brain injury. Upon returning home, Richard found it hard to adjust and suffered from PTS until he discovered the healing power of music and visual art. After experiencing firsthand the impact music and art had on his own recovery, Richard co-founded CreatiVets to help other veterans who are suffering and need an outlet to express their pain, tell their stories and find a way to begin to heal.

CreatiVets works with veterans through the arts, allowing these brave men and women various ways to express themselves in some of the most personal ways possible - visual and through song. Researchers and clinicians have found that healing through writing, music and visual art is a strong, viable outlet for veterans because these forms of expression do not necessitate exposure to the facts of the trauma, and also allow the individual to avoid the stigma of receiving mental health treatment. They can heal at their pace in their own, deeply personal, way. 

CreatiVets has partnered with The School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) for a three week art program and University of Southern California (USC) for a two week, fully-accredited art program for disabled veterans at no cost to the veteran. Veterans have full access to studios and equipment at the school, and the program gives them an opportunity to create and discuss art with some of the best art instructors in the country. Through the process, veterans learn the benefits of using art as a form of stress and anxiety relief, as well as a way to tell their stories. Upon graduating from the program, the participating veterans have the opportunity to share the pieces they have created at a gallery showcasing their works. Through this showcase, the veterans are able to help raise public awareness about the challenges facing veterans and how art can assist in addressing the psychological and emotional struggles that arise from combat-related trauma. Check out SAIC’s “Healing Through Art” for more information about 2015’s program.

Some of Nashville's best songwriters and artists have come together to extend a hand to assist them in the crafting of their musical stories - Aaron Lewis, Vince Gill, Drake White, Tyler Farr, Craig Morgan, Justin Moore, Casey Beathard, Tommy Karlas, Brian White, Mitch Rossell, Brian Davis, Lewis Brice, Heath Sanders, Granger Smith, Josh Grider, Randy Rogers, Love and Theft, Eric Burgett, Lance Carpenter, Chris Ferrara,  Craig Campbell, Blackjack Billy, Brantley Gilbert and countless others have jumped in the mission to give back to those that have given their all to help a country of people they don't even know. 

In a time with so much uncertainty, division and negativity in the world, Creativets provides an environment of caring, positivity and love. How can you not support an organization like this? I'd love to see more artists and writers get involved with this wonderful group of people and really spread the word. Now is the time to stand by those who stood in front of us. Can I get a boo-yah?

For more information on CreatiVets, go to https://creativets.org and follow them on social media:

Twitter - @Creativets1

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/creativeterans

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/creativets

Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/c/creativets

Tik Tok - https://www.tiktok.com/@creativets

You can stream and download the music created by the veterans and artists listed above through Creativets on most digital music outlets.

If you'd like to join the fight and volunteer, apply here.

If you'd like to donate, you can give here.

NATIVE SON SCOTTY McCREERY GIVES “CNN TRAVEL INSIDER” TOUR OF RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA

CNN Segment Airs Thursday, July 30 with Re-Airs on Saturday, Aug. 1 and Sunday, Aug. 2

Photo credit: Eric Adkins

PRESS RELEASE

When "CNN Travel Insider” decided to visit Raleigh, North Carolina, the producers knew exactly the person to ask for an insider’s tour: native son Scotty McCreery. The Platinum-selling country music artist was happy to oblige, and took a brief break from the recording studio, where he has been working on his upcoming album with producer Frank Rogers, in order to show off his city. Now, viewers can learn about several of McCreery’s favorite Raleigh places when the “CNN Travel Insider” segment airs on CNN this Thursday, July 30 during the 10:00-11:00 AM/ET period. The segment will re-air on Saturday, August 1 during the 12:00-1:00 PM/ET period and Sunday, August 2 during the 8:30 AM – 9:00 AM/ET period. (Please note, breaking news could bump the “CNN Travel Insider” segment to another time period).

McCreery took the CNN crew to Pullen Park, the fifth oldest operating amusement park in the United States and the 16th oldest in the world. While there, the ACM Award winner took a ride on both the more-than-one-hundred-years-old Gustave A. Dentzel Carousel, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, and the C.P. Huntington Miniature Train.  Later in the day the former high school baseball pitcher brought the television crew to the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame and Museum, spotlighting many of the state’s nationally known professional and college athletes. During the evening, the singer/songwriter gave the crew a tour of the iconic The Angus Barn restaurant, winner of more than 200 prestigious awards including 21 Wine Spectator Magazine Grand Awards.

The Mercury Nashville / 19 / Interscope Records recording artist is currently working on his next album. He scored two consecutive Top 10 hits (“See You Tonight” and “Feelin’ It”) from his sophomore album See You Tonight, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart. That album’s title song, co-written by the singer, was one of three singles from the “American Idol” champion that were certified Platinum by the RIAA in the same week (the other two being “The Trouble with Girls” and “I Love You This Big” from his Platinum-certified first album Clear as Day, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart). The ACM, CMT Music, ACA, and ICM Award winner is the Special Guest on the Rascal Flatts RIOT 2015 Tour this summer, and will be performing with them at the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, NJ on July 31; Susquehanna Bank Center in Camden, NJ on August 1; and the Xfinity Center in Mansfield, MA on Aug. 2. For more information and additional tour dates, visit www.scottymccreery.com.

TUNE IN ALERT: SARAH DARLING TO APPEAR ON CNN

TUNE IN ALERT: COUNTRY STAR SARAH DARLING TO APPEAR ON CNN'S "100 WAYS TO EAT LIKE A LOCAL"

 

Photo credit: Sara Kauss

 

 

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (April 30, 2013) - During a worldwide quest to uncover "100 Places To Eat Like A Local" in various cities, CNN made a stop in Nashville and asked rising country star, Sarah Darling, to reveal one of her favorite local eateries. Flip the tube this week to CNN's "News and Views" network, HLN, to see just what she picked! A list of airtimes is below.

Airtimes for "100 Places To Eat Like A Local" on HLN:

Wednesday, May 1: 6 a.m., 8 a.m., 3 p.m., 5 p.m. EDT
Thursday, May 2: 6 a.m., 8 a.m., 3 p.m. EDT
Saturday, May 4: 9 a.m., 10 a.m. EDT
Sunday, May 5: 9 a.m., 10 a.m. EDT

More on CNN's "100 Ways To Eat Like A Local" can be found here.

For more information on Sarah Darling, visit www.sarahdarling.com or follow her on Twitter at @_SarahDarling or Facebook at www.facebook.com/OfficialSarahDarling.