‘Feel Good Tour' collecting instruments for NC families affected by Hurricane Helene
ROANOKE, Va. (WFXR) – Some communities in North Carolina are still reeling from the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, and one group in Roanoke is looking to help through music. 'The Feel Good Tour' was created in 2005 after Hurricane Katrina, and since then they have given over 2,000 instruments for free across the country.
This year the Feel Good Tour is celebrating 20 years of connecting those who can't afford to buy instruments with completely free ones, especially children.
'There must be hundreds of instruments sitting in a closet not being used. Nowadays, with the economy, parents can't afford it,' said Bill Hudson, one of the co-founders of the Feel Good Tour, 'Our payback is, and you can go to our facebook page, and see all the pictures of all the smiles and all those kids. That's why we do it.'
Habitat for Humanity's 10th Feel Good Tour with Music for Christmas in Roanoke
Bill Hudson, one of the founders, says as a songwriter and musician, he knows the job that music plays in all our lives.
'Music definitely is like therapy, maybe for a lot of people. And it doesn't matter what your politics are or if you're rich or poor, it doesn't matter. Music has no borders, so it heals and we know that. And how important that is. We hear that a lot from parents,' said Hudson.
The Feel Good Tour will be packing its 25-foot-long trailer filled with instruments on Monday, March 3rd at the Habitat for Humanity on Melrose in Roanoke. If you have any instruments you don't use, even if they're damaged, the group will take it, all year round, just say it's for the tour.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Miss Georgia contestant hopes to be first woman with indigenous heritage to win title
COLUMBUS, Ga. () — The 80th Miss Georgia competition taking place in Columbus contains many talented and intelligent ladies from across the state. Brooke Marshall however, is hoping to be the first indigenous woman to hold the title. The 20-year-old Miss Central Georgia representative says she is proud to be a direct descendant of the Muscogee Creek Nation and that she wants to share it with the world. 'We really lack representation and being able to show people that despite where you come from, you can still go and get an education,' Brooke said. 'Your path doesn't have to be linear and you should be proud of the roots that you came from.' As Miss Central Georgia, Brooke describes meeting Chief David Hill and other Muscogee Creek Nation council members at an indigenous celebration in Macon. 'It was really cool getting to see all of the artwork and dances that they do. I've also been able to visit the Muscogee Creek headquarters in Oklahoma and their veterans memorial they have, which was cool because my dad's name is displayed there.' Brooke said. Brooke says although she would get made fun of for her heritage when she was younger, it is now something she wants to highlight. Her talent in this weekend's competition is what she calls a 'Her-story' titled 'We Are Still Here' — it is a dramatic monologue that speaks on the progression of the Muscogee People. 'Its been a way for me to use my voice and get past anxieties that I struggled with in high school.' As a cosmetology graduate of West Georgia Tech, Brooke plans to re-enroll in classes in the fall to continue her education in Marketing. She says whether she wins or loses, she plans on coming back in the next year, because the experience is what she loves the most. 'I believe that Miss Georgia is a process. Girls compete for years and years and it's all about growth and what you learn. I just believe that the opportunities that I've received and have been able to do this year is honestly the most rewarding thing of all in Columbus.' Photos courtesy of Miss Central Georgia 2025, Brooke Marshall. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Come face-to-face with catfish on guided noodling trips: On the Clock
WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) — Here in Texoma, we're blessed with a myriad of lakes and rivers, and in those bodies of water are a myriad of catfish. In this installment of On the Clock, we traveled to one of those lakes in Texoma, where noodling tour guide Cee-Jay Blackmon introduces even the queasiest of participants, like me, to the art of catfish noodling. 'What's your favorite part about it?' I asked Cee-Jay. 'That part when they get bit and they freak out,' he answered. Pulling up to the shore, I'm scared for a number of reasons. Between being woefully unprepared and the interesting texture of the catfish, it's safe to say I was regretting my life choices. But thankfully, that's where this noodling pro comes in. 'We take up to 10 people at a time or more. Just depends,' Cee-Jay said. 'And we'll go out on the lake all day and just look for holes under rocks and under concrete.' It's a way of life for Cee-Jay. Getting his noodling start at age seven, he fell in love, hook, line and sinker. 'My uncles would take me out to the Red River and Cache Creek, stuff like that,' he said. 'And they'd shoved me in the hole head first by my feet and then tell me, 'If you ain't got fish and don't come out of the hole.' Ever since then, I just wanted to keep doing it.' Turning it into a career, reeling in crowds for his noodling tours across Texoma. But Cee-Jay says it's a competitive field. 'If there's no one noodling that day, you'll find more,' he said. 'But you could be noodling behind someone, and they could be pulling the fish out before you get to the hole.' So much so, his fishing holes, like the one we're at today, are top secret. 'There's just people all over that noodle,' Cee-Jay said. 'And when you find a hole, you think no one knows of it, you just don't want to just blurt out where it is, because there would be multiple people going and checking it.' That secrecy keeps his spots ripe for a post-noodling catfish fry for his clients. 'If the clients want to keep fish, we'll clean them. Usually, we don't let anyone keep anything over 30 pounds, but, you know, take pictures, release it,' Cee-Jay said. 'Anything under, skin it, clean it, bag it for them, so they can take it home with them.' And after filleting my catch of the day… 'Okay. So obviously I've freaked out a bit, but I did it. Would you hire me?' I asked. 'I would, I'd hire you. Yes,' he said. 'Really? Okay, that's surprising, considering how much I freaked out,' I said. 'It's your first time. It takes a little while to get used to this,' Cee-Jay said. 'After going out and doing it a few times, you'd be right, and you'd be just right in motion.' Ceejay may have a noodling assistant to join him next tour. If you're interested in scheduling a tour with Cee-Jay, call him at (580) 860-3595. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Tales N' Trails Museum wraps up another successful History Mystery Day Camp
NOCONA (KFDX/KJTL) — It's been a week of hands-on history in Nocona, where kids at History Mystery day camp wrapped up their final day of fun and learning. From goat milking to ancient hunting tools, this camp brought the past to life in some unforgettable ways. Over the past week, kids ages 5-12 explored everything from farming and ranching to Native American survival tools. They milked goats, tasted goat's milk, planted flowers and even crafted their own pottery. One of the biggest highlights was learning how to throw an atlatl, an ancient tool Native American hunters used to hurl spears. Camp leader, Melanie Howington, said the purpose of the camp is to help bridge the gap between past knowledge and the way things are today and make it fun. 'Their toys are all electronics; they're all touch keypad. They don't understand slingshots and Slinkys. Up at Wichita Falls museum, Leanne brought us Slinkys and told us the history of Slinkys and they got to do that and play jacks. I want them to see how things evolve and how it's different now from back to when it was', said Howington. No matter the age, the focus remained the same, making the past feel real and showing how history still connects to their everyday lives. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
