1st Annual All-Star Weekend at Evergreen

"Take A Shot for Education" Basketball Tournament.
All proceeds will be donated to the
Moore Means More Scholarship Fund (Foundation).

The “All Star Weekend at Evergreen” was originally found by LaCheston Moore of Evergreen, Alabama.  The idea was generated from a fellow fraternity brother that was met while attending Troy University in Troy, Alabama.  One must give credit where credit is due, therefore identifying Elder James Earl Cray as the motivation and inspiration behind this event, kudos to you.

Elder James Earl Cray, Founder & President
Annual All-Star Weekend at Hazlehurtst, Georgia

As for Elder Cray better known as “JE,” this marks his 10^th year for the “All Star Weekend at Hazlehurst” in Hazlehurst, Georgia.  Since its beginning, this weekend has become an event that “the Hurst” and surrounding areas look forward to every year.  Not only has the event grown and became one of the main attractions besides the 4^th of July in this small city.  JE’s ministry has begun to spread throughout the Southern Region of the United States (Alabama, Georgia, and Florida).  A powerful man of God he is as his ministry has encouraged him to be just that more active in his community as he has become an icon in the Hazlehurst community.

Valerie Walton-Tolbert
Director of Volunteers

LaCheston Moore
Founder & President

While at Troy University, when choosing a Fraternity to join, this can be a process of its own.  It is very rare that a member or members of the fraternity will seek you out nowadays.  Well I just so happen to be one person that JE sat down and talked to personally about the life of a Sigma.  During that conversation, I would have never guessed that a couple years later that he would be talking to me about God.  When the people say that God makes no mistakes when he places certain people in your life; I truly think that he had JE and I in mind. 

Brittany Jones
Director of Finances & Publicist

JE talked to me many summers about coming to Hazlehurst to support his weekend and see if it would be something that I would be interested in bringing to my hometown one day.  Well as it has already been noted via the Facebook introduction of Moore Means More Scholarship Fund (Foundation), I never went.  But we talked about getting everything started and now the “1^st Annual Weekend at Evergreen” has been born.

Shiquita Lee-Fulton
Historian

Considering the events that would take place that weekend, some thought had to be put into what to do with the funds that would be raised.  There was the thought of letting it remain in an account for general operation of next year’s event and there was the thought of awarding it to some high school graduate getting ready to pursue college.  The decision was unanimous as there is always a child that needs financial assistance in pursing their dream education at a great university.

Sophia Johnson
Chief Operations Officer

The planning had started and once people started getting involved, everyone was excited.  I had been relaying information back to JE about the progress that the foundation and the week was making and he was excited as well.  The events included: a comedy show, a 5k walk & run, basketball tournament, a fun day for the children, and a career day for the teens.  There was literally something for everyone in the city of Evergreen to do doing the weekend extravaganza. 

Rev. Kenneth Kidd, Pastor
First Baptist Church
Evergreen, Alabama

But because it was in its beginning stages, the weekend lacked sponsorship's, our manpower took a deep turn, and it seemed as if the weekend would be a disaster. But GOD!!!  I called JE up and told him about what was going on and he told me the same thing had happen to him when he first started off.  He told me to stay encourage, trust in the people that were dedicated to seeing the weekend through and do the best that we could.  And for that, I thank you JE for the encouraging words; I thank you Bell Riley for making the process easy with the gym and contacting Pastor Kidd of the First Baptist Church in Evergreen;  I thank you Valerie Walton-Tolbert for sticking it out with me when it seemed like it wasn't gone fall through; I thank you Brittany Jones for answering your phone every time I call about something that I couldn't handle because I am not in Evergreen; I thank you Shiquita Lee-Fulton for being committed and staying on the team; Sophia Johnson, you’re the best, you came on board and have been a workaholic ever since; Pastor Kidd, I thank you for giving me the opportunity to spread the gospel at your church; And finally, to everyone in Evergreen that plans on attending the events planned for this year, I want to say thank you in advance.  Just know that your spirit, encouragement, and participation will not go in vain.  Everything that the foundation is doing is for the better good of the graduating students and our community.  We are gone to make the best of this experience as best we can and we look forward to seeing everyone that can make it.  God Bless and God Bless! 

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"The Man From the Bench" (Men need strong God-Fearing Women)

The Prelude….

The beginning…. “Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him” (Genesis 2:18)

There are certain things that we as men just need a woman for.  There are certain voids in our life that can only be filled by a god-fearing woman.  A touch that only a wife can provide that is forever comforting.  A security that our children are in the best of hands.

This story tells the story of a man that performs Godly miracles through our Father, but doesn't acknowledge him for all his blessings that he has received.  He has finally come to a crossroad where money cannot buy him happiness or fix the problem and he is finally wondering why.

The Story…

There was a doctor that had just about everything that he wanted.  He was the best in the land for what he did when it came to saving lives and delivering babies, he was loved by many.  But when that doctor would get to his house, he often noticed that it was not a home.  He had someone that he was dating, but the relationship featured so many ups and downs that he often found himself simply wanting to give up.  Or he actually found himself by himself more than often.  He really wished and hoped for his significant other to realize what he wanted to form with her.  But for some odd reasons, she never could see eye to eye with him when it came to certain things.

Well one day the doctor was on his way to work.  As his stepped outside of S-Class Mercedes, he noticed a guy sitting on a bench outside of the hospital.  For some odd reason he approached the guy and spoke to him.  The man spoke back, but as the doctor turned and walked away, the man utter these words to him, “seek him first, that he will provided your empty space with the blessings in which you’re heart so much desires.”  The doctor turned in shock and continued to walk inside of the hospital.

After a crazy shift, the doctor checks-out and prepares himself for departure.  Once he got outside of the building, he noticed the man was still sitting on the bench.  The doctor approached him and asked him, “What did you mean by your statement in which you spoke of earlier?”  The guy on the bench replied, “Nothing is free doc, you have to pay the piper.”  The doctor then responded by saying, “Well I have no cash on me, I’d have to go to a nearby bank to get some.”  The guy says, “Doc for what I am about to tell you, no money can buy.  But if you promise me one thing after I tell you what it is that I have been lead to, that I can pray with and for you, I will share this information with you.”  The doctor looked in amazement and nods his head yes.

The guy on the bench stands up in front of the doctor and tells him that you relationship is null and void because you lack the key thing that will bring it to life; you lack Christ.  The same God that guides your hands on the operation table; blesses you with the knowledge to perform in the manner that you do; keeps you financially stable the way that you are so that your mind and heart is always clear, you must let him into your life.

You go to your house after work to a woman that doesn't even want to spend time with you.  Doesn't seem to ease the pain and void that you have by attempting to be a life partner.  You search for all the qualities of a wife in a girlfriend that doesn't even know how to be a woman.  She must first too allow God to be the head of her life in order for you-alls union to be blessed.  One thing that you must remember is that God has placed everyone in our lives for a particular reason.  For everything that you sow into people lives in the hospital as a doctor, I’m talking the grief for those that have lost someone; the happiness for those that have brought new life into the world, the joy that a disease has been removed from one’s body.  Doc you need a woman, a wife, at home that understands the man in which she has, your worth, your now ongoing relationship with God and she understands it is her duty to pour back into you what it is that you put out every day.

The doctor looks at the guy from the bench as his eyes begin to water.  He asks him, “So I am not selfish for wanting to spend more time or want to be with in her more than what I am now?”  The guy looks upon the doctor as says, “God wants for us to all have someone, especially someone that performs his miracles right here on earth. “

Finally the guy from the bench tells the doctor, “that emptiness in which you face in your relationship must be filled first and foremost with a relationship with God.  Once he sees that you’ve accepted him, he will work on everything else for you.  But you also need to allow for him to send you a woman that understands both how you feel and how you operate, so that your relationship is not hardship, but something that is prosperous for the both of you.”

The doctor had his head down and he felt the guy from the bench place his hands on his head and he began to pray.  The doctor begins to weep more because of were his faith and belief lied with Jesus Christ.  How his relationship was nowhere near what he wanted it to be.  As the guy continues to pray harder and harder, the doctor begins to speak, “father I repent for not accepting you into my life.  Father I just ask for forgiveness right now.  Father I just ask for a relationship that you will bond through your strength that no man can break.  Father I just ask for you to send me someone that understands the importance of time, sacrifice, and communication.  Father I want to know more of you, I want a partner that is just as eager for your love as I am.”

While the doctor continues to pray, he feels the guy from the bench hands leave his head.  As he dries his tears and wipes his face, so that he can stand and walk to his car, he feels a slight breeze.  When he stands up, his significant other is standing in front of him and she asks him, “Who were you talking to?”  He responds, “Did you not see a man standing over me?”  She responds, “No.”  And then she tells him that, “I've been standing here for a second now and I heard your prayer.  I want you to know that I want to be your better half. I want to work on everything that we lack and do it in the name of Jesus.”  The doctor’s heart trembled as he started to weep again.  He grabs his significant other to give her a huge and begins to walk to his car.  But right before he got in the car, he looked back over to see the bench was still empty, however, a shadow was bending the corner.  The doctor then looked up to the sky and said thank you Lord, for you know best and I thank you for that angel in which you sent to speak over me.

The Conclusion...

Men that doctor represents the duties in which we have to God, our family and our love ones; we have work to do.  Ladies we as men need a woman that backs us and supports us so that we can continue to do the things in which God has called us to be.  No matter if it’s a Doctor, Writer, Lawyer, Preacher, or whatever.  This story does not represent struggle and taking our women for granted.  But it does represent that we are at our best when our support system consist of you.

-Minister LaCheston T. Moore