This past weekend was a busy one for the SMILE family. On Friday night, Steven, Carl, Andrew, and Nate took part in the annual Friendship Group's Talent Show. The Talent Show was hosted by The SMILE of Hopatcong at the Grace Church on the Mount in Netcong.
Our very own Carl, with SMILE President Allan Milford at his side, opened up the festivities by leading the packed house in the Pledge of Allegiance. This would prove to be the start of an amazing night!
Among the many Talent Show performers were our very own SMILE guys. Andrew chose to cut loose to "Footloose", singing and dancing better than Bacon.
Nate performed a powerful version of Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire" while in full "Man in Black" regalia. Steven also took the stage in a bright Hawaiian shirt and much to the crowd's delight, performed the Beach Boys' hit "Wouldn't it be Nice".
In the final performance of the night, Steven, Nate, and Andrew all performed Journey's "Don't Stop Believing". The song started out slowly, but as the guys began to rock, so did the audience. The guys' friend Kyle was so excited that he jumped on stage and began singing with them. Kyle was followed by Jenny, then Courtney, then Ryan, and before long everyone had joined the guys on stage to sing together as a Friendship Group. The lights flashed, the stage shook with elation, and the audience roared in appreciation. Don't take our word for it. Check us out on Facebook.
After a late night rocking out on stage, the SMILE guys woke up early Saturday morning to participate in the 13th Annual Hudson Farms Charity Hike. This community event brings people together to hike the Hudson Farm property in Hopatcong in order to support local organizations. Carl, Nate, Andrew, and Steven all completed the hike and received $1 per year of age, which they, in turn, donated to a Hopatcong charity of their choosing.
For most of us, that sounds like a busy weekend, but our SMILE guys weren't done yet. Sunday was Carl's birthday so everyone woke up early to surprise him with decorations, presents, a birthday song, and some breakfast cake. Carl then spent the rest of the sunny day golfing with his brother Bobby.
Meanwhile, Nate, Steven, and Andrew headed on over to the State Park to meet Scout leader Steven Denis and his son Tyler from BSA Troop 166.
Steven and Tyler were incredibly helpful in getting the guy's fishing poles all setup and showing them a few tricks to get the best cast out on the water.
That's not all however, Cub Scout Pack 80 was also in on the fun. They met SMILE at the park and were very generous in serving the guys a delicious lunch, which included steak, burgers, and hot dogs. It was an unforgettable day and we hope to continue our great relationships with scouts of all ages.
Big thanks to everyone who helped make this weekend one full of overwhelming joy. Remember to be the smile in someone's day!