Kelly Hoskins is the Travel Managert at Soles4Soulls.

Soles4Souls is a global not-for-profit institution dedicated to fighting the devastating impact and perpetuation of poverty.  The organization advances its anti-poverty mission by collecting new and used shoes and clothes from individuals, schools, faith-based institutions, civic organizations and corporate partners, then distributing those shoes and clothes both via direct donations to people in need.

Kelly grew up in Virginia and moved to Ghana in 2005 where she stayed for one year while working on a micro credit program with approximately 30 women. Kelly and a friend taught them how to create and grow a self-sustainable business via black atala soap.  Kelly recalls, "Some Ghanaians once made a living off of making and selling black atala soap...not very different from how my Granny made and sold lye soap.  Ghana began importing everything and lost the trade." So she learned how to make the soap herself and then re-taught the women how to make it.  Half of them would make the soap and half would distribute it in market places around the country.

After moving to Nashville in 2009, Kelly worked with Country Music Television and then went into the healthcare industry for three years before joining the staff at Soles4Souls.

She also has a background in vocal and instrumental music.

Her diverse background and skills will be an asset to the Nashville Singers Advisory Board. Welcome, Kelly!

 

A: I have no desire to rule the world, but if I had control over how the USA was run, I would...  

• shorten presidential election campaigns to a maximum of 100 days
• do away with the electoral college and elect our Presidents based on the popular vote    
• do away with the unofficial 4th branch of government, the lobbying industry   
• outlaw gerrymandering
• forbid corporate contributions to political candidates or campaigns   
• pay members of congress only for the days they are in session   
• make workers in all three branches of government sign a conflict of interest and gift disclosure policy   
• eliminate congressional pensions
• put real teeth in the STOCK Act (created to eliminate insider trading) for members of Congress, the executive branch and their staffs, and put records of all stock trades by these folks in an online database that is searchable, sortable and downloadable 
• limit all members of congress to a maximum of one term
• legalize marijuana and tax it like we do with alcohol and tobacco 

Q2: If you could give your 10-year old self one piece of advice, what would it be?

 

A: Start my work as a volunteer much, much earlier.   

 

Q3: If this were a to-do list, what's the first thing that would be on it?

 

A: Find a new job. My position with Big Brothers Big Sisters is being eliminated at the end of the year. My resume can be downloaded  here.  

 

Q4: If this were the last day of your life, what would you be doing?

 

A: If the weather was nice, probably sitting on a boat with friends and family on Percy Priest Lake and being thankful for the incredibly full and enjoyable life I have lived.

 

Q5: If you could rid yourself of one personal fear, what would it be?

 

A: I am not a man of many fears, but I was afraid of losing my house when I went through 47 months of unemployment from 2009-2013. 

 

Q6: If in your dreams you could have created any one great work or art- a song - a painting - a movie by another artist, what would it be?

 

A: Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings, op.11. I've posted a choral version of the piece below as this week's "Video of the Week."   

 

Q7: If you could have any other talent, what would it be?

 

A: I wish I had taken piano lessons instead of playing the string bass in the 4th and 5th grade   

 

Q8: If you could take back one sentence you've ever spoken, what would it be?

 

A: "I'm sorry, but you can't have it." Back story: In 1978, I got a call from Kenny Hatton, lead singer of the (then current) International Quartet Champion Bluegrass Student Union asking me if they could sing my arrangement of Java Jive. I had just the arranged the chart for a quartet I was singing with in Florida in Dave Stevens arranging class at Harmony College. Long story short, I turned them down. In hindsight, I regret that decision.    

 

Q9: If you had a super-power, what would it be?

 

A: I really like Grace Thomson's choice of teleportation   

 

Q10: If you had coined a single phrase of wisdom, what would it be? 

 

A: God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference. - The Serenity Prayer (Reinhold Niebuhr)  

Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings, op.11 (adapted for mixed choir) Agnus Dei (with sheet music)

Inside A Cappella Ep. 36 (2013)

    

December 16, 1970 - Five singles and five albums by Credence Clearwater Revival were  certified gold in the US. The singles were: "Down on the Corner," "Lookin out My Back Door," "Travelin' Band," "Bad Moon Rising," and "Up around the Bend." The LPs were "Cosmo's Factory," "Willy and the Poor Boys," "Green River," "Bayou Country," and "Credence Clearwater Revival."

     

 

   

 

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Todd Wilson    Executive Director The Nashville Singers, Inc.  615-852-SING (7464) office  615-669-TODD (8633) cell 615-523-TODD (8633) fax

The Nashville Singers, Inc. is a Tennessee chartered corporation and recognized by the IRS as a tax-exempt 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Donations are tax -deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law. For more information, visit our website or contact Executive Director, Todd Wilson by phone at 615-852-SING (7464) or via email at todd@nashvillesingers.org