Although Carolina Crown did not have the opportunity to perform at its NightBEAT home show last Sunday in Winston-Salem, North Carolina due to rain, the organization was still able to host its first CrownCARES Community Service Day, distributing new shoes to 1,300 children in need.

CrownCARES and NightBEAT chairman Jim Williams partnered with Samaritan’s Feet, Director’s Showcase International, United Way of Forsyth County, and Love Out Loud WS to gather volunteers at three local elementary schools for distribution.

For three hours of the afternoon, these volunteers washed children’s feet, provided them a new pair of socks and shoes, and also a message of hope for their futures.

“To say the Crown Organization is excited about our new program [CrownCARES] would be an understatement,” Carolina Crown executive director Jim Coates said. “The impact on our members and emotions felt throughout the day from the many volunteers who assisted in making this possible reached far beyond our dreams and vision. This truly is a program that we look to develop for years to come with hopes of touching the lives of more than just our own members.”

These children were not the only ones receiving some fresh new footwear—CrownCARES and Director’s Showcase International came together to donate new marching shoes to three local high school bands.

The Crown organization is focusing on promoting its mission “Developing Lifelong Excellence” beyond just its drum corps involvement.

The promotion of its NightBEAT show had triple effect—furthering its organization through regular event sales, raising funds for many different corps through the special pay-per-view “Funny to the Corps” webcast, and helping out Winston-Salem Forsyth County Bands that benefited from program sales at the event.

“We are extremely proud of the work the Carolina Crown organization and all of our corps do in the community,” Drum Corps International executive director and CEO Dan Acheson said. “CrownCARES is an outstanding addition to an already amazing effort on and off the field by the corps.”