Day 335: Threw A Benefit Party

I use the word "random" pretty loosely on this blog.  My acts aren't always random in the typical sense of the word, but rather in the way that teenage girls who love One Direction use it.  As in, if you saw somebody hugging random people on the street, you'd say "That's so random..." or if you saw a person you didn't know show up to a charity event, you'd say "Who is this random over here?"  I've gotten emails and messages from people critiquing me about not sticking to the traditional definition of the word, and while I will readily admit that some of my acts are planned out, most of the time they are chosen at random either when I wake up in the morning or when I see the opportunity.  The reason that I bring up how random my acts are was because today's is DEFINITELY not random at all.  I had planned on doing this for months, I knew who I wanted to do it for, and hopefully, nothing random actually does happen in regards to it.  So to anyone who was going to email entries from Webster's dictionary, no need.  I already know.

On February 19th (two days after Michael Jordan's 59th birthday), I sat on a roof in the freezing cold.  5 months later, I joined a cross country walk in the blistering heat.  I did both of these random acts because of and with Pastor Corey Brooks.  For those that have just started reading this blog, Pastor Brooks lived on top of the roof of an abandoned, crime infested hotel for 90 days in order to raise the funds to have it torn down.  Months later, he walked across the entire country to help raise funds in order to build a community center on the grounds of the old hotel.  He did both of these crazy things because he is sick and tired of having to speak at the funerals of youth killed by gun violence here in Chicago.  He has inspired a great number of people both here in Chicago and across the country, myself included.  Since he has been someone who has been inspiring to me and my acts, and I feel so strongly about his mission to stop violence, I wanted to do something to raise money for his movement, Project H.O.O.D.  On October 1st, I had a goal to raise $1000 for Project H.O.O.D., but was unable to (thank you to those of you that did donate though!  I will be giving the donations to Pastor Corey soon).  So today, for my random act of kindness, I am throwing a benefit party to raise money for Project H.O.O.D.  It is also a way to get many of the people who have been involved in 366 Random Acts together in the same place.  I want to thank people, meet people for the first time, and share a beer with them.  To anyone reading this blog right now: you are invited and so is anyone that you know.  Please join us tonight from 7-10 at FatPour, 2005 W. Division here in Chicago.  Enjoy a little Beastie Boys to get hyped.