Merry CHRISTmas!!!

 

SPLAT!! HANS GRUBER HITS THE GROUND!! MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!!

 

 

.

Merry CHRISTmas Eve!!

  
I thoroughly enjoyed decorating for Christmas this year... it's about 25% of what I wanted to do, but way more than I've been able to do in recent years. Dad and I (and Laurie many times) have watched an autumn, Thanksgiving, or Christmas movie every night for the past 6 weeks... I've loved it! I hope you all have a wonderful day of ushering in the celebration of Jesus' birth!!

  

  

   

.

BIRDDOG CINEMA JUST GOT AN OUTDOOR FOOSBALL TABLE!!

  
Each year while I'm buying Christmas gifts for others I usually buy something for myself... usually a waaaaay better item than I would buy for someone else (haha, just kidding!!). It's usually something for the house that everyone can enjoy. This year I scored a good deal on an outdoor foosball table!! And it arrived 10 days early!! Soooooo I hope to have it assembled and ready to go for tomorrow night's DOUBLE FEATURE MOVIE NITE - Yayyyyy!!

Not many outdoor movie theaters offer foosball... BIRDDOG CINEMA: Your Future Premier Shantytown Outdoor Theater 🎥 😀

 

 

. 

What's better than 1 BIRDDOG CINEMA sign??

 

What's better than 1 BIRDDOG CINEMA sign?? 2 BIRDDOG CINEMA signs!!!! Thank you so stinkin' much Laurie for this PERFECT GIFT!!!!! You are so stinkin' thoughtful!!

Laurie allowed me to open up 1 Christmas gift early (so that I could use it this Saturday), and to my overwhelming joy I received a SPECTACULAR customized metal cut-out movie sign that lights up!! Oh, Mom would love this! It will compliment my other new AWESOME BIRDDOG CINEMA sign perfectly!! I will probably place the newest sign in the future concession / outdoor kitchen area, especially since it has a cut-out of popcorn on it =)

I love it! BIRDDOG CINEMA is destined to be a premier outdoor movie theater haha! Come join us Saturday night for a Christmas double feature & dinner... and check out our 2 new signs!!

Thank you soooooooo much Laurie!!!!!

 

 

.

11 MORE "THANK YOU" PACKAGES WENT OUT TODAY!

  
Our last shipment of the year went out today to our AWESOME DONORS who live outside the area and weren't able to attend our Annual Banquet and get their "Thank You" Package in-person. We hope they love it as much as we love them! Jan has gotten to meet or talk to many of our Donors & Supporters and sums it up like this, "GTD has the best & nicest Supporters!!" She is finding out what we've experienced for years: GTD SUPPORTERS ROCK!! They are THE BEST OF THE BEST!! These packages are a very small way we get to occasionally show our Amazing Supporters a small glimpse of how much we love and appreciate them!! Thank you so much awesome people for your love, encouragement, and support!! We hope you know how much we love you!

 

 

.

HANS GRUBER SIGHTING!

HANS GRUBER SIGHTING!
...HE HAS FALLEN 20 FLOORS!
.......5 DAYS TILL CHRISTMAS!!!
 
Update: It's not looking good for Hans!
 
5 more days till Hans Gruber hits the ground in front of Nakatomi Plaza and Christmas can be celebrated!!

Long live DIE HARD as the greatest Christmas movie of all time!!!

 

 

.

WE ARE BACK ON!! ...OUTDOOR MOVIES THIS SATURDAY!!

  
THE WEATHER FORECAST LOOKS PERFECT!

LAST OUTDOOR MOVIE NITE OF 2023 THIS SATURDAY NIGHT (DEC 23rd)!

DOUBLE FEATURE!!
 
We are hosting our final outdoor Movie Nite of 2023 this Saturday night (Dec 23rd) in my backyard (in Pinellas Park, FL) at "BIRDDOG CINEMA" (named after my Mom)!
 
THIS WEEK'S MOVIE & MENU:
DOUBLE FEATURE!!
1st MOVIE: Daddy's Home 2 (1 hr 45 min)
2nd MOVIE: Die Hard 1 (2 hrs)
MENU: Chili, Hot Dogs, Pizzadillas, S'mores, Popcorn, & Snacks
DRINKS: Water, Soda, Lemonade (or similar)
  
Each Movie Nite is provided by GTD for FREE, and includes dinner, a campfire, s'mores, popcorn, and snacks. Some outdoor games like cornhole, ping pong, arcade style 2-player basketball game, connect four, and more will also be available.
 
"Doors" open at 4.30p if you want to arrive before it gets dark and play some games. Dinner will be at 6pm-ish. The 1st movie will start around 6.45pm-ish. The 2nd movie will start around 8.45pm-ish.
 
Outdoor propane griddle, grill, & burners will be available for those that have special dietary needs or those who want to make something different than what's on the menu.  
We can comfortably accommodate about 50 people. We have 16 Adirondack chairs, 4 zero gravity chairs, an outdoor sofa, and plenty of camp chairs. Feel free to bring your own chair.
 
All movies are family friendly (movies have been edited to remove cursing & inappropriate content except fighting/violence when showing action movies like Die Hard, Mission Impossible, etc).
 
Check weather and bring any comfort measures needed (blanket, jacket, pillow, bug spray, etc)

Comment below, or text me, or FB Messenger me, or Instagram Message me to RSVP to reserve your spot so we have plenty of food, snacks, & drinks ready to gooooo!!
 
MOVIE SCHEDULE:
Nov 25: Hoodwinked
Dec 2: Home Alone 1
Dec 10: Postponed Due To Weather
Dec 16: Postponed Due To Weather
Dec 23: Daddy's Home 2 & Die Hard 1
Jan 13: The Goonies
Feb 2: Groundhog Day
Feb 11: Super Bowl
  
I hope you can join us for one of our upcoming GTD MOVIE NITES!

 

 

.

Happy 82nd Birthday to my Dad!!

  

Happy 82nd Birthday to my Dad (Jerry Garner)!! Without a doubt, this was the hardest & roughest year of his life after having the hardest & roughest year of his life the year before. But he is the Comeback Kid, and overall he is physically doing better compared to a year ago when he could hardly walk and just lost his wife... but an entire year without "Babes" (his nickname for Mom) has been a very heavy loss to carry. Yet he keeps on keeping on! Way to go Dad!! You are a great example of perseverance! Happy Birthday Tomato Man!! I love you!

Aaaaaaaaand Happy Birthday (in 2 days) to my brother-in-law (Dave) too!

 

 

.

I'M OUT OF ADJECTIVES... WE JUST SURPASSED $115,000 RAISED!!!

 
Staggering! Astounding! Marvelous! Tremendous! MIRACULOUS!!! IT'S ALL GOD!! Well, I guess I found a few more adjectives to help try to describe what God is doing through our SPECTACULAR DONORS!!!! You guys not only beat our record for funds raised before January 31st... YOU ARE SHATTERING IT!!!!! I honestly don't know what to say... THANK YOU SO SO SO SO SO SOOOOOOOO SO VERY VERY VERY VERY VEEEEEEEERRRYY MUCH x INFINITY PLUS ONE & A CHERRY ON TOP!!!!! WOWWWW!!!!! GOD BLESS YOU ALL!!! Thanks to you, we are looking forward to "DOING MUCH MORE IN 2024"!!! As Mom would say, "Love you MORE!"

PS: It's not even over yet! We still have 6 more weeks to go before it's January 31st!! Mind blown!!!!

 

 

.

MOVIE NITE IS RAINED OUT AGAIN... NEW DATE IS DEC 23rd!

 
Due to rain we are canceling our Outdoor Movie Nite tonight and switching it to next Saturday Dec 23rd. We will keep it as a DOUBLE FEATURE night!!
 
*All Movie Nites are family friendly, and movies have been edited to remove inappropriate content.
 
Next Movie Nite:
Dec 23rd (Saturday night):
-------------------
DOUBLE FEATURE!!
Plus wear an ugly Christmas sweater or something "Christmassy"
-------------------
"DOORS" OPEN AT 4.30p
>> Daddy's Home 2 @ 6.45pm-ish
>> Die Hard 1 @ 8.45pm-ish
-------------------
Menu: Chili, Hot Dogs, Chips, S'mores, Snacks, Lemonade, Sodas, & Water
-------------------
Games: Cornhole, Ping Pong, Arcade Style 2-Player Basketball, More
-------------------
Comment below, or text me, FB Messenger me, or Instagram Message me to RSVP to reserve your spot and so we have plenty of food, snacks, & drinks ready to gooooo!!
-------------------
We hope to see you at our next GTD MOVIE NITE at BIRDDOG CINEMA 😀

 

 

. 

A POEM FOR MOM... "AN EMPTY SWING AT THE PERGOLA"

  
Today marks 1 year since BIRDDOG went to Heaven. We spent today eating at one of her favorite diners, going to her favorite park, sharing our favorite Mom stories, and eating her favorite ice cream (Butter Pecan). It was a wonderful day honoring Mom! I also wrote her a poem. I'm not a poet, but I Googled different ways to honor someone's anniversary date of passing on, and writing a poem was one of the ideas. I haven't tried writing a poem in many years, but I thoroughly enjoyed this process, especially since it is for my Mom. I also wanted to include the people who were with us today in the poem. Soooooooo, here it is... this poem is for you Mom!! I love you more!

(This is the picture of the actual Pergola and swings for my Mom... and at the very bottom are 2 Bible verses that have encouraged me deeply since Dec 15, 2022)
 
================
POEM: AN EMPTY SWING AT THE PERGOLA

I built a Pergola for you today
   Attached to the house I planned for you to stay

I hung 2 benches so we could swing
   While we laugh... or cry... or dare try to sing

We would reminisce about years gone by
   Oh Mom, why did you have to die

I dreamt of all the things we would do
   Till the ripe old age of a hundred and two

Whether of fun or of mundane or of things that did embarrass
   We would talk of the good old days of our life on Rose Terrace

With lemonade we would sit and sip
   And chuckle about all the words Dad did invent

While savoring the taste of a ripe Georgia peach
   We would roar of Traci's teenage drives along Clearwater Beach

Licking butter pecan ice cream so fast we would choke
   As we cackle of all I did each year as a practical joke

You treasured each gag like it was your own special treat
   Even that time I put Vaseline all over the toilet seat

Then Carson was born and your life overflowed
   Much like your plumbing when he flushed his undies down the commode

Dave would visit every now and again
   To lay on the sofa from end to end
  
Laurie came to your house for a few weeks to stay
  But after 10 years you realized she's not going away

Now your grandson talks of making Lauren his spouse
   And building brand new memories in your old lovely house

So many memories I thought we would share
   Especially of good neighbors who really did care
 
So many stories I thought we would retell
   Especially of Jesus making our souls quite well
  
As our benches swung back and forth
   We would relive our travels from west, east, south, and north

But the Alzheimer's I did not foresee
   That would slowly take you away from me
 
Alone I now swing beside the window sill
   Yet there is a sadness I no longer feel

Heaven is real, and not a sad second choice
   Mom you are healed and your soul does rejoice
 
I built a Pergola for you today
   Attached to the house I planned for you to stay

I hung 2 benches so we could swing
   While we laugh... or cry... or dare try to sing

But God offered you a mansion and so much more
   With unimaginable things He still has in store
 
So I sit under the Pergola and swing all alone
   Comforted knowing you're now full of joy in your forever home
  
THE END
===================
 
======================
“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” - 1 Corinthians 2:9 (NLT)
======================
"In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you." - John 14:1-3 (NKJV)
======================

 

 

.

Just received one of the BEST Christmas gifts!

  

Just received one of the BEST Christmas gifts I've ever been given (just hours before my Mom's one year anniversary of going to Heaven [BIRDDOG is her nickname])!!

Thank you soooooo much Jason & Heather Lazzaro!!! I'm so blessed to call you friends!

(I renamed the outdoor movie "theater" in my backyard to "BIRDDOG CINEMA" in honor of Mom.)

(Jason is the super talented Visual Communicator that designs our T-shirts... however, not the one I happen to be wearing in this picture... his designs are way better than the one I'm wearing!)

 

 

.

LAST OUTDOOR MOVIE NITE OF 2023 THIS SATURDAY NIGHT! ...DOUBLE FEATURE!!

  
We are hosting our final outdoor Movie Nite of 2023 this Saturday night (Dec 16th) in my backyard (in Pinellas Park, FL) at "BIRDDOG CINEMA" (named after my Mom)!
 
THIS WEEK'S MOVIE & MENU:
DOUBLE FEATURE!!
1st MOVIE: Daddy's Home 2 (1 hr 45 min)
2nd MOVIE: Die Hard 1 (2 hrs)
MENU: Chili, Hot Dogs, S'mores, Popcorn, & Snacks
DRINKS: Water, Soda, Lemonade (or similar)
  
Each Movie Nite is provided by GTD for FREE, and includes dinner, a campfire, s'mores, popcorn, and snacks. Some outdoor games like cornhole, ping pong, arcade style 2-player basketball game, connect four, and more will also be available.
 
"Doors" open at 4.30p if you want to arrive before it gets dark and play some games. Dinner will be at 6pm-ish. The 1st movie will start around 6.45pm-ish. The 2nd movie will start around 8.45pm-ish.
 
Outdoor propane griddle, grill, & burners will be available for those that have special dietary needs or those who want to make something different than what's on the menu.  
We can comfortably accommodate about 40-50 people. We have 16 Adirondack chairs, 4 zero gravity chairs, an outdoor sofa, and plenty of camp chairs. Feel free to bring your own chair.
 
All movies are family friendly (movies have been edited to remove cursing & inappropriate content except fighting/violence when showing action movies like Die Hard, Mission Impossible, etc).
 
Check weather and bring any comfort measures needed (blanket, jacket, pillow, bug spray, etc)

Comment below, or text me, or FB Messenger me, or Instagram Message me to RSVP to reserve your spot so we have plenty of food, snacks, & drinks ready to gooooo!!
 
MOVIE SCHEDULE:
Nov 25: >> Hoodwinked
Dec 2: Home Alone 1
Dec 8: Postponed Due To Weather
Dec 16: Daddy's Home 2 & Die Hard 1
Jan 13: The Goonies
Feb 2: Groundhog Day
Feb 11: Super Bowl
  
I hope you can join us for one of our upcoming GTD MOVIE NITES!

 

 

.

GLORY TO GOD!!! NEW FUNDRAISING RECORD!!! 110k RAISED!!!

  
Well God used you guys to break our WOW-O-METER!!! Drop the mic!!! We are speechless!!! We are humbled & overjoyed at the same time!!! All glory to God!!! We just surpassed $110,000 raised!!! That's a new fundraising record for GTD!!!!! From the soles of our feet to the souls of our souls (that's a new one!) - THANK YOU SO SO SO SO SO MUCH AMAZING, LOVING, & GENEROUS PEOPLE!!!! You are launching us into our 28th year of ministry in 2024!!! BLOWN! AWAY!!! God bless you all!!!!!!

 

 

.

HANS GRUBER HITS TERMINAL VELOCITY! ...15 DAYS TILL CHRISTMAS!!

  
After falling 10 stories Hans has somehow already hit terminal velocity! While passing the 15th floor at Nakatomi Plaza, Holly McClane yells out, "Hans, after all this you're just a common thief." Hans snaps back, "I am an exceptional thief, Mrs. McClane. And since I'm moving up to kidnapping, you should be more polite.”

Well Hans, there will be no "moving up" for you! On the contrary it's all "down hill" from here.

15 more days till Hans Gruber hits the ground in front of Nakatomi Plaza and Christmas can be celebrated!!

Long live DIE HARD as the greatest Christmas movie of all time!!!

 

 

.

TONIGHT'S MOVIE NITE IS CANCELLED DUE TO WEATHER!

  
It looks like our area is going to get hit with some sloppy weather this afternoon & evening so we are canceling our Outdoor Movie Nite tonight. Because of this we will make our next Outdoor Movie Nite a DOUBLE FEATURE!!

*All Movie Nites are family friendly, and movies have been edited to remove inappropriate content.

Next Movie Nite:
Dec 16th (Saturday night):
-------------------
DOUBLE FEATURE!!
Plus wear an ugly Christmas sweater or something "Christmassy"
-------------------
"DOORS" OPEN AT 4.30p
>> Daddy's Home 2 @ 6.45pm-ish
>> Die Hard 1 @ 8.45pm-ish
-------------------
Menu: Chili, Hot Dogs, Chips, S'mores, Snacks, Lemonade, Sodas, & Water
-------------------
Games: Cornhole, Ping Pong, Arcade Style 2-Player Basketball, More
-------------------
Comment below, or text me, FB Messenger me, or Instagram Message me to RSVP to reserve your spot and so we have plenty of food, snacks, & drinks ready to gooooo!!
-------------------
We hope to see you at our next GTD MOVIE NITE at BIRDDOG CINEMA 😀 

 

 

. 

BACK BY (UN)POPULAR DEMAND.... SWAMP THING IS 8 WEEKS AWAY!

  
Our least desired and most avoided adventure is back on the calendar for 2024!

Check out the AWESOME SWAMP THING PROMO VIDEO HERE:
https://youtu.be/H7mxwB7ne7A?si=mNFTK6j5-F9-iP4n

Swamp Thing is the backpacking trip your mama warned you about!

Trudging through the thick swamp with a heavy backpack on your back appeals only to the hardened adventurer with a drive to overcome, a mindset to embrace misery, and a passion to run into a challenge that everyone else is running away from.

So if you like taking the hard road BECAUSE it's the hard road, this may be the trip for you. If you like something BECAUSE everyone else hates it, this may be the trip for you. If you like your badge of honor with swamp water dripping from it, this may be the trip for you.

If you've got the guts to do GTD's romp in the swamp then click on the link below for more details and/or to register.

Event: Swamp Thing Backpacking Trip
Date: FEB 3-4, 2024 (Sat-Sun)
Location: Florida's Everglades
Total Distance: Approximately 8 miles round-trip
Cost: Only $55 (plus food)
Website Link: https://gtdbullhorn.blogspot.com/p/swamp-thing-1.html?m=1

Here's a good Swamp Thing verse:
"For God has not given us a spirit of cowardice, but of power and love and self-discipline." - 2 Timothy 1:7

Going The Distance Adventure Ministry
God-awesome Adventures Since 1996!

 

 

.

BIRDDOG CINEMA was super sized today!

 

BIRDDOG CINEMA was super sized today! We went from a 150 inch outdoor screen to a 200 inch outdoor screen! With the enhancements I figured I better place 2 security guards next to it ;) 

 

 

.

MOVIE NITE CHANGED TO SUNDAY NIGHT... "DADDY'S HOME 2"!!

MOVIE NITE CHANGED TO SUNDAY NIGHT... "DADDY'S HOME 2"!!
...SOOOO MOVIE NITE IS DEC 10th!
 
Join us this SUNDAY NIGHT (Dec 10, 2023... NOT on Friday night like originally planned) at BIRDDOG CINEMA located within Shantytown Estates (aka, my backyard) for one of the funniest Christmas movies I've ever seen - DADDY'S HOME 2!!! This instantly became one of my Top 2 favorite Christmas movies when I first saw it... I was literally crying from laughing so hard!! I know everyone's sense of humor is different, but this movie nailed it for me... and it also has substance and meaning... and culminates into a poignant message. It's full of big name actors, and doesn't disappoint!
 
- "Doors" open at 4.30p
- Dinner (Tacos!!) at 6pm-ish
- Movie (Daddy's Home 2) at 7pm-ish

These are family friendly events so we will have games & edited movies that are kid friendly.
 
Comment below, or text me, FB Messenger me, or Instagram Message me to RSVP to reserve your spot and so we have plenty of food, snacks, & drinks ready to gooooo!!
 
MOVIE SCHEDULE:
Nov 25: Hoodwinked - DONE!
Dec 2: Home Alone 1 - DONE!
Dec 10: >>> DADDY'S HOME 2 & Tacos!!
Dec 16: Die Hard 1 (Menu: TBD)
Jan 13: New Year's movie (TBD)
Feb 2: >> Groundhog Day
Feb 11: >> Super Bowl

We hope to see you at one of our upcoming GTD MOVIE NITES at BIRDDOG CINEMA 😀

 

 

.

MINISTRY PARTNER GIFTS HAVE STARTED GOING OUT!!

  
This is such a big deal to me... we are finally following through with getting our "Thank You Gifts" mailed out & hand delivered to our amazing Ministry Partners!! In some cases, we are 5 years behind on getting these gifts delivered! It has been such a bummer to fall so far behind, but I praise God we are in the midst of getting back on top of so many things, especially the gifts for our supporters!! Soooooo Jan, our awesome admin person, has mailed out about 18 packages for our out-of-town supporters, and will be dropping off even more to our local supporters. We have over 100 gift packages to go out so we are doing it in waves over the next 2 months. If you are one of our phenomenal GTD supporters (anytime during the past 27+ years) and you never received any of our GTD gifts (things like GTD shirts, knit hats, coffee mugs, water bottles, etc) then contact me (text, call, comment, etc) so I can make sure you get what you deserve! As always, THANK YOU SO MUCH for all your love, prayers, encouragement, & support!!! We are so blessed to have you on our team!

 

 

.

HANS GRUBER UPDATE! ...20 DAYS TILL CHRISTMAS!!

  

After falling 5 stories Hans was last seen passing the 20th floor at Nakatomi Plaza where John McClane could be heard yelling the following question, "Hey Hans, how ya doin'?!" To which Hans yelled back, "It's Christmas... It's the time of miracles.” Well said Hans, but I've seen this movie before and all I can say is 20 more days till Hans Gruber hits the ground in front of Nakatomi Plaza and Christmas can be celebrated!! Long live DIE HARD as the greatest Christmas movie of all time!!!

 

 

.

We had another great time at BIRDDOG CINEMA watching Home Alone!

 

We had another great time at our Outdoor Movie Nite this past Saturday night watching Home Alone with about 30 people at BIRDDOG CINEMA! Special thanks to Mark DeSantis for supplementing our pizzadillas with lots of delicious queso & chips from Moe's!! ...Aaaaaaaaand  my awesome Sista for all her hard work & help!
  
--------------
NOTE - MOVIE SCHEDULE CHANGE: Our next Movie Nite at BIRDDOG CINEMA is changed FROM this Fri night Dec 8th TO Sunday night Dec 10th!!! (Friday night wasn't a good choice because of it being a work day and Saturday night is the City of Pinellas Park Christmas Parade)... more info to come, but the movie will be DADDY'S HOME 2 (absolutely hilarious!!) and the menu will be Tacos!!! More info to come!
--------------

 

 

.

Let the countdown begin! 25 days till...

 

Let the countdown begin! 25 days till Hans Gruber hits the ground in front of Nakatomi Plaza and Christmas can be celebrated!! Long live DIE HARD as the greatest Christmas movie of all time!!!

PS: Thank you Carson for THE BEST Christmas countdown Advent calendar EVER!

 

 

.

WOW x 100,000!!!! ...$100k RAISED IN RECORD TIME!!! PTL!!! THANK YOU DONORS!!!

  
I only have a couple of minutes, but wanted to get this VICTORY POST up immediately!!!! Late yesterday (Nov 30th) our AWESOME, PHENOMENAL, STELLAR, & AMAZING SUPPORTERS put us over the $100k goal line IN RECORD TIME!!!!!!!! Wow, I mean WOWWWW, JUST WOWWWW!!!!! Thank you doesn't even come close to describe the gratitude in my heart and all of our hearts at Team GTD!!!! You guys are launching us into 2024, and we even have 2 months left on our fundraising calendar to add "MORE IN 2024"!!! Our All-Time Fundraising Record is around $110k if anyone wants to help us break another record! But the BIG NEWS that we are celebrating right now is that $100,000 was raised in 1 month!!! That's amazing!!! That's RECORD SETTING TIME!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! God bless all of you awesome people!!! And most of all, ALL GLORY TO GOD!!

 

 

.

DINNER #2 & ANOTHER OUTDOOR MOVIE THIS SATURDAY NIGHT AT MY PLACE!

  
We are hosting our 2nd outdoor Movie Nite of the 2023/24 holiday season this Saturday night (Dec 2nd) at in my backyard (in Pinellas Park, FL) at "BIRDDOG CINEMA" (named after my Mom)!
 
THIS WEEK'S MOVIE & MENU:
MOVIE: Home Alone 1
MENU: Pizzadillas, Salad, S'mores, Popcorn, & Snacks
DRINKS: Water, Soda, Lemonade (or similar)
  
Each Movie Nite is provided by GTD for FREE, and includes dinner, a campfire, s'mores, popcorn, and snacks. Some outdoor games like cornhole, ping pong, arcade style 2-player basketball game, connect four, and more will also be available.
 
"Doors" open at 4.30p if you want to arrive before it gets dark and play some games. Dinner will be at 6pm-ish. The movie will start around 7pm-ish.
 
Outdoor propane griddle, grill, & burners will be available for those that have special dietary needs or those who want to make something different than what's on the menu.  
We can comfortably accommodate about 40 people. We have 16 Adirondack chairs, 4 zero gravity chairs, an outdoor sofa, and plenty of camp chairs. Feel free to bring your own chair.
 
All movies are family friendly (movies have been edited to remove cursing & inappropriate content except fighting/violence when showing action movies like Die Hard, Mission Impossible, etc).
 
Since this is a family friendly setting and we have friends with various conditions including lung conditions smoking, vaping, & alcoholic beverages are not allowed.
 
Check weather and bring any comfort measures needed (blanket, jacket, pillow, bug spray, etc)
  
Currently we don't have a RSVP link set up so for now you can comment below, text me, or message me via FB Messenger or Instagram to reserve your spot.

MOVIE SCHEDULE:
Nov 25: >> Hoodwinked!
Dec 2: HOME ALONE 1 & PIZZADILLAS!!
Dec 8: Christmas movie (TBD)
Dec 16: Christmas movie (TBD)
Jan 13: New Year's movie (TBD)
Feb 2: >> Groundhog Day
Feb 11: >> Super Bowl
  
I hope you can join us for one of our upcoming GTD MOVIE NITES!

 

 

.

IT'S "GIVING TUESDAY"!! ...97K RAISED!!! ...ONLY 3K TO GO!

The BIG news is that we just surpassed $97,000 for funds raised this month!! Glory to God!!! Thank you BIG hearted Donors!!

As a an official 501(c)(3) non-profit faith-based organization we raise funds each year to offset our operating & event expenses. This allows us to offer our outdoor recreation events at either a reduced rate, a greatly reduced rate, and some events for free!

Our goal each year is to raise $100,000 between Nov 1 - Jan 31 to help us run the next year's program. 2024 will be GTD's 28th year of ministry (PTL!!). I'm thrilled to share that our AMAZING SUPPORTERS have already enabled us to raise 97% of our goal in record time!!! That leaves us with only 3% left to go!! Wowwww!!!

No pressure at all, but if you would like to donate to the cause today on Giving Tuesday (or any day for that matter) here are some donation/payment links:

-----------------
Donation methods:
1) PAYPAL: www.paypal.me/GTDadventures
2) VENMO: www.venmo.com/GTDADVENTURES
3) MAIL IN A CHECK MADE OUT TO "GTD" TO:
   GTD / PO Box 7523 / Seminole, FL 33775
4) BECOME A MONTHLY PARTNER: www.gtdbullhorn.blogspot.com/p/monthly-partners.html
-----------------

From the bottom of our hearts, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT!!

Going The Distance Adventure Ministry
God-Awesome Adventures Since 1996!

-----------------

What is Giving Tuesday?
"Giving Tuesday, often described as a global day of giving or a global generosity movement, is held each year on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving."

 

 

.

MOVIE NITE WAS GREAT!! ...NEXT MOVIE NITE IS DEC 2nd!

  
We had a great time kicking off our winter Movie Nites this past Saturday night at the Grand Opening of BIRDDOG CINEMA located within Shantytown Estates (aka, my backyard)! 30 fun-loving people showed up (and helped out) and enjoyed some games, fires & s'mores, the meatiest spaghetti ever made, and the hilarious animated movie - Hoodwinked!!

Many thanks to my awesome Sister Traci and our thoughtful Dad (The Tomato Man) for all their help leading up to Movie Nite! And huge thanks to the actual guests who showed up, rolled up their sleeves, and helped us finish setting everything up & preparing the food! And a very special thanks to one of our anonymous Ministry Partners who surprised us by sending us an outdoor propane fireplace to enjoy as cooler temperatures set in... it's the perfect gift that warms the hands, heart, & soul!!

I did a terrible job taking pictures, and missed most of the play time and several attendees... hopefully I'll improve at our next Movie Nite!

Did someone say, "Next Movie Nite!"?!?!... our next Outdoor Movie Nite is this Saturday Dec 2nd (2023)... as we kick off our Christmas movie mania with "Home Alone 1"!!!

- "Doors" open at 4.30p
- Dinner (pizzadillas) at 6pm-ish
- Movie (Home Alone 1) at 7pm-ish

These are family friendly events so we will have games & edited movies that are kid friendly.

Comment below, or text me, FB Messenger me, or Instagram Message me to RSVP to reserve your spot and so we have plenty of pizzadillas ingredients ready to gooooo!!

We hope to see you at one of our upcoming GTD MOVIE NITES at BIRDDOG CINEMA 😀

 

 

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BLACK FRIDAY FEELS MORE LIKE GOOD FRIDAY!! WE JUST HIT $94,000 RAISED!!! TYJ!!

  
We continue to be absolutely floored by the support & generosity of you guys!!! We just hit $94,000 raised!! As you know, our annual goal is to raise $100k by January 31st, and we only have $6000 more to go... and it's only November 24th!! That continues to be record breaking & record setting!! Thank you to our amazing supporters! You guys are PHENOMENAL!!! Thank You to our Awesome God!! We! Are! Blown! Away!!! Have a great Black Friday!

 

 

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HAPPY THANKSGIVING & MORE!!

 

Happy Thanksgiving & an early Merry CHRISTmas (& an upcoming Happy New Year) from the staff of GTD!! We are so thankful for YOU, and we hope you have a God-awesome holiday season!!!

 

 

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UPDATE: $90,000 RAISED!!!

 

You guys continue to rock our world!! It has only been 1 week since our Annual Banquet, and we just hit the $90,000 threshold!! We've never hit that amount this quickly! Praise the Lord, and thank you PHENOMENAL DONORS!!! Our annual goal each year is to raise $100k by January 31st... it's only Nov 22nd, and we only have $10k left to raise to hit our goal!! BLOWN! AWAY!! Yayyyyy God!!!

 

 

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DINNER & AN OUTDOOR MOVIE THIS SATURDAY NIGHT AT MY PLACE!

  
We are kicking off our holiday outdoor movie nite this Saturday night (Nov 25th) at 6pm in my backyard (in Pinellas Park, FL) at "BIRDDOG CINEMA" (named after my Mom)!
 
Each movie nite is provided by GTD for FREE, and includes dinner, a campfire, s'mores, popcorn, and snacks. Some outdoor games like cornhole, ping pong, arcade style 2-player basketball game, connect four, and more will also be available.
 
"Doors" open at 4.30p if you want to arrive before it gets dark and play some games. 
 
Outdoor propane griddle, grill, & burners will be available for those that have special dietary needs or those who want to make something different than what's on the menu.  
We can comfortably accommodate about 35 people. We have 16 Adirondack chairs, 4 zero gravity chairs, an outdoor sofa, and plenty of camp chairs. Feel free to bring your own chair.
 
All movies are family friendly (edited to remove cursing & inappropriate content except fighting/violence when showing action movies like Die Hard, Mission Impossible, etc).
 
Alcohol, smoking, vaping, etc are not allowed.
 
An RSVP link will be set up this week (hopefully on Wednesday), but for now you can comment on my/our Facebook post, text me, or message me via FB Messenger to reserve your spot.
 
UPCOMING MOVIE SCHEDULE:
Nov 25: >> Hoodwinked!
Dec 2: Christmas movie (TBD)
Dec 8: Christmas movie (TBD)
Dec 16: Christmas movie (TBD)
Jan 13: New Year's movie (TBD)
Feb 2: >> Groundhog Day
Feb 11: >> Super Bowl
 
THIS WEEK'S MOVIE & MENU:
MOVIE: Hoodwinked! (Animated)
MENU: Spaghetti w/ Meat Sauce, Salad, S'mores, Popcorn, & Snacks
DRINKS: Water, Soda, Lemonade (or similar)
 
ABOUT THIS WEEK'S MOVIE:
TITLE: Hoodwinked! (Animated) (2005) (PG) (1 hr 20 min)
- TOP CAST: Anne Hathaway - voice for Little Red Riding Hood; Glenn Close - voice for Granny; Patrick Warburton - voice for The Wolf ; Jim Belushi - voice for The Woodsman.
- SUMMARY: "Everyone knows the story of Little Red Riding Hood . . . or so they think. That's all about to change because no one has ever seen their favorite fairy tale quite like this -- turned upside-down, inside-out and reinvented as a computer-animated caper comedy that at last reveals the shocking true-crime investigation behind the legend. At last, the full story can be revealed of how Red, Granny, The Woodsman and the Wolf all came together as criminal suspects in a case that almost HOODWINKED the law. With inventive story telling, spunk and wit, filmmakers Cory & Todd and Tony Leech bring to the screen a story for the young, the young at heart and everyone in between."
- ONLINE MOVIE REVIEW: "One of my favorite movies as a kid... still stands as an adult. This movie has such great comedic points for both children and adults. First time I saw it I was in 6th grade at the ripe age of 11 and remember laughing so hard I almost peed my pants. Here I am now, 14 years later, and it still brings me such joy. I feel as though this is a comfort movie that provides an excellent twist on a classic fairytale (Shrek style, if I may) that brings joy and amusement. Great for all ages."
- LINK TO TRAILER: https://youtu.be/_WGv6Rgp72k?feature=shared

PS: This is one of Carson's favorite movies, and a very difficult movie to find via streaming services, cable, etc. We were able to purchase a new DVD on eBay.
 
I hope you can join us for one of our upcoming GTD MOVIE NITES!

 

 

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GTD's Highlight Video "Come Alive" has been uploaded to YouTube!

 

Come Alive!! Our 2023 God-awesome GTD Highlight Video "Come Alive" has been uploaded to YouTube! Thank you to everyone who participated and supported GTD in 2023... this video is for you (and because of you)!!

Special thanks to Carson for making this video!

Extra special thanks to God for making His amazing playground!!

2023 GTD Highlight Video: https://youtu.be/TkSpThfXP9s

 

 

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DAD UPDATE... SO MUCH TO BE THANKFUL FOR!

As we enter into the week of Thanksgiving I will summarize my Dad's update in his own words. After a great night of sleep he woke up early this morning and wanted to cook a big breakfast. He said, "I haven't felt this good in a long time." We are so THANKFUL to hear those words! A few days ago he went grocery shopping and made a big pot of his famous delicious stew that my Sister and I grew up on. You can tell when the Tomato Man is feeling good simply by looking in the kitchen... when he is feeling his best he is cooking food for everyone! It's his love language. Thank you to everyone who has prayed for him, encouraged him, spent time with him, ran errands for him, taken him to Dr's appointments,  & helped him in various ways!! You did more than you may ever know. He is truly The Comeback Kid! Very thankful!!

 

 

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Mt Dude made an appearance at the GTD Annual Banquet!! But who is he?!?!

 

Mt Dude made an appearance at the GTD Annual Banquet!!  I, oops - I mean "he", thought it was a costume party ;) ... will anyone ever be able to figure out the true identity of Mt Dude?!?!

 

 

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$80,000 RAISED!!!!

 
Thank you so so so so much to everyone who participated in our Annual Banquet last night - both near & far!! We had an amazing time glorifying God as we celebrated all the gains of 2023 while honoring those we lost... and preparing, Lord willing, for so much "MORE IN 2024"!! Thank you to every volunteer and staff member who worked so hard to make this event a great success!! Thank you to everyone who attended our special event when you could have let the rain keep you from venturing out!! Thank you to the City of Pinellas Park, Carrabba's, Flashpoint Productions, & all the vendors for making last night so delicious and special!! And thank you to every Table Sponsor, Ministry Partner, & Donor who rocked our world last night as well as the days & weeks leading up to our Annual Banquet!! Everyone blessed our hearts immensely with all the love & support!! I'm THRILLED to announce that our preliminary numbers are already in and we raised just over a $80,000!!!!!!! Glory to God!!! Thank You Jesus!!! We are jaw-dropped!! Our goal is to raise $100,000 by the end of January, and you guys already knocked out at least 80% of that!!! We had some very generous donations that came in from supporters outside of the area that helped us hit our Matching Gift one-time donation challenge!!! And several generous Monthly Donors at the Banquet that enabled us to hit our Matching Gift pledge challenge!! So far it's right at 50% ($40,000) that came in through one-time donations, and 50% ($40,000) pledged for 2024 as monthly donations. And we still have regular supporters who weren't able to attend last night that may enable us to knock out our entire $100,000 goal before Thanksgiving! Oh, it's fun to dream a little! Well, all I can say is, from the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU to everyone who helped make our fundraising season already an overwhelming success!!! We are touched, humbled, and blown away all at the same time!

 

 

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DOUBLE YOUR DONATION TO GTD!!

 

DOUBLE YOUR DONATION TO GTD!!
...Matching Gift Challenge
....Turn $21,000 into $42,000!!

HELP LAUNCH GTD INTO OUR 28th YEAR OF MINISTRY IN 2024!

GTD has 4 different donors that will match all donations & pledges dollar-for-dollar up to a total of $21,000!!! That means that if our donors combine to donate/pledge $21,000 they will DOUBLE IT for a total of $42,000!!!

WHAT WILL BE MATCHED??
>>> $15,000 in One-Time Donations!!
>>> $500/mth in Monthly Pledges ($500 X 12 mths = $6000/yr)!!

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Donation methods:
1) PAYPAL: www.paypal.me/GTDadventures
2) VENMO: www.venmo.com/GTDADVENTURES
3) MAIL IN A CHECK MADE OUT TO "GTD" TO:
   GTD / PO Box 7523 / Seminole, FL 33775
4) BECOME A MONTHLY PARTNER: www.gtdbullhorn.blogspot.com/p/monthly-partners.html
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From the bottom of our hearts, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT!!

 

 

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One of the BEST aspects of being part of a non-profit organization is...

 

One of the BEST aspects of being part of a non-profit organization is that you get exposed to some of the most caring, most loving, most positive, most supportive, and most generous people!! Although my career path in a non-profit organization requires that I participate in fundraising, I'm not a fund raiser... I'll never be a fund raiser... it's not part of my DNA, and in fact goes against everything in my authentic self to ever ask for any kind of assistance, aide, help, or support - especially financially. Although I don't mind being asked to volunteer or being asked to contribute for any cause (in fact, I like being asked those things), I never like asking others to help. Some may say that's pride or insecurity. Maybe. I'm open to that. But what I've found it more to be is - like my Mom never liked to ask for any help, but loved to help others - is that it is an authentic thoughtfulness of other people's time & resources... it's the part of the heart that says, "I don't want to inconvenience other people or take them away from their priorities." That may be wrong thinking to think that way, but it comes from a place that genuinely respects people's time and resources. So why do I even elaborate on that?? Because I'm going somewhere with this... WE ARE SOOOOOO BLESSED WITH AN ALMIGHTY GOD AND AMAZING SUPPORTERS!!! We are strongly supported by both God & people!! They fill in for my shortcomings. Every year God moves the hearts of amazing people to strongly and generously support this ministry! I don't do that. I can't do that. God does it all! And you guys answer the call God puts on your heart! The beautiful thing from my perspective is that I can't ever get prideful about the yearly accomplishment & funds raised, because I didn't do a single thing. God does it all through you guys! He gets all the credit! You guys get all the blessings! And all it leaves me with is overflowing gratitude for both God & you!! God is at work AGAIN this year... our fundraising season began weeks ago, and it's off to an amazing start!! And I didn't do anything above & beyond to raise funds... God teamed up with you, and you're blessing our socks off AGAIN!! Soooooo from the bottom of my heart - my "don't want to inconvenience you" heart - THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR YOUR LOVE & SUPPORT!!! THANK YOU JESUS FOR MOVING SO MANY HEARTS!! Have a great weekend!

 

 

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