n March 25th, I had the opportunity to meet Zac Brown. At the Zac Brown Band’s unconventional but widely lauded fan event dubbed an “Eat ‘n Greet” band members serve the food then dine with you like you’re family. While the food line formed, I snagged c50 m70 y80 k70
c0 m9 y70 k0
c67 m26 y100 k10
a couple minutes with Zac. I was able to bring him a copy of his paper Report 2 (Induction) card from when he joined the Order in 1998. The dinner was amazing, as was the following concert with the band. The band is off to a great 2012 with a new album due out this summer. The next day, after the tour busses had taken the band home overnight to Georgia, Zac and I were able to connect via the phone. We had a great conversation about his appreciation for KA values, essential support an alumnus provided him, and his most important passion in life beside his family—surprisingly, not his music! Jesse Lyons, EDITOR: Did you make
it back to Georgia all right? Zac Brown: Yes! Hopped off the bus, threw the kids in the car, and we’re headed to the Lake. You’re likely the most well-known KA today. Brothers across the country are proud of you and want to know about your values and success. I know that I owe a lot for everything that I have. I owe a lot for my family, for my life, and for my career. And my way of giving back is to help build Camp Southern Ground. I worked at camps similar to what I’m trying to build in Dahlonega at Camp Glissen, at Camp Mikell in Toccoa. I’ve seen the impact it (a camp) can have in one kid’s life in one week. If you can plant a seed in a kid’s head, to give them something they can carry forward, it’s amazing that in one week you can change their perspective and the way they look at everything.
This camp sounds pretty special. How much effort are you personally contributing? This is my life’s work, and besides my family, it is the most important thing in my life, to get this camp built. This camp stands on all of the same standards that a KA would stand on – the way you treat other people, the way treat your lady, the way you’d be a servant unto your people in a gentlemanly fashion.
The Kappa Alpha Journal
21
Spring 2012
“I know that I owe a lot for everything that I have. I owe a lot for my family, for my life, and for my career. And my way of giving back is to help build Camp Southern Ground.”
kappaalphaorder.org
[Editor’s note: The Mikell Camp and Conference Center was established in 1941 by the Right Reverend Henry Judah Mikell (Alpha Alpha – Univ. of the South 1904), Bishop of Atlanta—and Former Knight Commander.]
What are some of your aims for Camp Southern Ground? We want to help the kids with developmental disorders, including Autism, Asperger’s syndrome, even ADD and ADHD. We want them to understand that there is actually help now that can them improve their lives. That’s the primary function of my whole camp—to connect the kids with some of the smartest people in the world. We want to educate our kids and teach them the things that matter. Also, sometimes these kids don’t have the opportunity or resources to go do special things such as attend a camp. We want to help provide that by giving underprivileged scholarships for kids to attend.