P.O. Box 1218 Hartwell, GA 30643

Toughest Kids

positive impacts in the lives of children in need

Events

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Opportunities and events for our toughest kids include fishing, hunting, camping, art, music, sports, climbing, and other recreational activities with the help of our wonderful volunteers specializing in these areas. We take the physical and emotional safety of every child very seriously and we are privileged to be entrusted with their well-being while on our property or in our care. Our volunteers include medical professionals, biologists, licensed hunting and fishing guides, and conservation specialists.

In addition, we hold fundraising drives to address specific needs such as school supplies for foster children, gifts at the holidays and other support as needed.

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Events

2024 Foster Family Nature Fun Day

This year’s Nature Fun Day will be held once again at The Preserve at Lakewood near Greenville, SC. Families from the greater Greenville area will be treated to a day of outdoor fun at The Preserve Park. The Preserve at Lakewood is a 120-acre parcel of land which features forest land, nature trails, and the Sustainability Center which provides a unique, hands-on display of the earth-saving power of global efforts, recycling, land conservation and wind and solar solutions.

Past Events

2023 Foster Family Nature Fun Day

This year’s Nature Fun Day will be held at The Preserve at Lakewood near Greenville, SC. We are happy to host families supported by Miracle Hill Children’s Home and others in the area. Families will enjoy a day of visit to the Sustainability Education Center at the Preserve Park, plus hiking, archery, lunch, and more. The Preserve at Lakewood is a 120-acre parcel of land which features forest land, nature trails, and the Sustainability Center which provides a unique, hands-on display of the earth-saving power of global efforts, recycling, land conservation and wind and solar solutions.

1st Annual Charly and Kelli Schell Memorial Golf Tournament

September 22nd, 2023

The Toughest Kids, Cateechee, Armis and Schell/Taylor Families were overwhelmed by the attendance and outpouring of kindness at its 1st Annual golf tournament honoring the lives of TKI Founders Kelli and Charly Schell. The tournament, held at the Cateechee Golf Course in Hartwell, hosted 27 foursomes and many more spectators on September 22nd, 2023. The event raised more than $42,000 for TKI programs, and we couldn’t be more thrilled and thankful.

1st Annual Charly and Kelli Schell Memorial Golf Tournament

Benefit Concert with “Refried” Band

FRIDAY, 17 MARCH 2023 FROM 22:30-02:00 UTC+01

The Toughest Kids Benefit at Cateechee with the dance band Refried (formerly Deep Fried) on Friday 3/17/23 (St Patrick’s Day) tickets are now on sale! Don’t wait as they have sold out the last 2 years. Let’s honor Kelli and Charly Schell with our presence there. We will dance the night away!

To reserve tickets, Contact Liz at Cateechee at 706-856-4653, go to Cateechee on Facebook, use the Cateechee app or use the ticket link. Food and drinks are available.

2nd Annual Deep Fried FUNraiser

Join us for live music and a dance party at Cateechee! TKI will host its 2nd annual Deep Fried FUNraiser on Friday, November 5th featuring a nine-hole golf tournament, concert and dance party featuring the sounds of Hartwell’s own Deep Fried Band. Funds raised will directly support activities for amazing kids facing adverse life circumstances. Every dollar makes a difference, and we promise you’ll have a great time! Click HERE for more information on the daytime Golf Tournament, and click HERE for more information on the evening concert/party.

The Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall

TKI will be hosting a fundraiser supporting Gold Star families as a part of this event on September 2-6, 2021, which will feature a performance by The Air National Guard Band of the South, a 3/5 scale replica of the Vietnam Memorial Wall, and special guest appearances. Please join/support us in recognizing the sacrifices made by those whose names are inscribed forever on the wall and in supporting the families of heroes who have fallen protecting our freedoms. Please visit www.hartwellmemorialevent.com for more details about the Hartwell event!

Nature Fun Day with Foster Teens

Toughest Kids hosts an annual Nature Education and Fun Day in Greenville, SC each Fall. Local group home foster kids and teens join us for a day of hiking, biking, archery, knot-tying, BBQ, and more. The teens enjoy the activities and time spent in nature on 200 acres of conservation land with biking trails, a river and small waterfalls. Generous supporters in the community pitch in each year to help make the events a huge success! Thank you to Miracle Hill Children’s Home, Ethos Projects, Big Daves BBQ, and Reedy Rides for your support.

Christmas In July

Each year, Toughest Kids hosts a Christmas In July campaign to raise much-needed funds for children in Foster Care in our local counties as they prepare to go back to school. Funds raised will be used to purchase essential items such as backpacks, school supplies, shoes, clothes and more. Please consider supporting this campaign for these toughest kids!

The Keys to Independence Program

For the past two years, Toughest Kids has allocated its Christmas in July campaign funds as a way to help raise needed funds for the Keys to Independence initiative. Keys to Independence helps Central Florida teens obtain a driver’s license, motor vehicle insurance, driver’s education, and other incidental costs. A driver’s license is an important step in a youth being able to have a job, go to school, engage socially and contribute to their community. The Christmas in July campaigns have provided for 30 new driver’s licenses for area teens.

Links:
https://www.protectandinspire.org
https://www.keystoindependencefl.org

Fundraising Drive

Toughest Kids held a recent fundraising drive which raised more than $5,500 and provided needed items for foster children over the age of 16 years old in North Georgia. With the funds, tablets, laptops, and protective cases were purchased to answer the immediate needs of these students to be successful in school.