Brian: Something For Everyone

There’s a tension in almost every human being between the things they want to do and the things they have to do. It’s the heart of our favorite sayings.

“Nothing ever comes to one, that is worth having, except as the result of hard work.”

“To find out what one is fitted to do, and to secure an opportunity to do it, is the key to happiness.”

“Choose a job you love and you’ll never work a day in your life.”

We yearn for the things we do to have meaning because to labor for that which does not endure is the ultimate waste. Each of us wants to do that which we love, and to leave a mark on the world by doing so. While we may pursue such a life in our own way, there is no doubt that it is our pursuit. To work, and to work at something that matters — to us, to others, to God — is built into our very being. And few of us would begrudge the opportunity to work as Brian Chase does.

“I have the privilege of giving the company’s money away to do good things around the world and in the US,” says Brian, the head of Global Public Affairs at Bell Helicopter and Chair of the 6 Stones Governance Committee.

“When I first started at Bell — about five years ago — we were giving heavily in a wide range of areas around the country and in the North Texas area, but I felt that we weren’t giving enough and focusing enough of our attention in the Mid-Cities region… Right across the street is Hurst; Bedford and Euless are close by. I personally live in the Mid-Cities area in Hurst with my family. We really are a Mid-Cities company as much as we are a Fort Worth company.”

As he explored charitable options in the area around Bell headquarters, Brian no doubt encountered dozens of worthwhile charities. We’re proud to be based in a region made up of good, hard-working people who care about their home. There’s no shortage of incredible things happening in North Texas, and we’re honored to have the support of a strong international corporation like Bell Helicopter. We’re also delighted to hear that they’re proud of us, too.

“It’s amazing to see how much the 6 Stones staff can do with what are relatively limited resources. We’re still a relatively small non-profit organization, but we’re able to really punch above our weight, so to speak, because of a phenomenal staff, leadership and execution all the way down through the staff, tremendous volunteers and, again, all of the outside support that comes with that,” Brian said. “The passion of the staff and the heart they have to serve the community is very impressive to see. It’s heartening to me as a board member and as a corporate investor in 6 Stones.”

We take little to none of the credit for that response. A closer look at what Brian is saying turns up a key thought, both for him and for us: we are nothing special. We are the gathering place at which special things occur. Take, for example, the experience that brought Bell and Brian on board as corporate sponsors:

“Scott invited me out during one of the CPR weekends and we spent a Friday afternoon going to all the houses that were in work in the Mid-Cities area. That was very impressive to me, to see the connection between the faith community and the businesses in the area and the volunteers in the community that came together to really revitalize these homes. That really is what sold me on 6 Stones and it’s overall mission.”

All we do is make a way for our neighbors to do the things they want to do; to empower them to leave their mark. For some, it’s a personal expression of their beliefs and values. To others, it’s an important aspect of life in both the social and corporate spheres. Brian — a Christian by way of belief and a businessman by trade — finds fulfillment on every level thanks to the space we’ve created.

“It’s part of what I do in terms of our family living on mission in the community. So personally, it’s fulfilling. But it’s also part of, from what I see, fulfilling the great commission,” he said, later exploring the other side of the process, “From a business standpoint, it’s always good for the businesses in the Mid-Cities when we can raise the economic fortunes of our neighborhoods and those who live in them. So this is an opportunity to help improve the neighborhoods, which can only benefit — ultimately — the entire city and the businesses that reside within it.”

You may have heard the technical term for such a setup: it’s called a Win-Win.

Our coalition isn’t about dumping money onto problems in the hopes that we can bury them. It’s about bringing everyone willing together, each with their own unique offerings, to do what’s best for us all. Everyone serves according to their skill and desire. With a simple invitation to come and be as we were all designed to be, we citizens, residents and church-goers unite to form a strong, cohesive unit.

“What 6 Stones does can’t happen without all of those parts of the community coming together,” Brian explained. “The donors and the industrial base — the business base — provide the funding for the organization. You’ve got the faith community providing that passion and that desire to serve the community as the Church. You have the cities that can connect together to find where the needs are, with CPR and other activities. And then you have the school districts who can identify the families that need help. When you put all of that together, you mix all of those ingredients together, you get this really wonderful and amazing thing called 6 Stones… that’s really what makes 6 Stones a Catalyst of Hope, is all of those parts of the community coming together.”

“There’s a lot of challenges within the community that we can meet,” he observed. “From the youngest in the family all the way up through those who may be retired and looking for something to more do in the community, there’s something for everybody to do at 6 Stones.”

The invitation is always open: come build with us. Love with us. Be yourself with us. Let’s see what we can accomplish together.

Looking for somewhere to plug in? Get started the way Brian did! Come serve with us on our next CPR blitz!