Community Service

Cub Scout Randall Franks presents a bag of donated food to a Goodwill volunteer.

Community Service and Charitable Interests

Randall Franks began his dedication to serving others while growing up near Chamblee, Georgia.
His parents Floyd and Pearl Franks taught him the value of service to others and made sure that he was involved in church, public and civic programs that gave him the opportunity to reach out to others including Cub Scouts where he worked to collect food for programs such as Goodwill. Through the Boy Scouts of America, he volunteered his time at a local convalescent center teaching activity classes and coordinating musical programs and plays for the residents as part of his Eagle Scout project.

“I have seen the difference in people’s lives these organizations and programs included below have made. If you are reading this, I hope you might consider supporting one of them that interests you by volunteering time or donating monies to help them accomplish their goals,” Franks said. “While these are close to my heart, I also believe each of us are encouraged to be the hands and feet of Jesus in our own community. If one of these programs interest you, I am sure you can find a similar one that makes a difference close to your home. We can all make a difference in the lives of others.”

In 2013, Randall was honored by Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal and the Kiwanis Club for his dedication to the people of Georgia and his philanthropic efforts raising millions to improve the lives of his neighbors.

Share America Foundation, Inc.

Pearl and Floyd Franks

With the passing of his late mother Pearl Franks in 2006, Randall began an effort – the non-profit 501-C3 Share America Foundation, Inc. that encourages youth in the traditional music of Appalachia through the Pearl and Floyd Franks Scholarship and other programs. The program hosts 10 events each year in Ringgold which serve as fundraisers for the scholarships awarded annually. To donate send checks or money orders to

Share America Foundation,
P.O. Box 42,
Tunnel Hill, Ga. 30755
For more information, visit www.shareamericafoundation.org

Catoosa Citizen’s for Literacy

Randall Franks has served on the Catoosa Citizens for Literacy since 2001 raising funds and making a difference in the lives of hundreds of people seeking a better life through literacy. (Randall Franks Media)

Randall Franks began a dedication to yet another passion of service when he began his association with the a Georgia 501-C3 Catoosa Citizens for Literacy task force in 2001. Improving the lives of his fellow Catoosa County residents through learning to read or achieving their GED became a great focus of his service serving for the last eight years on the task force including several terms as the group’s chairman or co-chair. He used his celebrity status in 2003 and again in 2009 when he created “Stirring Up Success with a Southern Flavor” and its sequel and brought more than 100 acting and music friends together to make two award-winning cookbooks which brought the program national attention and raised more than $35,000. During his time of service, the organization opened a new facility and later doubled its facility size raising $500,000 to add to its capabilities and programs offered. catoosacitizensforliteracy.org.

To donate send checks or money orders to
Catoosa Citizen’s for Literacy
36 Muscogee Trail
Ringgold, Ga. 30736

Catoosa County Local Emergency Planning Committee

Randall also serves on the board of the Catoosa County Local Emergency Planning Committee, an organization bringing together police, fire, emergency services, hospitals, health officials, schools, local governments and area industries that serve the community to plan for emergencies that might affect his neighbors. One of the projects was to increase the number of AED’s available for use in public venues in the event a resident has a heart attack. The organization welcomes donations for the work it does. To donate send checks or money orders to

Catoosa County Local Emergency Planning Committee
800 LaFayette Street, Ringgold, Georgia 30736

Randall Franks is past president of the Boynton Lions Club continuing a tradition of service spanning more than 5 decades.

Boynton Lions Club of Ringgold

Randall is the treasurer and past president of the Boynton Lions Club helping this now over 58 year old club continue its work to improve sight in the community, maintain the Dailey Hill  Cemetary (Near Boynton) and encourage youth. The organization meets the second Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at the Boynton United Methodist Church Fellowship Hall. To donate to either of these causes, please designate its purpose and send checks or money orders to

Boynton Lions Club
c/o BUMC, 4246 Boynton Drive
Ringgold, Ga. 30736

Catoosa County Habitat for Humanity

Randall is a volunteer with the Catoosa County HFH. The organization is a locally run affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International, a nonprofit, ecumenical Christian housing organization. Habitat for Humanity works in partnership with people in need to build and renovate decent, affordable housing. The houses then are sold to those in need at no profit and with no interest charged. Volunteers provide most of the labor, and individual and corporate donors provide money and materials to build Habitat houses. Partner families themselves invest hundreds of hours of labor – “sweat equity” – into building their homes and the homes of others. Their mortgage payments go into a revolving Fund for Humanity that is used to build more houses. To donate send checks or money orders to

Catoosa County Habitat for Humanity

P.O. Box 490, Ringgold, GA 30736

Kiwanis Club of Ringgold

Kiwanis Presidents Randall Franks (right) and Jim Cutler present a donaton to Sue Mason for the Catoosa County Children’s Fund. Franks is a past president and served as part of the Ringgold Club for many years.

Randall is a past president of the Kiwanis Club of Ringgold supporting numerous projects that encourage youth in the community. The organization meets Tuesdays at 7 a.m. at the First Baptist Church of Ringgold fellowship hall for breakfast and fellowship. Franks was honored in 2013 with the Kiwanis Distinguished Service Award.
To donate send checks or money orders to

Kiwanis Club of Ringgold
P.O. Box 1065 Ringgold, Ga. 30736

Nourishing Children in Catoosa

Randall Franks (left) and members of the Ringgold Kiwanis assist NCIC with filling bags for Catoosa County children. (Randall Franks Media)

The Center for Hope

Randall serves over on the board of the Center for Hope provides services to those who cannot serve themselves in the North Georgia and Chattanooga communities.  Their goal is to furnish those individuals, families and organizations who do not have the ability to obtain adequate help, the professional tools necessary to accomplish this task.  Our primary focus is a faith based organization that will include professional and multi-educational counselors, community leaders, pastoral counselors, grief specialists, workshop and trained focus group facilitators that will lead, help, direct and empower those who need direction in life’s ever changing environment. www.thecenterforhope.org

Southern Gospel Music Association

Randall serves as an advisor to the Southern Gospel Music Association board. The Southern Gospel Music Association is a non-profit organization that maintains the Southern Gospel Museum and Hall of Fame, the only facility honoring this genre of music, for the historic preservation of the accomplishments of the music and its people. Museum hours match those of Dollywood. Donations are tax-deductible. For more information about the museum or its inductees, visit www.sgma.org.

To donate send checks or money orders to
Southern Gospel Music Association
PO Box 6729
Sevierville, TN 37864

Grand Master Fiddler Championship

Randall hosts or co-hosts the Grand Master Fiddler Championship and serves as an advisor to the board. He originally competed in the contest as a youth. The Grand Master Fiddler Championship, Inc. is a Tennessee non-profit and U.S. IRS 501 (c) (3) charitable corporation, formed to educate about and perpetuate fiddling as an art form and cultural treasure. The organization hosts its annual contest at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum welcoming fiddlers from around the world wishing to gain the world’s highest fiddling honor. For more info, visit www.grandmasterfiddler.com.

To donate send checks or money orders to
Grand Master Fiddler Championship Inc.
330 Mallory Station Road, Suite D-12
Franklin, Tennessee  37067

Atlanta Country Music Hall of Fame

Hall of Fame organizers Johnny Carson (right) and Phyllis Cole (left) induct Hall of Honor steel guitarist Barney Miller. Among Miller’s resume is as part of Randall Franks’s Hollywood Hillbilly Jamboree.

Randall serves as a researcher for the Atlanta Country Music Hall of Fame and supports the program annually as one of its volunteers.

Catoosa County Historical Society

Randall is a member of the Catoosa County Historical Society and supports its preservation efforts within the community. It operates the Old Stone Church Museum south of Ringgold on U.S. 41. To donate send checks or money orders to

Catoosa County Historical Society

Po Box 113, Ringgold Georgia 30736

The Nathan Anderson Cemetary

The Nathan Anderson Cemetary is one of Northwest Georgia’s most unique historical cemetaries. Located on LaFayette Street in Ringgold, Ga., it is home to many of the founding residents of the region and their descendants. nathanandersoncemetery.org

To donate send checks or money orders to
Nathan Anderson Cemetery
Perpetual Care Trust Fund, Inc.
P.O. Box 429, Ringgold, Ga. 30736

SouthEastern Bluegrass Association – SEBA

Randall Franks participates in a SEBA jam session in 1985.

While still in school, Randall was among the five founders beginning the SouthEastern Bluegrass Association to preserve, promote and publicize the music, bringing it through its infancy. The organization, now 32 years later, serves eight states and hundreds of members. Visit, www.sebabluegrass.org.

To donate send checks or money orders to
Southeastern Bluegrass Association — SEBA
P.O. Box 20286
Atlanta, GA 30325

D.A.R.E. Drug Abuse Resistance Education

Randall Franks serves as Grand Marshal of the Strawberry Parade in Dayton, Tenn. while a national spokesperson for D.A.R.E.

As his music and acting star began to rise, Randall used his star appeal to help others through Share with DARE benefit concerts and charity recordings such as the “In the Heat of the Night” “Christmas Time’s A Comin'”  CD. He spoke to tens of thousands of children and teens encouraging them to live a drug-free life while also sharing his love of bluegrass music to a new generation of listeners and as a result became a spokesperson for the Drug Abuse Resistance Education honored by the National DARE Officers Association. He coordinated a nationwide radio campaign featuring Alan Autry, David Hart and himself to encourage a drug-free life.

Randall continues to support this area of interest today raising funds for the Catoosa Family Collaborative and the Catoosa Prevention Initiative for its annual Teen Maze teaching youth to make the right choices. CaPI is a community movement dedicated to helping teens and children avoid problems related to underage drinking and prescription drug abuse and misuse in people ages 12 – 25. CaPI wants all children to grow to be happy and healthy adults free from alcohol and drug addictions. CaPI works to educate parents, teens, children, and all community members how to prevent kids from becoming involved with alcohol and prescription drug abuse and misuse. CaPI collaborates with all sectors of the community – from schools to businesses to law enforcement and more in between – to make a strong wall of help for our children.

To donate send checks or money orders to Catoosa Family Collaborative, 36 Muscogee Trail, Ringgold, Georgia 30736