Why We're Here

Less than 1% of Americans serve in uniform — but they carry the weight of protecting all of us. When service ends, many come home but never fully land. The paychecks stop. The mission stops. The built-in brotherhood and sisterhood disappears. What's left, too often, is silence — and invisible wounds that don't show up on an X-ray.

They don't need pity. They need purpose. They need a place to breathe.

That's what Beloved Roots Ranch is building.

We're a 501(c)(3) nonprofit working to establish a permanent, nature-centered retreat in the mountains of East Tennessee — a place where veterans can step out of survival mode and find rest, connection, and renewed purpose. Not a clinic. Not a program. A community. Horses. Trails. Quiet. Shared meals. People who get it.

We're not there yet — but we're building toward it, one event, one supporter, and one acre at a time.

Red, White & Boil is how we get closer.

Every pound of crawfish you order, every side you add, every friend you bring along — it goes toward securing land and expanding programming for veterans right here in East Tennessee.

About the Cook

Crawfish Chris isn't just a name on a sign — it's 30 years of Louisiana-style crawfish done right.

Chris ran Crawfish Chris as a mobile Cajun boil operation in Houston for three years, popping up at breweries and backyard events across the city. He boils the Louisiana way — seasoned water, not seasoned after — so the flavor is on the inside, where it's supposed to be. His reviews say it best: a table full of native Louisianians gave him a unanimous thumbs up. A guy who eats a lot of crawfish called it the best of the season. An office party ordered 132 pounds and ate every single one.

Now he's here. In Blount County. For one day.

If you've never had a proper Louisiana crawfish boil, this is your moment. If you have — you already know why you're coming.

BYOB. Bring chairs. Bring the family. Come hungry.

Order by Wednesday, May 20th — we cook exactly what we sell.

Red, White & Boil Crawfish Boil

A Benefit for Beloved Roots Ranch