Martina and CMA Help Out a Hero

7/23/2007 Stephen L. Betts Greensburg, Kansas, native Chance Little and his family currently have no home. But they do have a new truck. Make that two new trucks. One of which is thanks to the Country Music Association and Martina McBride. Chance and his wife Tracy were ushered onto the stage at the CMA Music Festival in June, and presented with a new Chevrolet Silverado. It's one of the more heart-touching moments you'll see on tonight's CMA Music Festival: Country's Night to Rock special, airing on ABC-TV at 9pm (ET). The Wichita (Kansas) Eagle reports that Chance, a volunteer firefighter in Kansas, was among those aiding in rescue and recovery efforts following the tornado that devastated his hometown this past May. Like most Greensburg residents, the Little family lost their house and most of their possessions in the tornado. His heroism, however,  captured the attention of the Country Music Association, which rewarded him with a trip to Nashville for the annual music festival. He had no idea, however, that Martina McBride would present him with a truck onstage. And while he's grateful, he does wish someone had given him a heads-up just a little earlier. "Otherwise I wouldn't have bought this other truck the week before," he told the paper, pointing to his new Dodge Ram pickup. A few days after the storm, Chance was at the firehouse when he got a phone message to call the Country Music Association. "I thought some of my friends with the city were playing a trick on me," he says. Chance still doesn't know how the CMA heard about him. The association asked the Littles to submit a tape of their story. The couple did, and they were invited to the music festival, and invited backstage during Martina's concert. Martina, a native of Sharon, Kansas, dedicated the song "Over the Rainbow" to them. After the song, the Littles were unexpectedly ushered onstage, where, in front of about 50,000 audience members, they were given the new pickup. The family is living in a Federal Emergency Management Agency trailer until their house is built. The foundation is in place and framing will begin soon. They hope to be in their new home before Christmas.