By Camm Ashford
Net Resource Foundation will host its first-ever music festival on Saturday, June 25, from 4-8 p.m. It will take place at the Southside Community Park, 3501 Central Ave.
The family-friendly concert is free and open to the public and features retail and food vendors. Security officers will be onsite.
The music festival will feature the Rare Coalition Band, Aerobic Soul Steppers, DJ Tony Dub and Caleb Golson, among others.
All proceeds from the festival will help fund the Net Resource Foundation’s Leadership for Life program. The six-week summer program provides students, grades 6-10, career preparation, life skills and work-based learning.
Executive Director Raquetta Dotley, who serves as Chattanooga District 7 Councilwoman, said the program is like a job.
“They must create a portfolio, which includes a resume, mock job application and their bio,” she explained.
At the end of the course, the students must make a three-minute presentation to a panel of judges. The top three students chosen by the judges will earn an additional bonus with their final stipend.
The panel includes a variety of community leaders and the director of human resources for Cempa Community Care, Akil Lloyd.
“This allows me to uplift and pass advice on to the next generation,” Lloyd said. “I feel it would be very valuable for students to participate in a program like this because it equips participants with a necessary toolkit that many people don’t learn until later. As these students mature, their skills acquired from this program will continue to enhance.”
According to its website, “The mission of The Net Resource Foundation is to challenge systemic issues through mentorship and community-building programs in the South Chattanooga Community. Since our initial outreach in 2015, we have successfully impacted families through our after-school, summer youth, community feeding, and civic engager programs.”