Chattanooga: Charity festival helps needy, gives performers a venue

More than 55 musicians and artists came together Sunday at Miller Plaza for a charity festival.

Give5, the fifth such event staged by Shawnessy Cargile, was a bit larger than the first one that he and few out-of-town musicians put together in 2006 to raise $55 for a needy woman. The last one, Give4, raised $1,300.

But Mr. Cargile said he hoped Sunday’s event, from 1 to 9 p.m., would break the $2,000 mark for two needy, single-parent families. Around 2 p.m., he said the show — with 36 acts and displays from about a half dozen artists performing free — was off to good start.

“We have a single father and his son whose home has been foreclosed on,” Mr. Cargile said. “We’ve found a place for him to stay, and now we’re trying to help assist him with a few months of rent.”

The other family to benefit from the downtown charity festival is a single mother with two children now housed in the Chattanooga Room in the Inn, a shelter for homeless women and children.

“We’re trying to help her (afford) stable housing,” Mr. Cargile said.

Neither family attended the festival on Sunday, he said.

Kay Budde, board member of Chattanooga Room in the Inn who also was helping with a silent art auction at the event, said the proceeds of one of last year’s Give events also went to help a young lady at Room in the Inn.

“It helped her pay for some college and to pay off her car loan,” Ms. Budde said.

Kimberly Dawn, a native of Chattanooga now living in Mrytle Beach, S.C., termed the event “pretty neat.” She said she brought a partially completed painting for all the artists in the show to contribute to before it is auctioned.

Blythe Bailey, a visitor, said the event provides a charity of sorts for the performers, too.

“It’s good for local music,” Mr. Bailey said as he chatted with one of the performers, Justin Hupp, with a Bluegrass band called Slim Pickins.

The two agreed that events such as Give5 provides beginning performers and artists an opportunity to show their stuff in a public setting where they can gain confidence and perhaps some fans.

Hannah Phillips, another visitor, rested on park bench and talked with a friend.

“It was a lovely Sunday afternoon to go for a stroll and then enjoy some music in the park,” she said.