Swinging and swaying for K-A-B
♦ SoulFest brings people from far and wide to enjoy a night of classic music for a good cause.
Sherie Arnold was on her feet much of the evening at the fourth annual SoulFest in Ridge Ferry Park. Arnold, who drove to Rome from Atlanta for the event, was up grooving to the sound of the Infinity Show Band in the shade of Ridge Ferry pines and kept moving through the night to the sound of Maze featuring Frankie Beverly.
The SoulFest has become one of the largest fundraising events for the Kelsey-AycockBurrell Center in North Rome. The building at 41 Washington Drive used to house Main High until the African American school closed in 1967.
Arnold said she heard about the event on the radio in Atlanta and then got a flyer from her sister and decided to make the trip.
“It’s important to bring the people out for entertainment and just make everybody feel good,” Arnold said. When she found out Frankie Beverly and Maze was on the ticket there was no question she was coming to Rome.
Janice Smith said the SoulFest was a great way to bring the community together in a peaceful atmosphere and have a good time. She said you can’t beat some of the classic old soul tunes that were being covered by the various artists.
“You can’t beat this for the price. You’ll go to Atlanta and spend twice as much,” Smith said.
Mayor Collins started the event as a revenue stream to generate funds for the K-A-B Center which had been empty for many years until 2006 when it was re-opened to serve as a home to several African American organizations. The 100 Black men of Rome and Northwest Georgia, the local chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the Martin Luther King Jr. Commission of Northwest Georgia, Omega Psi Phi fraternity and the local chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., are all located in the old school building.
The mayor said he is hoping that more money can help each of the organizations expand their services to the community. One of his goals this year is to be able to start some classes in etiquette to help young people prepare for job interviews as they enter the workforce.
Rome Mayor Bill Collins said he hopes proceeds from the fourth annual event can exceed $100,000.
“We’re looking for big things,” Collins said. “The funds we raise help these organizations continue to do what they do.”
Collins said corporate and community sponsors have really stepped up to even greater levels this year.