Talent show set for Troy Boys & Girls Club
TROY, N.Y. » On Saturday afternoon, community members are invited to watch and take part in a talent show fundraiser for the Troy Boys & Girls Club hosted by Teddy Ruks of the VH1 television show, “Black Ink Crew.”
The talent show begins at 3 p.m. at the Troy Boys & Girls Club, 1700 7th Ave., and tickets will be free for all kids and will be $10 for adults. The Mother’s Day weekend talent show is made possible thanks to IV Clothingline based in Houston. Organizers said that there will also be light refreshments and food for sale during the fundraiser event.
According to organizers, people from the community have already signed up to participate in the talent show and others can show up on Saturday afternoon if they wish to participate.
“It’s Mother’s Day weekend and we just wanted to do a big celebration to our families in our community and it’s in conjunction with our stopping the violence programs,” explained Tafari Harper of Team Helping Everyone Recognize Opportunities with the Troy Boys and Girls Club. “We are actually trying to do all of these types of events to [provide] our young people and other people in our community with safe things to do.”
Harper said that he was able to connect with IV Clothingline after they hosted an event at the Albany Boys and Girls Club with similar VH1 television celebrities and he thought it could be a good fit to do something similar in Troy.
“I think this is awesome, Troy is definitely on the map, people want to come here and see the stuff that we’re actually doing, but it’s also fantastic that we have somebody that’s on TV that our young people are idolizing to actually come here and let them know that [Teddy Ruks] grew up in a Boys and Girls Club in Harlem, so having him come back and tell his story will be positive for our youth,” said Harper.
After the talent show, the club and community members will be putting together a music video in tribute of 11-year- old JJ Myers, who was one of the victims in a quadruple homicide in the city late last year. Myers was involved in several programs at the club.
Harper said a current middle school student from Troy Middle School actually wrote a song in memory of JJ and that they will now be putting together a music video that will be shared across various social media outlets.
“He really means a lot to us and we don’t ever want his memory and his name to be forgotten in the city of Troy,” said Harper.