Stepping It Up
Annual event helps youth put their best foot forward
Most 17- year- olds look forward to their next birthday, but for those in foster care, turning 18 means no longer being a ward of the state. That can be scary for teens who are then forced into a world for which they might not be fully prepared.
But Footsteps to the Future ( FTTF) is a nonprofit that strives to empower young women making the transition out of foster care. The organization provides programs to teach them how to become self- sufficient, productive members of society. Through a number of events, FTTF continues to gain support from Collier and Lee county residents.
The group’s fifth annual jazz fundraiser, Jazzin’ It Up! Tenor Madness: A NYC Tenor Saxophone Summit, will commence April 12 at Hodges University in North Naples. Judi Woods, FTTF founder, says it’s a night that will not only raise funds, but also raise awareness.
“We have so many people in the area that are real jazz lovers, and there’s no event like it here,” says Woods. “We pull musicians from all different places because they believe in what we are doing.” This year’s musicians will include Lew Del Gatto, a previous
Saturday Night Live band member; University of Central Florida jazz director Jeff Rupert on saxophone; New York City- based tenor saxophonist Jerry Weldon; and returning trumpeter Dan Miller. For more information, check out footstepstothefuture.org.