The 38th Annual Carl Perkins Circle of Hope Telethon exists to raise funds for the Carl Perkins Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse. The telethon takes on a special life as music groups descend upon the stage to motivate donors. There are 20 sites in West Tennessee that will benefit from this telethon achievement!

The Dream Center Annual fundraising dinner was held at the First Methodist Church in downtown Jackson. The vision for The Dream Center’s new building has begun with the procurement of land on Oil Well Road adjacent to the Assembly of God Church.

The Jackson-Madison County Library Foundation hosted its tenth annual Books of Madison County fundraiser at the Jackson Fairgrounds on Tuesday evening, August 3. The event always features an author, and this year’s event featured three authors: Roger Stolle, Shawn Pitts, and Robert Gordon. The theme for the evening was “Sounds on the Music Highway,” and each speaker discussed a different genre of music that has had an impact on the Jackson-Madison County community. Guests enjoyed a gourmet dinner and wine pairing, live music and a silent auction.

Community members and sponsors gathered on May 6th at the Jackson Fairgrounds for a record-breaking night of Dancing with the STARS. The event was presented by Leaders Credit Union, benefitting the STAR Center and featured 7 couples that ranged from nurses to business owners, surgeons, school principals, and realtors. Viewers from EPlusTV 6’s broadcast and Flatiron Grille watched online and TV as The STAR Center’s largest fundraiser came to fruition. This event, which has sold out every year, provides the needed resources for the Star Center to continue to live out their mission to help a person with any disability realize their potential.

My Best Friend Jenna presented Lights, Camera, Fashion, the Mid-South’s largest Prom Runway Fashion Show, on April 29 at the Carl Perkins Civic Center. The models are all High School students from West Tennessee. The foundation of this event is to inspire young ladies to create a strategy to raise money for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. There are hundreds of girls who apply, but a limited number is selected. Those chosen build new relationships, learn modeling techniques, and develop a fundraising strategy.

Supporters of heart health in West Tennessee went out in formal attire paired with their favorite denim on Saturday evening, May 22, as Friends of Heart and West Tennessee Healthcare hosted Black Tie & Blue Jeans at the Jackson Fairgrounds. Guests enjoyed signature cocktails and dinner before dancing the night away to live music by G3, the house band for the Grizzlies. There were both live and silent auctions and a whiskey pull as well. Sponsors of the event included Master Medical Equipment, Leaders Credit Union, Voya Financial, and The Blacksmith.

The Jackson Service League held its signature fundraiser Boots, Bands & Bingo on Friday night, April 9 at the Samuel T. Bryant Distillery. Supporters of the Jackson Service League enjoyed a night of playing bingo for great prizes with emcee Moe Shamell, listening to great music from Greg Nichols of DJ5 Productions, and savoring a great meal catered by Baker Brothers BBQ. There was also a silent auction with a wide range of items.

United Way of West Tennessee hosted the 8th Annual First Ladies’ Luncheon at the Jackson Fairgrounds on Thursday, April 8. This event is a key fundraiser for United Way of West Tennessee (UWWT) that showcases the work of women in our local community. It was a lovely spring day for this outdoor event, and the pavilion at the Fairgrounds was full of beautifully decorated tablescapes with unique themes chosen and executed by the sponsor of each table.

Ladies around Jackson were invited out for an evening of fun, fellowship, and shopping for a great cause on Thursday evening, October 29, as Nordstar Medical and the Say it Southern podcast hosted Dinner and Donate at the Jackson Country Club. Proceeds from the evening went to Faithfully Restored Women, a non-profit that ministers to women in difficult circumstances who need community, care, and encouragement.

The Third Annual Redemption Road Rescue Estate Sale Fundraiser was the plea and pre-promotion of the 3rd annual event. The Estate Sale Company holds this event annually and donates 100% of the proceeds to Redemption Road Rescue, and the staff donated their time for the two-day event. Barry Phillips, owner of The Estate Sale Company, said his staff believes in Redemption Road Rescue and their mission of rescuing, rehabilitating and re-homing equine in West Tennessee. It is valuable work and requires a great deal of funding to continue, so the significant contribution from The Estate Sale Company was very much appreciated.

The Runway for a Cure Virtual Show was broadcast live from J. Kent Freeman’s on Thursday evening, October 29. Local boutiques put on a fashion show hosted by Mayor Scott Conger. Boutiques in this year’s show included The Boutique, Delta Designs, Amy Jane’s, Hattie’s, York Laine and Doris Ann’s. Shop owners showcased models wearing fall and winter fashions while educating Mayor Scott Conger on the latest fashion trends. Throughout the night, there were videos and interviews from the American Cancer Society, Kirkland Cancer Center, and breast cancer survivors. The evening closed with this year’s group of Real Men Wear Pink, who have also been raising money for breast cancer.

On Thursday evening, September 17, My Best Friend Jenna celebrated the kickoff of Lights Camera Fashion 2021. Lights Camera Fashion is an annual runway prom fashion show with models coming from area high schools. This year’s show will take place on February 20, 2021 and there are 55 models. At the kickoff, the models met each other and learned about the schedule for the upcoming months leading up to the show. Participants will have the opportunity to make new friends from around West Tennessee as they each raise money for St. Jude Research Hospital, participate in photo shoots and modeling classes, and then get to work the runway at the Lights Camera Fashion Show in February.

The lobby of Robinson Toyota was pinked out on Thursday evening, September 23 as the participants of this year’s Real Men Wear Pink gathered to celebrate the kickoff. There are 16 Real Men in this year’s group, and all of them are excited to be joining the fight against breast cancer. The candidates who attended enjoyed food and beverages provided by Party Mart, swapped strategies and ideas for fundraising, and even walked the red carpet in an impromptu fashion show. Breast cancer survivors Stephanie Hunt and Shannon Arnold were honored guests at the kickoff as well.

In a great show of cooperation and numerous dedicated people behind the scenes, The Albert A. Stone Golf Classic “Stone Cup” has been a resounding success. Three golf courses were used in cooperation for the many players and the numerous games played during a weekend. The Jackson National, Woodland Hills & Jackson Country Club came together to create a successful Stone Cup Championship.

The Crawfest 2020 Fundraiser for Scarlet Rope Project was sponsored by Town & Country Realtors’ Joey & Katie Hale. This is an honorable charity whose goal is rescuing girls used in traveling prostitution. Opportunities occur where the girls have a few moments to speak with a counselor, who will assist them in returning home to security and a fresh start. If you want to be a contributor to this worthy effort, it will change your life to know you were instrumental in saving a life!

The 2020 Lane College Founder’s Day Scholarship Banquet was a well attended event with standing room only. The Lane College Choir performed with several lead singers, who had outstanding voices. The energy of the amazing choir comes from their dynamic choir director.

The Exchange Club and Carl Perkins Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse held their Blue Suede event, appropriately at The Carl Perkins Civic Center. Carl Perkins had a heart for children, especially the mistreated ones.

St. Mary’s School held its 27th Annual Mardi Gras Masquerade Auction on the evening of February 22nd at the Jackson Country Club. The evening began with a silent auction with many notable items including an autographed Donald Trump hat and a Michael Jordan autographed basketball.

The Jackson Chamber’s Annual Celebration was held on March 12th inside the Carl Grant Events Center at Union University. With approximately 400 in attendance, the celebration honored businesses, industries, non-profit organizations as well as Chamber volunteers, and it highlighted businesses that have made an extra effort to achieve excellence through high standards, professional accomplishments and community contributions. Singer/hit songwriter/Broadway performer Lauren Pritchard, aka LOLO, of Jackson performed two songs including her song, “Shine,” which was this year’s theme of the celebration.

The Lights Camera Fashion 2020 was a resounding success at the Carl Perkins Civic Center! 48 Junior and Senior High School girls participated in walking the runway. This runway show is the only one of its kind in the area, and scholarships will be awarded to the winners. The girls had been practicing and preparing for this special opportunity for months.