An event that originally began as part of Central Avenue Church’s celebration for Lent has transformed over six years to not only entertain Athens locals, but to benefit those who aren’t as fortunate overseas.
Central Avenue Church is finishing off its “Solidarity Week” with “Slow Down Sunday” this Sunday, which will feature local food and musicians.
Solidarity Week, according to Slow Down Sunday organizer Jake Householder, is for participants to give up something in their lives to connect closer to those in poverty.
“About 140 filled out a card to participate, including what they’d give up in order to give,” Householder said. “(They give) the difference in what they spent, for example giving up your car and donating the price of a tank of gas.”
This year the donations will go to Imagine No Malaria, an organization which aims to “end preventable deaths by malaria in Africa,” according to the organization website. The group is part of the United Methodist committee of relief, and 100 percent of donations go directly to relief efforts.
“It’s not just throwing money at the problem,” Householder said. “It’s a partnership with the people in the community to try to (fix the problem) through nets and education.”
This is the second time Slow Down Sunday will be held at Central Venue, a renovated warehouse at 29 E. Carpenter which is an open space for Athens residents’ activities, along with a second location for Central Avenue Chruch.
The evening will feature a potluck, which will include local foods provided by 30 Mile Meal.
Local artists Kelly Latimore, Todd Burge and J.D Hutchison, will all perform at the event. Householder said that the three are all great musicians who will create a “laid-back community setting.”
The three men will not go on in sequence, however, instead sitting onstage together and taking turns playing music.
“It tends to be quite humorous,” Matt Moore, an organizer of the event, said. “They all have a fun stage presence and great senses of humor and candor.”
Moore has been involved in the event for four years, and says that the event exemplifies many trademark aspects of Athens.
“(We were) trying to find a great way to (bring the community together),” Moore said. “Athens has a great food scene and a great music scene and this was a great way to (bring those together).
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