Wednesday, July 16, 2003

Well, they built it and they came.

What they built was a Battle of the Bands concert. Who built it was the newly formed Peachtree City Youth Council (PTCYC). And who came were over 500 music lovers, mostly young, to sample some excellent (albeit loud) talent on display at The Fred last Saturday night.

What I found most exhilarating was that this was the Youth Council's call as to what, when, how, etc., to sponsor as its inaugural activity to build pride and activism in the city's younger and often overlooked segment of the population. They made the decision, they planned the concert, they promoted the concert, and they had a heck of a good time at the concert.

In the end, six young bands performed to a vibrant and appreciative audience that was remarkably well-behaved, and the Peachtree City Youth Council collected nearly $2,000 in ticket sales to set themselves up in business. The "business" at hand is to serve the needs of the youth's community, and the group is off to a resounding start.

To be sure, there was help from plenty of folks around town. Former Mayor Bob Lenox and friends volunteered to donate some start-up money at a recent council meeting when the PTCYC approached council for funds, and others quickly followed suit in lending a financial hand.

The Development Authority of Peachtree City donated time and money for sound and lighting, and the recreation department's Mr. Art was a huge help in getting many of the necessary logistics in place.

In addition, many of Peachtree City's finest who wear the uniform were there to keep peace and order on a voluntary basis. Fortunately, the crowd policed itself, so the officers were mostly treated to an evening of entertainment.

OK, maybe it was loud and hard to understand the lyrics, but our parents said the same thing about Aerosmith and Led Zeppelin when we were kids.

We hear a lot that there is not enough to do in town for our city's youth. That may be true, but for one glorious night, there was a good time to be had for all, and I suspect there are plenty of other exciting events to look forward to with the Youth Council's leadership.

Kudos to all for a job well done!

Dan Tennant

Mayor Pro Tem

dtennant@peachtree-city.org