From left, Brandon Mertz, TriStar Beverages; Mickey McCamish, Friends of the Festival; Samantha Brennan, Finley Stadium; and Jens Christensen, Habitat of Greater Chattanooga
Fans who do their part by placing empty canned beverages in the recycling containers at several local event locations are not only ensuring the infinitely recyclable material gets put back in use, but also are providing resources to Habitat for Humanity.
Habitat intends to use the funds raised for their home repair program. The effort allows essential repairs to be made on homes that will allow many of the community’s low-income seniors to age in place. Some of the repairs include roofing, floor replacements, aging electrical issues and plumbing.
Friends of the Festival executive director Mickey McCamish noted that this month’s 4 Bridges Arts Festival will be a “zero waste” event and when Riverfront Nights launches on May 25, those cans will also be added into the mix to support Habitat. “As Chattanooga’s premier event company, we’re dedicated to providing as many zero waste efforts as possible. We believe that the aluminum donations over a 14- week run of Riverfront Nights along with the other events we plan and implement will make a huge difference for Habitat.”
Finley’s Brian Wright agrees. The executive director for both Finley Stadium and First Horizon Pavilion said, “We often host events five or six days each week. With the Chattanooga FC season in full swing and the Market running through November at the First Horizon Pavilion, we’ll be actively working to make an impact in our community as well as on our environment.”
TriStar Beverage has agreed to match the amount of funding for the second-year initiative. “We love being a part of all of the great events our community has to offer,” said regional vice president Rock Haines. “Our brands have a strong following and we’re proud to give back to a community that has been so good to us.”
Guests coming into Finley Stadium’s newly renovated event space will also be contributing to the effort as all corporate and private events will be zero-waste going forward.
Jens Christensen, president and CEO of Habitat expressed the organization’s thanks for the effort. “At Habitat, our vision is to provide a safe, decent place for people to live. Many know us by our new housing program for qualified families entering into our educational and ‘sweat equity’ efforts; however, it’s also critical for those trying to remain in homes they’ve loved throughout their lives. This partnership will be a key to our critical home repair program and we’re very grateful for the partnerships supporting the efforts and most importantly, for anyone purchasing a canned beverage at these venues throughout the coming months.”