ATLANTA — The room clapped and sang along as the all-female African dance troupe Giwayen Mata approached from all corners of The Fairmont in Northeast Atlanta. The sounds of drums filled the room but that was not the only action at the Eats & Beats Festival.
Roughly a thousand people filled the venue to sample food from Atlanta’s hottest restaurants and bid on a silent auction that included trips to see gorillas in the wild in Africa, celebrity chef experiences and artwork painted by African gorillas.
The festival was sponsored by Children of Conservation, a non-profit started by Kerry and Michelle Stumpe, which supports wildlife conservation workers and their families in Africa. And while the food and music took center stage, the real focus of the event was the workers that help save endangered wildlife in Africa.
“We support the conservation of African wildlife by empowering communities,” explained Lorna Campbell, Executive Director of Children of Conservation. “We work with animal sanctuaries and wildlife authorities in five countries in Africa to provide scholarships for the children of workers and also implement innovative anti-poaching programs.”
Eats & Beats Festival
Dozens of restaurants filled the room, passing out small dishes to the attendees. Organizers expected to make about $100,000 for the charity.
“In 2017, we built a school in Zambia and we are now working towards building a school, health clinic and adult training center in an impoverished village Uganda,” said Campbell. “Children of Conservation also has a fund to support the families of fallen wildlife rangers, killed in the line of duty, in Uganda.”
Eats & Beats is an annual fundraiser for Children of Conservation.
MORE HEADLINES:
