What began as an idea for a little autumn fun at a local eatery in Carrollton quickly grew.
“We just wanted something to do in the fall at the restaurant,” said Jacob Skelton, owner of 302 South Street. “We originally thought about a music festival.”
The festival would be slated for October, and the more Skelton talked to his friend Krista Arthur, the more their vision started to take shape. What began as an idea for a party ended with a community rallying to save lives.
“It was (during) breast cancer awareness month, so we made it a breast cancer benefit,” Skelton recalled. Tunes for Tatas was born in 2015 — and the start was hectic.
“There were a lot of unknowns in how we were going to go about doing it,” he said, and their teamwork proved invaluable. “Krista was a big help in getting organized and getting in touch with different vendors and sponsors.”
It came together.
“It’s a benefit concert supporting Tanner Foundation’s Mammogram Assistance Fund,” Arthur, co-creator of Tunes for Tatas, explained.
“Each year, we have multiple bands playing throughout the day. We raffle all sorts of prizes,” Skelton added. “We do food and beer tents outside.”
T-shirts and other items are available for sale. The event brings just the kind of festive atmosphere they envisioned.
While it evolved from a fun idea, Tunes for Tatas holds deeply personal roots for its founders.
“My mom is a breast cancer survivor,” said Arthur. “So are my sister and my aunt. We actually lost my mother-in-law to breast cancer in 2014.”
Skelton’s aunt is also a breast cancer survivor.
As difficult as their situations were, Skelton realizes that they are not alone.
“For the most part, everybody’s been through it, or has known somebody who’s been through breast cancer at some point,” he said. “It’s affected so many people.”
Approximately 1 in 8 women in the United States will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of her lifetime. Like most communities, Carrollton has been impacted by breast cancer and events like Tunes for Tatas is one way the community shows support.
“The turnout is great for the event,” Arthur said. “The sponsors are so helpful and receptive.”
Donations from raffle prizes, food, time spent volunteering, and finances help make the event a success. Skelton also donates a portion of his proceeds.
Since its inception, Tunes for Tatas has raised more than $8,000 in donations for Tanner Foundation’s Mammogram Assistance program. The dollar figure is impressive, but what it translates into is greater.
“If the efforts from the fundraiser can get somebody who wouldn’t otherwise have access to a mammogram (to have one), then it can be the difference between surviving or not,” Skelton said.
Mammograms are considered the first line of defense in the detection of breast cancer. Early detection with screening mammography means that treatment can be started earlier in the course of the disease, possibly before it has spread, and can result in fewer deaths.
“We both feel very strongly about that because we know early detection is the key to surviving that disease,” said Arthur.
Making an impact among family and friends meant a great deal to them, too. Skelton and Arthur believe that Tanner Health System deserves their support.
“We wanted to keep the money local, within the community,” Arthur said. “We knew that there were women in our community that either had no health insurance or could not afford to get a mammogram. This fund helps pay for mammograms for those women. We definitely don’t want anyone to be unable to get a mammogram because of money.”
The highly popular event may be on hold this year, as 302 South Street is in the process of acquiring a new facility and Arthur has moved to Florida. However, their mission to help people and support breast cancer testing burns stronger than ever. Both Skelton and Arthur are committed to watching Tunes for Tatas continue to make a difference in many lives. In fact, Skelton sees his endeavors impacting the future, and wants his one-year-old son to see that as well.
“It’s more rewarding to give back than to receive,” he said. “Being charitable and community-conscious is important. And hopefully we’ll be able to instill that in him.”
Donations to Tanner Foundation’s Mammogram Assistance Fund are gratefully accepted at 770.812.GIFT (4438) or by secure online donation at www.TannerMedicalFoundation.org.
Caption:
Jacob Skelton, owner of 302 South Street (second from left), and Krista Arthur raised $4,000 for Tanner’s Mammogram Assistance Fund with their 2016 Tunes for Tatas event. They presented a check to (left) Fred O'Neal, 2016 Tanner Foundation board member, (right) Carla Duncan, Tanner Foundation development specialist, and Tim Brewer, Tanner Foundation board member. Skelton and Arthur were inspired to help local women with the cost of mammograms by family members who had battled the disease.