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By Martin Williams
Special to the Daily News

The fourth annual Dancing for The Thread event will be held Aug. 13, 2022, bringing competitive dancing and exciting entertainment to the LaGrange community.

The event will be held at the Callaway Conference Center, starting at 7 p.m. and continuing until 11 p.m. Tickets will be readily available for the event toward the end of July, and will be $80 per person.

Natalie Hale, executive director of The Thread, said her goals for this year’s event are to raise money to keep The Thread maintained and keep construction on schedule, provide amusement for participants and bring the community together.

“Last year we raised $97,000, surpassing our goal of $85,000,” Hale said. “Our goal again this year is $85,000.”

The participants for this year’s event are Maggie McDonald and Luis Hernandez; Doug and Caroline Kersey; Brandon and Belle Solomon; Valerie and Derek Kite; Jerika and Quay Boddie; Molly McKeen and Hutch Blair, and Ginger and JJ Wahl.

Some of the participants taking the competition more serious than others, while others are participating more for fun and entertainment.

Boddie said he believes this event is great for getting you involved with the community. He is a big believer in interacting with others and collaborating with fellow community members.

“These types of events will get you networking,” Boddie said. Boddie also stated how much he and his wife enjoy music. His wife will be participating with him.

“I am a music lover; my wife is a music lover,” Boddie said, but clarified he’s definitely there to win.

Boddie is an advocate for The Thread and what it provides to the community.

“I can remember when the pandemic hit; the gyms were closed. What is the safest thing you can do? You go to The Thread,” Boddie said.

Not taking the competitive dancing as serious, is participant Brandon Solomon. Solomon is looking forward to being there for his family, friends, and community, along with dancing with his daughter, Belle.

“I am most excited to enjoy a night of fundraising, dinner and dancing with my family and friends.  However, a special highlight for me will be the opportunity to dance on stage with my 16-year-old daughter. Belle has taken dance lessons from LSPA for 13 years, and this evening will be a special memory for the both of us,” Solomon said. “Of course, she is much more skilled than me on stage, but we have enjoyed practicing our routine together this summer. The competition will be thrilling also, as the true winners of this event are the residents of LaGrange through the expansion of The Thread Trail in our community,” he said.

Solomon is also an advocate for The Thread. He stated how its purpose is to “create an overall higher quality of life through the enjoyment of the outdoors, and allows our residents to enjoy the beauty of our area through recreation.”

The money will be used to maintain, market, and expand the Thread, which will eventually be around 30 miles, for the LaGrange community. Friends of The Thread, a group dedicated to the future of the trail, has given numerous maintenance items that allow The Thread to be well maintained.

“Friends of The Thread has given the city numerous lawn mowers, blowers, leaf vacuums, and gators to help in the maintenance of The Thread,” Hale said.

The Thread currently has 11 miles complete, but the latest segment is scheduled to be finished in the next couple of weeks.

“This segment extends from the Coleman Center to Hunnicutt Avenue. It is a very scenic segment that is mostly off road. It includes a bridge over a creek,” Hale said.

Once completed with that segment, The Thread will move onto its next segment.

“Our next segment will start at Hunnicutt Avenue and continue to Kex Mill, the site of the reclaimed Horace King Bridge. Once complete, it will make the first large loop on The Thread at over 5 miles,” Hale said.