On Nov. 4, a community rallied to help provide financial support for families with ill children.
Hometown Festival started four years ago to help the Clendenin, Edwards, Powers and Todd families with medical expenses for their children.
Jaxon Clendenin is a 6-year-old boy from Kingsport who has been diagnosed with ECHS1 Deficiency, which is so rare that he is the only person in the United States who suffers from it. He is currently being treated in Ohio for his symptoms.
Skye Edwards is a fifth grader from Kingsport currently being treated for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma at St. Jude Hospital.
Hunter Powers is a 2-year-old boy from Dungannon, Va. He was diagnosed this year with acute lymphocytic leukemia. He is currently doing treatments at St. Jude in Memphis and Johnson City.
Levi Todd is a sixth grader from Nickelsville, Va., who was diagnosed with leukemia in December of 2016. He has been receiving treatments at St. Jude.
The festival started at 11 a.m., and Dr. Lester Morelock, pastor of First Baptist Church in Weber City, opened up the day in prayer.
There were 75 food and craft vendors at the Hometown Festival as well as games, inflatables and a rock climbing wall for children to play on.
This year the musicians that performed included The McKameys, a family that sings southern gospel music; Ben Haggard, son of country music legend Merle Haggard; and Ashley Campbell, daughter of Glen Campbell, another well-known country musician and of the television series “The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour.”
The event ended around 9 p.m. with fireworks.
The clouds kept some festival goers at home with the threat of rain.
“I am hoping it will clear up so more people will come out,” Savanna Huffman, Hometown events planner, said. “We are down from last year, but, hopefully, if the sun comes out more people can come.”
For those who missed this event, First Baptist Church Weber City Community Campus will continue the Hometown Festival on Nov. 18 by hosting Duck Dynasty’s Uncle Si & The Sicotics. Tickets are $5 for general admission and $15 for reserved seating.
