Southern University is puttingits best foot forward to raise $500,000 for a new Lacumba III habitat.
According to Chancellor EdwardJackson since starting this drive to fund the new habitat more than $80,000 hasbeen raised for the facility.
The habitat for the new livingspace for the jaguar will increase from 418 square feet to 10,000 square feetin front of AW Mumford stadium on Harding Blvd.
The only event thus far was aCorporate Reception given by attorney Walter Dumas unveiling the blue printsfor the new habitat on Feb. 23 and raised $55,000.
Now the Lacumba III project ispreparing the Capital City Blues Concert for Friday, April 15, in the F. G.Clark Activity Center at 7 p.m.
“We don’t have any idea howsuccessful this event is going to be, but we are hoping for a crowd of 3,000plus,” said Chancellor Edward Jackson.
The concert will feature Bobby “Blue” Bland, Shirley Brown,Willie Clayton and a tribute to Jackie Neal by the Neal Family.
Jackson is counting on alumni,students, faculty and staff to tell everyone they know to support the bluesconcert.
“We want our students to mentionthe concert to their families,” Jackson said. “Blues may not be the music ofchoice but blues is a popular genre in the country and it does have aparticular appeal to the general population.”
Baton Rouge Blues singer JackieNeal is a neighborhood favorite and Chancellor Jackson said he is honored tohave her family participate in the concert.
“If anybody enjoyed the music ofJackie Neal they will certainly enjoy this concert,” Jackson said.
Tickets can be purchased at theSU Ticket Office and Ticketmaster for $25-$35. For more information call225-771-2160 or 225-359-9328 or 225-761-8400.
The second fundraiser forLacumba III is the Spring Fest Capital City Idol talent show, Tuesday April 19in the F.G. Clark Activity Center.
“It is a city wide talent showshowcasing the talent of Baton Rouge,” said Lacumba III Project Co-Chair JustinMcCorkle.
Capital City Idol is $5 and allproceeds will go toward the Lacumba III Fund.
“Not only to support the LacumbaIII project itself, but to see some of Baton Rouges top talent,” McCorkle said.
Next semester to kick off footballseason they will have Lacumba Fan Day on August 27 at 10 a.m. to raise moremoney for the Lacumba III Fund. There will be a Jambalaya Jamboree and livemusic. Admission is $5 for cars and $20 for R.V.’ s and walk-ups are asked togive a contribution. Call 225-771-2160 for more information.
”We hope that we have most of the money in place by the endof next semester,” Jackson said. “We want the support of our faculty and stafffor these events,”
