If previous years are any indication, Friends of Franklin Parks’ eighth-annual Raise the Roofs fundraiser promises to be the best event of the summer – and the event chairs will be bringing some new twists and surprises to the Park at Harlinsdale Farm on Saturday, August 17.
Ken and Ellie Westman Chin, along with Susan and Brian Smallwood, are combining their talents in event curation, design, marketing and production to create experiences that showcase Franklin’s diverse offerings across the entire parks and trails system, while demonstrating the range of enhancements that are continuously being implemented as a result of private-sector support. Each of the chairs brings unique expertise and perspectives to the event.
Ken Chin is president of KAC Sports and Events, LLC and a Friends of Franklin Parks Board member; Ellie Chin is president & CEO of the Williamson County Convention & Visitors Bureau. Susan Smallwood is owner and principal designer of Susan Smallwood Interiors who also serves on the Friends Board, and her husband, Brian, travels the world as an executive in the steel and cement industries. As creators and tastemakers, they understand what it takes to make an event unique, and what an asset Franklin has in its open-space offerings.
“Visitors to Franklin are attracted to what’s different, what helps create our community’s identity, and the parks and trails and green space are a big part of that,” says Westman Chin. “Sometimes we as locals don’t fully understand all that we have available to us. This event will celebrate everything that’s great about our park system, from things to do and see to major initiatives for Franklin’s parks that are coming soon. It’s rewarding for Ken and I to work with the Smallwoods to support Friends of Franklin Parks, recognize what’s been accomplished and build excitement for the future.”
The event on Saturday, August 17th from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. will incorporate more of the Harlinsdale Park campus and include a buffet dinner along with traditional elements, such as the polo match held in the Tractor Supply Co. Arena. Patrons can expect plenty of great food, drink and cheer, live music and an after-party beginning at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are available for $125 per person, and all proceeds benefit Friends of Franklin Parks and the organization’s efforts to continually enhance and connect the City’s incredible park system.
Tickets are available online now at www.friendsoffranklinparks.org. A portion of the ticket price is tax-deductible. For sponsorship information and other details, please contact Friends of Franklin Parks Executive Director Torrey Barnhill at [email protected] or by phone at (615) 674-5388
