By Libby Criswell

The drama department at Troup County High School will be hosting a Literacy on the Lawn event this Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in order to raise money to support literacy in the LaGrange community.

“[Literacy] is an issue we feel very, very deeply about,” said high school junior Grace Braswell, an active member of the TCHS drama department. “Literacy is what we’re involved around. We all pour our hearts and souls into theater, and with theater comes learning lines, reading and having to articulate and talk.”

Braswell then explained that more than 1,000 elementary school students from Troup County, Manchester, Columbus and Alabama have come to LaGrange to see performances put on by the TCHS drama department.

“It’s like books come to life,” she said.

Several elementary schools have been invited to Literacy on the Lawn this Saturday. The school that shows the most participation will be the one to receive all of the money raised.

The public is encouraged to attend this fun and family-friendly event to show their support for the literacy of LaGrange elementary students. Activities will include a zombie 5K that will begin at 9 a.m., arts and crafts booths, a dog show, a car show, a talent show, a blood drive, food trucks and vendors. Several businesses will be attending as well.

The public is also invited to attend the TCHS theater department’s production of “Beauty and the Beast” at 7 p.m. later that night. Tickets are eight dollars for adults and five dollars for kids.

“It’s a great way to get involved,” Braswell said. “It’s going to be pretty fun, there’s lots of things going on. It’s a very community-oriented event that people should definitely come to.”