Organizers of Crawfest are already at work planning for next year’s festival after a successful eighth event on Saturday.
Organizers made sure to include fun activities for the whole family along with plenty of crawfish, shrimp, and all the fixin’s. Music, food, and family fun made for great leisure time, although Crawfest was created from cries of much-needed help.
Crawfest benefits The Scarlet Rope Project, a faith-based nonprofit that provides healing and resources for survivors of sex trafficking. Part of the mission is to raise awareness about the commercial sexual exploitation of women and young girls.
So comes the challenge of creating a joyful, family event to help women and girls who are striving to be restored and empowered after breaking free from a mentally and physically draining life of being sold for sex. Traffickers prey on the most vulnerable. And it happens in communities large and small.
The Scarlet Rope Project’s Julanne Stone is encouraged that Crawfest grows bigger each year.
“Over 550 people attended, including around 50 volunteers and we’re going to try to make it even bigger next year,” she said.
Stone added the final numbers are not all in yet, but close to $80,000 has been counted so far. The event is held at Hub City Brewing, with plenty of space for activities indoors and outdoors.
In recent months, Scarlet Rope has secured a home, a safe haven for survivors on their journeys toward freedom. There is an individual plan for each woman. Tutoring, trauma counseling, job placement help, financial planning, and help for drug and alcohol addiction are just some of the programs provided.
To find out more about the work of The Scarlet Rope Project, visit the Facebook page or scarletropeproject.com. The National Human Trafficking Hotline is open seven days a week, 24 hours a day for reporting trafficking or seeking help at 888-373-7888 or text HELP TO 233733.
