KYLE MURPHYStaff Writer

Third time is the charm for Highland Rim Habitat for Humanity (HRHfH) as it will be once again participating at Planet Roo for the 2023 Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival.

Planet Roo focuses on sustainability and global consciousness and offers a chance to nonprofits to share their missions with the music lovers attending the festival, as well as providing an opportunity for festival goers to learn and relax.

According to HRHfH President Terrie Quick, this will be the nonprofit organization’s third year to be a part of Planet Roo. She said they were asked to be more engaging with Bonnaroovians by having an “activation” activity. The activity at HRHfH will be “Guess the Tool” where attendees will get the chance to guess a series of common tools found on a construction site. Once they guessed the tools, attendees will have their name and email submitted for a chance to win a $100 gift card to Lowe’s Home Improvement.

“It seems like since COVID, it seems like people have a hard time engaging in conversation, even at a festival,” Quick said. “We tried to come up with something silly and fun. That’s the main thing is to have fun.”

For Quick, she said prior to going to Bonnaroo with HRHfH, she had a negative perception of the festival as she viewed it as for young people going to do “sex and drugs”. Once she participated at Bonnaroo, however, her opinion of the festival changed.

“I was so, so wrong,” Quick said. “It’s a very, very positive atmosphere.”

Quick said since HRHfH has been at Planet Roo, she’s had people come up to them to share their stories and experiences with Habitat for Humanity in their area.

“For us, it’s always was a good way to talk to people,” she said. “Everybody wants to talk about something they have done that makes them feel good. It makes us feels good to know that such a wonderful organization is doing good things all over the nation.”

According to Alex Thompson, who oversees Planet Roo, said there are over 30 nonprofit organizations at Planet Roo this year, with 40% being from Tennessee. Quick said she highly encouraged all the other local nonprofit organizations in the area to participate with Bonnaroo if they get the chance, as well as apply for the Bonnaroo Works Fund grant

“It’s not easy work but it’s so uplifting, it’s so sweet to see so many positive things to actually come from [Bonnaroo] and to get to meet so many other people from across this nation,” she said. “I encourage any of the nonprofits in the area who are not involved with Bonnaroo to shoot me a phone call or a text and I can definitely pass along information.”

HRHfH is a nonprofit, nondenominational Christian organization dedicated to building simple, decent and affordable homes in Coffee and Franklin counties since 1992. The nonprofit is an affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International, which has over 2,300 affiliates worldwide, whose mission is “seeking to put God’s love into action by building homes, community and hope. HRHfH partners with volunteers and low income families to fulfill its purpose. Homeowner families are chosen according to their need, ability to repay the no-profit, no-interest mortgage and their willingness to work in partnership with HRHfH.

For more information about HRHfH can visit the organization’s Facebook page at Highland Rim for Habitat for Humanity or its website at hrhfh.org for updates and to make donations. Those wanting to get involved can contact Quick at 931-273-2201. HRHFH’s office hub is at the First United Methodist Church’s Henry Center, located at 201 W. Lincoln St. Anyone who wants to send a donation can send it to HRHFH’s P.O. box at HRHFH P.O Box 1295 Tullahoma, TN.