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While the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival does bring in artists big and small to Coffee County, it also provides an opportunity for local organizations and sports teams to raise funds. 

The Tullahoma Takedown Club tends to have some kind of booth set up at the music festival each year, with this year being no exception.

The drink booth serves as the Tullahoma Takedown Club’s main fundraiser, it usually helps with needs like uniforms, equipment, travel expenses and so on. The funds raised during the weekend will go to the Takedown Club, which consists of children from age five to high school seniors. This year is big for the Take Down Club with the TMS program moving from an AAU program to a TMSAA program with State Championships in both team duels and individual.

“Transportation cost are going to increase as well as coaching stipends,” Tullahoma High School wrestling head coach Bob Callison said. “As our program grows the more opportunities our wrestlers have.  This next week July 13-20; Brodie Minor, Sayvion Surles, and Kameron Stafford Turner will wrestle in Fargo, ND at the USA Wrestling Freestyle and Greco Roman National Championships. These opportunities take funds and we are fortunate that our Tullahoma Takedown Club boosters are helping our wrestlers those opportunities.”

This summer was Callison’s first year being a part of the Take Down Club’s fundraising at Bonnaroo.

“Bonnaroo is quite an experience,” he said. “It was much bigger than I expected.  We are very fortunate to have the opportunity to raise funds. The nights were extremely busy and we had great volunteers to handle the business. By Sunday night we sold just about everything in our stand.  I am thankful for Sean Adkins for helping me get set up this year and Booster Jacklyn Duncan help me with organizing as well.  I am thankful for all that worked from our many wrestlers working the Ferris wheel, water Slide, and Ice Trucks to our many volunteers in our Beer Tent.  It was a great team effort and I am proud of all our workers!  It was a job well done.”