What could be better than a football- and music-filled evening with friends? And knowing that celebrating together will also help area children?

The Pike County Young Professionals and Troy-Pike Cultural Arts Center are joining forces to offer a Studio Tailgate Band Party to benefit the Child Advocacy Center, the Pike County Chamber of Commerce Junior Ambassadors and the Troy-Pike Cultural Arts Center.

“Whenever they told me about it, I jumped up and down,” said Camille Downing, director of the CAC. “We have received some small budget cuts for our upcoming fiscal year, so every little bit helps, and we are always appreciative.”

Doors to the event hosted at The Studio in downtown Troy will open at 6 p.m. on Nov. 1. There will be a large screen television set up to watch the Trojans take on Louisiana-Lafayette with kick-off at 6:30 p.m. Then, if that wasn’t enough, local favorite The Park Band will begin playing an acoustic set at 7 p.m.

“It’s a win-win for everyone,” said PCYP President Heath DeRamus. “Our young professionals will enjoy a great fun-filled evening with each other and it benefits the community.”

Tickets for the event are $25 each. Those attending the indoor tailgate band party will be able to bring in their on food and drinks to celebrate the evening and, hopefully, the Trojans’ win over the Ragin’ Cajuns.

“We really hope people come out to support the Trojans, have a great time, and also support these three worthy groups,” said Morgan Drinkard, executive director of the Troy-Pike Cultural Arts Center.

Downing said she already knows right where the CAC’s portion of the funds raised will go – to new “Good touch, bad touch” curriculum materials.

“We use those materials to go into the schools and talk about what is appropriate contact for children,” Downing explained. “It’s quite expensive, so this will help tremendously.”

The CAC offers the program for free to second-, third-, and fifth-grade classes in Pike and surrounding counties and will also go into other classes and daycares when requested.

“This fund-raiser sounds like it will be a wonderful time,” Downing said. “It means so much for us to have been picked to receive a portion of the money raised.”

Tickets may be purchased at the Pike County Chamber of Commerce, or the Johnson Center for the Arts.