WHITEHALL — On Tuesday, Walk the Beat White Lake awarded 42 local students with $6,000 worth of scholarships, instruments and music lessons through their community giving program. Walk the Beat is a nonprofit and local music festival, which started in 2022 and was inspired by the Walk the Beat festival in Grand Haven put on by David Palmer. According to Walk the Beat director Kevin Goff, this year the festival will be bigger, with one additional venue, more music acts and food trucks. The festival will take place Saturday, July 20.
“Earlier this year, we contacted Whitehall and Montague middle schools, high schools, homeschools and alternative school directors,” said executive committee member Chris Billie. “We sent the opportunity for students to apply for a scholarship. They had to write a short 100-word essay on why they wanted the scholarship or whatever they were asking for and how it would impact them.”
Goff and Billie are grateful for the help of other committee members, who help organize the festival and select student scholarship winners. They also explained the numerous benefits the festival and program brings to the entire White Lake community.
“The festival happens because of the money we raise from community organizations and businesses,” Goff said. “As a result of the festival, we’re able to give the money to students as a part of our community giving program. We’re able to put on a great festival for the residents at no charge. In addition, the businesses in our area get a huge economic impact as a result of everybody coming out. The communities of Whitehall and Montague, the White Lake area in general gets exposure, as well as the musicians performing. When musicians perform in a bar, they play for 30 or 50 people. Here, they potentially play for up to 3,500 people.”
Goff also said Walk the Beat is looking for a new director to take over next year, as well as anyone who wishes to be a part of the executive committee. Anyone interested is invited to reach out via email at walkthebeatkevin@gmail.com.
