COLUMBUS, Ga. (WTVM) - Another busy weekend is on tap in Columbus with thousands expected in town for the 34th annual Fountain City Classic game featuring Fort Valley State and Albany State Universities.
This week, events have been ongoing leading up to Saturday's game, including a networking event Thursday bringing together business leaders and professionals sharing tips on being successful.
Organizers of the Fountain City Classic say each year it's more than the game everyone's looking forward to Saturday. Thursday, at the Columbus Museum, the leaders of today dropped useful gems to the future leaders of tomorrow.
Two nights before the Fort Valley Wildcats and Albany State Golden Rams gather at South Commons Saturday - business professionals, local leaders, and students got together for the 17th annual Cufflinks and Pearls Networking Mixer.
The night began with a panel discussion for a chance to see leadership in different facets and industry including media, hair, legal, and healthcare. Panelists including News Leader 9's management Deloris Washington and anchor Katrice Nolan as the moderator.
"Relationships will get in doors that money could never get you in and relationships can get you out of situations that money can't get you out off," said Courtland Dixon.
Dixon, owner of Glory Brothers Transport, attended last year for the first time, and this year he was a panelist.
"When I started entrepreneurship, I was 19-years-old," said Dixon. "Some of the advice I wish I had gotten because I had to learn from my own experience and when you learn through your own experience that's through failure. Having the advice and guidance it helps you avoid the failure and head bumping."
Organizers say the idea is to the bridge the gap between ages and backgrounds.
"High school students can see what black excellence looks like when you go to an HBCU. They can see what possible in career fields and what Albany State and Fort Valley have to bring," Jatavia O'Neal said, Cufflinks and Pearls committee member.
Committee member and Albany State grad, Jatavia O'Neal, has experienced both sides of the mixer as a student and alumni.
"It means the world to me to see this growing up and be a part of the alumni association and to be a part of Fountain City Classic committee," said O'Neal. "The Albany State and Fort Valley Classic is the reason why I went to Albany State, so it's like a full circle movement for me."
Mackenzie Lewis, senior at Shaw High School, says it's important to be in certain circles.
"It's an honor to be around all of the black excellence and the rivalry of Albany State and Fort Valley. Black excellence especially in this time it's really important to me to see what I would look like in the future so it's nice to be around Black excellence."
This all culminates with the Fountain City Classic game Saturday at 2 p.m. at Memorial Stadium.