POSTED: Monday, September 1, 2008/JACH News Service

            LAFAYETTE – Families from all walks of life enjoyed games, music, dancing, a car show and the finals of a 3-on-3 basketball tournament during HannaFest at the Hanna Community Center today (Monday).             It was the 25^th anniversary of HannaFest, one of two major fundraisers for the Hanna Community Center. Children jumped around tirelessly in an inflated, enclosed “Moonwalk,”slid down a giant slide and had their faces painted. Adults enjoyed a variety of foods, visited numerous vendors and played bingo while the deejay spun music from the Disco era 70’s to Hip Hop. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Notice: See HannaFest Photos on News Page, HannaFest Cuban Shuffle video on Diversity Page! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------             It was the first HannaFest for Dewayne Moffitt, the new executive director of the Hanna Center, who grew up attending the facility. Moffitt kept the festival moving along with his board. Board members attending the opening ceremony at noon included president Willie Reed, vice president Heather Maddox, Roger Blalock, State Rep. Shelia Klinker and Jesse Moore.             Klinker introduced Lafayette mayor Tony Roswarski and attending members of the Lafayette City Council, including Perry Brown, who is also the Tippecanoe County Democratic Central Committee chairman, Lon Heide, Kevin Klinker and city clerk Cindy Murray. John Basham, owner of Basham Rentals who is running for Tippecanoe County Council At Large, joined board members and the mayor for the National Anthem.             Basham is running for one of three seats on the council along with fellow Republicans Kathy Vernon and Kevin Underwood against Democrats Keith Austin, Susan Schechter and Mike Simpson. Several others running for office mingled with festival attendees and enjoyed the sunny temperatures. Those included Democrat John Polles, a candidate for State Representative District 26 who is running against Republican Randy Truitt; and David Woolrum, who is a Democratic candidate for Tippecanoe County Commissioner against Republican David Byers. Local attorney Randy Williams, who is running as a Republican for Tippecanoe County Superior Court No. 1 Judge, stayed several hours as he joined festival goers. He is running against Democrat Michael Youngblood and Independent Rebecca Trent. Kathryn J. Redd and several students promoted the Tippecanoe County Project Safe Neighborhoods program among festival goers. The project was one of several festival goers were able to learn about during the event.             Probably one of the most interesting parts of the day was before HannaFest officially started with the finals of the 3-on-3 basketball tournament. Don’t Try Me beat The Kingdom for the Adult Team title 40-28. Members of the Don’t Try Me team were Todd Starr, Greg Grimes, and Jesse and Kip Fairfield. The Kingdom members included Dustin Harvey, Jake Brown, Michael Johnson and Ralph Thomas.             New Breed won the 13-16 age group, beating the Hanna Center 46-28. The New Breed team included Dezmond Spencer, Donald Van Court, Alantae Crawford and Devonte’ Parker.

              In between the cake walks, where festival attendees walked away with plenty of donated cakes, the deejay kept things lively with a mix of music including the Cuban Hustle and Electric Slide.             Numerous vendors lined 18^th Street and the parking lot at the Hanna Center, including the Lafayette Chapter of the Indiana Black Expo, which gave away free school supplies, the Tippecanoe County Democratic Party, Paul and Melissa Barrett Pre-Paid Legal Services and the Minority Health Coalition of Tippecanoe County.             Owners of vintage vehicles filled a parking lot across from the Hanna Center for the HannaFest Car Show. Awards were given to the top winners.