Muncie Times, Muncie, Delaware County, 2 September 1999 — Page 22

The Muncie Times, September 2, 1999, page 22

Hlwsste l©a»®©iiliig More than 2,000 attend homecoming festival

This year, Debonairs Club, Inc., sponsored the first “Muncie’s Homecoming Festival 1999” successor to the Back to Muncie celebration. “Back to Muncie no longer exists,” said Vicki Petty, an organizer of the event. “That committee’s been disbanded. We try to keep the same goals and concepts of the Back to Muncie. “The purpose of the celebration is to bring to our young people positive role models. We do that by bringing those who used to live in Muncie, moved away and have become successful,back to Muncie and have them speak to our young people and share their life experiences with them.” Petty said that people were able to do what they wanted during the festivities, such as participating in educational awareness. “Keynote speaker Dr. Charles Coleman, who was born and raised in Muncie, but is now living in Marion, came to share his success of the school administration field, as a superintendent, with the youth during the educational awareness program. “We had Julia Mason, who is from Muncie and she is now living in the Netherlands, she works for the U.S. government,” said Petty. “She shared a lot with our young people.” Petty said organizers wanted to create a good, positive attitude for the young so that when they get older, they may continue the tradition. Petty said the Debonairs Club sponsored dances and other activities to raise funds for the $10,000 event. The committee started with no money. Her organization, Models in Motion, sponsored fashion shows to raise money, as well as selling ads. They also received funds from Community Development, the City of Muncie, Center Township Trustee’s Office, Mayor Dan Canan and from various other fund raisers. Petty said that this event will not be an annual because of the expense and magnitude of work and planning involved. She does, however, want to suggest that it’s

done more often than every 4 years. The festivities started with an educational awareness conference at Minnetrista Cultural Center. It continued through Saturday with the Rube Poole Open Golf tournament at Cardinal Hills, EMo Bowling tournament at Liberty Bowl, the Family Picnic, Teen Talent Show Case and the Youth Basketball Clinic at McCulloch Park and a Fellowship Dance at the Horizon Convention Center. The festivities concluded with the Gospel Day Event at Muncie Central High School Auditorium. The Rev. Gerald Dew, pastor of Greater Zion Missionary Baptist Church of Houston, Texas, presided over the services. Dew is a native of Muncie and a graduate of Muncie Northside High School. Harry Gudger, a Muncie native who lived in Dallas/Ft. Worth, Texas, for 10 years said that lack of opportunity in Muncie took him away. Gudger is supervisor of the maintenance department for the Arlington School District. While in Muncie, Gudger ran for mayor, was involved in civil rights, the NAACP and organized a committee called the Black Achievers, which recognized African Americans whose accomplishments warranted honorable mention. “...Basically, Muncie hasn’t changed too much at all, and that’s one of the main reasons a lot of us left,” said Gudger. “I think it’s even worse today, even a lot of us coming back, we don’t see any change in this city as far as the progression of blacks. Looks like it’s got worse. There are no opportunities here at all and it’s disturbing to a lot of us to come back here and see that. Robert Thompson, coorganizer of the festival said the event meant “Bringing families together and fellowship with union...bringing old and new acquaintances back together.” Jeff and Deborah Williams were also instrumental in organizing the festival. “We felt like there was a need for us to be on this committee because you have to give back to the community and this is the

best way to do it,” said Jeff Williams. Williams said, “Just keeping the feelings together and the culture behind it and giving kids something to hang on to. I just think it’s wonderful for everyone. This is great.” The Muncie Minority Health Coalition had an information booth promoting good health for minorities. “There are a lot of people that are not able to pay for their health needs,” said Clementine Johnson. “We’re connected to Delaware County Minority Health Coalition and we’re funded by the state. We have a good program going on (at) Calvary Baptist Church on East Jackson Street. Johnson said that if anyone in the community ever needed any help he/she should call. “We need ways of letting our people know what’s available to them, and once they know, then they can get all these services,” said Johnson. “We’re in the process of doing home health demonstration. The purpose is to make our people aware of what’s going on and things that are available. And these are the things that we are going to be talking about in these home health demonstrations.” For more information about the Muncie Minority Health Coalition Home Health Demonstration program and how you may earn $35 an hour in your home, call (765)284-6994. The festival also sponsored the Second Annual Youth Talent Showcase. The scripture was Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Jesusa Pryor presided over the prayer services. Youth minister Jerome Brewer, who emceed the showcase, said, “...We ought to give back something, if it’s time, which is more important than any thing... Money fades away. Material things get old and rust and rotten, but children will never forget time...the time that you spend with them. So that’s the purpose of spending time with the kids this morning and saying thank you.

“You never know who could be our first black president, our first black female president, you never know what our children can become. If we instill in their minds garbage, then they’ll think garbage. “But if we instill in their minds something positive, they’ll think positive. So I’m just trying to get them away from this corruptive generation and try to give the way it should be and the way God wants it to be.” Brewer resides in Indianapolis and participated in the festivities as a volunteer at the request of a Muncie co-worker, Jeremy Knox. Brewer is a member of Fall Creek Parkway Church of Christ in Indianapolis. Participants in the showcase were vocalist Kennan Nichols, 1999 Indiana Black Expo Star Quest semi-finalist and first runner-up, featuring dancers Kyra & Dorothee Nichols. Du-boys, a dance troupe featuring Damionne Nichols and Cameron Cobbins, 1999 Star Quest semifinalists also

participated, followed by Chosen, a gospel singing ministry consisting of Tina Wilson, Robin Wilson, Alfreda Bryant, Shelly Harpole, Vickie Chamberlin and Niecy Clark. Devotion, a mime troupe, also performed during the festivities. The troupe featured ,Bre-Anna Dillard-Swan, Erica Long, Freddie Long, Christal Jackson and Nakta Jones. Monachelli, also known as DeMarcus Perry, and first runner-up, 1999 Star Quest competition, also performed an R&B rap. Vicki Petty and Lillian Dunn won community awards during the talent show case event. Petty received the award for her work on the Homecoming Festival and with Models in Motion, while Dunn was recognized for her work with the Multicultural Community Center More than 2,000 people attended the Homecoming Festival.