Thatcher Park Celebrates 11th Harvest Fair(posted Oct 7) The 11th Annual Harvest Fair is a reminder of the effectiveness of community grass roots efforts that saved Thatcher Park Community Center from being closed by the City of Indianapolis. Greater Garden City Civic Association President Merri Anderson and members played a major role stopping the City of Indianapolis from selling the center to be used as a banquet hall. The October 7 fair provided a community day of support and a chance for Indy Parks to recruit participants into programs. Indy Parks provides numerous programs at Thatcher Park, Junior Basketball, Break Dancing, Aquatics and Breakfast Club Over 50 are just a few of the programs offered. Alfonzo Graves demonstrated his dancing skills to the crowd as an invitation to sign up for the November 3 class. Graves said he has been dancing for 13 years and credited his father for teaching him. He said if it wasn't for the music pumping up his adrenaline he would not even attempt to do somersaults or knee pounding moves on the pavement. Cheryl Jackson-Newsom of Indy Parks said this year a Physical Education program is offered to home school students. She said about 25 students are enrolled in the program that provides structure and physical assessment. "No longer is it a time of open gym for them to just play dodge ball," she said. Kim Denny and her husband Sarge provided gourds for fair-goers to decorate. Mrs. Denny explained they wanted to give back to Thatcher Park because the couple has enrolled their daughter in the after school program for the last five years. Mr. Denny said he became interested in gourds as a craft and building gourd bird houses as something to do with their daughter Abi. |
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