A Trenton couple who were ?instrumental? in bringing band day activities to the Missouri Day Festival have been selected to serve as grand marshals of the 20th annual Missouri Day Festi-val parade.
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A Trenton couple who were ?instrumental? in bringing band day activities to the Missouri Day Festival have been selected to serve as grand marshals of the 20th annual Missouri Day Festi-val parade.
Karla and Buddy Hannaford will be the grand marshals for the parade, which will get under way at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 16. The Hannafords were the driving force behind getting the band day activities organized in 1997 and, with their hard work, they have seen the event grow to include 40 bands this year.
Buddy, who retired as the Trenton High School band director in May 1997, had been approached several times about organizing a band festival in Trenton. Karla, who had served as the director for the colorguard, said there just hadn?t been enough time.
?Buddy didn?t have the time to do it because he was so busy with his own program,? she said. ?There were no band festivals in this area. We had to drive about two hours from Trenton to get to one, so we needed one in this area. But organizing it is very time-consuming. You?re talking about a six-month job.?
Karla said that after Buddy announced his retirement, he was approached by Steve Maxey, one of the Missouri Day Festival organizers, about putting together a festival to be held in conjunction with Missouri Days. Karla says Maxey basically said, ?okay, now you don?t have an excuse,? but Buddy says Maxey ?twisted his arm? to put the festival together. Whether or not there was actually any arm-twisting involved remains a mystery, but through whatever means, the 1997 Missouri Day Festival included the first-ever band day with it. A total of 18 bands participated in the event, which includes competitions for parade, auxiliary, drumline and field show.
While 18 was a great showing for the first year, the event has grown to 40 bands from three states now, just eight years later. In addition to bands that have attended the festival in the past, such as Harrisonville, Warrensburg and Marshall, this year?s festival will also include such large bands as Raymore-Peculiar and Raytown. The Hannafords agree that the festival’s reputation and the response of the local community have contributed greatly to its success.
?We have established this as a reputable festival. We get the best judges we can find,? commented Karla. ?Buddy has closed some of the loopholes he found in festivals he attended over the years. We cater to the band directors.?
?There?s something for the parents to do here,? her husband noted, referring to all the activities available by having the band day in conjunction with Missouri Days. ?They don?t just have to sit in the stands or in the car. They can enjoy the rest of the festival.?
Buddy went on to say that the support of the community has made a difference as well.
?The community has gained a very good reputation across the state for friendliness and for providing a great festival.?
As much as Missouri Days has been an asset to the band festival, the band activities have also helped Missouri Days.
?I think we definitely gave Missouri Days a shot in the arm,? Buddy said, with Karla noting that even if there was no Missouri Days, the band festival would continue. This year, between 2,400 and 2,500 students are expected to participate.
Both Hannafords contend that the band day activities would be impossible without the help of the 75 to 100 volunteers who take time out of their own schedules to help organize the event and see it run smoothly each year.
?Without their help, this band day wouldn?t be successful,? said Karla. ?You can organize all you want, but they are the ones who help pull it off on Saturday. They really give their time to the festival to see it work.?
The Hannafords remain very busy operating their video production business, MasterVideo, but obviously have a passion for young people and the music they perform.
?Our goal in all of this is to make it as fun and educational as we can for the students,? Buddy said.
As for being selected as grand marshals, they both point out again that without the help of others, the band day would not happen. Still, they are honored to have been chosen.
?It?s very special.? Buddy said.
?We feel very honored. It was a very nice gesture.?
by Ronda Lickteig