On the morning of February 28, the class of Penny Everett at Trigg County Preschool resembled more Bourbon Street than Main Street, when the students and faculty celebrated Mardi Gras.

Leading the festivities was Lori Wallace, mother to 4-year-old class member Jacob, who has relocated to Trigg County from Ascension Parish, Louisiana, due to Hurricane Katrina. Wallace has fond memories of her childhood in the Pelican State, especially during Mardi Gras. “It was fun for me as a kid, and I wanted to pass it on.”

Everett agreed, and said it was important for Jacob “…to have a feeling of Mardi Gras here in Cadiz.”

No Fat Tuesday celebration would be complete without trinkets, however, and Wallace came prepared. With the help of Everett, and Associate Teacher Diane Hogan, beads and crowns, in traditional Carnival colors of gold, green and violet were distributed. The class of 4 year olds wore homemade masks, complete with feathers, which they colored themselves. Balloons floated overhead, wishing the young revelers a “Happy Mardi Gras.”

As a very special treat, Wallace imported special plastic coins, called “Doubloons” from a New Orleans collector, adding a touch of authenticity to the festival. Her favorite memory as a child at her local parade was of an army officer, in dress uniform, who stopped and presented her with a special doubloon. Removed from the ribald New Orleans parades, lasting a week, the local parish parades happened in one day. “How I remember it was for the kids,” she recalled fondly.

The significance of the festivities may have been lost on some of the young revelers, yet the party went on unimpeded. Dekavion Jones believed he was a “superhero” in his festively feathered mask, performing a few acrobatic, and heroic leaps. “We’re Power Rangers,” he said of his classmates.

For the rest of this story, please see this week's edition of The Cadiz Record.