Addis Volunteer Firemen's Parade

updated: 2/15/12

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King and Queen L

King: Alex Rabalais, son of David and Aimee Rabalais
Queen: Amy Lejeune, daughter of Richard and Wendy Lejeune

Float Winners:

Grand Prize, Ladies Auxiliary Choice-winner: Addis Historical Society- "Remembers"

1st Place: "Girls Night Out"- Celebrating 50 Years, Melissa Toups and Friends

2nd Place: "Krewe of Can't Get Right"- Celebrating 50 Years of Memories- Linda Simoneaux, Melanie Chatelain and friends

3rd Place: Krewe of Crowning Around and Walk Ons

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http://theadvocate.com/features/people/1834898-123/forged-by-firetruck.h...

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Grand Marshals and Court named for the 50TH ANNUAL ADDIS VOLUNTEER FIREMEN'S PARADE
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Time 11:00 AM
Grand Marshals chosen for the Ladies Auxiliary 50th annual Addis Volunteeer Firemen's Parade,
are Phylis Artigue, Linda Fouquier, Tricia Landry, and Renee Leveron. They have all been active
members of the Ladies Auxiliary to the Addis Volunteer Firemen for many years. Linda is the
Parade Chairperson, Tricia is the President, Renee is Vice-president and treasurer, and Phylis
is Vice-president.
Tricia Landry, President of the Ladies Auxiliary to the Addis Volunteer Fire Department
has announced the names of the royal court for the 50th Addis Annual Parade.
The court will be presented on Saturday, February 4 at the Addis Community Center at 6:00 PM
and they will ride on the royal float for the parade to be held on Sunday, February 12, at 11:00 AM.
Senior Dukes are Ben Avants and Raymond Mitchell.
Ben is the son of Joseph Avants and Jennifer Avants,
and Raymond is the son of Raymond and Misty Avants.
Senior Maids are Madelyn Barbier and Briana Tarver.
Madelyn is the daughter of Jon and Amanda Barbier,
and Jessica Murry. Briana's parents are Kathy Tarver
and Steven Batiste.
Drew Hebert and Wyatt Berthelot are Junior Dukes.
Rusty and Terynn Hebert are Drew's parents,
and Wyatt's parents are Toby Berthelot and Jennifer Berthelot
.
Junior Maids are Madison Morales and Kynleigh Avants.
Brett Morales and Cierra Allen, and Christy and T-Glen Falcon,
are Madison's parents.
Joseph Avants & Jeniffer Avants are Kynleigh's parents.
The Royal Pages will be Lane Marino and Alyssa Slayton.
Their parents are Jason and Ashley Marino and
Steven and Aime Slayton.
The King and Queen's identity will not be revealed until the presentation
and crowning by the 2011 Royalty, King Trey Goodwin & Queen Mona Patterson.
Admission for this event is free, and all are welcome to attend.
The Community Center is located on HWY I in Addis.
Following the presentation of the court, a Mardi Gras Ball, featuring the Luv Sexy Band
will be held in the Community Center from 8:00 PM to 1:00 AM.
The cost of admission to the Mardi Gras Ball is $250.00 for a table for eight persons.
Individual tickets are $35.00. For tickets or information on the Ball call Mikey Fouquier
225-405-1700 or Todd Berthelot 225-413-3456

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"50 Years of Memories"
Addis VFD 50th Annual Mardi Gras Parade
Sunday, February 12, 2012

The 50th Addis Volunteer Fire Department Parade will be held on Sunday, February 12, 2012. Time of the parade will be 11:00 am. It will be the 50th consecutive parade for the Town of Addis.

In 1963, the idea of a parade was organized by Donna Mae Songy Fitzgerald. At that time Addis was a village, and received a "1924 American LaFrance" pumper fire truck from the neighboring town of Plaquemine. The truck was delivered to Addis on January 6 of that year, by Plaquemine Fire Chief Irby Gascon, J A Hebert, and Jimmy Whitaker. This was the beginning of the AVFD. The department was organized by approximately 50 men of the community. The first fire chief, was Leon Caldwell.

Donna Mae was excited, and called her friends about have a parade to raise money for the new fire department. They could decorate their little wagons, and their parents could pull the children in the parade.

At that time Brusly High School held an annual Mardi Gras Carnival in the school gym. The first reigning Kind and Queen were Donna Breaux and Hunter Miller. Donna Mae's friend and Donna's grandmother, Lucy Laurent Breaux made the queen's dress. Also, on the court were the dukes: Russ Tircuit, Ricky Sanchez, Donald Ocmand, and Gene Rills. Maids were Linda Welch, Sheila Landry, Jane White, Rhonda Daigle, and Cheryl Dwyer. All of the court were Brusly School students.

For the royal float, the ladies borrowed a hay wagon from Louis Mouch, and decorated it with palmetto, moss, and crepe paper. Since there was little or no money to spend, Charlyn DeBlanc Tircuit donated the crepe paper. Donna Mae along with her mother-in-law Mamie Miller Fitzgerald, and Lucy Breaux drove to Bayou Pigeon to gather moss and cut palmetto. J Cecil Breaux, Donna's father, built the frame around the wagon and painted "King and Queen Fireman I" on it.

Since, Addis did not have a police car, Donna Mae enlisted her father, Dennis Songy, Plaquemine's Chief of Police to direct the parade.

Lawrence Gassie the proprietor of Gassie's Service Station opened his station, to let the ladies sell homeade cupcakes, cookies and candy. A total of 247.00 was made for the new fire department. Many people came to the parade and many dressed in costume. The people of Addis were excited about the village having a parade and helping the fire department get started.

On Sunday, February 24, 1963, the first AVFD parade took place. Leading the parade was a covertible driven by Sheldon Allen, with Mayor George Booksh, and village officials W J Goodwin, Allen Clouatre, Jr, and Hilton Guidry, Sr and Police Chief "Chuck" Tuminello. The Brusly High Band marched in the parade. From the humble beginning the parade and carnival became a yearly event for the town for the past fifty years. The children of Addis grew up with the parade and those who have moved away still look forward to parade day, and seeing friends from their school days.

"The 1924 American-La France" pumper fire truck, which started it all, will be making its 50th appearance in the 2012 parade. Afterh the "50th" parade festivites will be held at the new Railroad Park on the corner of First Street and Harris Avenue. There will be food, drinks, games and music by "Foret Tradition".

(updated: December 30, 2012

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Addis Volunteer Firemen's Parade
Sunday, February 12, 2012

Next year, 2012, will mark the 50th Addis Volunteer Firemen's Mardi Gras Parade. The first AVFD Parade was held on February 24, 1963. The person who originated the idea for a parade was Donna Mae Songy Fitzgerald. In 2008 Mrs. Fitzgerald wrote a short article recalling her memories of the parade. Following is a transcript of that article:

In 1963, Addis got a fire truck. I was excited - because we could have a parade and raise money for the Fire Department, and get the children involved pulling their little wagons (I called friends.) Brusly School had a carnival with a King, Queen and Court. My dear friend Lucy Breaux made the Queen's dress, etc. Her granddaughter Donna Breaux was Queen. Hunter Miller was King and the court was students.
I decorated 2 little red wagons. We used a farmer's hay wagon for the King, Queen and Court. Vivian Breaux, who lived in New Orleans and knew about carnivals advised us to use palmetto, moss and crepe paper. We did not have much money to spend. Cherlyn Tircuit bought the crepe paper. My mother-in-law, Mamie Fitzgerald, Lucy Breaux and I went to Bayou Pigeon to gather moss and palmetto.Cecile Breaux built the frame and painted "King & Queen Fireman I".
We did not get permission from anyone to have a parade. Addis did not have a police car. I asked my dad, Dennis Songy (Chief of Police in Plaquemine) to come to Addis and direct the parade. Addis did not have a Fireman's Auxiliary at the time of the first parade.
Lawrence Gassie open his service station and let us sell cake, cookies and candy that Addis residents made. We sold about $40.00 worth.
We were so surprised to see so many people in Addis to view our parade.
The idea of the parade was mine, but I had help planning from the Breaux family, Gassies, Tircuits and Fitzgeralds. Many families decorated wagons, lawnmowers, etc.
This year, 2008, was the 46th Addis Firemen's Parade.
My husband, Norwood "Buster" Fitzgerald took pictures of the parade on a Brownie 8mm. movie camera. He also has pictures of firetruck when firemen first demonstrated.
Donna Mae Fitzgerald's
8/5/2008

In preparation for the 50th Annual Parade, members of the Addis Historical Society have met with members of the Addis Volunteer Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary. Starting in the Fall of 2011, the group plans to display, at the Addis Museum, photographs and memorabilia from the 49 previous parades.
Persons who have such photos and other pertinent items are asked to contact Linda Fouquier (225-241-9991), Frank Foret (225-687-1118), or Jocelyn Gauthreaux (225-687-6333) to arrange to lend their treasures for the display.