PHOTO: SECOND-LINING around the Krewe of Lul ball are “Bunnie” and Stanley Petit, with the Grand Marshal, Noah “N.J.” Gaudet. (Staff Photo by Leonard Gray) Its carnival time in the River Parishes, and the areas ball and parade organizations have been working hard to present the first carnival of the 21st Century for the people of the area.

What follows is a convenient guide for all the events of this carnival season, part of what makes this area and its traditions so unique.

ST. JOHN PARISH

Krewe du Monde
The Krewe du Monde parade will begin at 1 p.m. Feb. 25 and will follow its traditional parade route starting on Belle Terre Boulevard. The parade will have a total of 50 units, including 20 floats. Seven types of doubloons will be thrown, along with other traditional throws. This years queen is Monica Terese Scioneaux of LaPlace. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Michael D. Scioneaux and graduated from Ursuline Academy in New Orleans. She is currently a junior at Ole Miss in Oxford, majoring in Dietectics and Nutrition and is president of Pi Beta Phi Sorority. King is Michael D. Scioneaux, who owns and operates, along with his wife, Cindy, Scioneaux, Inc. in Reserve. They live in LaPlace and have two daughters, Monique and Monica. The dukes and maids are: Duke Jacques Cartier Pete Graffagnino and Maid Shannon Nold, Duke Henry Hudson Rick Miller and Maid Amy Bourgeois, Duke Francesco Pizarro Floyd Sutton and Maid Natalie Furhman, Duke Sir Francis Drake Gordon Jeffcoat and Maid Kelly Madere, Duke Vasco da Gamma Hernadez Robottom and Maid Symone Collins and Duke Giovanni da Verrazano Richard “Ricky” Roussel, III and Maid Marcy Hymel. Captain and Captains Lady Stephen and Donna Flynn, owners and managers of Riverlands Surveying Company in LaPlace, have three children, Ryan, Megan and Sean. One significant change this year, said the Captains Lady Donna Flynn, is the time that the ball is being held. In the past it was held at 7:30 p.m. This year it will begin at 7 p.m. sharp on Feb. 24. The program will last an hour and a half, and the dance will follow. One thousand people are expected to fill the East St. John High School gym for the event. Blue Eyed Soul Revue will be the entertainment, and the theme is “Krewe du Monde Explores the Globe.” Prior to the ball and parade, Krewe du Monde had several events leading up to carnival time. The dukes and king met in early September, then the dukes wives met the other dukes in October. A Christmas party was held, and the maids had a brunch in January. The maids learned who the dukes were at a private party in the French Quarter Feb. 11. Due to time considerations, pictures of the court will be released in LObservateur Wednesday. Krewe of Allovus
The Krewe of Allovus introduced its queen and maids at the Queens Tea Feb. 4 at the home of Christy and Linda Montegut. Jill Elizabeth Jacob, a secretary at Superior Wholesale on Belle Terre, is this years queen. She is also a “News on Wheels” spokesmodel and has appeared in many television and magazine advertisements. She has received many awards and honors in the beauty pageants she has entered throughout the area. Jacob is the reigning Miss St. John Teen and the daughter of Wayne and JoAnn Jacob, who have both served in many capacities on the krewe throughout the years. Jacobs maids are Amie St. Germain, Brittany Roussel, Frannie Montegut and Aimee Elise Chauvin. St. Germain, a junior at Destrehan High School, is a member of her school band, Mu Alpha Beta, DHS Quiz Bowl team and the St. Joan of Arc CYO and Mexico Mission group. Roussel, a junior at St. Charles Catholic High School, is a member of her school yearbook staff, the Beta club, the French club and is on the student council. Montegut, a sophomore at Ursuline Academy in New Orleans, is the vice president of the sophomore class at her school. She is also on the junior varsity volleyball team. Chauvin, a sophomore at St. Charles Catholic High School, is a member of the Beta Club and SCC. She is also in the Starsteppers. She has received many awards for dance competitions. The king and the dukes for Allovus were introduced a week later at a krewe social held at BBs lounge in LaPlace. The king and his dukes were presented to the krewe at that time. This years king is Barry P. Terrio, a systems analyst for Shell Oil Company and long-time member of the krewe. Terrio is married to Anne Iris Gendron Terrio and has two children, Melissa Terrio Simoneaux and Steven Terrio. He has worked for Shell for 26 years. The kings dukes are Kerry Michael Brignac, a process operator at Marathon Ashland Petroleum refinery, Christopher J. Eichhorn, owner of Allyson Supply, Durel J. Matherne III, a mortgage loan originator at First National Bank, and Mark Anthony Roussel, owner of Eagle Properties. The Krewe of Allovus ball will be held at St. Charles Catholic High School tonight from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. This years theme will be a “Royal Fiesta.” Krewe of Towahpahsah
The Krewe of Towahpahsah will have its parade Feb. 24 starting at 1 p.m. It will leave from the Reserve Recreation Center and end back at the center. A dance will follow the parade at the Towahpahsah Lounge. Jambalaya will be served at the dance. Lawrence Triche, Sr., founder of the krewe that started in 1985, said, “Anyone with their own insurance is welcome to ride.” The king will not be announced until after the parade. “It will be a surprise. Just like it was for me last year.”

ST. CHARLES PARISH

Krewe of Des Allemands
The parade rolls on Feb. 25 at 2 p.m. It lines up along Levee Road and Old Spanish Trail and begins at Whitley Road, along Old U.S. Highway 90, turns at DeJean Street and onto Old Spanish Trail and ends along Lorraine Drive. The royalty for the 2001 parade already have a regal tradition. P.J. and Genevia Savoie Rogers are the proud parents of two past queens in the Krewe of AmLe, predecessor of the current parade organization. P.J. Rogers Jr. first came to Des Allemands when he was 8 years old from Lockport, and Genevia Rogers was the daughter of Corbett and Sidonia Savoie. The couple met at the evening dances at the Smile Inn. “We started eyeing each other when we were around 15 years old,” P.J. recalled. “We used to go to the theater and pay a nickle a dance at the Music Box.” Married for 52 years now, P.J. and Genevia are the proud parents of Cindy Braud, Marlin Rogers and Sue Hogan. Both Cindy and Sue are past AmLe queens – Cindy in 1965 and Sue in 1971. A U.S. Navy veteran, hes retired from Avondale Shipyards after 24 years and has served as District 4 Constable for the past 11 years. “Its not too often you get to be a king,” he said. “Its an honor, I know that!” added Genevia. Besides the Rogers riding the royal float, the grand marshals this year are Virgie Naquin, wife of the late Randolph Naquin Sr., and Rosalie Naquin, wife of the late Iven Naquin Sr. Virgie Naquin is the mother of Cynthia Ledet, Gary, Steven, Dennis and Randolph Naquin Jr. She also has 12 grandchildren. Rosalie Naquin is the mother of Dolores Rodrigue, Becky Becnel, Judy Richoux, Ned and Iven Naquin Jr. She also has 10 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. The parade itself dates back to 1958, when it was begun by American Legion Post 316 and maintained it through 1983. Then, the Lions Club of Des Allemands hosted the parade through 1993. A small, unofficial parade was held in 1994, but in the following year, the current Krewe of Des Allemands was launched and is now celebrating its seventh year. Krewe of Lul
The parade rolls on Feb. 24 at 1 p.m. It lines up along Angus Drive, heads down Paul Maillard Road to River Road, right along River Road and back to its starting place at the end of Sugarhouse Road. Stanley and Teresa “Bunnie” Petit are the 2001 royalty for the 24th annual parade. Stanley, the son of Saul and Eve Petit of Ama, and Bunnie, the daughter of Rene and Louise Friloux of South Kenner, have known each other since they were children. “We just grew up together,” she recalled. Although he attended Hahnville High and she attended Westwego High, the couple began seriously dating at that time. Now married for 44 years, they are the proud parents of Brent and Scott Petit and have six grandchildren. He was laid off from Shell in 1963 and has been a self-employed carpenter ever since. “Its getting exciting!” said Bunnie. “Was I surprised! You just feel so honored!” However, she added, it was Stanley who immediately said yes for the couple when they were asked. “He said yes before I did,” she recalled. Stanley has hosted a neighborhood crawfish boil for the parade day every year, but this year the boil is going by the wayside for the parties befitting the Luling royals. Grand marshal for this year is Noah “N.J.” Gaudet, a native of Raceland and resident of Luling since 1960. Hes the father of Vickie Jackson and Nyra Naquin and has two grandchildren. Hes been a deputy assessor with Clyde “Rock” Gisclairs office for the past six years and previously worked with the sheriffs office, 29th Judicial District Court and district attorneys office. The parade began in 1977 and has maintained the same route every year, despite suggestions to expand the route.

ST. JAMES PARISH

Krewe Save De Children
Krewe Save De Children is gearing up for its fourth annual carnival parade. This year the parade will begin at 1 p.m., Feb. 27 with the theme of “A Stroll Down Fairy Lane.” All clubs, organization, cars, trucks, area businesses or any other groups are invited to participate in the show. The parade in the past has been a success and Aaron and LaVerne Gordon, the parade organizers, are looking forward to continuing the festivities. Last year the theme was “Mardi Gras 2000” which drew 10 creative floats, said LaVerne Gordon. Every year a first, second and third place float is chosen for their display. “The most weve had are 12 floats,” said LaVerne Gordon. She expects to see the same turnouts, along with numerous cars, trucks and members on foot. After the parade the Save Our Children organization hosts an easter egg hunt for the children. The top egg gatherers are selected as the king and queen of the parade, said Gordon. Last year the parade route was restricted to the Lutcher area, as Main Street was under construction. This year the parade, which starts out at Lutcher Junior High School, will travel to Gramercy and back. Starting out at Lutcher Junior High School, the parade will travel south on King, turn right on Fifth Street and left on Lionel Washington. It will turn left on Main Street and continue through Gramercy until it turns right on South Millet and right again on East Railroad. The route then turns right again to return to Main Street, turns left and returns the way it came to Lutcher Junior High School. “This is a grass roots parade,” said Gordon. She and her husband organized the parade after missing the carnivals she remembers as a child. “My mother used to take us to New Orleans for the Carnivals. She would take us, but it was for us,” said Gordon. The Krewe Save De Children is for the local kids, a chance to participate and enjoy the parades, she added. Save Our Children is a non-profit organization. Any money collected is used in the local community. The organization uses any money received to pay for such events as their teen summit, where speakers are invited to speak to the local kids about current issues. They hold other seminars and often, local businesses donate items that are given to the local children. For information call Aaron or LaVerne Gordon at 225-869-8696.