Evergreen has many signature events, but none is quite like the Rotary Club of Evergreen’s annual Mardi Gras party.   Fast becoming an Evergreen favorite, the Mardi Gras party is a fun filled evening of music, dancing, costumes, open bar, and many of your favorite gastro delicacies straight from N’awlins.  Now in its fourth year, this event is one not to be missed.
 
The annual Mardi Gras party was the brainchild of Evergreen Rotarian, John Wingate, who wanted to bring a bit of his native “low country” to the “high country” of Colorado.  John personally supervises the preparation of some of the foods served at the event including his own secret-recipe gumbo.   He indicated that back home just about anything went into his gumbo – chicken, duck, squirrel, possum, crawdads - but he uses a more genteel version to serve to his upland friends.  Based on past years reviews, the jambalaya is also out of this world.
 
The goal of the Mardi Gras party is not just to have fun, although that would certainly be reason enough to attend.  Its real purpose is to raise funds to support the Club’s International Service Committee which John chairs.  This year the funds raised will be dedicated to two projects, (1) improving educational opportunities for the children on an island off the coast of Honduras that has very limited facilities (teachers must get to school on a ferry with no dock), and (2) encouraging the involvement of girls and women in local development efforts in Cusco, Peru.   This initiative encompasses pollution control, sanitation and water quality and how to change local behaviors about sanitation, sewage disposal and the benefits of clean water plants.
 
So don your favorite Mardi Gras attire (don’t forget your beads) and come on down to Bourbon Street West for a party to end all parties.  See the poster above for details.