I.T. director is royalty in Mardi Gras parade
UCC’s Information Technology Director Dennis Stutes is no stranger to the way of the Mardi Gras life; he was born and raised in Sulphur, Louisiana and the main events of Mardi Gras are celebrated just miles from Stutes’ hometown in Lake Charles.
Last week Stutes left Oregon to celebrate Mardi Gras, which opened Feb. 26 with the annual Mardi Gras run and will last through today. The significance of Mardi Gras is to party before the 40 days and 40 night of Lent. “In South West Louisiana it’s a given, it’s a time of revelry,” explained Stutes.
On Saturday morning, Stutes’ plans were to take part in the chicken run, which is usually done on horseback. Louisiana puts a twist to calf roping and wrestling by letting loose a live chicken for the participants to capture and hold for ransom. The ones who are successful are then rewarded with a dead chicken to help them start a gumbo recipe. Then the participants must travel around the countryside by horse and buggy begging people to share the other needed recipe ingredients.
Mardi Gras is actually a series of events that includes nine parades and multiple other activities for children, family, adults and even pets.
At 3 p.m. Saturday afternoon, Stutes planned to appear in the Krewe of Barkus parade with his wife Maria. In this pet parade, canines dress in their fanciest Mardi Gras attire to strut their stuff. Stutes’ boxer was going to make an appearance dressed as a pirate.
On Sunday, Stutes planned to ride on a float with his grandchildren at the children’s parade and throw beads to people. He loves watching the children’s faces light up when they are tossed beads. “I used to be one of the kids screaming for stuff,” said Stutes.
As a member of the Krewe de la Noblesse social organization, Stutes is eligible for Mardi Gras royalty. This by-invitation only organization promotes Mardi Gras, especially the events near Lake Charles. The duties of royalty are to perform volunteer service, like visiting nursing homes or elementary schools promoting Mardi Gras and sharing the significance of repentance. Stutes has been a member of the Krewe de la Noblesse organization for years. This year Stutes was selected a Duke and planned to ride in the Royal Gala parade strictly for royalty. “It’s a big deal,” said Stutes.
On Fat Tuesday, March 8, the big shebang parade that wraps up the events takes way. The “Krewe of Krewe” parade includes hundred of floats pulled by 18 wheelers. Parade participants in full costume toss beads to the crowd. The winner of the parade is the one who walks away with the most beads. Stutes’ favorite part of the parade is “seeing friends and people screaming your name for you to throw something at them.”
Stutes began work at UCC this year after his company proposed the job at UCC. His company is contracting with UCC for I.T. consulting.
“It’s really like I never left [Louisiana], the demographic is the same, and it’s just good people like the south,” explained Stutes,
Although Phil Hawkins, UCC’s culinary arts coordinator, couldn’t attend Mardi Gras himself, he wanted to bring the tradition to the campus. The Bistro will be offering an all-you-can-eat buffet on Fat Tuesday with drink for a low price of ten dollars. The encore includes chicken fried steak, chicken jambalaya, shrimp gumbo, vegetarian gumbo, red beans and rice with spicy creole sauce, toasted corn, fried okra, beignet and bread pudding.
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