Thanks to all who volunteered, attended, supported the Second Annual Saratoga Springs Mardi Gras Festival and the kick-off fundraiser at the Arts Center in Saratoga.
It was tons of fun & a great success in raising both funds and awareness for TGC and for our partner in the event – the Saratoga Economic Opportunity Council.

More photos on the Saratoga Springs Mardi Gras website:
http://www.saratogamardigras.org

Winners of the Downtown Restaurants Cooking Competition are:

Best Gumbo - Grey Gelding
Best Main Dish - Parting Glass
Best Dessert - Parting Glass
Best Hurricane Cocktail - Gotchya’s

Check out these articles in the Saratogian about the event:
Mardi Gras festival aids Mississippi , Monday, Apr 28, 2008
Mardi Gras Cooking Competition Winners Announced, Friday, May 2, 2008
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Spring Volunteer trip to Waveland

TGC volunteers returned to Waveland this March, and one spring trip became several trips with four different waves of people going down that month. 
Al Showers’ gorgeous log home is so close to being complete.
Please check out the Giving Circle website for a full update on the trip & the TGC spring volunteer team.
Also, there’s a great slideshow prepared by Mark Bertrand about the young Waveland family he met who live in an ice cream truck
after being displaced from their home by Katrina.

Plans are underway for an October 2008 volunteer trip to continue rebuilding homes.
Please contact Mark Bertrand mark@thegivingcircle.org if you may be interested in traveling to Waveland and would more details about the trip.