The Santa Cruz County Fair and Rodeo Association will hold its second annual Mardi Gras party and fundraiser on March 1. Last year’s event raised money for the Nogales woman’s shelter, Nuestra Casa. In addition, local churches collected paper goods, personal supplies, baby items, soaps and detergents for the shelter.
This year, the fundraiser will benefit the Eastern Santa Cruz Community Food Bank, a non-profit that currently gives out food to 75 families in our area. Over the last three years, this organization has seen nearly a 100% increase in clients, resulting from the high unemployment rate in the county, the struggling economy, and cutbacks in the federal food stamp program.
Eastern Santa Cruz County Community Food Bank is an independent organization, not directly affiliated with the Nogales and Tucson Food Banks. It depends solely on grants, donations and volunteers and receives no federal funding. The group distributes food boxes once a month and also responds to emergency calls for food at any time.
“If they are hungry, we feed them,” said Food Bank president Michael O’Halloran.
In addition, volunteers deliver food bags that have been filled at the Nogales Food Bank to qualified residents in eastern Santa Cruz County. “A lot of people can’t drive to Nogales, so we provide a convenience,” explained O’Halloran.
Volunteers also travel to Tucson once a month to collect bread and canned goods from the Tucson Food Bank and, every Monday, pay for and pick up produce in Nogales that is then distributed free of charge in Patagonia.
Funds raised by the Mardi Gras party will help to purchase food and pay for rent, supplies and operating expenses. There are no paid employees of the food bank, as this is an all-volunteer organization.
At this year’s party, several local organizations and businesses will be competing in the “Snack Down” competition. Each group is given a six-foot table to decorate and to fill with “snacks” which can be appetizers, soups, chili, desserts—almost anything. Themes from last year ranged from Prairie Fairies, to a wedding couple, to Renaissance musicians, to Carmen Miranda. Prizes were given out for the best food and presentation, as well as a people’s choice award.
More than 100 people came in costume to the party last year to enter the hotly contested costume contest and parade. This second year the contest promises to be even more popular.
This year’s entertainment will feature performances by Elvis and Liza impersonators. Johnny Jones performed as Elvis in his own theater in Branson, Missouri for many years. Suzanne Klasen will perform as Liza.