Well, May began with a bang; our visit to Chapter M’s Mudbug Convention, and boy the crawfish were good! We also brought home a few door prizes too. That afternoon when we got home, our neighborhood was all in an uproar, trucks, trailers, and tractors up and down the road, neigh-bors filling sandbags and sandbagging their homes. What had we missed being gone Friday & Saturday??? It was the announcement by the Army Corps of Engineers that they would open the Morganza Spillways flood gates.

     So the parish furnished the sand, bags, hoppers and some inmates. If you wanted the parish jail trustees to fill the bags, you got in line, no less than 20 vehicles and trailers at any one time, or you could back up to anyone of 2 large sand piles and fill your own. So that night when the crowds became reasonable, we filled our own bags.

     So for the next several days, we shuffled our bikes, trailers, boats, freezers and RV to Bev’s dad’s house in Bayou Vista with the help of Brent and Roxie. Again, we can’t thank you guys enough for your help.

     To make a long story short, with the absence of rain (we are actually in a drought), and the sinking of a barge at the mouth of an Atchafalaya River tributary, we got no water; it all stayed within the levee system. What an experience.

     Anyhow during all this, we were unable to attend the Texas District Convention, but were able to attend Arkansas’. We had a very enjoyable time also. I volunteered to be a participant in the dunk tank to raise money for the tornado victims in Oklahoma. Members from Louisiana were really good at throwing those softballs.

     Brenda Roussel and Bev won first place in the Scavenger Hunt the first day. They each received a $25 gift cards from Wal-Mart.

     We then traveled to Mobile to meet Chapter H & A at the Greyhound Park for the races. We had supper and a very good time was had by all.

     The following weekend we traveled to Madisonville to Chapter “F” Meet Your Neighbor Picnic. We played some games, ate our picnic lunches, won door prizes and then ate some good watermelons. This was a nice down to earth get together with several Chapters in attendance.

     We are asking members who will be attending Wing Ding and would like to volunteer to assist with the Bike Show on Thursday to send us your name and what time you could be available. Region H has the responsibility of the Bike Show this year instead of the Goodie Booth. It will be Thursday, from 8:00am to 4:00pm. You don’t have to be a certified classifier or judge. We just need people to stage the bikes and run paperwork back and forth to judges, etc. So let us know if you want to be a part of this responsibility. The show will be indoors.

     Also we would like to invite all Louisiana members to join our Mardi Gras parade through the indoor vendors on opening day. Just bring some labeled beads (with the date of our next Convention: April 12, 13, & 14 2012) and a mask is all you need. We will let our presence be known. It will be opening day, Wednesday, around 1:00. We will meet in the vendor area.

     Also, we will be at the Couple Selection on Tuesday evening with noisemakers to support Steve & Faye Alexander, in the International Couple of the Year Selection. So if you are in the neighborhood, come support them on their quest.

     Beverly and I will be leaving for Wing Ding on Sunday July 3rd.

See you all soon.

Your Friends for Fun, Safety & Knowledge

Merlin & Beverly Mayon
Louisiana District Directors
P. O. Box 3527
Morgan City, LA 70381
H/985-384-2673 C/985-519-1524