Laissez les bons temps rouler!
If you want to celebrate Mardi Gras but can’t make it down to the Big Easy this February, McLeod for Tomorrow has you covered. The group is hosting its second fundraising party Saturday, Feb. 29, and there’s sure to be plenty of beads for everyone.
“It gets you in a festive mood and attire for the upcoming warmer weather,” said Tim Gratke, a McLeod For Tomorrow board member. “After the doldrums of winter, it’s a break to get people out and together.”
Doors open at 7 p.m. at the Crow River Winery, 14848 State Highway 7, east of Hutchinson, followed by music from Mixtape Messages starting at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20 in advance and available online at crowriverwinery.com, or call Gratke at 320-333-7223. They’re also $25 at the door.
After hosting an '80s-themed party last year, the group fell upon this year's theme as a matter of coincidence.
“As we have decided to start doing these gala events, we thought they would be more successful if they had a theme," said Andrea Moore, who is helping to plan the event. "We thought about doing the ‘20s, and then when we started looking at dates and when the winery was available, we found it was right around Mardi Gras.”
The carnival lasts until midnight, and like any good Mardi Gras party, costumes are encouraged but not required. There will be a contest with prizes for the best Mardi Gras attire, a cash bar, king cake and light appetizers. Attendees can also expect lots of amusement.
“We’ll have some fun games there to give it a carnival atmosphere, and hopefully loosen some people’s wallets to help a good cause,” Gratke said.
And of course it wouldn't be Mardi Gras without necklaces.
“There will be beads," Moore said. "And I think they even looked into cheap Mardi Gras masks for people who didn’t want to go all out dressing up ... but they still might want to put a mask on later in the night and take a picture."
Building community leaders
Before you and your “krewe” head to the party, you may be wondering what McLeod for Tomorrow is. For the past 12 years, the nonprofit has offered annual nine-month leadership classes to county residents. The class of 24 people meet once a month. Its aim is to train residents to take action and understand the resources and partners available locally.
“McLeod For Tomorrow is about the leadership program,” Gratke said.
The program is in partnership with the University of Minnesota Extension Service. Each session includes a lesson from an Extension instructor about topics such as leadership, personalities, self-awareness and conflict resolution. During the second half of each session, the class takes a trip to a McLeod County city. A different city is visited each session, allowing participants to tour businesses or manufacturing facilities all around the county.
“It really does strengthen communities,” Moore said. She and Gratke are both graduates.
Although the organization started out completely funded and controlled by the county, it has since branched out into its own nonprofit. While it still requests funding from the county, the organization’s goal is to raise funds to become more self-sufficient, but also accomplish more through its program. That’s where events such as the Mardi Gras party come in.
“This is a fundraiser to support the leadership program, which benefits not only the participants but employers and the communities in which they serve,” Gratke said.
“It's strengthening individuals and leadership and team building,” Moore said. “So it's important because it gets people together, it teaches them maybe a little bit more about McLeod For Tomorrow, and possibly leadership.”
