Louisiana Region AACA Tour 2008

The Louisiana Region received its’ AACA charter in 1956. Having eight chapters located throughout the state, the region has had a Louisiana Tour continuously for the past 41 years. The Louisiana Tour is hosted by one of it’s’ chapters in the state on a rotating basis. This helps to insure that the attendees have a different tour location to visit each year.

On May 8-10, 2008, the 41^st Annual Louisiana Tour AACA was held in New Orleans. This tour was co-hosted by the Slidell and St. Bernard Chapters, and its’ combined 96 member families. As there were individuals in both chapters that sustained damages of some type by hurricanes Katrina and Rita, is was decided to co-host the tour as a means of getting the members back to a type of normalcy by having the tour in their back yard.

Co-hosting the tour brought out 48 members of both chapters as planners and workers, to insure that the guests were entertained, and participated in a tour that they would always remember. The tour was dedicated to Robert (Bob) Jenevein who was a long time active member of the St. Bernard Chapter, and active in local, regional and national levels with AACA tours. Attending the tour were 64 registered vehicles, with five states represented. There were a total of 160 participants, which included several families bringing their children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews. The youngest attendee was 1 years old. (This is the future of AACA, the Louisiana Region and its’ Chapters)

The tour began on Friday with a “pot luck” luncheon provided by the members during registration in the hospitality room. Then it was off on “Early Bird Tour” on Friday afternoon, with a visit to the Rivertown in Kenner, LA. This charming village houses museums and attractions representing Louisiana history and lifestyles. The sites visited were the Kenner Heritage Park, Cannes Brulee Native American Village, Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Museum, Laser Planetarium and River Max Theatre, Space Science Center, Freeport McMcRan Observatory, Mardi Gras Museum, and Toy Train Museum. The attractions available to visit would be enough just for the tour itself, but this was just an “Early Bird Tour”. For here it was back to motel for a very short rest in preparation for dinner.

Friday’s dinner was held at the Knights of Columbus hall in Kenner, LA. Where we were served meatballs and spaghetti. To add a twist to the serving of the dinner to such a large group at a banquet, the ladies of the two host chapters served the dinner to the tables. This eliminated “which table’s goes first problem”. After dinner, the “Man and Lady Door Prize Bags” were handed out, then a special award. Have you really read what is printed on the bottom outer perimeter of your AACA card when it arrives? It suggests that you carry the card. Well to everyone’s surprise AACA registration numbers were called out, and to those who could produce their AACA membership card, were awarded prizes. Bet this group will never leave for another AACA tour without their AACA cards!

Saturday morning touring began with what was called a “Mega Tour”. The group left the motel on a driving tour through the heart of New Orleans included driving along the famous and historic 1923 era St. Charles Street Cars (Trolley) while they were on their route. The street cars run 24 hours a day, for only $1.25, making it one of the most inexpensive ways of seeing the city. The route took us past Audubon Park (which includes the Audubon Zoo), Tulane University, Loyola University, One of the city’s oldest neighborhoods, the Garden District, then to Lee Circle, where we exited to see the World War II Museum.

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1923 era St. Charles Street Car, New Orleans LA

The World War II museum was dedicated in 2000 as The National D-day Museum, and is now designated by Congress as the country's official World War II Museum. This remarkable attraction illuminates the American experience during the WWII era with moving personal stories, historic artifacts and powerful interactive displays. From the Normandy invasion to the sands of Pacific Islands and the Home Front, the Museum brings to life the teamwork, optimism, courage and sacrifice of the men and women who won the war for American, and changed forever the world in which we all live. This Museum is an incomparable experience for all generations and not to be missed on any visit to New Orleans. Come learn with your mind and your heart that freedom isn't free. The museum had WWII veteran volunteers on hand to help us celebrate the American Spirit at the National World War II Museum. The museum is currently in the beginning of a massive expansion program, which will triple its’ size.

Herb Karner, of the Tulsa Region & Louisiana Region, one of the tour participants, was a World War I, II and Korean Veteran, although he is a charter member of the museum since its’ conception, he had never been in the museum until this tour. His face spoke his feelings of what he saw!

Raising of the American flag in Iwo Jima

Then we were off to the West Bank of New Orleans, and the neighborhood of Algiers. As the City of New Orleans is situated on a crest in the Mississippi River, (this is New Orleans gets it name Crescent City). In order to get from the East Bank of New Orleans to the West Bank, via the Crescent City Connection Bridge, we drove east. The Crescent City Connection ranks as the fifth most traveled toll bridge in the United States, with the annual traffic volume exceeding 63 million vehicles.

Crescent City Connection, New Orleans LA

The second stop for the tour on Saturday was Blaine Kern’s Mardi Gras World. Here we knew that this was going to be a fun visit as soon as you arrive. There colorful Mardi Gras props like a gigantic jovial jester, a fiercely realistic alligator, greets one and all to this amazing fantasy factory.

We viewed some of the most awesome floats ever built for carnival-like the Orpheus 140 foot triple-tandem sea monster “Leviathan”, and the 240 foot quintuple-tandem “Capt. Eddie’s S.S. Endymion” with tens of thousands of fiber optic lights, which holds 225 riders. Then we were guided to see and don sequined head dresses, gowns and the men could wear regal coats of armor. After that it was on to see the floats in construction. Here we learned that not only do they make the floats for Mardi Gras in New Orleans, they also make the floats for the parades inside Disney World.

You have not idea just how big these floats are until you stand next to one, and then to think that they roll the streets of New Orleans during the Mardi Gras season with 150 200 riders on board each of the smaller floats. In the mist of the seeing all of the sights and floats, we got to eat some famous New Orleans “King Cake” and coffee, along with our box lunch.

The viewing of all the Mardi Gras floats and costumes set the scene for the theme for the Saturday’s Dinner for the tour which was called “Mardi Gras Madness”. If it is Mardi Gras, it is here to be seen at Mardi Gras World in Algiers, Louisiana.

Then it was back to the motel for a very short rest before dinner, and then to don our Mardi Gras Costumes, which was the dress code for dinner. When was the last time you had a clown, as sheik or Caesar at a Regional Board meeting?

A float at Mardi Gras World, Algiers, LA

The Saturday evening dinner was back at the Knights of Columbus hall in Kenner, LA. The evening started off with a meal of fried shrimp and catfish. After dinner, the Louisiana Region AACA President, Warren Ferlandy, gave the attendees a brief overview of the Regional Executive Board meeting which had taken place earlier that evening. This was followed by him awarding of the Past President’s Award, which was won by Jenny Pansano and her beautiful 1955 Olds 98. Then the previous rotating award, which had been won for the past 12 years, was retired with Larry Dilks from the Contraband Chapter in Lake Charles, LA being selected to hold the award permanently. Larry’s years of constant support to the Louisiana Region, and all of it’s’ activities is what made him be the selectee to win the award.

Winners of the tour awards were:

Pre-War: Greg & Brenda Dobney, 1931 Ford Model a Pickup

Post-War: Jenny Pansano, 1955 Oldsmobile 98

Ladies Choice: Jenny Pansano, 1955 Oldsmobile 98

Longest Distance Driven: Herb Karner, Broken Arrow, OK

Hard Luck: Joe Lebeau-1958 Chevrolet Sedan

Johnny Taranto, the Co-chairman of the tour, and his wife Linda, presented a special from the St. Bernard Chapter to Stella Jenevein, the wife of deceased member, Bob Jenevein. The tour dash plaque and tour were also both named in his honor.

To keep the evening’s memento going, a Carnival King and Queen where selected, and as everyone at the dinner had worn a carnival costume, the band of “Benny Grunch and the Bunch” played music for a traditional New Orleans “Second Line” dance, then he played his humorous story music about the City of New Orleans and the surrounding Parishes, such as “Ain’t Der No Mo” and “Ain’t No Place To Pee On Mardi Gras Day”.

This tour, which was held in New Orleans, a city which had been devastated by Hurricane Katrina, on August 29, 2005 clearly showed to all of the attendees that New Orleans (America’s Party City) is clearly again fully opened for business. For those that attend this fun tour, they returned to their homes tired, well feed, greatly entertained and having fond memories of a 41st Annual Louisiana Region AACA Tour in New Orleans, Louisiana. “Laissez les bons temps rouler”

Charlie Maher

Louisiana Region Editor

The 42^nd Annual Louisiana Region AACA Tour in 2009

will be hosted by the Evangeline Chapter. “Ya’ll come”