Krewe of Warriors!
THE YELLOW JACKETS aka “BEEs” are GONE!!!!! Thank YOU, Mat PRIMM!!! No more YELLOW JACKETS!!!!!!!!!!
WELCOME NEW/OLD MEMBERs!!!
Well the TIME is here, a New Krewe Year, a new theme, and a new year for working on our floats.
With the Krewe Cruise, and New Members Party over, and the Pensacola Seafood Festival, almost over, it is now time to gear up to start working on our floats. Looking at the upcoming calendar we are pretty well jammed until the first week of October. Then its full time on working hard to get the floats ready in time for Mardi Gras.
This year our theme is the Warriors of Oz (Wizard of Oz). That being said, the plan is, (right now it’s just a plan), that all 3 floats will tell the story of OZ. The lead Float (Krewe) will start with the story, it will continue with the kids float, and finish with the Court (Emerald City) float. To accomplish this goal by Mardi Gras, we will need a lot of Krewe support. Unless otherwise notified, the plan is to work on the floats/float yard rain or shine each Saturday 0800-1300 (8am-1pm); there is always something to do even in the rain, for example cleaning up the around the yard and or the shipping containers.
As stated above, work will begin at 0800 (8:00am) and end around 1230 for cleanup and a pot luck lunch or hot dogs and hot sages lunch. If you are new to the Krewe we never do anything without cooking hot sausages. On some Saturday’s someone may volunteer to cook a special meal for everyone. Right Bonnie? There is no cost for the meal but we do pass around a “kitty jug” for members to donate to” if they want” to help with the cost of food. Beer and water are always provided at no cost for Saturday float work day and occasionally soft drinks. Once in a while someone may bring a bottle or two of a little harder stuff to pass around. We try each year at the end of each year to hold Cookout (Seafood) for everyone.
Kids/ Kids Court:
This year’s Despicable Warrior’s Queen, (my Queen), Kelly Kelly is in charge of the Kids Court/Float. Check with her for when the “kids work day” is scheduled.
Speaking of kids, we love our kids and want them to be big part of this year’s adventure. We always have some painting of some type or some type of work to do. That said, the Krewe does have insurance but as we all know liability does go up with kids around electric tools, etc. We would like your children and you to help on Saturdays but we have to follow the following guidelines:
Children, (01-18):They are not too ever, “never”, ever go on or play around the Court or Krewe Floats. They are “your” responsibility and not someone else. Remember that others are there to work and can’t watch and should not have to watch your child. Ask me!
Age: Has nothing to do with it. Ask me if they can help out if they are a little older in some areas. This is mostly for teenagers that can do other types of work.
Language: Not an issue with me (yea right) but there might be some words (bad) that you may not want your child to hear. This will be your call. There are a bunch of old rusty cuds (again not me) working there that might use a few or many words that you will not hear in Church or Saturday, or Sunday morning. Again, it is your child. While we all don’t use these words, some do (again not me) and without looking around to see who is standing around. Your call.
Couple of other things that we can use/need or (donate) this year, we know that we will have a float in the Cox Christmas Parade (Friday Night Dec 9th) this is our Kids Friendly Parade. It is for our” KIDS”! If we/you could decorate our float with bright “LED” White /Clear lights it would be great, so if you can (not really asking) spare a box or two, of LED (white/Clear) lights for our parade it would make our float stand out.
With our theme, this year, if you happen to have some old pool noodles around that you don’t need, we could use them. Family Dollar/ Dollar Tree/ The Dollar Store are having the end of summer clearance sale if you care to buy them. The more the merrier. Never have too many.
Along with that, I will need several artiest that can draw things for the floats. PLEASE!
Our first work day is SATURDAY, Oct 7th. Which by the way is the same night of Henry’s Halloween Party? You will have time to attend both. We will do pretty much a cleanup, disassemble/move the floats, start laying out the designs, and looking at what we have and will need. On this day plan on having gloves and good shoes. After that we will be working on our theme.
I have a plan, but that does not mean it cannot do a 180 if that is what we need/want.
Like always there are a couple of rules we need to address:
Dress: We need to make sure that they have the proper dress, painting is involved it may or may not come out in the wash (we do not supply) and footwear. Open toes shoes should not/never be worn at any time in the float yard.
Bugs: There are ants and ant hills in the yard, bugs and bees, we will try to get rid them but there is still that chance that your child may get bit or stung, just like us. I will try and spray the yard each Saturday if I can, but bring Bug spray/juice.
Rest Rooms: There are very little “rest areas” there. I will have a tent and bucket seat there for the women. The guys have no problem with this. Just letting you know and we are working on this issue. We can’t use the float bathrooms because we are working on them and can’t have them cleaned out each week. Something to think about.
IMPORTANT FLOAT DATES:
Oct 2017
Saturday 07th First Work Day, this is also the night of Henry’s Halloween party
Nov 2017
Saturday 11th Veterans Day, might start late this day (TBD)
Saturday 25th (Football Saturday) Work day TBD
Dec 2017
Friday 9th 210 Cox Christmas Parade (one float)
Saturday 30 Well let’s work!
Jan 2018
Friday 26th KOW Ball
Saturday 27th Work day (TBD, depends on how hung over everyone is)
Feb 2018
Friday Feb 09 Pensacola Mardis Gras Night Parade (2 Floats)
Saturday Feb 10 Grand Mardis Gras Parade (2 floats and the Kids float)
Sunday Feb 11 Mardis Gras Beach Parade (2 floats TBD)
Our Floats are what we (the KREW of Warriors) show to Pensacola and others during the parades. Take pride in our Floats!!
This is where you will build friendships and get to know other members. So, if you can PLEASE come out, even if it is just to say hello on your way to work or a ball game. Stop by and share a laugh or have a drink. We need everyone to make this happen no matter what you do.
This is where our sponsor Queen Kelley Harris, told Kimberly and I that working on the floats is where you start to really understand what our Krewe is about. It is 100% true we have built friendships at the “Yard”.
One last thing, please don’t feel that you will be judged if you do or don’t show up and work. Everyone has other things going on in life. For years Tucker had football each Saturday and Kimberly and I had to miss some Saturdays, but we never felt that we were judged on missing days.
So, come join us each Saturday 0800-1300. (8:00-1:00).
JJ (John) Johnson
2017 Prince Minion Batman/Float Chair
850-525-9278 or Kimberly- 850-525-9277, Oda0713@bellsouth.net