Washtenaw Community College

WCC’s Morris Lawrence building was decked out New Orleans style. The 300 elegantly dressed guests were greeted with a specialty cocktail, a “Hurricane” and of course beads to get the party going. The jazz flowed from John E Lawrence’s guitar in the beginning and the Bugs Beddow Band closed out the night and filled the dance floor with their toe-tapping rhythms, while the lavish and incredibly delicious displays of food for the appetizer, buffet, and dessert tables were over the top.

Each year, the WCC Foundation has offered Mardi Gras guests an opportunity to share in the fabulous food and merriment as they raise funds that benefit the students of Washtenaw Community College.

This year, our generous sponsors and guests raised over $106,000! “Thank You, Thank You!”

Special thanks to the event co-chairs Stephen & Nan Gill and Tim & Karen Andrews, the Mardi Gras committees, the WCC Foundation staff, and the WCC Culinary Arts & Hospitality department, along with celebrity guest chefs that prepared culinary delights and mentored the WCC students in the process:

• Chef William Collins, Picasso Café, Domino’s World Headquarters
• Chef Cheryl Hanewich, La Dolce Vita
• Chef Ramon Herrera, Arts Institute
• Chef Kyle Kooyers, Fabulous Foods
• Chef Gary Marquardt, The Martha Cook Bldg at University of Michigan
• Chef Joseph Nader, Ford Field
• Chef Dave Rensi, Continental Catering & Events
• Chef Terrence Traver, The Inn at St. John
• Chef Alex Young Zingerman's Roadhouse

And to our WCC Chefs Terri Herrera, Carol Calder Deinzer, Sharyl Politi and Chris Troiano and the lab assistants, the WCC hospitality Chef Alice Gannon Boss, her front of the house supervisors for the event—Patrick Downey, Cary Gary, Rebecca Schumacher, and Laura Kokkalas, to Chef Mike Smiatacz and his bartending students, who handled all the bars and the signature drink effortlessly, and to all the WCC students who worked so hard to make this Mardi Gras top notch.

You Rock!!

Lastly, a Very Special Thank You to all the sponsors and numerous volunteers, whose generous support and gifts of time and talent, made this event so special!

Please enjoy the recap photos taken by our WCC 2013 Advanced Digital Photography students, Ludemila Ketslakh, Justin Mierzejewski, Barbara Tozier, and Brandie Zakerski, as well as the photos of past Mardi Gras’ on Flickr: 2013 Portraits and 2013 Candids.