The Poke Salad Parade
Through the streets of Blanchard,
10:00 AM Saturday May 10, 2008
The theme for 2008 is
LSU@PokeSalad
The Poke Salad Parade features marching bands, dance lines, fire trucks, car clubs, El Karubah’s 40/8 train, horses, and clowns, at 10:00 through the streets of Blanchard, Saturday May 10th. There will be a
$250.00 best Parade Float prize
sponsored by
7819 LA Hwy 1 North
Shreveport LA 71107
318-929-4933
318-929-9201 fax
Everyone - local schools, ball teams, individuals, and businesses - are invited to participate. The judging stage will be on the front porch of Pizza King where you can get a sample of cooked Poke Salad. Special guest, Larry Ryan, will be Master of Ceremonies.
2008 Poke Salad Festival Parade Grand Marshal
David Gerald "Jerry" Burton
David Gerald "Jerry" Burton was born December 11, 1940 in Shreveport, Louisiana. He is married to Ronnie Burton (forty-four years), has three children, and five grandchildren. He has been a lifelong resident of the Shreveport/Blanchard community. Jerry was a 1959 graduate of Fair Park High School and a 1964 graduate from Northwestern State University. Jerry was a four year letterman, where he earned All-American status in football in 1964, and was inducted into the Northwestern State University "N" Club Hall of Fame. In 2007, he was recognized as one of the Top 100 all time football players for Northwestern. After completing his degree from Northwestern, he was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams NFL organization. Following his NFL experience with the Rams, he began his pursuit in the educational and coaching field.
Jerry Burton is a retired CPSB teacher (thirty-three years), retired head football coach (twenty-one years), and current head/assistant track coach (thirty-two years) at Northwood High School. Even though he retired nine years ago from the classroom, he continues to serve our school in a variety of capacities including Athletic Director, coach, and Driver's Education Instructor. Coach Burton has been associated with Northwood High School in one capacity or another for thirty-two of his forty-two years. In the fifteen years Coach Burton served as the Head Football Coach at Northwood, the Falcons were in the play-offs eleven years, were two time district champions, and reached the play-offs the last eight consecutive years during his tenure. Coach Burton was an integral part of the construction of the Northwood Football Stadium in 1983 and has participated in the planning stages for the current track construction at Northwood. Coach Burton is beloved by his fellow coaches, former athletes, colleagues, and is well respected throughout our community, parish and state. This fall the stadium at Northwood will be renamed in honor of Coach Burton and we are proud he has given us the honor of being our Parade Grand Marshal.
2008 Poke Salad Festival Parade
Mr. and Mrs. Poke Salad
Ken and Robin Brown
When Lacy Schichner won the Miss Blanchard Poke Salad beauty pageant, it occurred to us that it would present a unique opportunity to have the actual parents of the Miss Blanchard Poke Salad be honored as Mr. and Mrs. Poke Salad. And what a deserving couple Ken and Robin Brown are indeed. Robin, Lacy’s mom, has been on the Poke Salad Festival committee for over two years now, and has been involved in the creation of the recent Poke Salad Festival t-shirts. She also very graciously accepted when recently asked to fill in as secretary for the committee for the last few months. She is also the President of West Blanchard Acres Assoc. Robin and Ken have lived in the Blanchard area for over 20 years, and have raised their kids, Lacy, Dusty, and Kensey in the Blanchard community. Their older children, Todd, Stacy, and Kevin have also grown up in the Blanchard area and Kevin is a fireman here in Caddo Fire District 1. Ken has been very active in the community, coaching many kids in little league football and baseball, and he is now serving his first term as President of the Blanchard Athletic Club. We are very pleased to have Ken and Robin Brown as Mr. and Mrs. Poke Salad and we say “THANKS!“ for their contributions to the Blanchard community.
For more information about the parade call Sandra West 929-2639
