Pardi Gras returns after pandemic; see how you can benefit Southeast Texas Circle of Hope

Published 12:32 am Friday, January 7, 2022

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Revelers have a chance to dance the night away at the 7th Annual Beaumont Pardi Gras while helping out a local non-profit.

Tickets for individuals and tables of eight are on sale for the Feb. 12 event to be held at the Beaumont Civic Center. Doors open at 6 p.m.

Emcees are Dana and Krissy Melancon of the Cajun Express Show from 105.3 FM radio.

Subscribe to our free email newsletter

Get the latest news sent to your inbox

The event will have a DJ and a live band.

The Mardi Gras styled party is a fundraiser for the Southeast Texas Circle of Hope, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that helps people in need of medical, funeral or natural disaster funds.

The Circle of Hope has been known for raising funds and helping others since 2010. The group is made up of volunteers, and there are no paid employees.

“Since 2010, Circle of Hope has been doing benefits for people. When we do a benefit for someone in need, whether cancer or whatever, everything we raise at the benefit goes for that person,” said Emmett Hollier, founder of the Circle of Hope, adding the Circle doesn’t keep any of the funds. “No one is paid.”

While there is no one on payroll, there are still expenses. There is liability insurance, there are two trailers used to haul supplies for the benefits and there are supplies, meaning there are some incremental expenses through the year.

Pardi Gras is an event to raise operating funds for Circle of Hope.

“The good news is that over the past seven years we raised enough not only for the operating costs but to allow for line items,” Hollier said.

For example, a person may need to go to Houston for cancer treatment but needs gas so the organization can buy a $400 gas card.

One family came to Circle of Hope seeking a specialized tricycle for a 5-year-old daughter who has cerebral palsy. They really didn’t need a benefit, only the funds to buy the tricycle, Hollier said.

Circle of Hope organizers used these additional funds to purchase the tricycle for the child.

Hollier said the tricycle had pedals on top, allowing the child to use her arms to pedal and there was an area to strap her feet in where the regular pedals are located. This made the child’s legs work along with her arms.

Months later when the child went back to the doctor he noticed her legs were getting toned and the family told him about the specialized tricycle. He told them to bring it the next time they came.

And soon the hospital made it mandatory that all children under his care with that condition would get one of the tricycles.

This, Hollier said, is why they are holding the event, not just for operating costs but also for someone who may need gas to go to treatments or a hotel stay while getting treatment.

There is no king or queen at Pardi Gras, only a party and all funds raised for Circle of Hope stay in the community.

The dress for the event is anything. It could be casual like shorts and shirt or fancied up in decorated jackets.

Pardi Gras has enjoyed steady sponsorships through the years including Giglo, Advantage Real Estate, 5 Point Credit Union, Beaumont Emergency Medical Hospital and Neches River Wheelhouse to name a few.

Lance Bradley with The Wheelhouse said they are always happy to support anything Circle of Hope is involved in.

“They do great work and are a great organization,” Bradley said. “A lot of people have benefitted from their work.”

Individual tickets to the event are $26 and a table of eight is $208. They may be purchased online at southeasttexascircleofhope.com and select BPG at the top or look to their Facebook page 7th Annual Beaumont Pardi Gras. Sponsorships are still available.