Carnival spirit lives big at ARC

I was intrigued by the beginning of Melinda Crutti's e-mail.

"I have gotten myself into a situation I do not want to get out of," she wrote. "I need help to get deeper into it."

As I read on, I realized what a big heart Melinda has and what a challenge she has taken on.

Melinda is a volunteer board member of the Westbank ARC, a day program for mentally and physically challenged adults.

Her daughter Sarah, 26, is a client, and Melinda spends her days at the little building in Gretna where the clients make candles and sort Carnival beads. She brings them cookies, makes them laugh, celebrates their birthdays with them.

"One day, thinking without engaging my brain first, I suggested we have a Mardi Gras parade in our neighborhood," she wrote. "It was as though a volcano had erupted!"

--- A crowd of royals ---

When I called, Melinda told me how excited the clients are and how her plans are progressing: The parade will be Feb. 20 at 11 a.m., and the route will be almost half a mile long.

One client proclaimed himself king, and a queen, two maids, two dukes and two pages will join him.

Clients in wheelchairs will be the Krewe of Wheelies, and the walking krewes will be Saints but no Sinners (because many clients are Saints fans and have jerseys and shirts to wear), and Bed Buddies (so clients can wear pajamas over their clothes as costumes).

Melinda's wish list includes a small brass band and some real Carnival costumes she could borrow, just for the day.

But what she needs more than anything is some decorated pickups, trailers or floats for the royalty and clients who use walkers or canes.

"Everyone I've asked has told me no," she said. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to tie a bunch of wagons together and pull them myself."...