Preparing for St. Joseph’s Altar

Published 2:24 pm Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Pictured above are members and friends of the Bogalusa Italian-American Cultural Society icing the 600 fig cookies for the St. Joseph’s Altar to be held Friday and Saturday, March 15 and 16. They had previously prepared and baked the fig cookies and in this picture were icing them in the appropriate colors to carry out the chosen color scheme for the Altar. On this same day, they also prepared and baked 10 pounds Sesame Seed cookies and 10 pounds of cookies flavored in raspberry, orange, lemon and banana. Those pictured are Flo Mischler, Irma Lee Callender, Millie Underwood, Marettie Corkern, Miriam Allen, Kerry Scalise, Marty Paige, Linda Birtel, Vita Saltaformaggio, Sylvia Hughes, Lorraine Landrum, Mary Melancon and Betty Puissegur at whose home all the preparation and baking were done. As he has done for the past 39 years, Mr. Angelo Pepe will be the MC for the Altar, which will be held at the B & C Hall (old KC Hall) on Cumberland Street. Mr. Pepe gives some of the interesting history of Bogalusas and in particular some of the little-known history of the Italians in this area. The public is invited to attend on Friday night beginning at 6:30 and again on Saturday morning beginning with the recitation of the Rosary at 10:30 a.m. On Saturday the Feeding of the Saints Ceremony will begin at 11 :00 a.m., and following the completion of this ceremony, the public will be served the traditional St. Joseph’s meal of Pasta Milanese, vegetables and bread.

Below, also helping were Ned Cerniglia, Teddy and Judy Drummond, Patty Escarra, E. J. Cox, JoAnn Geraci, Vaughn and Deidra Gibson, Mitch and Helga Russo, Angelo Pepe, Amy Mizell, Bob Ricca, Ned Cerniglia; Leon Puissegur, Diane Brumfield, James and Mary Brignac, Vic and Verna Haik.