Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival - PHS Key Club Pizza Booth

As some of you know, I have been working with the PHS Key Club for 30 years.  At least 25 of those years we have been selling pizzas at the Strawberry Festival as a fundraiser for the club.  We started with having pizzas delivered to the booth by Mr. B's pizza in Ponchatoula.  Mr. B's was owned by Jim Barker who was a member of the Ponchatoula Kiwanis Club - our sponsoring club.  He was a kind and generous man who was wonderful to work with.  After his untimely death and closure of his restaurant, we sough out another vendor.  Wanting to keep it local, we chose the only other pizza place in Ponchatoula at the time, Dominos.  Dominos agree to bring a cooking trailer to the grounds and make the pizzas right on the grounds.  Although the managers have changed over the years, Dominos has also been a good partner for us. 

Over the years, we have also relied on parent help - especially when we attended district convention the same weekend.  A few of the parents who ran the booth for us - while some of us were gone to convention - were the Peltiers (Stanley and Susan), the Raifords (David and Diane), the LeSaicherres (Jeff and Cathy, Ralf and Liz), and the Willies (Byron and Gloria).  Those are the ones that I can remember that ran the booth the entire weekend for us.  I was grateful for their help and we created a lasting bond - that exists to this day.  It's funny how hard work brings people together.  There have also been many other parents and PHS faculty members - including our current Faculty Advisor, Charlotte Dahmer - who have been a tremendous help. 

Although we make some money, it is also a great team-building and leadership activity for our students.  They are expected to work the booth with our officers helping to supervise.  It is also a service project.  We keep the prices low - $2.00/slice - so that families can feed their children.  It is also convenient to have fresh pizza just steps away from the great music acts performing on both stages.  We also get to enjoy the music. 

So come out and say hello and/or buy a slice of two of pizza - or just come say hello.  We are located on the back corner - near the funnel cakes and strawberry short cake. 

PS - Let me know if any former Key Club members want to help.  It can be just like old times.  :)

Here are a few pictures from the last several years.