With members from all walks of life, this chapter embodies southern Louisiana culture.
By Gary & Glenda Milner, F409834
August 2023
Have you ever gone to an FMCA chapter rally and left after four days feeling thoroughly content and happy? That would be a great explanation of what you will experience after a visit with the Cruisin’ Cajuns chapter. We joined them in Rayne, Louisiana, in March for their yearly Mardi Gras celebration. When you enter their huge, rented facility, you experience a visual overload. They decorate every table and all the walls. You also have an opportunity to participate in their wine and beer wagon, which is part of the chapter’s equipment. They have catered meals that will delight your palate with the most delicious Cajun options.
Fun costumes in Mardi Gras colors were sported by members of FMCA’s Cruisin’ Cajuns chapter during their March rally.
Activities start at 9:00 a.m., and attendees don’t usually crawl into bed until around 11:00 p.m. The Cruisin’ Cajuns go on day trips, play games, visit vendors, enjoy nightly entertainment with hours of dancing, eat and eat, and participate in happy hour (or attitude adjustment hour). Their evening activities are enriched with all types of activities. Did we mention they have a free beer and wine wagon on site?!
This chapter was chartered on November 7, 1970, and founded by Harry and Ethel Wakefield, F3666. The chapter logo includes a crawfish and a champagne glass. They have had as many as 400 RV members, in 1989. They celebrated their 50th anniversary in November 2021, which was one year after their actual anniversary date because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Cruisin’ Cajuns know how to celebrate in style, and for their March 2023 Mardi Gras rally in Rayne, Louisiana, they decorated everything from the tables to the walls.
At the March rally this year, they crowned their royal court. Kathy Richoux was crowned queen, and her husband, Wade, was crowned king. Kathy’s four maids were part of the royal court. To say that chapter members enjoy dressing up and celebrating in style would be an understatement. They know how to identify a theme and dress for the occasion.
The Cruisin’ Cajuns became the 21st FMCA chapter we have joined. We love our chapters! In our opinion, chapters are the lifeblood of FMCA. We feel that being a member of a chapter brings home the definition of “family” in FMCA. As a family member, you become best friends with a small group of people who are close friends for life. We have had the opportunity to travel, visit, and speak with many members and feel blessed in that. We would encourage all FMCA members to seek out a chapter to enjoy the positive, energized, and heartwarming interactions with like members of our RV family. FMCA has over 300 chapters to choose from across the United States and Canada. To find one, visit FMCA.com.
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