By David Vitrano

L’Observateur

RESERVE – Events celebrating the 150th anniversary of the founding of Reserve kick into high gear this weekend when St. Peter Cemetery will be the site of a cemetery walk.

Although the event coincides with Halloween weekend, the journey among the headstones will offer more than just pulse-racing thrills. The true purpose behind the walk is to present a bit of the history of the area through the families that live here.

According to Reserve150 Committee member Jane Montz DesRoches, participants with relatives buried in the cemetery will greet walkers dressed either in period wear or in clothing reflective of the occasion. Family representatives will explain to walkers a little of the history of their families and the people buried in St. Peter Cemetery.

This event is Saturday from 6-7 p.m.

Additonally, the lecture series continues tomorrow evening with the third talk in the series, “Faith of Our Fathers and Mothers: Our Lady of Grace Church and African-American Catholicism in Louisiana,” presented by Jari Honora, program chair and assistant editor for the Louisiana Creole Research Association.

The one-hour lectures take place Thursday evenings at 7 p.m. at the LaCour Center located next to St. Peter School on West Seventh Street.

Future lecture topics include “Sugarcane in the River Parishes, especially Sweet in Reserve” on Nov. 4 and “German Prisoners of War in Reserve during World War II,” which will be presented by Reserve’s own Dr. Gerald Keller, on Nov. 18.

Prior to that final lecture, a couple other major events celebrating the community’s sesquicentennial are set.

On Nov. 11, St. John Theatre will host the premiere of the Reserve150 documentary being produced by Lennen Madere and Jeff Duhe, who has produced other films for Louisiana’a public broadcasting stations. The event will start at 7:30 p.m.

Also, the Reserve150 Family Fun Day is planned for Nov. 14 at Regala Park. The event will feature food, games and entertainment as well as jamabalaya and candy cook offs. Registration forms for the contests can be found at www.reserve150.org, or by contacting Dawn Remondet at 985-390-0698.