The Mardi Gras season is here and the staff and board of the Colley Senior Complex are ready to celebrate the carnival season.

Plans are underway for the Complex’s 2013 Mardi Gras Gala on Feb. 2 at Cattleman Park.

Catherine Jordan, Complex director, said the Gala is the major fundraiser for the senior center. One hundred percent of the funding for the 125 programs offered at the Complex comes from donations and fundraisers.

Jordan said that, by being Mardi Gras Gala donors or sponsors, supporters are helping keep the existing programs in place and providing avenues for new programs.

“We have 1,800 seniors, ages 50 and over, who participate in our programs,” Jordan said. “In addition to the programs, we offer a variety of activities and community events, including the Mardi Gras Gala. The Gala is a fun event and it’s also very important to the continuation of all our programs and activities.”

The Gala will feature an eight-piece band, First Generation, from Atlanta.

“This band is unbelievably fabulous,” said Krissy Pinckard, president of the Troy Senior Foundation that benefits the Colley Senior Complex. “The band plays everything from Motown to line dancing music. First Generation is guaranteed to put on a good show.”

But a good band show and dancing are just part of the fun and frolic of the Colley Senior Complex’s Mardi Gras Gala.

“The Gala has great Cajun food including crawfish, jambalaya and the French Quarter’s signature beignets,” Pinckard said. “We’ll have a silent auction with a lot of great items up for bid. Each item in the silent auction will have a pay and pick up price. Just pay that amount and take it home.”

The Gala will also have a drawdown for a car. Three hundred tickets at will be sold for $100 each and the last name drawn will be the winner of the car. There will be cash prizes for the second and third names that are left in the drawing.

Jordan said the Mardi Gras Gala is open to the public and everyone is invited.

“The Gala is an informal event,” she said. “You can dress any way that you prefer. You can wear Mardi Gras costumes, formal attire or blue jeans. We just want everybody to come and have a good time.”

The Mardi Gras will be from 7 p.m. until midnight on Saturday, Feb. 2. Tickets are $25 each or $500 for a reserved table for 10.

For more information, call 334-808-8500 or visit the Colley Senior Complex at 715

Elm Street in Troy.