FERRIDAY, La. &045; One of Father George Pookkattu’s first official acts as a parish priest in Concordia wasn’t exactly a formal affair.

Pookkattu presided over the blessing of the flotilla, the annual Fourth of July weekend boat parade on Lake St. John.

It was an opportunity to meet many of the members of his three flocks &045; Pookkattu will be pastor for Our Lady of Lourdes in Vidalia, St. Patrick in Ferriday and St. Gerard in Jonesville.

&uot;I want to see all of the people from the parish,&uot; Pookkattu said.

Standing at the end of the dock at the Fudickars’ lake house, Pookkattu undertook his first assignment with sincerity, blessing what would become the holy water he sprinkled on the boats.

&uot;We ask You to bless this water so it can be sprinkled on the boats and protect all of those (in the water),&uot; Pookkattu said.

But the new priest also took great joy in watching the parade of vessels, decorated in everything from patriotic themes to hula skirts.

&uot;I enjoyed it,&uot; he said later.

The float boats &045; 28 in all &045; enjoyed good weather for their parade, although it was stormy later in the day.

Among the more colorful entrants were a Texas Hold ‘Em float, complete with game in progress and Kenny Rogers’ &uot;The Gambler&uot; playing on loudspeakers, as well as a Barbie World-themed pink float and a pontoon decked out as an oil rig.

Winners included:

4Overall: Dee Horton, Roughnecks on Lake St. John, the oil rig float.

4Patriotic: first, Paul and Arlene Coreil; second, Mike Person; third, Johnny and Ramie Lewis; fourth, John and Linda Allwood; honorable mention, Casey Person.

4Non-patriotic: first, George Nosser with an Ole Miss float; second, Jimmy Little; third, Jackie Hickman, whose &uot;Meet the Flockers&uot; float featured pink flamingoes; fourth, Johnny Clifton; and honorable mention, Gail and William Coleman.

4Small craft: first, Debbie Parks; and second, Dana McKnight and Jeremy Loomis.

Earlier in the day, judges went out on the lake to view decorated piers. Homeowners in the small community had their piers decked out with patriotic ribbons and bunting as well as some more creative themes.

The winner, Bucky Mulholland’s pier, was titled &uot;The Coolest Spot on the Lake,&uot; with a ski lodge, &uot;hare hole&uot; complete with Playboy bunnies and even an abominable snowman.

Second place went to Mike and Elaine Gemmell’s pier, where folks dressed as &uot;Famous American Peers Appearing on the Pier,&uot; including a Statue of Liberty holding up a bloody Mary torch.

Third place was Tim Burns’ SMASH Unit, a play on the MASH TV show, and fourth place was Paul and Arlene Coreil’s LSU-themed pier. Johnny and Debbie Johns’ &uot;Parrotheads in Paradise&uot; earned honorable mention.