Dressed in gold, green and purple, North Georgia royalty celebrated as if they were partying on Bourbon Street and in the process raised more than $55,000 for a local hospice care center. Big Canoe residents Bill Saling and Katharine Armentrout represented Dawson County for the 12th annual Mardi Gras in the Mountains earlier this month. Proceeds from the Feb. 6 fundraiser benefitted Georgia Mountains Hospice, as well as charities supported by Knights of Columbus and the Rotary Club of Jasper.