Beads for doughnuts program now underway

Starting Monday, March 5, you can trade all the Mardi Gras beads you collected this carnival season for doughnuts from Krispy Kreme.

Each twelve pound bag of beads donated rewards you with a dozen free glazed doughnuts at the store on Hillcrest Road in Mobile or on South McKenzie Street in Foley.

The Mardi Gras beads are cleaned and sorted by students at Augusta Evans School in Mobile. The students, in turn, sell the beads to Mardi Gras Mystic Societies and to the general public.

"I can speak of all the fun that we have here doing this for the students, but the fun is actually seeing them at work at the school," General Manager Leon Pettaway said. "To watch them do it, it's really awesome to see them sort out all of the beads."

The Beads for Doughnuts exchange runs through Tuesday, March 6.

Krispy Kreme will accept the popular collectibles from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.