Volunteers are really needed this Saturday and Sunday
St.
Bernard Community Playground Build began Wednesday and continues
through Sunday daily from 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. and volunteers are
needed to re-boot, re-pair and re-build the park.
Project coordinator Polly Boudreaux said volunteers can come for as
long as they want to work. The project has sponsors, donors,
committee members and construction captains for the effort that will
provide for the rebuild and for free summer programming for children
and families in the amphitheatre.
The
14,000 sq. ft. St. Bernard Community Playground/Amphitheatre in
Torres Park has been closed because of damage from Hurricane Katrina
in 2005 and a recent fire. This is the week that this popular play
area will be completely repaired and rebuilt.
The
damage caused by Katrina will be repaired as hardware is replaced,
swings are refurbished and picket fence sections are restored. The
front entrance to the playground destroyed by arsonists’ fire on
January 1, 2008 will be completely rebuilt along with a brand new
section encompassing an interactive tree fort and wheelchair
accessible play areas.
How
does a community project of this magnitude take place?
VOLUNTEERS
have signed up to be a part of the build by offering to work one
or more days this week on three shifts from 8:30 a.m. to noon,
12:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Corporations
and volunteer groups include Entergy, Shell Oil, Capital One,
Gulf Coast, St. Bernard Parish Government, Chalmette High, LSU
Ag Center 4H, First Baptist New Orleans Youth Group and Lockheed
Martin. To volunteer as a group or as an individual e-mail
communityplaygroundproject@yahoo.com
or call Lauren Faust at 278-4234.
TOOLS
have been solicited from various volunteer agencies and willing
contractors including rakes, shovels, hammers, saws, ladders and
drills. MATERIALS have been ordered from all parts of
the country as well as through local vendors. All materials are
on the ground for the start of the build including limestone,
mulch, lumber, play equipment, and hardware. Mark Abshier heads
up the materials coordination.
FOOD/DRINK
donations have been solicited from various restaurants and civic
organizations to feed the daily work crews.
PICKETS continue to be
sold for $25 as a fundraiser for the project. Remember also
that pickets from the 2003 build will remain and those destroyed
by the hurricane or fire will be replaced.
T-SHIRTS are now
available for $10.
DONATIONS have been
generously provided by the following community entities: the
Meraux Foundation, Senator Walter Boasso, SDT Waste Services,
Frank Silva, St. Bernard Recreation Corporation, Aaron’s Donuts,
Delacroix Corporation, Rozas-Ward Architects, Dorothy Benge,
Mabel Isabel Molero Quatroy Living Trust, Domino - American
Sugar, Melinda Benge Brown, Home Depot and Entergy. Mail
your donation to St. Bernard Community Playground Project, P.O.
Box 1632, Chalmette, LA 70044. Any funds remaining after
build expenses will be used for exciting summer programming
opportunities such as puppet theatre, storytelling, outdoor
movie nights, and concerts.
