Let Your Christmas Tree Help the Louisiana Coastline | Recyle It!

I’ve already seen some trees on the curb in front of the homes of those overachievers who are johnny on the spot with removing all traces of the holidays from their homes…even before the traditional end of Christmas on Twelfth Night. Not only are they not reveling in the season, they are missing out on the chance to help save our rapidly diminishing wetlands and coastline by recycling their tree.

Each year, the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources builds pens that are filled with discarded Christmas trees in an effort to slow the rate at which our land is being washed and eroded away.  You can do your part by recycling your tree to be used in this valuable project.

Orleans Parish, Unincorporated Jefferson Parish and the Town of Lafitte

Place your tree curbside on January 5th, with pickups scheduled on January 6th, 7th and 8th, 2010.

Remember that flocked or painted trees cannot be used in this project.  Also, you must remove all decorations, tinsel, lights and stands.

Volunteer to Help with the Jefferson Parish Christmas Tree Marsh Restoration Project 2010

Volunteers with shallow draft boats are needed to place Christmas trees into pre-constructed shoreline fences in Goose Bayou, near the town of Jean Lafitte on the following Saturdays:

• January 9, 2010*
• January 16, 2010*
• January 23, 2010*
• January 30, 2010*

*If inclement weather (rain or high winds), please call (504) 731-4612 to check if a scheduled event has
been cancelled.

Volunteers will meet at 8:00 a.m. at Cochiara’s Marina, 4477 Jean Lafitte Blvd., Lafitte.  Volunteers must be 17 years of age or older. Recommended: layered clothing including long pants, long sleeved shirt and closed toe, sturdy shoes, hats and sunscreen.  Lunch and refreshments will be provided.

Please contact the following for more information or to volunteer:
Jefferson Parish Department of Environmental Affairs
4901 Jefferson Highway, Suite E
Jefferson, LA 70121
Phone: (504) 731-4612   Fax: (504) 731-4607    email: jpenvironmental@jeffparish.net

Let’s let the giving spirit of the Christmas season continue and help us help ourselves.

West Bank Cancer Relay for Life – April 18, 2009

Almost everyone I know has had someone in their life touched by cancer in one way or another.  I personally have lost family members to various forms of this disease that will affect 1 out of 3 people at some point in their lifetime. 

That’s why continued research and education is needed – and these things require massive amounts of funding to work.  Fortunately, there is no lack of local volunteers that are willing to help.

This Saturday, from 2 pm to midnight, the West Bank Relay for Life will be taking place at the Gretna Market (corner of Huey P. Long Avenue and 3rd Street).  A fundraising event for the American Cancer Society, there will be a special survivor’s walk starting at 2 pm.  I’ve attended the Relay before and to see families and friends walking in support of someone currently battling cancer or in remembrance of a lost loved one is a powerful thing, especially as the night wears on, the crowds thin and the walkers just keep going and going.

There will be live music, food vendors and an opportunity to cheer on those individuals and groups who are taking the time to participate and/or volunteer.  Come on out and join us for this very important event.

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More information about Relay for Life

Batture Cleanup in Algiers This Weekend

If you don’t have any plans for Saturday morning (March 28,2009), this is a great way to volunteer and help out the Algiers community.  For newcomers to the city, the batture is the section of land between the levee and the river.

This Saturday, Algiers’ residents will be cleaning up all the trash along the batture, going down river from the ferry terminal. The “fun” will start at 8am, weather permitting, until about noon or whenever you have had enough. *ALL* help gratefully appreciated!

If it is raining, we’ll try for Sunday morning. We also need to clean the batture behind Mardi Gras World. I spoke to “T.K.” Kern lunch time today and she will try and get her dumpster emptied by them so that we can throw all the trash in there, saving us a trip to the dump or leaving it piled up for the garbage men to pick up (or not…depending on their mood). We are also getting two guys from the Levee Board with a truck to help us. Al Schmitt will have his snowball machine there!

This effort will make Algiers look more attractive to visitors coming off the ferry and double as a beautification process before the two day Riverfest music festival and the APA’s Porch Sale of the Century the following weekend. This will be a community effort so we are relying on everyone from *ALL* organizations to help out.

As the tide is now higher that I would have liked, sensible footwear should be worn as well as long pants and long sleeves. Tough guys in shorts and T-shirts are also welcome! Please bring your own tools – rakes, spades, gloves, machetes. We are looking to clear some of the undergrowth on the batture so *particularly looking for volunteers with branch trimmers and chain saws* to carry out some of the heavier work. We will *_NOT_* be cutting down any trees!!! The APA will provide water and bags.

Look forward to seeing y’all then,

Many thanks in advance,

Kevin Herridge – “*Bat*(ture) *Man*”.

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If you are interested in becoming part of the Algiers community, contact the West Bank Living Team.  It would be our pleasure to help you find the perfect Algiers home for sale.

Friends of Brechtel Park – On the Right Path

Saturday morning was the fall meeting of the Friends of Brechtel Park, and it was quite the success.  We managed to have not just one but TWO representatives from the New Orleans City Council in attendance, something that just doesn’t happen very often for a community meeting.

The meeting started out with a short introduction by the president of FOBP, Aylin Maklansky.  After she spoke, I was thrilled when Aylin used my video about helping to restore Brechtel Park.  (see the video below) This same video has already made it’s way to a Boy Scout troop in New Jersey who is planning a spring trip to New Orleans and has Brechtel on their list for clean up sites!

By the time that City Council President Jackie Clarkson and Councilman Arnie Fielkow spoke, every seat was taken. The council has committed to help FOBP get the funding that was approved by voters several years ago and to work with the Friends to guide us through the maze of city funding and politics.  Additionally, representatives from Parks and Parkways, West Bank Redevelopment and the Algiers Economic Development Foundation were in attendance and offered their support and assistance as well.

New members were signed up, new board members were drafted recruited, and some great ideas for park functions and improvements were suggested.  In an example of how everyone brings something to the table in this group, a local resident brought a photo of an alligator that was seen in the pond at the park.  Before the meeting was even underway, the Wildlife and Fisheries had been contacted and had promised to send someone out to “relocate” the alligator.  Hmmm…I wonder where relocated alligators go?

It is only through the efforts of members of the community that we can restore the park to the vibrant meeting place that it once was – and can be again.  Become a member of the Friends of Brechtel Park today.

Algiers Community Meeting – Friends of Brechtel Park

City Council President Jackie Clarkson will deliver a presentation regarding the status of funding for Brechtel Park at this week’s meeting of the Friends of Brechtel Park.  Open to the public, I invite you to join us on Saturday morning to let Ms. Clarkson know that we, as a community, support improvements and renovations to the largest public park in Algiers.

 

If you don’t think that your voice makes a difference, please watch this video that shows some of the repairs that are necessary to bring back Brechtel Park.  It is only through the involvement of Algiers residents that the city will be aware that we are united in supporting our local parks….

Copyright 2008.  Lisa Heindel and West Bank Living.  All rights reserved.

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