From the office of John Young, Jefferson Parish President:

Jefferson Parish is preparing for its 22nd Annual Christmas Tree Marsh Restoration Project.

All Jefferson Parish residents, including unincorporated areas, the Town of Jean Lafitte, Gretna, Harahan, Kenner and Westwego, wishing to participate in the program are asked to remove all lights, tinsel, garland, ornaments, tree stands and plastic bags from their Christmas trees and leave them on the curb for collection.   Artificial, flocked or painted trees are not eligible for the program.

Residents are advised to place trees curbside on the evening of Wednesday, January 11, 2012, whereas in years’ past, trees were typically collected on the second scheduled garbage collection day.   Garbage trucks will make one pass through each neighborhood to collect trees within the dates of January 12, 13, and 14, 2012.

The Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office and the Fire Departments of the West Bank Presidents and Chiefs Association will again this year offer the use of their boats and personnel, and the 24th Judicial District Court, State Probation and Parole as well as other parish‐related justice programs are assigning court‐ordered community service workers to participate in supporting coastal restoration.

The New Orleans Fire Department is also supporting the Tree Marsh Restoration Project as will several Jefferson Parish municipal Police Departments.  Fire Department and law enforcement personnel will use boats to transport recyclable Christmas trees, using this as a training exercise for maneuvering shallow‐draft boats in tight quarters to specific GPS coordinates, while court‐ordered community service workers will load trees into boats.  Court‐ordered participants will have their service hours tracked and submitted to the appropriate justice program by employees of the Operations division of the Parish President’s Office.

“The Louisiana Department of Natural Resources eliminated funding for Christmas tree marsh restoration programs throughout the state, but because of the generosity and cooperation of the 24th Judicial District Court, Sheriff Normand, and our Fire Fighters, we are continuing the vital work of saving our coastline,” said Jefferson Parish President John Young.

Trees will be placed into pre‐constructed shoreline fences in Goose Bayou, near the town of Jean Lafitte.  Project Coordinator Jason Smith added that “A monitoring study by Louisiana State University found that these tree fences dramatically reduce the rate of shoreline retreat and, by effectively trapping sediments, result in higher accretion rates in nearby marshes.   Sediments carried over and through the fences by wave action are slowly accreting and building land between the shoreline and the fences.”

This year, the KW West Bank office chose Cafe Hope as our charity of choice.

Run by Catholic Charities on the West Bank of New Orleans, Cafe Hope provides training to boys and girls ages 17-21 in the food service industry.  During their 6 week program, they learn every station in the kitchen and also learn to work the “front of house” waiting tables.  After completion of the training, they are assisted with job placement in our wonderful New Orleans restaurant industry.

In addition to the job training, the students at Cafe Hope also have daily classes that teach life skills and prepare them for the GED exam if they still need to get their diploma.  It was one of those classrooms that our office invaded and transformed from blah to bright in just a few hours.  In between painting, we managed to squeeze in a delicious lunch and we sincerely appreciate the other local Realtors® and mortgage lenders that showed up to support the project.

If you don’t see the video above, click here.

In an age of me, me, me, it was a nice break to stop and focus on someone else for the day.  Thank you, KW, for the opportunity to give where we live.

A friend of mine was recently diagnosed with the dreaded “C” word.  Cancer.  She now faces a regimen of chemo and radiation that will leave her feeling not quite up to snuff and certainly not in the mood to scrub a toilet or dust the furniture.

I have to give her credit…she’s embarked on a tough journey and is spending all of her free time doing research and connecting with support groups that can help during the course of her treatments.  One of the wonderful volunteer organizations she found during her research was Cleaning for a Reason.  They provide once a month cleaning services FREE to women undergoing cancer treatment.

Here’s the info from their website:

Our Process
We partner with professional residential maid services who are insured and bonded to participate in our foundation. The companies have agreed to take 2 patients at a time and offer four free general cleanings – one a month for four months as a way to give back to their community.

Sounds fantastic, right?  I bet it is, especially as some of the patients go through the worst of their treatment schedules.  Sadly, there are no cleaning services on the West Bank that have volunteered to be a part of this organization.

We are challenging anyone who owns a cleaning or maid service on the West Bank that is qualified to enroll as a volunteer to do so. The work you do will directly benefit someone in your own community – maybe even someone you already know.

Enroll your cleaning service to volunteer

A news release from Parish President John Young:

Jefferson Parish is preparing for its 21^st Annual Christmas Tree Marsh Restoration Project.  Residents of unincorporated Jefferson Parish and the Town of Jean Lafitte are asked to place their tree curbside on the evening of January 5^th for collection on January 6, 7, and 8, 2011.

Trees should be stripped of all tinsel, garland, lights, ornamentation, plastic bags and tree stands.  Garbage trucks will make only one pass through each neighborhood, typically on the second scheduled collection day.  Flocked or painted trees can’t be used in this project

Due to the elimination of funding from the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources, trees that can’t be delivered to the Marsh Restoration Project may be beneficial for other projects in the parish.

Volunteers are critical to the success of the marsh restoration project; the number of trees that can be placed in the marsh is very dependent on the number of boats that help transport trees.  We need volunteers to assist with placing trees into pre-constructed shoreline fences located in Goose Bayou, near the town of Jean Lafitte.  Volunteers will meet at 8 a.m. at Cochiara’s Marina, 4477 Jean Lafitte Boulevard in Lafitte on the following Saturdays:  January 8, 15, and 22, 2011.

Volunteers must be at least 18 years of age, wear layered clothing including long pants, long sleeved shirt, and closed-toe, sturdy shoes.  Hats and sunscreen are recommended.  Gloves, safety glasses, life vests, lunch and refreshments will be provided.

For more information, please contact Jefferson Parish Department of Environmental Affairs at 731-4612.

Now that’s a good way to start off the New Year…

Photo credit:  Greenpeace USA 2010 on flickr

There is an immediate need for some items and two drop off points for all donations.  If you can help, please bring your items to:

East Bank Location

Jefferson Chamber Office
3421 N Causeway Blvd
Suite 203
Metairie LA

West Bank Location

Gretna Economic Development Assocation
711 Second Street
Gretna LA

The following are the items that the Gulf Response Involvement Team needs:

• Clorox Wipes
• Plastic Measuring Tapes (like ones used for measuring fabrics/sewing)
• Knee-high Rubber Boots
• Duct Tape
• Clear Plastic Storage Bins with LATCHABLE lids
• White Terrycloth Towels
• Solid Foam Camping Mats (for cutting to line turtle cages)
• Yellow Kitchen Cleaning Gloves
• Safety goggles/glasses
• Bug Spray
• Aveeno face sunscreen
• Coppertone spray sunscreen
• Zip Ties/Cable Ties
• Heavy Mil Lawn Trash Bags
• Hand Saws
• Blue Tarps
• Ratchet Straps
• Bungee Cords
• Nets (all shapes and sizes for catching wildlife)
• Ziploc Bags (gallon and quart-double zipper seal for preserving samples)
• GPS Units
• Baby wipes
• Orange soap hand cleaner soap
• Binoculars
• Dry Bags
• Grease Pens
• Mechanical Pencils
• Clickable Sharpies
• Waterproof Paper
• All-in-one Printer & Copiers
• 1″ & 2″ 3-ring Binders
• Printer mailing labels
• Scissors
• Large Ice Chests
• DC to AC Power Inverters
• Paper Towels
• Disposable Blue Shop Towels
• Bolt Cutters
• Box Cutters
• 3 gallon Lawn Sprayers
• Plastic Folding Tables
• Heavy Mil Visqueen Plastic Roles
• Rope
• Dawn soap
• Large Trash Cans with Lids
• Garden hoses
• Leatherman Multi-tools
• Waterproof Digital Cameras
• 2 GB SD memory cards
• Video cameras
• Pliers
• Mustang Lifejackets
• Rain gear
• Chest Waders
• Nitrile gloves
• Gauze pads
• Forceps
• Mini hand-held propane torches
• 8″ x 10″ dry erase boards and markers
• Disposable sterilized scalpels
• Clipboards with internal storage
• Letter Sized File folders
• Backpacks for making field kits
• Mini pelican cases
• Aluminum foil
• Small ice chests
• Small hard-plastic swimming pools
• 300 gal Rubbermade Tanks

I know we have some of the most generous people in our community and I hope that everyone can make some type of donation, no matter how small.  The good folks at GEDA have agreed to transport all donations to the East Bank location, so you don’t even have to cross the river to help out!

We’ve all seen the heartbreaking photos and news footage of the affected wildlife.  Please give.

Unfortunately, while we are surrounded by delicious meal choices every day, there are people in our city who are going hungry.  Every week, almost 42,000 different people use the emergency food services of the Second Harvest food bank.

From the Second Harvest website:

One in eight people in Louisiana is struggling with hunger. An elderly neighbor, a child’s classmate, a coworker or member of your church – someone you know is hungry.

The good folks at Second Harvest run programs designed to fight child Hunger and provide senior nutritional support in 23 parishes across south Louisiana.  But they need help.

I’m sure you’ve seen the news reports that the local food banks are being overwhelmed with requests for assistance at a time when their state funding has been cut, corporate donations are down and the need is higher than ever.

That’s why the West Bank Living Team and the rest of the Keller Williams West Bank office have chosen Second Harvest as the beneficiary of Red Day 2010.  Red Day is our annual community project day, where Keller Williams agents all around the country will be volunteering in their own communities.

We will be out on the West Bank, dropping off grocery bags to be filled and setting up donation boxes wherever we can from May 1st to May 13th. If you have a business that we can put a donation box at – please, let us know. If you are interested in donating privately, we can arrange to pick up from you.  If you see us in front of your local grocery store, please add a couple of items to your list and help a hungry child, family or senior citizen.

Need more information? Call Lisa at (504) 616-6262 or Terri at (504) 258-5178.

We are giving where we live…please join us by doing the same.

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.

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.

More information about Relay for Life

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*”.

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.

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.