[StBernard] Project Reconnection

[Westley Annis]

I had a 4 hour meeting this morning on the various types of great community
projects we can do every weekend in 2006 to give the people of St.Bernard
good reasons to come back to "da parish" & help with cleanup & rebuild &
RECONNECTING with each other.
 
This is all part of what will now be called  "Project Reconnection" --
Citizens "reconnecting" with each other.
 
Ideas like:
 
Parish Road Clean-up (I mean make it so spotless that your hard-nosed
grandmother would give you an "A" for its cleanliness & appearance.)
 
Intersection Beautification Program (yes, tons of flowers & color & pride in
ownership, dammit)
 
Operation Help Your Neighbor (mark off a small block or section of streets,
bring citizens in in an organized way & clean up, re-sod, plant trees, etc.
100's of people in an 8 hour period can do wonders with a plan laid out like
a military operation)
 
At each of these events, we have "home cookin" on site. I'm a Cajun Boy from
Gonzales & my Grandparents would call this a Coute Meh. Probably not
spelling it right but who cares?  The point is it was PEOPLE HELPING PEOPLE.
 
If someone needed a shed built, all the men would go & help build the shed &
the ladies would cook awesome food.  When it was time for you to get a new
shed, they'd come to your house & help you. This is WHAT COMMUNITY MEANS TO
ME.
 
I want to know what COMMUNITY MEANS TO YOU?
 
I want to know your ideas that can make these above mentioned projects
better.
 
I want to know what other COMMUNITY PROJECTS you have that we can do? 
 
To hell with waiting for FEMA & waiting for others. 
 
We are a competent, capable, intelligent group of people with tons of
quality craftsman in our parish.  I can name you 50 women in "da parish"
that can cook as good as Paul Prudhomme.  I got a feeling they'd love to
come down & cook & work & cry & laugh & play.  
 
This is OUR ST. Bernard, not Washington's St. Bernard. There's a lot that we
can do - TOGETHER!!!
 
 
There, I feel better.  Talk to me.
 
Marvin.LeBlanc.cdia at statefarm.com
Citizens Recovery Committee
Chairman Economic Development Workgroup