[StBernard] Katrina Board Game

[Westley Annis]

After he evacuated for the hurricane, Poydras area resident Vic Molero
started "noticing so many St. Bernardians on the Internet who were homesick
for the parish.''

His answer for that is what Molero calls his "love letter to the parish,''
which is a Hurricane Katrina-themed board game called The Spirit of St.
Bernard.

Parish landmarks, St. Bernard businesses and a few politicians are part of
the game, which is somewhat similar to the old Monopoly board game.

In Molero's edition, when the Hurricane Katrina card turns up the game is
over and everyone loses whatever improvements they had made on their
properties.

It's all in fun, including a get-out-jail-card in which a politician is
bribed, said Molero, who has run Vic Molero Advertising for years.

There are references to the annual Our Lady of Prompt Succor Tomato
Festival, the blessing of the fleet at Yscloskey, to the late Judge Melvyn
Perez and the old Rowley Ticket.

"It pokes a little fun at the parish'' but in a loving and nostalgic way,
said Molero, who also has written a spoof song about the parish's situation
called "The St. Bernard Hillbillies song,'' which was published in a column
in the Baton Rouge Morning-Advocate newspaper recently.

Molero fled to Baton Rouge during the storm but is living again in St.
Bernard.

In the long run, the purpose of the board game is to remind people of the
St. Bernard they enjoyed before the storm and encourage them to shop in the
parish in the future, Molero said.

For information on how to get a copy of the board game, call Molero at
1-225-978-3686 or send an email to ronlatour at cox.net.