[StBernard] St. Bernard Council honors CHS storm 'heroes'

[Westley Annis]

St. Bernard Council honors CHS storm 'heroes'

The St. Bernard Parish Council has honored staff members of Chalmette High
School for their service to the community during Hurricane Katrina.

For their efforts in running the school as a shelter of last resort during
and after the hurricane that swamped the parish - and the school itself -
the council proclaimed the staff members as "Heroes of Katrina.'' 

"Because you cared and were there you saved lives,'' Councilman Craig
Taffaro Jr. told staff members and schools Superintendent Doris Voitier
during the council's meeting Tuesday.

Presented with proclamations during the council's meeting Tuesday were
Voitier, Chalmette High principal Wayne Warner and his wife, Kathy Warner,
Chalmette High teacher Debbie Gaudet, custodians Cecil Ruiz, Debbie Ruiz and
Clay Barrow, school district transportation supervisor Kathy Gonzales, and
district finance manager David Fernandez. A posthumous proclamation was
given to head custodian Walter Barcelona.

In a news release on the parish website, www.sbpg.net, Voitier said 1,200 to
1,500 residents were brought to the high school and were cared for, some of
whom were in wheelchairs and had other physical disabilities, during and
after the hurricane.