[StBernard] council on aging

[Westley Annis]

I just wanted to send out thanks and praise to anyone who has worked to get
our Council on Aging program restored. From my family's personal experience
watching our elderly family member who moved back home with us in June,
blossom again is largely due to the new friends and activities of the COA.
Prior to Katrina this lady who has lived in the parish for over 50 years was
very independent and didn't visit the COA because she had friends and social
groups already. Katrina took away her home, relocated her children and
grandchildren, and she bounced from pillar to post for nearly a year among
relatives living out of bags, boxes, and suitcases for temporary living.  By
the time our house was restored and we returned to Chalmette, she had lost
too much weight, was very depressed, and didn't know what she would do with
herself while we were away each day at work. Although she has a car to
drive, there wasn't anything to do in the parish and it's too frightening
for her to battle the I-10 traffic to Metairie. 

 Since we got her going to COA, she is nearly back to her old self. COA gets
her on busses to fun places, brings in speakers, celebrates the holidays, is
a place to play cards, and is the highlight of her day. To those who have
and are working hard to provide the clean, safe, convenient location the COA
has, who fight for funding and administer the resources wisely, and who
understand the need for the COA, keep it up, it does make a difference in
their lives.  And to all those who pay property tax, of which a tiny bit
funds COA, please know that it's as important to our community as all the
other taxes such as libraries and schools. A community that provides for its
children and its elderly is a community worth saving. I don't have the names
of the COA board members that provide the leadership, else I would name them
here. ---Deborah Keller