[StBernard] Mending Hearts ... Rebuilding Hope

Westley Annis westley at da-parish.com
Fri Mar 23 23:32:06 EDT 2007


Editors note: The web page for this article has a picture of Chalmette
High's football field flooded during the storm. I've never seen that image
before.
<http://tinyurl.com/36m6r4>
-------------

Mending Hearts ... Rebuilding Hope

Fond du Lac School District holds CARD-nival event to help aid Hurricane
Katrina victims

For The Reporter


The Fond du Lac School District has launched a campaign to raise funds for a
Louisiana school district still suffering from the ravages of Hurricane
Katrina.


The logo and slogan, "Mending Hearts . Rebuilding Hope," is the focus for a
number of clubs and organizations at Fond du Lac High School as they take
part in aiding St. Bernard Parish (parish means county in Louisiana), a
school located about 30 miles east of New Orleans.


One unified project, the Fondy CARD-nival on Sunday, April 1, at Fond du Lac
High School invites the community to a fund-raising day filled with
entertainment for the entire family.


Spearheading the partnership between the two school districts are Fondy High
students Jenny Springborn, Megan Fisher, Nora Esposito and Amber Cmejla from
the advanced marketing class.


"We're lucky we don't have to worry about hurricanes in Wisconsin,"
Springborn, said. "But if we did, I would hope there was somebody out there
that would lend us a hand to help rebuild our community."


St. Bernard Parish had a student population of almost 8,500 students from 15
public school sites. Hurricane Katrina put nearly every building in the
school system under up to 18 feet of water. Flood waters came rushing across
the football field, filling the schools with a mixture of muck, fish and
gasoline.


"The speed and breadth of it was incredible," said Parish Superintendent
Doris Voitier, who was named recipient of the 2007 John F. Kennedy Profile
in Courage award.


The St. Bernard Unified School - a makeshift campus using trailers,
generators and a large tent for a cafeteria - reopened to 334 students on
November 14, 2005. The district's enrollment has since grown to almost 3,800
students, now located at three campuses. Two more schools are under repair
and expected to reopen in time for school next year, but there is still much
that needs to be done.


The CARD-nival on April 1 will feature a Family Land, Sports World, and a
viewing of the new movie "Flushed Away" at the high school's Performing Arts
Center (PAC). Family Land, located in the commons, offers child-friendly
games and prizes, face painting, balloons, concessions and a bake sale
(including pralines from Louisiana).


Beginning at noon, Fondy athletes will host sporting activities for children
and will coach kids on their skills and playing one-on-one in the
Fieldhouse.


Showing of the 2006 animated comedy "Flushed Away," featuring the voices of
Hugh Jackman and Kate Winslet, will begin at 3 p.m. in the PAC. Seating is
general admission but limited. A total of 900 movie passes will be given
away to families at the CARD-nival ticket booth.


"This is really exciting for us at Fondy," said Mary Fran Merwin, principal
of Fond du Lac High School. "When I came back from visiting the New Orleans
area, I felt as though my life had been changed forever. I simply passed the
word, and our staff and students took it from there - pretty powerful group
of people."


There is no admission charge to get into both the CARD-nival and the feature
presentation of "Flushed Away." However, there are small charges for tickets
to play the games and activities.


It'll be staff versus seniors at 7 p.m. Saturday, March 31, at Fond du Lac
High School Fieldhouse, 801 Campus Drive.


Admission is $3. Raffle tickets are $1 each or six for $5.


Prizes include gift cards for local businesses, an iPod, along with many
staff-offered goods and services (car hand wash and wax, homemade dinners or
sweets, etc.).


Manuel and Emmanuel Turner will perform acrobatics for the half-time show.
There will also be a half-court shootout for prizes.


The Fond du Lac High School Student Council will match what is raised, up to
$1,000.


All proceeds will benefit St. Bernard's Parish in Louisiana.





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