[StBernard] Playground Update #3

Westley Annis Westley at da-parish.com
Mon Feb 18 09:07:05 EST 2008


St. Bernard Community Playground
RE-Boot, RE-Pair and RE-Build
April 8-13, 2008 Update #3


Ready? Set? Go! Volunteers are now working to gather, materials, tools,
donations and more volunteers for the repair and rebuild of the 12,000 sq.
ft. community playground located in Torres Park behind the Civic Center and
Government Complex. Not only will the facility be repaired from damage
caused both by Hurricane Katrina and the unfortunate arsonist's fire in
January but an entire new section has been designed to incorporate a tree
fort, Eiffel Tower rock wall and more interactive play areas.

Thanks to the diligent work of St. Bernard Parish Sheriff's Office trusties,
St. Bernard Parish Government employees and SDT Waste Services the parking
lot at the entrance to the playground and the burned out playground entrance
itself are now cleared for the first time since Katrina. With trailers,
debris and burned wood removed, the job to be tackled April 8-13, 2008 is a
visible reminder of the major project volunteers will undertake.

As in 2003, during the original build, many hands are needed to make the
project successful and to allow our children a public play area by the end
of this school year. The goal of 500 volunteers signed up by March 5 has
been set. You can help organizers meet this goal by e-mailing your contact
information to communityplaygroundproject at yahoo.com or leaving a message for
Volunteer Coordinator, Lauren Faust at 278-4234.

A total of eight meals are needed to serve volunteers during the build days.
You can help by volunteering to prepare a meal or to serve the meals by
calling Food Coordinators, Gidget McDougall or Claudette Ponstein, at
278-4242.

Materials Coordinator, Mark Abshier, has begun contacting local businesses
with an exhaustive materials list. Along with the highly specific lumber
and hardware requirements this sixteen page list calls for common items such
as duct tape, nylon string, flagging tape, vinyl electrical tape, latex
gloves, lawn/leaf garbage bags, visqueen, WD-40, ivory soap, permanent
markers, 3X5 index cards, dust masks, wooden stakes, and quikcrete concrete
mix. To donate any of these items send an e-mail to
communityplaygroundproject at yahoo.com or call General Coordinator, Polly
Boudreaux, at 554-7134.

The "community build" project will require an army of tools from miter saws,
circular saws, drills, routers, sawzalls, hammers, rakes, shovels and
utility knives to pushbrooms. Tools must stay onsite each day of the build.
A major tool donator is being solicited through our local home improvement
stores. To assist in this important effort send an e-mail or call the
general coordinator.

This week, look for New York based Operation Southern Comfort volunteers led
by Mark Miller to dig out the landscaping beds. Abbey Flaherty and others
from The Gathering will also begin the tedious inventory of pickets to
facilitate the replacement of damaged pickets. And, Construction Captain,
Emile Pellitere and his crew will begin repairs to the amphitheater seating
area.

T-shirt and picket sales also begin this week on a first come first served
basis. You can place your order by completing the attached form. Use the
same form to volunteer. Don't miss out on being a part of this incredible
experience - rebuilding a playground and rebuilding community!






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