[StBernard] St. Bernard Tourism officials at EPCOT

[Westley Annis]

Thank you Gayle

We should all be ambassadors for our community where ever we are.

Happened to travel to WDW with family in November and when asked, we stated
we were from St Bernard Parish, LA.  Some people had heard of our community
and our rebuilding efforts -- not that they necessarily heard from the
tourism group -- but it was more of a positive experience.  Rather than
being looked upon as katrina victims, the dialogue was about our community's
growth. 

Hope the tourism group has time for input into a suggestion to the zoning
code.  In this last Tuesday's meeting it was suggested to maybe have a
seperate code for Bed and Breakfasts in Historic Areas.  Being New Orleans
most historic neighbor and having a rich history of our own, this idea
should be explored.

Thanks again for you do.

SJK


-----Original Message-----
Hi Deb,  Don't know who you are but I guess some could get a laugh from your

joke.  Just to let you know the Tourist Commission involvement at Epcot had
been 
in newspapers and on TV before and after the Festival ended last year.
Don't 
know who posted the late news.  

The Office of the Lt. Governor delayed his press conference before we went 
(hurricane damage issues in the southwest part of the state) and had it at
the 
Cabildo after the entire state took part over six weeks.  Disney asked the
state 
of Louisiana to be their featured state.  The NOMCVB was the lead agency 
coordinating the entire festival and they asked all parishes to try to get
local 
ambassadors to attend to work the Louisiana exhibit.  We worked the same
week as 
Orleans, Jefferson, and St. Tammany.  I was very surprised at how many
people I 
spoke to who knew about St. Bernard because of Katrina and The Battle of New

Orleans.   We entered and left Epcot with all other Disney workers and had
to 
follow their uniform and conduct code.  A Disney pass was offered for
another 
park if we could stay an extra day away from our families and jobs.

Not a penny of tax payers' money was spent from St. Bernard Parish.  We all
paid 
for our own travel and some meals.  Disney paid for our housing and the
state 
gave us some meal vouchers as we worked shifts from 10 am to 9 pm.  I
personally 
turned mine back in and paid for all my food from the different countries
when I 
could eat.  We collected tens of thousands of names and email addresses from
all 
over the world from people who were interested in a visit.  (It is hard to
get a 
count on how many people have or may come to StB as we still don't have our 
Visitor's Center open. Another parish issue that is on the list.  We do have
a 
sign-in at all events we volunteer to work.  Just last week we had hundreds
of 
people sign in at the courthouse from all over the US. )  I know this is not
as 
cute as a joke but I wanted to get the real information out there.  Come
meet 
the people you suggest are misusing public money at our monthly meeting on
Feb 
18th at 4:30pm at the Government Com
 plex.  Or if you want to know anything else please call us at 278-4242 and
we 
would love to have some help in promoting St B.  We don't get paid anything
for 
our time serving on the commission and are just trying our best to help our 
parish.

Gayle Cazaubon Buckley