[StBernard] St. Bernard Parish residents restore flower garden at Katrina Monument

[Westley Annis]

St. Bernard Parish residents restore flower garden at Katrina Monument 

Morning ceremony at Katrina Monument; Evening Community Celebration at
Torres Park with music by Harvey Jesus

 

Alton Blappert is a retired St. Bernard Parish Firefighter and a retired
commercial fisherman who has lived most of his life in eastern St. Bernard.
Since Hurricane Katrina destroyed his Hopedale home, he moved up the road to
Shell Beach.

 

Blappert has been spending his summer months replanting and maintaining the
memorial garden at the granite Hurricane Katrina monument located where the
highway ends and meets the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet in Shell Beach. The
monument bears the names of 163 St. Bernard Parish victims of Hurricane
Katrina who died as a result of the storm, whether it was during the actual
event or because of the evacuation. Last year, an updated monument with
additional names was rededicated at the Shell Beach memorial site. 

 

"I see people come down every day to see the monument. Some stop and say a
prayer," said Blappert, who lives on the highway that runs to the monument. 

 

He said he enlisted the help of his buddy David Meyer of Kenilworth who
knows about plants so he could help him restore the garden in time for the
fourth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. The garden is now full of more than
20 potted plants placed outside the rocked garden at the foot of the
monument in addition to the numerous plantings inside the rocked area.

 

Meyer, who has three relatives on the monument, said he believes it's
important to maintain the garden.

 

"It's a memorial site for the parish," Meyer said. "Many of those families
never found the bodies of their lost loved ones so it is actually the only
gravesite they have."

 

St. Bernard Parish President Craig P. Taffaro, Jr. said he is so thankful
that locals have stepped up to care for the site.

 

"The monument is an important reminder of what we have lost and a sign that
we should always be vigilant about what the forces of nature can do,"
Taffaro said. 
"It is such a generous gesture by these gentlemen to help keep such a
reverent place maintained, and we are so grateful."

 

Blappert evacuated to Chalmette for the storm and stayed for nine days
rescuing people and animals, including 15 dogs, five cats, two ferrets, two
parakeets and one rabbit. But he said he regrets not being in the eastern
end of the parish to help his neighbors, including one of his former
neighbors who was in St. Rita's Nursing Home and perished.

 

He said he and Meyer feel like they are paying respect to those lost in the
storm by donating all the materials and time to maintain the garden.

 

Several Katrina Anniversary events planned in St. Bernard 

 

Several events in St. Bernard will mark the fourth anniversary of Hurricane
Katrina's landfall, including a Community Celebration on Saturday, Aug. 29
at 5:30 p.m. at Torres Park to allow citizens to come together to celebrate
and mark all that is good and enduring about the parish in its recovery and
current growth pattern.

 

St. Bernard Parish Government also will hold a ceremony on Aug. 29 at 8:30
a.m. at the Katrina Monument in Shell Beach at the Mississippi River-Gulf
Outlet for the anniversary. 

 

President Taffaro said the day is a time to commemorate the storm's
aftermath as well as celebrating the ongoing progress and embracing the
citizens' zeal about day-to-day steps in the parish's recovery.

 

"Recovering from Hurricane Katrina has tested the resolve of our beloved St.
Bernard Parish, but the determination of its residents shines through daily
around us as we witness signs of all sorts of recovery and growth," Taffaro
said.

 

Last year, an updated monument with additional names was rededicated at the
Shell Beach memorial site. This year, the public is invited to gather again
in front of the granite monument that bears the names of 163 St. Bernard
Parish victims of Hurricane Katrina who died as a result of the storm,
whether it was during the actual event or because of the evacuation. 

 

This year's Community Celebration will feature the music of Harvey Jesus
from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Community Playground Amphitheater in Torres Park
behind the Government Complex. Also, President Taffaro is inviting all civic
groups, government agencies and citizens to participate in a "We're Still
Here Gallery," a series of tables to showcase items, icons and memorabilia
that show what is good that has endured in our parish. Contact Karen Turni
Bazile at 504-278-4280 or kbazile at sbpg.net to reserve a table. 

 

The Celebrate St. Bernard Committee will be selling Celebrate St. Bernard
flags and merchandise at the event.

 

As the St. Bernard School Board has done since the storm, it will hold its
fourth annual Day of Reflection Breakfast in the Chalmette High School
gymnasium on Friday, Aug. 28 at 8:30 a.m. Tickets are limited and may be
purchased for $5 a person by calling the School Board at 504-301-2000. Ask
for Shelby Harrison to get tickets. After the breakfast, Superintendent
Doris Voitier will lead a second line across the newly completed elevated
walkway that crosses Judge Perez Drive for a ribbon cutting ceremony at the
new 9th Grade Academy. 

Also, on Saturday, Aug. 29, Our Lady of Prompt Succor Church will observe
the anniversary at its 4 p.m. Vigil Mass. The Most Rev. Shelton Fabre,
Auxiliary Bishop of New Orleans, will be the main celebrant. The Rosary will
be recited at 3 p.m. 

For more information about Recovery and Growth in St. Bernard Parish, visit
our website at www.sbpg.net
<https://mail.sbpg.net/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.sbpg.net/> .

###

 

The schedule is as follows:

 

Friday, August 28 

*               8:30 a.m.: School Board 4th Annual Day of Reflection and 9th
Grade Academy Ribbon Cutting, Chalmette High School. Call 301-2000 for
tickets.

 

Saturday, August 29

*               8:30 a.m.: Commemorative Ceremony at the Katrina Monument at
Shell Beach. 

*               3:00 p.m.: Rosary to be recited at Our Lady of Prompt Succor
Church in Chalmette.

*               4:00 p.m.: Anniversary Mass at Our Lady of Prompt Succor
Church in Chalmette.

*               5:30 to 8:00: Community Celebration at Torres Park in
Chalmette with Harvey Jesus performing from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.