[StBernard] November News from the Community Center of St Bernard

[Westley Annis]

Holiday Celebration & Toy GiveAway on Dec 20! 


Santa is on his way to the Community Center of St Bernard! This year's Annual Holiday Celebration and Toy GiveAway will be held on December 20, 2009 at the Community Center, 1107 LeBeau St in Arabi. The GiveAway will begin at 1 PM and continue until 3 PM. Gifts will be available for children age 12 and under on a first come, first served basis. Each child must attend the event in order to receive a gift. No registration is needed, and a free hot lunch will be served from 1:30 to 2:30 PM. It should be a wonderful holiday celebration, so come out and enjoy the holiday fun! 

Right now the Community Center is looking for partner agencies, groups and volunteers to help with obtaining new toys for the Toy Giveaway. Last year 684 children received toys, and we expect as many or more to attend this year. Anyone who can donate toys, organize a toy drive, or provide gift cards and funds to purchase toys should contact the Community Center at 504.281.2512 before December 15. Volunteers are also needed to help with setting up the party, doing last-minute gift wrapping, serving food, bringing toys out for the children, and doing cleanup. If you want to help, please phone the Community Center at 504.281.2512. And THANK YOU - together we will make the holiday season brighter for kids here in St Bernard!


Community Center Holiday Schedule 


The Community Center will close at 2 PM on Tuesday, December 22, 2009 and remain closed until 10 AM on January 4, 2010. 


Thanksgiving 2009 at the Community Center


This year the Community Center celebrated the holiday by giving out Thanksgiving Baskets so that low-income families could enjoy a traditional dinner at home with their family and friends. Thanks to very generous donations of food, gift cards and cash, we were able to serve 340 separate families on November 23 & 24!

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Over 200 families received a basket with turkey, ham or chicken and all the trimmings, while everyone else went through the main food pantry and filled their boxes with an assortment of canned goods and fresh produce to add to their holiday meal. 

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In all, more than 1,100 people here in St Bernard had nutritious food for Thanksgiving thanks to the hard work of Community Center staff and volunteers, and the kindness and generosity of our many sponsors and supporters. We'd like to express our heartfelt gratitude to those individuals and businesses who have made Thanksgiving 2009 a true expression of fellowship and thankfulness, including:

*	Arabi Food Store
*	Carol Schiavone
*	Chalmette Refining
*	Courtesy Discount House
*	Curves of St Bernard
*	Fradellas Collision Center Inc
*	Frederick J Sigur, Jr
*	Gulf Coast Bank & Trust Company
*	Harrahs Foundation
*	Joseph Davies Elementary School
*	Kathy Wendling
*	Katie Ferris
*	Lighthouse Pentecostal Church
*	Living Cornerstone Church Intl
*	Louisiana Spirit
*	Noto Law Firm, LLC
*	Nunez Community College
*	Pam Uhle
*	Pelican State Credit Union
*	Potts & Potts, APLC
*	RAIN CII Carbon LLC
*	Rosemary Gioia
*	Sam's Club
*	Southern Services & Equipment
*	St Bernard Chamber of Commerce
*	St Bernard Health Center
*	St. Bernard Parish Government
*	Todd's Technology, Inc
*	Trist Middle School
*	Trudy Totorico
*	Versailles Plantation Neighborhood Assn
*	Weight Watchers, St Bernard Chapter


We hope you enjoy this slideshow of Thanksgiving 2009 at the Community Center. If you aren't able to see it, please click HERE. <http://cts.vresp.com/c/?CommunityCenterofStB/592c21ff3f/fb884231b7/9e7ca2aeec/action=view&current=5ca0092b.pbw> 


17 Community Center Volunteers Honored With Presidential Service Award 


On November 16, 2009, the Community Center of St Bernard honored 17 local individuals with the President's Volunteer Service Award. Established in 2003, the award recognizes outstanding individuals, families and groups from across the nation who have demonstrated a sustained and dedicated commitment to volunteer service over the past 12 months. 

Recipients of the Volunteer Service Award for 2009 include Jeremy Ballard, Timothy Ballard, Paul “Michael” Bauman Jr, Lori Benfiglio, John Booth, Roy Calabresi, Deborrah Dalon, Susan del Guidice, John Dominio, Steve Gonzales, Carol John, Wayne C. Morales, R.M. “Iray” Nabatoff, Falin Nunez, Sarah Hart Peterson, Mary Serpas and Janice R. Washington. 

“We are extremely proud to present these volunteers with the President's Volunteer Service Award,” said Sharon S. Ober, Community Center Development Director. “These individuals are true role models, generously donating their time, energy and talent to help others here in their own community. Thanks to them, the Community Center has been able to provide basic recovery resources like non-perishable food, clothes, hot meals and other essential services to the residents of St Bernard Parish and surrounding areas. We are very grateful for all that these volunteers have done to help their neighbors in need, and we thank them for their ongoing support.” 

The President's Volunteer Service Award is issued by the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation, composed of leaders in government, media, entertainment, business, education, nonprofit and volunteer service organizations and community volunteering. For more information on the President's Volunteer Service Award please visit www.presidentialserviceawards.gov <http://cts.vresp.com/c/?CommunityCenterofStB/592c21ff3f/fb884231b7/91066dc210> or call 1-866-545-5307. 


Full Force Dance Academy Planning Benefit for the Community Center 


Full Force Dance Academy of Chalmette is partnering with the Community Center to raise money for the Mustard Seed Food Pantry, which provides local low-income families with much needed food during the holiday season and beyond. Full Force will hold performances of the Christmas classic "The Nutcracker" on December 18 and 19 at Nunez Community College Auditorium, with all proceeds to benefit the Food Pantry. The December 19 performance will also include a silent auction. For more information or to make a donation to the auction, please contact Jessica Natal at fullforcedance(at)yahoo(dot)com. 


"Bingo on LeBeau" Now at 6 PM Every Tuesday Night! 


Tuesday nights are Free Bingo Nights at the Community Center! Everyone is invited to a family evening filled with fun, prizes, and 10 rounds of Bingo starting at 6 PM at the Community Center of St Bernard, 1107 Lebeau St, Arabi. There is no charge for admission, and children are welcome to join in the fun as long as they are supervised. Winners can choose from a variety of prizes including vases, figurines, and handicrafts, so come out and join us for "Bingo on LeBeau"! For more information, please phone the Community Center Office at 504.281.2512. 

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Free Yoga Classes Every Monday & Wednesday Night 


Swan River Yoga and the Community Center of St Bernard are pleased to announce that the popular Yoga For The People! free yoga classes currently held every Wednesday evening will now be expanded to include Monday sessions as well. Led by instructor Kim Martin, the Monday classes will be offered every week from 6-7 PM at the Community Center of St Bernard, Arabi, beginning on November 30. The Wednesday evening classes, led by Lauren Shepley, will also continue to meet weekly at 6 PM at the Community Center. The current Saturday morning classes are being discontinued. 

The Yoga For The People! program, established in 2008, is the first New Orleans-based yoga community outreach program. Inspired by a group of yogis from NYC led by Katie McDonald, Yoga For The People! currently offers classes at a variety of locations throughout the greater New Orleans area including Catholic Charities, Trinity Episcopal Church, and the Red Cross. 

“Yoga is thought to release stress, and facilitate an accelerated rate of healing of the physical body and psyche, so that we can all more fully enjoy our lives with a sense of ease, support, and delight in our community,” notes Michele Baker, who is the founder, co-owner, and director of Swan River Yoga Teacher Training School. “Health and happiness is our birthright. This is what the Yoga For The People! program hopes to provide. The classes are an opportunity for our teachers to experience Seva - compassion in action and selfless service. A supportive community is the foundation of a yoga practice. We thank the Yoga For The People! outreach partner agencies for giving us the opportunity to experience such diverse depth of relationship within our great city and region by allowing us to teach.” 

Yoga class participants will learn simple breathing techniques, meditation tools, and basic poses for releasing discomfort and increasing health, benefiting the neighborhood, community, and beyond. The Community Center has 20 yoga mats on hand, but participants are welcome to bring their own. The classes are open to the public and beginners are welcome to attend. No registration is needed and there is no charge for the sessions. For more information about Swan River Yoga's many programs and services, please visit www.swanriveryoga.com <http://cts.vresp.com/c/?CommunityCenterofStB/592c21ff3f/fb884231b7/cc384e3544> . 


Community Center on "The Biggest Loser"!


The November 24th episode of the TV show "The Biggest Loser" featured footage from the Community Center of St Bernard's Mustard Seed Food Pantry. Highlighting the role of proper nutrition in maintaining a healthy weight and the tremendous need pantries face for more food resources during these troubled economic times, the segment included interviews with former food pantry client Rebecca Muscarello along with Community Center Executive Director Iray Nabatoff and Natalie Jayroe, CEO of the local Second Harvest Food Bank. Episode 811 will soon be available to view online at http://www.nbc.com/the-biggest-loser/episode_guide/


Giving in Tough Times 


Times may be tight, but there are still ways you can make a difference. This holiday season, you can use your creativity as well as your wallet to help spread the holiday spirit and make life better for those who are struggling, both in St Bernard Parish and elsewhere. 

•Support the Community Center of St Bernard for free just by searching the Web with http://www.freelanthropy.com/search/ccstb <http://cts.vresp.com/c/?CommunityCenterofStB/592c21ff3f/fb884231b7/9d2f47a6e3> . Freelanthropy uses the Yahoo search engine to get results and it makes a donation to the Community Center or other charity every time you search! You can also get a free toolbar and more information at http://www.freelanthropy.com/ccstb <http://cts.vresp.com/c/?CommunityCenterofStB/592c21ff3f/fb884231b7/e16d88e0dc> 

• Hold a garage sale or holiday bake sale and set aside a table of items whose proceeds will benefit the Community Center of St Bernard.

• Planning a holiday party or get together? Set up a Giving Tree and ask guests to donate to the Community Center. If finances are good for you, offer to match what your guests contribute. 

• Have some spare time due to unemployment or retirement? If you're in the greater New Orleans area, donate your extra time to help with the Community Center's Food Pantry or Clothing Bank. 

• Check your pantry for foods that will be expiring in the next month and bring them to the Community Center.

• Received some gifts you just don't know what to do with? If returning isn't an option, and regifting wouldn't work, you can always make a donation to the Mustard Seed Clothing Bank. 

• And for those of you who like to plan ahead, make a New Year's resolution to save all your pocket change for a year, then give it to charity next holiday season!

Free Services Available from the CCSTB 


*	Public Phones 
*	Fax Send and Receive 
*	Copying Service 
*	Internet-connected Computers 
*	Food Pantry
*	Clothing Bank 
*	Performance space for local musicians and artists 
*	Computer training classes
*	Space for neighborhood gatherings, community meetings and support groups 
*	Satellite office space for other agencies (legal, medical, food stamps, etc) 
*	Hot Meals
*	Dinner–dances, holiday celebrations, and other family–oriented gatherings