[StBernard] Homecoming in St. Bernard with greeting from the White House

[Westley Annis]

Homecoming in St. Bernard with greeting from the White House 
by Paul Murphy / Eyewitness News

wwltv.com

Posted on September 13, 2010 at 10:31 PM


VIOLET, la. -- A special homecoming Monday night in St. Bernard was years in
the making for Glenda Ceasar and her family.

Like so many others from the parish, the Ceasars have been living away from
their loved ones since Hurricane Katrina destroyed their home, in the same
Violet neighborhood as their new home.

"It really feels good to just come back home," said Glenda Ceasar. "It's
been five long years and we're ready to come back."

The non-profit St. Bernard Project and a host of other volunteers did the
work on the newly rebuilt home where Glenda Ceasar and her five grandkids
will soon live.

"Mrs. Ceasar is just like all of our other clients, hard working Americans
who have struggled and persevered with a sense of dignity for the past five
years, waiting to come home," said St. Bernard Project co-founder Zack
Rosenberg.

Glenda is raising her daughter's children. Her daughter was murdered in
2007.

"All my life we were raised here," said Ceasar. "My daughter was here and
she was raising her kids before she got killed. We just want to be back and
feel so much love here. My family's here. It really feels good."

Before the family arrived some of the best chefs from across the country
were hard at work - cooking up jambalaya, shrimp and other New Orleans
delicacies.

A house isn't a home until there's food on the table.

"This signifies another family full of hope spreading that hope and that
message and before you know it all of these houses are going to be
occupied," said Chef John Besh. "We need to celebrate each one that comes
back."

Glenda cut the ribbon and entered her new home to one last surprise.

White House Executive Chef Cris Comerford, who usually serves the president
and first lady, presented the Ceasar family with their first meal in the new
home.

"It's important for me because actually the bottom line is we're dealing
with people's lives and people's livelihoods," said Comerford. "The home
that we're kind of opening and having a party for it's really what's
important to us."

Comerford and the other chefs say their trip to St. Bernard is two fold: to
welcome home the Ceasars and to once again let people know Louisiana seafood
is safe to eat.

"Between the FDA and NOAA, they do all the testing and everything that they
can ensure to the public that it's okay," said Comerford.

Glenda Ceasar had a message for other families still waiting to come home.
She said with help from groups like the St. Bernard Project, they too will
be back, sooner than later.

"This is what it's all about, bringing families and homes back together,"
said Ceasar.

The Ceasars are moving into the St. Bernard Project's 312th rebuilt home in
the New Orleans area.