[StBernard] Christmas Tour of Homes on historic Friscoville Avenue

[Westley Annis]

Christmas Tour of Homes on historic Friscoville Avenue

Published: Friday, December 02, 2011, 8:10 AM     Updated: Friday, December
02, 2011, 9:29 AM

 By Barry Lemoine 

It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas on Friscoville in Old Arabi -
the destination for this year's annual St. Bernard Christmas Tour of Homes.
The tour, set for Dec. 8, is produced by the St. Bernard Parish Volunteers
for Family and Community Inc., whose mission is to strengthen individuals,
families and communities through education, leadership and action.

Tour hours are 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 6 to 9 p.m. Tickets are $15 and can be
purchased the day of the event from the Tourism Welcome Center at the Aycock
Barn, 409 Aycock St., or Arabi Food Store, 650 Friscoville Ave. For tickets
in advance, call Sandra Edel at 504.738.1663 or 504.481.6172.

This year's tour will feature several homes that span the entire block
between St. Claude Avenue and the Mississippi River. Residents who will open
their homes for the tour are: Tom Collins, 246 Friscoville Ave.; Paul and
Jami Dimitrois, 420 Friscoville Ave., Mike and Shirley Pechon, 612
Friscoville Ave.; and Doug Miltz and Dave Dessens, 1010 Friscoville Ave. St.
Bernard Parish Councilman Ray Lauga's office, 847 Friscoville Ave., will
serve as the tour's boutique home; and the home of Emmett and Jennifer
Dupas, 825 Friscoville Ave., will serve as the tour's parade of prizes and
refreshment and hospitality home.

Visitors will be entertained throughout the day with performances by local
schoolchildren, and Santa Claus will be on hand to add to the holiday
atmosphere.

Each year, the St. Bernard VFC donates proceeds from the tour to various
charitable

causes in St. Bernard Parish. In 2010, more than $22,000 was distributed to
14 charities, and three scholarships were awarded to graduating high school
seniors from St. Bernard Parish. Last year, beneficiaries included Chalmette
Baptist Church Food Bank, St. Bernard Parish 4-H Clubs, Project Graduation,
Battered Women's Shelter, Jimmy's Kids, Families Helping Families,
Compassionate Friends, Family Services, ARC, Council on Aging, Youth Rescue
Initiative, Joseph Davies Elementary School's Pelican Club and St. Bernard
Christmas Parade.

Since its inception in 1991, the tour has raised more than $200,000 for
projects to improve school libraries, build playground equipment and
beautify places like Torres Park in Chalmette.

Homeowners Miltz and Dessens said they agreed to participate this year
because it's such a worthy cause.

"We accepted the invitation because of the good the Tour of Homes does,"
Miltz said. "So many people have done so much for our community, it's our
way of giving back."

The couple have been working for months to get the house ready. Miltz said
although there is no one theme, each room does have a special feel - from
shimmering icicles, to a Dickens' Village to a winter wonderland. There's
also a host of angels that are part of the decorations.

"I'm not sure if there are any angels left in the parish," Dessens joked.

Miltz said the biggest challenge in preparing was waiting to decorate the
outside of the home.

"I can't really do that till the week of Thanksgiving because I don't want
everyone driving by to think I've lost my mind," he said.

Besides the exterior, Miltz said the house is almost ready.

"The things left to do are minimal," he said. "The dining table has to be
set, my three little dogs have to go off for the day. Then, I turn on
seasonal music, and welcome the community to my home."

The Pechons are working hard, too. Shirley Pechon said getting things
together is exciting, but challenging.

"My goal was to be done by the Thanksgiving holidays," she said. "The
challenge has been putting up with the mess I have made organizing my
decorations. It looks like a bomb went off inside right now."

Pechon said this project, like rebuilding their home after Hurricane
Katrina, is "a labor of love."

"The house is about 90 years old and we have updated and enhanced its
beauty," she said. "I hope visitors can get an idea that an old house still
has a lot of life left in it."

Pechon, a member of the St. Bernard VFC, is an active member in the
community.

"There are four clubs in the (St. Bernard VFC), and I joined the Chit Chat
Club just last year," she said. "Being a part of the Tour of Homes on Mehle
and Angela streets last Christmas made me want to be part of the tour this
year."

Pechon, who also will serve as the parade of prizes chairperson, said she's
proud of the good things going on in St. Bernard.

"It gives me pride to know that I can help raise money for the local
charities and clubs that will benefit from the proceeds of the Tour of
Homes," she said. "I am proud to be associated with a group that can
contribute so much."

Pechon said there's one thing she needs to make the final touch.

"When they start selling real Christmas trees, then I'll be ready," she
said. "I need a real tree for the right feel of Christmas."

Miltz said he looks forward to seeing friends, neighbors and folks from the
Old Arabi Neighborhood Association coming and going on Friscoville Avenue.

"Old Arabi is a great part of St. Bernard," he said. "I believe we live in
the best-kept secret in the greater New Orleans area. I can't think of a
greater place to reside."

 Barry Lemoine lives in Arabi and writes about people and events in Arabi.
He can be reached at barrybravo at yahoo.com or 504.301.8770.

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