neighborhood initiatives

CELEBRATE ST. BERNARD

As recent guest speaker at a Heart of Chalmette Neighborhood Association meeting, Ms. Polly Campbell spoke about Neighborhood Initiatives' upcoming events which include beautification, tree planting and cleanup projects. Residents can also participate in leadership training, gardening seminars and community planning meetings. Grant funding is available for neighborhood based projects and grantees need not be a 501 (c) 3 to participate.  Funds are disbursed as reimbursements.

Neighborhood Initiatives is a community based information and support resource for neighborhood revitalization efforts. Beginning with curb appeal to draw more homeowners back to the community, focus is centered on preserving the integrity of our residential neighborhoods. Volunteers can assist with an array of projects which at times includes working with visiting volunteer groups.

One of this year's projects will replace several more live oak trees which were lost over the years due to various reasons, including the storms of 2005.  Joey Englert and Howard Luna, both members of St. Bernard Parish Government's Parks and Parkways Commission, will coordinate this tree planting and tree watering project.  All are invited to participate.

Originally planted by the Laurent and the Lagarde families, the live oak trees which grace St. Bernard Parish's major thoroughfare provide shade for our community's family orientated parade routes.  Last year, generous donations to Rediscover District C's Adopt A Tree program provided funding to replace over two dozen live oak trees. This year's funding through a Neighborhood Initiatives grant to Parks and Parkways will allow the program to continue from Arabi to Violet, planting over 120 trees.

Polly Campbell is the Director of Neighborhood Initiatives for the St. Bernard Parish Community Foundation, a part of the Greater New Orleans Foundation. Ms. Campbell is the former Councilwoman at Large East, former Council Clerk and the current president of the Lexington Place Civic Corporation.

Howard Luna is a member of the St. Bernard Parish Govenment's Parks and Parkways Commission, the founding President of Rediscover District C and a Justice of the Peace for Ward G.

Joey Englert is also a member of the Government's Parks and Parkways Commission, and serves as President of the St. Bernard Sportsman's League and a Board Member of Rediscover District C.

Contact information is available on the St. Bernard Parish Government website.