 |
|
|
|
|
 |
St. Tammany Parish:
|
|
|
|
Polo's Purpose |
| |
by Stacey Paretti Rase
When the last bamboo mallet has been swung and the final chukker has come to an end, the work for the Junior League of Greater Covington then begins. No, I’m not referring to the event clean-up—although the ladies do spend hours breaking down the affair!—but to the work being done out in the community by these ambitious and compassionate women. Because, while the organization takes pride in its fundraisers that allow for generous donations, it is their hours of volunteer work that are immeasurable in value.
Last year alone, the league donated more than $75,000 and 10,000 hours of volunteer time concentrated on improving educational and cultural opportunities for children and families throughout western St. Tammany. Each active and provisional league member receives a community volunteer placement for the year. Some gravitate toward opportunities to work with young children, at places like Head Start in Mandeville, where they provide enrichment projects at the free pre-school program that is designed to provide critical educational experiences to children between the ages of three and five.
The needs of young adults don’t go ignored by these civic-minded women, either. They have teamed up with Southeast Louisiana Hospital’s Adolescent School to spend time with the troubled teens who reside there. The youngsters have come to anticipate the friendly visits, which often include art projects and lively games. Every Christmas Eve, the ladies hold a party at the school, because many of the teens have no family with which to share the holiday season. And the league’s monetary donation never goes unnoticed, as it provides the only funding to allow these kids to take field trips.
Volunteers can be found in many libraries, gymnasiums and cafeterias of schools throughout the parish, as well. They don black shirts and pants and hide behind a screen, while bringing puppets to life in elaborate shows that encourage middle school students to steer clear of drugs. The puppet troupe, coined “Kids on the Block,” is presented in cooperation with the Parents Resource Institute for Drug Education.
Other members find their niche connecting with the elderly. Through their Prime Time Senior program, they spend time at both The Arbor at Christwood and Southerland Place. The main efforts of the program are designed to provide literary and cultural enrichment, intellectual stimulation, and encouragement of fine motor skills for the assisted-living residents. But anyone involved with this placement will tell you that they have learned more from simply visiting with these folks than could ever be written in a mission statement. Just ask any of them, and they will tell you of the camaraderie they have formed with these special elders and the compassion they have gained from the experience.
Or perhaps you’ve spotted league volunteers strolling the halls at local hospitals. One may be pushing an Arts Cart, which brings arts and crafts to the rooms of ill children. Another may be counseling a first-timer in the maternity ward, offering educational materials, support, and referrals that are invaluable to a woman who is faced with all the complexities that come along with being called “mom.”
JLGC’s newest collaboration is with New Heights Therapy Center, which operates out of the Folsom Equestrian Center. The progressive, therapeutic horseback-riding program is for children and adults who are mentally, emotionally, or physically challenged. The therapy is medically proven to promote strength, neuromuscular coordination and range of movement, while also producing a natural bond between the horse and rider. The riders gain self-confidence through their riding, and the league members hope to aid them every step of the way by serving as horse-leaders.
Volunteers are also busy working with the Make a Wish Foundation, the Children’s Advocacy Center’s Hope House, and Covington Early Head Start. The list goes on and on!
So, while you’re enjoying the fanfare and festivities at the 2004 Harvest Cup Polo Classic, with your drink in hand and your foot on a divot, call to mind the immensely important work that is going on behind the scenes. Because all the funds raised in the world couldn’t surpass the value of the league’s volunteer work. Those hours are priceless.
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
Copyright 2006, M&L Publishing, all rights reserved. |
|
bigeasyonline.net |
Home | Advertising Information | Archive of Past Issues | Contact Us