Long-time teacher gets help from her friends at Chalmette school ä 6G
THE C ESCENT CITY
ADVOCATE
JEFFERSON • NEW ORLEANS • PLAQUEMINES • RIVER PARISHES • ST. BERNARD
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WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 18, 2015 H
THENEWORLEANSADVOCATE.COM
Lynne Jensen
Eva Jacob Barkoff
It’s beginning to look a lot like ChristmasFest
Sip with Santa to benefit food bank
AROUND JEFFERSON
THROW ME SOMETHIN’
The third annual NOLA ChristmasFest includes 10 days of fun from noon to 8 p.m. Dec. 18-23 and Dec. 26-27; noon to 5 p.m. Dec. 24; and 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. Dec. 25 inside Hall B at the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. The fest will feature an indoor ice-skating rink, a walkthrough maze, rides including the Kringle Carousel, Winter Whirl, Snowball Fight and Snowy Summit, and a climbing wall. On hand for photos will be Santa and several of his North Pole friends. The setting will include thousands of dazzling lights and more than 70 Christmas trees decorated by local businesses. Convention Center Boulevard will be draped in holiday décor, with lights flashing to traditional and contemporary holiday music. Now is the time to get tickets, which are available online at www.nolachristmasfest. com. The cost runs from $5 to $75, and teens and children must be accompanied by an adult. To join businesses and organizations involved with the fest, visit the sponsor tab on the fest website. Sponsorships are available for the ice rink, carnival rides and the signature Christmas trees. Businesses may host corporate holiday parties at the fest by emailing info@nolachristmasfest.com. NOLA ChristmasFest is presented by the convention center, and sponsors include Entergy, Capital One, UnitedHealthcare, Postlethwaite & Netterville, Raising Cane’s, New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corp. and the New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau.
‘The Hat Pack’
Join the sixth annual St. Catherine’s Day parade at 10:30 a.m. Sunday, beginning at the corner of St. Charles Avenue and Pleasant Street. The theme is “The Hat Pack,” and the parade will feature music by Bart Ramsey and members of Zazou City. Women and girls are encouraged to march in fanciful hats, and men and boys are weläSee JENSEN, page 2G
Advocate staff photos by SHERRI MILLER
Irie Floyd takes advantage of the swings at playtime during the after-school program at All Souls Episcopal Church & Community Center. It includes homework help and music.
LEARNING TO FLY
All Souls after-school program teaches more than just the 3 R’s BY KIM SINGLETARY
Special to The Advocate At 4 p.m. on a Monday, 22 kids, ages 4 to 13, gather in the All Souls Episcopal Church and Community Center in the Lower 9th Ward. Their voices echo out in unison. “I pledge to give my best at all times. I pledge to be great. I am beautiful and smart. I am a leader. I love my city, and I love All Souls. We are one family. Thank you, God, for my family and supporters,” and here they all pause for a moment before calling out enthusiastically, “because I am
going to college!” This is the pledge of the Scholar Success After-School Program, created by All Souls Episcopal Church with a very specific goal. “Study after study has proved that the after-school hours — around 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. — are the time where young people are most likely to get into trouble with things like gangs, drugs and violence,” said All Souls’ Rev. Edward Thompson. “So our goal from the beginning has been to provide a safe haven — a äSee LEARNING, page 2G
The sixth annual “Sipping with Santa” food drive and holiday celebration, which benefits the Kenner Food Bank, will be held from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Dec. 1 at Chateau Golf and Country Club, 3600 Chateau Blvd., Kenner. The event features refreshments, hors d’oeuvres, music from Eric “Dr. Disco” Miller, photographs with Santa Claus and a Santa’s Secret Village, where those attending can shop for jewelry, artwork, clothing and other gift items. There also will be door prizes, a silent auction, a live auction and raffles. Some of the auction items include jewelry, dinners at local restaurants, hotel stays, framed artwork and clothing for children. “The Kenner Food Bank provides food for a little more than 1,250 families each month,” said Janet Wastsky, an event volunteer. “Requests are coming from many new families who previously were self-sufficient. Typically, there is a decline in donations in December, so keeping the shelves stocked is so important. We want to provide a complete holiday meal to families this holiday season. The funds raised from this event will help keep the food bank open and the shelves stocked.” Tickets are $35 per person, and those attending are asked to bring nonperishable food items to donate to the food bank. For tickets and more information, call (504) 467-1351 visit www.chateaugcc.com.
Holiday bazaar is Sunday
Children raise their hands to answer vocabulary and spelling questions.
The members of the Sisterhood at Congregation Gates of Prayer will hold a holiday gift bazaar from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday at Gates of Prayer, 4000 W. Esplanade Ave., Metairie. There will be new merchandise featuring gifts for all occasions, including Hanukkah. Baked goods will be for sale, and there will be a gift wrapping station. For more information, call the synagogue at (504) 885-2600. äSee BARKOFF, page 2G
Went on down to the Audubon Zoo The fourth annual Special Needs Day gave guests a chance to conSpecial needs visitors were the nect with nature during animal stars Saturday at the Audubon Zoo. encounters and to experience live
Advocate staff report
entertainment at the Capital One field and stage. A social services fair gave out information about community resources.
Advocate staff photos by SHERRI MILLER
The Franklin Avenue Liturgical Ministry dance group performs.
Jolie Savoie, 5, makes a turkey out of colorful construction paper at the Joyful Jennie the Clown tent.
Kevin Scallan, 14, has a star painted on his face by Emerald Smith, 16, at Special Needs Day at the Audubon Zoo.