A Safe City is a Strong City

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"A Safe City is a Strong City" is the slogan for a great non-profit I discovered in New Orleans. Evacuteer.org is a non-profit organization that helps car-less New Orleanians evacuate during a hurricane. They are seeking to raise $112,000.00 in private and corporate donations by 8/29/10. I attended a fundraiser for this group on June 17th, "Hello, Hurricane Season." I was fortunate to meet the founder, Patrick Fogerty. Patrick has a photography business in the city, but founded this non-profit to help people in need. The event took place at capdeville, one of the hippest bars in the city. Check out this group at evacuteer.org.

"Shirts with a Yatitude", is a clothing line founded by New Orleans native Lauren Thom. She has opened a store called Fleurty Girl. the store is located at 8611 Oak St.(504) 309-1889 and on-line at www.fleurtygirl.net . This amazing woman is also giving back in support of many groups. She has created a shirt in support of Evacuteer.org with a NOLA > Hurricane Icon shirt. Fleurty Girl will donate $5.00 from each shirt sale to the non-profit. Also available is a Chris Rose Quote shirt in support of Evacuteer.com. Fleurty Girl will donate $2.00 from each shirt sale. the quote is "We dance when there is no music. We drink at funerals. We talk too much, live life too large and, frankly we are suspicious of those who don't." Check out all the fun items available and support a local business.

Now I know everyone in the world is watching the oil disaster in the Gulf and seeing that it is not getting any better. Bill Nungesser, Plaquemines Parish President, has become the voice of every person affected by the disaster. ABC News named him the "Person of the Week." According to ABC -- "Bill Nungesser is the first to sound the alarm on the scope of this disaster." Billy continues to voice his opinion and not allow this man-made disaster to fade into history. Follow Bill on Facebook, he currently has over 4,000 followers. Our marsh lands are destroyed, our brown pelican is now back on the endangered list. Countless numbers of fishermen, tourism, and restaurants are suffering. New Orleans refuses to be beaten and many groups have formed to help those suffering. A group of chefs from New Orleans' finest restaurants have made two trips to Plaquemines Parish to feed those who normally supply the ample fish and seafood to our restaurants. Concerts are being staged by local musicians and national stars like Jimmy Buffett and Kenny Chesney. We are a tenacious group and will overcome anything that comes our way.

This week in New Orleans, the French Quarter police decided it was time to enforce a antiquated noise ordinance that shuts down street musicians at 8:00 p.m. Now it may just be me, but in a time when we are still rebuilding from Katrina and the recent disaster in the Gulf should we really choose to enforce this ordinance? We need tourists to continue to visit and help our economy. What is the French Quarter without live music? It's just not our city, we are all about the music. A group was formed on Facebook called, "Don't Stop the Music, Let the Musicians Play. To date they have more than 13,000 followers. City Council is listening and the Mayor promises a compromise. Chris Rose from Fox eloquently voiced what we all know about the city I love.
"Two people. Could be from anywhere. They come to New Orleans. they visit museums and art galleries, take a cemetery tour, shop for antiques, ride the streetcar, go to a world class restaurant and hit a world class music club. What a great day. What a New Orleans day. And then, on the way home, dog-tired and stuffed full of food and drink, they come upon a spectacle at the corner of Bourbon and Canal Street. A band is playing. Eight, maybe ten guys, they look like teenagers, are wailing. It's a human musical bonfire; it's smokin' hot jazz. The music booms and echoes off the buildings. They've never seen or heard anything like it in their lives. There's a crowd on the corner, clapping, laughing, and dancing. So the two people, they start to dance too...right there on the sidewalk. This something they have never done in their life. People don't dance on the sidewalk where they live. Yet here here they are, dancing in the moonlight; just like that song. It's the closest they have every been to a Cialis ad, but instead of sitting in bathtubs on a beach, they're dancing on the street in New Orleans. Maybe it's the fatigue. Maybe it's the wine they had at dinner. Whatever it is, it feels like magic in the air. Turns out, when they get home, it's the only thing they didn't take pictures of, because they were so lost in the moment But, five years later, what is it about New Orleans that these two people remember most? The restaurant was amazing and the antiques were magnificent and the cemeteries were cool but, through time and over the miles, what makes them smile, laugh...maybe even blush? What memory makes them want to come back as soon as they can? I have a slogan I want to sell to the New Orleans Tourist Commission: What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, but what happens in New Orleans stays in your heart forever. Mister Mayor, City Council Member, View Carre Commission:
Whoever's in charge, Don't Stop the Music, Don't Stop the Magic, Let the Band Play On"

Peace

People, Places and Reasons for Being

I just returned from a fabulous weekend in Natchez, Mississippi. I was in town to attend a Steamboat Reunion. Last year during French Quarter Festival, the first-ever Steamboat Reunion was organized. By the time we sailed on Friday evening aboard the Natchez Steamboat, 120 friends reconnected and we realized we are a family, not just friends. Over this past year, this family has grown stronger thanks to social networking on Facebook and word of mouth. Our beloved steamboats are no longer in operation, which is a tragedy of historic proportions. The Mississippi Queen sits in a shipyard in Harvey, LA waiting for her end as scrap. The Delta Queen is dying a slow death docked as a hotel in Chattanooga, TN and the American Queen is in Texas with a skeleton crew keeping her alive. She is the final hope of being sold and giving America a piece of history back. I had not see most of this group of fellow steamboaters for more than 15 years before our reunion last year. It was great to see old friends and meet new ones over the weekend. More on the reunion in this blog later this week.

You know, sometimes we don't know why certain circumstances come our way. As we are trying to figure it out, we might get smacked with something out of left field and we finally realize our reason for being. It can be a friend who just received frightening news or a friend who is facing the end of a marriage or a friend who is graduating and moving on to the next step into adult life. Getting back to New Orleans was a passion for me and everyday I am thankful to be here. I now find myself here for more important reasons and that is to be support for my family here. And when I am in need of support, my family will be here for me. My life journey has taught me many lessons. Life is not to be taken lightly, it can end in a split second, so it's important to keep a positive outlook, find inner peace and let the people in your life know how important they are.

Our marsh lands and our beautiful Gulf Coast will never be the same, but we are a strong people who will persevere, re-build, replenish our environment and support each other along the way. So when you read about a fundraiser to assist our fellow Louisiana families, support them. The New Orleans Saints are doing just that by raffling off a Super Bowl ring! Go to Saints.com and purchase your tickets. And to that I say, "Bless You Boys!"

This blog is dedicated to my sister Laurie who left my life 14 years ago, RIP my friend.

Peace,