I often hear in conversation, when discussing crime here on the northshore, things like: “thank goodness we’re not like New Orleans-we don’t have those kinds of problems over here”.
Well, that’s correct. To an extent. We don’t have the insanely high murder rate that they do, or any statistics comparable to the crimes taking place in the city. But, is it really fair to compare ourselves to a city that has the highest murder rate in the country? Take away the comparison and look at the facts. Crime is everywhere, even on our precious northshore.
I look at the facts and statistics regularly. Lt. Fred Escher of the St. Tammany Sheriff’s Office and myself co-founded our Town-wide Neighborhood Watch program here in Abita Springs, and it is our responsibility to keep people informed as to what is going on. At our quarterly meetings, when we discuss the details of the latest crimes in our area, without fail, looks of shock and disbelief fall upon everyone’s faces. People simply can’t believe things like residential burglaries and such are happening in THEIR neighborhood. Being aware is a great first step in protecting our own neighborhoods from crime and knowing our neighbors and people in our community is vital.
In Tangipahoa Parish and around the country, citizens will be celebrating National Night Out Against Crime on Tuesday, August 3. From 5:00 – 8:00 in downtown Amite, residents are invited to come out and have a good time while learning about public safety, crime and drug awareness. This is a family event and residents are encouraged to bring the kids and enjoy a free evening out with the family, meanwhile meeting your neighbors and learning about how you can be safer in your own community.
This is the 2nd Annual National Night Out Against Crime event in Tangipahoa held by Tangipahoa Crimestoppers. Tangi Crimestoppers is a 5013c non-profit and an affiliate of Crimestoppers, USA. Locally, they work daily to educate Tangi residents about crime awareness and work hand in hand with law enforcement to fight crime. Crimestoppers gives cash rewards of up to $2000 to anyone who provides information that leads to an arrest of a suspected criminal. Tips can be given anonymously by either calling or via a secure website. To report a crime, simply call 1-800-554-5245.
Tangipahoa Crimestoppers has an informative website. Check it out at: www.tangicrimestoppers.com
I urge everyone to participate in National Night Out wherever they are. Get involved. It’s our responsibility to educate ourselves and be aware of what is going on around us! For more info about the Tangi Night Out events, click on the link right here on the front page of northshorelinks.com. We are a sponsor, and proud to be involved! We are also celebrating National Night Out Against Crime for the 2nd year here in Abita Springs. For more info about the Night Out events here in my hometown, email me at sheri.campbell@townofabitasprings.com
Sheri Sable Campbell
NorthshoreLinks.com
Last December, I was invited to attend a special holiday performance at my alma mater, Covington High School. It was a musical number, co-directed by my lifelong friend, Cedric Bridges. Cedric and I grew up in Abita Springs together. We performed and sang together in choirs for years; He is now a talented music teacher at CHS. Growing up with big dreams in a school system that, at the time, had little to offer in the arts, was frustrating, to say the least. But, we did the best we could. I have lasting, happy memories of those days. Our school also did the best it could with the funding that it had back then. We practiced hard and sang our hearts out in that little portable building out in the back of the campus. We performed at whatever space we could borrow around town.
Cedric invited me to come watch his student’s performance. “You’re not going to believe it” he said. “We’ve come a long way, baby”.
Was he right! What a performance! The talent of these Covington High School students was amazing. The entire performance was so professionally executed. The most impressive part? All done by the kids. The lights, costumes, the set, music, everything, both onstage and behind the scenes- these students did a fantastic job!
As I sat there watching in the CHS Lyon Auditorium, part of me was admittedly a little jealous. Why didn’t we have this facility when I was here? Why didn’t I have the opportunity to experience this as a kid? I didn’t mention this to Cedric, but I know he knows how I feel. Cedric is one of the most incredible talents to ever graduate from CHS. His voice is unbelievable, to say the least. He is hugely successful and has performed with opera’s and sung around the country, but calls the northshore home. And he has chosen to teach and mentor the talented kids at CHS in music, right where he started.
Cedric and director Ric Watkins are doing a beautiful job of nourishing the talent that abounds in these high school students. We are fortunate to not only have talented instructors who are dedicated to teaching and passing along their love for the arts, but a school system that recognizes that, and provides for our kids.
These two instructors, along with technical director Gary Mendoza and a team of talented people, also operate a non-profit program each summer designed to teach these kids everything, inside and out and from beginning to end- about a performance. The program is called Covington Louisiana Actors Playhouse System, or CLAPS. Founded by Watkins, CLAPS is celebrating its 15th year this summer of providing top notch musical and technical instruction, art enrichment, and meaningful, high school memories of music to the teenagers of the northshore.
I will be sure NOT to miss a performance this year! Most of the shows are geared towards children and provide a wonderful way of experiencing a real show with your child at a very minimal cost (most shows are on $5). This is a great way to enrich your children’s lives this summer with the arts and perhaps ignite an interest in it themselves.
The lineup is as follows:
Disney’s Cinderella, June 10-12, 10:00 a.m.
Schoolhouse Rock, June 17-19, 10:00 a.m.
Revenge of the Space Panda’s, June 18, 1:00 (this one is for ages 8 and up)
Disney’s The Jungle Book, June 24-26, 10:00 a.m.
The Last Five Years, June 24, 7:00p.m. (this one is more for the grown-ups; ticket prices $10, students, and $15 adults)
For tickets and any other information, please call the CLAPS box office at 893-9843.
I’m so proud of my dear friend and the contribution he is making to the arts right here in St. Tammany Parish. I can’t wait to attend these shows with my children this summer. I’ve got a daughter of my own who wants to learn and explore musical theater. Because of programs like this, she will have every opportunity. No, doubt she’ll love these performances and perhaps embrace the possibility of being on stage one day and experiencing it herself. And no doubt, I’ll be sitting there next to her, reminiscing of the old days and dreaming about the same things.
Sheri Sable Campbell
Northshorelinks.com
Hello there, northshore residents….if I could have your attention for a moment….
The Covington Food Bank is nearly out of food. Again. The food bank supplies food to an average of about 86 FAMILIES A DAY. The need is getting greater and greater for food assistance for many families being faced with troubles in these difficult economic times. In fact, Mrs. Jackie Catalannotto, director of The Food Bank, just told me they are registering about 100 NEW families a month and have been doing so since January of 2009!
In addition, the need for food will be rising even higher soon when school lets out for the summer, and children who normally are provided school lunches will be eating at home.
Would you consider making a food donation to the Food Bank? Or a monetary one? They have an opportunity to purchase an 18 wheeler full of food very soon. This could help things substantially right now, however the cost of this delivery is $22,000. Anything you could do to help this valued non-profit would be appreciated. Mrs. Jackie, her husband Sam and all the volunteers work so hard to provide for the needy in our community. Let’s do what we can to help them! It’s real easy. You can stop by the Food Bank at 840 N. Columbia Street in Covington and drop of your food donation or even donate online at their website: www.foodbankofcovington.org .
The northshore is filled with so many people who care, get involved, and provide when they see a need. If everyone who is able can give just a little, it could make a huge difference for so many families in need in our community.
Thanks so much!
Sheri Sable Campbell
NorthshoreLinks.com
Last Saturday night, my husband and I were in downtown Covington. It was a beautiful spring evening, perfect for Spring For Art. We had dinner at LOLA, my favorite restaurant in downtown Covington, and strolled through downtown, sipped some wine and browsed the various galleries that opened their doors for the evening. Spring For Art is one of my favorite Covington happenings. Another beautiful evening of local art at its best is this weekend.
On Saturday, April 24 the St. Tammany Art Association is hosting its “Geaux Arts Ball”. This unique event, held at the Art House at 320 N. Columbia Street is an enjoyable evening of fabulous food, wine and music, however the highlight is absolutely the art.
At the Geaux Arts Ball, art comes to life. “Living Tableaux’s” are on exhibit throughout the space. Humans recreating art, still and statuesque, stand behind enormous frames portraying the art itself. It’s quite interesting to see and it provides a perfect setting for a fabulous night and celebration of art.
I was the emcee for this event last year and had such a wonderful time! It was also gratifying having the opportunity to volunteer for such a worthy organization. In addition to the funds raised from the fantastic silent auction items, all proceeds will help the St. Tammany Art Association continue on with their mission of educating and promoting art and local artists in our community.
Tickets are only $25.00 in advance and $30.00 at the door. This includes an open bar and an array of food represented from some of the best restaurants on the northshore. Tickets are available at the Art House or by calling 892-8650. Details can also be found at the Art Association’s website, www.sttammanyartassociation.org
Sheri Sable Campbell
NorthshoreLinks.com
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The northshore will once again be whole-heartedly participating in the American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life. The residents here within our various northshore communities continually step up each year and get involved with Relay for Life. More than just a fundraiser, this event provides participants an opportunity to remember those that have been lost to cancer and honor those who are cancer survivors. It also strengthens our community – participants are united by the one goal, to find a cure for all cancer.
Relay For Life events are being held all across the area. All the details can be found at: www.relayforlife.org however, here is a list of our local Relay For Life events:
Sheri Campbell
NorthshoreLinks.com
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Spring is finally here northshore and our weekends are filled with a myriad of options of “what to do?” Crawfish boils, festivals… the list is long!
But…THIS weekend there is a super-fun FREE event you can bring the whole family to in Covington. You will ALL laugh and have a great time –PROMISE! It’s fun for everyone.
It’s the 4th Annual St. Tammany Hospital Foundation Gurney Games! Gurney Games is a race where teams of participants dress in costume and decorate hospital gurneys to match their theme-then they race them through an obstacle course down the street! I attended Gurney Games (and was a judge) last year for the first time. I brought my whole family along with me and everyone had a blast! My kids (and even the husband) have been talking about it all week and they just can’t wait to go again! Gurney Games will be held Sunday, March 28 at 2:00 in downtown Covington on Columbia Street between Boston and Rutland.
Along with the awards for “best costumes” and “best time” in the race itself, teams will also be awarded in other categories such as “most creative”, “funniest” and even “best bribe of a judge”! Last year, quite a few teams had extravagant costumes and very well rehearsed performances to show off upon approaching the Judge’s Table. There were smiles and laughter coming from one end of the street to the other as viewers lining Columbia waited with anticipation the oncoming of each gurney. What a good time!
In addition to the race, Gurney Games is also a street festival. There’s music, food provided by WOW Café and Wingery, beer & other beverages, and other fun things to do like the “money machine” that’s filled with cash and prizes.
Feel free to bring along lawn chairs if you’d like to sit curbside as you wait for the race. The afternoon of festivities wraps up around 5:00. You won’t be disappointed that you attended this incredibly unique event! It’s good, clean fun for everyone. Not to mention supporting a fantastic cause like the St. Tammany Hospital Foundation!
See you Sunday at Gurney Games!
Sheri Sable Campbell
NorthshoreLinks.com
This Sunday, March 21, the place to be is downtown Covington. I’ll be there for a day of fun and festivities – and to support two local organizations that are near and dear to my heart.
First on the list - Woofstock. Presented by the St. Tammany Humane Society. this is a festival for everyone in the family – people and puppies! The fun starts at 11:00 and the festival is being held once again on the grounds of St. Peter’s School. This year, I am honored to be the emcee for the event! It’s really going to be a wonderful day. The music line-up is awesome! Christian Serpas and Ghost Town (one of my favorite northshore bands) will be headlining. Also my friend Jude Leblanc and his group We3 will be performing. We’ll also have a scaled down group with members of the popular band Four Unplugged, too.
In addition to great music, we will also have some contests that you and your dog can consider competing, numerous vendors with a variety of food and beverages and also the STHS Low-Cost Vet Clinic will be on hand.
It’s such a great event to bring your family to – and this year the Humane Society has made it easier than ever to do so – this year Woofstock is FREE! That’s right-no admission! So bring everybody!
Then…when Woofstock wraps up around 5:00…I’ll just head a few blocks down the road to the 26th Annual Youth Service Bureau Chef Soiree!
Chef Soiree is one of the biggest events to happen on the northshore annually. And thanks to the success of this fabulous event every year, the Youth Service Bureau is able to provide services to children and families throughout our community. Chef Soiree is the ultimate “party with a purpose”. Starting at 5:00 at Bogue Falaya Park, the night is always an unforgettable one. A plethora of food and spirits are available from some of the best restaurants in southern Louisiana. The music is non-stop (and so is the dancing!) It’s simply a night like no other. Tickets are still available at www.chefsoiree.com or you can purchase them locally at Braswell Drugs, Gordon’s of Mandeville and The Pool and Patio Center in Metairie.
Also, make sure you get your raffle ticket! Youth Service Bureau will be raffling off $10,000 the night of Chef! There are only a limited number of tickets being sold, so get them now before they are gone. You can get more details about the raffle at www.ysbraffle.com.
There’s one more sight I’d like you to check out while you are purchasing tickets – www.ysbworks.com this is our Youth Service Bureau website. I am on the board of YSB. I am so proud of the work the Youth Service Bureau is doing. I’d love for you to look over our site and see exactly what programs we have – and what a contribution YSB is making to the children and families of the northshore.
Ok, I will have to make sure to stay home Saturday night so I can rest up for Sunday! What a day, I can’t wait! I’m praying for beautiful weather and looking forward to an incredible day. Having a good time while helping out two of my favorite organizations…? Organizations that help out our children in need..and pets? It doesn’t get any better than that! Hope to see you Sunday! Have a great weekend.
Sheri Sable Campbell
NorthshoreLinks.com
Ok, it’s March! So, that means – in my book anyway- that Spring has officially sprung. There are a few things that are a must every year for me to jumpstart that transition from winter to spring and help move things along.
One of them is having my first snoball for the season (I own a snoball stand-so that’s an easy one!). Packing away the winter clothes and bringing out the spring ones…pretty sundresses always put me in the mood for spring! Planting spring flowers to bring a little color to the drab winter lawn. And well, one of my favorites and probably a favorite of most everyone in southern Louisiana – sitting down with a cold beer and some friends to enjoy my first crawfish boil of the season!
Well, that was on my list for last weekend but it didn’t happen. Next weekend, I’ll have another chance at the 1st Annual Crawfish Cook-Off benefitting the St. Tammany Parish Hospital Hospice of St. Tammany and presented by the St. Paul’s Alumni Association.
It will be held Saturday, March 13 at St. Paul’s School immediately following their annual Ozone Spring Run. It sounds like a really good time – live music all day, beer, all the crawfish you can eat and stuff to keep the kids occupied, I mean, fun activities for the children! The price is great. $20 for adults, $15 for high school students and kids under 12 are free. Yep, that’s right- $20 for all the crawfish you can eat! And it’s for a good cause! It can’t be beat.
If you think your boiled crawfish recipe is the best and would like to compete in the cook-off, it may not be too late to get in on the competition. Click on the ad on the front page of NorthshoreLinks.com and it will take you to the St. Paul’s website with all the details and contact information.
Crawfish! It’s a rite of passage into spring here in Louisiana! I hope you enjoy the beautiful spring weather and all the fun things that go along with it!
Sheri Sable Campbell
NorthshoreLinks.com
Coming up on March 7, the Junior League of Greater Covington will present “A Night For the Museum – A Celebration of Exploration”, a gala fundraiser to support the future Northshore Children’s Museum.
This is a huge event and a fabulous night of food, dancing, cocktails and more. I had the privilege to emcee this event last year with my former radio co-host Bernie Cyrus and we had such a great time!
This year it will be better than ever. Food will be provided from over 40 of the northshores finest restaurants. The silent auction is impressive with a variety of fantastic items (including a few Saints items that are sure to be a hit!) There will be a “Diamond Dig” and a live auction, too. The event is from 6:00-10:00 at the Castine Center.
The cause, the construction of a Northshore Children’s Museum, is a worthy one. The ground has been broken and the plans are made for this beautiful facility. However, more funds are needed to proceed with the construction. The Museum will be located on Koop Drive on land donated by the Parish of St. Tammany. It is in the same area as the Kids Konnection playground and the Tammany Trace, so it is an ideal location for use by northshore families.
The women of the Junior League have taken on the task of assuring the Museum is built. This is the latest in a long list of successful projects and programs the JLGC has initiated or assisted in the last 30 years. Covington Head Start, the Youth Service Bureau and Meals on Wheels are just a few of the long running organizations that can thank JLGC for a hand in their start and their success.
St. Tammany is blessed to have such a determined group of hard working women that make up the Junior League of Greater Covington. They have vision. They identify the needs of our community and they act on them. I simply cannot wait until our Children’s Museum is completed! It will add to the growing list of reasons why the northshore is such a wonderful place to live, work and play.
Speaking of play – don’t miss this event Sunday night. Tickets are available for $100 and can be purchased locally at Playville stores and Huntington Learning Center. You can also click on the link on the front page here on NorthshoreLinks.com and go directly to their website for more details. We are proud to be a sponsor! Hope to see you at this worthwhile, fabulous event!
Sheri Sable Campbell
NorthshoreLinks.com
I’ve written here on my Northshore Blog often how strongly I feel about what a fantastic job Habitat for Humanity St. Tammany West is doing here in our community. Home ownership is something many folks can only dream of. Particularly here in St. Tammany Parish, affordable housing is often unattainable for many people. The staff and volunteers that make up Habitat here work tirelessly to make that dream of home ownership a reality for many hard-working, dedicated and worthy citizens. Just since Hurricane Katrina, HFHSTW has built 107 homes. The lives of 107 families have been forever changed. More than just a roof over your head, with home ownership comes a sense of pride. Pride in yourself, your home, your neighborhood, your community. The positive effects of this are endless and quite obvious throughout the new thriving neighborhoods Habitat has created in St. Tammany Parish.
If you’re like me and want to support and encourage such inspiring work, there are many ways to help our local Habitat organization. Many of you get out there, swing a hammer and participate with various builds throughout the year. That is a great way to participate and understand, hands on, the gratification of building a home. Some of you may donate - donations, of course, are absolutely necessary and invaluable. However, coming up soon is a unique way you and your whole family can get involved in making a new Habitat home happen for a local northshore family and you can all have a great time doing it.
On Sunday, March 7, Habitat will be having it’s Breakfast at Tiffany’s Family Brunch and Bowl Annual Event at Tiffany Lanes in Mandeville. Bring the whole family and enjoy some quality time together participating in one of America’s favorite pastimes…bowling! This event is a ton of fun and a hit every year. The music, brunch and bowling start at 11:30, so there is plenty of time to go to church first. The price can’t be beat. For food, bowling and fun the ticket price for a family is only $50.00 and $25.00 for a single ticket. And you can meet the Harley family, they’ll be there. The proceeds from the event are going to help them build a home!
Consider taking your family, or maybe getting a team together of co-workers and help support our local HFHSTW by brunching and bowling your afternoon away! NorthshoreLinks.com will be there. We are proud once again to be a sponsor for such a fantastic organization. We hope to see St. Tammany come out and show their support, too!
Sheri Sable Campbell
Northshore Blog
