THE NEW ORLEANS / BYWATER ART MARKET:
March 21: The Second Bywater Bark Market will be held in conjunction with the monthly Bywater Art Market. From 9am-4pm, pet professionals will be on hand to offer adoptions, training demos, a dog wash, pet accessories and foods, demonstrations and free micro-chipping. In addition, the regular Art Market artists will showcase animal themed art.
Proceeds will benefit the LA-SPCA Heartworm Fund, providing heartworm treatment for otherwise adoptable animals!
Markey Park, Royal St. @ Piety, 944-7900.www.BywaterArtMarket.com
Admission is free and refreshments by Nathan’s Que Crawl (the Purple Truck!) will be available.
Check out the website at www.BywaterArtMarket.com www.bywaterartmarket.comfor more info about the market, map link and exhibitor applications. Call 944-7900 for more information.
President Obama Proclaims March as Red Cross Month
On February 27th President Barack Obama officially proclaimed March as American Red Cross Month. The Southeast Louisiana Chapter has a month of activities planned to encourage people to be ready and be safe, to recruit new volunteers and to recognize our hundreds of dedicated volunteers and staff. Highlights of the month will include education and recruitment booths throughout our 13 parishes, a Family Day at the Belle Chasse Naval Air Station, and the annual Bayou Brunch at Nichols State University.
In the proclamation, President Obama stated that Red Cross volunteers “epitomize the generosity and community spirit of the American people” and encouraged all Americans to “support this organization’s noble and humanitarian cause.”
“The Red Cross is very appreciative of President Obama’s support, and for issuing this proclamation in honor of March as Red Cross Month,” said Kay W. Wilkins, CEO of the Southeast Louisiana Chapter. “We are proud to be the organization where everyday people can do extraordinary things, and we hope our entire community will continue to support us so that we can continue to offer lifesaving services everyday.”
A detailed list of Southeast Louisiana Red Cross events can be found on the second page.
Please visit www.arcno.org for more information and updates about Red Cross Month.
To volunteer, donate, or receive current information about Red Cross activities, call 1-800-229-8191 or visit www.arcno.org. All American Red Cross disaster assistance is free, made possible by voluntary donations of time and money from the American people. The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and counsels victims of disasters; teaches lifesaving skills; and supports members of the military and their families. The American Red Cross is a charity, not a government agency, and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its humanitarian mission.
POLITICOS CARVILLE, MATALIN TO HEADLINE HALL OF FAME CEREMONY
IN NEW ORLEANS
THIBODAUX – Politically divided – yet matrimonially united – James Carville and Mary Matalin, two of the nation’s most respected political consultants, will deliver the keynote address Saturday, March 28, at the Louisiana Center for Women and Government’s Hall of Fame Awards Ceremony.
Slated to begin with a coffee and cash bar at 10:30 a.m., followed by a luncheon at noon, the ceremony will be conducted at the New Orleans Hilton Riverside.
Mary Matalin, former assistant to President George W. Bush and counselor to Vice President Dick Cheney, was the first White House official to hold that double title. Before joining the Bush/Cheney White House, Matalin hosted CNN’s critically acclaimed debate show Crossfire, and she is the former founding co-host of the Washington-based political talk show Equal Time, which premiered in 1993 on CNBC.
Her political astuteness and antics contributed to the show being called “the best talk show on television” by Knight Ridder News Service. Her humor, straightforward style and ability to discuss the hottest political issues in Washington helped to make the show one of the most talked-about programs in the network’s history.
In 1992, President George H.W. Bush named Matalin deputy campaign manager for political operations, which required her to spearhead all 50 state operations. As the on-board planner who traveled with President Bush throughout the 1992 campaign, she emerged as the vocal – and occasionally controversial – defender of the president and his policies.
Matalin now runs Threshold, a new conservative publishing imprint at Simon & Schuster. She also serves as vice president of the Washington Humane Society and is a board member of the Cheney Cardiovascular Institute. In addition, she sits on the editorial board of Campaigns and Elections magazine, which features up-to-date campaign information, the latest news about political consultants and business trends in the industry.
James Carville is America’s best-known political consultant. His long list of electoral successes evidences a knack for steering overlooked campaigns to unexpected landslide victories and for re-making political underdogs into upset winners.
Carville’s winning streak began in 1986 when he managed the gubernatorial victory of Robert Casey in Pennsylvania. The following year brought Carville to New Jersey, where he guided Frank Lautenberg’s campaign for U.S. Senate to victory. Carville next managed the successful 1990 gubernatorial campaign of Zell Miller in Georgia. In 1991, he drew national attention when he led Sen. Harris Wofford from 40 points behind in the polls to an upset landslide victory over former Pennsylvania Gov. Richard Thornburgh.
Carville guided Bill Clinton to the White House in 1992, defeating President George H. W. Bush. In 1993, he was named campaign manager of the year by the American Association of Political Consultants. He was also spotlighted in the feature-length documentary film The War Room. After the Clinton victory, he began to focus on foreign consulting, and in 1999, he led Ehud Barak to victory in his campaign to become prime minister of Israel.
In addition, Carville is an author, actor, producer, talk-show host, speaker and restaurateur. In 2003, he and his wife Matalin put a critically acclaimed spin on political consulting in the HBO series K Street. A regular CNN commentator and contributor, he also co-produced the remake of the 1949 movie All The King’s Men with a cast that included Sean Penn and Kate Winslet.
Carville and Matalin live in New Orleans with their daughters, Matalin “Matty” Carville and Emerson “Emma” Carville.
The Louisiana Center for Women and Government, established in 1991 and headquartered at Nicholls State University, encourages and promotes the leadership of women by providing resources and non-partisan support through educational workshops, training seminars and outreach programs. With more than 600 members from eight regions across Louisiana, the center promotes women in government and public service, acknowledges achievements of women and teaches all citizens about the importance of public service and responsible citizenship.
Each year, up to four Louisiana women are inducted into the center’s Hall of Fame. The 2009 ceremony, sponsored by the New Orleans Leadership Council, will honor Phyllis Mayo, special assistant to the governor on women’s policy; Ann Milling, founder of Women of the Storm; Lily B. Moskal, founder of Success Seminars; Rosemary Ewing, preservationist and public service activist; Cherry Fisher May, publisher, Independent Publishing Group; and Mildred Fossier, the first female director serving the City of New Orleans and political activist.
Additional center-sponsored events and programs in 2009 include the Congress to Campus program, Louisiana Girls Leadership Academy, National Women’s Leadership Summit and the ongoing internship program.
For additional details, including Hall of Fame ticket information, call the center at (985) 448-4770.
Modern Flooring Carpet One Floor & Home brings Spring to your Doorway and hope for a cure the Carpet One Floor & Home Welcomes Your Support Spring Campaign Kicks Off on March 1st
You don’t have to wait for the flowers to bloom to enjoy spring at your doorstep. Bring a smile to the faces of everyone who enters your home with a colorful welcome mat and help Modern Flooring Carpet One Floor & Home and The Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF) find a cure for breast cancer. The colorful designs from flowers to flip flops remind us of the carefree feeling of spring and summer. A pink ribbon completes each mat and reminds us of those near and dear that have battled with breast cancer.
Not only are the Carpet One Floor & Home pink ribbon welcome mats a great way to dress up your doorway, they are helping researchers find life-saving treatments and hopefully someday a cure. Twenty-five percent of the sales of these mats will be donated to BCRF to help support research and awareness programs. The only way to find a cure is to continue to support these programs.
Carpet One Floor & Home has been supporting breast cancer research and awareness since 2004, and to date, their pink ribbon welcome mats have raised more than $750,000 in the U.S and Canada. This money has been donated to worthy organizations that are searching diligently for a cure.
“The Carpet One Floor & Home Welcomes Your Support campaign has given us the opportunity to donate to this very important cause and we are excited to be supporting such a worthy organization,” says Rick Mercer of Modern Flooring Carpet One Floor & Home. “We are very proud to contribute as much as we can to the search for a cure by supporting BCRF and raising awareness of a disease that has touched us all.”
“We are proud to once again be partnering with Carpet One Floor & Home for the Carpet One Welcomes Your Support campaign,” says Myra Biblowit, BCRF President. “They continue to be a dedicated supporter with a new collection every spring and fall. Each season we look forward to the new designs and the hope they represent.”
In addition to donating a portion of pink ribbon welcome mat sales to BCRF, with each Carpet One Floor & Home Welcomes Your Support campaign, Modern Flooring Carpet One Floor & Home distributes an informational brochure to consumers with breast cancer statistics and valuable information about the disease.
The spring 2009 welcome mat collection features a variety of original spring and summer themed designs as well as a signature pink “Hope” mat. The mats are available from March through May at Modern Flooring Carpet One Floor & Home for approximately $24.99. All of Carpet One Floor & Home’s welcome mats are stain-and-water resistant and machine-washable. These inspiring pink ribbon welcome mats make great gifts and add a special touch to your deck or doorway for your summer gatherings.
Visit Modern Flooring Carpet One Floor & Home at 3619 South Carrollton Avenue or call 504-488-1364.
What’s happening at City Park March 2009
Lark in the Park
Save the date! Get your dress up clothes ready and put on your dancing shoes. Lark in the Park, Friends of City Park’s biggest spring fundraiser, will be held Friday, March 20 in the Botanical Garden. It’s a festive night under the stars, featuring great food and drink with music by Burgundy. Funds raised will help fund the restoration of Popp Fountain. For more information or to purchase tickets to the black tie optional event, visit friendsofcitypark.com
Spring into Fun!
March 7 will welcome a fun family day: "Spring Into Fun" at City Park. Pack up the kids and enjoy free gate admission to the Amusement Park and Storyland, tennis and golf clinics, tours of the horse barns and lessons. There will also be free admission to the Botanical Garden, a dazzling plant sale and lectures. And if that isn’t enough, you’ll get a free soft drink with a purchase of food. How could you turn this down? Visit our Calendar of Events
How Does Your Garden Grow?
The Botanical Garden Series welcomes all green, and not-so-green, thumbs. The March 7 lecture showcases Dan Gill and "Proper Pruning Techniques"; March 11 features Melinda Taylor and "Plants that attract Wildlife"; March 14, a discussion of the Garden’s "Yakumo Nikon Teien Japanese Garden". Michelle Andre will lecture on "New Flower Varieties", March 25; Yvette Cutrer will discuss "Living Wreaths" on March 28 and LSU Ag Center’s Dr. Allen Owing will explain "Trial Gardens" on March 31. For information on speakers, fees, and times visit our Calendar of Events
Thursdays at Twilight Concerts
Thursdays at Twilight Concerts begin March 12 in the Botanical Garden with Jazz pianist and vocalist Tom McDermott and Cindy Scott. March 19 concert features traditional jazz with The Last Straws and March 26 highlights Jazz favorite, Tim Laughlin. Doors open at 5 p.m. and the concerts start at 6 p.m. Enjoy a mint julep and great music in one of the city’s most beautiful venues, the Pavilion of Two Sisters. Admission is $6 for adults, children (5-12), $3 and children under 3 are free. No outside food or pets allowed. For more information, visit our Calendar of Events
Home Improvements
City Park will welcome a whole raft of spring break volunteers who will continue making improvements to our urban oasis. The repair of the Jahncke Fountain (across from the Casino Building) and landscaping, the makeover to the bathroom and interior painting at the Pavilion of the Two Sisters are almost complete. Also, five live oaks have been planted along Lelong Avenue, and – ta! dah!- the path around Big Lake should begin in the next two weeks.
Weeding by Example
City Park Mow-rons, the volunteers who maintain much of the front of City Park, are not fair weathered friends. For over three years they have helped maintain the front entrance to the park and earned stories in USA Today as well as on CBS Nightly News with Katie Couric. They need your help, both physical and financial. Volunteer or donate to these great supporters of the Park. Please contact Scott Discon at <scottdiscon@aol.com>scottdiscon@aol.com if you can help.
NOLA City Bark
You lucky dogs! Nola City Bark has a whole slate of not-to-be-missed events in March. Fundraising and awareness events will take place: March 7, Torin’s Pet Emporium ; March 27, Bywater Bark Market; March 25, Bar Barking and March 29, Dog Day Afternoon. Volunteers are needed to man the booth at the Zephyr’s game, March 8. For information, contact Vicky Maynard at ca_nola@yahoo.com or visit nolacitybark.org
Super Saturdays
Spring cleaning takes on new meaning at City Park, and we need you! Come join the fun at Super Saturday Volunteer Work Day, March 7, 9 a.m. at Storyland and help us spruce up the place! Bring your rakes, gloves, insect repellent and good humor as we make City Park ready for another beautiful season. No chainsaws, please. For more information call (504) 483-9459 or contact <jmorrison@nocp.org>jmorrison@nocp.org.
Open Air Classroom
With 1300 acres, thousands of centuries old oak trees, beautiful lagoons and more, City Park is this city’s most gigantic open air classroom. Bring your students and family to City Park to explore the wonders of nature, take a class in the Botanical Garden series, bird watch or walk along the trails of this urban oasis, in the heart of New Orleans.
Donations Needed
We’re on a roll to make City Park the best park in the United States. We can do it with your help! Please make a donation to the park, or include City Park in your will. For information on how you can be part of the transformation, email John Hopper at jhopper@nocp.org.
Blue Cross Opens 2009 Angel Award Nominations
$160,000 in grants available
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana this week issued its annual call for nominations for the 15th anniversary of the Angel Award with a deadline of May 1. The Angel Award, a partnership of the state’s largest health insurer and its nonprofit Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation, seeks to recognize Louisianians performing extraordinary volunteer work for the state’s children.
Since its creation in 1995, the Angel Award program has helped to identify and honor more than 100 outstanding individuals and given more than $900,000 to their designated charities throughout the state. This year Blue Cross will give eight more Louisianians their wings, and the Foundation will contribute a $20,000 grant to each honoree’s chosen charity.
Past winners have come from all walks of life and ranged in age from 17 to 93. What they all had in common was their unselfish contribution of time and energy to improve the welfare of the children in their communities. Anyone who knows an individual who fits this description is encouraged to nominate him or her for the 2009 Angel Award. The deadline for nominations is May 1, 2009.
Deserving individuals may be nominated for work performed through churches, schools, civic organizations or individual effort. Their volunteer work must have been performed in the state of Louisiana, with Louisiana children as the primary beneficiaries. The volunteer effort can be focused on enhancing any aspect of a child’s life, including physical, emotional or creative. Individuals who are paid for their services are eligible, but their efforts must be considered to go above and beyond their job descriptions. Work done on work-release time and/or for student course credit may also be considered.
To nominate someone or learn more about the Angel Award, visit www.bcbsla.com <<http://www.bcbsla.com/>http://www.bcbsla.com/> and click on Community. The website allows visitors to research information on hundreds of past Angel Award nominees, finalists and overall winners by name, year of nomination or geographical location, as well as review nomination criteria and fill out a convenient online nomination form.
Nomination packets are also available by calling toll-free 1-888-219-BLUE (1-888-219-2583) or e-mailing <Angel.Award@bcbsla.com>Angel.Award@bcbsla.com. Supplemental information in support of the nomination, including testimonial letters, brochures, news articles, photos and videos, is encouraged but cannot be returned.
A selection committee made up of past Angel Award honorees will choose this year’s eight Angels based on the following criteria:
NEED: What does the nominee do to serve Louisiana children? What need does he/she address?
INITIATIVE: Did the nominee initiate new programs or activities and use new methods to solve problems?
IMPACT: Has the activity or service provided by the nominee produced positive changes and provided examples for other groups?
ACHIEVEMENT: What results has the nominee produced?
TIME: What amount of time does the nominee devote to the activity or service? Is the nominee a volunteer for the organization, or does he/she go “above and beyond” the requirements of a paid job?
ACTION: Is the nominee active, not a figurehead?
CHALLENGE: Has the nominee overcome unusual challenges, such as limited resources, public perceptions of the problem or a personal disability?
The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation will award grants to the honorees’ chosen charities that qualify as non-profit charitable organizations focused on health or education with tax-exempt status under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana is Louisiana-owned and -operated. Marking its 75th anniversary this year, the company is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. It is a tax-paying mutual company, owned by its policyholders. Headquartered in Baton Rouge, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana also has district offices in Alexandria, Houma, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Monroe, New Orleans and Shreveport. The company’s subsidiaries include HMO Louisiana, Inc. and Southern National Life Insurance Company, Inc. For more information, visit the company’s website at www.bcbsla.com
St. Joseph’s Day, International House Style
Annual altar enlivens a brand new lobby
International House, New Orleans. The most progressive boutique hotel in America’s boutique city has always been distinguished by its clear sense of time and place. The time is purely contemporary. The place is a city whose cultural richness the hotel interprets in a thoroughly modern way – from the candlelit Voudou ambiance of its world-class bar, to the Basque-influence of Rambla, its restaurant, to the observation of little-known local rituals and customs throughout the year. Saint Joseph’s Day, St. John’s Day – even Louis Armstrong’s birthday – receive stylish treatment in its captivating lobby.
It’s about to get another shot of color, as well, as International House prepares for St. Joseph’s Day, a cherished celebration among New Orleans’ Italian citizens, on March 19, 2009. According to legend, St. Joseph and the humble fava bean saved Sicily from a dire famine in the Middle Ages. In thanksgiving, grateful Sicilians have made offerings of food to the saint on his feast day ever since. Just as in the homes and churches of the New Orleans’ extensive Sicilian community, the hotel’s lobby will be home to a monumental ‘edible’ altar.
At International House, this fanciful interpretation of local artisanal Italian delicacies is one of the many customs that give the premier boutique hotel its distinctly unique character. It is the work of Linda Sampson, a local designer and stylist, who this year will be constructing it in 360-degrees, dominated on one side by a large statue of St. Joseph, and on the other, by an image of the saint by local artist Kelly Magee, painted on wood that survived Katrina. These central elements are surrounded by a plentitude of palm fronds and platters of wheat stalks, dry pasta, nuts, and, of course, fava beans, as well as breads in the shape of a large cross, an alligator, and a wreath; a cake in the shape of a lamb, various pastries, edible marzipan “topiaries,” Italian fig cookies, candies, and kumquats. Each dish comes with its own prayer and a quiet offering of gratitude. The floral decoration of the International House altar is just as stunning as the food – and worth a closer look: Sampson has crafted the symbolic red St. Joseph’s Lilies entirely from tiny beads, providing a sustainable set of blooms for the annual display.
This elaborate construction will grace the International House lobby from March 11-26 this year, bringing visitors and guests a glimpse of one of New Orleans’ beloved local rituals. It endows the stunning new public space of International House with all the marvelous color, texture, craftsmanship, and mystery of this colorful tradition – and a touch of the miraculous to all who enter.
That lobby has recently been given an opulent redesign by the bold and insightful LM Pagano, whose private clients include Johnny Depp and Nicolas Cage. Her vision of lobby as sanctuary overlaps simmering tones of carnelian and tiger’s eye with textural elements of iron and fire, velvet and leather, and marble and wood, punctuated by accents that embrace the city’s European, African, and Caribbean heritage.
International House is a member of K-Hotels Worldwide Collection of Distinct Boutique Hotels.
Animal Lover Starts Business to Protect Pets with Assistance from LSBDC
LSBDC client Aaron Robinson needed help starting his company, Dog Guard of South Louisiana, LLC. LSBDC assisted him with business start-up consulting, marketing assistance, and accessing other business development programs.
(Thibodaux, LA) Aaron Robinson’s love of animals and his desire to own his own business led him to start Dog Guard of South Louisiana, LLC in December 2007. Robinson turned to the Louisiana Small Business Development Center-Greater New Orleans Region for help.
Dog Guard installs underground "fencing systems," which along with a pet collar wired with a receiver keeps animals in their yards. A dual zone function in the collar gradually provides small corrections to warn a pet not to leave.
"Starting my own business was very scary in the beginning. Even though I have 25 years of management experience, I didn’t know where to begin. Luckily, I heard about the Louisiana Small Business Development Center (LSBDC) at Greater New Orleans Region. My LSBDC consultant, Sue Arcement, led me through the initial process of setting up my company."
The LSBDC in the Bayou Region partners with Louisiana Economic Development (LED), U.S. Small Business Administration, South Louisiana Economic Council, Loyola University, Southern University at New Orleans, and the University of New Orleans. The center provides confidential, one-on-one business consulting at no cost to small business owners and entrepreneurs. It also offers low-cost business training. These services are aimed at helping small business owners start, grow, and expand their companies.
LSBDC Consultant, Sue Arcement also helped Robinson become certified under LED’s Small & Emerging Business (SEBD) program. The SEBD program helped Robinson pay for signage for his trailer, which he says is the best "moving billboard" he’s ever had.
Arcement also assisted Robinson with marketing, logo and business card design. Robinson’s wife, Kathy, who helps with the business attended a 10-session entrepreneurial course. Within a year, Robinson’s business has exceeded expectations. Despite the impact of hurricanes Gustav and Ike on the Bayou Parishes, Dog Guard continues to thrive.
"I was actually busier after the hurricanes, because the storms knocked down a lot of fences; and pet owners were anxious to get keep their family pets from running off. With Dog Guard "fencing" you never have to worry about a hurricane knocking it down, because it’s underground and waterproof," said Robinson.
In an independent ASBDC economic impact survey for Louisiana, LSBDC clients experience a 25 percent greater sales increase and an 11 percent greater increase in employment levels as compared to the average Louisiana business.
To make an appointment with a LSBDC consultant, call
(504) 831-3730 or (985)493-2584. You can also visit www.lsbdc.org
SALVAGED FURNITURE EXHIBITION OPENS
The Green Project furniture design pieces arrive at The Shops at Canal Place
(New Orleans, LA) The Green Project has gathered over 30 top designers and craftsmen who will showcase hand-crafted, custom pieces utilizing exclusively reclaimed, recycled or salvaged materials. Designers from the Greater New Orleans area have had 4 months to assemble unique furnishings and vie for prizes and bragging rights in the original event now in it’s second year.
Judges on hand this year to assess the artistry and functionality of each piece include: Chris Rose; acclaimed author and Times Picayune journalist, Karyl Pierce Paxton; renowned furniture and lighting designer and owner of Pierce Paxton Designs, James Michalopolous; local artist extraordinaire, Shaun Wilkerson; furniture designer and owner of Wilkerson Row, Marcel Wisznia; architect and principal Wisznia Architects and Thomas Mann; local artist/jewelry/ furniture designer and owner of Gallery I/O.
Designers will also have the opportunity to be considered for Design Within Reach’s personal pick which will garner it’s own recognition in addition to the consideration for top prizes.
Chairs made from flooring? Modern grandfather clock? Car ramps fused into an elegant cocktail table? This year’s designs are sure to be even more incredible than the last.
The exhibition of the furniture pieces opens March 2, 2009 and culminates on March 20, 2009 with a festive cocktail gala, awards ceremony & silent/live auction. The exhibition is free and open to the public at The Shops at Canal Place.
The Green Project is a nonprofit organization dedicated to creatively promoting and encouraging environmental sustainability in New Orleans. The organization recycles building materials and paint, art supplies and unique architecture and salvage useable materials.
NORD/NOBA Center for Dance Receives
National Recognition for Innovative Senior Programming
NOBA Receives New Creative Aging Grant; Seniors Perform at Senior Olympics
NEW ORLEANS, LA—A little more than a year after launching dance classes for seniors, the New Orleans Ballet Association is one of only nine national agencies to receive a new grant dedicated to fostering the development of arts programs for older adults.
In conjunction with the New Orleans Recreation Department (NORD), NOBA’s innovative programming teaches stretching, social dance and ballet skills to more than 60 older adults in the local community. Aline De Souza, the teaching artist, engages her classes by integrating sequential skill-building and drawing on the participants’ memories, life experiences and music preferences. The goal is to improve their overall health and increase their knowledge of and skill in dance.
“It’s important for all people to stay active, but it’s particularly essential for seniors as they continue aging. These fitness classes keep my students moving beyond their basic day-to-day lives, and they are constantly giving me positive feedback on how helpful the classes have been. I’m proud to be doing something that is making a difference in their lives,” said Aline.
On March 8, older adults from the Behrman and St. Bernard NORD centers will participate in the Team Dance segment of the New Orleans Senior Olympics, to be held at Clearview Mall. Each group will perform two dances, with music ranging from authentic Brazilian rhythms to James Brown.
“When we proposed the idea of the Senior Olympics to the classes, the seniors were excited for the chance to participate, and they are very committed to the ongoing process involved,” said Aline. In addition to the standard 2 hour classes, seniors that will perform in the Senior Olympics are devoting time after class to practice their routines.
The MetLife Foundation Creative Aging Program was initiated by MetLife Foundation and the National Guild of Community Schools of the Arts in recognition of the rapid growth in the number of Americans aged 60+ and recent research demonstrating that participatory arts programs can produce significant health benefits for older adults. This pilot program provides in-depth technical assistance and seed grants to enable the designated agencies to design, implement and evaluate sustainable creative aging programs.
NOBA is the Central Gulf region’s premiere presenting and service organization dedicated solely to the art of dance. NOBA’s dynamic Main Stage season annually features a diverse array of world-class companies and artists. Each year NOBA provides concerts, classes, workshops and lectures to more than 25,000 area dance enthusiasts of all ages. In addition, NOBA’s nationally recognized award-winning education programs provide the youth of our community access to quality arts programs with 2,500 free dance classes and workshops annually at eleven sites throughout the Greater New Orleans area. With a mission of access to the art of dance, more than 90% of all NOBA’s activities are free to the public.
