Celebrating 10 Years of Homes
by Karen Fineran
- Habitat Bay-Waveland has built over 200 houses in the ten years since Katrina. Find out how you can help them build Number 202!
Habitat for Humanity Bay-Waveland (HFHBW) stands out as one of the most effective and inspiring volunteer/non-profit organizations that have revitalized our county since Katrina. Its mission is simple – to provide affordable and sustainable housing for as many low-income people who need it as possible.
It is estimated that about 10,000 volunteers have worked with Habitat here since Hurricane Katrina, rebuilding lives and families, as well as homes. “Katrina changed everything and challenged the very core of our community,” said Executive Director Wendy McDonald. “As horrible as it was, that catastrophic event also served to bring about an incredible culture of hope, resilience and love in our community.” To show the community’s appreciation and gratitude to all of the volunteers who came to help in our hour of greatest need, in June HFHBW is holding a 10th Anniversary Reunion Build in Bay St. Louis. The month-long build will use volunteers to build a new home in BSL’s Seal Pointe neighborhood, between Easterbrook and Union Streets. This neighborhood is where the first Habitat homes were constructed in 2006, and to date it contains 54 single-family and duplex homes.
Since 2009, all of HFHBW’s new homes have been built and certified to a green standard, as verified by nationally recognized third parties. Since 2012, HFHBW also has been building its new homes to a “fortified” standard, designed to lessen the impact of damage caused by hurricanes or other natural disasters.
The home that will be built this June will become the 202nd home that HFHBW will have built in Hancock County since it began its work here in 2006. Not only affordable to the lucky family who will live there, it will also be durable and sustainable, built to both green and fortified standards. “This anniversary event is a time to celebrate the thousands who came to rebuild our community after the storm," said McDonald. "They were total strangers to us before then, from places all over the United States and the world, who selflessly gave us their time, their energy, their money, their optimism, to help us rebuild."
Notwithstanding the sweat and enthusiasm of Habitat’s generous volunteers, it still takes money for building materials to build a home; in this case, about $75,000 will need to be raised. Habitat is asking you, the residents of Hancock County, to donate to the Reunion Build, either individually or as part of your group or organization.
For more information about donating your time or money, please call the Habitat Bay-Waveland office at (228) 467-9699, email info@habitatbw.org, or check out the Anniversary Build's website page. If your business, company or church would like to be a sponsor, corporate sponsorships are available at various levels. In addition, a new on-line peer-to-peer fundraiser website called GiveGab (givegab.com) also is available to facilitate your tax-deductible contribution to HFHBW’s fundraising goal.
by Ellis Anderson
- This month - A Dream Playhouse is the chosen class project of Leadership Hancock County 2015, but it's hardly child's play. Find out about the Leadership program and the 2015 class goal to raise awareness for CASA!
The class’s project culminates with a “Raising the Roof” party taking place on Saturday, May 9th at the Ground Zero Museum in Waveland (335 Coleman Avenue). From 1pm to 3pm, there’ll be a “Raffle Pull” open to the public.
Procrastinators will be able to purchase tickets at the last moment and the drawing will take place around 3:30pm. The family-friendly event will also feature cook-out food (courtesy of Tri-R Bar & Grill), free tours of the museum and music – as well as fun and games for children. The Raising the Roof Patrons’ Party for the event’s sponsors will begin immediately afterward at 3:30pm, lasting until 5pm. In addition to the cook-out food, wine (donated by Rosetti’s Liquor Barrel) and beer (donated by Lazy Magnolia Brewery) will be served. Raffle tickets are $5 each or five for $20 and can be purchased online here. The purpose of the project is two-fold: the class hopes to raise both awareness and money for the CASA program, as well as showcase the Waveland Ground Zero Museum.
The Hancock Chamber began the leadership program in 1996 to “identify and prepare the community’s existing and future leadership resources.” The group meets for an entire day each month for field trips and classes that develop an awareness of the community, develop networking skills and teach participants to make the most of their leadership abilities.
Since the program was introduced nearly two decades ago, thirteen classes have produced 320 graduates, many of whom have gone on to become “change agents for the good of Hancock County.” For the past three years, Janell Nolan has served as the chair of the Chamber’s Steering Committee for Leadership Hancock County (LHC). She calls the program a community effort, saying that it wouldn’t be possible without the support of volunteers, sponsors and local businesses. Nolan says that each September the new leadership class kicks off with a leadership assessment and an alumni meet and greet. That’s followed by a two-day retreat in October that focuses on team-building and leadership skills. That session sets the foundation for the next six months where the classes take a close look at the six building blocks integral to economic and community development in Hancock County: social infrastructure, workforce development, Stennis Space Center, economic development, civic infrastructure, and cultural heritage and preservation. The program also tasks each class with a project. LHC participants receive a certificate of graduation and celebrate their dedication and hard work in June, with a graduation ceremony and dinner.
Nolan’s a graduate of the 2006 leadership class and says she wouldn’t trade the experience “for anything.”
“The personal and professional relationships that are built in the leadership classes are invaluable.” Nolan has observed a few things about the program. “Every year, it is truly inspiring to see how the LHC participants – whether collectively or individually, digest the nine-month experience and immediately begin working on fulfilling a need or taking on challenges to improve the quality of life in Hancock County. The 2015 class came up with an innovative plan that would benefit both CASA and the Ground Zero Museum.” “The LHC Class of 2015 has been working on this fantastic project,” says Nolan. “It’s been nothing short of amazing to watch them pull it together. They’ve involved the school districts, the children, the faculty and staff of the Career and Technology center and built partnerships with many local businesses.” “In just a short period of time, they’ve already increased awareness of CASA’s mission exponentially. It’s a win-win for everybody – especially our future - the children of Hancock County.” For more information on the Raising the Roof event, click here. To read about CASA’s annual Mardi Gras Gala, click here for the January “Talk of the Town.” A New Merry-Making Marching Club - The Raw Oysters by Ellis Anderson -This month - a sassy new group of marching women took to the streets for the first time on Lundi Gras to rave reviews.
Raw Oyster’s founder and organizer, Martha Whitney Butler, says she’s always enjoyed watching the groups that march and dance in New Orleans’ many parades and felt that Hancock County “had a need” for its own local band of merry-makers. Butler owns the French Potager in Old Town Bay St. Louis where she sells antiques and her distinctive flower arrangements. She’s an active member of the community and serves on the board of The Arts, Hancock County. Yet, the first time the club marched on February 16th, she wasn’t sure how the public would respond to a glittery dance team of feisty women flaunting costumes of red and gold. “We were a huge hit!” Butler says. “In less than one week following the Seahorse parade, we had over 500 ‘likes’ on our Facebook page. We were also featured in almost every media outlet on the Mississippi gulf coast.” That same evening, the group also received invitations to march in both Jackson’s and Waveland’s St. Patrick’s Day parades. Schedule conflicts forced them to decline the Jackson gig this year, but it’s clear the Raw Oyster Marching Club is going places. Lots of places. It’s also growing - the group is up to forty-five members now. Thirty of the group marched with Seahorse and twenty will be marching in the Waveland parade on March 14th. Butler says that having forty-plus members assures a good group will commit to any parade they’re asked to join. Commitment and enthusiasm are key requirements for membership at this point. The group plans to learn a different dance for each performance opportunity. Founding member and serious dance diva Chloé Harville works with Butler to choreograph the numbers, and rehearsals are held twice a week for six weeks before a parade. Costumer Laura Kidd (who creates costume headdresses professionally) also takes her job seriously. The red and gold costumes for the premier performance lit up the evening parade, but the group’s opting for a costume change for the upcoming Waveland event, when they’ll wear gold dresses and green wigs in honor of the club’s first queen, fabled dancer Kitty West. West became nationally renowned for her “Evangeline, the Oyster Girl” dance she choreographed and performed for decades, beginning in the late 1940s in New Orleans. The show told the story of Evangeline, who slept in an oyster shell in the swamps of Louisiana and rose once every hundred years to seek her beloved. West’s performances drew Hollywood greats like Frank Sinatra and Richard Widmark to the French Quarter and became so legendary that the dance routine is a popular draw even today in both Texas and New Orleans venues, nearly seven decades after it originated. Butler had read about Kitty West in a book two years before and had been excited to learn later that the retired dancer lived in the Bay area. She also found stunning vintage photographs of West and her oyster shell stage prop. “I was looking for a theme for the club that would be locally relevant,” says Butler. “West is iconic in the entertainment field and oysters are such a part of the culture here, so it all seemed a perfect fit.” During the Seahorse Parade, Kitty West, now in her eighties, elegantly reigned over the club from a “throne” set up along the parade route. The club paid homage to their first queen by presenting her with a bouquet of roses and performing their routine. West, who has been featured twice in Life magazine, says “I want to be able to try to help these young girls coming up who want to get out there and dance. I want them to be artistic and to have class.”
by Karen Fineran This month - we ride along with the two Krewes that call Bay St. Louis home! Mystic Krewe of Seahorse Set to Ride For Second Year |
In case you haven’t heard, or witnessed strolling gaggles of pirates saunter down Main Street this past year, there’s a new Krewe in town. The Second Annual Lundi Gras Parade of the Mystic Krewe of the Seahorse will be held on Monday, February 16 from 6-8 p.m. in downtown Bay Saint Louis. The theme for this year’s parade is “Sitting On The Dock Of The Bay,” a celebration of the culture and music of the 1960s. The parade will feature bands, antique cars, decorated golf carts, and costumed walking krewes! | Talk of the Town |
The Krewe held its first annual parade last year on Lundi Gras evening – the first Lundi Gras parade on the Mississippi Gulf Coast! Since that March 2014 debut, the Seahorse Krewe had tons of fun with its year-round celebration of the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Bay St. Louis during the War of 1812.
Marketing Director Maggie Rafferty Cantrell said that the Krewe has been wildly popular since its inception, drawing nearly 600 members in its first year. Thousands turned out to see the golf cart and antique car parade last year, and she is hoping for an even greater turnout this year.
Queen Nikki Moon said that she was thrilled when she was asked to reign over Seahorse this year. “What a huge honor!” she exclaimed. She explained that the Mystick Krewe of the Seahorse was conceived as a way to commemorate the history of Bay St. Louis, while at the same time creating fun events that would keep Bay residents more involved in their beautiful town, all of which is expected to bolster the economic health of this community and make it an even better place to live and visit.
The Krewe is named after the U.S.S. Seahorse, a War of 1812 schooner, which fought a British fleet on December 14, 1814 during the Battle of Bay St. Louis. That battle was an important action in the War of 1812, and was the last naval battle against a foreign power in American waters. While the Americans ultimately were defeated in Bay St. Louis by the stronger British ships, the engagements helped delay the British arrival in New Orleans, bought Andrew Jackson valuable time, and contributed to the American victory at the famous Battle of New Orleans a few days later.
During the battle of Bay St. Louis, the Seahorse was dispatched into the Bay of St. Louis to harass a fleet of British ships, and to secure munitions in case they fell to the British, while another ship, Alligator, was sent to Chalmette to warn General Jackson of the British approach. In Bay St. Louis, a crowd of townspeople gathered on the bluff at Ulman Avenue to watch the approaching British fleet, and there the first cannon shot was fired from the shore toward the Brits (by an elderly bystander, according to legend). Under the assumption that he had cover fire from shore, the captain of Seahorse attacked the British fleet, they countered in kind, and history was made.
The reenactment was conducted by two Biloxi schooners from the Maritime and Seafood Industry Museum, each with about 40 passengers in period dress to act out the drama. On land, 200 North Beach Restaurant owner Ann Tidwell reenacted the role of "Miss Claiborne," whom, according to legend, used Mayor Toulme's cigar to ignite the first land-based cannon shot. Other bicentennial festivities that weekend included a costumed Inspection Ball, schooner tours, sailing excursions, Bay Bridge 7K and 1K Runs, a veterans’ motorcycle ride, and a naval oceanography watercraft exhibit.
This year’s golf-cart and vehicle night parade is scheduled to start rolling through downtown Bay St. Louis at 6 p.m. on February 16, 2015. It will assemble at the Historic Train Depot at Blaize and Bookter Avenues, head west on Bookter, turn right on Necaise Avenue, right on Main Street, left on 2nd, right on Demontluzin, right on Beach Boulevard, right on Main, and end at Cue Street near the parking garage. This is THE ONLY parade on the Mississippi Gulf Coast on Lundi Gras, and is the happening place to be on Monday night.
For more information about the Krewe, the parade, and information about joining, please call Marketing Director Maggie Rafferty at (662) 617-9422.
Krewe of Diamonds Set To Sparkle in Downtown Bay St. Louis on Fat Tuesday
The Krewe of Diamonds remains the only predominately African-American Krewe to parade on Mardi Gras Day on the Mississippi Coast. Each year, our townspeople look forward to enjoying the premier event of Mardi Gras Day in the Bay-Waveland area.
The Krewe of Diamonds usually announce their King and Queen at their ball, which will be held on Saturday, February 7th at 8 p.m. at the Bay St. Louis Community Center. Tickets can be purchased by calling a Krewe of Diamonds member.
The parade is set to begin at 1:00 P.M, first lining up at Commagere Park on Bookter Street at St. Francis St., then down Booker to a left onto Necaise Avenue, on to a right on Main Street, a right onto Beach Blvd., then right on Union Street and continuing to Blaize Ave. (Third Street). From Blaize Ave., the parade will turn right on Sycamore Street and roll to Old Spanish Trail, ending on Bookter Street.
So, on Mardi Gras Day, pack up your King Cakes, sandwiches, fried chicken, barbecue, and ice chests of beverages, and head downtown or to the Depot District to enjoy a truly enjoyable local tradition.
Those interested in participating in the parade, or for more information about the Krewe of Diamonds, should call Corinn Burton at (228) 671-1471, or Sharon Alexander at (228) 493-2092.
This month - The annual Mardi Gras Gala benefit for CASA invites people to laissez les bon temps rouler for a great cause!
by Karen Fineran
CASA’s 4th Annual Mardi Gras Gala will be held on Saturday, January 17, 2015 at the Bay St. Louis Community Center. The reigning King and Queen of the 2015 Annual Mardi Gras Gala are Bay St. Louis residents Mr. Dave Mayley and Ms. Camille Tate.
Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) for Children is a nationwide network of community-based programs that recruit, train and support citizen-volunteers to advocate for the best interests of abused and neglected children in courtrooms and communities. CASA volunteers, appointed by judges, monitor and visit each of the children until he or she is placed in a safe and loving permanent home.
For many abused children, their CASA volunteers will be the only constant adult presence in their lives. Judges rely upon CASA volunteers to make valuable recommendations about the children’s welfare; the volunteers truly are the voices of the children, and the eyes and ears of the courts.
CASA’s Hancock County Chapter currently is working with nearly 500 children in the foster care system here (more children than in many much more populated cities and counties). Research has shown that children assigned with a CASA volunteer are more likely to be adopted, much less likely to re-enter foster care or spend time in long-term foster care, and less likely to be bounced from home to home. It takes a lot of dedicated work and funding to take on a mission of this gravitas, and private funding is crucial to CASA’s success.
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Scenes from the 2014 Casa Gala
As Hancock CASA’s Executive Director, Cynthia Chauvin, explained, “Hancock County has a particularly large need for CASA’s work. There are more children here in foster care than in New Orleans and Jefferson Parishes combined! Funds raised from the Gala will allow us to continue in this important work. The role of the volunteers, in visiting the children and making recommendations to the judges, is really critical in this county.”
Chauvin added that Hancock CASA has already doubled the amount of volunteers assigned over last year; there are currently 53 volunteers, serving 31% of the children in Hancock County foster care, and putting in more than 2,000 combined hours of service per year.
Hancock CASA is actively working to recruit more volunteers, and get that percentage up, so that more of the needy children of this county can be helped. Chauvin is excited about the upcoming Gala, which “is a great way for everyone and anyone to become involved with CASA without actually becoming a volunteer.” 2015 Queen Camille Tate The January 17 Gala will begin at 7:00 p.m. and run until midnight, at the Bay St. Louis Community Hall on Blaize Street in Bay St. Louis. Admission is $40 per person in advance, and $50 at the door. Your ticket includes admission, dinner, mixers, and entertainment (the event is BYOB). Cocktail attire is suggested.
The festivities will include dinner, a live band, a silent and live auction, and the crowning of the King and Queen. This year’s band is Cuisine from New Orleans, who will provide big horn rock’n’roll music hearkening from the 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s. Dinner will be provided by Jimmie Ladner and Friends.
All proceeds from the event will go to providing child advocacy services to the abused and neglected children of Hancock County, including funding for recruiting, training and supporting the volunteers that help these children get through the foster care system and safely to the other side.
Tate says, “It’s a real privilege to be nominated the Queen of this year’s CASA gala. It’s very important that the people of Hancock County get behind CASA and support its efforts, because of the large number of needy children in and out of foster care in this county. . . . And, besides, the Gala is just so much fun!”
So, grab a few friends and come out for the fun – it’s guaranteed to launch you into the Mardi Gras spirit while also supporting the most needy children of Hancock County. Tickets to the gala can be purchased at the CASA office at 412 Highway 90, Suite 3, Bay St. Louis. Event sponsorships are still available and begin at $100.
For more information on the event, or to become a sponsor or volunteer, call 228-344-0419, or email Cynthia@casahancockcounty.org. (One does not have to be a lawyer or social worker to be a volunteer, as training and support are provided by CASA’s professional staff.) For more information, and fun photos from past Mardi Gras Galas, please visit the Gala website.
Seahorse Fever in the Bay
Upcoming 200th anniversary of the Battle of the Bay of St. Louis
The premise is to have the whole community participate in the reenactment of “The Battle of Bay St. Louis,” an encounter that occurred 200 years ago during the War of 1812. Planned events on the actual anniversary include a maritime reenactment – with cannon fire! - a 5K race, a veteran’s parade and fireworks. Two Biloxi schooners from the Seafood and Maritime Museum will take part in the reenactment, but while they’re not “fighting,” people can purchase tickets for on-board tours.
And that’s just on the anniversary day. November 15th has been declared Pirate Day in the Bay as a warm-up for the December festivities. (See details under Upcoming Events). And earlier this year as part of the whole big shebang, a new Mardi Gras parade and a putt-putt Golf Tournament took place. Both were so wildly popular that they’re now going to be annual events.
The entire extravaganza can be traced back to two brothers, Donald and Robin Rafferty.
In late 2013, the two history buffs realized that the 200th anniversary of the little-known maritime battle of the Bay was approaching. The brothers gathered a group of friends for a brainstorming session and within a few months, the Mystic Krewe of the Seahorse was formed.
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Then in April, a whimsical 18 hole Putt-Putt Golf Tournament in Old Town raised money for the Krewe. The event was such a hit a similar fund-raiser is being planned for 2015. The publicity surrounding these events has brought Seahorse membership to over 550, with more expected to join as the excitement surrounding the reenactment grows.
The historical event that’s at the center of all this merriment happened in 1814 as a precursor to the more famous “Battle of New Orleans.” The Sea Horse was an American schooner that single-handedly took on the British fleet in a “David versus Goliath” encounter, right in front of the Bay St. Louis shoreline. While the little ship was hopelessly out-manned, it managed to delay British forces, giving Andrew Jackson (who was commanding American forces in New Orleans) more desperately needed time to organize that city’s defense and keep control of the Mississippi River out of British hands.
Since the event occurred two centuries ago, accounts of the battle vary, but as local historian Charles Gray often says, “history is lies agreed upon.” His version of the battle, which is made up of “a composite of different sources” will appear in the December Cleaver.
Spoiler alert: The most riveting part of Gray’s version occurs when an elderly woman on crutches shouts to shore-side onlookers of the battle “Will no one fire a shot in the defense of our country?” She grabs a lit cigar being smoked by Bay St. Louis Mayor Toulme and lights the fuse to a cannon, which fires into the midst of the British attackers. Mayhem ensues.
The Mystic Krewe of the Seahorse seems to be embodying the feisty spirit of the cigar-wielding matron. We know the next question avid readers will be asking: How do we join? There’s an actual website and you can download the membership application there. The cost to join is only $30 and it includes a very cool membership card, as well as email updates about all the planned activities – including the Inspection Ball that will take place the night before the reenactment.
On the evening of Friday, December 12th, at the Bay St. Louis Community Hall, a costume ball will kick off the anniversary chain of events. The ball (yet another opportunity to dress in your interesting period outfit!) takes place from 5:30 - 11pm. Tickets cost $25 for members and $35 for non-members. There’ll be food and beverage and major comradery as the names of the 2015 king and queen of the Krewe of Seahorse Mardi Gras Parade are announced.
But you don’t have to be a member of the Krewe of Seahorse to enjoy any of the events surrounding the anniversary. Simply wearing a costume will make you part of the spectacle instead of a spectator. That’s always more fun - and makes for eye-catching photos that will get posted on Facebook and cause a stir with your friends who don’t live in places nearly this interesting.
For more history about the battle, click here for the Krewe’s history page. Also, Charles Gray suggests reading Paul La Violette’s 2003 book, Sink or Be Sunk! The Naval Battle in the Mississippi Sound That Preceded the Battle of New Orleans. It’s available at Bay Books on Main Street.
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