aiders' Digest - Archbishop Rummel High School

PAge 4 RAIDERS’ Digest February 3, 2009
Animal Rescue New Orleans
by Chris Fanguy ‘12
One way some students have been
serving their community is through the
Animal Rescue New Orleans pet shelter
on Plauche Street.
The shelter is a no-kill shelter that takes
in abandoned cats and dogs and saves
cats and dogs that are scheduled to be put
down. The shelter also reunites lost pets
with their families, rehomes abandoned
pets, and cares sick animals back to
health. The volunteering students’ main
tasks are to walk, bathe, feed, and play
with the many dogs and cats.
Two freshmen students, Brandon
Campbell and Kenny Cadow, experienced
animal abandonment first hand. One day
when Campbell and Cadow were helping
at the shelter, a man threw two dogs
out of his car and drove off. The people
working at the shelter collected the two
dogs, treated them and gave them a place
to live. Then, when it was time to walk
the dogs, Cadow and Campbell walked
the two dogs that were abandoned.
When it was time to name the two
dogs, the shelter workers named them
Brandon and Kenny for all the help the
two freshmen gave with the dogs.
“It was really sad to see the dogs thrown
out like that. I like to help the dogs and
get them ready for homes. It really is fun
to take care of them,” said Cadow.
As of right now the two dogs, Brandon
and Kenny, are living in the same home
after being adopted by a local family.
– • –
¤ ANIMAL RESCUE NO – Many students have volunteered their time to help rescue
and save cats and dogs at the local Animal Rescue New Orleans shelter. The
students have connected with the many animals by bathing, feeding, and caring for
the cats and dogs at the shelter.
Students ‘Chase Chickens’
by Nick Bergeron ‘09
If one is familiar with Lafreniere
Park and its surrounding areas, then it
is assumed that he or she has witnessed
the plethora of chickens that call the park
home.
Seniors Gary Eicke and Kyle Wilking
were among the many people unaware of
the hazards fowl pose to the park. After
learning about the problem, however, the
two Archbishop Rummel seniors were
determined to help.
“It all started when I was at the park
when they were catching an alligator.
The park director asked if we knew of
any professional chicken catchers,” said
Eicke. “I told him I did not, but that I
would come and catch them and bring
them to my dad’s piece of land in Laplace
instead.”
The director agreed, as well as told
Eicke that he would sign a permission
slip so that he could use the time spent
“chasing chickens” as his service hours.
The trapping concept is simple really.
They go to the park around 10:00 p.m.
to avoid the crowds, and stay for about
two hours. They use a spotlight to target
the chickens as they sleep in the trees.
Once the chickens have been located,
Eicke and Wilking use a pole to knock
the chickens out of their roosts and
proceed to capture them in simple cages.
Wilking, Eicke, and Eicke’s father then
drive the chickens out to the property in
Laplace and release them.
The ‘chicken chasers’ have trapped
and released over 70 chickens through
their many weekend expeditions.
“Its actually pretty fun,” said Wilking
through a grin. “Who wouldn’t want to
chase chickens for service hours?”
– • –
¤ KABOOM PLAYGROUND – Sophomore Lane Arcana and 50 other student, faculty,
and parent volunteers helped to construct the KaBoom Playground at St. Michael’s
Special School. The students now have a safe and well equipped playground for
their enjoyment.
¤ MAGNOLIA BOWLING – Senior Justin Mattio enjoys his Tuesday bowling afternoons
with Magnolia School student, Nathan. Other Raiders have joined Mattio for bowling
with the Magnolia School students in the past weeks.
Magnolia School Bowling
by Johnathan Ericksen ‘11
Every Tuesday afternoon when school
lets out and the majority of the student
body has their minds set on athletics
and homework, Archbishop Rummel
senior Justin Mattio has his mind set on
something slightly different.
Justin spends his time at Colonial
Bowling Lanes on Jefferson Highway in
Harahan with Nathan. Nathan is a 25-yearold
student from the Magnolia School
who suffers from speech impediments
and other physical disabilities. The
Magnolia School is a place that offers
classes designed to teach people with
certain disabilities life and job skills in
the real world.
When asked to comment on his
experiences and overall time with Nathan,
Mattio said, “Bowling with Nathan brings
out my true self. He makes me a better
person every time I am around him.”
Mattio also commented, “I enjoy
helping him to forget about his challenges
while we are on the lanes together.”
The Magnolia School is hopeful that it
will develop many more partnerships with
students from Archbishop Rummel High
School similar to the partnership between
Mattio and Nathan. The Magnolia School
is also hoping that the time Mattio and
Nathan have spent together will end up
helping and inspiring Nathan to train a
Magnolia School bowling team, and
compete with this newly formed team in
the upcoming Special Olympics.
The devotion of Justin Mattio to this
project should be viewed as a shining
example for true Raider Pride, and what
it means to carry that pride over into the
surrounding community.
– • –
¤ JO-JO'S HOPE - Senior Beau Zeringue along with many other Raider students have
formed a partnership with Jo-Jo's Hope, a group that teaches special needs kids how
to swim. Students are trained and then have weekly sessions with their groups.
Students Teach Swimming;
Learn Life Lessons
by Alex Ferrara ‘09
Service is not an old concept at
Archbishop Rummel High School. This
year students have joined with many
different service partners to help the
community while learning many life
lessons.
Many Archbishop Rummel students
have partnered with Jo-Jo’s Hope, a
group created to teach special needs kids
and adults how to swim. Students were
first trained on how to teach the lessons
and how to handle special needs children
once they enter the pool.
Senior Beau Zeringue said about
JoJo’s Hope, “It has been so much fun
teaching the kids how to swim. In case
of an accident, these kids can now save
their own lives.”
Jo-Jo’s Hope is a non-profit group that
runs the program from the Elmwood
Fitness Center on Sundays, Mondays,
and Wednesdays. Archbishop Rummel
students visit on Sundays, leaving the
swim team to volunteer on Mondays and
Wednesdays.
“Most of the students keep coming
back to teach swimming even though
their required service hours are complete.
It is just fun to be there while still giving
back to the community and helping these
kids out,” said Zeringue.
These students’ commitment and
passion for this organization truly reflects
that commitment of Archbishop Joseph
Francis Rummel and the hallmarks of the
Christian Brothers – Faith, Community,
and Service.
– • –