Chilling 40 degree temperatures didn’t stop 48 volunteers from picking up shovels, traipsing through the mud and planting more than 200 trees in just one hour from River Road to the park in Diamond March 3. Hurst Middle School students in the LaBranche Wetland Watchers Project invited volunteers to plant trees along the fence line of Shell Chemical, separating the plant from Diamond subdivision. The Wetland Watchers were joined by 10 Motiva Norco Refining volunteers, members of Americorps On The Bayou from Cut Off, and a group of college students from Grand Rapids, Mich., representing their “Alternative Spring Break” community service club. “The Michigan students contacted us, having heard about the Hurst students from the Lt. Governor’s office,” said Hurst teacher Barry Guillot. “The Wetland Watcher Student Advisory Panel voted unanimously for tree planting. I found that this project fit sperfectly with Motiva and Shell Chemical’s Good Neighbor Initiative.” “It was a wonderful experience not only for me but also for my daughter. The camaraderie was great because we had businesses, community and volunteers working together toward a common goal. Each person understood the value of having a greenbelt in the community and were committed to making a difference,” commented Keith Keller, Hydroprocessing manager. The St. Bernard Wetland Foundation and the Crescent Soil and Water District donated the trees, and Gecko Graphics printed commemorative t-shirts for the volunteers.

printer friendly

Powered by the PIER System