|
BRUSLY CELEBRATES ARBOR DAY
Brusly residents celebrated Arbor Day on January 21, 2005 with a special ceremony at the Back Brusly Oak Tree. The event recognized the completion of the Back Brusly Oak Tree Preservation Project, made possible through a cooperative endeavor between the family of Gerald Caillouet and the Town of Brusly and funded by grants from Dow Chemical USA and the Louisiana Urban and Community Forestry Program.
Brusly Mayor Joey Normand served as Master of Ceremonies, welcoming those in attendance and introducing those on the program. Paul Joe Gauthreaux led the "Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America."He is a descendant of the Dupuy family who in 1969, when the tree was enrolled as a member of the Louisiana Live Oak Society, owned the property on which the oak tree is located. The National Anthem was sung by Carmella Cardinale, a second grade student who attends Brusly Elementary School. Councilwoman Joanne Bourgeois gave a brief history of the oak tree, mentioning the role of Mrs. Ethel "Puffy" Dameron in having the tree measured and enrolled in the Live Oak Society.
R.J. Andre read the poem, "The Old Oak Tree" written by his mother, Mrs. Emily Andre in 1956 and read by her at a ceremony in 1969. Eileen Hebert Andre read a poem written by her father, Roy Hebert in 1979 entitled "The Back Brusly Oak."
Read Poems Here
Genie Hendry, member of the West Baton Rouge Garden and Civic Club, presented comments on the Live Oak Society and asked those present to seek trees which may be eligible for membership.
Mayor Normand then recognized Paul Orr, Forester for the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry Paul Orr, Forester for the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry, presented the Mayor a plaque and TREE CITY USA flag. The TREE CITY USA program dates back to 1976 and currently over 3,000 cities nation wide are recipients of this designation. The Town of Brusly has recently been named a TREE CITY USA for work done in 2004. Brusly joins 27 other communities across Louisiana that meet four standards that are the cornerstone for a formal community program that demonstrate the community’s commitment to its tree population. The four standards a community must meet are; 1. a tree board or department, 2. a public tree care ordinance, 3. a community forestry program with an annual budget of at least $2 per capita, 4. an Arbor Day Observance and Proclamation.
Donna Carville, representing the Dow Chemical Company, remarked on the company’s commitment to local communities through various grant programs.
Mayor Normand recognized the Caillouet family, citing Gerald Caillouets’s determination to have the preservation project become a reality. The Mayor read the plaque which is now in place beneath the historic marker near the oak tree.
The program concluded with the song "America, the Beautiful", sung by Claudette Purnell. Refreshments were served at the Brusly Town Hall following the ceremony.
Jane Caillouet accepts memorial plaque honoring her husband, Gerald. Grandson Mark Schexnayder and Daughter Beth Scioneaux join her.
Brusly Councilwoman Joanne Bourgeois,Jane Caillouet,Mark Schexnayder,Beth Scioneaux,Mayor Joey Normand
Jane accepts memorial plaque honoring her late husband, Gerald, for all his volunteer work dedicated to the Back Brusly Oak.
Paul Orr with the LSU Forestry Department presents Mayor Joey Normand with the Tree City U.S.A. plaque.
R. J. Andre reads the poem "The Old Oak Tree" written by his mother, Emily.
Brusly Councilman Shane Andre and family: Landon Andre, R.J. Andre, Madison Bonaventure, Kelly Andre Bonaventure, Dylan Andre, Kathleen O. Andre. These are descendants of Mrs. Emily Andre whose poem was read during Arbor Day ceremony.
Brusly Town Clerk Jules Lefeaux and Sheriff Jamie Whaley officially raise the Tree City U.S.A. flag during the Arbor Day program January 21, 2005.
Dr. Andra Johnson, Southern University Forestry Department, shares a moment with Brusly Councilwoman Joanne Bourgeois during the ceremony.
The Tree City U.S.A. flag is raised during the Arbor Day program by Jules Lefeaux and Jamie Whaley.
The official Tree City U.S.A. sign
The official Tree City U.S.A. flag.
The official Tree City U.S.A. plaque now hangs in the lobby at the Brusly Town Hall.
Mrs. Claudette Purnell closed the Arbor Day ceremony by singing "America the Beautiful".
Members of the West Baton Rouge Garden Club, Lillie Mabile and Norma Stein, were joined by their husbands, Gerald and Nelson, to add a new feature to the Brusly Memorial Plaza kettle in time for the Arbor Day 2005 ceremony....a water feature.
Jules Lefeaux and Jamie Whaley officially take down the Brusly Centennial flag. The flag will be donated to the West Baton Rouge Historical Association for their permanent collection of WBR artifacts.
This memorial plaque honors Gerald Caillouet for his volunteer efforts dedicated to preservation of the Back Brusly Oak. The plaque is displayed along with the State Historic marker post recognizing the Back Brusly oak.
Ms. Carmella Cardinale of Brusly Elementary School honored the group by singing the National Anthem. Great job, Carmella!!
Photo of the large crowd attending the Arbor Day ceremony at the Back Brusly oak.
Mrs. Donna Carville, Dow Chemical, provided a grant to aid in the Back Brusly Oak Preservation Project.
Mrs. Eileen Andre, daughter of Mr. Roy Hebert, read a poem her father wrote about the Back Brusly oak in 1979.
Posted 01-25-05 Return To Index
|
Top of Page