Historical family helped by Katrina teams

By JANICE TARLECKI

Betty LaBarre and her daughter Lisa and grandson Dylan, long-time residents of the area, had their home gutted, with over 50 years of destroyed memorabilia still remaining in the house under mold and moss.

“Betty asked us to find the anniversary ring given to her by her husband before he died, so we scraped and dug through the piles to find it,” said CCC member Kristal Hoffman.

“She was so happy she burst into tears and told us she loved us forever,” she added.

“She cooked us some of the best New Orleans cooking ever to thank us, and took us out for Po’Boys and bar-BQ,” said Hoffman.

Lisa LaBarre asked for help in finding a statue with great sentimental value, while telling the story behind it. “My brother David sculpted and painted the statues for my mom, and gave them as a birthday present. He was on his way to tell my mom about getting engaged to his girlfriend, and was killed on his motorcycle before he reached home,” said Lisa. “These statues are the last personal thing he gave us, so we are hoping they will still be intact.”

“Ever since the students arrived a few weeks ago, the work in the city has been picking up at such a fast pace that people are finally able to get the contractors in to clean the rubble and start the rebuilding,” she said. “Thank the good Lord for teenagers, I say.”