Runnels drama students take on ancient Roman slapstick ä2G
ADVOCATE THE SOUTHSIDE
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THURSDAY FEBRUARY 26, 2015 H
B O C AG E • C O U N T RY C LU B • H I G H L A N D • J E F F E R S O N T E R R AC E • K E N I LW O R T H • P E R K I N S • U N I V E R S I T Y C LU B THEADVOCATE.COM
Darlene Denstorff ON THE SOUTHSIDE
DDENSTORFF@ THEADVOCATE.COM
Sign up for inclusive baseball league starts Registration for the Miracle League at Cypress Mounds, a baseball league for children with disabilities, ends Friday. League Executive Director Brandi Polito first conceived of the league in 2007 and has been working tirelessly since to make it the success it is today. Every child should have the opportunity to play baseball, no matter what the case. Last season, the league hosted 60 players and five teams. This year, the league is looking to serve even more. The spring season begins on March 24 and is shaping up to be the most eventful yet, organizers said. Call (225) 757-5550.
Free dental clinic to provide care
The Louisiana Dental Association and LDA Foundation will host a Mission of Mercy charity dental clinic on Friday and Saturday to provide free dental care to about 1,500 patients, a news release said. The event relies on the efforts of approximately 1,000 volunteer dentists, hygienists, assistants, students and community workers from across the state, the release said. The doors of Armed Forces Reserve Center, 8110 Innovation Park Drive, formerly GSRI, will open at 6 a.m. each day. Treatment will be given on a firstcome, first-served basis until capacity is reached, the release said. Services will include exams, X-rays, dental cleanings, fillings, anterior root canals, extractions and front teeth transitional partials. Adults and children are invited to participate. There are no eligibility or income requirements. Children under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Residents from all parishes are welcomed and encouraged to attend. Patient parking will be available at L’Auberge Casino overflow lot, 14777 River Road, and shuttles will bring patients to the clinic from 4 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day. There will also be a city bus stop not far from the äSee SOUTHSIDE, page 5G
Advocate staff photo
Aaron LaRose makes a serve during the first day of league practice at the Paula G. Manship YMCA. LaRose became reintroduced to tennis as an adult through the Y’s tennis apprentice program.
Tennis at the Y serves health, wellness
Advocate photos by C.J. FUTCH
Children work on art projects Saturday at the Gardere Initiative’s headquarters.
Survey says ...playtime! Children get their say in planning of playground BY C.J. FUTCH
cfutch@theadvocate.com
Dana Hollie helps her son Nathan, 3, vote his preference Saturday on playground equipment to be included in a playground being built at Hartley-Vey Park in Southside.
Three-year-old Nathaniel Hollie spent Saturday morning telling Baton Rouge parks and recreation officials his favorite forms of play, along with many other children of all ages at the Gardere Initiative’s headquarters on Ned Avenue. BREC Assistant Director Diane Drake passed out radio-controlled voting remotes to groups of 10 children and parents at a time, while BREC’s Vice President of Planning Reed Richard went through a presentation on play structures built for rocking, jumping, balancing, sliding, climbing and swinging. “It looks like swinging is universally
BY C.J. FUTCH
cfutch@theadvocate.com Desiree Marshall played basketball and softball in high school, but in the years since graduation, she’d gotten out of the fitness habit. “I’d been looking for something to do to stay in shape, and running’s never been my thing,” Marshall said. When she saw signs for tennis lessons at the YMCA, she said, she decided to check it
äSee PLAYGROUND, page 5G
äSee TENNIS, page 5G
Adding it up Advocate staff report
Patrick Gordon takes the math test Saturday.
Hundreds of Louisiana elementary students competed for medals and prizes Saturday at the Louisiana Elementary Math Olympiad at Kenilworth Science and Technology Charter School in Baton Rouge. Jonathan Ding, of Buchanan Elementary School in Baton Rouge, won first place in the contest, which was open to all fourth- and fifth-grade students in Louisiana. Niles Babin, of LSU Lab School in Baton Rouge, was second, Claire Venable, of Zachary Elementary School, was third. Tevfik Eski, superintendent of Kenilworth, said 446 students from 58 Louisiana public, private, parochial and charter schools registered for the Olympiad, which has been described as an “old school” math contest because students must work out problems using only paper and pencil.
Advocate staff photos by APRIL BUFFINGTON
Charlie Brooks passes out the math test to the students in the Louisiana Elementary Math Olympiad on Saturday. More than 400 fourth- and fifth-graders throughout Louisiana registered for the competition.
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