Military gets in free at the zoo for Veterans Day; more in neighborhood briefs ä 4G
ADVOCATE THE WEST BANK
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WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 11, 2015 H ALGIERS • GRETNA • TERRYTOWN • HARVEY • WESTWEGO • WAGGAMAN • MARRERO • BRIDGE CITY • AVONDALE THENEWORLEANSADVOCATE.COM
Blazing paddles Pingpong club appeals to a diverse crowd
BY BO HU
Special to The Advocate
Advocate photos by VERONICA DOMINACH
Tue Nguyen practices for a tournament held by the New Orleans Table Tennis Club at the Hilton Riverside New Orleans.
A nondescript door opens on the sixth floor of the Hilton New Orleans Riverside, and the pop of pingpong balls resonates through the spacious hall. The spot is the hotel’s Health Club, and the New Orleans Table Tennis Club meets there three evenings a week. The tennis and basketball courts are topped with a half-dozen tables arranged side by side, pulled out from behind the drapes where they were stored. Rolls of corrugated cardboard stand upright, sur-
rounding the tables to prevent balls from bouncing away. The players are a diverse group. They range from teenagers to retirees, novices to competitive players. “Competitive pingpong players” may sound strange to American ears. To most, “pingpong” evokes a leisurely activity played, with a beer in hand, at the corner of a billiards bar. But pingpong, or table tennis, as it is officially known, is also an Olympic event with an international following. While Louisiana’s competitive äSee PINGPONG, page 2G
New Orleans Pelicans guard Eric Gordon works on his small-ball game at a recent club meeting.
Lynne Jensen
THROW ME SOMETHIN’
Teddy bear drive gets underway Last year, New Orleans police officers handed out 500 teddy bears to children they encountered while on duty, thanks to a partnership between the New Orleans Police and Justice Foundation and Arnaud’s Restaurant. This year’s drive to collect bears begins Thursday. “It is amazing what can be accomplished when we all work for the common good,” Arnaud’s co-owner Archie Casbarian said. “We value our partnerships with the NOPJF and NOPD and look forward to unifying our efforts once again to better the community.” People are encouraged to donate new stuffed bears and bring them to one of the following Teddy Bear Program collection sites: n Arnaud’s, 813 Bienville St., during dining hours n NOPJF headquarters, 400 Poydras St., Suite 2105, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays n The lobby of the New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau, 2020 St. Charles Ave., 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. The goal is to collect 1,500 bears through Dec. 31 and to give them to children who have been traumatized by victimization or personal tragedy. The men and women of the Police Department “look forward, once again, to the opportunity of helping these children and families cope with traumatic events by giving them a little something to hold onto during a time of crisis,” said Melanie Talia, NOPJF executive director. For more information, visit www.arnaudsrestaurant.com.
Advocate staff photo by SHERRI MILLER
ABOVE: Students from LaPlace Elementary School were invited onstage by enre-defying musical sensation Santigold during her performance at an assembly on Oct. 30. BELOW: Assistant Principal Glenn Chenier dances to the music.
Playing their song LaPlace Elementary School students were summoned
into an assembly on Oct. 30 to receive a $30,000 grant from Toyota and VH1 Save the Music. The money will pay for a new music program, the first at the school since Hurricane Katrina. It’s big news, but the students might have been more excited — at least for the moment — about the star who came along to deliver the check. Internationally known singer-songwriter Santigold, in town to perform at the Voodoo music festival, made a special appearance, wearing a giant hair bow, singing for the students and calling energetic young fans up onstage with her.
It’s tree time
Welcome to tree-planting season. Yep, I’m talking about the month of November, when cool, wet weather sets in and trees can establish roots during winter. Learn more about the season when Parkway Partners New Orleans presents “Native Trees and Shrubs” at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Parkway Greenhouse, 1137 Baronne St. Rick Webb, of Louisiana Growers, will be on hand to offer helpful planting information. A selection of trees, shrubs, bedding plants, herbs and cool-season vegetables will be sold from 9 a.m. to noon. äSee JENSEN, page 2G
Get wise to holiday scams with free program Learn how to avoid scams during the holiday season at a free program at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 18 in the cafeteria of St. Mary Magdalen School, 6425 W. Metairie Ave., Metairie. Sponsored by the St. Mary Magdalen Council 5301 of the Knights of Columbus, the session also will address personal safety. Kelan Madore, of the Knights of Columbus, said a Jefferson Parish deputy will
Eva Jacob Barkoff AROUND JEFFERSON
present the program, which is open to the public. “We will also raffle off a
U.S. flag that was flown over the Capitol and also the bestselling book ‘Killing Patton’ by Bill O’Reilly,” Madore added. For more information, email Madore at kofc5301@gmail. com.
Program for parents
Families Helping Families of Jefferson and the Louisiana Parent Training and Information Center will sponsor a pro-
gram next week to help parents understand the specifics of a child’s special education individualized education plan. Called “The Big Picture,” the program is planned for 10 a.m. to noon Tuesday at the East Bank Regional Library, 4747 W. Napoleon Ave., Metairie. To register, call (504) 8889111.
West Bank winners named
Young athletes from 14 West Bank playgrounds recently participated in the Jefferson Parish Recreation Department’s annual West Bank Punt, Pass and Kick Championship at Kings Grant Playground. First- and second-place winners were: äSee BARKOFF, page 2G