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THURSDAY NOVEMBER 26, 2015 H ALGIERS • GRETNA • TERRYTOWN • HARVEY • WESTWEGO • WAGGAMAN • MARRERO • BRIDGE CITY • AVONDALE THENEWORLEANSADVOCATE.COM
Lynne Jensen
THROW ME SOMETHIN’
Santa will be on the run in Warehouse District Happy Thanksgiving and welcome to the winter holiday season, which for some includes costuming for Christmas. It’s only natural for Santa’s helpers in New Orleans to dress and join the merrymaking at the annual “Running of the Santas” on Saturday, Dec. 12, in the Warehouse District. The fun starts at 2 p.m. at the “South Pole,” commonly called The Rusty Nail, 1100 Constance St. The crowd will kick into a four-block fun run at 5:45 p.m. to the “North Pole,” also known as Generations Hall, 310 Andrew Higgins Blvd. Registration for the Fun Run will begin at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 12, at the Rusty Nail. Participants should don creative Christmas attire for a chance to win the treasured Best Holiday Costume award. Popular subjects include Santa, Mrs. Claus, Scrooge, Jingle Bells, Jack Frost and Old Man Winter. Flow Tribe will headline, playing from 8:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Generations Hall, preceded by Category from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. DJ Scott Satchfield will äSee JENSEN, page 2G
Eva Jacob Barkoff AROUND JEFFERSON
Advocate staff photos by MATTHEW HINTON
Ashley Kottemann and her son Gabriel, by red door, listen as Pastor Antoine Barriere of HouseHold of Faith speaks and the Rev. Henry Hudson of Trinity Episcopal waits his turn at the house dedication. The churches teamed up with New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanityand AmeriCorps workers to build the home on Oleander Street in New Orleans.
HOUSEWORK Mom and son thankful for a new home after churches come together for build
BY KAREN TAYLOR GIST Community News editor
Ashley Kottemann and her son Gabriel, 6, have a big change to be thankful for this holiday season: They’ll soon be moving into a new three-bedroom Habitat for Humanity home. As per Habitat requirements, Kottemann put sweat equity into the house, helping to lay floors, build walls and paint rooms. The interior colors are standard-issue neutrals, but she did get to add a few personal touches, choosing dark hardwood for the floor and a smoky blue for the home’s exterior. The overarching color scheme Gabriel Kottemann, 6, greets the Rev. Antoine M. Barriere of Household for the building project as a whole, of Faith Church, as Ashley Kottemann and the Rev. Henry Hudson of though, was a mixture of black and Trinity Episcopal Church look on. white.
Toy drive helps steer Santa to Kenner principal gets surprise Children’s thank-you for 30 years of work Hospital The 24th annual Children’s Hospital toy drive gets under way Thursday and continues until Dec. 10. “The last several years our toy drive has been supported by various schools, churches and small businesses,” said organizer Alex Fisher Jr. “This year, the goal is to bring aboard larger businesses, organizations and schools.” The toys will be collected on Dec. 10, and volunteers are needed. “We not only need help collecting the toys, we also need individuals and groups to help sort and box the toys, which we will do from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Dec. 10 at the Knights of Columbus Hall, 475 Franklin St. in Gretna,” Fisher said. The toys will be delivered to Children’s Hospital on Dec. 12. To donate, volunteer or for information, call Fisher at äSee BARKOFF, page 2G
they’re throwing her a surprise party. Students at Greenlawn TerHow do you keep 500 kids ages 4 to 11 quiet? Tell them race Elementary School in that their school principal is Kenner gave a big thanks last on the way to the cafeteria and week to Katherine T. “Kitty” Advocate staff report
The blitz build, completed in 10 days between Oct. 6 and Oct. 21, brought together volunteers from the mostly white Trinity Episcopal Church, 1329 Jackson Ave., and Household of Faith, the African-American church just blocks away at 630 Jackson Ave., New Orleans. Though the construction was fastpaced, the cornerstone for the cooperative project was laid about two years ago, said Household of Faith pastor the Rev. Antoine M. Barriere, when as a Habitat board member, he realized that getting churches to work together on the organization’s building projects would benefit all involved. “Me and Henry (Hudson, Trinity’s pastor) got together and started realäSee HOUSE, page 3G
Croft, as she marked her third decade as principal there. “I was so surprised, I almost passed out,” she said of the äSee PRINCIPAL, page 2G
Advocate staff photos by SHERRI MILLER
ABOVE: Kamdyn Bromfield, 5, hugs Principal Katherine Croft after presenting her with roses during a surprise party to celebrate her 30 years as principal at Greenlawn Terrace Elementary in Kenner. LEFT: The pre-K class sings a song during the surprise party.