Guests packed in the Frederick Sigur Civic Center last Saturday night to attend the Save Louisiana Coalition’s 2nd Annual “Battle for the Bayou” fundraiser and silent auction.
This year’s event featured specialty dishes from the areas best restaurants, including Acme Oyster House, Mr. Mudbugs, Galatoire’s, Charlie’s Restaurant, Drago’s, Rocky & Carlos, Arabi Food Store, Meme’s Bar & Grill, and Mr. B’s Bistro, which was all included in the price of admission! Fried oysters, fish and shrimp, seared tuna, shrimp remoulade, seafood pasta, the list went on and on. There was live entertainment from Harvey Jesus and Fire, and amazing silent auction items from hunting and fishing trips to an all-inclusive party for 20 at Acme Oyster House. The event was widely supported through sponsorships and donations from across the metro area. St. Bernard Parish Councilman, George Cavignac was also recognized by the SLC for his dedication to the responsible restoration of our coast.
The Battle for the Bayou is held to raise funds for the Save Louisiana Coalition, a non profit organization dedicated to protecting and restoring our coast and its marshes while preserving the culture and heritage that makes Louisiana so special. SLC President George Ricks said, “Our goal when starting this organization was to be the voice that the people who live and work in coastal Louisiana have been lacking for too long. Our focus right now is on bringing awareness to the devastating effects that large-scale diversions will have on our coast. This is by far the biggest threat currently facing southeastern Louisiana. We need land now, and the only responsible way to accomplish that is through dredging.”
The event grew significantly from its inaugural year with over 500 tickets sold. Event coordinator and SLC treasurer, Kerri Callais said, “We were truly overwhelmed by the huge showing of support that we received this year. We went from asking for support last year to businesses and people coming to us this year asking how they could be a part of our cause. I am constantly amazed at how much the SLC has grown in such a short time and so unbelievably proud of what we have been able to accomplish. None of that would be possible without the support we receive from so many different groups, especially St. Bernard and Plaquemines Parish government. If you missed it, mark your calendar for next year because we will be back even bigger!”