By Dana Prifti, Media Relations Writing Intern

UNH Dining Services has been working with the New Orleans Board of Education to collect donations to help the St. Bernard Unified School, a PK-12 school opened after Hurricane Katrina ravaged the St. Bernard Parish.

Suzanne Shumway, area manager for Holloway Commons, is very excited to give this year’s Mardi Gras dinner, an annual event, a new meaning. “We know a lot was done just after the disaster but feel that the rebuilding of New Orleans is just as critical in the healing process after such a tragedy,” Shumway said. “We debated whether to have the event but felt we needed to continue the tradition but do so in a way that could help others too. We felt that helping another school would be a great way Hospitality Services and our students could show our support.”

Within the Greater New Orleans area, to the south and east of New Orleans, St. Bernard was the hardest hit of all the school systems in Hurricane Katrina's path, losing virtually all of its 14 schools. Both wind damage and extreme flooding severely damaged or destroyed homes, schools, businesses and churches.

Before the hurricane, the St. Bernard parish served about 9,000 students. After Katrina, through great hardship and with a great deal of effort and determination, the parish opened one PK-12 school site in November 2005 as the "St. Bernard Unified School" that is now serving nearly 1,600 students, with more students returning every day. The unified school, combining all grades, is made up of 16 temporary buildings provided by FEMA located in the parking lot of the former Chalmette High School.

At this time, very few homes in the parish have been rebuilt. The few residents that have returned to St. Bernard have installed FEMA trailers on their property, but most residents have yet to relocate back to the parish. Many families who are currently living as far away as 60-70 miles are driving their children to the unified school every day so that the children can be in familiar surroundings with friends and schoolmates and regain a sense of normalcy.

Donation boxes for new or gently used school supplies like markers, notebooks, crayons and backpacks are located at all three dining halls, Wildcatessin, the MUB Food court and the Philbrook Café. Dining Services is encouraging all students, faculty and staff to donate supplies to help these children get back on their feet.

Tuesday, February 28, a special Mardi Gras inspired benefit dinner will be served at Holloway Commons featuring New Orleans favorites like Cajun burgers, Creole cheesy fries, crab cakes, monkey bread, gumbo, jambalaya, French onion soup, peach cobbler, bourbon chocolate cake, and much more. The non-meal plan price at the door is $11 or $8 with a donation.

UNH Dining Services will be collecting for the two weeks prior to the event with the dinner being a celebration and wrap up of thanks. “We will have beads, live music and the menu will feature some traditional New Orleans style fare,” Shumway said. “We greatly hope that this event will be lots of fun as well as being a helping hand to the teachers and students at the St. Bernard Unified School.”