2005-06 Volunteer Days

[DestinCajun]

Pink walls would give us all at LOUISIANA just another reason to meet and have a painting Bar-B-Q!!!!!!!!

And we can listen to Pink Floyd while we do....

[RedBug58]

I plan on being there Thursday night. I'm ready for another Big Petes burger. It's time to get this show on the road. Now if we can just keep the rain away!

[Turner]

If my schedule clears up I plan on working Saturday can I just show up and where do I report?

[CajunGuru]

Thanks for all your hard work and dedication in advance.Please except my apology for not being able to attend this weekend’s cleanup.Do to the death of my Aunt today,a woman I considered as my second mother,I will be heading to Little Rock,Ark tomorrow morning. Please explain my absence to Gerald and others as I will help any way I can in the future.Not much of a 16th wedding anniversary gift I might say as well.

[CRAWFISH61]

My prayers and best wishes go out to your family.

[NewsCopy]

Not everyone can donate money to a cause, but that's not the only way to help a collegiate athletic program succeed.

The University of Louisiana's athletic complex will be the site of Ragin' Cajun Volunteer Days today through Sunday as fans pitch in to help University personnel improve the appearance of the school's facilities for Cajun teams.

Supporters will band together to paint, pressure wash, clean and maintain Cajun Field, the Moore Field baseball park, Ragin' Cajun Softball Park, Cajun track and soccer stadium and other sites.

"We had over 250 people over a three-day period last year," said Gerald Hebert, UL's coordinator of athletic development. "That's a lot of people. You can get a lot done with that many volunteers."

The idea for the UL clean-up project got its start three years ago when Hebert took his current position.

"I was looking at the facilities as a whole, and I was trying to re-kindle interest in our programs," Hebert said. "I know I don't have any money, and not everybody can give money. But what we're talking about is having pride in Ragin' Cajuns athletics, and being able to feel good about something.

"When you've put work into something and have some sweat equity in it, then your sense of pride goes up pretty high. We're trying in some small way to help make improvements."

It's a grass roots project that appeals to UL coaches who compete against some of the nation's richest athletic programs with less than bounteous budgets.

"There will be a number of coaches there, from football, baseball, track and soccer," Hebert said. "They want to make sure people know how much they appreciate what the people are doing with their hard work."

"Obviously, it makes me feel good to have people give their time to something like this," track and field coach Lance Veazey said. "It shows they care about what we're doing, and it kind of gives what I do more value to have them giving back to me.

"I'll be here," Veazey added. "I'll try to pitch in and help. Especially since our facility has been under construction for the last two years, it's kind of been off-limits. It needs a little elbow grease."

The rest of the story

Bruce Brown
bbrown@theadvertiser.com

[DaddyCajun]

Will there be a meeting this week? I've only been able to make one due to conflicts with 4 of my kids playing baseball. I think we finished the last game last night. I've already dedicated my 4-wheeler and my time, but if we're going to "hit the ground running" on the "Vermilion Wall" I need to know the organizational status. Also, we've got to have music playing on the PA system to help me work faster!

Sign in is at the IBERIA BANK TENT, this is also where the "FOOD" will be served. It will be located on the First base side of the Baseball complex by the New Covered Area(eat there).

Going pressure wash right now and pick up and ice down some "WATERMELLONS" around 3p.m.


DaddyCajun!

[Boomer]

I think a vermilion wall will look good.

It is only 5 feet tall with grey cement above and grass below, and hopefully white banners everywhere.

Now if we painted it white, a contrasting Vermilion banner would be real hard to come by.

This is the best indicator of what a VERMILION wall might look like.
The inside of the tunnel was painted almost a decade ago.
The slab over the pumps was painted 2 years ago.

Who is the chick crossing the field---Pretty foxy!!!!!!--We have alot of those on campus!!

[NewsCopy]

Whatever duty called them, be it pruning the trees or carrying out 20-year-old trash from unused concession stands, dozens of volunteers descended upon the University of Louisiana's athletic facilities for a much-needed facelift during the weekend.

The work started Friday afternoon, with a handful of people coming out just to help and get started on the weekend's larger tasks, including pressure washing nearly every surface they can reach.

Some volunteers said they went just to give back a little bit to the university.

"The university gives a lot to the community and the community needs to give a little bit back. Say what you want, but Lafayette's a college town," said Lee Venable, whose son, Justin, plays football for the Ragin' Cajuns. "We don't mind helping out a bit. We take real pride in the university and to help them out is great. The players appreciate it; the coaches appreciate it. They work hard all year so the least we can give them is a weekend."

The rest of the story

Jordan Hernandez
jhernandez@theadvertiser.com

Joe Handy and Lee Venable going from one job to the next.

[Turbine]

Thanks IBERIA BANK

Soft Shell Crabs Yum Yum!