If anyone knows the importance of New Orleans, it blues fans.
Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest and United Way/Centraide
Ottawa are teaming up to raise money to rebuild homes in the St.
Bernard Parish area of New Orleans that were demolished by Hurricane
Katrina four years ago.
“Bluesfest has a soulful connection with New
Orleans,” said Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest executive director Mark Monahan.
“Some fantastic music and artists come from that community, and I think
the fans will want to help out.”
St. Bernard Project co-founder Liz McCartney and
other volunteers will have a kiosk near the Subway stage to sell beads,
bracelets and T-shirts with proceeds benefiting the non-profit
organization.
In the aftermath of the hurricane, some of United
Way/Centraide Ottawa’s employees travelled to New Orleans to assist
with the rebuilding effort.
After seeing the considerable amount of work still to be done, United Way/Centraide Ottawa approached Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest.
“Communities such as St. Bernard Parish have had to
almost entirely rebuild themselves, and their work is far from
complete,” said United Way/Centraide Ottawa president and CEO Michael
Allen.
