L’Observateur / Febuary 3, 1999

St. John the Baptist Parish’s recreation program got a much-needed boostin the hiring of Lionel Washington as its new director. His prestige,reputation, professionalism and sound experience will all be assets, not only to the program itself, but also to the parish as a whole.

Now comes his toughest challenge – bringing an embattled, underfunded, undersupported program up to speed. Along the way, he will have to forgelinks with parents, businesses and industry and demonstrate results quickly from an expectant public.

Washington comes with a full resume, not only of personal athletic achievement, but also as in public service. His football camp is popularand draws hundreds of youngsters to a successful program.

He is also a popular speaker and does not like to fail at anything. This isthe sort of drive and determination needed to help make the St. JohnParish recreation program achieve success.

All this, of course, comes at a time when the current parish president is completing his term of office and elections are right around the corner. Tohave any effectiveness and long-lasting results, Washington will have to be on the job awhile, and that may not happen depending upon election results.

A recreation department, in dealing with a community’s children, can be the heart and soul of a community. Here, young people are learningvaluable lessons about life, working in teams, achieving goals and dealing with shortcomings, failures and setbacks. How they learn these lessonswill depend upon the volunteer help provided the department and the leadership these volunteers receive.

Children learn best from parents, and a good parent is also a good teacher.

Children look to their parents for moral, ethical and spiritual guidance, and an involved parent is usually the best for a child to have.

Recreation affords an opportunity, not only for children, but also for parents to involve themselves in their children’s lives in a positive way.

Parents can, through their own behavior, provide role models for their offspring.

Lionel Washington will need a lot of help in the coming months and, hopefully, years to come. He needs volunteers to help in the operation ofthe many activities of the recreational program, including those activities he may yet introduce.

We encourage children to become involved in the parish recreation program. It’s organized fun and lessons for life. We likewise encourageparents to become involved. It’s quality time with children, helping thenext generation and generations to come prepare themselves for the future.

This is not a time, therefore, for political posturing or sniping at the new man on the block. We need to give Lionel Washington a good opportunity tomake hundreds of dreams come true. He needs our full support, honestfeedback, constructive criticism and an absence of politics and personal meddling.

Several years ago, St. Charles Parish’s recreation program was down toits dying embers. This changed radically with the rebuilding effort led byRusty Rebowe. Lionel Washington has a similar challenge in St. JohnParish, with the handicap of coming on board during an election year.

Let’s help make it work this time, for the children’s sake.

L’Observateur

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