REBECCA CARRASCO

PHOTO 1: DEPUTY FRANCIS LANDRY prepares to head onto the trail, helping to raise money for cancer research. (Staff Photo by Rebecca Carrasco) NORCO – Having fun and doing good on a picture-perfect day was what Lt. Pam Schmitt of Special Services Division and Sheriff Greg Champagne of the St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s department did in sponsoring their third annual Trail Ride to benefit the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital recently. According to Schmitt, coordinator of the fund-raiser, “April’s been a good month for us – we were high and dry, despite the flooding up north. All of the spillway is usually underwater by now. But what a turnout, it was wonderful, we had 52 riders and tons more wanted to know about rental horses.” “We were able to do this on a shoestring,” Schmitt said. The parish Parks and Recreation Department donated the use of the pavillon, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers allowed the use of the spillway and bulldozed the trails, and local businesses contributed their time, money and supplies to make the trail ride a success. There were four major riders who were on hand to lend support and supervision for this event: Chief Deputy Joseph Cardella, Deputy Clint LeBlanc, Deputy Francis Landry and Schmitt son, George Chip’ Schmitt, who was the trail boss. “My son, Chip, has been healthy all his life, and I wanted him to pay something back for being blessed in that way,” Schmitt said. Chip who is also a horseshoer, volunteered and marked out five miles of trail. The trail ride raised $1,000 for an organization whose premise states all children would be accepted regardless of their families’ ability to pay, and those families without insurance are never asked to pay. “This organization treats childhood illnesses and cancer. They pay for all the treatments and provide housing for the parents,” explained Schmitt, who added, “We are going to do this fund-raiser every two years.” Anyone wanting to make a donation for cancer research can contact Lt. Pam Schmitt at (985) -1355.