By MELISSA PEACOCK

LAPLACE – St. John the Baptist Parish residents found more than just relief from the heat recently at St. Joan of Arc School. They found relief from the high cost of doctor’s visits, from fire and weather damage, from electric expenses and even from abuse. The first St. John Interagency Expo, hosted by the school, gave residents access to community services and professional advice.

Smiling faces greeted residents from behind colorful posters, diagrams, displays and pamphlets. Volunteers served up big helpings of hot jambalaya. The atmosphere was light, but the message serious.

“This is an opportunity for the community to learn what services we have in the parish,” said Cathy Holmes, LSU Ag. Center and St. John Interagency Council. “If it works out well, we hope to have it annually.”

The event was coordinated by the St. John Interagency Council, a council of local service agencies that meets quarterly to discuss how service agencies can better serve the community. Approximately 48 organizations/businesses were invited to participate in the expo. Participants included River Parishes Hospital, Twin Oaks Nursing Home, the Office of Family Support and the Department of Social Services and St. John Head Start

While organization attendance was good, pubic participation was not as high as some hoped. Attendance was slow, but steady throughout the morning, expo-goers said.

“It has been kind of slow, kind of low-key,” said Teri Pennington, Metropolitan Battered Women’s Program. “There would be more people if it were held on a weekend.”

The Metropolitan Battered Women’s Program is one member of the St. John Interagency Council. Pennington said the event gave her the opportunity to tell St. John women that there is someone out there providing help for those in abusive relationships. She provided residents with emergency hotlines and information on counseling, shelter and legal aid during the four-hour event.

St. John the Baptist Parish American Red Cross officials also attended the extravaganza. Representatives Maryann Anderson, Joseph Gray and Samuel Davis said the expo benefitted the organization, as well as the public.

“We met a lot of people interested in becoming volunteers,” Anderson said. “We are desperately in need of volunteers, especially during this hurricane season. We picked up 10 volunteers today.”

Anderson found out about the expo through one of her instructors.

“She asked us to come out and take part,” Anderson said. “I think it is a good idea. I have met a lot (of people) today that thought they knew about the Red Cross, but didn’t really.”

Officials at St. Joan of Arc School said event coordinators and participants are welcome to come back next year.

According to Principal Larry Bourgeois, the expo gives students the opportunity to work with more service agencies, as well as to complete more service projects.

Last year, SJA students did 24 social services projects around the area.

Projects included Christmas and Thanksgiving baskets, food drives, “Pennies for Patients” and the 4-H “Coats for Kids” campaign.