Each Wednesday, L’Observateur recognizes individuals and businesses in the River Parishes who have gone “above and beyond” in their efforts to make this a better place to live, work, play and raise a family.

We believe an integral part of a community’s wellbeing is an attitude and arena where people who do good things … who work to improve life for others … who try to make a difference … are recognized and saluted.

Because this is a salute to members of the community of the entire River Parishes, we solicit your recommendations for groups or individuals to be considered for inclusion.

This week we salute:

• Riverside High School basketball player Ricardo Gathers for being named Mr. Basketball by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association. Gathers is the 16th recipient of the award and only the second junior to ever be named Mr. Basketball. Gathers helped lead Riverside to its second consecutive state championship in class 2A.

• All participants who stayed up or camped out into the late hours during last week’s Relay for Life in St. John the Baptist Parish. Organizers said last week that the event, which raises money for cancer research, netted more than $70,000, which far surpassed the established goal of $58,500.

• The Greater New Orleans Therapeutic Riding Center for its eighth annual Plop Drop fundraiser in LaPlace last week. The creatively themed event

helps raise money for the riding center, which benefits mentally and physically disabled people through interaction with

animals.

• The St. John the Baptist Parish School System for

scheduling several events last week to motivate students in preparation for the LEAP,

iLEAP and other standardized tests. Schools brought in representatives from the New Orleans Saints and New Orleans Hornets, and also had motivational

speeches from former East St. John High School athletes

Ryan Perrilloux and Kerry Watkins.