By ROBIN SHANNON

L’Observateur

LAPLACE – With the St. John the Baptist Parish School System still reeling from the devastation caused by Hurricane Isaac, the district has paired with the New Orleans Hornets to raise money for the needs of affected schools in the parish.

On Nov. 7, the Hornets will host St. John Night at the Hive when the team takes on the Philadelphia 76ers at 7 p.m. inside the New Orleans Arena. The Hornets are offering discounted tickets and parking at the arena for St. John Parish residents, and all proceeds from the evening will go to schools affected by Isaac.

In addition to the extensive damage caused throughout the parish when Isaac tore through the region on Aug. 29, the parish school system suffered severe losses as both East St. John High and Lake Pontchartrain Elementary were put out of commission when floodwaters swamped both schools. Approximately 2,000 students from the two schools have been relocated to other schools in the parish while work is done to repair the damage.

Although most of the remaining schools were spared any serious damage, hundreds of students throughout the parish suffered losses of school supplies, uniforms and other personal items as a result of the flooding of more than 6,000 homes in the parish from Isaac.

Discounted tickets are $11, and discounted parking in the arena garage is $10. Groups and single families can register for tickets by visiting www.hornetsgroups.com. For more information, contact Ashley Thiedke at 504-593-4749 or through email at Ashley. Thiedke@Hornets.com.