By RYAN ARENA

L’Observateur

LAPLACE — LaPlace Elementary student Kash Foley just covered his head with his hands when asked to describe his thoughts on the day’s events.

“It feels wonderful,” he said. “This is just like another Christmas.”

Foley and 15 schoolmates got to be the envy of every Saints fanatic Tuesday as they assembled at the LaPlace Wal-Mart to not only meet five of the team’s starters but also to go on a special shopping spree; the players helped the children pick out sporting equipment, with each student able to spend up to $220.

The children were split into four groups, each led by a Saints player: running back Pierre Thomas, punter Thomas Morstead, fullback Jed Collins and center Brian de la Puente. The groups split up to tour the sporting goods section of Wal-Mart.

The event was organized by Thomas and his iCAN foundation as a way to give back to a community hit hard by Hurricane Issac, in this case helping students whose homes were lost or flooded to replace some of the items lost in the storm.

“When I heard about what happened here, it touched my heart,” said Thomas. “I came here after Katrina and did whatever I could to help then … Now it’s happened again, but out here. Unfortunately, we can’t stop a hurricane from happening. But this is a way to share and give back. I can do that.”

The emphasis of the shopping spree was on athletic equipment because, in addition to giving back, Thomas wants to help promote activity in the nation’s youth as a counterstrike to the development of childhood obesity — the reason the iCAN foundation was established.

“It’s so important for these kids to be active,” said Thomas. “They’re our future. You want them to be active and to not grow up to be lazy … Doing more now can push them to want to become something and to do a lot more things in their lives.”

Some of the youths, like Foley and India Turner, looked around at bicycles.

“It’s very inspiring, and it’s been fun,” said Turner. “My family and I are huge Saints fans, and I’m a huge Pierre Thomas fan. I knew he was coming, but when he showed up, it was like I was still surprised.”

Others, like Jaddan Diaz, opted for alternatives, like a punching bag and a set of boxing gloves.

Diaz’s house was flooded in the storm. He commutes to school every day from a hotel in Baton Rouge with his mother, Autumn, while the house undergoes repairs.

The punching bag offers a good way to vent, Diaz joked.

But also uplifting was his chance to meet Morstead, one of his favorite players.

“I’m a kicker and a punter for my team,” said Diaz, who plays on LaPlace Elementary middle school team and also picked out a new kicking tee to replace his own ruined in the storm. “I’m a very big fan of his.”

During the event, last year’s first-round draft pick, Mark Ingram, also showed up to visit with the students.

St. John the Baptist Parish President Natalie Robottom said that it was like “Christmas in October.”

“This is very exciting,” she said. “Because, for one, people are still remembering us. We need people to remember and understand that this is long term … This is the second round. For members of the Saints team, especially Pierre Thomas, to come out and do this really means a lot.”

It meant a lot to Thomas, too.

“After all they’ve been through, maybe we can help offer just a little sigh of relief to these kids and their parents,” said Thomas.

“Just seeing the smiles on their faces, it means everything.”