With images of the destruction from Hurricane Sandy fresh in the public’s collective mind, it’s easy to forget that local people are still suffering in the aftermath of Hurricane Isaac.

Lake Pontchartrain School in St. John the Baptist Parish suffered a complete loss. The entire school flooded, all instructional materials were lost, and students have been separated and sent to different schools until their school is repaired. Also, their principal lost everything, and is commuting from Baton Rouge to all the various schools that are housing her displaced staff and students.

The entire staff at ACCENT on Arrangements agreed to lend a hand, and “Santa’s Shelves” was born. They have launched a campaign to solicit new or gently used book donations to restock the library. In addition to the participation of staff, friends and colleagues, The Windsor Court Hotel and The Ritz-Carlton New Orleans have generously offered to collect donations from their holiday tea guests.

The school has received plenty of dictionaries and thesauruses, but they are in need of all types of genres, both fiction and non-fiction, for pre-K through eighth-grade readers. For ideas on what books to donate, please visit the school’s Advanced Readers site.

Anyone wishing to contribute must do so by Dec. 20, as the books will be delivered to school officials on Dec. 21. Books can either be dropped off at the office, or shipped to: ACCENT on Arrangements, 615 Baronne St., Suite 303, New Orleans, LA 70113. For more information, call 504-524-1227 or visit www. accent-dmc.com.

Those wishing to make a financial contribution can make checks payable to Lake Pontchartrain Elementary, and mail to: Lake Pontchartrain Elementary Recovery Effort, 188 W. 10th St., Reserve, LA 70084.