AGA TOPICS Newsletter

Third Annual National Community Service Project Another Rousing Success—“Third-and-a-half” Habitat Event Coming Up June 25
By AGA Past National President Jeffrey S. Hart, CGFM, CFE

Thirteen AGA members supported by as many local chapter members participated in the Third Annual National Community Service project in New Orleans’ Ninth Ward April 27–May 1, 2009. Like last year, the project was sandwiched between the two weekends of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festivals. Most out-of-town participants stayed in the beautiful, new University of New Orleans dormitory in two- and four- bedroom, furnished apartments.

Due to popular demand, we have created a second opportunity this year to experience what it’s like to work with Habitat for Humanity in New Orleans.  Please join me, AGA National President-elect Billy Morehead, Ph.D., CGFM, CPA, and other AGA leaders at AGA's “Third-and-a-half” Annual National Community Service Project on June 25, the day after the PDC ends. This will be the third consecutive year, and the second time in 2009, that AGA members and their family and friends meet in New Orleans to build a house in Musicians’ Village with Habitat for Humanity for victims of Hurricane Katrina.  

One of the highlights in April was seeing Nat Franklin, the owner of the first home we worked on two years ago. Nat clearly was doing well and he is proud of his new home. He had made a variety of small improvements to his small home, including a new driveway and carport. Another highlight was the lunchtime concert presented by the musician-home owners of Habitat’s Musicians’ Village.

This year’s on-site volunteers included Past AGA National President Virginia Robinson, CGFM, CPA, DABFA, Past AGA National Treasurer Evelyn Brown, CGFM, and Senior Vice President-at-Large Karl Boettcher, MBA, CGFM, from the Washington, D.C. Chapter; Past RVP Doreen Shute, CGFM, CPA, from Montgomery/Prince Georges County Chapter; Melinda Barbish from the Richmond Chapter; Janice Wieberg, CGFM, and Thomas Wieberg of the Mid-Missouri Chapter; Yong-He Bae, Erin Koksal, and Thanh Le of the Denver Chapter; and Howard Tamborella, CGFM, and Marcie Tureaud from the New Orleans Chapter.

Thanks also to Past RVP Peggy Javery, CGFM, Amanda Green, CGFM, Gary Millet, CGFM, and all the members of the New Orleans Chapter for their always amazing and generous hospitality. The hot catered meals delivered by Howard Tamborella and PNP Jullin Renthrope, CGFM, CPA, CFE, CGFO, were delicious as usual. Special thanks to PNP Clyde McShan, CGFM, for again inviting all of us into his beautiful home for his legendary crawfish boil, and for arranging for the free tickets to the Zephyrs baseball game. I also want to thank Knica Lloyd, CPA, for the nice gift bags with the New Orleans T-shirts and all the other nice goodies. It's our wonderful AGA colleagues in New Orleans that really make this such an enjoyable endeavor. Thanks also to Doreen Shute and the Capital Region chapters for providing us all with the fashionable lime green T-shirts.

This year’s volunteers clearly enjoyed themselves. Janice M. Wieberg, CGFM, said, “This was a most wonderful experience for me. Tom had explained how much it meant to him, after he'd worked this event last year, but until I actually experienced it for myself, I didn't truly and fully understand what he meant. We are both definitely planning on returning next year.”  PNP Virginia Robinson said, “It was wonderful meeting AGAers and others with true grit and the real community service spirit. I've known for a long time that our New Orleans Chapter is part of the crème de la crème in AGA, but this time they even out did themselves. I'm definitely planning to return.”

Over 2,000 families were to be evicted from their 300-square-foot FEMA trailers on May 31 according to the local newspaper. By one estimate, as many as 20,000 buildings in the city remain uninhabitable after the 2005 hurricane devastated New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. Stay in New Orleans an extra day, and take part in this fun and meaningful event. You can make a difference.  

All AGA hotels will honor the special AGA rate for this extra night if space is available. Volunteers will work from 7:45 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. Transportation will be arranged (perhaps for a small fee), and a delicious catered lunch will be provided by the New Orleans AGA chapter. Please complete the registration form  as soon as possible to participate. 

Contact me for details at 303.312.6169 or hart.jeff@epa.gov. You can also read my description with photographs from AGA's April 2008 Habitat work project in New Orleans.