2019 Project Front Yard Award Winners Announced
Since Project Front Yard’s (PFY) inception in 2014, the community-wide beautification initiative has worked to highlight those who work diligently to improve community. As a part of their ongoing commitment to PFY’s mission, IBERIABANK partnered once again to celebrate honorees at the event. The awards are given annually to recognize individuals and organizations in Lafayette who are working to create a cleaner, greener and environmentally conscious community.
The Project Front Yard awards were held at the downtown IBERIABANK branch on October 3, 2019. IBERIA BANK has collaborated with PFY before and looks forward to the annual event. “Project Front Yard has been an outstanding effort, and we thank all of those who have contributed to its success,” says Jerry Vascocu, IBERIABANK Acadiana President. “IBERIABANK is proud to stand behind the program, as we have for the past six years, and celebrating this year's winners at our headquarters was a treat. We encourage more members of our community to get involved with Project Front Yard, and do what you can to help make Lafayette an even more beautiful place."
During the Sixth Annual Ceremony, awards were given to honor individuals and organizations that exemplify the mission of Project Front Yard:
· Best in Restoration was presented to Christie Snow, an individual whose ability to show compassion for the environment led her to organize “Pick It Up Acadiana”. Snow’s mission was to help any individual or group who wanted to make a change in their community, but lacked the resources, education, or ideas to begin. Snow’s initiative is not aimed at just one park, but all public and private areas that need upkeep to stay beautiful for others in the future.
· Best in Preservation was presented to Alzina Dural, Founder of Seasons’ the Green Leaf, who began her first project by implementing and developing consistent Neighborhood Watch programs in Quiet Town (QT). Seasons’ the Green Leaf provides a food pantry and books and materials throughout the Lafayette community for anyone having a need. In addition, Seasons’ has been in the forefront of successfully securing Project Front Yard within the “QT” community through partnering with Sheriff Mark Garber and his inmate worker crew to maintain grass and litter pick-ups throughout “QT.”
· Best in Advocacy was presented to Denise Lanclos who has just about a full-time job working on Azalea Trail’s social media, grant applications, coordinating projects and remapping its trail to promote ecotourism. Lanclos has expanded the original urban core concentration of effort on the original trail and envisions greater community landscapes to include a plan for “Grand Boulevards” of trees and azaleas.
· Best Overall Project Front Yard Effort was presented to Moncus Park. Moncus Park was selected as a recipient for this year’s Apache Tree Grant Program and from U.S. Fish & Wildlife Services to re-establish one of the largest stands of Cajun coastal prairie that will exist. In addition to the over 100-year-old oak trees, they planted 60 new live oaks that will line a ¾ mile promenade in the park.
· The Mayor’s Citizen Action Award, a new category this year, was presented to Ross Cottrill for his consistent participation in PFY’s events including Embrace A Space and Household Hazardous Waste Day. Cottrill earned 25,000 points and ranked number one on the leaderboard of the Gnome Nation app.
About Project Front Yard
Project Front Yard empowers businesses, civic organizations and individuals – like you – to take positive action on making Lafayette the most vibrant, lively and beautiful community anywhere in the world. We work to restore our communities and neighborhoods through litter abatement, improved streetscapes, and revitalized gateways; to preserve our cultural assets and character by protecting and cleaning our watershed and waterways and celebrating and creating more green spaces; we advocate for economically and environmentally sustainable practices like zero waste and recycling. But we can’t do it without you.
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