Leonard Ray
March 30, 2007
Lady Tigers fall, but LSU baseball, softball teams have successful weekend
April 3, 2007
Runners in St. Bernadette Catholic School’s 12th annual Panda Meander will take to the street April 21 for the 5K run.
Thirteen years in the making, St. Bernadette Catholic School and Church have finally achieved its goal of providing a safe walking track for area residents.
That achievement will be commemorated on April 21 in the St. Bernadette 12th annual Panda Meander, an event that encompasses a 5K run, a fun run and countless other activities to please kids and adults alike.
The mission to build the track was set in 1994 after a couple walking in the Broadmoor area, near St. Bernadette, was mugged.
“Patricia Domange was the principal at the time,” said Leslie Bland, current chairwoman of the Panda Meander. “She and Father Pat got together and decided that they wanted to have a safe place for people to be able to walk and exercise. That’s when the whole concept was envisioned, and they started the Panda Meander.”
After raising money over the years, that “safe place” is finally coming to fruition. Bland said the track would start being built in late March, with hopes to have it done for the Panda Meander. “Every year they’ve held the event, and we’ve been saving the money so that we could develop a track,” she explained. “Finally, we’re there. We finally have enough money to construct the track.”
She added that even if the walking track is not completed by April 21, there would still be a ceremony commemorating the opening of it. The ceremony is currently scheduled for 8:15 a.m., that morning.
According to Bland, the track will be about one-fifth of a mile long.
At 8:30 a.m., a half-mile fun run for the kids will take place. Following the fun run will be a 5K run, for the more serious runners.
Following those runs?
More events. “Last year was a pretty big event,” said Bland. “But this year, it’s going to be even bigger. We’ve really turned it into a family event.”
Bland said around 300 people participated in last year’s run, and even more went just for the activities. One of the highlights of this year’s Panda Meander is a talent show at 11 a.m. “The kids from St. Bernadette have a talent show,” she said. “Last year was so fun … it was really fun.”
Along with the runs and talent show will be a deejay providing music for karaoke. Bland said that local businesses are also taking part in this year’s event. “A lot of people in the community are opening up little booths,” she said. “WingStop, Chick-fil-A and some of the parents will cook. Teachers come out and help, and people from the church come and help.”
Other activities for the kids include “face painting, balloon stuff, and jumping stuff,” said Bland.
“We’re really trying to do something for the whole community,” she added.
