The South Louisiana Wetlands Discovery Center was selected as a recipient of the 2017-2018 Healthy Communities Grant.

The grant award, in the amount of $4,149, will fund one of the newest programs at the upcoming Rougarou Fest this October. The new program, the Rougarou Sweep, will encourage festival visitors to properly dispose of trash items and recyclable materials. Visitors will have the opportunity to earn tickets in exchange for their recyclable materials collected on site at the festival and redeem the tickets for a Rougarou Fest themed prize, including tote bags, reusable water bottles, and posters. Display models will allow visitors to explore the array of recyclable materials within their own homes and learn the fate of improperly disposed waste items. At the conclusion of the festival, volunteers will be able to pick up their witch hats and brooms to assist with the cleanup of the festival grounds, preventing trash items from entering Bayou Terrebonne.

“This recycling store will provide a wonderful opportunity to show our festival visitors the importance of recycling and proper trash disposal,” said SLWDC Program Director Samantha Hicks. “Festivals have the ability to generate large quantities of trash, and with the proximity of the festival grounds to Bayou Terrebonne, it’s easy to see the path these trash items would follow out to our coastal wetlands. Hopefully our recycling and clean-up efforts will encourage visitors to become environmentally conscious when dealing with their trash items.”

About SLWDC: The South Louisiana Wetlands Discovery Center is dedicated to revolutionizing how we teach, think, and learn about Louisiana’s disappearing coast. As coastal wetlands erode, the Wetlands Discovery Center educates students to provide them with the necessary knowledge and skills to adapt to their changing environment. For more information about SLWDC’s educational programs, visit http://slwdc.org/.

About Keep Louisiana Beautiful: Keep Louisiana Beautiful, Inc. is the state’s anti-litter and community improvement organization focused on education, enforcement, awareness, and cleanups. Affiliated with Keep America Beautiful, Keep Louisiana Beautiful’s mission is to promote personal, corporate, and community responsibility for a clean and beautiful Louisiana. With a network of 40 affiliates in communities throughout the state, over 35,000 volunteers work toward a clean and beautiful Louisiana.