Currents 4Q 2007

The Baton Rouge Area Foundation currents Q4 2007 ERNEST J. GAINES An interview and a new book award in his honor MR. ED’S WILD RIDE Overcoming opposition to build happy trails PLAY TO LEARN Baton Rouge is getting a children’s museum Old South Baton Rouge Money | Women Freed | A New Opera | Northshore Soars volume 1 numBer 4 CONTENTS 16 22 30 MEXICAN CONNECTION | COrDOBA, Our sIster CItY DEPARTMENTS 04 FROM THE CHAIR 14 Choice School 06 LEAD IN Experimental school could spark more in Baton Rouge. 12 FOR OUR MEMBERS 14 ON THE GROUND 34 WHAT’S NEXT 16 Play to Learn Baton Rouge is getting a children’s museum. 46 GRANTED 52 THE CORRIDOR 55 CODA 22 Working From Home An interview with Ernest J. Gaines 30 Elder Care Two new programs assist the elderly in On the cover Baton Rouge and Pointe Coupée. ernest J. Gaines photographed by terri Fensel. 2 Baton Rouge aRea Foundation Q4|2007 34 46 55 34 Mr. Ed’s Wild Ride Overcoming opposition to build happy trails 38 Happy Trails In St. Tammany, a road often traveled by foot, blades 46 Life Support A program gives a hand up to former women prisoners. 52 Northshore New Foundation awards grants, raises nearly $10 million. 55 Robert Grayson Opéra Louisiane, general director the Baton Rouge area Foundation is a community foundation providing two essential functions for the capital region. the Foundation connects philanthropists with capable nonproﬁ ts to make sure the needs of our communities are met. the Foundation also invests in and manages pivotal projects to improve the region. our Plan Baton Rouge initiative spearheaded the downtown revitalization plan. For more, contact Mukul Verma at [email protected]. Currents Q4 2007 3 Christel C. slaughter ph.d. FROM THE CHAIR reetings friends, preparation of the Foundation’s next, 5-year stra- On behalf of the tegic plan. GBoard of Directors of the Collins often refers to three basic tenets that Baton Rouge Area Foundation, I make companies great. First, he says, do only am pleased to announce that re- those things that you can be best at in the world. nowned, Austin-based marketing Second, do only those things that you can be pas- firm GSD&M is making headway sionate about. And finally, do things that make on the development of an identity simple economic sense. and underlying authentic purpose Organizations that use these principles to for the I-10/12 Corridor. The strat- guide their activities, Collins says, are on the egy is to separate the Corridor— way to developing a strategy and vision that they which runs from Slidell, through can be truly successful at implementing. In fact, Baton Rouge and Lafayette, to Lake Charles—as a Collins points out, some of the greatest startup defined economic region for the state. companies and entrepreneurs begin to develop The idea, first presented as part of the their core purpose by first identifying their pas- Louisiana Speaks Regional Plan, has already sions—rather than looking to market indicators gained traction. Leaders from across the region or other statistics that might reveal profit-taking are lining up to participate in the planning ses- opportunities. sions, and the publisher of the Business Report So let’s look at our core purpose for a moment: has announced plans for a new publication ded- Our mission is to enhance the quality of life avail- icated to the corridor: 10/12, The Gulf South able to residents of Louisiana’s capital region. Is Business Corridor. that something we can be best at in the world? I Now, GSD&M is conducting interviews and think it is—because we have local expertise—be- online workshops with leadership groups from cause we can furnish insights on the status of this throughout the corridor. This work will help the community beyond those any outsider could— firm create several scenarios to present to re- because we have tremendous leadership on our gional leaders who will then select the message board and staff—people who are capable of mak- that defines the corridor in the most dynamic ing change happen. and powerful way. By presenting that image to Our work is exciting, and the people involved the rest of the nation and world, we will posi- are brimming with passion. It’s work that’s easy tion the Corridor as a vital, vibrant region for to get wrapped up in—it’s work that’s more re- business. warding than getting a paycheck or tax break. This work is central to stabilizing both the It’s work with real value—human value. When state’s economy and the various local economies we have success, real people in our commu- as we continue to recover from Katrina and Rita. nity, real parents and children get to live bet- Much of that work relates back to the principles ter. They are better educated, live safer lives and put forth by Jim Collins, noted business expert have increased access to quality services like ba- and lecturer, in his book Good to Great. sic health care. Today I’d like to share some of his ideas with We can be the best. We are passionate. But ini- you, so you can more fully understand the con- tially, Collins’ third point—do things that make text for both the I-10/12 Corridor project and the simple economic sense—seems out of place in 4 Baton Rouge Area Foundation BOArD OF DIreCtOrs our field since we don’t seek a monetary profit. Foundation’s 12 founders who be- However, to continue our work from year to year, lieved in our ability to achieve tangible Christel C. slaughter Ph.D., it’s important to remember what drives our fi- social benefits. They are the legacies Chair nancial engine. And that’s probably the most dif- of our first fund donors, who gave to John G. Davies, ficult question for nonprofits because you can’t the community without the benefit of President & Ceo buy and sell philanthropy on store shelves. It’s seeing previous results. We are build- thomas L. Frazer, something that people support, largely, on faith. ing on their commitment, their faith in Vice Chair Our work is made possible by gifts—gener- our ability to make a difference. Candace e. Wright, ous support from members of the community Sadly, we have lost many of our treasurer who share our vision. And it’s our reputation that great leaders over the past year—lead- Brace B. Godfrey Jr., keeps us going. It’s our legacy in the commu- ers who made our community better, Secretary nity that convinces people to support our work. leaders who fostered our Foundation’s John W. Barton sr., When our fund donors and members support ability to create change and positively Chair emeritus our work, they are trusting us to deliver a better affect individual lives throughout the thomas H. turner, community, an improved quality of life for our capital region. I am reminded that we Past Chair neighbors. stand on their shoulders, we reach for Alice D. Greer, Why do they trust us? Because we’ve demon- the dreams they inspired. We benefit at Large Member strated—time and time again—that we can turn from the community they built. our passion for the community into results like And now, as we prepare to plan Lee Michael Berg the Shaw Center for the Arts, the Old South Baton for the next stage of our growth, we Warren O. Birkett Jr. Rouge Revitalization Project and the Louisiana must remember that we also hold Speaks Regional Plan. Our capital—our engine, the next generation. They will stand thomas A. Cotten in these terms, is our reputation, our legacy. on our shoulders and finish the work Yolanda J. Dixon That’s one reason we focus so much on sharing that we’ve started. So we have to lift richard F. Manship our results with you through Currents and other them up, guide them so that they can C. Brent McCoy media. When you see what we’re doing—what achieve the future for Louisiana that we’re accomplishing in the community, then you we each would like to see. Matthew G. McKay can also see what else needs to be done to make Best wishes this holiday season, Jennifer eplett reilly our community even better—that’s where we’re Jacqueline D. Vines headed. In his work, Collins also says that great orga- Paul s. West nizations measure success relative to their mis- Christel C. Slaughter, Ph.D. sion. For us, that means asking whether or not our community has improved, whether or not the quality of life in the region is more equitable than Currents is published four times before. I can tell you, without hesitation, that the a year by the Baton Rouge Area Foundation, 402 N. Fourth Street, Foundation has indeed been successful. And you Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70802. If can see the results all across town—the results you would like to be added to our distribution list, please contact are in plain sight. us at (225) 387-6126, or email the They are the accomplishments of the gener- Foundation at [email protected]. ations who came before us, the legacies of the Currents Q4 2007 5 LEAD IN Boost for Old South BR A plan to revive 126 housing units and the Foundation has pro- Old south Baton vided a strategic plan and assisted in launching rouge is in place. the neighborhood Partnership Board. What’s now some re- more, just before word of the neighborWorks sources for imple- grant, the state created the east Baton rouge menting it are as Parish redevelopment Authority, which will al- well.

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