NEWS

Local musicians, artists promote basin preservation in fundraiser

Chad Washington

There was a festive atmosphere at Artmosphere Bistro Sunday as the restaurant held a fundraiser to help conservationists to preserve the Atchafalaya Basin.

Area bands and artists joined forces with the Atchafalaya Basinkeeper project to host a Save the Basin fundraiser. Local bands such as Sweet Cecilia, recent Grammy-nominee Yvette Landry with Richard Comeaux, and Vermont's Easy Street performed at the event.

There was also a silent art auction with 10 percent of the proceeds going to Atchafalaya Basinkeeper.

St. Martin Parish President Guy Cormier, Henderson Mayor Sherbin Collette, and Greg Guirard all spoke at the fundraiser about the basin and how it needs to be protected from

Cara Leverett, executive assistant to Basinkeeper, said the event was a success thanks to the great weather and the generosity of the Lafayette community.

"We're having a very good turnout, I'm excited," she said during the event. "We have a lot of good bands still left to play and we have an art auction in the back and we also showcasing this beautiful one-of-a-kind, handmade pirogue that we're auctioning online."

"BP Blues" artist Drew Landry, Atchafalaya native Faren Serrette and local duo Vermont's Easy Street were some of those who attended the event.

The proceeds go to the group, whose main purpose is to protect the basin and keep an eye on any problems with the ecosystem, man-made or not.

"The main purpose of fundraising is to go to our monitoring and enforcement program, which is how we protect the thousands of acres of wetlands and cypress forests in the basin and coastal Louisiana," Leverett said.

The monitoring includes either by boat, by foot or by drone, Leverett added.

Executive director Dean Wilson said he hopes the turnout will get more people involved in the conservation of the basin.

"We have incredible people who care for the kids and grandkids, nieces and nephews who we work for," he said. "We want the basin to be left for future generations."

Berry Moody, the owner of Artmosphere, said she was happy to hold the fundraiser at her restaurant, and hopes to hold other fundraisers for other programs or groups in the Lafayette area.

"I know how important some of these groups are about 'Save the horse farm' and 'Save the basin' and 'Save the trees,' those kind of movements," Moody said. "I said to Cara, 'Do I really want to do fundraising?' And I really believe in the basin and I was hoping to do something for them. That was probably a year ago at least, and here we are."

For more information on Atchafalaya Basinkeeper as well as to bid on the pirogue, visit basinkeeper.org.