May 23, 2013 - Butterfly Garden, Target for Thieves
Action News 17 Report: Letter to the Editor Reports Ponchatoula Vandalism
This past Friday, at around 6;30, one of the Gardenettes went to the garden and found that SOMEONE CUT ALL OF THE FLOWERING PLANTS, apparently planning to take them home. They left the bucket of flowers and the scissors used to cut the flowers. Numerous requests have been made to the Ponchatoula Police Department concerning the vandalism, but no one has been caught. The Ponchatoula Gardenettes are gathering at City Hall at 11:00 AM today to protest to the Mayor that something HAS TO HAPPEN to catch the perps. Over the years, vandals have stolen the copper fountain (City replaced it with insurance funds), some one regularly fills the water sculpture with the rocks in the area; there have been attempts to steal the existing sculpture (bricks removed, but City has it pretty well chained down), bird baths have been stolen; when they were cemented well into the ground, they were broken, rose plants were trimmed and pulled out of the ground and shaken free of dirt.... And the list goes on. An obvious solution would be a permanent motion-activated camera to catch the perps, but City Hall told Dale Rieth, Gardenettes President, that it was to expensive and would take too much manpower.
WAFB Channel 9 Baton Rouge Reports Incident
PONCHATOULA, LA (WAFB) -It was created to get rid of a neighborhood eyesore, but now Ponchatoula's butterfly garden has its own troubles - vandals. The garden's caretakers are fed up, and there's a hard push to find those responsible.
Two ladders and a lifeguard stand are all that's left of the abandoned pool that once stood behind the Kiwanis Club log cabin. Back in 2000, the Gardenettes of Ponchatoula turned the eyesore into a butterfly garden.
"The mayor and the chamber have put up signs for various things around the city of Ponchatoula, and there's a sign that directs people to the butterfly garden. So, it is a place of interest and people can come and sit here and enjoy the benches," said Gardenette Kathy Bedenbaugh.
While these ladies love pruning the plants and keeping the garden beautiful for visitors, Bedenbaugh says they don't want spend their time repairing broken pots and cleaning up other messes vandals have been leaving over the past few months.
"We've had plants stolen. Cigarettes get thrown all over. The rocks and the stepping stones get thrown into the fountain and it's continuous," said Bedenbaugh.
Bedenbaugh says it's gotten so bad, her group has reached out to city police for help.
"We find it just real disheartening that this continues to happen, and that no one is calling to provide us with information," said Bry Layrisson, Ponchatoula police chief.
Layrisson says he's sure someone knows something. He says police believe the vandals are young and likely brag about it to their friends. Police also think it's happening during the day.
"We're trying to get the word out to all of our citizens to help us find these vandals," said Layrisson. "We're now offering a cash reward to anyone with information on who's done this."
If you have any information on who might be vandalizing that butterfly garden, call the Ponchatoula Police at (985) 386-6548.
Two ladders and a lifeguard stand are all that's left of the abandoned pool that once stood behind the Kiwanis Club log cabin. Back in 2000, the Gardenettes of Ponchatoula turned the eyesore into a butterfly garden.
"The mayor and the chamber have put up signs for various things around the city of Ponchatoula, and there's a sign that directs people to the butterfly garden. So, it is a place of interest and people can come and sit here and enjoy the benches," said Gardenette Kathy Bedenbaugh.
While these ladies love pruning the plants and keeping the garden beautiful for visitors, Bedenbaugh says they don't want spend their time repairing broken pots and cleaning up other messes vandals have been leaving over the past few months.
"We've had plants stolen. Cigarettes get thrown all over. The rocks and the stepping stones get thrown into the fountain and it's continuous," said Bedenbaugh.
Bedenbaugh says it's gotten so bad, her group has reached out to city police for help.
"We find it just real disheartening that this continues to happen, and that no one is calling to provide us with information," said Bry Layrisson, Ponchatoula police chief.
Layrisson says he's sure someone knows something. He says police believe the vandals are young and likely brag about it to their friends. Police also think it's happening during the day.
"We're trying to get the word out to all of our citizens to help us find these vandals," said Layrisson. "We're now offering a cash reward to anyone with information on who's done this."
If you have any information on who might be vandalizing that butterfly garden, call the Ponchatoula Police at (985) 386-6548.
Letter to the Editor from Kathy Bedenbaugh:
Today, May 23, 2013, is a “red letter day” for the citizens of Ponchatoula even if they don’t know it!
Thanks to Councilman Melvin Toomer, The City gave a grant to the Kiwanis Park Butterfly Garden to upgrade some of the flower beds, to buy soil and mulch, planters and more plants to brighten up the garden. It looks great!
This morning, the planters were delivered and city employees delivered soil and filled the planters while members of the Gardenettes cleaned flower beds and then planted all of the plants in the new planters. Several members cleaned and refilled the fountain which had been filled with stones and limestone placed there by vandals or children playing in the garden.
This garden belongs to the citizens of Ponchatoula; not the Gardenettes. It is your beautiful place to enjoy. Take notice of the signs to the garden on Pine Street .
Even though Gardenettes members volunteer their time and labor to continually try to keep the garden in beautiful condition, it does belong to them. This has been an ongoing project by the Gardenettes ever since it’s installation in 2000.
Over the years, vandals stole the 1st fountain, two beautiful birdbaths and hundreds of plants. Some local citizens donated funds to replace the stolen items….but theft and vandalism continues. Smokers sit in the garden and throw their cigarette butts into the flower beds, children playing in the garden throw limestone into the beds, the fountain and into the grass. Gardenettes members have to pick up after these individuals each time they go to the garden to pull weeds which takes time away from their actual planned work.
It is time for you, the citizens of Ponchatoula to be more aware of this beautiful spot in Kiwanis Park and become caretakers along with the Gardenettes in maintaining its upkeep.
There are many ways in which you can help to do this without pulling weeds. But if you would to help with the maintenance, please call City Hall and leave your name and number and someone from the Gardenettes will contact you. Keep your eyes and ears open! If children are seen throwing rocks in the garden or someone is doing damage to the flower beds or seen stealing plants, etc., please call the police department. It is your civic duty to assist in this way.
The Gardenettes would like to thank Mayor Zabbia, Councilman Toomer and the city employees who continue to support the Gardenettes in their effort to keeping the beautiful garden in Kiwanis Park .
Thanks to Councilman Melvin Toomer, The City gave a grant to the Kiwanis Park Butterfly Garden to upgrade some of the flower beds, to buy soil and mulch, planters and more plants to brighten up the garden. It looks great!
This morning, the planters were delivered and city employees delivered soil and filled the planters while members of the Gardenettes cleaned flower beds and then planted all of the plants in the new planters. Several members cleaned and refilled the fountain which had been filled with stones and limestone placed there by vandals or children playing in the garden.
This garden belongs to the citizens of Ponchatoula; not the Gardenettes. It is your beautiful place to enjoy. Take notice of the signs to the garden on Pine Street .
Even though Gardenettes members volunteer their time and labor to continually try to keep the garden in beautiful condition, it does belong to them. This has been an ongoing project by the Gardenettes ever since it’s installation in 2000.
Over the years, vandals stole the 1st fountain, two beautiful birdbaths and hundreds of plants. Some local citizens donated funds to replace the stolen items….but theft and vandalism continues. Smokers sit in the garden and throw their cigarette butts into the flower beds, children playing in the garden throw limestone into the beds, the fountain and into the grass. Gardenettes members have to pick up after these individuals each time they go to the garden to pull weeds which takes time away from their actual planned work.
It is time for you, the citizens of Ponchatoula to be more aware of this beautiful spot in Kiwanis Park and become caretakers along with the Gardenettes in maintaining its upkeep.
There are many ways in which you can help to do this without pulling weeds. But if you would to help with the maintenance, please call City Hall and leave your name and number and someone from the Gardenettes will contact you. Keep your eyes and ears open! If children are seen throwing rocks in the garden or someone is doing damage to the flower beds or seen stealing plants, etc., please call the police department. It is your civic duty to assist in this way.
The Gardenettes would like to thank Mayor Zabbia, Councilman Toomer and the city employees who continue to support the Gardenettes in their effort to keeping the beautiful garden in Kiwanis Park .