Wondering what to do with all of those Mardi Gras beads now that the season is over?
Parishioners can now donate beads to the ARC of St. Charles or kids can use them to do craft projects at the East Regional library branch.
The East Regional Library is offering a class entitled “Green Teen” in which they teach kids ages 10 and up to repurpose items, such as Mardi Gras beads.
“It’s always some kind of recycled material that we make a craft out of,” said Layla Naquin, who is in charge of teen programming for the branch. “I think it’s important for them to know that regular everyday objects can make for useful items – they can be repurposed, instead of throwing them in the trash.”
The ARC of St. Charles is also trying to help residents recycle their beads. The ARC is a non-profit organization that provides services and support to enable people of all ages with development disabilities and special needs to attain their potential.
Donations are accepted at Hope Enterprises, an organization covered under ARC but in a separate facility.
The organization is accepting the bead donations for resale to local krewes next year. The proceeds of the resale will go towards the organization and their mission.
Tonya LeJeune, vocational coordinator with ARC, said that they have seen a lot of participation in the program this past year, especially from schools.
“This season, we sold 150 sacks of beads at about 40 lbs. per sack – so about 6,000 lbs. That’s about what we had donated in the past year,” LeJeune said. “We got the bulk of our beads from local schools. We’ll hold bead drives and do a competition between the classes and the winning class gets a party from us. They really bring them in for us.”
LeJeune said that the majority of sales were to members of the Krewe of Lul and Krewe of Des Allemands parade riders.
Hope Enterprises opened in 2009 and is located at 15567 River Road in Hahnville. Donations are accepted Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
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