Los Islenos Heritage and Cultural Society donates $500 to Sheriff’s Reserve Division for work done at the 2013 Islenos Fiesta last Spring.

The Los Islenos Heritage and Cultural Society, dedicated to preserving and interpreting the Spanish culture in St. Bernard Parish, has denoted $500 to the Sheriff’s Reserve Division for its work in crowd control and traffic management at the annual Islenos Fiesta in the Spring this year. Charles Borchers, administrator of the Reserve Division as well as head of Community Relations for the Sheriff’s Office, and Capt. Joe Ricca of the Reserves, attended the Oct. 8 meeting of the Society to thank members for the donation. William Hyland, secretary for the Society and parish historian of St. Bernard, said the Sheriff’s Office has long helped the Society in staging its annual Fiesta and with other cultural events. The Islenos from the Canary Islands – a province of Spain – began settling in eastern St. Bernard Parish in 1780. Shown at the meeting, standing in front of the Spanish flag, are from left Society President Lloyd “Wimpy” Serigne; Vice-President Rhonda Rodriguez Hannan who was co-chairwoman of this year’s Fiesta; Capt. Charles Borchers; Dorothy “Dot” Benge, immediate past Society President and co-chairwoman of this year’s Fiesta( and Capt. Joe Ricca.