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April 29th, 2008
Yesterday, I was at a meeting for over 1.5 hours concerning our party at the Sand Bar. I am friends with some in law enforcement and our river patrols (some, not all). There are more than a few that wish I didn't exist (law enforcement and others). One thing that was pointed out repeatedly at this meeting: We are concentrating a large number of boats in one area for an extended period of time. People will be drinking and people will be driving there boats (and many will be on the road later on in their vehicles). This stresses our river patrol agencies to the maximum and for an unacceptable reason. The sole purpose is to have a party. We are not helping crippled kids walk, hiding behind a bogus charity, or working for some worthy goal. To say the very least, they are not happy at all about it.
They have a point. What if? What if a drunk in a huge power boat or party barge plows up into other boats or runs over a lot of people standing out in front of the stage? All kinds of scenarios can be imagined. The squeaky wheel ALWAYS gets the grease. We have some locals that don't like much of anything, especially change. They want their river paradise all to themselves, their friends, and whoever else they feel is worthy of being there and no others. A lot of our elected officials think it is a huge drunken orgy because that is what some people have told them.
Thinking about it, this was probably the most unpleasant meeting I can ever remember attending. The thing is, this particular individual was looking at everything from all angels. He was making some very good points.
The thing that I have always seen about boaters, mariners, and river rats. These are good people with a commonality. They love the water. There is an unwritten Mariner's Code of Ethics where we help each other. The crowd at our party last year was the best large group of people I had ever been around. Still, there is a possibility and a probability of something going bad. Our River Patrols have to be there and work and solve the case, while the rest of us go home (or continue to party).
As of now, they are looking hard at three things that will shut us down:
1. Litter
2. Fights, boating accidents, fatalities
3. Sanitation (water quality)
Coming up fast on the horizon is a Special Permit with such stringent requirements that hardly anyone can get one.
I got a little relief from my pummeling when I shared my vision for what I want to do. (Some of this has been mentioned in other places on the website, so bear with me).
Several years ago, a pretty lady pointed out something to me. She said that 50 or 100 years after I am gone, people will still be looking at my maps and that my work would live on and not too many people get that opportunity. At the time, I thought that was quite humbling. After our first JAM, I got to thinking. It really didn't rock my world that strangers would be looking at my map and wondering who the hell River Rat Rob was. HOWEVER. What did excite me is the thought of The JAM going on long after I am gone. New people and new generations knowing a bit about Jonathan, hearing his music, and visiting his website. Maybe me and him watching all those JAMS in the future together. That would be cool.
So, we want to have a non-profit organization, a 503-C thing, I realize that if I had our JAM for St Jude or some other very popular charitable organization, it might grease a few wheels. Folks, they are quite a few people that lose sleep worrying that I am getting rich. I have had some degree of success. However, what many don't know is that I put everything back (and then some) into what I do. I also give a lot away. (I am probably the only guy that makes a custom map for 911 / EMS / River Patrols and pisses people off giving it to them. (some refuse to accept it and it's sole purpose was for me to help them help you. That's how much that dislike me). Still, if we do the non-profit thing, I do not want to be the one that handles any money. That might shut a few people up (probably not). I want to be the one that picks the bands and sets things up (beach balls, beads, etc). The JAM will ALWAYS be about "Just Good Music."
Again, we want to start a non-profit organization. The people I'd like to help is our Water Patrols / EMS Units / Search and Recovery.
District 4 needs a dive boat for search, rescue, and recovery. District 2 needs a fire boat. Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office needs several new boats. St. Amant Fire Dept. is trying to build a new station on Diversion Canal. I am sure there are others that need things that I do not even know about. I'd like to see all of our River Patrols / EMS with GPS and internet access on the water. They should all have the best equipment available. I'd like all of our water patrols to have life jackets for kids to give them when they stoop boats and the kids aren't wearing one. Much more I'd like to see done.
So, if we continue to try and have The JAM, I'd like to see it and other events at The Sand Bar to raise money for those that are there to help us on the water. I am not talking every weekend have a huge blow out at The Sand Bar. I'd still like to have The JAM and it be a party celebrating Jonathan with lots of people he knew there. We could have other events out there to show our support for those that do so much to help us.
At The JAM this year, we are going to stress a couple of things. We may appear mercenary, but we will be asking for donations. We will raffle several things, too. We will harp on safety and designating a driver. The event MUST go incident free or we will have a much rougher road doing another. Next year, we will need additional barges with port-a-lets, all of which is expensive. We will probably have to monitor water quality. Now, this gives fuel to those that think we are trying to get rich. We have to come up with our own barge, insurance, etc. The materials have been donated, but it is still hugely expensive. So, you can help, or not. We may have another or we may not. On the website, I will be doing updates on this.
Next year, we SHOULD request all off duty patrols and pay for their time, which is fair. I am talking Sheriff's Office (s), Wildlife and Fisheries, Coat Guard, etc. That alone will cost so much that it might shut it down. Like I was thinking last year, if everybody there kicked in $2.00, the entire day would be paid for. If everybody kicked in $5.00, I'd be a long way towards getting a barge.
If I luck up and get myself rich, I will pay for it. If not, I am going to need some help. It can be like so many other things, a memory of an event we 'use' to have. If everybody would help and get behind us, it goes a long way to show politicians and law enforcement that this is something you want to see live and go on. If a bunch of you help, we can solve most problems and concerns that keep popping up. Most people assume that someone else will step up and help and usually they do. It goes something like 10 % of the people do 90 % of what gets done. The thing is if you find yourself asking next year, "When's the JAM?" Only to find out, there isn't one, now you know why.
It will happen this year. If the weather is bad, we will be at Bayview Tavern in Pt. Vincent. Same day, same time.
Soon, I will put up a copy of the "Meeting Permit" that they are probably going to make us have IF we do one next year. It's a LOT of stuff, rules and requirements. Just want to make sure you understand this is not theatrics, hype, or poor mouthing. I almost forgot to mention, this was only the first of meetings with one organization. I am hearing that there is another that is looking at permits also designed to shut it down (totally separate). So, I am not out of the woods yet. I think that if it were not for all you folks that like this event and the friends that I have on law enforcement, I would have already been locked in a dungeon (slight dramatization).
Please pass on the important points I have mentioned above. Please give what I tried to say some thought. We can do this together. We can have cool events like no other place in the world and accomplish some really good things. We can take what some try to make a huge negative and turn it into an awesome positive. I'd like that.
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