$1000 in school

supplies and 1000 toothbrushes were presented to Broadmoor Elementary School Principal Larry Harris and the students of Broadmoor Elementary School on Friday, August 11th by Howard Gyler on behalf of Cezanne Square, Degas Manor, Monet Manor & Monet Place Apartments.  School supplies include composition tablets, pencils, pens, loose-leaf paper, folders for the students and dry-erase markers and display tablets for the teachers.  Baton Rouge Metro-Councilwoman Martha Jane Tassin participated in the presentation.

"We follow-up on the schools the children living at our apartments attend closely," said Gyler, B-G&G Investors, LLC’s Managing Partner.  "It seemed obvious that the school needed our help when we realized that last year 73% of the children attending the school qualified for free or reduced-price lunches and the school, while improving, was still below the state average in both Math and English Language Arts LEAP test results."

B-G&G Investors feel strongly that in order for the student and schools to succeed local businesses must be willing to be an active partner.  "What makes us unique apartment owners is that we do not view the concepts of 'profit' and 'community' to be exclusive of one another - rather complements", Gyler said.   "Our business has prospered since we entered the market 18-months ago.  Investing in the children of Melrose East's future by supplying school supplies to insure they have the materials needed to learn and complete their school work is just the right thing to do!  One of our investors, Stan Klein felt so strongly that he alone donated 1000 toothbrushes." 

B-G&G Investors are members of the Melrose East Community Association.  In addition to contributions to the Broadmoor Elementary, the partnerships are contributing sponsors to the Melrose East Youth Sports program and were major sponsors of the Summer Arts Program 2004.

Melrose East has changed dramatically since Jan. 2003 when B-G&G entered the Melrose East market.    "I wish we could take total credit for the dramatic changes, but realistically credit also belongs to the new property owners, the residents who are tired of the 'label' of 'Mall City', Councilwoman Tassin, institutions like Regions Bank and American Gateway Bank who willing to take a risk on the area and the newly formed Melrose East Community Association.  We are no longer an area of shame... we are reclaiming our community and see ourselves as a growing, thriving community -- a community of pride!"