This is a rendering of the new structure for Rodrigue Park. The Optimist Club donated the money with the intention of displaying children’s art underneath the structure.  

A donation by the New Iberia Optimist Club last week will go a long way in seeing the completion of a pocket park in downtown New Iberia. 

The New Iberia Optimist Club presented a giant $30,000 check to local artist Paul Schexnayder at the organizations regular joint Optimist/Rotary meeting at the Ramada Inn Wednesday. 

Schexnayder accepted the funds on behalf of Bayou Teche Museum, which has been one of the organizations supporting the creation of a small park off Main Street that will honor New Iberia native George Rodrigue. 

Rodrigue, who died in December 2013, was an internationally recognized artist most notable for his Blue Dog paintings. The paintings have become a Louisiana symbol, and are even featured on voting stickers during election time. 

Sticking with their mission of helping local youth, the funds will be used to construct a structure at the future park that will be used to hang children’s artwork. Schexnayder envisions more purposes for the piece down the road. 

Optimist Club President Andrew Harris said the board had been discussing how to use the $30,000 in surplus funds for a good cause, and Schexnayder’s proposal about the George Rodrigue pocket park last year “caught his ear.”