Sometimes, all it takes is a casual conversation to spark a great idea.

That’s all it took to form a bond between two schools over 1,500 miles apart.

Not long ago, Norma Richard, principal of Raymond’s schools was in the Raymond Village Florist shop, chatting with its owner, Jessica Fay.

And, like many conversations have this past month, theirs revolved around Hurricane Katrina. Fay mentioned her aunt, Pam Letelier, who works as a speech teacher at Lukeville Upper Elementary in West Baton Rouge Parish.

“I was sharing with Norma what it would be like to be an educator and have all these kids show up at your school – how stressful that would be,” Fay said.

Evidently, Richard agreed and soon she was emailing and talking over the phone with “Miss Cynthia,” also known as Cynthia Thomas, principal of the Louisiana school.

Richard was overwhelmed by the huge task before the principal and her teachers and staff. The influx of displaced children had increased the school’s size significantly.

And the children’s needs were severe. According to Richard, some of the children did not have enough clothes to wear to school. And they also needed school supplies.

In a recent phone interview, Thomas said they had 48 displaced children join their student body of 457. And, although some children have been moved to other shelters, numbers have once again increased with the addition of several more children after Hurricane Rita further damaged the region.

“The teachers have been very receptive to the children,” Thomas said, “and the children have been receptive, as well.”

The school provided their new students with school uniforms. Local churches and other organizations have been taking turns furnishing meals to those living in shelters. Thomas, herself, has taken four of Katrina’s victims into her home.

“I can’t explain what I see in their eyes,” Thomas said. “Normalcy, stability – is just not there.”

After Thomas and Richard spoke, Raymond decided to “adopt” Lukeville Upper Elementary. The schools solicited donations of backpacks and supplies from area businesses and sent notes home requesting other items.

At first, their gift to the school was to be one filled backpack per class, but Raymond residents greatly exceeded those expectations.

Backpacks and supplies started pouring in. Children, parents and grandparents were filling packs as family projects.

“They were packed with love and care,” Richard said. “Every one has not only necessities but wonderful, thoughtful things for the kids.”

A number of parent and staff volunteers packed additional items into the bags at school and sorted them by age and sex.

When the bags were counted, they reached and passed their initial goal of 42. A total of 86 stuffed packs were packed in boxes and stacked in the hall, waiting to be shipped to Louisiana. In addition, they packed a big box with items for the teachers.

Both the Raymond schools and Lukeville look forward to an ongoing relationship. Raymond children, who included cards and letters with their backpacks, can’t wait to hear back from the children in Louisiana.

And what do the educators at Lukeville Upper Elementary think?

“We are just full of gratitude and humility at what (Raymond) has done,” Thomas said.