BayouLife Magazine February 2022 by BayouLife Magazine

BLcontents 62

104 22 / LOUISIANA GIRL

44 / MY SUNNY FUNNY VALENTINE’S

30 / MARDI GRAS MAMBO

60 / BAYOU OUTDOORS

One thing Lainey Wilson does not ever want people to say about her is that she forgot where she came from. There’s no mistaking that her roots run deep.

FEBRUARY 2022

Want to create a tablescape fit for Mardi Gras royalty? Taylor Bennett created magic with this beautiful centerpiece fit for a king.

36 / COTTON CANDY ROSÉ

Looking for a fun and flirty cocktail for Valentine’s Day? Start your date night off right by adding a pouf of pink to your favorite rosé from Washington Wine & Spirits.

38 / MARDI GRAS MAPS

Ready to let the good times roll? Find maps of this year’s Krewe de Riviere and Krewe of Janus parades.

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Make the most of every sweet minute with your Valentines. Keep it simple, yet intentional. Create a sweet setup where thoughtful and spontaneous collide.

76 / THE JILES SISTERS

Chlese and Camellia Jiles, two sisters living in Ruston, create digital drawings and paintings of the people, places, and things around them. They are this month’s Bayou Artists.

A P R I L 2 0 1 886 / BAYOU EATS

Dan Chason’s advice on “the one that got away.” How to find the elusive game that has become your worthy opponent.

62 / GALENTINE’S CELEBRATION

This year on Valentine’s Day, gather with your favorite girlfriends for a celebration of love, laughter and life. From your favorite rosé to charcuterie cups, this celebration will be the toast of the town.

65 / BAYOU ICONS

Chief Jimmie Bryant and his wife, Renita, understand the importance of working hard to achieve dreams. Because of their unselfish service to their faith, their family, and to this community, they are our February Bayou Icons.

Whether you’re coming from right down the road or a ways away, The Levee Grill is a place to expect friendly, familiar faces reflecting onto the glimmering surface of the bayou.

92 / BAYOU HEALTH

Your relationship with yourself dictates your relationship with others.

104 / GIRLS NIGHT OUT

ebruary is a time to honor those we love, recognize the role of African-Americans in U.S. history, celebrate Mardi Gras and prepare for the Lenten season. It’s a month that the Livingstons celebrate in a big way – both my babies will have birthdays this month, as well as my mom. We’ll be loading up on sugar, grabbing our favorite King Cake Mochasippis from CC’s Coffee House, loading up on king cakes from Thurman’s, and enjoying the Krewe de Riviere and Krew of Janus parades before heading off to the “Big Easy.” I’m exhausted just thinking about all of it. This month’s issue has timely articles on Galentine’s celebrations, people who have shaped our community, tablescape ideas, outdoors columns and more. Our artists this month are Chlese and Camellia Jiles, two sisters living in Ruston, who create digital drawings and paintings of the people, places, and things around them. Read about them on page 76. Chief Jimmie Bryant and his wife, Renita, understand the importance of working hard to achieve dreams. Following the examples set especially by their mothers before them, the Bryants have embodied the idea that if something is worth having, then it is worth working for. Because of their unselfish service to their faith, their family, and to this community, Jimmie and Renita Bryant are our February Bayou Icons. Read their article on page 65. This Valentine’s Day, go all out for the special person in your life. It’s been a challenging few years and everyone needs to know how much they’re loved. It doesn’t have to be a grand gesture, but a thoughtful day full of fun surprises is

BayouLife 1201 Royal Avenue Monroe, LA 71201 Phone 318.855.3185

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PUBLISHER & OWNER Cassie Livingston cassie@bayoulifemag.com COPY EDITOR Cindy Foust a great way to say “I love you.” If you happen to be single, or are looking for an excuse for a fun night out with the girls, Taylor Bennett created a majestic moment in this month’s Galentine’s Celebration. From signature cotton candy cocktails to charcuterie cups, this spread is full of great ideas for Valentine’s Day. See it on page 62. While we were shooting our fashion spread, we asked four friends to model clothing from area boutiques and participate in our Galentine’s party (with the fifth friend photographing the bunch). Special thanks to Erin Taylor, Lindsey Clark Lowe, Brandi Brownlee Thomas and Heather Land. We were so pumped to reach out to superstar Lainey Wilson and have her agree to interview with BayouLife. Wilson does not ever want people to say about her is that she forgot where she came from. “I’m proud of where I’m from, I’m proud of how I was raised,” she says. She attributes her love and acumen for storytelling to sitting around the kitchen table with her family listening to her parents tell the same story over and over again, each time more embellished and exciting. “I have a whole lot to owe to Louisiana,” she presses, wanting to emphasize profound gratitude to the people of Baskin and North Louisiana. There’s no mistaking that Wilson’s roots run deep. Read her interview with Vanelis Rivera on page 22. This year continues to be challenging for small businesses. More than ever, we need the support of our community. We are especially grateful for the advertisers that you see throughout our magazine because without them, we could not continue to publish our magazine. As you flip through this month’s issue take note of the amazing local businesses that we have in North Louisiana, and please buy local. We hope you enjoy this month’s issue of BayouLife Magazine. Much love,

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GRAPHIC DESIGNER Meagan Russell meagan@bayoulifemag.com ADVERTISING SALES EXECUTIVES Katelyn Tolbert katelyn@bayoulifemag.com Courtney Thomas courtney@bayoulifemag.com Jenny Pankey jenny@bayoulifemag.com ART DIRECTOR Taylor Bennett LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER Kelly Moore Clark

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Dan Chason Kenny Covington Shannon Dahlum Lou Davenport Cindy Gist Foust Starla Gatson Heather Land Paul Lipe

Erin Love Meredith McKinnie J Preston Parry, MD Georgiann Potts Delia Simpson Beatrice A. Tatem Vanelis Rivera Judy Wagoner

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Kelly Moore Clark CeCe Dawson Alex Berger Tanner Gallagher ON THE COVER Renita and Chief Jimmie Bryant photo by Kelly Moore Clark BayouLife Magazine is published and distributed by Redbird Publishing, LLC. Postal subscriptions ($30) can be ordered online at www.bayoulifemag.com. BayouLife Magazine is not responsible for unsolicited photographs, manuscripts, or other materials. Opinion columns do not represent the views of the publisher. Reproduction of contents without express written permission is prohibited.

Love for Life An Approach for Living

BY BEATRICE TATEM, PH.D., LPC-S, NCC, ACS

T IS JANUARY 1ST, I AM TAKING IN THE QUIET OF THE early morning and embracing the freshness of the New Year. I am feeling the peace, optimism and love associated with the New Year as text messages and calls of well wishes from friends and family are exchanged. It is my hope others are feeling similar. I am grateful for the love I feel and cannot help thinking about the child in the news who when asked what he wanted for the up-coming year stated, “the love I always get from my mom and my principal.” It is the feeling of love that prompted my eagerness to write this article for February, the month set aside nationally to outwardly express affection, appreciation and love. Despite being the shortest calendar month of the year, February is filled with a lot of goodness. In addition to housing Valentine’s Day, the month of February features the Super Bowl, it recognizes Black History and celebrates the religious holiday, Mardi Gras. February comes early enough in the year when the anticipation of what the new year will bring is alive and well. Although, I am not an authority on love I firmly believe love brings meaning to life, fuels us emotionally and physically while serving as an approach to living. I view love as the core of our lives and an energizing force providing us with a sense of stability, security and self-worth. Many describe understanding and feeling love as an emotional connection between two or more people. The subject of love is often broached by clients, particularly when addressing relationships. In therapy we discuss expressions of love and types of love whether it is romantic love, unconditional love or love for life. I am quick to inquire as to what love means to them and the impact love has had on their lives. Love comes in many forms and can come from any of us, sometimes when we least expect it. Recently, I was reminded of this while playing the Candy Land Game with a five-year-old client. Dr. Tatem, “I love you so much.” Impressed by the matter of fact, yet sincerity of his words, I said, “You do?” I then asked, “Why do you love me so much?” He said while shrugging his shoulders and looking directly in my eyes, “Because I do.” I then stated, “I love you too.” In a self-assured manner he said, “I know it. I been knowing you love me.” Knowing the circumstances from which he has had to live I wondered how did these words spoken with such candor and passion come from such a young person? 8 FEBRUARY 2022 | WWW.BAYOULIFEMAG.COM

We are living in a time when more than ever is the need for love. As we endure challenges to humanity there is a desperate need for us to love one another, to bring into our individual awareness and consciousness the feelings, thoughts and ideas of others. We have the potential to attain the kind of love we all dream of; deep intimacy, mutual kindness, real commitment and soul caring. We need to rekindle the love that exists in the world for the world. It begins with each of us reaching deep within ourselves and in turn sharing the love we have with others. We must all be mindful the gift of true love extends beyond material gifts exchanged within a single day. Life is a continuum; often it is love that has gotten us through 2021 into 2022. Life is imperfect and unpredictable and for the last two years life for many has felt uncertain. Many of us have witnessed others-loved ones, family, colleagues, clients, patients and neighbors search for meaning in some of life’s most daunting moments. Love is restorative and penetrates to the depths of the soul lifting us out of challenging situations and helping us to survive difficult seasons and circumstances of life…it is in that vein we shall overcome. It is love that will bridge the gap caused by different conditions of the world as well as clouded by limited mind sets and narrowed by a lack of openness. For the love of life we must avoid letting anything or anyone stand in the way of your giving love and your receiving love. Instead, may we live each day to the fullest with a loving attitude towards life. May we be intentional about loving our neighbors as we love ourselves. Living together, moving together, working together, happens because of love. My hope for all is that love displayed through our actions, in our words and in our relationships will be genuine. May we all be love, be loved, know love, understand love, embrace love and share love. May we resolve to love like we never loved before. For more information on counseling and outreach services contact Dr. Beatrice Tatem at Wellness Initiatives, LLC, 2485 Tower Drive, Suite 10, Monroe, La 71201, 318-410-1555 or at btatem.bt@gmail.com.

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G O O D BY E C L U T T E R T R A PS by ERIN SHARPLIN LOVE | erinlove@panachebyerin.com

ave you ever been organized but then look up after a few months only to discover that you are right back where you started? What you don’t realize is that there are clutter traps that sabotage you. They creep in slowly and go mostly unnoticed until the accumulation of “stuff” is overwhelming. Clutter can multiply faster than a pair of overactive bunny rabbits, so knowing and recognizing the traps is of utmost importance: Trap #1 – Accepting freebies from companies. I know it is tempting – “Buy one, get one free” or “Free gift with purchase,” but if the “free” items are not useful, they are just clutter. I love a good freebie as much as anyone, but I know when an item’s only destiny is to sit in a drawer. For instance, I receive at least one free beauty sample a month from a skincare company. Sometimes these samples are of products that are currently in my routine, so I stash them in my travel section for the next time I go on a trip. When products are not the ones I use, I donate to someone else or simply toss them in the trash. Think about it, if I kept every sample I receive, I would quickly run out of room in my travel section, or I would just accumulate so many that I could never actually use them all. Therefore, they are nothing but clutter. Avoid this trap by tossing the unnecessary, donating them, or simply opting out of freebies. Trap #2 – Buying in bulk when you are limited on space. Although buying in bulk may save you a few dollars, it is not worth it to use valuable real estate in your cabinets or other storage areas. Only buy as much as you have room to store. When you purchase in bulk and don’t have the appropriate space, you will make space in places that you shouldn’t, thus creating clutter. Avoid this trap by spending the extra dollar to save your space and your sanity. Trap #3 – Letting your papers and mail stack up. I probably should have listed this one first because it is the most common among my clients and can derail even the most organized person. We are bombarded with junk mail, newspapers, magazines, school papers, notices, bills, etc. Everyone needs to establish a clear routine for what to do with mail. The key is to take action as soon as possible to avoid paper pile up. Toss or file immediately.

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Trap #4 – Never purging your collections, closets, and storage areas. When was the last time you did a complete clean out? If the answer is not within the last year or two, you have entered a clutter trap! You must maintain each area of your home and keep it current with what you wear and use. Otherwise, your home will end up full of stuff that you don’t need. Take the time to do a yearly purge of all your storage spaces. Better yet, do a purge every time you go shopping and put the items away! For instance, when putting groceries away, get rid of anything that has expired. When putting new clothes away, get rid of the same amount of clothes that you purchased. One way I combat closet clutter is not to allow crowding by keeping a lot of empty hangers. Use only as many as you need to accommodate each item of clothing. Trap #5 – Keeping everything your kid has ever done. I am in the middle of this trap right now, so I understand completely and empathize with how difficult it is to throw sentimental items away. Since everything my kids do is so cute, I want to keep everything. Then I realize that I am running out of room in the storage bin that I have created for them. And this bin is supposed to last their entire school life. Unfortunately, some things must go. One way to do this is to ask your children what they would keep and what they could let go. Typically, this solves the problem for me. If children, too, are not excited about the prospect of getting rid of something, wait until the next artwork comes in and revisit the situation. Eventually though, something will have to be replaced. Another kid item that is hard to get rid of is clothing from when they were babies and toddlers. The rule in my house is one bin per child for clothing and one bin per child for artwork and other keepsakes. When those bins are full. something must go, or I must stop collecting. Trap #6 – Not having a game plan for items that you want to donate, fix, or give away to friends and/or family members. Sometimes we wind up with a stack of items that need to be fixed, but we never find the time. Remember, make a plan for eliminating these traps or you will end up with clutter again! If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask!

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Steak and Wine What More Can Your Valentine Ask for?

ALENTINE’S DAY IS ALMOST HERE AND MANY OF YOU are looking to make the occasion extra special. For this month’s article we’re going to talk about several incredible items and things to pair them with, whether that be with a special snack or a dinner. The first product we want to talk about is one of our favorites this time of year. The Slo Down Wines Sexual Chocolate is a perfect wine for pizza, chocolate, and a movie. A perfect blend of Syrah and Zinfandel. The Zinfandel presents a rich, warm feel that could easily be confused with biting into a dark chocolate covered cherry, while the Syrah adds a smooth, deep and refined finish. The luscious chocolate and cherry aromas will leave you feeling highly satisfied as flavors of sweet raisin, milk chocolate, tobacco and freshly cracked pepper wash over your palate and hug you with its velvety mouthfeel. Grab your favorite brand of chocolate, a pizza and that special someone. This relationship is one for the books. This next product is another of our favorites this time of year, as it pairs perfectly with a juicy steak from Doe’s Eat Place. Molly Dooker Carnival of Love Shiraz is just as life should be. A place where everyone wants to be and no one wants to leave. This Australian Shiraz beautifully captures the essence of Molly Dooker. It has elegance, a complete, intense, seamless flavor spectrum; a marvelous mouthfeel and perfect balance. Carnival of Love is fragrant, structured and loaded with finesse and complexity. This stunning, perfumed wine opens with alluring scents evoking roses and potpourri intermingled with toasted black cherries, chocolate, accents of cinnamon, and cloves. The palate is smooth and viscous. Black cherries, blueberries, sweet red peppers, and liquorice dance across your taste buds. This is a dense and flamboyant effort that you can’t seem to put down. It’s begging you to enjoy with your favorite person over a nice steak at your favorite steakhouse or home. Enjoy lovebirds! We’ve already mentioned one product from Slo Down Wines, but we can’t help ourselves in suggesting another. Brandon Allen’s wines are just too good for Valentine’s Day both in name and structure, and if you and your loved one enjoy cabernet sauvignon then look no further than the Love Hammer Cabernet Sauvignon. A dark and inky cabernet with intense aromatics of black cherry, dark chocolate,

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mocha, baking spices and clove. This wine delights the palate with an array of cranberry, leather and rum raisin, all wrapped up with powerful fruit tannins that are softened by an explosion of brambly blackberry and dark cherry. It finishes with a long, seductive elegance awaiting your next sip. Enjoy this wine at its best after decanting for a patient moment. While you wait for your wine to peak, prepare a couple of juicy Doe’s Eat Place ribeyes that will enhance all flavors of the magnificent Love Hammer. Many people enjoy celebrating romantic evenings with a nice bottle of sparkling wine. There is something about the sound of that popping cork and the explosion of effervescent bubbles that spells celebration. This year we want to tell you about two really fun, and delicious offerings from Neyah with their Gold Potion and Rosé Potion. These are very easy drinking sparkling wines from Spain. Both feature edible glitter that gives this bottle a gorgeous look that is mesmerizing. The Gold Potion is very similar in flavor profile to sparkling moscato with flavors of peach, nectarine, and a touch of sweet citrus. The Rosé Potion, while being sweet, shows itself somewhat dry in the glass. Strawberries and cream are the stars in this surprisingly refreshing wine. These are perfect for parties and a fun romantic night. Let us be your one-stop-shop! Get that special bottle of wine (or several) and the perfect meal to go with it. Splurge on a fancy dinner in your own kitchen. There are so many other ways to cook steak besides firing up the grill, or giving your steak a beautiful pan sear. New York Strip with Peppercorn and Brandy Cream Sauce is a delicious and romantic entree. Enjoy with delicious sides of oven roasted asparagus and garlic butter mushrooms. Another great, mouthwatering steak entree to enjoy with your loved one is Filet Mignon with MushroomMerlot Gravy. We suggest using the delicious Sand Point Merlot! Red wine and steak will always go hand in hand! We always look forward to helping you find the perfect product for any occasion. We hope you have a magical Valentine’s Day with your special person. We are open 11am-8pm Monday through Saturday and as always thank you for letting us be your Spirits Guides here at Washington Wine & Spirits.

BIRK IN PHIL ODENDRON

LIGHT: This plant grows best in medium indirect light. If you don’t have a spot with natural light, the Birkin philodendron can grow under flourescent or LED lights. WATER: The Birkin philodendron looks best when potting mix isn’t allowed to dry out, but is sensitive to overwatering.

styling by T A Y L O R B E N N E T T

PRUNING: It’s not necessary to prune. Use care when removing old or damaged leaves.

photography by K E L L Y M O O R E C L A R K

BAYOU PL A N T

This beautiful green plant boasts large dark green leaves streaked in creamy white. This houseplant can grow up to the 3 feet tall and is perfect for those looking for a plant with relatively easy care.

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Alumni Spotlight ULM Alumna: Kandice Guice

ANDICE GUICE’S CONNECTION TO ULM EVOLVED before she ever graduated from Neville High School. As a young student, Kandice expressed herself through writing. She composed short stories that teachers encouraged Kandice to read aloud in class. Her outlet afforded opportunities to enter essay contests, two of which she won for arguments on diversity. Those prizes along with other academic scholarships cemented her future enrollment at ULM. Emboldened by her experience speaking on paper and in public, Kandice chose to major in Mass Communication. She knew she wanted to continue developing her voice and if possible, use it to change the world. As a first-generation college student, Kandice found her footing on campus. Scott McDonald, current ULM Athletic Director, was instrumental in veering Kanice toward ULM. The dramatic environmental shift from high school to university came naturally for Kandice. Initially a commuter student, Kandice was approached by Dr. Wayne Brumfield, the Vice President of Student Affairs to encourage student involvement. Kandice quickly moved on campus and started investing more in the college experience. She served on committees, lending her opinions to structural changes on campus. Kandice worked with a nonprofit that provided after-school tutoring and shelter for battered women and children. She hosted a Bible study on campus, creating a safe space for peers to talk about their lives and their faith without pressure. Building community within her community is a role in which Kandice thrived. When Kandice graduated from ULM in 2008, she eyed public relations and government affairs. She wanted to be involved in big changes. She worked for the City of Monroe and in Washington DC on behalf of the region. After moving to South Louisiana for a job, Kandice read a biography on Michelle Obama. She identified the through line for Mrs. Obama’s success - her law degree. The credential opened doors. She enrolled simultaneously in a master’s program for Public Administration and law school at Southern University. In 2014, she graduated from both programs in the same weekend. Law school taught Kandice the value of work ethic. She never felt she was the smartest in the room; in fact, according to her admission scores, she had a lot of work to do. Her humility and determination paid off, as she ranked in the top 10% of her class after the first semester. When she had first mentioned her plans for law school, some discouraged her, but Kandice was determined to prove the naysayers wrong. She passed the Louisiana Bar Exam on her first try, one of the hardest in the country. As the test is composed of written responses, Kandice’s writing background

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served her well. She could articulate her impulses in hypothetical situations clearly and effectively. Kandice moved back to Monroe for a corporate position. Her role involved negotiating contracts for large transactions with big-name companies. Kandice loved the hustle and learned how to navigate personal relationships in a business environment. She had a direct impact on economic development in her hometown - and this lighted a fire and shifted her focus from changing the entire world to affecting change in her own backyard. Her diverse experiences along her career trajectory proved that there is no straight line to success. To make the biggest difference, she had to be willing to shift directions, adapt when necessary and step into the unknown. In 2020, Kandice opened Guice Law Co. She offered business advice to owners during Covid. She started hosting Facebook Live sessions for free information on contract services. The services morphed into working with realtors and brokers. The company evolved and is now offering home closing services. As a recent home buyer, Kandice saw the need for customer service in the title industry. Buying a home is a big deal, and Kandice wanted to make it special for her clients. Guice Law Co. focuses on providing luxury closing experiences. Kandice also started the More Than Pretty Campaign, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting local female leadership in the areas of business and STEM. The group has partnered with 10 schools and multiple companies to impact girls in the city. As a business owner, Kandice sees the direct economic impact ULM has on this community and on the life of her family. As a first-generation student, Kandice and her sister encouraged their mother Janice Butler to go back to school and finish her degree. Now Janice has a Master’s Degree from ULM and runs Guice Law Co alongside her daughter. ULM’s influence on Kandice and Janice’s lives is unparalleled, and they are proud to be actively giving back to this community. The ULM Alumni Association reaches, connects and celebrates alumni and friends to build lifelong relationships, and commit to the university’s missions of academic freedom, scholarship, diversity, excellence, integrity and service. We represent alumni who honor the traditions of our university and who share a sense of achievement and pride. We create a network of professionals, establish scholarships and advocate for our University through community engagement. Members of the Alumni Association support countless initiatives, and annual memberships are just $35. To learn more or to become a member, please visit our new alumni network at ulm.edu/alumni.

Certified Nurse - Midwives

Provide Exceptional Care From Preconception to Delivery

IDWIFERY AWARENESS HAS grown significantly due to increased appreciation of holistic wellness where alternative therapies are just as important as conventional medicine. It has also gained popularity through media like the television show “Call the Midwife.” Meaning “with woman,” midwifery is a trusting partnership between the patient and midwife who share in decision-making during the prenatal and birthing processes. Midwives take a holistic approach to pregnancy, and they view preconception to delivery as a normal life process. Care is personalized to each patient, and it is generally low-tech or uses few interventions to assist with delivery. Because they use a more low-tech approach, using a midwife during birth can reduce the overall cost of care. According to the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM), some other benefits of Certified Nurse-Midwives (CNM) include: - Lower rates of cesarean births - Lower rates of labor induction/augmentation - Significant reduction of third-degree and

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fourth-degree perineal tears - Less use of regional anesthesia - Higher rates of breastfeeding There are different types of midwives, including a lay midwife, a certified professional midwife (CPM) and a certified nurse-midwife (CNM). Lay Midwives and Certified Midwives are not allowed to practice in every state, but Certified Nurse-Midwives are legally recognized to practice throughout the United States. A certified nurse-midwife is a registered nurse who is qualified to give care during preconception, throughout pregnancy, during birth and in the postpartum phase. They provide women with a more low-tech approach to birthing, as they guide women through safe birthing techniques. Certified nurse-midwives have completed nursing school, as well as possessing an additional graduate degree. Certified nurse-midwives also pass a national certification examination administered by the American Midwifery Certification Board to complete their certification. Ochsner LSU Health

– Monroe Medical Center has two Certified NurseMidwives on staff that provide comprehensive care to patients, both of whom completed a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and possess a graduate degree in obstetrics and gynecology. “Midwives work closely with their patients and strive to help them have the birth experience they desire within the boundaries of safety. Midwives also provide gynecological care for women outside of pregnancy, as well as care of the newborn up to two weeks of age,” stated Pamela Eisler, CNM at Ochsner LSU Health – Monroe Medical Center. In addition to assisting women through childbirth, a certified nurse-midwife offers care to women throughout their lifetime. They can give primary care in addition to gynecological care. Examples of this include contraception advice, annual well-woman exams, perimenopausal care and menopausal care. “My favorite thing about working with women is the relationships that you build with your patients. You are with women during the most memorable times of their lives,” said Melinda Murphy, CNM at Ochsner LSU Health – Monroe Medical Center. The certified nurse-midwives at Ochsner LSU Health – Monroe Medical Center provide high-quality, patient-centered care for all stages of women’s lives, including one of the most exciting times: childbirth. For more information on Ochsner LSU Health – Monroe Medical Center, visit ochsnerlsuhs.org

bayou

PAGES

“The Underground Railroad” by Colson Whitehead

“The music stopped. The circle broke. Sometimes a slave will be lost in a brief eddy of liberation. In the sway of a sudden reverie among the furrows or while untangling the mysteries of an early morning dream. In the middle of a song on a warm Sunday night. Then it comes, always - the overseer’s cry, the call to work, the shadow of the master, the reminder that she is only a human being for a tiny moment across the eternity of her servitude”

olson tackles historical fiction like no other. As a child, Whitehead heard stories of the Underground Railroad, imagining an actual locomotive whisking slaves to safety. As an adult, he kept returning to his initial conception of escape. In this neo-slave narrative, Whitehead blends the fantastical with the historical to showcase the multiple horrors of life for slaves on the plantation and those on the run. Whitehead writes eloquently about the history of African Americans in this country, blending the compounding atrocities that awaited black people before and after emancipation. Raised on the Randall plantation in Georgia, Cora is an orphan, her mother Mabel having been the only slave to successfully escape the plantation when Cora was a child. When Mr. Randall dies, and his two sons take over the plantation’s operations, Cora begins considering the risks of escape. One brother has his eye on Cora, and rather than risk the brutal rapes to ensue, Cora decides to flee,

with the encouraging of another slave named Caesar. The two evade multiple attempts at capture and land in South Carolina, a budding black microcosm where free black people seemingly are allowed to live in peace. Faced with the reality of the slave catcher Ridgeway nipping at their heels, Cora and Caesar debate whether to keep running or settle into this new reality. The narrative follows Cora across several states, some kinder to free blacks and some fraught with horrors reminiscent of plantation life. Whitehead’s plot twists and turns and denies readers’ predictions. Cora never feels safe, and readers glimpse the trauma that accompanies the victory of escape. A slave’s run is never complete. One is forced to constantly look over her shoulder for the master’s whip or the slavecatcher’s chains. Ridgeway’s fascination with Cora due to her mother’s evasion makes Cora’ journey more perilous. The mission becomes Ridegway’s obsession. Whitehead is the author of 8 novels and two works of nonfiction. The Underground Railroad won the 2016 National Book Award and the 2017 Pulitzer Prize. Whitehead was awarded the MacArthur Fellowship and the Guggenheim Fellowship. His newest novel Harlem Shuffle, published in 2021, highlights a heist gone wrong in 1960s Harlem. Whitehead currently lives in New York with his wife and two children. “Freedom was a thing that shifted as you looked at it, the way a forest is dense with the trees up close but from the outside, from the empty meadow, you see its true limits.”

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B AYO U B E AT S

Louisiana Girl

One thing Lainey Wilson does not ever want people to say about her is that she forgot where she came from. “I’m proud of where I’m from, I’m proud of how I was raised,” she says. She attributes her love and acumen for storytelling to sitting around the kitchen table with her family listening to her parents tell the same story over and over again, each time more embellished and exciting. “I have a whole lot to owe to Louisiana,” she presses, wanting to emphasize profound gratitude to the people of Baskin and North Louisiana. There’s no mistaking that Wilson’s roots run deep. Vanelis Rivera OPPOSITE PAGE CeCe Dawson

ARTICLE BY PHOTO

COTTON FIELDS TO NASHVILLE

One of Wilson’s first and favorite childhood memories has to do with her father farming cotton, “back in the day when cotton prices were a lot better,” she says. “I remember my mom would cook like this huge meal and we would take the food out literally to the field for the farmers.” Along with her mother and sister, they would picnic on tailgates and sometimes saddle horses to ride.

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ainey Wilson had an active and affluent 2021. Recently she made her late night television debut on Jimmy Kimmel Live where she performed her hit single “Things a Man Oughta Know,” a song that topped the charts and was nominated for the CMT Music Award’s for Breakthrough Video of the Year. Following the release of her first major label album Sayin’ What I’m Thinkin’, she was chosen as iHeartRadio’s On The Verge artist, claimed her first #1 song on country radio, was named Billboard’s Top New Country Artist of 2021, and was included in various “Best of 2021” year-end lists by Rolling Stone, American Songwriter, Billboard, Taste of Country, Whiskey Riff, and All Access to name a few. Not to mention, Wilson’s music has been featured three times in Paramount Network’s hit television show Yellowstone. From the outside looking in, the stardom is undeniably glamorous, but the fact is, behind one year of flashing lights is a decade of slogging through the proverbial grind. “They say it’s a 10-year town,” exclaims Wilson, referring to Nashville, her home since 2011 when she left the tiny community of Baskin, Louisiana in a Flagstaff camper trailer. Yet even now, after trudging her way through paying her dues in the big city and into a surging music career, this blond long-haired, bell bottom devotee, is still unapologetically true to her small-town roots. One of Wilson’s first and favorite childhood memories has to do with her father farming cotton, “back in the day when cotton prices were a lot better,” she says. “I remember my mom would cook like this huge meal and we would take the food out literally to the field for the farmers.” Along with her mother and sister, they would picnic on tailgates and sometimes saddle horses to ride. On occasion, she’d get the

“Being from such a small town really showed me how important community is.” – Lainey Wilson

P H OT O B Y TA N N E R G A L L AG H E R

thrill of being asked to jump on the cotton. “We would when she moved to Nashville, “a little fish in a big ole get in the back of the cotton trailers and just jump as pond.” At first, it was hard to find her people, ones who hard as we possibly could. All the kids jumping on would stay in her corner, people who believed in her, the all the cotton to push it down so they could add more kind of support she had known all her life in Louisiana. cotton.” Though regarded as a simple kind of life, the “I’m not gonna lie, there were definitely times when I more grueling aspects of the profession ran across the bad kind of people. And I was didn’t get past Wilson. “Agriculture is the not used to that, just because where I’m from backbone of America, period. Everything everybody’s good. You know, everybody “ W h e t h e r i t ’s a b e e r we have, food, clothes…where would we has the best intentions,” she reveals. But

be without a farmer?” In fact, much of always, her hometown fans rooted for her, drinking song, or what she learned about farming aligned applauding her as a 9-year-old singing a w h e t h e r i t ’s a s a d with her experiences in the music cappella for 20 minutes at a corner store; business. “You get up every single day, cheering her on through her whirlwind song, my job is to get rain or shine. It don’t matter. And I think teenage years often performing as a Hannah u p t h e r e a n d m a ke this is really with anything in life. You Montana impersonator; and now proudly plant it, you water it, you watch it grow. A telling all their friends of her success. p e o p l e f e e l l i ke w e ’r e tornado or a hurricane could roll through Nashville was a culture shock, though. i n t h i s t o g e t h e r.” and wipe it all away. But at the end of the “I had never really driven on an interstate…I day, if it’s your livelihood, if it’s what you just went and was kind of thrown into it.” As love, and if it’s the only thing you know she dove in headfirst, she tried to remember how to do, then dammit you figure it out.” what her community had taught her: “Roll your sleeves Though many can’t relate to growing up in a up. Don’t take no for an answer. You can’t have a plan B; designated village of approximately 239 people, Wilson if you have a plan B, then Plan A is not going to work.” will eagerly relate what that origin has meant to her: Going back home wasn’t an option for Wilson, not “Being from such a small town really showed me how because she didn’t love Baskin or North Louisiana, but important community is.” She realized this the most because since she was 9 years old, she knew Nashville

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and its songwriting community was going to be home. “I took my first family vacation when I was about nine years old, and we went to Gatlinburg and drove through Nashville on the way home back to Louisiana. And I remember exactly where I was when I told my parents, ‘This is home.’ I was looking at the Batman building [in downtown Nashville].” The moment felt divine, and though it pulled her away from the home she loves, the deep ties to her state and community permeate her life, particularly her songwriting. “I feel like the music that I write, the music that I record is truly a direct reflection of where I was raised,” she says, referring to the hard-working, “blue-collar folks who would give you the shirt off their back, who take pride in what they do, take pride in working hard for their families.” She feels proud herself to be from a community of good-hearted people that take being a good neighbor to heart. Through her music, she shares what she knows about being honest and true to who you are “to your core.” A storyteller at heart, she considers her music as unifying: “Whether it’s a beer-drinking song, or whether it’s a sad song, my job is to get up there and make people feel like we’re in this together.” As a fan of songs she can emotionally sink into, Wilson acknowledges she didn’t have enough of a story to tell her first few years in Nashville. She understands that her ten-year wait was necessary. “I needed more life to live,” she smiles.

he day she wrote “Things a Man Oughta Know,” she was with Jonathan Singleton and Jason Nix. “In my opinion, two of the best songwriters in Nashville, and they’re just dear friends of mine,” she says. That day, catching up around a coffee pot, just “shooting the bull,” Jason revealed to Wilson he had a song he’d been saving for a male artist, but that maybe could work with a female artist. Not a fan of songs being pushed to a demographic, she wanted to take on the challenge of turning a “boy song” into something everybody “and your mom” can relate to. “I don’t want to go in here singing about lipsticks and dresses and twirling around, you know.” When Jason mentioned the title of the song, she instinctively began talking about things her parents had taught her growing up, “like how to back up a truck and trailer, how to start a fire, change a tire, turn a wrench.” Once the trio began digging a little deeper, they noticed the overall picture of the song. “This song right here is about having good character, it’s about treating people the way that you want to be treated. It’s about the golden rule. It’s about having the courage and the discernment to do the right thing.” Those are the characteristics her family made sure she left Baskin exemplifying. “This is a song for all the people who had a hand in raising me,” she adds.

RAISED IN THE SOUTH

“I feel like the music that I write, the music that I record is truly a direct reflection of where I was raised,” she says, referring to the hardworking, “blue-collar folks who would give you the shirt off their back, who take pride in what they do, take pride in working hard for their families.” (Family photos courtesy of Lainey Wilson).

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B AYO U B E AT S C O N T I N U E D

P H OTO C R E D I T A B O V E | A L E X B E R G E R AT R I G H T | TA N N E R G A L L AG H E R

rom the get-go, her parents knew Lainey was a strong-willed force to be reckoned with. Even at two, she was letting people know what was on her mind. “We were headed to Monroe, and we were passing a McDonald’s, and I was in the backseat.” Wilson kept bugging her dad to stop at McDonald’s, to which her father responded. “Okay Lainey, we’ll take you by McDonald’s.” And that’s just what he did, drove right on by. From the backseat, her parents heard, “I’m tired of this shit.” Wilson laughs at this story now, but she understands the significance of being assertive at a young age. “The truth sets you and everybody else around you free,” she says, at the same time acknowledging that it’s still important to think before you speak. “Telling the truth is hard. It really is hard. Because you’re scared about how people are going to take it or you’re scared to admit it yourself.” Nevertheless, every song on her record is based on the question, “Is this song saying what I’m thinking?” Going against the grain comes naturally to Wilson, a trait she admires in other musicians like Chris Stapleton, Eric Church, and Brothers Osborne.

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“They are who they are; they just say it like it is. And I love that about people. Even if it makes your skin crawl a little bit. At least it’s making you feel something at the end of the day,” she asserts. It’s no surprise that her alltime hero is Dolly Parton. “Dolly can do no wrong,” she laughs, admiring the music icon’s ability to tell it how it is with a little bit of grace. “She can be sassy with a little bow wrapped on top.” Her great respect for Parton takes the form of a song titled “WWDD,” track 10 in her new album: “When life rings my southern bell / I just gotta ask myself, hell / What would Dolly do?” A question we should all adopt for this new year. Like her idol, Wilson has also made a name for herself based on her fashion leanings, namely her signature bell bottom look. “So I’ve just always been obsessed with things that are just different and unique. And I like to call it bell bottom country…it’s country with a flare,” she says, not just about the article of clothing, but her approach to life. “It’s about finding that thing that makes you stand apart or makes you you and leaning into that.” Bell bottoms have been just that for Wilson who enjoyed her first pair when she was about 9 years old. “They were blue leopard, and I was obsessed with them,” she says, adding, “I think we’ve all got a little bit of bell bottom country about us.” One thing that Wilson does not ever want people to say about her is that she forgot where she came from. “I’m proud of where I’m from, I’m proud of how I was raised,” she says. She attributes her love and acumen for storytelling to sitting around the kitchen table with her family listening to her parents tell the same story over and over again, each time more embellished and exciting. “I have a whole lot to owe to Louisiana,” she presses, wanting to emphasize profound gratitude to the people of Baskin and North Louisiana. There’s no mistaking that Wilson’s roots run deep. Her culture surfaces in her cheerful drawl, fun fashion sense, and relatable lyrics. “I can’t be anything but what Louisiana made me, and that’s the truth,” she says with her French bulldog Hippie on her lap, and a mounted art print in the background that reads “Hey Y’all!”

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M A MBO

Want to create a tablescape fit for Mardi Gras royalty? Taylor Bennett created magic with this beautiful centerpiece of eucalyptus, olive, snap dragons, limelight hydrangeas, yellow billy balls, yellow tulips and eggplant carnations from Carlstedt’s Monroe. 30 FEBRUARY 2022 | WWW.BAYOULIFEMAG.COM

LA PETITE ABEILLE CARNIVAL CANDLES AND NAPKINS MATERIAL THINGS; MULTI-COLORED WINE GLASSES - PARTERRE HOME; FLORALS CARLSTEDT’S MONROE

styling by T A Y L O R B E N N E T T

photography by K E L L Y M O O R E C L A R K

BAYOU FL OR A LS

MARDI GR A S

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R E M E M B E R

W H E N VA L E N T I N E S WA S A S I M P L E C A R D

faithful, as consistent in showing I REMEMBER that when I was a love to our Valentines – nor to Jesus young child, we gave many “WillChrist, himself. And when our love you-be-my-Valentine” cards to a for Him is weak, we are likely to number of potential “Valentines,” become guilty of unfaithfulness. but as we grew older, we began Just as we can slip into infidelity to to be a little more selective. Those our Valentine when our love is not initial “Valentines” had very little, as strong as it should be, we often if anything, to do with love, but do the same with our commitment those given in later years may have to the Lord. graduated to the level of “puppy So, what can we do to defend love.” As we got even older and against letting our love weaken to more mature, the number of our the point of betrayal? The apostle Valentines was narrowed down John gave us a hint when he wrote, until, eventually, there was only “We love Him because He first one – the one we sincerely loved! loved us.” (I John 4:19) When we Frequently that individual became IF WE CANNOT DEFINE “LOVE,” IF DOING SO contemplate the depth of His love the Valentine for life, or as our IS NOT OUR PREROGATIVE, WHERE ARE WE for us and the manner in which wedding vows declare: “til death He demonstrated His love, we are do us part.” TO GO TO DISCOVER THE REAL MEANING drawn closer to Him in gratitude The month of February OF WHAT VALENTINE IS ALL ABOUT? that will strengthen our love for usually prompts thoughts of love, God. but when we ask, “What is love?” How has, how does the Lord we can get as many different show His love for His “Valentine,” the Church, and those who make definitions as there were Valentines in our elementary school days. So, up His Church? John expresses it like this: “God so loved the world how do you recognize love, in your own heart or in those relationships that He gave His only Son.” (John 3:16) He expresses His love by what which you have occasion to observe on a regular basis? What is love He gives to us. He sacrifices for those whom He loves. according to the measuring gauge you have adopted? In like manner, we show our love by our gift to Him. Well, just Well, when it comes to what “love” is all about, we don’t what is the gift, what does He want from us? The answer is found have the right to adopt a private meaning, a meaning that suits us. in something that Jesus said: “If you love me, you will keep My Nevertheless, that is precisely what the majority of us do – we define commandments.” (John 14:15) Our Valentine gift to God is to be “love” to suit what we want it to be with the result that our world is obedient to His will for us. more characterized by selfishness instead of sacrifice. For too many, If we owe Christ a love that is obedient to His will, what is our love has to do with how I am benefitted rather than being concerned debt of love to the Valentine that becomes our partner in marriage? with how I can make a positive difference in another’s life. In brief, we should be committed to desiring the very best for the If we cannot define “love,” if doing so is not our prerogative, object of our love, and we ould make every effort to make that desire a where are we to go to discover the real meaning of what Valentine reality. To help us in that endeavor, let us focus on how the Valentine is all about? I suggest that the place we should go to get the best, the whom God gave us has blessed our lives. And in gratitude, may our right explanation of the sense of this wonderful thing called “love” is love be strong and true. to the one who is Himself called by this name – “God is love!” (I John May the Lord bless us with His love and may our love benefit 4:16). God never fails to love and His love is lasting. Paul writes that others. there is nothing in all creation, including even death, that can ever separate us from the love of God. We, on the other hand, are not as

ar t i c le b y PAU L L I PE o p in io n e x p re s s e d is t h a t o f t h e w r it e r

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Bayou DeSiard Country Club

Cotillion 2021

he Bayou DeSiard Country Club Cotillion was held on December 28, 2021. Nineteen young ladies were presented to the Club’s governing board and to family and friends. The Master of Ceremonies was Mr. Stewart Shelby. The Presentation Coordinator was Mrs. Terri Arthur. Special thanks to Ainsley Anderson Herlevic of Ainsley Events for décor and design, Rhyan Emery at Albritton Photography for the pictures, the governing board of The Bayou DeSiard Country Club and Board President Mr. Jared Walker.

Elizabeth Larkin Barham Texas Christian University

Frances Kathryn Barham Washington and Lee Univeristy

Emma Grace Barron St. John’s College - Annapolis, MD

Sally Grace Cagle Louisiana State University

Jane Elizabeth Campbell The University of Mississippi

Ava Kennedy Dickson Louisiana State University

Laura Lynette Fincher Louisiana State University

Maly Marie Foote The University of Mississippi

Caroline Wimberly Graham Louisiana State University

Taylor Grace Harris Louisiana State University

Caroline Kay Hart The University of Mississippi

Helen McLain Johnson Louisiana State University

Cameron Alysse Lavespere Louisiana State University

Sophia St. Clare Morstead Louisiana State University

Lelia Hope Robertson Louisiana State University

Amanda Caroline Shelby Louisiana State University

Cotillion 2021 Lillian Key Thomas Louisiana State University

Mary Amanda WIlliamson Louisiana State University

Ava Marie Wood Louisiana State University

C O T T ON C ANDY RO SÉ 4 ounces Impeccable rosé 1 ounce St. Germain pink cotton candy

photography by K E L L Y M O O R E C L A R K

Add Impeccable rosé to a champagne flute and top with pink cotton candy. Pour over a dash of St. Germain to melt cotton candy. For an extra special touch, add edible gold hearts to top it off.

styling by T A Y L O R B E N N E T T

BAYOU DR I N K

Looking for a fun and flirty cocktail for Valentine’s Day? Start your date night off right by adding a pouf of pink to your favorite rosé from Washington Wine & Spirits.

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MARDI GRAS IN THE TWIN CITIES

This magnificent, costumed, beaded and feathered carnival is rich with tradition and is all about having a good time. These fun events can be found right here in the Twin Cities. Updated information about each krewe’s events can be found through their Facebook pages @TwinCitiesKreweOfJanus and @krewederiviere

KREWE de RIVIERE Children’s & Pet Parade February 12th | 10AM

Children’s Parade February 19th | 10AM

Mardi Gras Madness February 12th | 11AM

Krewe of Paws February 19th | 11AM

The Greatest Sheaux Parade February 12th | 5PM 38 FEBRUARY 2022 | WWW.BAYOULIFEMAG.COM

KREWE OF JANUS

39th Annual Parade February 19th | 6PM

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NATIVE SONS AND TRUE GLORY Historical Impressions

b y G u y M i l l e r, V i c e C h a i r E m e r i t u s , C h e n n a u l t Av i a t i o n a n d M i l i t a r y M u s e u m

he first black regiment to serve in the Civil War was not the famed 54th Massachusetts whose history was the basis for the movie “Glory.” The first black regiment of the war was not even a Union regiment, it was a Confederate regiment- the Louisiana Native Guards of New Orleans. As regards the first black regiment to serve in the Union Army, it was.... the Louisiana Native Guards of New Orleans. With its French heritage, Louisiana had a large population of free people of color. Although hardly equal in a legal or social sense, the free blacks and mixed race people of Louisiana were more interwoven into the culture and economy than in even the most abolitionist parts of the North. The motivation behind the formation of the regiment is lost to history. What we do know is in April 1861 a group of influential free men of color met in New Orleans and formed a regiment they named the Louisiana Native Guards. Neither Louisiana nor the Confederate government initially knew what to do with the regiment. As the Union Navy made its way up the Mississippi towards New Orleans, Confederate General Mansfield Lovell issued weapons to the Native Guard and ordered them to keep peace in the city while his regular troops gathered supplies to take for their retreat. When the Union Navy took the city on April 26, 1862 the Native Guards quietly disbanded. Union General Benjamin Butler was assigned to govern New Orleans. Believing he needed more troops, Butler proposed raising troops from the local black population. The Army leadership did not respond to this request so Butler decided to proceed on his own. Butler met with prominent local black men to ascertain their thoughts about black volunteers joining the Union Army. The very men Butler approached were the same ones

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who had raised the regiment to serve the Confederacy the year before. Since that regiment had not been well used by the Confederacy, these men decided to fight for the Union; hoping to demonstrate that they were the equals of white soldiers. Butler authorized the recruitment of black troops on August 22, 1862. His order received an enthusiastic response and within two weeks more than 1000 men had enlisted. Although only free blacks were allowed in the regiment, the recruiting officers often ignored this rule and many runaway slaves enlisted with no questions asked. On September 27, 1862, the 1st Regiment, Louisiana Native Guards, officially became the first black regiment to fight for the Union. It was also the first and only unit in the Union Army that had black officers as well as white. To the discouragement of the black soldiers, Butler planned to use them for garrison duty and labor. He wanted to free up his white regiments for actual combat duty. Adding insult to injury, many of the white Union soldiers treated the black soldiers very poorly. The Native Guards ended up spending the rest of 1862 manning defenses off of the Mississippi coast, guarding prisoners of war and guarding the passes from Lake Pontchartrain to the Gulf. Butler’s successor, General Nathaniel Banks thought even less of black troops’ capabilities than did Butler but fate intervened. Again contrary to the impression given by the movie “Glory,” the 54th Massachusetts was not the first black regiment to see combat during the Civil War. Almost two months before the 54th was deployed to attack Fort Wagner in South Carolina, the Native Guards assaulted a similar Confederate fortification in Louisiana. By May 1863, General Ulysses Grant was besieging Vicksburg. Wanting a secure southern flank, he ordered Banks

to capture the Confederate stronghold at Port Hudson. On May 27, 1863, the First and Third Regiments of the Native Guards were part of Bank’s desperate and poorly led assault on these fortifications. Although the attack failed, the performance of the Native Guards proved that black soldiers were just as willing to die for their nation as their white counterparts. Like all of the attacking troops the Native Guards suffered massive casualties at Port Hudson. An illustration in The Harper’s Weekly August 1863 edition depicted the funeral of Lieutenant André Cailloux who died leading his Native Guard troops in the assault. This printed recognition helped influence national opinion in favor of the recruitment of black troops. By the second half of 1863, the status of black troops in the Union Army began to change. Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation of January 1, 1863 removed any legal obstacles to recruiting runaway slaves for Army duty but there was still resistance within the Union Army itself. Like many Union officers, General Banks would accept black soldiers when he needed the manpower but he did not want black officers who had rank and authority over white troops. Accordingly, Banks and his subordinates began doing “effectiveness reviews” with the objective of purging all the black officers they could; including those who had bravely led troops at Port Hudson. Despite Union reluctance to have black officers, the Native Guards and other black regiments continued to play an important role in Civil War Louisiana including fighting in the Red River Campaign of 1864. In total more than 180,000 black troops served in the Union Army. Black veterans formed the core of black leadership in the postbellum South. Most important, their voluntary military service, steeped in the tradition of republican values, encouraged Reconstruction politicians to grant black men citizenship and voting rights.

For the Love of Sports & Medicine With Val Irion, MD and Andrew Patton, MD

HEN THINKING OF SPORTS MEDICINE, MANY THINK it only focuses on helping athletes improve performance, recover from injury, and prevent future injuries…. while that’s true, it’s not the whole story. Today’s sports medicine physicians treat people of all ages and fitness levels, from seniors to elite athletes, all with an array of common musculoskeletal issues. Val Irion, MD and Andrew Patton, MD are two of the fellowship trained orthopedic sports medicine physicians at Orthopedic Specialists of Louisiana. We recently asked them a few questions about why they chose the subspecialty of Sports Medicine and what a typical day looks like to them in their practices. OSL: Why did you decide to go into orthopedics and why a Sports Medicine Fellowship? Irion: I always gravitated towards medicine… only secondary to my love of sports. Growing up, I played about every sport you could play. When I realized early in my life that I was probably not going to become a professional athlete, I realized that pursuing a career in sports medicine could allow me to stay in sports. In college I worked for an orthopedic surgeon and really enjoyed it- that experience reaffirmed my interest and today I am fortunate to make it my career. Patton: In medical school, I really enjoyed orthopedics and following my orthopedic residency, the subspecialty of sports medicine was particularly appealing because I saw an opportunity within the orthopedic practice that would allow me to treat all types of patientsall ages, all backgrounds, all different levels of function and get to help them restore that level of function to where they want it to be. OSL: Is Sports Medicine just for athletes? Irion: I get asked that question a lot… Pretty much everyone can consider themselves an athlete. I see patients of all ages and all activity levels- whether it be the weekend warrior, the high school athlete or the patient suffering from overuse injuries that could be interfering with their work duties or their daily activities. Patton: The thing I love about Sports Medicine is that it does allow me to see all types of patients- different ages, different levels of function, different goals. Really, anything can be a sport. In many ways, I believe that Sports Medicine doctors are the general practitioners of orthopedic health. OSL- What can a patient expect when they come to see you for the first time? Irion: When I meet a patient for the first time, I listen! It’s so important that I understand what their issues are and what could have possibly

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caused these issues… how it is impacting their day-to-day activities. I will review and explain the radiographic results (X-ray, CT, MRI) with the patient – it’s important that the patient understand what is going on so that we can work together to create the best plan- whether it be surgical or nonsurgical. In my opinion, if we can treat the patient nonsurgically, that’s the best way to begin- whether it be physical therapy, medication, or injections. I know patients may be hesitant and a little nervous to see an orthopedic surgeon- thinking that surgery is the only option- definitely not the case- the most important thing to me is that my patient feels like I hear them, and they feel included in devising the best treatment plan for them. Patton: It is so important that the patient is heard and to come up with a plan that is completely individualized. A rotator cuff tear in one patient may have a completely different treatment regime than a rotator cuff repair in another patient. I think having a team type mentality where you and the patient are coming together to achieve the same goals of where your treatment plan will go is essential to allow the patient to regain their desired level of function. I want my patient to be included in the process- the patient needs to dictate where they want their treatment to go. I think starting with a non-operative plan is usually best for the patient, unless they are suffering from an acute injury that could negatively impact them long term. OSL: What are the most common injuries you treat? Irion: The main things I run into are general shoulder pain and knee pain. Certainly, I see a lot of the larger joints that have more of the weight bearing stresses, a lot of wear and tear injuries like rotator cuff tendinitis rotator cuff tears. In the knee, I see degenerative changes, meniscal injuries, and tears. In younger athletes, we will see more acute injuries, such as ACL tears or labral tears. However, the majority of my patients fall into the category of the weekend warrior… a lot of overuse injuries and they are just trying to get back to their normal activities. Patton: I see anybody that needs to be seen with any injury or with any musculoskeletal pain. As a sports medicine doctor, shoulder and knee injuries are common as well as, wear and tear injuries including patients suffering from back pain. Val Irion MD and Andrew Patton, MD are both committed to keeping their patients active and healthy. Both physicians are currently accepting new patients of all ages and all activity levels. To schedule an evaluation with Dr. Irion or Dr. Patton, please call or visit Orthopedic Specialists of Louisiana: (866)759.9679 or orthopedicspecialistsla.com.

My Sunny Funny Valentines by H E A T H E R L A N D

Make the most of every sweet minute with your Valentines. Keep it simple, yet intentional. Create a sweet setup where thoughtful and spontaneous collide. Table with a view… simple linens dress it up, a snip of rosemary, love letters waiting. Powdered donuts served on a pedestal with homemade lattes or pink milk for dipping. Make whatever you serve feel special with the dishes you serve it on. This setup can be thrown together and waiting when they walk down the stairs - PJs encouraged.

I was born on Valentine’s Day 1979. Like any birthday shared with a commercial holiday, it has always been easy to go unnoticed. My mom always had a way of making sure it felt extra special, regardless. At 43, it is now my pleasure to serve my own Sunny Funny Valentines - a gift in itself. Seems like the pace of the world urges us to lean on the ready-made availability of all things this holiday or that with the demise of convenience. In truth, there is a greater price to be paid for convenience. Not only might you have to fight the crowd last minute, you lose the satisfaction of the actual act of creating and presenting, no matter how meager or extravagant your effort. In the time it would take to drive to a store, you could create this setup anywhere you like with mixed linens and dishes. Cut out a few hearts from scrap paper - newspaper, looseleaf, you name it - and hang them above. Hand write

a love letter, as short and as sweet or as syrupy and long as you please, as long as it is from the heart. From homemade pancakes to cereal served with a silver spoon, presentation is where it is at. Here, I served a stack of powdered donuts on a pedestal and added a bit of cherry juice to make even the milk extra special for today. Pull up a chair and relish in the moments with your person or your people. Slow down the morning to a sugary sweet pace. Let them know with your uninterrupted presence alone how much they mean to you. At 12 and 14, our girls still enjoy our company and love mornings where Dad is home to share coffee. Do not take it for granted - time is fleeting, but we are never too old to be made to simply feel special. Cheers to a Day O’ Love | XOXOXOXOXOXO

Love Your Skin

Upcoming Events at The Medical Spa by St. Francis Medical Group

OU’RE GOING TO FALL IN LOVE WITH THE MEDICAL Spa’s specials this month! Special Botox, Juvederm and Geneo pricing will be available during our week-long Galentine’s Event, February 14-18, 2022. Botox appointments will be available the entire week for the special price of $10/unit. Juvederm appointments are available as well. If you purchase a syringe of Juvederm, you’ll receive $50 off! Our Geneo facials will also be available at special pricing: buy one facial, get the second 50% off. Now is the perfect time to experience that Geneo Glow that everyone talks about. Purchases made during Galentine’s Week will be entered for a drawing for an ELASTIderm eye cream and NuCil eyelash serum ($235 value). PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT The eye area can be one of the first areas to show signs of aging. The skin is thinner, less elastic, and lacks much of a support structure under the eyes which is why this area tends to wrinkle quicker. Not only are the eyes “ windows to the soul,” but they can exhibit whether we are youthful, happy, or tired, through dark circles, puffiness, and fine lines. Not to mention, our eyes have been the main facial feature seen by most since masking has become the norm over the past two years. So, how do you care for your eyes, and can you prevent early signs of aging? We suggest a combination approach--utilizing treatments and products. Radiofrequency (RF) treatments can help stimulate collagen production around the eyes, improving texture and fine lines, while Botox injections can help improve the appearance of crow’s feet and even prevent them as well! Investing in good eye cream can help protect your investment, whether injections or RF treatments. We have eye creams that are preventative and corrective available for purchase and even an eyelash serum to support fuller, denser, more voluminous lashes! AOX Eye Gel: Serum-in-a-gel that contains Vitamin C, phloretin, ferulic acid, and a blend of botanicals help to protect the eye from environmental damage and premature signs of aging. The gel improves the appearance of puffiness, fatigue and under-eye circles. AOX is a great preventative product to add to your daily routine. A.G.E Eye Complex: Eye cream containing blueberry extract, proxylane (restores water and nutrients to the skin), and peptides help to reduce the appearance of crow’s feet, dark circles, and puffiness. The cream also contains optical diffuse light which immediately enhances radiance around the eyes.

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ELASTIderm Eye Cream: Cream containing bi-mineral complex to promote the development of elastin and create a smoother look around the eyes. TREATMENT SPOTLIGHT: You’ve found your one-stop-shop for a smooth body from head to toe! We offer treatments with NuEra Tight and Splendor X by Lumenis. NuEra Tight is a non-invasive body tightening treatment using radiofrequency that heats the tissue to stimulate the body’s natural production of collagen. By increasing collagen production, the tissues tighten and smooth resulting in a decrease in fine lines and improvement of texture. This treatment is designed to smooth & uplift skin while reducing the appearance of cellulite. The treatment can last anywhere from 15 minutes to 30 minutes, with no downtime required. Splendor X is laser hair removal for all skin types. Splendor X is powered by BLEND X technology, utilizing the ND: YAG and Alexandrite lasers. This technology offers unprecedented power, speed, versatility, and coverage rate. Treatments are fast and comfortable with the cryo-cooling system and require no downtime. Both treatments with NuEra Tight and Splendor X are completed in a series, so now is the best time to start getting ready for the summer shorts and bathing suit season! Be sure to come by The Medical Spa this month to take advantage of our specials, events, and to find out more about the medical-grade skincare products offered here! We are in the James R. Wolff Building (also known as the P&S Building) in downtown Monroe. Our address is 312 Grammont Street Suite 406, across from St. Francis Medical Center. Also, be certain to follow us on St. Francis Medical Center Facebook page and Instagram so you can be up to date on all the new and exciting things happening here at The Medical Spa.

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Neville Junior High School Excellence from ALL, Excellence for ALL

HE MISSION OF NEVILLE JUNIOR High School is to provide a safe place where all students can achieve their academic potential. The school’s motto, Excellence from ALL, Excellence for ALL, is truly what the school is all about. Neville Junior High School has many talented leaders and teachers paving the way for the next generation of young doctors, business owners and great members of society. Making the community a better place for families and children to grow up and be successful. Among these great students, teachers and leaders are a few that stood out this year. Kaitlyn Bullock, Neville Junior High’s para-professional of the year, Coach John Navarro, Neville Junior Highs Teacher of the Year and MCS Middle School Teacher of the Year and Davis Shelby, Neville Junior High’s Student of the Year and MCS Middle School Student of the Year. Ashley Ellis took over as Principal of Neville Junier HIgh in August and has done an incredible job. Ashley has been an educator for 19 years and has worked on all levels of education from elementary, middle school, high school, district and state levels. When asked about her vision for Neville Junior High, Ashley says it is really quite simple. “We want to provide a place where kids want to come to school everyday; where they feel safe and welcome,” she said. “We want to create an environment where they want to be, showing them that school is enjoyable and an impactful place for their future.” Kaitlyn Bullock - NJH Para-Professional of the Year: In the spring of 2021, I started working at Neville Jr High and it has been one of the best experiences! Ten years ago, I walked the halls of NJH and now, I get to help educate kids here - once a tiger, always a tiger! My tiger blood runs deep. I served as NJH

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dance line team captain in 2012 and cheered for three years at Neville High School. My grandmother is the principal’s secretary at NHS and my aunt is the school counselor at NJH. It’s truly a family affair! Through my position as a Para-Professional, I’ve had the opportunity of getting to know countless students, and I am looking forward to seeing all the amazing things they accomplish in the future. On top of spending my days at NJH, I am also a full-time student at the University of Louisiana Monroe working on my psychology degree. My ultimate goal is to become a school psychologist and being able to work one-on-one with students daily has helped me realize that dream. The relationships that I’ve built with both students and those around the building have been highly rewarding. It has also made me realize how much effort goes into just one student’s education. There are so many moving parts that go into education, and knowing that I get to take part in that is such an honor! Coach John Navarro - NJH Teacher of the Year & MCS Middle School Teacher of the Year: Coach John Navarro has been an educator for over eleven years, teaching in multiple districts across the state. In addition, he has been teaching science at Neville Junior High School for six years. Coach Navarro is the Athletic Director at Neville Junior High and oversees all sports programs. He also serves as the Head Football coach. Originally from Tallulah, he has called Monroe home for many years. Coach Navarro attended Grambling State University on a baseball scholarship. He finished his education at the University of Louisiana Monroe, obtaining a Bachelor of General Studies in 2010 and a Master of Arts in Teaching in 2012. Coach Navarro followed in the footsteps of his mother, who was an educator for 30 years. He is passionate about teaching,

preparing young minds for adulthood, and building relationships with his students. Davis Shelby - NJH Student of the Year & MCS Middle School Student of the Year: Davis Shelby is an eighth grader at Neville Junior High School. He is the son of Stewart and Rachel Shelby of Monroe, LA. He has an older brother, Mason, who is a junior at Neville High School. Davis is a member of St. Paul’s United Methodist Church and is an active member of their youth program. He also plays football and baseball for Neville Junior High and is a contributor to the Neville Tiger Network. Davis enjoys hunting, fishing and playing pick-up games with his friends. Davis truly has a heart for service. He helped his father, brother and church family clean up and repair multiple neighborhoods after the tragic Easter tornado and hurricanes over the past couple of years. He also served on a mission trip to Sunflower, MS to help rebuild people’s homes after devastating flooding. Davis can commonly be seen in certain elderly church member’s yards doing yard work and chores for those who need it. Davis’s dream is to become a professional sports broadcaster. His personal goal is to be able to do play by play for a NFL or MLB game one day and make it a career. He wants to share his love of sports with others and get to travel the country and possibly the world to cover significant events. He believes that if he stays focused, works hard and puts trust in the values his faith, family and experiences have given him that he will be able to accomplish anything he sets his mind to in life. The school is located on 19th Street in the heart of Monroe and serves 7th grade and 8th grade students. Call us today with any questions you may have about the school (318) 323-1143.

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Kick Up Your Heels At the Shindig

T’S SHINDIG TIME AGAIN. OUACHITA COUNCIL ON AGING is promoting our biggest fundraiser, Friday March 25, 2022 from 6:30 p.m. until 11:30 p.m. This has been a very challenging time for the community and the world, due to the pandemic, and it has been two years since we have been able to have this fundraiser, and everyone is looking forward to some sense of normalcy. “We’re back, fully vaccinated and masked up.” The fundraiser is held at MBH Farm, owned by Mary Beth and Dr. Herschel Harter in western Ouachita Parish. Lisa Spann and Company will entertain the crowd with dance music including a variety of genre of music from rhythm and blues to country to rock ‘n roll. Lisa is well known in the community and has performed at numerous other events. Catering for the event will be provided by Catfish Charlie’s, offering a delicious spread of catfish, chicken, and all the trimmings! You don’t want to miss out on a night of delicious food, great friends, spectacular entertainment, and a “Live Auction with great items.” Tommy Jackson will be the auctioneer for the live event. Ouachita Council on Aging’s recently elected Executive Director, Loretta Hudson, invites everyone to come and enjoy a night of “great food, good friends, and a fabulous entertainment.” It is safe to say that this event has become the “Social Event of the Year.” It is only fitting that this Shindig will be honoring the former Executive Director, Lynda McGehee, for her 32 years of commitment and service to the Ouachita Council on Aging and the community. This event is held at the beautiful barn at MBH Farm decorated in a rustic style, surrounding by breathtaking landscape and magnificent horses, which includes the spectacular resident Clydesdales. The Ouachita Council on Aging was established by charter in June 1967, thus recently celebrated its 53rd year of serving seniors. In 1980, OCA was also designated as the Area Agency on Aging for Ouachita Parish. Currently, OCA has established 11 dining and activity sites throughout the area and 15 Meals on Wheels routes which cover the entire parish. Additionally, OCA contracts for services with West Ouachita Senior Center in West Monroe and SCORE (Senior Citizens OutReach Entity) in Richwood. Your support will help assist over 22 programs available for seniors in Ouachita Parish, including, Congregate Meals, with 11 Satellite meal sites in the Ouachita Parish, the Meals on Wheels Program and Non-Emergency Transportation.

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While federal and state funding is provided to the Area Agency on Aging under the Older Americans Act, funding falls short of meeting the needs of the ever-growing senior population. Other sources of funding include United Way, the City of Monroe’s Community Development Block Grant, the City of West Monroe, program participant contributions, and donations from concerned citizens and groups in the community. Local sources make up 37% of the total operating budget, with Shindig revenue being a large part of that percentage. Billy Justice, Sales Manager for Vantage Health Plan, says, “Vantage is proud to be the premier sponsor of this fundraising event for Ouachita Council on Aging. I’ve seen first-hand how the Council operates and how they utilize their funding. The Shindig is their main source for raising additional dollars to fill the budget gaps and meet the needs of our seniors.” When OCA first started, they served only 80 persons on the Meals on Wheels Program. Currently, noon meals are provided, Monday thru Friday, to approximately 400 homebound seniors, age 60 and over. We serve meals to another 450 older individuals at our 11 dining sites each day. Monday thru Friday, vans from OCA transport dozens of elderly to doctor appointments and life-saving dialysis and cancer treatment centers. “The community has dealt with the pandemic for the last year or more and this has been a very challenging time. It is imperative now that we have the continued support of donations by the community,” stated Executive Director, Loretta Hudson. We are fortunate to have a community that has a longstanding history of compassion and generosity. It would not be possible to continue our current level of services without donations from local businesses and individuals, and we are always grateful for their continued support. Tickets for the Shindig are now available at the Ouachita Council on Aging office located at 2407 Ferrand Street, Monroe, LA, or by calling at (318) 387-0535. For information about the Ouachita Council on Aging and its services, visit their website at www.ouachitacoa.com or Ouachita Council on Aging, AAA and Ouachita Council on Aging, Inc., Facebook page. If you cannot attend the Shindig, but would like to make a donation to OCA, go to the website and click on the “Make a Donation” button.

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Jack Daniel’s Country Cocktails More Flavor. More Refreshment.

BY DELIA SIMPSON, CRAFT BRAND MANAGER, CHOICE BRANDS, INC.

RAFTING SOMETHING THAT ENDURES FOR OVER 150 years takes time and character. You’ll find plenty of both in the people and history that make Jack Daniel’s. Jack Daniel’s Distillery was established in 1866 and was the first registered distillery in the U.S. Jasper Newton Daniel, also known as Jack, is the mastermind behind the Old No. 7 taste that is so popular. By 1904, Jack’s infamous whiskey had earned a gold medal at the World’s Fair. The secret to Jack’s awardwinning flavor is limestone spring water, which is the resource used today at the Lynchburg, TN location. His original recipe, which remains unchanged, also includes just the right amount of corn, rye, and barley. It all started when Jack ran away from home after his mother and father had both died. Prior to his death, Jack’s father remarried, but Jack despised his stepmother and was taken in by a local preacher named Dan Call. He began learning the distilling trade from Call and his Master Distiller, Nathan “Nearest” Green, an enslaved African-American man. Green continued to work with Call after emancipation. In 1875 Jack founded a registered distilling business with Call using money from his late father’s estate. Shortly thereafter, Call quit the business due to religious reasons, and Jack took over ownership. In 1884, Jack Daniel purchased the land where the distillery is located today. He ran it until 1907, when he gave the distillery to his nephew, Lemuel “Lew” Motlow, since he never married or had children. Motlow operated the distillery for 40 years. In 1910, he challenged the law in a case that went to the Tennessee Supreme Court. Since a statewide prohibition was passed in 1910, the legal distillation of Jack Daniel’s in Tennessee was not allowed. After several years of repeals and changes to the law, the distillery was finally up and running for business in 1947. While it is now legal to distill whiskey in Tennessee, the distillery is located in a dry county. This means that while the product can legally be produced, it cannot legally be sold. However, there is one exception, which is that Jack Daniel’s can sell one commemorative product. You can purchase Gentleman Jack, Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel, or Old No. 7 at the distillery’s bottle shop. In addition to their world-renowned lineup of whiskeys, Jack Daniels now offers a variety of ready to drink cocktail options. Jack Daniel’s Country Cocktails are the perfect way to enjoy your favorite Jack Daniel’s beverage in 10 convenient ounces. Inspired by over 150 years of premium craft tradition, Country Cocktails are a refreshing new take on classic Jack flavors. With 7 unique offerings, there’s a flavor for every taste and every

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occasion. And you can’t beat the convenience. There’s no mixing, no muddling, no ice and, best of all, no waiting around. Just pop the cap and enjoy a fresh take on your favorite whiskey. Downhome Punch Downhome Punch is a masterful flavor combination of classic Jack Daniels with a sweet and sour punch. The sweet tastes of peach, cherry, and orange are blended to create a tasty beverage worthy of Southern hospitality. Southern Peach This summer drink sings Southern Style peach flavor, combining fruit flavor with a hint of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey. Black Jack Cola Add a tasty, refreshing drink to your next get-together with this Jack Daniel’s Country Cocktails Black Jack Cola. It combines the classic taste of the soft drink and the famous Jack Daniel’s whiskey, with a lemon-lime twist. Lynchburg Lemonade The refreshingly sweet taste of this hard lemonade is a tasty treat, sure to satisfy your taste buds during the hot summer months and beyond. Watermelon Punch Watermelon, a classic summertime favorite, meets the flavor of Jack Daniels whiskey in this sweet, refreshing beverage. Without all the seeds, this fruity blend combines melon liqueur and grenadine with smooth, classic whiskey. Berry Punch Berry Punch is the only flavored malt beverage today that combines natural citrus fruit flavors with a slight flavor of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey to create a refreshing concoction with just a hint of Jack Daniel’s attitude. Be sure to like Choice Brands on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and Instagram to keep up with new product releases. Feel free to message us for information on where to find your favorite brands. Find us at facebook.com/ choicebrands, twitter.com/choicebrandsinc, and instagram.com/choicebrands.

Meredith’s Musings A N A L LY article by MEREDI T H MC K I NNI E

bout nine years ago, before my husband and toddlers, I was more footloose and fancy free. I adored the nightlife - not the typical club scene, but the more relaxed pub environment. I enjoyed the freedom to just be for hours amongst others my age and well above. Ironically, I didn’t indulge liquor at the time. I would just continually smile at the staff I knew by name when my Styrofoam cup needed more cola. I felt comfortable in that environment and frequently brought my work with me on a typical Tuesday evening. I would hole up in the corner of the patio, a six-foot picnic table all to myself, and intently focus on my papers with the music blurring the nearby conversations. Combining work and leisure was one of my favorite discoveries of my early thirties. On one such night, I was in that same corner, about an hour into my work, when I noticed a man staring at me -intently staring, territorially staring. I felt uncomfortable immediately. I didn’t recognize his face, an unusual occurrence in this place. Other than the staff, not many other people I knew were at the establishment either. I tried to ignore him, kept looking down and planned to call over a staff member when one returned outside. But he didn’t give me the time. He sauntered over to my table and plopped down right across from me, setting his sweating glass on my ungraded papers. The wet ring immediately began to expand. I was annoyed and stared at him, biting my lower lip, unsure how to handle the situation. Should I be polite and hope for the best? Should I be assertive and ask him to leave? He hadn’t said or done anything offensive yet, but he was making me uneasy. Either he couldn’t see it or he didn’t care - I’d bet on the latter. He kept trying to ask about me, insisted on buying me a drink, and asked what I was doing. I insisted, politely, that I was working and wasn’t there to socialize. He countered that I wouldn’t be in a bar if I didn’t want to socialize. Here he was telling me what I wanted, as if I didn’t know.

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I considered just vacating the table, but gathering my belongings would have taken minutes and the removal of his dripping glass, and I’m not one to cause a scene. I just wanted him to disappear, to take a hint, to make this awkward interaction easier on me by leaving. But as these situations go, he assumed persistence was a virtue. If I made a break for my car only a few steps away, would he follow? Would I be more unsafe in the parking lot? - such was the montage running through my head. I searched frantically around for a familiar face, for a source to convey my discomfort. I don’t often feel I need rescuing, but I craved rescue at that moment - and then she appeared. With grayish, fluffy hair and a dominating stance, a woman I’d never met suddenly towered over both of us. “Sorry I was late...mind if I sit here?” she asked the unwelcome man across from me. “Oh, sure, can I stay?” he asked her. “No.” she responded and motioned for him to leave. He begrudgingly unfolded himself from the picnic table, slid his glass off my papers, dropping three in the process, and exited the patio. She took his place and started making small talk. After he couldn’t be seen anymore, she casually said “You looked like you wanted him to go, sorry if I overstepped. I’ll be just three tables over. If you need me, just nod.” And with that, she left. I sat stunned for a moment. It was as if I had willed her into existence, as I hadn’t noticed her before. I sat comfortably for three more hours working peacefully while she perched less than ten feet away. I knew I was okay. Many more times over the years I would stake out that corner booth, and often I would catch her eye. We would exchange a nod, and I knew someone was looking out for me. Even though I consider myself a strong woman who doesn’t need saving or protection, in a moment when I wanted an ally, a woman appeared.

Honor Students to be Saluted 4th Judicial Court Assistant DA Daniel Linkford to Speak at Heritage Event

NE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH will be a heritage celebration to be held at the Monroe Civic Center on Thursday, February 24th. Labeled, “Better Love Yourself: A Celebration of Black Girls,” the event is set to salute twenty-eight local girls who are honor roll students at their various schools. The girls are models in the local youth group Model 10/18 which has been in operation since 2020. Its aim is to foster self-confidence, scholarship, physical fitness, and to expose girls aged 10 to 18 to beauty, fashion, and travel. The program, which was created by local photographer and educator Robert Wright, is designed around the school district’s calendar and the ACT exam. The girls meet once a month for a themed photo shoot, have workshops, and there is a heavy focus on physical fitness. “I don’t just take their photos. I ensure that there is knowledge behind those eyes. The overall message to them is that they are more than just a pretty face,” Wright said. The program began during the summer of 2020 with only 11 girls and has grown to 28 in two years. Each girl is required to have a minimum GPA of 3.0, no tattoos or body piercings, they can’t be pregnant or have children, and they must have and maintain a normal and healthy BMI. At the conclusion of their high school career, each girl qualifies for a $1,200 scholarship, should they earn a 23 or higher on the ACT. “It’s a rigorous program but most of the girls are high achievers. I get a lot of my energy for the program from them. When they excel in class, I find another way to reward them. It’s my contribution and investment into their academic success,” said Wright. The group travels at the end the school year. During the summer of 2021, six of the girls traveled to New York City and were exposed to life in America’s biggest city. They visited the 9/11 Memorial and reflected at the pools. They also enjoyed time in Times Square and taking in the exhibits at Madam Tussaud’s Wax Museum. This year, they will travel to Los Angeles, California and tour Warner Bros. Studios, Hollywood, the Grammy Museum and spend time at Santa Monica Beach. “As a community, we should expect them to be well-read, well-dressed, wellspoken and well-traveled. Exposure to life outside of Monroe makes a huge difference when they have to compete with and work with others who have traveled,” Wright said. Although travel is an expectation of the program, it has its expense. The girls are not allowed to travel alone, and one of their parents must accompany them on the trips. It adds an additional expense to families but ensures the safety and comfort of the girls and allows a chance for the parents to take part in their travel experience. The heritage celebration at the Civic Center this month is a fundraiser

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with an aim to offset the costs of the girl’s travel to Los Angeles. After expenses, the proceeds from the event will be divided amongst the girls who participate. “The community’s participation in supporting this event will be a great help to these girls and their families,” Wright said. The girls will also be saluted for their academic accomplishments during the 2nd Nine Weeks. Six of them earned a 4.0 GPA rating and two of them have scored 22 on the ACT in their sophomore year in high school, and will receive special commendations. The event is a black-tie formal banquet and dinner will be served during a period of entertainment by Monroe native recording artist Terisa Griffin. Griffin is no stranger to philanthropic endeavors as her non-profit Better Love Yourself is responsible for thousands of dollars in scholarships to graduating high school seniors for over a decade. She majored in music performance at Northeast Louisiana University and later moved to Chicago where she has performed with some the greats in the industry and even succeeded a few rounds of NBC’s The Voice. After the banquet, three local girls, Joy Norman, Charlasia Harris, and Zoey Wade will perform songs on the piano as part of their piano recital. They are music students of Wright and are accomplished at such a very young age. The girls will finally be empowered and encouraged with motivational words from the Assistant District Attorney for the 4th JDC, Danielle Linkford. Linkford is a former Neville High School Bengal Belle, who matriculated at Southern University and A&M College dancing with the fabulous Dancing Dolls, and later earned her Juris Doctorate becoming an attorney. “She (Linkford) is the right person with the right message for these girls of whom many are following her path. She’s closer to their age than I or their parents and she’s walked the walk to make this talk,” Wright said. Wright said that the success of his youth program is largely due to parental participation. The girls are highly active in their school’s dance lines, cheerleaders, community dance companies, and various sports teams. “Their (girls) parents are very dedicated and want the best for their daughters. We even have many fathers who are just as active as their counterparts. They all want them to succeed and invest in them financially and in time to see to it that they not only exceed in school but in extra-curricular pursuits such as this,” Wright said. The event falls on the 20th anniversary of Wright’s photography company which began on February 24, 2002. “It appears that all roads have led to this moment and this program is the culmination of all of my educational and photographic pursuits. What a way to celebrate twenty years,” Wright said. The event begins at 7 p.m. in the B.D. Robinson Conference Hall.

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Cedar Creek Elementary Learns STEM with LA Tech Engineering

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THIS IS THE BEST DAY OF MY LIFE,” SAID ONE CEDAR Creek third grader about the school’s 2021 Science and Engineering Day, an annual on-campus STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) event led by Louisiana Tech engineering students. For the past 6 years, the Louisiana Tech AGC/NASTT Student Chapter (an Engineering group) has visited Cedar Creek to engage elementary students in a day of hands-on learning and career exploration that includes science centers (see recipes for making oobleck and a STEM building challenge, facing page), engine demonstrations, construction equipment, and tools for land surveying. Students also complete STEM building challenges using common household materials like marshmallows and raw spaghetti noodles. “One of my favorite things about STEM is that it teaches students that sometimes the ‘mess- ups’ or mistakes are the best ways to eventually figure out the problem,” said Brooke Martin, third grade science and social studies teacher at Cedar Creek. “Students try different approaches, learn to think outside the box and test out their ideas. By figuring out what does not work, oftentimes they are able to solve the problem,” Martin said. Martin, who holds both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree from Louisiana Tech, said interactive STEM experiences are a vital part of her curriculum. “We provide a hands-on approach to learning that focuses on critical thinking and problem solving,” she said. “Children are naturally curious and interested in how the world works, and they want to try to figure out problems. STEM lessons allow learning to be fun as well as educational.” Martin said connecting STEM concepts to real-life applications is key to lasting learning. “Students can better retain concepts that we learn about in class when they must help figure out problems related to the idea,” she said. “For example, when we learn about weather, we discuss weather hazards. We think like architects and try to design a roof that will stay on during severe wind. We add objects to a paper house like stickers, paperclips, and toothpicks. Students can be creative and experiment with different solutions using only a few available supplies.” Dana Milam (B.S. Biology/Chemistry, M.Ed. Science Education) teaches fourth and fifth grade science at Cedar Creek and has this to say about the school’s elementary STEM curriculum. “I love seeing children’s faces light up when they are learning

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and having fun with labs and activities,” she said. “Real-world STEM activities are important in catching the attention of students and involving them in the lesson. I believe in learning by doing. Hands on activities are so important in our learning process.” Milam said she includes STEM activities each week in science class. “One way to turn a lesson into a STEM activity is by having the students create a game using the concepts we have learned in class,” she said. One year, our fourth-grade students used magnets to make learning games. The students had so much fun playing the games created by their classmates. Any time we can use everyday materials to solve a problem, we can increase their excitement for science and learning.” Milam said her young students demonstrate their mastery of concepts by creating class projects that illustrate scientific principles. “We build our own solar cooker each year,” Milam said. “Students also love designing and constructing roller coasters to test the laws of motion. We even mix chemicals to make slime and create reactions.” Cedar Creek has a well-stocked STEM closet to supply teachers with craft supplies and other materials for classroom lessons and projects. Teachers may also check out sets of Sphero robots and Turin Tumble marble-powered computers. STEM instruction begins in Pre-Kindergarten at Cedar Creek, with students exploring science and math concepts as part of their centerbased learning. Teachers encourage parents to support their children’s natural academic curiosity at home. “Practice with STEM concepts at home can begin with science topics the child loves or has shown interest in learning,” Milam said. “Kids can use Legos, gears, and other toys from home to solve science problems.” Want to try a STEM challenge at home? One of the best things about STEM is the ease of preparation. See the facing page for activities using supplies that can be found around the house. Now enrolling in grades PK-12 for the 2022-23 school year! Apply online at www.cedarcreekschool.org/apply. Cedar Creek’s academic programs include Dual Enrollment with Louisiana Tech University and Advanced Placement (AP). Cedar Creek’s senior class earned nearly $4.5 million in scholarship offers in 2021, with the top quartile scoring a 31 average ACT. Call Hope Merchant at (318) 255-7707 for more information or to schedule a campus tour. Cedar Creek practices an open, non-discriminatory admissions policy.

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BAYOUOUTDOORS

THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY

ARTICLE BY DAN CHASON

’ll start this piece today with the motivation behind this story. My friend Jim Andrews joined me at my camp for a deer hunt in January. As we visited, I asked him what he thought would be a good story to share from our time spent in the outdoors. He very quickly said, “Tell folks what happens to the deer in late season. It’s like they go underground. “Now, I could go to leading university studies, other experts or other hunters for direction but for a man like me that spends hundreds of hours and many days scouting and viewing cameras, I think I may have some advice. I will use one deer for an example that I named Big Boy. This deer first appeared on my Covert camera in early November. He is a huge 10-point and in my “guestimation” is at least 5 years old. I saw him in person during our first week of muzzleloader season. He, along with a big 8 and a big 11-point came into my food plot right at dark. They were bunched up like three salsa dancers on a bran pile. I could not get a shot as it was late and I could not definitely say the deer in my scope was him. I opted to let him walk and sure enough, I never saw him in person again. I have a large number of cameras in the woods and never got another photo of him until January 5th. The big 11 bit the dust about 200 yards off of my property so I just figured that Big Boy was laying up close to that area as well. All of November and most of December was disappointing as the number of big bucks or shooter bucks (130 plus deer) had all but disappeared. I had lots of groceries including clover, wheat and turnips planted and was about to give up on the food plots when it just turned overnight. The rut really never cranked up except for a bunch of young bucks and spikes. I only saw one deer chasing a doe and was wondering if some other factor had them vanish. What I surmised was they travel far and away during and before the rut and come back home after. What I deduced from my issue was pretty simple. I looked at aerial maps and wanted to determine why these deer had just left. I hunted many hours and adjusted hunting times to the moon phase. Still lots of activity but no Big Boy. What I figured was that I had to find the bedding areas these older deer were using and why I wasn’t seeing them in their same old haunts. I came up and a plan, placed cameras in areas I had not hunted and waited. Sure enough not only Big Boy showed up, but four other mature deer appeared on camera. So the answer? Get out of the same old stands; adjust for the wind; only hunt the stand when your photos verify that the time you have chosen is right; and be sure to maintain good scent control. These deer are smart and any deviation of their natural, daily environment changes them. It does not matter whether you walk in, drive in or crawl in. If you don’t make changes and be unexpected, you will not have a chance.

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My theory is that deer have a “home place” in early season. I hunt in Area 1 so our season runs to the end of January. But come January, I change. I move a lot and may even move from one hunting area to another on a regular basis. Once hunting pressure starts....lights, truck doors, wheelers etc., these deer move. And they are like a big bass, they are solitary animals and any signs of humans make them leave. There are exceptions as I have a nice buck that lives no further than 100 yards from my camp. The only time I saw him was when I drove in at night; didn’t hunt near him for a day; never cranked a wheeler; made sure no lights were on at the camp; and no banging doors. If he thinks he is alone, he will go back to a moving routine. If he hears any human activity, he lays low. I call him “Scout” because it’s like he is scouting for hunters for other deer. It’s amazing to me but that is what I have observed. Scout figured out the closer to the enemy he was the safer he was and is. The same goes for fishing. How many stories have been told about the giant fish that was lost or the one that blew up on a bait and was not hooked. This has happened to me more times than I want to think about. I remember one trip to a private lake where we were filming my TV show, and it was notorious for huge bass. During the day, I had spotted what I thought was a log on a flat in about two feet of water. As I approached, the boat drifted and hit a stump and this “log” exploded in his escape. I looked at my cameraman and told him that had to be a bass and we were coming back in a couple of hours to see if he returned. Sure enough, about an hour before dark, I chose an old Wood Chopper top water bait and casted where I knew he was before. When I tell you he exploded on it.....it was like a tidal wave. As big fish go straight to a stump he went and when that didn’t work, he went airborne. This fish was absolutely the largest bass I have ever hooked or seen. After he went back down, he wrapped on a stump and was never seen again. I daydream about that fish when I go back to that lake. Fish like that keep you going back to catch the fish of a lifetime. But again, he got away. Just like Big Boy, who at this writing has not been taken, (but I’ve got 22 more days) I’ve walked in an hour before daylight, and pulled every trick in the book. The last time I hunted him was just before writing this column. I surmised that I was not seeing early deer movement at the crack of dawn due to my approach, lights and just bumping him. I had him on camera at 9 a.m. the day before so I opted to walk in after daylight and creep to my stand. Wouldn’t you know it? He was on camera at my stand right at daylight. Had I been in the stand earlier, I would have had a chance. They don’t get big by being dumb. That’s why we keep going back. Good play Big Boy, you have been a worthy opponent.

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GALENTINE'S C E L E B R AT I O N

THIS YEAR ON VALENTINE'S DAY, GATHER WITH YOUR FAVORITE GIRLFRIENDS FOR A CELEBRATION OF LOVE, LAUGHTER AND LIFE. FROM YOUR FAVORITE ROSÉ TO CHARCUTERIE CUPS, THIS CELEBRATION WILL BE THE TOAST OF THE TOWN. P h o t o g r a p hy b y Ke l l y M o o r e C l a r k S t y l e d b y Tay l o r B e n n e t t F l o r a l s f r o m C a r l s t e d t 's M o n r o e

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Above: Go the extra mile with custom-made gifts for each of your guests. We found delicately scented rose petal soaps and packaged them in a mason jar and adorned the tops with a simple blushcolored linen bow. At right: These charcuterie cup hors d'oeuvres are the perfect appetizer to pair with your favorite rosé. We've layered bread crisps, an assortment of cheeses, blackberries, blueberries, toasted pecans and Hershey kisses in a pink tin.

Above: Taylor created a beautiful tablescape by combining glass vases filled with Juliette roses, eucalyptus, bay leaf and red roses from Carlstedt's, along with brass candlesticks with red and pink tapers. Pink and red heart balloons were filled and stuck to the wall for a festive backdrop.

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B AYO U I CO N S

Passion for Life and Love ARTICLE BY GEORGIANN POT TS PHOTOGR APHY BY K ELLY MOORE CL ARK

hief Jimmie Bryant and his wife, Renita, understand the importance of working hard to achieve dreams. Following the examples set especially by their mothers before them, the Bryant’s have embodied the idea that if something is worth having, then it is worth working for. Both are living remarkable lives that are enriching this community and positively impacting many lives on a daily basis. Chief Bryant serves as Chief Operating Officer (COO) for the City of Monroe, bringing to that position the depth of management experience in public service necessary to ensure success in that demanding position. Having served previously as the first African American Fire Chief for the City of Monroe, Bryant is experienced in Monroe City operations. Bryant is credited with leading the Monroe Fire Department to obtaining a Fire Protection Class One rating, the highest designation a city fire suppression service can receive. This was accomplished during a time of great challenges within the organization. Bryant received the BCOC 2006 Fire Chief of the Year Recognition made up of black fire chiefs throughout the country as well as the 2010 Louisiana State Fire Chief of the Year Recognition from the Louisiana Fire Marshall’s Office. Renita Bryant, APRN, FNP-C is serving as a Nurse Practitioner at the Morehouse General Hospital Rural Health Clinic. Like her husband, she brings to this position decades of experience and the caring, compassionate personality that working to help others requires. Because of their unselfish service to their faith, their family, and to this community, Jimmie and Renita Bryant are our February Bayou Icons.

From Humble Beginnings Jimmie describes his late parents, Nehemiah Bryant Sr. and Hattie Mae Phillips Bryant, as “. . . amazing and God-fearing parents” who worked hard to provide for their children. They met while acting as chaperones for Nehemiah’s younger brother and Hattie’s younger sister. Whenever the couple was together, the chaperones had to be present. “During this time, my parents began talking to each other and eventually fell in love and married,” Jimmie explains. Renita Bryant remembers her late parents, Andrew Smalley and Verdell Turner Smalley, with the same love that Jimmie remembers his. Her parents met in church where Andrew was a gospel singer. Her father was born in Keithville, Louisiana, and attended school through junior high. Her mother was born in Bethany, Louisiana, and attended Central Colored High in Shreveport. They divorced 66 FEBRUARY 2022 | WWW.BAYOULIFEMAG.COM

when Renita was 15, and her father moved back to Keithville where he remained until his death in 2012. Her mother lived in the same home in Shreveport for decades, only moving a few blocks in the 1990’s. She passed away in 2017. Renita says that her mother always encouraged her to try. “She would say, ‘If it’s worth having, it’s worth working for!’” Renita says. “She was right.” Her mother worked as a homemaker and domestic worker when Renita was small, but when Renita became a teenager, her mom was working as a seamstress and florist. Renita was the third of four children born to her parents. There was one older sister and one older brother, then Renita, and then a baby sister. “We were all very different,” Renita says with a smile. Each has enjoyed a successful career – her oldest sister was a teacher’s assistant, her brother was in the Navy and is now working for the Dillard Corporation, and her younger sister works in corporate compliance for a large medical corporation. Jimmie’s father was born in Gilliam, Louisiana, a rural community in North Louisiana, and grew up there. He finished 10th grade and then studied welding and molding at Trade School. When he completed that training, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and served in the Infantry during World War II after which he received an Honorable Discharge. He enjoyed a successful career as a welder at the Brewster Foundry in Shreveport until strokes forced his early retirement. “My father was a giant of a man although he was roughly 5 feet 8 inches in height. The way

he carried himself (humble and soft-spoken, yet firm) and cared for his family earned the respect of all who knew him,” remembers Jimmie. Jimmie’s mother was born and reared in Hosston, Louisiana, and attended the local schools there. Her father died when she was eight years old. The second of four children, her responsibility to help her widowed mother around the house was to prepare the family meals. When his mother was asked how she learned to cook so well. Jimmie says that she would softly say, “You wouldn’t believe how much food I threw away. If it didn’t taste good to me, I wouldn’t feed it to anyone else, so I would start over until I got it right.” She taught all her children how to cook at young ages. Jimmie shares her love and talent for cooking – especially when baking cakes. Jimmie’s grandfathers were farmers, and both died at young ages. His maternal grandmother was a sharecropper, and his paternal grandmother was a homemaker. His mother primarily worked as a housekeeper in private homes until she retired. Jimmie’s mother entered the workforce fulltime during the last few years of his father’s life when he could no long work. His father had told his mother when they married that “he would never make a bill where he would expect one penny of her money to pay for it. His job was to take care of her.” He did that for as long as he was physically able. Much of her time was spent caring for Jimmie’s father and her children after his strokes. Jimmie’s father had his first stroke in 1958, the year Cathy was born. This was the beginning of many trips to the Veterans Administration Hospital.

FROM PROM TO MARRIAGE While the couple may admit that their courtship was “long, and off and on,” the two married in 1982 and have made their marriage, family and community a priority.

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He continued to work to care for the family, but eventually suffered additional strokes. Jimmie and Nehemiah Jr. were born during these times fulfilling his dream of having sons. Jimmie fondly remembers the times his father would have the boys take his wheelchair outside and place it next to the family car and then help him get into the wheelchair. There he would teach the boys about car repairs. The boys in the family and neighborhood would gather around the car as he taught them from his wheelchair how to put brake shoes on a car and do oil changes. As the strokes got progressively worse, he eventually had to retire from his job with the Brewster Foundry. At age 50, Jimmie’s father died in the Veterans Administration Hospital in 1970. After Jimmie’s parents married, their siblings who had required chaperones years before, were also married. Both couples purchased two homes on one lot and raised JOY IN LOVE their families in the Cooper Road community. Renita pictured with Apollo Ray Bryant, Jimmie describes them as “a remarkably close their three-year-old grandson who Jimmie says is “all boy.” and unique family.” Jimmie’s parents had six children, and his aunt and uncle had ten children. Although cousins, they were basically reared as siblings, just in separate households. Jimmie’s mother remained in her home until she was no longer able to live alone. Jimmie remembers the family celebrating Thanksgiving and Christmas together, a small group but with lots of food and family stopping in for fellowship. Jimmie’s mother was a loving matriarch until her death in 2010. Jimmie was the fifth child and eldest of their sons. He and his younger brother, Nehemiah, shared a room and floor pallets and were very close while growing up. They still are today. Nehemiah served as Best Man in Jimmie and Renita’s wedding, and Jimmie says that his little brother is still his best friend. The two boys had to share their parents with four older sisters – not always an easy task! Shirley, Fannie, Dorothy, and Cathy did their best to help their younger brothers however they could. There were definite advantages for the boys having older sisters -- like getting their hair cut for free and, when they were in high school, having a car to borrow. All of Jimmie’s siblings attended college and his sister, Fannie, was the first in their family to graduate from college. When she graduated, she bought a brand-new Buick Skylark and took Jimmie for a drive. She allowed him to drive her car, and because she thought he was doing so well, she let him drive home and into the driveway to show their mother. “My ego got the best of me and I wrecked her car,” Jimmie remembers. In spite of that mishap, he went on to become an excellent driver! His sisters and his brother have all enjoyed successful careers in insurance, manufacturing, or government service. Memories Growing Up Renita remembers holidays as being large family gatherings. Because her mother was the “favorite family cook” food was always plentiful. At Christmas, dressing and cakes (fruit, nut, and German chocolate) were the stars. Summer holiday gatherings for Juneteenth and July 4th featured barbeque and homemade ice cream. Because Renita’s mother was an accomplished seamstress, shopping trips to any store other than the fabric store were rare. Still, Christmas and Easter “. . . always brought a shopping trip to

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Selber’s or Toy Fair for Stride Rites!” Renita remembers with pride that until she became a teenager and started working earning her own money, her mother stitched nearly every piece of clothing she wore. Among their favorite childhood memories, two stand out for the Bryant’s. For Jimmie, it was making the 30-mile trip on First Sundays with the family every month to attend worship service and attending the annual Saint Mark Baptist Church Anniversary in Mira, Louisiana. This was his mother’s home church, and she would join with the other ladies of the church to bring food for everyone – members and guests -for a meal after a special church anniversary service. “This small country church didn’t have restrooms nor a dining hall,” Jimmie recalls. “We used outhouses and the food was

served from the trunks of their cars. When I think back, it shows me what can be done with a just a little. It makes you appreciate things more when you do have something better.” For Renita, it was a driving trip across America from Shreveport to Los Angeles with her family to visit her favorite aunt in the late 1960’s. It marked the first time she had traveled much further than Shreveport. “We packed the car, packed food, and then all of us packed ourselves in the car,” she remembers. “It was not the safest thing to travel across country as a black family, but leave it to my

mother. She made up her mind, and off we went!” Both remember their childhoods as being happy times filled with love and strong mothers who cared for their families. Jimmie describes his childhood as a simple time because family resources were limited. His father had gotten sick at a young age and was later severely disabled by a massive stroke. “I remember playing with my brother on the benches at the VA hospital for what seemed like hours,” Jimmie says. He also remembers trading bike parts with kids in the neighborhood so that he could build a bicycle. Other pastimes included yard football, basketball, foot races, and throwing rocks (which he admits sometimes didn’t turn out well). Renita’s childhood was a time filled with family and church. She spent many days in the rural areas around Shreveport, especially Keithville (her dad’s home) or Bethany (where her mom was from). She went to church with her mother in Bethany, which was about a 40-minute drive from home. They visited several times a week for church and family. “There was always something going on -- a Bible drill at church, Sunday evening Baptist training union, Vacation Bible School, and various youth programs,” Renita says. “We also enjoyed visiting my grandparents where the garden provided vegetables and the farm animals provided meat. I lived the tale of two lives --- one in the city attending public schools, and then the other as a weekend rural warrior!” Both are grateful to a number of people who came into their lives as mentors and close friends. Several high school teachers -- Rudy Carly, Elmo King, Carl Pierson, Al Dennis, and Mr. Asher – were all positive influences. Mr. Asher, a history teacher and former athlete, told Jimmie that he knew that Jimmie could do better. As a result of that

encouragement, Jimmie did do better. Several relatives -- James Bryant (older cousin), and Robert Moore (brother-in-law) -- were all important to Jimmie. “My brother-in-law Robert taught me to drive a standard shift, to fish, gave me advice, loaned me clothes, and generally filled in some of the gaps in my life where a father would have been,” Jimmie remembers with gratitude. Renita remembers the women in her church, her older sister, and her aunts and cousins as important influences. “I was chaperoned, instructed, and given financial support that I now understand did not come easy for any of them,” Renita says. “I am eternally grateful.” She also had special teachers who “made a difference” for her. These included Mrs. Jessie Ferdinand and Mrs. Luberda Myers who both encouraged her to volunteer and give back even when she thought that she had nothing to give. During college, Renita came under the influence of Ms. Doris Welch, graduate advisor for Renita’s sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha. “Ms. Welch talked the talk and walked the walk,” Renita says. “She was a great example of professionalism and was a volunteer extraordinaire.” Love and Marriage, Finally Although they both grew up in a section of Shreveport called “Cooper Road,” Jimmie and Renita didn’t meet until junior high school where they became friends. They began dating during their senior year in high school but broke up when she went to college. Both agree that their courtship was “long, and off and on.” When asked recently if it was love at first sight, Renita said with a smile, “Maybe not. But he was the boy every girl wanted. He had the biggest afro.” When Renita graduated from Northeast Louisiana University (now ULM) in 1982, the couple married. The ceremony was at Renita’s

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B AYO U I CO N S CO N T I N U E D

FAMILY MATTERS The Bryant’s have two children, a daughter, Camille R. Bryant, a successful attorney and active volunteer in New Orleans, and a son Jimmie II, and wife Maudie, who is a radio engineer for a Shreveport radio station and is also an active volunteer. He was recently named Volunteer of the Year for Louisiana for his work with Shreveport Green.

was fire science and Organizational Management. He attended LSU-Eunice to further his studies and graduated from Wiley College in Marshall, Texas, with a B.S. in Organizational Management. He believed that a degree would open more doors for him if he ever sought an upper management position. He also went through the National Fire Academy Executive Development Program and attended numerous seminars and workshops for professional development. Continuing his education was an important decision that has served him well. Renita’s choices were first business and then nursing, although today – looking back on her early interest in business – she says, “I don’t know what I was thinking!” She went on to earn degrees in nursing from Northwestern, ULM, and a Master’s in nursing from Grambling State University. THE CHIEF When Jimmie was in high school, he was first introduced Jimmie has had a long and very successful career in firefighting, serving (beginning to firefighting as a possible career. “Two recruiters came (R. at age 37) as Fire Chief for the City of Monroe 15 years. Today, as Monroe’s COO, he O. Jones and Maurice White) and asked me to consider a job enjoys having the opportunity to change lives and raise community expectations. in that field,” Jimmie says. Two years later, Jimmie applied to the Academy and was accepted. It was the beginning of what family’s home church just across the Texas state line with close friends was to be a long and very successful career in firefighting and family present. Renita’s mother told them all well in advance that that would lead to serving (beginning at age 37) as Fire Chief for the the wedding was going to start on time, no matter who hadn’t arrived City of Monroe 15 years. Along the way, he became a paramedic and yet. “We will start without you,” she had warned them all. Jimmie was saw physical and mental suffering firsthand. Although he admits almost an hour late, the wedding took place and they are still married! that sometimes he misses the adrenaline rush that came with those The Bryant’s have two children, a daughter, Camille R. Bryant, a emergency calls, he enjoyed even more changing young lives and successful attorney and active volunteer in New Orleans, and a son raising community expectations when he became Fire Chief. Today, as Jimmie II, and wife Maudie, who is a radio engineer for a Shreveport Monroe’s COO, he has an even bigger opportunity to do those things radio station and is also an active volunteer. He was recently named on a much larger scale. Volunteer of the Year for Louisiana for his work with Shreveport Green. Renita’s compassion for others was evident from the very A special delight for them is Apollo Ray Bryant, a three-year-old beginning of her nursing career and continues to be obvious today. grandson who Jimmie says is “all boy.” Jimmie and Renita relish their Her experiences have ranged from caring for patients awaiting heart new roles as Poppy and GiGi. transplants at Willis Knighton in the MICU to teaching patients in rural communities how to improve their quality of life, prevent Career Paths disease, and make better decisions about their diets, medication, and Both Jimmie and Renita respect education and have continued to exercise. Her important work at the Morehouse General Rural Health learn throughout their lives. While in school, Jimmie’s favorite subjects Clinic has seen that facility remodeled, stocked, staffed, opened, and were history and civics. Renita’s favorite was English. Jimmie’s focus successfully inspected by the State. 70 FEBRUARY 2022 | WWW.BAYOULIFEMAG.COM

is no different. They get satisfaction in knowing how their help to here was a time when Renita’s medical training was put to the test right at home. Jimmie suffered a individuals and groups can help so many others. They prefer to donate privately, without fanfare or personal recognition. Renita says, “These stroke in 2018 and Renita was his rock. To help him recover, she drove the couple in experiences have taught me how blessed we are, and how blessed we continue to be. To whom much is California to see the Mariposa given, much is required.” Grove, the largest group of giant “Do all the good sequoia trees in Yosemite National After decades of public service, both understand you can, by all the that the rewards of that service are not measured Park. She was determined he should see them, and bravely drove in the mountains even though she is in money, but in the tangible way lives have been means you can, in all afraid of heights. changed for the better among those who couldn’t the ways you can, in help themselves. As Renita says, “We pay now After years of coaxing, Renita finally got Jimmie all the places you can, through study and hard work, and we play later.” to agree to go on a cruise. They went to Cozumel Both have been recognized for their good works and, according to Renita, Jimmie ended up enjoying at all the times you by their peers, but nothing has honored them more it even more than she did! During the cruise, they can, to all the people toured, participated in the Great American race on than the countless blessings that they have received in their own lives. Jimmie says, “I have been the island of Cozumel, had a special meal at the you can, as long as recognized by my peers and have tried to honor Captain’s Table, and even got fake tattoos! On their ever you can.” those who had trust and faith in me. My path has bucket list are an Alaskan cruise and trips to Venice allowed me to make a real difference for many, and and Africa. – J o h n We s l e y for that I am grateful.” About 15 years ago, Renita began quilting. She Renita loves a quote often attributed to John loves the craft and spends as much time as her career Wesley, an English theologian: “Do all the good you can, by all the allows. She has made several quilts and looks forward to retirement means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all “someday” when there will be more time to do it. Jimmie loves to play the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.” golf, something he started over 25 years ago. Other passions include Without doubt, Jimmie and Renita Bryant have lived their lives “hot rodding” and playing chess. The two of them enjoy watching according to this principle. Our community is blessed to have them sports together (the Saints, collegiate football and basketball). living and working among us. Even in the middle of two hectic careers and with children still at home, Jimmie and Renita included volunteering in their lives. Today

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Don’t Suffer in Silence

Robert D. Marx, M.D., Your Hometown Urologist

OYOU EVER FEEL A STRONG URGE to urinate even when your bladder isn’t full? You like millions of Americans may be suffering from overactive bladder. Overactive Bladder (OAB) is defined as the overwhelming urge to urinate immediately and frequently followed by loss of urine prior to reaching a bathroom. Overactive bladder occurs in both men and women and according to the American Urological Association it affects more than 30 million Americans; the actual number may be even higher, as many individuals are too embarrassed to seek treatment. Even if you have never had an accident, urgency and urinary frequency can interfere with your work and social life. Overactive Bladder is extremely common and often when individuals suffering from it and finally seek traditional therapies, they are often left unhappy with the results. Here’s why: lifestyle changes and physical therapy can be ineffective, medications often cause

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unpleasant side effects and patients often do not realize alternative treatment options are available. Robert D. Marx, M.D. and his staff are here to help our community members suffering find the relief they need offering cutting edge Medtronic therapies. Medtronic offers a proven therapy for treating Overactive Bladder. Medtronic Bladder Control Therapy is delivered by the InterStimTM system, also called sacral neuromodulation (SNM), and is clinically proven to relieve the symptoms of OAB. Unlike conventional treatments, SNM works by gently stimulating the nerves that control the pelvic floor muscles, lower urinary tract, anal sphincter, and bowel; which is thought to restore the bladder-brain communication pathway, resulting in significant improvements to their quality of life. Unlike other treatments, SNM allows patients to experience therapy during a short

evaluation before committing to it. It is a minimally invasive procedure, 3 to 7 day assessment and helps determine likely longterm efficacy. Medtronic therapies are potentially lifechanging options for any patient with OAB who has not responded well to first- and second-line treatments. More than 70% of patients with OAB who sought treatment were able to discontinue medications within 6 months, and 84% of OAB patients were satisfied with SNM therapy. Complications can occur with the evaluation. Patients should be instructed on operating the test device and given other precautions related to the evaluation as well as activity restrictions. The time to gain your independence from your Overactive Bladder is now! Whatever level of severity your problem is, Robert D. Marx, M.D. and his dedicated staff are ready to assist you. Don’t suffer from OAB in silence, schedule your appointment today!

Breast Augmentation

Frequently Asked Questions With Dr. Mickel

HE WINTER SEASON IS A GREAT time to consider breast augmentation. You can camouflage your new fullness with thick sweaters and jackets until warm weather arrives. Moreover, breast augmentation in the winter allows several months for swelling to subside and your breasts to soften, settle and look more natural in new tops and swim wear for spring and summer. I started my practice in Monroe in 1990 and over the past 30 years have done well over a thousand breast augmentations. How long does the operation take? The surgery takes about an hour. This doesn’t count going to sleep, waking up and recovery room time. In plastic surgery, it’s more important to be the best one finished, not the first one finished. Why do I have to be put to sleep? I prefer general anesthesia for your comfort. Most patients don’t want to remember anything about the operation. They simply want to wake up in the recovery room, look down at their chest and know that the operation is over. Can you do the surgery in your office? No. I prefer to do this type of surgery in a hospital or outpatient surgery center setting. Accredited surgical facilities have strict guidelines in place

to help insure sterility and patient safety. I would never compromise your safety just to shave a few dollars off of the package price for a surgical procedure. What’s the best kind of implant to use? In the vast majority of first time breast augmentation patients I use smooth silicone implants because they are softer and look more natural than implants filled with saline (salt water). However, in women under age 22, saline implants can be a reasonable choice. We will discuss these options at your initial consultation. Are silicone implants dangerous? No. Multiple studies have failed to show a definitive, cause-and-effect link between smooth silicone implants and any medical illness. I use only smooth implants. How long will I be off work? Most patients can return to light work in 3 to 5 days. I allow patients to get back to the gym – including intense cardio or even weight lifting – in 3 - 4 weeks. How do you know what size implants to use? Implants are sized according to width and volume, not cup size. I will listen carefully to what you hope to achieve with surgery and then try to align your expectations with what

my years of experience tells me I can realistically deliver. The goal is a fuller, more attractive breast that looks natural and fits your body – no matter what the ultimate cup size. Will large breasts make me look fat? No. Fat makes you look fat. Fuller breasts make you look proportional, attractive, sexy, feminine or a host of other adjectives, but not fat. Do my implants need to be changed every ten years? In my opinion, no. While it is true that a breast implant is a man-made device that won’t last forever, there is no reason to fix it if it isn’t broken. If your breasts are soft and natural, and there has been no evidence of implant rupture on routine mammograms or ultrasound exams of the breasts, then leave well enough alone. Can you enlarge my breasts with fat instead of a breast implant? Yes. Fat grafting is a relatively new option for breast enhancement that doesn’t involve an implant. Fat can be removed from one part of your body using liposuction, then re-injected into your breasts for augmentation. This is not for everyone, but it is a reasonable option for women who desire a modest enlargement (one cup size or less). Breast augmentation is one the most common procedures I perform, and certainly one of my favorites. If you are considering breast augmentation, there is no need to go elsewhere. I encourage you to visit www.mickelplasticsurgery.com to browse the before and after gallery and see for yourself, then call Mickel Plastic Surgery at (318) 388-2050 to set up a consultation. We will take the time to answer all of your questions and do our best to make the entire experience world class.

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Love After Loss

Positive Steps Helps You Fall In Love with Someone You Haven’t Met Yet BY J. PRESTON PARRY, MD, MPH

OU’RE FINALLY THERE. TRYING to have a child for years and at last the test is positive. But the symptoms aren’t right. You know something is off. And then the bleeding starts. For every hope and dream that was there, you feel like you’re starting over again. And with how devastating it is, you’re not sure you can do it again. Even without a history of infertility, a miscarriage can be overwhelming. It is as though a part of you that is supposed to be there has been taken away, and many are never fully whole in the same way even with time and future success. And nobody talks about it. Suffering is made worse from feeling alone. There are all kinds of medical advice that can be given, where some testing can provide answers, and some treatments can improve the odds for the future. It is critical to know that there is hope, and not just from sheer positivity, but because medical data says so.

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However, equally important is knowing how to react when all feelings are legitimate (just stay safe and supported). I’ve been told, “I don’t want people telling me it will be alright. They don’t know what they’re talking about—I want someone to tell me it’s OK to smash some dishes.” (Please don’t- we don’t want you or family getting cut or hurt. And if you do, use the cheap plates, not the good china.) Similarly, people try to joke in the moment, even when there is nothing funny about the situation because they’re uncomfortable. This relates to a desperate desire on their part to have any other light shine on your world. However, when people aren’t always funny in normal situations, and are then put in one in which they are exceptionally unprepared, their efforts to make you feel better typically fall flat. Failed humor, consolation, and communication is often an attempted expression of love, which counts for something even if ineffective.

At Positive Steps Fertility, we’re all about optimism. We see miracles daily, but no one has only highs without lows, and miscarriages will bring us to tears just like the women suffering them. However, it helps women recover when we can say how many have successfully made it to the other side. After all, while we have a lot of knowledge, what matters even more is perspective—which medical realities apply to you personally? We hope that 2022 brings you, and everyone, the babies and families of your dreams. The body may sometimes say not right now, but we can help you on the journey to when. We’re excited for everyone who is about to fall in love with someone they haven’t met yet. Follow us on Facebook and tune in the first Friday of every month for First Friday Fertility Live at noon!

New State-of-theArt Facility in Ruston The North Louisiana Orthopaedic & Sports Medicine Clinic

ORTH LOUISIANA ORTHOPAEDIC Sports Medicine Clinic is excited to open its much-anticipated orthopedic clinic at 1500 Commerce Street in Ruston. This new state of the art facility offers the latest in advanced and specialized orthopedic care, and this new facility represents North Louisiana Orthopaedic & Sports Medicine Clinic’s commitment to advance the overall quality of healthcare services in the Ruston and surrounding communities. In this article, we are also excited to feature Dr. Stanley Crawford and Dr. Cameron Best, both highly dedicated surgeons who share a passion for delivering exceptional orthopedic care. Dr. Crawford and Dr. Best also have something else in common: both surgeons chose to return to their North Louisiana roots after receiving years of specialized orthopedic training away from home. We are extremely fortunate to have Dr. Crawford and Dr. Best as part of the North Louisiana Orthopaedic & Sports Medicine family, one that has delivered outstanding orthopedic care to the residents of North Louisiana since 1951.

Dr. Crawford, a Ruston native, returns home after completing his orthopedic training at Michigan State University and a spine fellowship at Sonoran Spine Center in Phoenix, Arizona. His area of focus is adult and pediatric spine conditions. Dr. Crawford and his wife, Paige, have three boys. Dr. Best, a Louisiana Tech University alum, completed his orthopedic training at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas and a fellowship in hand and upper extremity surgery at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, where he remained as an Assistant Professor for seven years. Dr. Best enjoys taking care of conditions from the shoulder to the fingertips. He and his wife, Abbra, have two daughters. Dr. Crawford and Dr. Best understand the significant impact that pain and injuries can have on a patient. Through shared decisionmaking, they strive to provide each of their patients with a comprehensive and tailored treatment plan so they may achieve a more active lifestyle. Both doctors are thrilled to

not only live in and be a part of the Ruston community, but also to bring fellowshiptrained, specialty orthopedic care to North Louisiana. They are among the several orthopedic specialists on our team who see patients in both Ruston and Monroe. At North Louisiana Orthopaedic & Sports Medicine Clinic, our commitment to delivering excellence in orthopedic care continues through our services: • Bone Density Testing • Center for Osteoporosis Management • Digital X-Ray • Durable Medical Equipment (DME) •E lectromyography (EMG) & Nerve Conduction Study (NCS) • Fracture / Injury Care Clinic • Weight Loss Counseling • Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) • Mako® Robotic-Arm Assisted Technology • Occupational Therapy • Orthopedic After Hours Clinic • Physical Therapy • Regenerative Medicine Visit the new orthopedic clinic at 1500 Commerce Street (corner of Celebrity Dr. and Commerce St.) in Ruston or call 318.323.8451 to schedule an appointment to see one of our specialists. All your orthopedic needs will be taken care of right here at home!

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T heJiles sisters

B A Y O U

A R T I S T S

The Sister Shop Brings Art to Life ARTICLE BY S TARL A GATSON PHOTOGR APHY BY K ELLY MOORE CL ARK

The Jiles sisters’ natural interest in art, plus the The story of Chlese and Camellia Jiles begins in the living encouragement of their parents and their high school room of their childhood home in Shreveport. Years ago, AP art instructors, steered them to the art department at when they were just little girls, the two sprawled across Louisiana Tech, with Chlese enrolling first and Camellia the floor in front of the television with their older sister, following just a year later. It was there in Tech’s School of Kamaya, surrounded by paper, pencils, and whatever Design that the two studio art majors began discovering else they needed to create their own versions of the their identities as creators. Despite having informative characters they saw on the screen. Now, the sisters sit courses and inspiring professors, however, the journey in the living room of the house they share in Ruston, wasn’t always the easiest, Chlese reveals. making digital drawings and paintings of the people, “Being an art major — or just being places, and things around them. an artist in general — is so funny, Some call it a full-circle moment, especially when you’re trying to learn while others say deja vu; either way, and someone’s trying to teach you,” she with the establishment of Sisters says. “You can be in one class and the Shop, the art shop the sisters coteachers are like, ‘Do this; this is how created, Chlese and Camellia are you do art’ and in another class, they’re bringing it back to the beginning. like ‘Do this,’ and their opinions are Art has been a part of the two totally opposite.” digital illustrators’ lives for as long as The objectivity was frustrating at they can remember, so the decision times, Chlese goes on, but it provided to pursue it professionally, Chlese plenty of freedom to find her own way. says, made perfect sense. And fortunately, her sister was nearby “We’ve been drawing literally — sometimes no farther away than the since we could hold a pencil,” chair across the classroom — to offer she says. “It was our hobby and – CAMEILLIA JILES an empathetic ear. Competitive spirits something that was fun for us, but I may have driven a wedge between some don’t think there was anything else sibling duos, but Camellia explains being in the same we thought about doing other than being artists.” degree program at the same time only brought the two Her younger sister agrees, recalling a memory of her of them closer. fourth-grade self answering the question “What do you “It made it easy for us to understand what the other want to be when you grow up?” by drawing a picture person was going through,” she says. “We were in it of herself as an art teacher before adding, “I didn’t have together no matter what we were doing, so we had a lot a struggle over what I wanted to do because I already of opportunities to help each other.” knew that’s what I wanted to pursue.”

“I want to use our shop to encourage young artists to know art is something they have the power to do and bring a lot of joy to a lot of people.”

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“ T hat wa s r ea l ly sca r y because [a r t] is t he t h i ng I t h i n k I’ve wa nted to do my whole l i fe, a nd it wa s l i ke, ‘OK, now I’m goi ng to see i f I’m go od at bei ng a n a r t ist a nd ma k i ng a l iv i ng l i ke t hat,” Ch lese r eca l ls.

Thanks to the support of her sister, the expertise of instructors like Nick Bustamante and Nicole Duet, and hard work, each earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in studio art in 2019 and 2020, respectively. And with their undergraduate years behind them, the two artists were free to explore their next steps and figure out what role art would play in their lives. After graduating in 2019, Chlese spent two years working as an intern at the university’s Wesley Foundation. When her time there came to a close, the young artist accepted a part-time position teaching art at a Grambling school. Deep down, though, she knew she wanted to pour all of her energy into freelance work. So, she resigned from the teaching position and leaped into full-time freelancing. “That was really scary because [art] is the thing I think I’ve wanted to do my whole life, and it was like, ‘OK, now I’m going to see if I’m good at being an artist and making a living like that,’” Chlese recalls. “When you’re going through college, all your professors are like, ‘We don’t want to see you working at McDonald’s’ and stuff like that, so it just feels like there’s a lot at stake.” Just as she had many times before, Chlese turned to Camellia, who, funnily enough, was about to complete her second year in the same

ministry internship her sister had worked, for support. As the two discussed life post-internship and what Camellia would do when she joined her sister as a former Wesley intern, the idea for Sister Shop emerged. Answering the question of whether they should work together was such an easy “yes” for the Jiles sisters that it didn’t even need to be said — and it wasn’t, Chlese explains. “We just looked at each other and said, ‘What if we…’ and we were just like, ‘Yeah!’ We didn’t finish that sentence.” From there, the two immediately began brainstorming, tossing around the idea of selling items like stickers, t-shirts, and prints of their sketches and paintings. The pair officially launched the shop in November 2021, kicking things off with an art sale in their front yard and a pop-up shop at a local coffee shop. It’s been nice, both women agree, earning a few extra dollars selling their art, but the real reward is connecting with the people who buy it.

THE FUTURE OF THE SISTER SHOP

“I imagine it growing to something that does give other people opportunities as well,” she says. “I get really excited about that because people have done that for us our entire lives. We had this idea together, and we’re doing it together, but we’re doing [it] because other people encouraged us, pushed us forward, and put our names out there.”

“It’s so encouraging to have people we’ve never even met come up and be like, ‘Yeah, I saw your art on Instagram, and I’m getting this for my friend or daughter,’” Camellia says. “Stuff like that is, I think, what makes art so special.” Chlese echoes her sister’s sentiment, explaining that ultimately, the heart behind their business is building community, not just with their customers but with other artists, too. The work they sell is, of course, made by the two of them, but eventually, they’d like to bring more creatives on board, she says. “A thing we’ve talked about is more collaboration,” she explains. “Sister Shop is this thing that already is a collaboration between the two of us, and I feel very excited about the idea of inviting other artists to collaborate with us. I think it’d be really cool if we did a zine or a show or something.”

his means, she goes on, that Sister Shop will ultimately be able to create avenues for other creators to shine. “I imagine it growing to something that does give other people opportunities as well,” she says. “I get really excited about that because people have done that for us our entire lives. We had this idea together, and we’re doing it together, but we’re doing [it] because other people encouraged us, pushed us forward, and put our names out there.” Camellia agrees, sharing that she hopes they can not only spotlight other artists but mentor and pour into aspiring creatives, too. “[I want to] use our shop to encourage young artists to know art is something they have the power to do and bring a lot of joy to a lot of people,” she says. “If we could connect with kids in some way, I think that would be something I’d really like to do.” That, however, is more of a long-term goal for Sister Shop. Now, as they navigate this still-new endeavor, Chlese and Camellia admit they’re still trying to figure out exactly how their business will evolve. For now, though, they know they want the creations they make and sell to inspire all who see them. “I think the art we’re making is for the little girl versions of ourselves and other black women and girls,” Chlese muses. “I really want what we make to be gifts, not only for those groups of people but for others as well.” 80 FEBRUARY 2022 | WWW.BAYOULIFEMAG.COM

The Jiles sisters’ desire to connect with people comes straight from God, Chlese says. And given the time the sisters spent directly involved with campus ministry during their college years and beyond, their use of art as a ministry of sorts — a means of connecting to and loving people — seems like a natural next step. Connection and ministry aren’t the only things that drive them to create, however. Chlese and Camellia find themselves inspired by a variety of other things as well, including the idea of providing the representation they didn’t see very much of on their favorite cartoons. “People have always been my favorite thing to draw, and something that has really been a big focus for me in the past few years is drawing a diverse group of people,” Camellia says. “Growing up, watching cartoons and not always being able to see someone that looks like us has led to that being what I want to do with my art: fill the space with a diverse range of characters.” Like her sister, Chlese too finds herself creating characters that look more like her and her sisters. “Even on days when I just want to draw but don’t have a specific thing in mind, the first thing that comes to mind is to draw a black girl,” she says. “We’re beautiful, and I just want to draw and see more black women, more black girls.” The representation they’re looking to create,

however, doesn’t always mean making art that sends a serious politically-charged or social change-spurring message, Chlese clarifies. That’s not necessarily what she wants her work to say. “When you’re a minority of any sort and an artist, you definitely have a lot to say, but sometimes, you feel like it’s your job or your duty to make really deep, political art, and I just don’t like doing stuff like that,” she explains. “That’s not to say I don’t like talking about those things, but I want to depict black people having fun.” Camellia agrees, acknowledging that the sisters’ identities as black women have, of course, influenced and inspired much of their work. But, she continues, that doesn’t mean every piece in their portfolios or listed on Sister Shop must be somber and reflective. They’re coming to terms with this as they carve spaces for themselves as artists and business owners. They’re figuring out what works for them, but for now, they know creating art that spurs joy, awe, and wonder is most fulfilling. “We have power in doing art, even if it’s not something heavy, and as I’ve gotten older and since I’ve graduated, the weight of feeling like every piece of art I make has to be something heavy [has lifted],” Camellia says. “I think it’s enough that I’m a black woman making art.”

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Night of Champions ULM Athletic Foundation

AVE THE DATE! ULM ATHLETIC FOUNDATION IS READY to host NIGHT OF CHAMPIONS, an event that supports 17 different sports at the NCAA Division 1 Level, ULM student athlete scholarships and the ULM Athletic Foundation. Our signature event will be Friday, March 11, 2022 and doors will open at 6:30 p.m. Get ready to have a rocking good time. The night will feature Louisiana Seafood including fish, alligator, shrimp, gumbo, and plenty more all prepared by Aramark Food Services. Guest will enjoy a full bar with all their favorites while they explore over fifty silent auction items. Night of Champions will also have, back by popular demand, their $25.00 Mystery Boxes and will have a chance to win a Louis Vuitton Handbag with the purchase of a raffle ticket and a few new additions! Before you let loose on the dance floor, Daniel Guinn and his team, who just happen to be the best auctioneers in the state, will host the live auction featuring exclusive trips, hunting excursions, private dinners and much more you will not want to miss out on. The night will be capped off with NOLA’s own “Bag of Donuts,” who will have you dancing the night away to all your favorite songs. So gather your friends, purchase a table of eight for $800 or get your individual tickets for only $60. Tickets are on sale now through the ULM Athletic Foundation located in Fant-Ewing Coliseum – Room

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106 or call Nancy Davis, (318) 342-5360, to purchase your tickets today! Feel free to use the QR code on the invitation below to purchase tickets quickly. Every dollar matters in the world of ULM Athletics. Scholarships mean everything to our student athletes, so this truly means that your generosity and support of Night of Champions goes well beyond just one particular budget item. You are making a lasting difference in the lives of current and future ULM student athletes. What an exciting night to raise money for ULM student athletes and the ULM Athletic Foundation. There isn’t anything better than the education instilled in our students. Come join the fun and be a part of supporting ULM’s student athletes. It will be a night like no other.

Infuse Your Love Give a Gift of Beauty & Wellness

BY JUDY WAGONER

I OV I TA L I T Y, A D I V I S I O N O F Professional Laser Center, opened its doors January 1st, becoming Northeast Louisiana’s premier IV Nutrient Infusion Center. BioVitality has one purpose in mind: To restore hope… and optimize the body’s innate ability to heal from within, through the delivery of functional or natural medicine. BioVitality/Professional Laser Center offers gift certificates that can be used for any of our wide variety of aesthetic and wellness services. Our unique process centers on your individual history, needs, and desires. We offer IV nutrient infusions, IM injectables, the world’s top nutritional supplement brands, plus a plethora of aesthetic services, all in one beautiful, relaxing location. Our IV Vitamin and Nutrient Bar is designed to provide our clients with cutting edge, customized nutrients in a highly absorbable IV infusion. We live in a time when obtaining the needed amounts of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and antioxidants is difficult with diet

alone. When we consume foods or supplements in pill or liquid form, they must travel through our digestive system before being utilized by our bodies, meaning we never get the full benefits of the nutrients we take in. When you send vitamins, minerals and hydration directly into the bloodstream, you bypass the digestive system altogether. Your body gets 100% of the benefit of these powerful ingredients. We offer a wide variety of signature IV cocktails to help your love look and feel his or her best. It’s great for those who want to protect themselves from illness, or those who are trying to recover from one, by treating chronic fatigue and dehydration. Most people say they feel better immediately after their infusion. But, we also have an infusion to enhance beauty. Our “Inner Beauty” infusion contains fluids for hydration; vitamin B-12 to boost energy and mood; Vitamin C, Biotin, and B-complex vitamins that promote energy and support healthy skin, hair, and nails and eyes. In addition to the “Inner Beauty” infusion, we offer a wide variety of infusions

that address specific issues, including immunity, wellness, hydration, recovery and performance, as well as increased metabolism and energy. We also offer Glutathione, a powerful antioxidant that detoxifies the liver, removes free radicals, brightens the overall appearance of the skin, and boosts energy levels. Glutathione can be administered intravenously or intramuscularly, and is a wonderful addition to any of our IV infusions. Our medically trained Nurse Practitioner, Elizabeth Hoskins, can help you decide which treatment is right for you. Most infusions take about 30 minutes to administer. It can be a great time to relax in our beautiful IV Lounge, while being infused with vital nutrients. With 18 years of experience in aesthetics, we can also guide and help you on your journey to look and feel more youthful. Some of our most popular procedures include Botox, Filler, PDO Thread Lift for the face and BODY, BioIdentical Hormone Replacement, including Hormone Pellet Insertion, Medical Weight Loss, Laser Hair Removal, IPL to remove age spots, Microneedling, and the PinPointe laser to treat nail fungus. From the minute you walk in the door, your experience at BioVitality/Professional Laser Center will be an exquisite and memorable one. BioVitality/ Professional Laser Center is located on the second floor of the beautiful Premier Plaza in Monroe. Gift your valentine with a gift certificate for health, beauty, and wellness. Call 318-361-9066 for more information.

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Surrendering the Secret Healing the Heartbreak of Abortion

ID YOU KNOW THAT 1 IN 3 WOMEN HAVE HAD an abortion by the age of 45? These are your sisters, mothers, wives, and friends. These women carry an incredible burden of silence and heartache. Many struggle for years with repressed memories, guilt, shame, and depression. Most women feel they are not allowed to talk about their abortion experience, especially in church. The truth is many women who have had an abortion suffer from symptoms of post-abortion grief and trauma. Most often, neither the medical community nor the church understands abortion as a risk factor in a woman’s physical, spiritual or emotional health. Many women who have experienced abortion hide the secret deep in their hearts and suffer in silence. Abortion can be one of the most traumatic experiences in a person’s life. We want YOU to walk in FREEDOM and find complete HEALING through your abortion. If you feel you have never completely healed or recovered from an abortion experience, or that a past abortion may be affecting your current quality of life, then Surrendering the Secret is for you. This study offers an 8 step biblical healing modeled by women who have been where you are. Surrendering the Secret is a study designed to bring women together who understand the need for seeking peace with the past and desire a better understanding of God’s plan for making the most painful losses of our past work for His glory!

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Our mission is to provide a supportive and confidential environment that facilitates healing and restoration from a past abortion and bringing a sense of hope and purpose for the future. If you have an abortion in your past, then join us. At Life Choices Pregnancy Resource Center, we will be offering this 8-week course on Sundays, starting February 6th from 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM of Surrendering the Secret by Pat Layton. This group is a safe place for you and your involvement will remain confidential. We are praying for you to come experience healing, forgiveness, and to learn how God wants to use your past to find freedom and purpose in your future. Workbook is required, it can be ordered through Lifeway.com, Amazon or bought from Life Choices for $15. Please call us at Life Choices to sign up! 318.323.2200 or email info@lifechoicesofmonroe. com. “I didn’t want to face my abortion but the chains of my past decision is so heavy. It’s so painful and no one knows what I went through. But I knew I needed freedom and wanted healing from my mistake. Going through this study was completely life changing! It helped me realize I wasn’t alone, God loves me and that I don’t have to carry the burden from my past.” - Spring 2021 participant

Interested in Starting a Weight Loss Program?

Consider Ideal Protein - Now Available through St. Francis Medical Group

OW DOES THE 3-PHASE IDEAL PROTEIN PROTOCOL work? The three phases of the Ideal Protein Protocol, Weight Loss, Stabilization and Maintenance, are designed to help you set, achieve and maintain your weight loss goals. During Phase 1, the Weight Loss Phase, carbohydrate intake is limited to optimize fat loss through ketosis (a safe and natural state in which the body mobilizes stored fat as its alternative energy source). You remain in Phase 1 until you have reached your weight loss goal. During Stabilization, or Phase 2, you will work with your coach to slowly reintroduce carbs and healthy fats. You will receive a uniqueto-you Macro Code based on the number of macronutrients you need to help you maintain your new healthy weight and effectively manage your hunger. The final phase is Maintenance. For the first 12 months following Stabilization, you will continue to receive education and support from your coach and clinic as part of the Maintenance Phase. Your coach will provide support and guide healthy food choices for life introducing new strategies each visit on nutrition, healthy eating patterns, behavior change, and environment. Your coach continues to help you incorporate your Macro Code to maintain health long-term. You can stay connected to your coach through our app and Wi-Fi scale, incorporating “Tuneups” as needed.

By eating Ideal Protein foods, the Protocol helps to sustain muscle mass while teaching you how to develop smarter eating habits and lifestyle choices, to help maintain your weight after weight loss is achieved. What is the cost of Ideal Protein? The Ideal Protein Protocol cost on average is about $15 a day, which includes the cost of the foods and the supplements. We encourage you to think of the cost of the Protocol as part of your grocery bill. Redirecting average food expenses to different, healthier options often results in the Protocol being neutral in cost. How is the Ideal Protein Weight Loss Protocol different from other protein diets on the market? The Ideal Protein Weight Loss Protocol addresses weight issues at their source; reducing carbohydrates and fats while ensuring adequate daily protein intake. In other words, the goal is to lose fat, not muscle. While on the Protocol, through personalized coaching, you’re also provided with healthier lifestyle education so that you are empowered to sustain your weight loss results over your life course. How can I find out more about the Ideal Protein Protocol and products? Call Kyla Swett, Ideal Protein Coach with the St. Francis Medical Group, at (318) 966-2001 for information on how you can attend a free webinar to learn more. You may also visit our website at www. stfran.com/idealprotein.

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The Levee Grill

Whether you’re coming from right down the road or a ways away, The Levee Grill is a place to expect friendly, familiar faces reflecting onto the glimmering surface of the bayou. VA N EL I S R I V ER A

K E L LY M O O R E C L A R K

BAYOU E ATS

erched at the intersection of River Landing and Levee Drive in Monroe, The Levee Grill holds the promise of a place that invites relaxation from its scenic view. Yet, this cozy eatery isn’t just relying on the serene, natural beauty of Bayou Desiard to keep hungry guests in their seats. Owner Jon Gimber has curated a space and menu inspired by his enriching experiences with food and his staunch resolve to “take care of people” by way of his passion. Gimber grew up “all over Louisiana,” he says. Food has always been a presence in his life, starting from his upbringing. Coming from a big family meant that meals were substantial and, most importantly, that everyone had a hand in their preparation. Finding cooking for large parties a fulfilling endeavor, his family began a catering company. “We would cook for big things like Mardi Gras and parties,” he says. Wanting to further enhance his standing in the food industry, Gimber started a barbecue restaurant in Bossier City, though he later left it to take some time away from the restaurant business. Five years ago, he jumped back into what came naturally to him, owning Miss Kay’s Sweets & Eats in West Monroe until COVID-19 hit. “And then, [I] bought the Levee Grill and took over the day the COVID restrictions hit,” informs Gimber with a chuckle and a wistful “Yeah.” From the first day he took over, Levee Grill had to shut the doors and become a to-go establishment, like many others nationwide. Unquestionably challenging, Gimber is proud of how his team rolled up their sleeves and adapted to the new normal. “We worked hard, you know, learned a lot about it, and kind of had a completely new model,” he says. Even after pandemic protocols shifted, they eased into the changes, from the reinstatement of outdoor seating to the return of indoor dining with social distancing guidelines. The joining of a restaurant and community is what inspired Gimber to invest his expertise into the waterside establishment. He kept his approach simple: good food, reliable catering, and a cool place. “It’s just a great place that people can come unwind a little bit. People can bring in their family and have a good meal,”

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THE DREAM TEAM

Owner Jon Gimber has an interest in local entertainment from high school sports to outdoor activities – all which can be seen throughout the décor in The Levee Grill. His personality and interests are further extended to the menu with the help of his kitchen manager Vada Perry, a seasoned chef for more than 40 years.

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he says, describing the common occurrence of neighborhood kids riding up the bridge on bikes and families walking together to what surely has turned into their favorite retreat and eatery. For Gimber, it’s everything that mimics his vision and desire of family and community, namely the gathering. To further enhance the warmth exuded by the location, the interior is comfortable and intimate. A neon glow permeates the bar area, which seats eight people. In the main dining area, one wall acts as an homage to local high school, college, and professional (Who Dat?) football teams, while another nods to Gimber’s love of this state’s reputation as a ‘Sportsman’s Paradise.’ “I’m a big outdoorsman,” he adds. Keeping with the theme of all-around Louisiana flare, another wall features the images of oysters, pelicans, and the river, some done by local artists. His personality and interests further extended to the menu with the help of his kitchen manager Vada Perry, a seasoned chef for more than 40 years. Inspired by a favorite camping treat, he added the 88 FEBRUARY 2022 | WWW.BAYOULIFEMAG.COM

highly shareable Campfire Sausage, a variety of sausage blends with simple dipping sauces. “It’s actually one of our best-selling appetizers because it’s just something everybody of all ages can like,” he says. If it’s your first time at Levee Grill, Gimber encourages his personal favorite. “Our chicken sandwich is phenomenal!” A 48-hour marinated chicken is prepared either grilled, blackened, or fried, served with your choice of bun (the jalapeño bun comes highly recommended by customers), “super fresh” vegetables, and as a side their housemade fries. Their burgers take a close second to the chicken sandwich. Handmade patties are cooked “the old-fashioned way,” on a flat top grill. Daily plate specials are also a customer favorite: fried chicken, hamburger steak, fried pork chops, and meatloaf. “And then, Chef Perry does some pasta specials… just to kind of bring some flare,” he says, wanting to emphasize providing varied, seasonal meals. On the catering side, clientele not only get to choose menu items from the restaurant, but Gimber offers the choice of off-menu items, a few specialties

ON THE MENU

Daily plate specials are a customer favorite: fried chicken, hamburger steak, fried pork chops, and meatloaf. “And then, Chef Perry does some pasta specials… just to kind of bring some flare,” says Gimber, wanting to emphasize providing varied, seasonal meals.

that he has gained from his experiences traveling all over Louisiana. “I’m what they call ‘not classically trained as a chef,’” he says, elaborating that everything he learned was picked up from reading cookbooks and standing in front of a stove. “I just learned to cook things that I liked, you know.” As a “big foodie,” he also takes note of new and interesting flavor combinations. Even when exploring recipes he adds his own flair. “I’ve been cooking pretty much all my life since I was probably 15,” he says. But as far as the restaurant business, he has cooked on and off for about 20 years. A fan of cooking “any kind of protein” like steaks or pork chops, he tends to favor the grill, occasionally adding Cajun flavors, a nod to his upbringing in South Louisiana. Customers have raved online that the team at The Levee Grill “always knocks it out of the park.” From the perfectly seasoned catfish filet and shrimp to the mixed vegetable side, customers appreciate the plentiful and well-prepared meals. “We found the outside patio

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to be the best part,” exclaims another satisfied diner, adding, “At the time it “Ultimately, drizzling and you could look out that’s the game was on the levee, but safely as the patio we’re in, taking is covered. The scenery around is beautiful! I would definitely come here care of people outside for drinks, conversation, and an that want to appetizer.” “You gotta love it,” says Gimber, spend their time commenting on his experience as a and money restaurant owner, and the amount of time that is invested. Even so, to with us.” him, owning a small business means keeping things personable: “Everybody – JON GIMBER pretty much knows us. Eight out of 10 people that come in here, come in here regularly. And, probably seven out of 10 people that come in here have my cell phone number. And so, that makes it a lot of fun.” Gimber’s gratitude to his customer base comes from the understanding that the people of Northeast Louisiana have a plethora of dining options, so when people choose to visit, he doesn’t take it for granted. “Ultimately, that’s the game we’re in, taking care of people that want to spend their time and money with us.” Whether you’re coming from right down the road or a ways away, The Levee Grill is a place to expect friendly, familiar faces reflecting onto the glimmering surface of the bayou. The Levee Grill is located 2538 River Landing, Monroe, LA 71201 and opens Sunday through Wednesday between 11 AM to 9 PM and Thursday through Saturday between 11 AM to 10 PM. Follow their Facebook page and learn more about their daily specials and seasonal menu items.

Celebrate Black History Month

With Northeast Louisiana Delta African American Heritage Museum

HE NORTHEAST LOUISIANA DELTA African American Heritage Museum has an exciting Black History month planned beginning with an opening program on Tuesday, February 1, 2022 at 11:30am. The museum’s Executive Director Mr. Ross Slacks, and guest speakers from the community including Mayor Friday Ellis and Mayor Staci Albrittion, will kick off our month-long celebration. February 1st-May 31st, visitors will have the opportunity to view a special collection of African masks and wooden sculptures on loan from the University of Louisiana at Monroe Museum of Natural History. These authentic artifacts hail from the Bamileke Tribe from Cameroon, Africa. Additionally, the museum will have a quilt exhibition, from February 1st-March 1st, designed to showcase African American quilt art from Louisiana and the Delta Region. From February 8th-12th, the Museum will welcome Black Inventors and Scientists

traveling exhibit featuring the great contributions of African American inventors and Scientists who have given us everything from the refrigerator to aspirin. This traveling exhibit provides an exciting educational opportunity to learn about inventors like Lewis Howard Latimer (1848-1928) who was a member of Thomas Edison’s research team, which was called “Edison’s Pioneers.” Latimer improved the newly-invented incandescent light bulb by inventing a carbon filament, which he patented in 1881. NLDAAHM will also host two speakers including Bettye Kearse and Elvin Shields. Kearse is a book author, essayist, and a retired pediatrician who, in this evocative and probing debut, traces her family’s history from the antebellum South to present-day California and Boston and investigates long-standing claims that she and her relatives are descended from U.S. president James Madison. Listen to Keasrse’s discussion on February 3rd at 3:00 pm via zoom at the Museum.

NLDAAHM is also excited to welcome twisted wire sculpture artist Elvin Shield who is a twisted wire toymaker from the Cane River plantations. As a child of sharecroppers, he started making toys at the age of 5. He left the plantation in 1967 after high school graduation and joined the Army for a 4-year tour of duty. He returned to Natchitoches after retiring as a mechanical engineer with 32 years of experience. Shields will join us in-person at the Museum on February 26th at 3:00pm for a community presentation. Museum hours are Tuesday-Friday from 10am to 4pm and Saturday from 10am to 2pm. Admission to the NLDAAHM is $5 for adults 18 and over and $3 for students and senior citizens. School groups are welcome and encouraged to make reservations by calling 318-342-8889. Group rates are available. If your school is unable to attend Black History Month Celebration, the NLDAAHM continues to celebrate Black history, culture, and excellence every month.

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YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH YOURSELF DICTATES YOUR R ELATIONSHIP WITH OTHERS B AYO U H E A LTH BY S HAN N O N DAH LU M

e may be culturally obsessed with money and power, but humans are ultimately driven by our need for love. We chase success through the best educations and most prolific careers, we build security with savings accounts, and create a sense of worth and acceptance by purchasing nice homes and cars. At the end of the day, though, the one thing that money or education can’t secure for us is what provides the most value in our lives: true connection with others. I’m certainly not a love and relationship expert, but like most, I am a person who’s had significant relationships, lost significant relationships, and battled my relationship with myself. The things I’ve learned so far through these experiences have enriched my life far more than my education, my income, my career, and my possessions, combined. “The greatest thing you’ll ever learn is to love and be loved in return.” I’m not sure who can be originally credited with this quote, but it’s one I’ve come across in several places and it’s really struck a chord with me. It’s the word “learn” that really hit me. I think we’re conditioned to believe love is something that happens to us; a feeling that randomly hits us upside the head and sweeps us off our feet. Love isn’t something that falls out of the sky, though; it’s generated from within us and then expressed outwardly. We only have the capacity to love another to the extent with which we love ourselves. It’s the relationships we have with ourselves that dictate how we relate with others, and there is definitely a learning (and unlearning) process to cultivating a true love for oneself. As babies and children, we have an innate need to fit into our family unit. We depend on them for our survival, so it’s important that we’re accepted by them. We instinctively learn how to behave in order 92 FEBRUARY 2022 | WWW.BAYOULIFEMAG.COM

to gain what feels to us like their love and approval. We may learn not to express certain emotions because we can see that our caretakers pull away or get angry with us when we do. We may learn that we feel more approval when we participate in the activities they want us to, rather than in the things that bring us our own sense of joy. We may find that expressing ourselves authentically leads to feelings of rejection, so to stay in the good graces of those near to us, we suppress parts of our true nature and perform for their approval. As we grow, this desire for approval carries over into our friendships, too. Peer pressure can shape our choices about what to wear to school, what music to listen to, who we associate with, and the opinions we express, all because we just want to fit in. Our sense of self worth depends on the acceptance we feel from others, rather than an innate sense of worthiness or unconditional self love. To a certain degree, we learn to be who others want us to be and continue suppressing the parts of ourselves we feel wouldn’t be accepted. These desires to be accepted by our families and peers don’t suddenly disappear when we reach the stage of physical independence. Up to this point in our lives, we’ve learned what we need to do to and believe to gain approval of others, and those behaviors and beliefs have subconsciously become woven into our personalities. Some of us have learned that performing well earns approval, so we’re deeply driven to climb to the top of the corporate ladder. Some of us have felt more love from others when our bodies look a certain way, so we become obsessed with diets and/or exercise programs. Some of us have learned that confrontation feels like rejection, so we don’t always express our emotions or opinions when they aren’t in alignment with the emotions or opinions of others. We’ve learned to choose the approval of others, rather that choosing ourselves. Our desire to be in alignment with the expectations of others drives us to abandon our true nature. It becomes easy, then, to mistake the high we feel from gaining the conditional acceptance from another for feelings of unconditional love between us. When we fail to love ourselves and search for validation from others, we easily mistake attachment for love. While we may be physically independent, attachment forces us to remain dependent on others to provide our sense of self worth. It motivates us to control how others react toward us. Our desire

to gain their approval is so strong, that we subconconnciously use manipulation tactics to illicit these reactions from them. Manipulation doesn’t only involve big lies and guilt trips; any time we aren’t expressing ourselves authentically in order to gain approval, we’re being manipulative. This may be hard to swallow, but consistently sacrificing our own needs for someone else’s isn’t necessarily an act of service, it’s often an act of manipulation. We may feel like we love someone so much that we’ll deny our own emotions and desires over and over in order to honor theirs, but that behavior may be driven by a lack of love for ourselves and the desire to feel worthy in someone else’s eyes; not love toward them. For example, suppressing anger or disagreement

with someone is a manipulation tactic that can be used to avoid facing confrontation or criticism from them, which can feel like rejection. We do it to maintain a sense of closeness. It usually backfires,

though, because the short term external peace it provides leaves a buildup of internal resentment in its wake that drives us apart. While attachment leads to controlling behaviors, there is complete freedom in love. Loving another person means you allow them to be who they truly are. You encourage them to express their desires and you respectfully honor their boundaries, even when it may not benefit you. Truly loving yourself provides the same freedom for authentic expression, with no dependence on how others perceive you. As a coach who helps people with fitness and body image, I see so many adults who have weight loss goals because they feel that maintaining a certain appearance will make them feel more accepted by others. If the people around them will only accept them fully if they fit into a certain size jeans, though, that’s a pretty shallow level of acceptance. I don’t think those are the types of relationships any of us really strive for. True love certainly doesn’t only fit inside of size 4 jeans. Accepting and loving yourself as you are, no matter what size you wear, is step number one when it comes to attracting others into your life who will also accept and love you regardless of your body size. Self love is a practice that requires a lot of unlearning when it comes to striving to be in alignment with the expectations of others, and a lot of learning how to live fully in alignment with our true natures. It demands that we take a deeper look at ourselves and discover who we really are. If we weren’t worried what anyone else might think, what would our likes and dislikes be? What values would be important to us? How would we choose to spend our time? So many of us have spent our lives learning how to perform in order to gain approval and we’ve lost touch with who we really are inside. Learning to honor who we are, physically, emotionally, and spiritually, requires a lot of honesty and vulnerability. It means we have to be honest with ourselves, so we can then honestly express ourselves to those around us. It can be scary, because we may risk receiving harsh judgement and criticism from others. This is why it requires total acceptance and love toward ourselves, so our need to gain it from others diminishes. When we really love ourselves, we know we’ll be okay if others don’t like parts of us. We release our attachment to their approval but in turn, open ourselves up to giving and receiving unconditional love. Valentine’s Day is about showing the love we have toward others, but I challenge you to dig deeper into how you love yourself. Notice all the little ways in which you aren’t true to yourself. Pay attention to how you avoid facing uncomfortable emotions by numbing them with distraction, and how you avoid tough situations by staying quiet when you should be speaking up for yourself. If you weren’t worried about the response from others, who would you be? Loving yourself means doing the hard work of staying true to the voice inside of you rather taking the easy route of conforming to all the voices outside of you.

“Learning to honor

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Where One’s Heart is Found Within One’s Style

HARTFORSTYLE Can Now Be Found at Mercantile Monroe in Downtown Monroe

IT H A L L T HINGS NEW HAPPENIN G I N 2 0 2 2 , HARTFORSTYLE is coming in strong leading the way in vintage style. It’s hard to keep up with fashion trends that surround us these days. Trying to keep up with what’s in and what’s out but one thing is for certain, what girl or guy doesn’t like a good vintage piece? The style that has stood the test of time and doesn’t seem to be going anywhere is cute stylish vintage clothing and accessories. Let’s face it, who doesn’t love being the only one wearing an amazing bomber jacket from the 80’s or an eye popping party dress from the swinging 60’s? At HARTFORSTYLE, we have an eye for the vintage look. Our collections make getting dressed in the mornings fun! Grab the perfect pieces for your long day at school, work or even nights out on the town- we have it all. Guaranteed to find something unique that you’ll love forever! Our retro pieces are perfect for mixing and matching. There are vintage inspired dresses with a modern twist, fun whimsical prints that anyone would love and skirts, blouses or trousers that you can get many different uses out of. Our pieces are timeless and are for any vintage loving guy or girl on any budget. Finding those timeless pieces you know you’ll wear for years to come at HARTFORSTYLE.

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We are glad to be a part of Mercantile Monroe, located in the heart of Downtown Monroe. You can also follow us on all social media outlets for our news, updates and fashion thrifts and shop with us online at www.hartforstyle.com. HARTFORSTYLE is a second-hand online thrift business that focuses on the importance of repurposing clothing and preserving vintage fashion. 19-year-old West Monroe native Hartley Waldrop is the owner and curator of this business. Recently launching her new website, Hartley’s goal is that everyone would find their “heart” for style and learn to love vintage and unique fashion just as much as she does. Since starting this business when she was just 16 years old, HARTFORSTYLE has gained a following and a name for itself. Get to know Hartley and all that her business is about! HARTFORSTYLE Facebook: @hartforstyle Instagram: @hartforstyle www.hartforstyle.com now located inside Mercantile Monroe

Show Your Skin Some Heart Your Heart is the Key to Healthy Looking Skin

EBRUARY CERTAINLY HAS A LOT PACKED INTO IT FOR such a short month: Valentine’s Day, Mardi Gras, AfricanAmerican History Month, American Heart Month and so much more. This year, these celebrations will look a lot different, but that doesn’t mean we won’t be marking the occasions. It’s especially important that we use this month to assess our heart health, and you could also be doing your skin a big favor. Your skin is a great indication of what is happening with your body. If your skin looks great, things tend to be fine. On the other hand if your skin doesn’t look good, there’s probably an issue. During Heart Month, we’re all encouraged to eat healthier, get more exercise, get more sleep, and quit smoking, among other things. While these steps will improve our overall health, it will also help our skin look its best. Our skin contains a system of blood vessels. When we exercise and get our heart really pumping, the blood carries oxygen and nutrients to skin cells. Take a look in the mirror after your next workout. You’ll notice your skin has a flushed look and that your cheeks are rosy. That’s all because of the blood your heart is pumping, as well as the

oxygen and nutrients it brings to your skin cells. Our heart also helps with increasing the production of collagen, which keeps our skin plump and youthful-looking. It helps to renew skin cells, which keeps your skin’s elasticity. Just as your blood brings oxygen and nutrients to your skin cells, it also carries away the bad things that cause your skin to age. If you plan on participating in outdoor activities or exercising outdoors, don’t forget the sunblock. Even though it’s February, the sun can still cause a sunburn and damage your skin. At Louisiana Center for Women’s Health, our team of experts will help you find the right sunblock and moisturizers for your skin. If the sun has already caused damage, we offer the latest technology to improve the way your skin looks. From wrinkles and fine lines to dark spots, we can help you look and feel your best.

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The Perfect Wedding Venue A Historical Venue To Start Your Future

HAT I S O NE O F THE M O S T E XC I TI NG T IMES IN your life? Getting engaged… planning your wedding… having the fairytale that every girl and guy dreams of? Over the years, this story will be a memory that is told to all of your friends and family and one that will never be forgotten. After all, one of the first and most important steps in wedding planning is choosing the right venue. Let us be part of your dream wedding with our exceptional venue here at Park Manor. When looking for the perfect venue for your big day, there are some things you want to keep in mind: the venue size, location, parking availability, bathroom availability and so much more! The venue sets the tone for the entire process and is the backdrop of the whole event. Availability is key and because of the effects in delays in 2020, we at Park Manor are here to help navigate the process in a simple, stress-free way. Park Manor is one of the most elegant, breathtaking venues in North Louisiana. Located on Hwy 165 and minutes from local shops, the plantation is accessible for those last minute wedding snaffoos. Our property includes a fully furnished two-story plantation home with an amazing brick walkway and a one of a kind bridal cottage with a dressing room. The enclosed reception hall can be used rain or shine. It is perfect for entertaining over 200 guests. This stunning venue has all the modern amenities one would want with 150 acres of rolling hills and rustic woodlands to set the backdrop for your day.

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The reception hall can host your wedding guests for the ceremony and double as the dance floor for the reception. It is both spacious and accommodating. Weather will not be a factor, as our grounds can hold an indoor or outdoor ceremony. Beautiful and designed to be easily decorated, the reception hall has the perfect floorplan to serve food and drinks, dance and entertainment. Park Manor has designed the reception hall to go with all types of wedding decor. Three windows center the reception hall, each designed and built in the 1850s and installed as the focal point of this grand space. If you are looking for a more traditional wedding, the front of the 1860’s plantation home is the perfect backdrop for a southern wedding. The house is adorned with large white columns, a balcony and a grand doorway - all can be easily decorated to match each brides particular style. The brick pathway leads from the bridal cottage all the way to the front steps and up to the house, making a fairtytale setting for a trip down the aisle. Pristine landscaping around the grounds provide a plethora of opportunities for bridals and wedding photos. The plantation home is easily accessible and has plenty of parking for guests. These are just a few of the wonderful amenities at Park Manor. To schedule a private viewing of the estate and a list of available packages, contact Tammy Warner. Her number is 318.791.3659 or you can email her at tammydw82@yahoo.com.

Renew Your Health in 2022 Unsightly Veins—Not Just a Cosmetic Problem

HE NEW YEAR PROMPTS US TO MAKE RESOLUTIONS: feel better, look better. We offer procedures that involve little to no effort on your part, and yet they yield significant health and self-esteem benefits. The Surgery Clinic of Northeast Louisiana, home of Delta Vein Care, offers several minimally invasive vein procedures, all of which last about one hour and allow you to resume normal activities the same day. The most common vein condition is vein reflux, the culprit for varicose veins. Women are twice as likely to develop varicose veins, which appear as blue or purple chords beneath the skin’s surface and affect the legs and feet. Most varicose veins result from weak or damaged valves; these valves cause blood to flow backward and pool in the veins, making the veins stretch, twist, and discolored. Spider veins sometimes accompany the swollen veins. Janet Hendrix understands the pain of vein reflux. Every day for more than a year, Janet lived with an aching leg and a swollen ankle. Each afternoon after work, she quickly moved to the couch to elevate her right leg and take ibuprofen. Janet, an ophthalmic technician for over 40 years, spent a lot of time on her feet, which exacerbated the problem. She decided her quality of life needed to improve, so Dr. Bart Liles performed a minimally invasive procedure. While Janet planned to recover the day after her appointment, she soon realized it wasn’t necessary. She was left with a bruise, and most notably: no pain. Today, Janet is active and grateful for her life, which she said has improved tremendously. She wants others who suffer from vein disease to understand the procedure’s simplicity and profound impact. Janet, of West Monroe, also wants them to find comfort in the expertise of Dr. Liles. “I can’t say enough good things about this procedure and Dr. Liles. I recommend him to everyone I see. He’s very capable, and he knows the very best treatment for the patient. He’s kind. He made me feel very comfortable and explained to me exactly how the procedure would work,” she said. Even though the corrective procedures aren’t complicated, those suffering often don’t seek medical intervention, said our own Lindsey McCready, one of the nation’s first Registered Phlebology Sonographers. “When vein reflux is diagnosed at an earlier stage with a simple ultrasound, we can prevent additional veins from becoming problematic, thus preventing future procedures,” she said. “Vein reflux can manifest simply as cosmetic ‘spider veins’ and a feeling of ‘leg heaviness,’ but it can also create severe edema (swelling) and painful skin changes such as ankle ulcers that don’t heal. Additionally, vein reflux can increase one’s risk of developing deep vein thrombosis, which can be life-threatening.” Lindsey is passionate about her work; she recognizes the potential to change lives. She said, “We can change a person’s gait, shoe size (reduce swelling), sleep schedule (eliminate painful cramping and restless legs), and overall quality of life.” The Surgery Clinic of Northeast Louisiana is home to Registered Phlebology Sonographer Lindsey McCready and surgeons Dr. Walter Sartor, Dr. Bart Liles, Dr. Patrick Smith, and Dr. Mohamed Bakeer. Contact the clinic today to learn about our other procedures that can improve your quality of life, such as weight loss and general surgeries. WWW.BAYOULIFEMAG.COM | FEBRUARY 2022 97

WaterView Casino and Hotel Voted #1 in Vicksburg, MS Local Casino and Hotel Works Diligently to Provide an Award Winning Experience

E C E N T LY, WATE RVI E W C A S I N O & H OT EL WON an award. But it wasn’t just any award: The readers of the Vicksburg Post voted for WaterView as the #1 Casino, #1 Hotel, and #1 Blue Plate Special in Vicksburg! To say we are honored would be a huge understatement. Our team has worked diligently to ensure that your experience at our property is the best one possible. It’s important to us that you enjoy your visits at WaterView. #1 CASINO All the options on our slot floor may make it difficult to decide which game you want to play. Not only do we have many of the latest and hottest slot games, they are arranged so that you don’t have to be elbow to elbow with the person next to you. If you’d rather play a few hands of blackjack or poker, we’ve got you covered. We have even added a few electronic table games if you’d like to try your luck there. Plus, our sportsbook offers wagers on your favorite games with a friendly ticket writer or you can place your bets 24/7 at a wagering kiosk. #1 HOTEL The hotel at WaterView is a destination for casino guests and business travelers alike, and it’s easy to see why. Our newly renovated rooms and lobby are bright, fresh, and welcoming. The river views and jetted tubs in our suites make a great stay even better. If you haven’t seen

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WaterView Casino’s hotel lately, you really should stop by. Book online for the best rate. We’d love it if you would be our guest! #1 BLUE PLATE SPECIAL The Lucky Bean is now located in our Buffet space, serving generous portions of comfort food. While the Blue Plate is #1, there is a lot more to love about the Lucky Bean’s menu. From breakfast & coffee to wings or sandwiches to steak and potatoes… and everything in between, there’s a meal or snack for every appetite! BEST REWARDS WITH MYEDGE Not only do we have the best Casino, Hotel & Blue Plate, we have updated our MYEDGE program to make it the best in Vicksburg too! This program hadn’t changed since we became WaterView, so it was definitely time for an update. Now, it takes less than half as many points to move up from Blue to Red, Red to Green, Green to Purple, and Purple to Black. And we’ve added some great new benefits too! Be sure to get your MYEDGE card and start earning FreePlay, free food, free rooms, gifts, promotions and more. Long story short, whenever you are ready to visit us, we’re ready to welcome you. Come see for yourself why WaterView is #1!

Feel Confident Again

The Many Reasons to have Vaginal Rejuvenation

AG I N A L R E J U V E N AT I O N I S something a lot of people have heard about, but very few people truly understand. By the clinical definition, vaginal rejuvenation is a procedure involving the tightening of the inner and outer muscles and structures of the vagina enhancing vaginal muscle tone, strength, and control. Vaginal rejuvenation treats vaginal relaxation, a common condition associated with childbirth and aging. The physicians at The Woman’s Clinic offer Co2re Intima as an in-office procedure for both internal and external vaginal rejuvenation. When I heard about it, I didn’t know what to think. How taboo, a procedure that tightens the vagina! But here are some things I learned from my gynecologist that I did not know about vaginal rejuvenation: 1. It’s not just a cosmetic procedure! There are many reasons women choose to undergo vaginal rejuvenation that have nothing to do with sex. These reasons could be due to discomfort or functional issues such as trouble holding

tampons, painful scar tissue surrounding the vagina, or vaginal dryness, itching or burning. Chronic Bacterial Vaginosis is another big reason to investigate vaginal rejuvenation. 2. Your sex life will improve. Because vaginal rejuvenation tightens the vaginal canal, friction is increased during intercourse and causes greater stimulation and pleasure during sex. Studies show that 81% of Co2re Intima patients experience an improvement in their sexual life after the procedure. It is not only the vaginal structure strengthening that improves patients’ sexual lives, but the improvement in the aesthetic appearance enhances their selfconfidence resulting in increased libido. What does this mean for women? They can get their groove back! 3. It’s a long-lasting investment. Unless another vaginal childbirth occurs, results are typically maintained for a prolonged period. Though it’s normal that all parts of the body relax slightly as we age, the vaginal area should never return to the degree of relaxation experienced

prior to Co2re Intima. Touch-up treatments can be performed to maintain the results of your initial series. 4. The cost may not be what you expected. While patients undergoing vaginal rejuvenation need a treatment plan personalized to their needs, most women need 3 treatments of both internal and external Co2re Intima. At The Woman’s Clinic this 3-treatment package is now only $1,000. This is significantly cheaper that other surgical options. Co2re Intima is: • A safe, quick, and easy in-office procedure • Non-surgical, incisionless • No Downtime with little to no bleeding or pain • Hormone free Co2re Intima improves: • Sexual gratification • Stress urinary incontinence • Episiotomy scarring • Vaginal dryness, irritation, & itchiness • Burning & painful intercourse • Elasticity/epithelial integrity At The Woman’s Clinic we strive to bring innovative treatments to the women of Northeast Louisiana. If you are experiencing things that you’ve always been told are an expected part of aging, it may be time to schedule a visit with us to see if you don’t have to deal with it! At The Woman’s Clinic we proudly take care of today’s woman! To schedule your evaluation call us at 318-388-4030 or visit our patient portal at www.thewomansclinic.net.

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SIMPLY LOU

was so saddened to hear about spirits with those two. They took me the passing of Betty White, this in just like family and I felt the same, past New Year’s Eve. Betty had and I still do! been of my heroes. So talented, I would eventually become one TO NORMA charming and above all, of their featured artists. I would bring article and illustration by LOU DAVE NPORT hilarious. Her sense of timing was work in and Penny would frame uncanny and it sounds like anyone it. I was down there so much, they who had the pleasure to work with her said she was a joy! finally just hired me! And since Norma was a “super saleswoman,” When I was thinking of this month’s column, my own version of she sold just about every painting I brought! “Betty White” came to mind. Her name was Norma McKee and she When the shop really “took off,” Penny hired Mary Ellen Wells. and her daughter, Penny became two of my dearest friends when I Mary Ellen was such a talented framer but eventually remarried, lived in Vicksburg. She passed away on February 27, 2020 and there’s moved to Texas and is quite the accomplished artist in her own right! not a day that I haven’t missed her. I’m so proud of her and I know Norma would be! At first when I wanted to write about Norma, the words just Norma always saw the potential in others. She taught me how to wouldn’t come. The best I could do was write a few words on my decorate a Christmas tree… the “Norma Way!” She’d make you wrap Simply Lou FB page. But, it’s time that I write about the woman who those lights around and around and around those branches til you became like a second mother to me. So, like the title says, “To Norma!” were about “blue in the face!” Every year when I get my tree out, I I first met Norma McKee not too long after I moved to Vicksburg. think of her… and how she’d probably “fuss” because I sure don’t She and her daughter, Penny McKee Downey had bought a frame shop wrap those branches with lights anymore! But, she always made it from another good friend, Patti Webb. Penny had learned to frame and up to me. When she’d go to market, she’d find some of the strangest Norma was a master of going to market and finding gifts, collectibles and most decorative, vines, garlands etc. for me. She knew I would and all kinds if “cool stuff.” go “wild” over those and I must say, “Riverbend Gallery” had the My first impression of Norma, was that she was like a “tornado!” prettiest trees in Vicksburg! She could outwork 10 people and never break a sweat! She never met Norma and Penny were the first to have “Christopher Radko” a stranger and could talk to a brick wall. She loved to laugh and carry ornaments. Radko still makes those but, he has also bought “Shiny on all kinds of “mess” and I adored her! Brites.” I was lucky enough to buy a few of those and year before last, a The shop had several locations, but they finally settled into one on friend gave me some of the “Shiny Brites!” I think my favorite though, Mission 66. It was perfect for all the gifts and “goodies” in the front is a “Radko Pickle” ornament. The legend is that whoever finds “the of the frame shop in the back room. There was even a basement with pickle,” gets to buy presents for everyone the next Christmas. plenty of storage. By then, Janine Fant had started working at the store. Janine When I first met Norma and Penny, they had just opened the shop pretty much handled all the gift shop for Norma. We became the best that they named “Riverbend Galleries.” I instantly felt like kindred of friends, too, and had so much fun checking in the new stock and 100 FEBRUARY 2022 | WWW.BAYOULIFEMAG.COM

rearranging the store. She’s another dear friend that I would have never met had it not been for “Riverbend Gallery.” Janine recently moved back to Vicksburg after living in Georgia near Senoia, where “The Walking Dead” is filmed. (And yes, she did meet Jeffrey Dean Morgan, also known as “Neagan!) When my husband, Larry was ill, Norma lead the “charge” to look out for me, and, I needed that! I remember Norma and Penny bringing several bags of groceries over, and I’ll never forget that there was a bag of “Pecan Sandies” in the bag. Every time I see those cookies at the store, I smile and call them “Norma cookies.” Some of my best memories of Norma was her laugh! I still laugh every time I say or hear “Kiss my A*#!” We both would say that to each other every time we saw each other. When she and her husband Bob, had their 50th anniversary, Penny wanted me to write something to them. And, of course I ended it with, “Happy Anniversary you two,” and to Norma, you can “kiss my ass!” Penny said, she roared with laughter and said “That crazy thang!” She said so many funny things, especially over her coffee creamer. Once I brought some of the cheaper coffee creamer and she just about had a fit! and of course, she said, “Lou! I don’t know why you don’t bring Coffee Mate!” Well, thanks to her, that’s all I buy and still do! She loved her Bunn coffee maker and I’ve bought two myself! Like I said, I learned a lot from Norma. One day, for some reason, I started calling her, “Norma Jean.” It stuck and I still call her that. I told her that it was because she reminded me of “Marilyn Monroe!” Another good laugh we had! I was a huge fan of wrestling back “when wrestling was fun.” I dearly loved a big, bald, cussin, beer drinking wrestler named Stone Cold Steve Austin. Norma got the biggest kick out of picking at me about me and my “rasslin.” So I invited everybody over to my house one night, near Christmas, and I gave a “Christmas Wrestling Party!”

Everybody took home a gold ornament with “Christmas Wrestlin” and the year on it! (Penny recently sent me a picture of hers on her tree!) Norma finally saw how much fun wrestling was and I do believe she got up and hollered at the TV a few times just like I did After I moved to Monroe, I didn’t get to see Norma much. I missed her, too. But when I made the decision to remarry, she and Janine surprised me by coming to my wedding. But, when I saw them, for a split second, I wanted to grab them and run! Be a runaway bride! But, sadly, I didn’t (I have wondered many times was that a premonition?). I only stayed married for just a few years and it ended in divorce. Knowing Norma has been such a delight. That describes her, a delight. She has been a major figure in my life. I know she is having the best time up in Heaven and she is “sporting’ some mighty fine wings. I hope she’s met my mama. Those two would be two of God’s best angels, but, they’d also be mischief makers! Nothin’ wrong with that! There are still so many more stories to tell about Norm, I just don’t have room. I’ll close with saying she loved me. She loved her husband, Bob McKee, her sister, Katherine, her kids: Penny, Jan and Bobby Wayne, her grandkids: Bradley, Neal, Jessica, Derek and Amy Claire, her great grand kids, Mary Ellen, Janine, and everybody she probably ever met. And I cannot think of anyone that didn’t love her right back! She was and will always be, “Norma Jean... the woman, the myth and the legend.” My “very own Betty White!”

“Fly High You Crazy Diamond!” - Pink Floyd

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Running For the Kids Kappa Delta - Delta Zeta KD 5k

HE DELTA ZETA CHAPTER OF KAPPA DELTA Sorority was founded at the University of Louisiana Monroe in 1967, and since then has upheld the standards of all things honorable, beautiful, and highest. Kappa Delta Sorority started supporting Prevent Child Abuse America in 1981 and have been donating to their organization to help children across the nation. Kappa Delta is committed to building confidence and inspiring action in not only its members but others as well. This sisterhood believes that instilling confidence in children is essential to a great childhood. Child abuse and neglect destroys the confidence of children. This is why Kappa Delta is driven to help children everywhere gain the confidence they need and deserve. By working with Prevent Child Abuse America, Kappa Delta is able to ensure that children across the nation are getting the help they need to have a bright, colorful childhood. There’s nothing that destroys a child’s confidence like abuse, and Kappa Delta wants to do the most it can to prevent this. Kappa Delta encourages its members to inspire action by getting involved in the community. We do this by hosting several events, not only in our community, but also on ULM’s campus. The 2022 Shamrock Run registration costs will be $25 until March 1st and $30 after March 1st. Race registration begins at 7:30 a.m. on March 12th, with the race starting at 9:00 a.m. Eighty percent of all the money raised will go directly to the Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home and the other 20 percent will go to Kappa Delta’s national philanthropy, Prevent Child Abuse America. ULM’s chapter of Kappa Delta began giving back and working hands on with the Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home in 2016. Since then, Kappa Delta has helped host a family fun day, traveled to King’s Camp, and held many other events for the kids. We believe that it is important to help the community and see the change locally as well as nationally. Kappa Delta invites you to come join the fight against child abuse by sponsoring, donating, or running in our annual KD 5k. You can help us make a difference! If you or anyone you know would be interesting in sponsoring or donating, please email ulmkappadeltashamrock2022@gmail.com

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Look and Feel Confident DermaMediQ Offers a Variety of Services

NFORTUNATELY, THERE IS NO TRUE FOUNTAIN of youth… at least not one we have discovered yet. But DermaMedicQ offers treatments to help your skin achieve the youthful glow we all desire. DermaMediQ proudly offers a variety of services including BodyTite, Emsculpt, Instalift and Morpheus8, that helps you gain your self confidence back. Plus, the coming months are the perfect time to plan these procedures since you can cover up with leggings, sweaters and pants. INSTALIFT When it comes to someone who has lost weight and your skin has some drooping or you have used fillers and botox and you still aren’t getting the results you want, Dr. Sowma has a non-surgical treatment that uses micro-suspension technology to help you achieve the look you want. This amazing treatment is called Instalift by Silhouette. The Micro-suspension technology immediately lifts your mid-facial skin, including sagging cheeks and deeper nasolabial folds (smile lines) and boosts volume by activating your natural collagen production over time. The results are truly amazing. You get the lift without surgery, and the volume without fillers. MORPHEUS8 Morpheus8 is a novel technology that lets you discover new depths. It is the first and only full-body fractional technology adjusted for subdermal tissue remodeling, dermal treatment and epidermal resurfacing. Morpheus8 is the deepest lift technology with penetration up to 4000 microns. Morpheus8 is perfect for tightening specific problem areas on the body but also great for treating acne on the face. Some of the key benefits include minimal scarring and downtime and a good option for younger patients not yet ready for a facelift. EMSCULPT Emsculpt is intended for improvement of abdominal tone, strengthening of the abdominal muscles, development of firmer abdomen. Strengthening, toning and firming of buttocks, thighs, and calves. Improvement of muscle tone and firmness, for strengthening muscles in arms. The best part is there is no anesthesia or down time. BODYTITE Body Tire is a minimally-invasive device for body contouring delivering results previously only achieved through excisional procedures. BodyTite is powered by directional radio frequencies resulting in three-dimensional tissue remodeling through fat coagulation and volumetric heating. The coagulation of fat using radio frequency induced heat results in radio-frequency assisted lipolysis. No matter your age or issue you want to address, Dr. SowmaFakhre and the staff at DermaMediQ can help you achieve your beauty goals and truly put your best face forward. Call the helpful staff today to schedule an appointment or consultation to start your journey to becoming a more confident and better you. WWW.BAYOULIFEMAG.COM | FEBRUARY 2022 103

GIRLS NIGHT OUT HEMLINE MONROE Erin is looking chic is this two-toned pink and red leopard cardigan worn over a dusty pink bodysuit. Paired with Hudson black skinny jeans, the look is complete with pink knee-high croc boots. Accessorize with pink feather earrings, heart hair clip and a custom beaded bag.

Have cute outfit, will celebrate. That's the theme of this year's Valentine's Day. Grab your favorite girls and hit the town in style. From vintage looks to knee-high boots, these looks are our February faves. Photography by Kelly Moore Clark. Special thanks to Erin Taylor, Lindsey Clark Lowe, Heather Land and Brandi Brownlee Thomas for modeling.

DUSTY & COMPANY Lindsey is too cute in this hi/lo red dress from Dusty & Company. Worn with or without leggings, this buttondown dress features roomy pockets and a cinch hem. Accessorize with stackable bracelets and white booties with a black heel for a flirty look.

HARTFORSTYLE An upcycled vintage sweater a with white and black houndstooth tie takes center stage when paired with a pleated magenta skirt. Pair with a black felt hat and white leather boots for a fun night out.

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HERRINGSTONES Brandi is ready for date night in this v-neck dress featuring a flounced collar and ruffled cuff detailing. This flattering fit dress has a fluid drape and multi-color roses. Complete the look with vintage chandelier earrings and translucent green sculpted heels.

Fishing With Kenny THE MENTAL SIDE OF BASS FISHING article by K E N N Y C OV I NGT ON

ishing is a complicated sport. The weather, choice of lures, areas, water clarity, seasonal habits and movements of the fish, the list goes on and on, is what gives this sport the intrigue it does. There is no such thing as overnight success just as there is no guarantee you will catch them every time you go out on the water. This sport is ever changing and evolving, and with the advancements of technology, it’s even more so. The one aspect about the sport of bass fishing that hasn’t changed is the mental aspect of it. The human mind is a complex unit, and everyone is programmed differently. I have seen times when great fishermen are beat mentally before they ever put their boats in the water and made their first cast in tournament competition. I have seen average fishermen get on successful rolls and win back-to-back tournaments, events where they seem to do no wrong, simply because they believed strongly in the technique they were using or the lure they were throwing. In the end it’s all about the mindset. Legendary fisherman Bill Dance once stated, “confidence, without a doubt, is the most important lure in your tacklebox.” I remember reading Bill’s quote and found it to be an interesting observation. It wasn’t until I started studying and following the career of Rick Clunn that I became totally aware and immersed in the human mindset and its power while fishing. While I don’t profess to have all the answers when it comes to developing a strong mental outlook while on the water, I do have a few things I would like to share in hopes they work for you as well as they have worked for me. The following is a list of guidelines that I follow and while I don’t profess to have been the first to come up with these ideas, I have found them to be effective and have helped make me a better fisherman. By following these rules, I have learned to control my own mindset and not concern myself with the way my competition thinks, allowing me to block out distractions and focus on what I am trying to do on the water. Let’s take a look….. Do not believe in luck. Many years ago, I learned I couldn’t allow “luck” to be the determining factor in my success or failures. I put 108 FEBRUARY 2022 | WWW.BAYOULIFEMAG.COM

too much time and effort into this sport to leave my fate up to the luck factor. With this mindset, I have always believed the more I prepare the luckier I get, and I have proven to myself this is not a coincidence. At the tournament weigh-ins I always hear things like, “well, we lost a lot of fish today” or “my partner lost a five pounder at the boat” or “I had two fish break me off.” When I hear these things, my mind automatically goes to “were you using the right rod and reel for the technique you were using” or “were you using the correct hooks for the lure and technique” or “when was the last time you changed your line or were you using the correct line for the technique you were using and did you tie a good knot?”. Bad luck? Maybe, but I am willing to bet it is more due to human error and element than it is the fishing gods not being on your side on a particular day. No matter if it is good or bad, you create your own luck. Do not listen to dock talk. I love a good tackle store as much as the next fishermen. I like to walk around and look at the colors, makes and models of all the lures. It’s almost like a drug. I might find something new that catches my eye, or I may just restock on some things I am currently missing. Tackle shops are an important part of any fishermen’s success, but they can also be a contributing cause to their failures. Unless you totally trust the person providing you the information, be careful when believing what you are told. My being skeptical of people is a trait I have carried with me since childhood. When it comes to talking to other fishermen, this skepticism has come in quite handy. Some fishermen’s three pounders are always five pounders in conversation. If they tell you “We must have caught forty today,” cut that number in half. Too much specific information is not a good thing. Instead of asking about particular lures and specific areas on a body of water, I am more interested in what the fish are doing. If someone tells me they are catching their fish on a spinnerbait then I can determine the fish are actively feeding in shallow water. If someone says they are catching their fish on a jig, chances are they are fishing cypress trees or in a situation where they can flip or pitch. Building a plan off general information you have gathered is what wins tournaments. Relying on specific information another angler told you is what gets you beat. Regardless of the conditions, someone always wins. I love bad weather tournaments. They are the easiest ones to win. I have always had a theory, the worse the weather, the better my chances. When I hear my competitors talk about how miserable the weather is, I know I already have an advantage. I have fished in sleet, snow, rain, high winds, you name it I have fished in it. I have also been successful in each scenario. I have never fished a tournament when no fish were caught. Ever. Someone always catches them, so why can’t that someone be me? I allow the conditions, regardless of how bad they are, to help determine what I can or even can’t do to be successful. As a rule, if it is windy, then I probably need to use lures like a Rat L Trap, spinnerbait or a crankbait, something I can feel in the wind, and doesn’t require me to work the lure. If it’s raining, I like to slow down and flip or pitch jigs and soft plastics, which is contrary to what you a lot of the fishing magazines would have you believe. On cold days when it is cloudy with bits of sleet or even snow, I have done exceptionally well throwing a big spinnerbait. The higher the weather pressure system, the deeper and slower I usually fish. I have learned the worse the weather scenario, the more patience I must have as an angler. Keep your mind in the game. I have always believed most tournaments are won or lost in the final two hours of the event. It is during this time, regardless of the time of year or weather conditions, when your mental focus tends to lack the most. You haven’t had a bite in a while, your back is hurting from standing up all day, your hot,

tired, hungry or whatever else may be going through your mind. And now is when you will get the one bite that can make or break your tournament day. From the conversations I have had with other fishermen, it usually breaks them. I have seen or heard it happen too many times to count. At twelve o’clock each tournament day I tell myself, “Let’s refocus and get this thing done.” During the day, I make sure I take a minute to drink something or eat a snack. I may think about relocating to another part of the lake or maybe even refresh my thoughts on what I have been doing up until this point in my day. Everything or anything I can do to make sure I am just as fresh at two o’clock as I am when I started at six in the morning is the goal. It’s your job to keep your mind sharp and make good decisions. The lost lunker, like the worst tasting pill, sometimes is the best medicine. Mind games. Fishermen are good at playing mind games. Anything that is within the rules to gain a competitive advantage is fair game so why not try to psych out your competition. Usually the older the fishermen, the harder it is to get under their skin, and I fall into this category. I guess that is why I never hear much from my competitors. Once an angler sees they can get under your skin, the mind games will continue. Not just from other fishermen but what you will do to yourself. While I am on the water, I do not answer my phone. For the most part I do not read text messages or respond to them. I know people who will call their buddy at ten in the morning and ask if they have caught anything. If you call me that is a wasted phone call because I am not answering. I don’t want to know what you have caught; how tough the fishing is or what you heard so and so caught earlier. I will find out at the weigh-in what everyone else has done, so why concern myself with that information beforehand? Before you allow someone to live in your mind rent free, you must first decide if that person is worthy of free rent. Control the controllable variables, prepare for the ones you can’t. As an angler, you must always take into consideration the “what if” factors of being out on the water. In some earlier articles I have discussed this at length, but it is worth mentioning again. Anything you can control to make your day on the water more successful, you should try and do. If you can’t control it, then you should at least prepare for it. A lot of non-fishing things that mentally destroy anglers on the water are things that could have been easily avoided. Not preparing for the current weather is the most common culprit. Not having enough clothes to stay warm. Not having the proper rain gear to stay dry. The wrong shoes, the wrong clothes, all these things play a role in your success as an angler. Don’t overlook these things, they will come back to bite you. When you are tired, wet, cold, hot, hungry, thirsty, or any combination of these things, you will have a hard time being successful on the water. On a quick side note, by the time you are reading this article the Major League Fishing circuit will be fishing (the week of February 5th –10th) on Lake DarBonne, Caney Lake and Bussey Brake Reservoir. If you are wanting to go watch your favorite anglers in action, please have respect and be courteous not to be in their way. This is how those guys make a living, don’t be a reason they don’t want to come back to this area in the future. Well, it looks like we have run out of time and space again for another month. I hope we were able to share with you some thoughts and ideas that will help you become a better angler and make this sport a more enjoyable one. Be safe out on the water and remember to catch one for me! See you next month! WWW.BAYOULIFEMAG.COM | FEBRUARY 2022 109

Bud Light Next Marsala Beverage Welcomes Bud Light Next

ARSALA BEVERAGE IS PREPARING THE RELEASE OF Bud Light Next, its first U.S. carb-free beer. The newest innovation from the Anheuser-Busch family will be released on February 7th. A 12-ounce serving of Bud Light Next is 4% alcoholby-volume and 80 calories. That’s 30 fewer calories and about the same amount of alcohol-by-volume compared a domestic premium light lager. The taste of Bud Light Next, “light, refreshing and clean” with a hint of citrus. It will be sold in 6-packs and 12-packs in both bottles and cans. Marsala Beverage marketing director, Tyler Flemister, explained that Bud Light Next is an effort to keep “evolving and innovating” the Bud Light brand for different drinkers. Highlighting recent launches such as Bud Light Seltzer and a fruit-flavored Bud Light. “This is another pillar in providing the right products for the right consumers. Brewed for the 21-plus Gen Z audience, Bud Light Next is for the next era of beer drinkers, by providing them an alternative beer that has the stats and sessionability of products they enjoy such as seltzers, and carries on the legacy of the Bud Light name.” BUD LIGHT 1982, Anheuser Busch introduced Bud Light nationally. Bud Light, the most popular beer in the country, is a light bodied lager with a fresh, clean and subtle hop aroma. Its delicate malt sweetness and crisp finish provide the ultimate refreshment. Bud Light is brewed using a blend of premium aroma hops, both American grown and imported, and a combination of barley malts, water and rice. Its superior drinkability and refreshing flavor make it the world’s favorite light beer. Bud Light contains 4.2 percent alcohol by volume (ABV). Brewing an American Light Lager, like Bud Light, is hard. The style is so clean and clear that any imperfection can come through. That’s why we believe in brewing the highest-quality light beer on Earth using the finest ingredients that come from the Earth. And that’s why we pay special attention to every step throughout the brewing process to ensure the Bud Light in your hands is the best it can be. We believe you, the light beer drinker, deserve the very best with every single sip. We work hard to make sure that’s exactly what you get with every Bud Light. 110 FEBRUARY 2022 | WWW.BAYOULIFEMAG.COM

BUD LIGHT PLATINUM Bud Light Platinum has reinvented the category of light beer. Within each cobalt blue bottle lies a bold formula that’s triple filtered with a smooth finish to create its stop shelf taste. Its the first of its kind, and the only beer worthy of the name Bud Light Platinum. Bud Light Platinum contains 6.0 percent alcohol by volume (ABV). BUD LIGHT PEELS SERIES Bud Light is expanding the brand’s citrus portfolio with a refreshed Bud Light Lime and the addition of Bud Light Orange. Both light lagers are brewed with real lime and orange peels, and deliver a clean and crisp taste that highlights natural citrus flavors in every sip. The colorful new packs for Bud Light Lime and new Bud Light Orange feature bright orange and lime details, with accents of real citrus peels. Together these beers form the ultimate citrus combo for a taste that’s unmistakably summer. Locally, Marsala Beverage employs about 100 full-time employees. Marsala Beverage, LP is the largest malt beverage, wine/spirits, and non-alcoholic distributor in Northeast Louisiana. Their success is based on the fact that they never lose sight of delivering what is really important – quality products, timely service and a genuine concern for our customers’ needs. Annually, they deliver over 2.4 million cases of beverages to over 700 retail accounts. Please find us at www.marsalabeverage.com or follow us on social media: Facebook: Marsala Beverage Twitter: @marsalabeverage1 Instagram: @marsalabeverage

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Calendar of Events For a full list of event happenings in Northeast Louisiana, see our website at www.bayoulifemag.com Feb. 1 - 28 Quilt Exhibition The NELA Delta African American Heritage Museum Quilt Exhibit showcases African American quilt art from Louisiana and the Delta Region as part of the museum’s celebration of Black History Month Venue: Northeast Louisiana Delta African American Heritage Museum, 1051 Chennault Park Dr, Monroe Phone: (318) 342-8889 February 1 Black History Month Opening Program Join Northeast Louisiana Delta African American Heritage Museum for a special Black History Month opening program. Venue: Northeast Louisiana Delta African American Heritage Museum, 1051 Chennault Park Dr, Monroe Hours: 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM Phone: (318) 342-8869 Share the Run Kick-Off This February, Fleet Feet Monroe teaming up with Saucony and Black Girls RUN! for the second annual Share the Run virtual running and walking challenge. Venue: Fleet Feet Monroe 1866 Forsythe Ave, Monroe Cost: Free Phone: (318) 855-3146 February 4 – 6 North Delta Boating and Outdoor Show North The Boat Show is back and bigger than ever! The North Delta Boating and Outdoor show will be at the Monroe Civic Center. February 4-6, 2022. This year featuring the Major League Fishing Fest with games, angler meet and greets and more! Venue: Monroe Civic Center 401 Lea Joyner Memorial Expressway, Monroe Hours: 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM February 5 39th Annual Krewe of Janus Ball Don't miss out on the 39th

Annual Krewe of Janus Ball! This is a formal event where ladies are required to wear floor-length gowns and gentlemen are required to wear a tux. Venue: Bayou Pointe 1 Warhawk Way, Monroe Hours: 5:00 PM - 10:00 PM Phone: (318) 323-0230 February 5 - 10 MLF Stage 1 Bass Pro Tour The 2022 Bass Pro Tour will kick off Feb. 5-10, 2022, with Stage One at Caney Creek Reservoir, Lake D’Arbonne and Bussey Brake in Monroe-West Monroe Venue: Lake D'Arbonne 3628 Evergreen Rd, Farmerville February 5, 12, 19, 26 Ruston Farmers Market Shop, eat, and support local at the Ruston Farmers Market. Choose from a wide selection of seasonal fruits and vegetables, meat, eggs, honey, jams, and other locally produced goods. Hours: 9:00 AM-1:00 PM Cost: Free to attend Venue: Ruston Farmers Market 220 E Mississippi Ave, Ruston Phone: (318) 957-1305

February 6 Flying Heart Live with Ian Smith Join Flying Heart Brewing Pub in the beer garden for Flying Heart Live with Ian Smith! Venue: Flying Heart Brewing & Pub, 204 Commerce St, West Monroe

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Hours: 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM February 8 - 12 Black Inventors & Scientists Traveling Exhibit NELA Delta African American Heritage Museum are pleased to welcome Black Inventors and Scientists Museums. This traveling exhibit is a wonderful way to learn about the great contributions of Black inventors and scientists who have given everything from the refrigerator to aspirin. Venue: Northeast Louisiana Delta African American Heritage Museum, 1051 Chennault Park Dr, Monroe Hours: 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM Phone: (318) 342-8889 February 10 MSO presents Romantic Vocal Works Join the Monroe Symphony Orchestra's for Romantic Vocal Works. Venue: Emy-Lou Biedenharn Recital Hall, 200 University Ave, Monroe Cost: $10 Adults; $5 Students Phone: (318) 812-6761 February 11 Big Creek Trade Days Big Creek Trade Days are held monthly on the weekend before the second Monday of the month with over 100 indoor and outdoor vendors, food trucks, and fun for all ages! Hours: Friday & Saturday 9:00 AM5:00 PM, Sunday 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM Cost: $5 per vehicle for the weekend Venue: 327 California Plant Rd, Dubach Phone: (318) 680-1304 February 11 - 13 Best of the Bayou Classic ULM Softball is proud to present the Best on the Bayou! Venue: ULM Softball Field 308 Warhawk Way, Monroe NAIA Baseball Cajun Collision Cajun Collision provides you with an early season 15 team tournament full of some of the

Nation’s best teams. Venue: Sterlington Sports Complex, 1290 LA-136, Sterlington February 12 Krewe de Riviere Children's & Pet Mardi Gras Parade Celebrate Mardi Gras with the Krewe de Riviere! Enjoy food trucks, activities and more to help you get in the Mardi Gras spirit! Venue: Downtown Rivermarket 316 S Grand St, Monroe Hours: 10:00AM Mardi Gras Madness Come to the Downtown River Market to hang out for the day and get ready for the parade! There will be live music, bouncy castles, mask making stations, food trucks, magicians and much more! Venue: Downtown Rivermarket 316 S Grand St, Monroe Hours: 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM Krewe de Rivière Mardi Gras Parade Twin Cities Krewe de Rivière is an all inclusive, community based Krewe that will roll The Greatest Sheaux on February 12, 2022. Venue: 500 Ouachita Ave, Monroe Hours: 7:00 PM - 11:00 PM Phone: (318) 376-2501 February 13 Flying Heart Live with Schaefer Mueller A little hip-hop, a little Southern rock, and a whole lot of fun! Join Flying Heart Live with Schaefer Mueller. Venue: Flying Heart Brewing & Pub, 204 Commerce St, West Monroe Hours: 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM February 14 Valentines Dinner & Dance A night of good food, music and dance! Entertainment provided by: Rod Alley Payne and Karon Solomon. Venue: Strauss Theatre Center, 1300 1/2 Lamy Ln, Monroe Cost: $50 Hours: 6:30 PM - 9:00 PM Phone: (318) 323-6681

February 18 - 20 Gold Cup Weekend Twin City BMX has prepared a weekend of exciting racing and more! Venue: Monroe Civic Center, 401 Lea Joyner Memorial Expressway, Monroe Phone: (318) 791-4457 Cherry Pie Extravaganza The Fluffy Butt Rabbit Club invites you to celebrate their 1st Cherry Pie Extravaganza! Venue: Ike Hamilton Expo 501 Mane Street, West Monroe Februray 19 Krewe of Janus Children’s Parade The parade will be rolling through the mall the morning of February 19th with the Krewe of Janus' King, Queen and the Royal Court! This is a free family event. Parade entrants must bring their own throws such as beads, cups, candy and toys. Wagons, bikes, or small battery-operated vehicles are allowed. Hours: 9:00 AM registration, parade rolls at 10:00 AM Venue: Pecanland Mall 4700 Millhaven Road, Monroe 15th Annual Krewe of Paws Mardi Gras Pet Parade The parade will start in the 100 block of Commerce Street in Antique Alley. Parade will go north on Commerce and turn left onto Pine Street. Parade will then turn left onto Trenton Street. Parade will proceed up Trenton Street and then turn left onto Wood Street. Parade will turn left onto Commerce Street and end back at the registration tents. Venue: Antique Alley, 100-400 blocks of Trenton Street, West Monroe

Hours: 11:00 AM - 4:30 PM Phone: (318) 397-0007 Jester Jog Color 5K The most festive 5K of the year and we are making it even better! Run a portion of the West Monroe Mardi Gras Parade Route and Downtown West Monroe on a double loop route to celebrate with the colors of Mardi Gras! This year we will add the celebration of colors in the form of powders that are thrown during the run/walk!! Enjoy King Cake after the race. Finisher specialty beads for everyone! To guarantee your T-shirt please register by Feb, 3, 2022. Ainsley's Angel Runners are always welcome. Please use the Ainsley's Angel Category when registering. Venue: Alley Park, 250 Trenton St, West Monroe Hours: 2:30 PM - 4:30 PM Cost: $35 Krewe of Janus Mardi Gras Parade Don't miss out on the Krewe of Janus Mardi Gras Parade! This is a traditional Mardi Gras Parade with marching units, floats and costumes! Venue: Krewe of Janus Float Den, 901 Louisville Ave, Monroe Phone: (318) 338-3172 Tommy Jaxson Band Head on down to VFW Post 1809 to enjoy live music by the Tommy Jaxson band! Venue: VFW Rodney J Hobbs Post 1809, 1499 Highway 594, Monroe Hours: 7:00 PM - 11:00 PM

Council presents the first film of their four film spring series - 'Pushout: The Criminalization of Black Girls in Schools.' The film series celebrates the creativity of independent filmmakers. Hours: 7:00 PM Cost: $5 per ticket Venue: Grambling State University, 403 Main St, Grambling Phone: (318) 247-3811 February 25 - 26 NLQG Quilt Show 2022 Join North Louisiana Quilters Guild for a fabulous quilt show that will highlight beautiful hand made items, hand quilted/machine quilted works of art, and stunning quilts in amazing styles and colors. There will be vendors to shop and demonstrations to attend. Purchase a chance to win a beautiful donation quilt made by guild member, Cathy Poe. There will be a special exhibit of featured quilts and many other things to see and do! Venue: West Monroe Convention Center, 901 Ridge Ave, West Monroe Cost: $7 - Ages 9-79; Others - Free Phone: (318) 348-2964

Cost: $10 Adults ; $5 Students Hours: 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM Phone: (318) 812-6761 World of Outlaws at The Rev The Outlaws are back at The Rev on February 26th! The Louisiana track offered a "race of the year" last time when David Gravel and Brad Sweet dueled. Don't miss this! Venue: The Rev, 8850 Frontage Rd, West Monroe Hours: 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM Phone: (318) 245-7665

February 26 MSO Presents Orchestral Dances Bartok's 'Romanian Folk Dances', Respighi's 'Ancient Airs and Dances', Faure's 'Pavane', and Ginastera's 'Dances from the ballet Estanica', combine to bring European Folk music to life! Venue: ULM Brown Theatre 4001 DeSiard St, Monroe

Simpatico at Flying Heart Brewing & Pub Simpatico is making their debut at Flying Heart Brewing &amp; Pub! Come on out for great craft beer, great food, and live music! Venue: Flying Heart Brewing & Pub, 204 Commerce St, West Monroe Hours: 8:00 PM - 10:00 PM February 20 Flying Heart Live with Josh Love Not being afraid to cross barriers Josh Love is able to connect with any crowd. It’s always a treat to be able to come to a show of his! Venue: Flying Heart Brewing & Pub, 204 Commerce St, West Monroe Phone: (318) 367-0888 February 24 NCLAC’s Independent Film Series The North Central Louisiana Arts WWW.BAYOULIFEMAG.COM | FEBRUARY 2022 113

BayouLife Magazine February 2022

Articles inside

BAYOU HEALTH

GIRLS NIGHT OUT

BAYOU EATS

COTTON CANDY ROSÉ

LOUISIANA GIRL

BAYOU ICONS

MARDI GRAS MAMBO

MARDI GRAS MAPS

BAYOU OUTDOORS

GALENTINE’S CELEBRATION

MY SUNNY FUNNY VALENTINE’S