BayouLife Magazine July 2019

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168 30 / BEYOND THE FORM Bayou Artist Tim Hayes Had a Love For Art Before His Career In Architecture

JULY 2019

48 / BAYOU BEATS Local Band, Whys of the Wise, Find Truth in Their Name 72 / NIGHTSTANDS & COFFEE TABLES Meredith McKinnie Gives Us Her Thought on Michelle Obama’s Novel, Becoming 76 / ADDING FUEL TO THE FIRE This Month’s Bayou Health Article Focuses on Consuming 3-4 Balanced Meals a Day. 86 / GROWN AND GRAZED Bayou Eats: All It Takes To Source Locally and Eat Farm-To-Table Is To Shift Your Perspective

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91 / GALLERY OF HOMES Preview Some of Northeast Louisiana’s Premier Real Estate Listings From Various Agents In Our Community

150 / BAYOU HOME Lake D’Arbonne Home Offers Sweeping Views of Fisherman’s Paradise 168 / TROPICAL PUNCH Featured outfits that are the perfect look for any occasion from staycations to beach escapes.

APRIL 2018

98 / THOMAS H. SCOTT AWARDS Monroe Chamber of Commerce Presents Thomas H. Scott Awards of Excellence to Local Businesses

118 / A VETERAN OF THE GREATEST GENERATION From a Bomber Pilot to Shriner, July’s Bayou Icon, JB Humphrey’s Mission Has Been One of Service and Love For His Country and Family.

131 / RAYS OF SONSHINE Rebuilding Lives and Restoring Hope One Step at a Time

190 / ART OF A SIMPLE SUMMER From Popsicles to Pancakes, Blueberries are Summer’s Best Bounty 202 / IN THE GARDEN: WITH KERRY Seeks Growing Heirloom Southern Apples in Louisiana

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BayouLife

UMMERTIME IS IN FULL

swing. Kids are playing outdoors, mosquitos are swarming, the smell of chlorine is in the air. It’s my favorite time of the year. I consider myself a patriotic gal, my birthday has always been celebrated on the 4th of July.

I love grilling with family, swimming in the pool and, of course, eating birthday cake. There’s no denying it, this month I will turn the big 4-0! I’ve been saying that I was forty for quite a while, to lessen the blow, but the reality is – it’s here. Our early celebration began with a group trip to Bon Temps Classical Pilates Studio.

Katie Morstead and Whitney Peters of Moonbeam Flowers hosted our staff for Pilates, Peonies and Prosecco. The morning started off with a Pilates mat class followed by a flower workshop, light bits and a talk about longevity, autophagy and glowing skin from the inside out. It was a great morning and an event we look forward to attending again.

In this issue you will find the list of winners from our 3nd annual Bayou Buzz Awards. These local businesses exemplify the very best in our region. We are truly thankful for everyone who has suggested changes or offered ideas. This has been a great experience and we hope that our insert can serve as a reference all year long.

We also caught up with Mr. JB Humphrey. We knew that he would be a character – after all, he is Lou Davenport’s uncle. His patriotism and service to our country and community is why he is this month’s BayouIcon. Read his story on page 118.

It’s blueberry season! This season we visited the local blueberry farm and offer recipes for delicious homemade blueberry

1201 Royal Avenue Monroe, LA 71201 Phone 318.855.3185

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PUBLISHER & OWNER Cassie Livingston cassie@bayoulifemag.com pancakes and popsicles. Taylor Bennett and Kelly Moore captured our favorite recipes on page 190 of this month’s issue.

Bayou DeSiard Title Company, MOEbiz, Wagner Logistics, and Graphic Packaging International were honored with Thomas H. Scott Awards of Excellence during a reception held Tuesday, June 4 at the Monroe Civic Center. In addition, three businesses received special judge’s awards. The selections came from fortyseven nominations for the prestigious awards, which honors companies making significant contributions to the Ouachita parish economy through capital improvements, expansion, job creation, and community involvement during 2018/2019. This year’s nominees collectively employ 4,165 people in Ouachita parish and made capital investments of over $291 million. We recognize these winners on page 98-102.

I get to work with an incredible team every month. We work tirelessly to bring you timely articles, beautiful photography and great content. It’s always a pleasure to hear your feedback and suggestions.

We hope you enjoy reading this month’s issue of BayouLife Magazine. Thank you for keeping it local.

Cassie

COPY EDITOR Cindy Foust GRAPHIC DESIGNER Meagan Russell meagan@bayoulifemag.com ADVERTISING MANAGER Ashley Hubenthal ashley@bayoulifemag.com ADVERTISING SALES EXECUTIVE Amanda Singley amanda@bayoulifemag.com ADVERTISING SALES EXECUTIVE Katelyn Tolbert katelyn@bayoulifemag.com ART DIRECTOR Taylor Bennett CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Maré Brennan Brandi Chambless Dan Chason Laura W. Clark Kenny Covington Shannon Dahlum Jan Daniels Lou Davenport Cindy Gist Foust Lori French J. Marshall Haynie Kerry Heafner April Clark Honaker

Paul Lipe Erin Love Meredith McKinnie Dr. Timothy Mickel Guy Miller Evelyn O’Neal Kay Rector Cathi French-Roberts Delia Simpson Beatrice A. Tatem Vanelis Rivera Judy Wagoner

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Andrew Bailey Kelly Moore Clark Jamie Dahlum Prajal Prasai Patty Stewart ON THE COVER Winner of the BayouLife / Monroe-West Monroe CVB Photo Contest Winner, Janet Knott

BayouLife Magazine is published and distributed by Redbird Publishing, LLC. Circulation: 14,000 copies monthly. Postal subscriptions ($30) can be ordered online at www.bayoulifemag. com. BayouLife Magazine is not responsible for unsolicited photographs, manuscripts or other materials. Reproduction of contents without express written permission is prohibited.

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Roadmap to the Next Century Exceeding Expectations and Making a Difference

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HE RECENT EXPANSION OF OUR BANK HAS presented opportunities for growth, enhancement of systems and services, greater security, and the opportunity to reassure our customers that our commitment to you remains solid. While we understand that change can sometimes be challenging, we know that “progress is impossible without change” (George Bernard Shaw). As we progress, we want our customers, communities, and shareholders to know our heart and what we truly represent. We cannot express enough our appreciation to our loyal customers for their patience and understanding as we made the transition into new systems that will result in greater enhancements to your banking experience. Thank you!

Although Century Next Bank has evolved over the last century, one thing remains the same: our commitment to our customers and communities as reflected in our mission statement: “Century Next Bank is committed to exceeding expectations, making a difference, and excelling in financial and community leadership within the areas we serve.”

Defining who you are and what your objectives are is crucial to success. Our mission statement truly defines who we are as a bank.

We are committed to providing excellence to you because we care about you.

EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS. We don’t want to just meet your expectations, we want to exceed them by going the extra mile.

The heart of our employees is to provide superior customer service and to offer excellent products and services while continuing to serve our community, whether it be inside or outside of our bank walls. As we progress as a bank, we are committed to exceeding your expectations every day.

MAKING A DIFFERENCE. We truly care about our customers and our communities, and we strive to exhibit that concern every day. We are each faced with daily life challenges, and as your bank of choice, we are here to help you by going the extra mile to assist you with your financial needs.

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EXCELLING IN FINANCIAL AND COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP WITHIN THE AREAS WE SERVE. Now that Century Next Bank has a presence in both north Louisiana and south Arkansas, we have the privilege of sharing who we are as a combined force within these areas. In these first five months of 2019, we have made over $50,000 in contributions to support special community events, local schools and universities, Chambers of Commerce, baseball leagues, church organizations, historical museums, arts organizations, and countless others. Additionally, and often the most priceless contribution to make, we donate time in our communities.

Many employees volunteer for community organizations and events, serve on countless nonprofit boards, as well as offer helpful hands and hearts in service.

We also show our support to our communities by coordinating special events. Most recently, we held our 10th annual First Responder Appreciation Day in Ruston at our main office where we grilled hamburgers and hot dogs for local first responders. A most anticipated upcoming event for the Ashley County community is our annual 4th of July fireworks display for everyone to enjoy in Crossett.

ROADMAP TO THE NEXT CENTURY. At Century Next Bank, we strive to continue seeking ways to progress and improve so that we can serve you better. Community involvement, commitment to our customers, and being the financial leader in the areas we serve remain at the forefront of our roadmap moving forward. The future is bright, and we are excited for what lies ahead. Thank you for being on the journey into the next century with us!

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Being Still

Giving Yourself Permission to Pause

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

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RECALL BEING TOLD AS A CHILD TO BE STILL. THIS WAS, in my recollection, a comment made by adults to children in settings where we were expected to be well behaved: church, theatre, the library. I interpreted this request to mean be quiet, sit still, pay attention, act mannerly and be on your best behavior to avoid getting in trouble.

Years later, I would recognize the usage of these words were to calm the spirit and soothe the mind; they were gentle reminders to take in, reflect, be mindful, be peaceful.

As I write this article it is early Sunday morning and the sun is about to rise. Spring has disappeared and summer has made its presence known. I am acutely aware of the birds chirping, the stillness of the morning and the awakening of the day. After weeks of ravishing storms and temperamental weather at home and away, I feel (ironically), energized by the slow pace of the season and what looks to be a sunny and pleasant day. It is my intent to appreciate the calm of this day while reflecting on “Being Still.”

Being still is powerful. It gives us time and space to self-reflect and listen to ourselves. Stillness allows you to be in touch with yourself, to follow the pattern of your own thoughts, to examine your own mind in order to gain a better understanding of what’s going on inside ultimately bringing you closer to your true self. Stillness anchors you in the present allowing you to enjoy life as you live it rather than holding on to the past or racing towards an uncertain future. Practicing stillness helps one to appreciate life particularly your life. Being still permits the mind to slow down and be calm resulting in our being able to focus better. When focusing you are more likely to see the intangible things that makes life worth living.

In our media influenced, news frenzied, task oriented, anxiety filled, over stimulated society, stillness is hard to obtain. It appears people, everywhere are constantly on the move doing something, even during what would be considered free time. We are all too familiar with people talking on the phone while driving while eating, or people checking emails while sitting in a meeting, or the person on the phone while using the bathroom. The need to slow down, pause and be still

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is critical. Many take pride in constantly doing, being busy, and being a part of things without considering the impact it has on them. I was reminded of the importance of our stopping and pausing when a client after a long day at work jokingly stated, “I need help, I am a human being who takes pride in human doing, unfortunately I can be more of a human doing than a human being. I look forward to counseling, it is when I actually stop, when I give myself the permission to pause.” “Be still and take in the universe” is a phrase of inspiration said to me by my lifelong friend “Helen.” She has conveyed this spirit filled message reminding me to just be, to stress less and broaden my view of self-care.

We have talked about quieting the mind and being still while being present. I am learning the value of “being” by sitting still, pausing and not doing.

Practicing stillness is beneficial to your wellness; and learn to create an internal and external stillness for you. The busier we are the more we need to intentionally take time to be still. Incorporate it in your life for example, physically slow down by sitting, walking slowly or lying down. For me it is early Sunday mornings when I take uninterrupted times to sit with myself and reflect. Engage in mindless physical activity, not everything has to be done for a reason for example, watching a natural motion such as the flow of water. Relax your body. I sit on the floor with closed eyes, lighted candles, surrounded by pillows that represent the places I have been and the emotions I feel. Quiet the overly active mind, reduce external stimuli in your environment by lowering the lights and turning down the music. Today, noise is everywhere in most environments we enter and is associated with most things we do, which over time can be exhausting. Let stillness and silence soothe your soul. Recall a time, place and feeling of peace and stillness, and if possible go there physically, if not possible, go there emotionally.

This summer take it easy, live simply, easier, and peacefully … slow down, be still and remember to give yourself permission to pause.

For more information on counseling and outreach services contact Dr. Beatrice A. 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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THE

Virginia Blue Rabbit’s Foot Fern This beautiful fern for those living in the south is fond of a humid, moderately wet environment and has pleasant bluish foliage. Here are a few tricks to keep your fern in tip top shape. Photo by Kelly Moore Clark. Styling by Taylor Bennett.

plant CARE AKA. PHLEBODIUM PSEUDOAUREUM Phlebodium pseudoaureum, also known as the Blue Rabbit’s Foot Fern, or the Virginia Blue Fern, is a fairly large growing fern.

While the rhizomes in which it spreads stay small, the leaves that sprout from these rhizomes can grow quite large - up to 10” long.

HOW MUCH LIGHT DOES IT NEED? Water the plants lightly but often to keep the surface of the soil lightly moist. Daily misting helps keep the surface rhizomes from drying out. Every two weeks, your rabbit’s foot fern care should also include watering the plant with a liquid houseplant fertilizer mixed at half strength.

WAT E R I N G YO U R V I R G I N I A B LU E R A B B I T ’ S FOOT FERN Needs regular watering- weekly or more often, to maintain consistently moist soil.

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DETERMINING SOIL FOR GROWTH The Virigina Blue Rabbit’s Foot Fern is actually an epiphyte and not terrestrial like many other ferns. This means potting soil is definitely not the best medium to plant it in and you should be looking for something looser. Because these ferns like a moist environment but don’t appreciate waterlogged soil at all, a well-draining medium should be used.

PLANTING YOUR FERN You should be using a pot or container with a drainage hole for your blue star fern to prevent standing water. This can be a standing pot or a hanging planter. This plant doesn’t need repotting often. If the leaves start turning yellow, it may signal time to give your fern a larger planter.

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Washington Wine and Spirits You Can Taste the Freedom

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ROM 1776 TO THE PRESENT DAY, THE 4TH OF JULY HAS been celebrated as the beginning of American independence, with celebration, fireworks, family gatherings and outdoor grilling. Here are some fantastic spirits to celebrate your freedom.

BLUECOAT GIN Bluecoat Gin gets its famed name from the men and women who risked their lives to make our country free. In their fight for freedom, these courageous soldiers of the Revolutionary War took great pride in their rising and gave birth to a nation. The nose of this gin is filled with refreshingly sweet aromatics leading to an intensely smooth body loaded with complex flavors that are very pleasing to the palate.

The bright, lingering finish completes an experience that is satisfying to all your senses. Enjoy an All-American Martini with a fresh twist of orange to complete a beautiful day filled with celebration.

JACK DANIEL’S NO. 27 GOLD In 1904, Mr. Jack Daniel traveled to St. Louis World’s Fair where he entered his charcoal-mellowed whiskey in the international competition. The World’s Fair of 1904 celebrates the Centennial of the Louisiana Purchase, an event in American history that doubled the size of America. Jack Daniel’s came home to Lynchburg, Tennessee with a gold medal for best whiskey in the world. On every neck of Jack Daniel’s No. 27 is a replica of the gold medal he received at the St. Louis World’s Fair. Jack Daniel’s No. 27 Gold is crafted to the same uncompromising standards as Old No. 7, but then twice charcoalmellowed to be luxuriously smooth and extra matured in golden-hued maple barrels for a rich, well balanced, warm finish.

JEFFERSON’S WOOD EXPERIMENT Master distillers Trey Zoeller and his father Chet, a famed bourbon historian were inspired by Thomas Jefferson, draftsman of the Declaration of Independence and the 3rd president of the United States. He was also known for his curiosity and experimental spirit. They decided to dedicate the name of their whiskies to the late Thomas Jefferson. Mr. Zoeller began his experimental bourbons by putting 4 year old bourbon that had been aged in new charred white oak barrels, and finished it in 13 different vessels. So many combinations were created to experiment with - new bourbon barrels, new wine barrels, or oak cubes that have been slow cooked, etc. Over a period of 32 months, they charted the characteristics of each experiment monthly and analyzed how the different treatments affected the outcome of the final whiskey. They decided to bottle them

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up in five 200mL bottles so you can try five different experiments and see for yourself how these small changes make a huge difference!

WILD TURKEY MASTER’S KEEP DECADES Two men, the Ripy brothers, made their way home from the Civil War to their home state of Kentucky. In 1869, just a few years after the war ended, the Ripy brothers opened a distillery and their determined Kentucky spirit would soon live on through bourbon whiskey. What’s more American than that? The brand got its name from, you guessed it, a wild turkey hunt! A handselected lot of precious and rare barrels, aged between 10 and 20 years, represents the very best of two decades of bourbon making. Master Distiller Eddie Russell’s harmonious mingling of liquid results in an extraordinarily enjoyable whiskey with the finesse and deep character of older bourbon, harbored by the bold, balanced, and vibrant backbone of younger bourbon. Aromas of sweet char and roasted grain lead into intense flavors of oak, caramel, and notes of cornbread. With a lingering sweet and oaky finish, Wild Turkey Decades is perfectly balanced and full bodied. Easily enjoyed with an ice cube or two on a nice summer day!

Celebrate your freedom this Independence Day with some juicy steaks for the grill. Gather your family and friends and come by the shop to purchase the Doe’s Eat Place uncooked steaks and twice baked Ppotatoes here at Washington Wine and Spirit! You can call us at (318) 816-5067 and we will have your steaks wrapped up and ready to go or just stop on by the shop and check out our amazing selection of wines, beers and spirits to pair perfectly with your fresh cut of steak.

We thank you for all of your continued support for Doe’s Eat Place and Washington Wine and Spirits. We are open Monday-Thursday from 10:00 am to 9:00 pm and Fridays and Saturdays from 10:00 am-10:00 pm.

6 oz Filet - $9.75 14 oz Bone-In Filet - $39.99 20 oz Ribeye - $21.24 1.5 lb T-Bone - $20.99 2.5 lb Porterhouse - $39.98 2-5 lb Sirloin - $9.99/lb

10 oz Filet - $16.24 1.5 lb Bone In Strip - $20.99 2 lb Bone In Ribeye - $35.98 2 lb T-Bone - $27.98 3 lb Porterhouse - $47.97 Twice Baked Potatoes - $4.99/each

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Casa Camellia A Modern Cottage in the Woods

BY BRANDI CHAMBLESS

hen you have only two pennies left in the world, buy a loaf of bread with W one, and a lily with the other. - Chinese Proverb

Deep in the Orient, during the reign of Emperor Nung, the East India Company brought tea from China to Europe where it became commonly known as the cup that cheers but does not inebriate.* After this time of discovery, around 1650 B.C., tea became a part of a daily ritual that was continued in the Americas, one so serious that it led to the leverage behind history’s wingding, the Boston Tea Party.

The tea plant, otherwise known as Camellia sinensis, is the most popular Camellia throughout the world today though it is not even widely recognized as a part of the Camellia family.

Modern day ideas of the Camellia are associated mainly with the over 200 varieties of the flowering shrub that remain so hardy and colorful they provide endless beauty for American gardens. Also, migrating from the Orient, there are many varieties of Camellias to behold, with two of the most popular being Camellia japonica or Camellia sasanqua.

Besides contributing agreeable fragrances, Camellias lend entrée into an underground society of soul-stirring research that is sure to captivate any reader. Described as the smell of the South, Coco Chanel’s favorite flower, or the simple flower with a variety of meanings depending upon the particular culture, the enduring appeal of the Camellia can be propagated easily in any greenhouse.

West Monroe, Louisiana is home to a virtually unknown 18 acre sanctuary of Camellias on the Preston Road property formerly owned

by Oliver Boyd. Boyd’s passion for growing Camellia bushes resulted in 104 varieties of the coveted jewel that paints a colorful palette amidst an unsuspecting winter backdrop.

Many of the three hundred plants featured on the property originated from Boyd’s glass greenhouse or slatted shade house where he spent time nurturing cuttings.

In the 1960s when he acquired the property, he constructed a small cottage for his dwelling place and utilized it as a personal retreat during 16 JULY 2019 | WWW.BAYOULIFEMAG.COM

time away from his Texas home. Boyd added a pond stocked with bream and bass for his personal enjoyment.

Today, the property is owned by David Weatherly and Mary Downing who are also offering 7.5 acres for sale on Roy Sullivan Road.

Their improvements to the property include a pond house with a dock dubbed “The Lily Pad” that makes for a little refuge amidst untouched woodlands for 55 years. Roads have been carved into the property for use as walking paths so serene they are referred to as “The Island.”

“The property grabs and embraces you. The calmness is evident the moment you drive in,” said Downing who had originally planned on retiring on the property until life had other plans.

In 2013, a local architect, Richard D. Newcomer, designed an addition to Boyd’s existing residential structure, one that increased the heated livable space from 1200 square feet to 2699 square feet. The highlight of the home is the 16’ X 16’ screened porched that provides year round enjoyment of the natural setting including not only the Camellias, but ample wildlife. A second master suite and kitchenette was added and is ideal for a mother-in-law concept.

The old Chinese Proverb that reminds people to invest in flowers that produce and reproduce for years to come is reflected in the work of Mr. Boyd. The work of his hands lives on while this property is now up for grabs to the next loving owner.

For more information, contact Brian Bendily at John Rea Realty.

245 Preston Road in West Monroe The Bendily Group brianbendily@gmail.com 318-381-2077 www.johnrearealty.com *American Camellia Society

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Confidence and Satisfaction The Woman’s Clinic Offers Expanded Services For Women’s Health and Beauty

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OW OFTEN DOES A “WHAT IF” phrase cross your mind? “What if I was a size smaller, I could fit into that dress?”

“What if I felt as good in all my pants as I do in my favorite pair?” These are questions we’ve all asked ourselves at one time or another.

Confidence and lifestyle satisfaction play a big role in the care and well-being of today’s woman.

At The Woman’s Clinic, our mission is to provide total care for today’s woman.

In fulfilling that mission, we want to provide services that let us ask our patients these questions: “What if you could wear confidence?;” “What if the fitting room was where everything fit?;” “What if your all your pants were your good butt pants?”

Over the last few months we’ve begun to provide types of services that answer these questions. We’ve seen confidence and satisfaction grow in our patients. We’re even more excited about the future of this than we were when we began. So, let’s take a moment and run through what we have to offer.

In a recent survey of American women, 70% worry about developing a tummy bulge.

81% are concerned about maintaining their body shape and 45% are afraid cellulite will remain a concern. To address this, we will be offering a non-invasive body contouring product called Velashape. VelaShape III™ technology combines infrared light and bipolar radio frequency. This type of system stimulates the growth of new and better collagen and elastin. Velashape has been clinically proven to work on a variety of different treatments including: • Cellulite Reduction • Body Contouring

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• Shrinking of Fat Cells • Skin Tightening.

In clinical trials, the body contouring power of Velashape led to a reduction of one whole dress size after treatment. Each treatment lasts about fifteen minutes and most patients describe the treatment as feeling like a warm massage.

For many women, skin imperfections can impact self-confidence. We also know women considering facial rejuvenation procedures are inhibited by high cost, pain, downtime and side effects. We found that Sublative and Sublime skin treatments are an ideal solution.

Sublative treatments improve the superficial imperfections of skin’s tone and texture by precisely directing bi-polar radio frequency into the skin. Healthy skin around the treated area accelerates the healing process of the skin and new collagen and skin cells are produced.

Sublime treatments improve facial contour and overall skin quality by heating dermal tissue with combined bi-polar radio frequency and light energy, stimulating collagen production.

Both treatments have been clinically proven to treat the following: • Stretch marks • Acne scaring • Reducing fine lines and wrinkles • Eye rejuvenation.

These treatments provide the results you desire without the worry of more invasive procedures. They penetrate more deeply than creams and peels and address your skin’s overall tone and texture more effectively than injectables. And while results with more invasive procedures may be dramatic, few are

willing to incur the cost, risk, or downtime.

No woman wants to lack confidence with intimacy. It is an important part of everyone’s satisfaction with life. To help with this, we will offer an in-office non-surgical treatment that uses laser energy in gynecological applications called CO2RE Intima. CO2RE Intima is a medical laser that delivers controlled C02 energy to the tissue improving skin tone, texture and appearance. Among its many uses it has been proven to treat the following: • Mild to moderate urinary incontinence • Help correct post-child birth and menopausal changes • Non-hormonal treatment for dryness • Improved confidence with intimacy.

We know the thought of laser treatments in such a personal area may give some women pause. CO2RE Intima is FDA approved for a range of gynecological uses and patients experience mild to no discomfort with little downtime.

If you would like to hear more about any of these options, please give us a call at (318)388-4030 to schedule a consultation. You can also visit us online at thewomansclinic. net and request a consultation. Be sure to like us on Facebook and Instagram for the latest updates and information from The Woman’s Clinic, too.

Pictured Above – Bottom Row: Dr. Erin Gullatt, Dr. Sara Klug, Dr. Dawn Pennebaker, Dr. Adrienne Williams; Top Row: Dr. Amber Shemwell, Dr. Jason Wilson, Dr. David Bryan, Dr. Terry Tugwell, Dr. Won Lee, Dr. Laura Petty

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Alumni Spotlight ULM Alumnus: DeRon Talley

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GRADUATE OF COVINGTON HIGH SCHOOL IN 2008, DeRon Talley came to ULM to run track. His high school track coach, Pat Lambert, now the Director of Football Operations at ULM, insisted Monroe was a place where he could succeed, not just on the track, but in the classroom, as well. DeRon majored in Mass Communications, to pursue journalism. In his first two years at ULM both track seasons ended in injuries, and ultimately caused him to not return for his junior season and ended his track career. DeRon remembers feeling lost on campus and in life. That’s when ULM Journalism Professor Dr. Chris Mapp, reminded DeRon that he came to college for more than just track. DeRon had been writing freelance sports pieces for The Hawkeye, ULM’s campus newspaper, and then Dr. Mapp named him Sports Editor. DeRon now had a new focus.

The Hawkeye opened DeRon up to the world of media. As a team, they handled ad sales, graphic design, writing, reporting, investigating, all the various pieces of work that go into producing a newspaper. Dr. Mapp held the Hawkeye team to a high level of accountability and expectation. Through honest practices and transparency, the team communicated the most up-to-date and accurate information to the student population. And they were recognized and awarded for it at various college newspaper competitions. Dr. Mapp told DeRon, “If you can write and communicate well, you can do any job.” DeRon credits Dr. Mapp with “pulling me back toward academia...he embraced me when I needed to be embraced.”

As a Spanish minor, DeRon also became a member of Sigma Delta Pi. He was recruited by his Spanish professor Dr. Ruth Smith, the current Director of the School of Humanities. Dr. Smith was one of his chief mentors and role models during his later years at ULM, along with Dr. Charles Holloway and Mary Blanche Wortham. He felt so supported by the World Languages Department that he came close to declaring Spanish as a second major. He participated in The Foreign Language Festival at ULM, videoing the event and helping with production, all the while sharpening his media skills.

Personally, ULM has a soft place in DeRon’s heart. It’s where he met his wife Patience. Three weeks before graduation, DeRon spotted Patience in the laser tag line during Spring Fever Week. He said to his friend, “That’s going to be my wife.” They battled against each other at laser tag, each scoring the most points for their respective teams.

They played alongside one another in the next round, and they’ve 20 JULY 2019 | WWW.BAYOULIFEMAG.COM

been “playing on the same team ever since.” DeRon graduated in May of 2012, and unsure of his next step, he booked a ticket to the Canary Islands. After being stuck in customs in Venezuela, never making it to his destination, DeRon spent some time in San Antonio, before joining Patience in Baton Rouge. In October, DeRon took a job as the editor of a weekly newspaper called The Donaldsonville Chief in Donaldsonville, La. A year later, at only 23, he became editor of The Weekly Citizen in Gonzales, La., juggling both papers at once. From 2012-2015, the newspapers won over two dozen Louisiana Press Association Awards.

In 2014, DeRon proposed to Patience, who was an LSU cheerleader, on the sidelines of the LSU/Alabama football game, and the couple married in 2017. In 2015, he took a job with the Louisiana Small Business Development Center State Office. He is currently the Marketing & Media Manager, overseeing marketing and communications operations of the statewide network. DeRon manages digital media activity, conducts workshops and training sessions, and his favorite is getting to meet and write the success stories of Louisiana small business owners and entrepreneurs. Patience is currently the Assistant Coordinator of Student Life & Spirit Groups at ULM, and the couple are the proud parents of one-year-old Demi Lee.

DeRon insists, “ULM is family to me. Coach Lambert, who is like a family member, led me here. I met my wife and discovered myself here.” His daughter attends ULM’s Child Development Center, and his younger brother currently attends the school. This campus and the people he met here helped shape the direction of his life, as he’s now a pastor, business owner and community leader. DeRon is grateful to ULM and the community for embracing him when he needed it, and he is thankful to give back as a dedicated alumnus now.

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.

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BAYOU BU Z Z WO RT H Y >

DELHI COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER GROUNDBREAKING

On Monday, June 10th at 10am, Delhi Hospital hosted a groundbreaking for the new Delhi Community Health Center. The Health Center will be located across the street from the existing hospital on Broadway Street in Delhi, La. Administrator, Mickey Carroll, spoke and thanked the community, board of directors, and everyone involved in making this a reality. Senator Francis Thompson and Major Jesse Washington also spoke at the event. Being built by Womack & Sons Construction, the project is estimated to be finished by fall 2020.

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TRAPPINGS GRAND OPENING WEEK

June 10th kicked off the Grand Opening Week for Trappings - Home of Ruston Florist.

The week long event was a huge success. It was a week of spending time with friends and customers and was filled food, fun and shopping. On Tuesday, June 11th, they hosted their Ribbon Cutting to celebrate Trappings and their future. Door prizes were given away daily which included a $250 Trappings Shopping Spree, a Brighton Handbag, Julie Vos bracelet and matching earrings and more.

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PEGGY SULLIVAN CELEBRATES FLAG DAY

SUNDRESSES AND SEERSUCKERS

On Saturday June 8th, Chateau Rouge on the Bayou hosted a “Sundress and Seersucker� event that was definitely one for the books.

This fun filled night had cigars presented by Governors in Monroe to be purchased. Live music was performed by the one and only Main Event featuring Karen Gant Andrews, that definitely had guests dancing the night away. This event was catered by Russell Sims who provided delicious food for the guests.

CROSS KEYS BANK GRAND OPENING On Thursday, May 30 people came together and celebrated the Cross Keys Bank grand opening in Richland Parish. The day was filled with excitement as they cut the famous red ribbon and celebrated their new location.This was one of many recent signs that Richland Parish is headed towards major growth in the future.

HERONS ON THE BAYOU

State Farm Insurance Agent, Peggy Sullivan, passed out free sno-cones on Friday, June 14th to celebrate National Flag Day. From 2-5pm the State Farm bear greeted guests as they stopped by for their icy treats. Located at 1810 Louisville Ave in the heart of Monroe, Peggy also handed out information about her agency and had a blast serving sno-cones to her community.

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The Herons on the Bayou celebrated their big reveal on Friday, June 14 at Kiroli Park. The event was free to the public and featured live music and sweet treats from local bakeries.

Sponsors of the project include the City of West Monroe, Downtown Arts Alliance, University of Louisiana Monroe, Northeast Louisiana Arts Council, Downtown West Monroe Revitalization Group, West Monroe-West Ouachita Chamber of Commerce and the Monroe Chamber of Commerce.

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Need a Primary Care Provider?

St. Francis Medical Group

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O YOU CURRENTLY HAVE A PRIMARY CARE PROVIDER (PCP)? A doctor or nurse practitioner who knows your medical history and who you can call when the flu strikes or you come in contact with poison ivy?

Your PCP is not just someone to call when you’re not feeling your best. Instead, they serve as the gatekeeper of your health; someone who can not only get you feeling better, but help you stay healthier, longer.

• General examination of eyes, ears, throat, lymph nodes, lungs, heart, abdomen, liver, spleen and neurologic function.

Most importantly, your PCP should always provide time to talk and answer your questions.

It’s never too late to establish a new PCP and we are here to help.

Visit stfran.com or call one of our friendly clinics today to start your journey to a healthier you.

Why should you have a PCP?

A PCP helps you navigate through the healthcare jungle. They can help you understand your health and health concerns, as well as screen for issues such as high cholesterol and depression. Your PCP is someone who understands your health history, and can help control chronic illnesses and monitor for new problems.

Our primary care clinics are conveniently located in several Northeast Louisiana communities and now offer online scheduling and video visits for patient convenience: St. Francis Primary Care Clinic , Missy McNabb, APRN-FNP-C 312 Grammont Street, Suite 404, Monroe St. Francis Primary Care Clinic, Charles Morgan, MD and Amy Pruden, APRN, FNP-C, 1506 Royal Avenue, Monroe St. Francis Primary Care Clinic, Ronald C. Hubbard, MD, Darshan Patel, MD, Courtney Weston, APRN,FNP-C and Steffani Chance, APRN, FNP-C, 2600 Tower Drive, Suite 309, Monroe St. Francis Primary Care Clinic Cynthia “Sam” Pippins, APRN, FNP-C 202 Highway 80 East, Calhoun St. Francis Primary Care Clinic Greg Green, MD and Mary Kathryn Edwards, APRN, FNP-C, 2600 Tower Drive, Suite 106, Monroe St. Francis Primary Care Clinic Alyce Adams, MD 3106 Cypress Street, West Monroe St. Francis Primary Care Clinic Bobby Ensminger, MD and Kristin Anderson, APRN, FNP-C 1200 Celebrity Drive, Ruston St. Francis Primary Care Clinic Richard D. Smith, Jr., MD 3510 Magnolia Cove, Suite 120, Monroe St. Francis Primary Care Clinic Candace Worsham, DO and Katie Cantrell, APRN, FNP-C 8950 Highway 165 North, Suite 2, Sterlington St. Francis Primary Care Clinic Tanasha Varino, APRN, FNP-C 516 Lincoln Road, Monroe St. Francis Primary Care Clinic Clyde E. Elliott, MD, Brian Moore, APRN, FNP, and Katie Womack, APRN, FNP-C 200 Professional Drive, West Monroe.

Most providers are accepting new patients and most insurances are accepted. For more information visit stfran.com.

How often should you see your PCP?

In order to best manage your health, you should visit your PCP at least once a year, but some diagnoses may call for more frequent visits.

Your PCP will confirm that information with you.

What screenings can a PCP provide?

Your PCP can screen for many health concerns and help you understand those results. Some screenings include: • Arthritis • Cholesterol • Asthma • COPD • Blood pressure • Depression • Cancer screening measures • Diabetes What should patients expect from a PCP appointment?

At your first appointment with a new PCP, your physician will usually perform a full physical exam and discuss your complete medical history.

For men, a physical exam usually includes: • Height, weight, blood pressure, pulse and temperature measurement • General examination of eyes, ears, throat, lymph nodes, lungs, heart, abdomen, liver, spleen and neurologic function • For men under 40, a hernia check and testicular exam • For men over 40, a rectal exam.

For women, a physical exam usually includes: • Height, weight, blood pressure, pulse and temperature measurement

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SUMMER PICNIC

Summer is a time to enjoy soaking up the sun and spending time with family. Make a fun family moment by planning an outdoor picnic. It may seem like a daunting task on a long to-do list, but it is no more difficult than planning a meal at home. For our BayouLife summer picnic, Taylor Bennett picked up a wicker and leather bag and packed it with an arugula, spinach and pecan salad with homemade balsamic vinaigrette dressing, BLT sandwiches, cherries and homemade potato chips. Our picnic included backyard tic-tac-toe, disposable wooden cutlery along with our favorite books and magazines.

P H O T O G R A P H B Y K E L LY M O O R E C L A R K

Cedar Creek

What A Cedar Creek Graduate Looks Like

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FTER THE LAST ANATOMY QUIZ IS TAKEN, AFTER THE last pitch is thrown and the last musical is sung, what do you have when you graduate from Cedar Creek School? What comes from a Cedar Creek education? What does a Cedar Creek graduate look like?

For starters, our comprehensive curriculum plays a large part in forming a graduate. From Pre-Kindergarten through the 12th grade, our highly trained teachers work as a cohesive team to ensure students are prepared for their post-secondary lives.

For the great majority of our students, that translates to attending a four-year institution, and the overwhelming majority of those who choose in-state schools do so with the benefit of TOPS.

Since 2015, Cedar Creek students have earned nearly $25 million in scholarship offers.

Their exceptional standardized test scores also contribute to being accepted into some of best universities in the nation, such as Baylor, New York University, Yale University, University of Pennsylvania, Dartmouth, Columbia, University of Chicago, University of Notre Dame, Northwestern University, Southern Methodist University, Belmont and Vassar College.

To paint further the portrait of a Cedar Creek graduate, look at what has been achieved by the extraordinary number of students who earned Advanced Placement Scholar Awards for their outstanding performance on the college-level exams.

In 2017-18, 20 of our students and graduates were named AP Scholars, which is a national recognition of their exemplary accomplishments.

A school of our size achieving this number of recognitions is quite noteworthy and speaks to our students’ diligence and faculty’s dedication to academic excellence.

Our graduates have also accomplished much academically outside the classroom. They have been accepted to some of the top programs that engage students in a variety of experiences, such as the United States Senate Youth Program, the Louisiana Youth Advisory Council and the American College of Cardiology.

It’s not all about academics, either. Community service is a cornerstone of a Cedar Creek graduate. Students clock in countless hours serving others. The classes of 2015-2019 performed more than 20,000 hours of volunteer service. Several of our students have been recognized regionally and nationally for their extraordinary work in the community.

Cougar graduates can also measure their successes in athletic and other extracurricular endeavors. Numerous state championships in recent years (softball, cross country, and track and field), 15 straight 28 JULY 2019 | WWW.BAYOULIFEMAG.COM

years of finishing first in the district Literary Rally, and a multitude of exceptional performances in regional theater by our students are just a few examples.

Cedar Creek strives to mold students who • embrace a strong work ethic, which means they are willing to do what is necessary to get the job done, employing few excuses to hinder progress.

• realize their God-given gifts and work diligently to ensure those gifts are used to the fullest extent.

• value a healthy lifestyle, embracing a range of interests such as the arts and athletics as well as academics.

• are well-spoken and articulate communicators, as well as possess confident interpersonal skills.

• adapt easily to diverse environments and cultures.

• use the technological tools of today in a way that enhances the learning experience.

• are problem-solvers; i.e., they approach problems critically and ask probing questions. They do not settle for the easy answers and demonstrate an ability to persevere in the face of difficulty.

• embrace the foundations of our country and value their rights, privileges and responsibilities.

• are collaborative, understanding that each brings different gifts to this world and accept and celebrate those gifts.

• recognize that there are always those who are less fortunate, and that we are called to seek them out and contribute to a greater good for all.

All of these characteristics don’t just form at school, though. Cedar Creek realizes it’s in a partnership with parents. We ensure that we have a meaningful and consistent level of communication with our Cedar Creek family to facilitate this partnership.

Our faculty also realizes that no two students are alike and possess different learning styles. To facilitate those various styles, we work to present lessons in a variety of methods to both challenge and inspire students. Throughout their academic careers, students are motivated to cultivate a love of learning in a nurturing environment.

What this dedication to learning equates to is a graduate who will not only survive but thrive in the post-secondary world.

Cedar Creek School seeks to provide a superior college preparatory educational experience to students in North Central Louisiana based on the highest standards of academic excellence and personal conduct.

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art & architecture The relationship between an artist’s personal history and his or her work is difficult to discern without knowing something about that history, but one thing is certain. Each piece will reflect the artist’s unique experience and perspective. Nineteenth-century clergyman Henry Ward Beecher once said, “Every artist dips his brush in his own soul and paints his own nature into his pictures.”

Whether this translation happens consciously or through flares of insight and intuition, the resulting work literally contains parts of the artist. According to artist Tim Hayes, “Artists are who they are, and they paint the way they paint because of that.”

A retired architect, Hayes taught architecture at his alma mater Louisiana Tech University for nearly 30 years, but he discovered painting long before becoming a professor. While studying architecture in the 70s, one of his professors taught a watercolor B AYO U A R T I S T class. In that class, Hayes discovered that watercolor was a difficult, unforgiving medium, but he also learned a lot about pure design and hard work. He carried those lessons throughout his career in architecture and as a painter. “Slowly but surely,” he said, “I found the medium for me—hard board and acrylic. I can sort of manhandle that, and the process of doing it creates a wonderful character.” Hayes has been working with Tim Hayes discovered painting long before becoming acrylic on board using the same process an architect. In the structure and organization of his since 1998, and his goal for each painting work, viewers can see the connection to architecture. is to create a work with clear character and meaning.

ART I C L E BY A PR IL CL A R K H ON A KE R With his extensive background in P HOTOG R APH Y BY KE L LY MOOR E CL A R K architecture and design, Hayes is equipped with a unique knowledge base that inevitably plays a role in his work. Hayes believes there is a synergistic relationship between all forms of art, and he’s continually fascinated by the relationship between visual art and architecture. Although he didn’t realize his love for either until he was in college, the seeds of that love were planted when he was just a child. Born in McComb, Mississippi, Hayes spent his early childhood in the Deep South, but at the age of seven, he found himself boarding the S.S. President Wilson bound for Vietnam where his parents served as missionaries until the conditions of war made life too unsafe.

Initially, the Hayes family lived in Saigon, which is now Ho Chi Minh City. Approximately 300 other Americans lived in the country at the time, and from 3rd through 6th grade, Hayes, along with his brother, attended the American Community School. Although some Vietnamese children attended the school, the student body was composed mostly of children of American diplomats and expatriates who worked for big corporations operating in Saigon. Approximately four years after settling in Vietnam, the Hayes family moved to Da Lat, Vietnam, where they lived in a beautiful resort created by the French. In the meantime, war tensions continued to rise, and in February 1965, President Johnson ordered all dependents of government personnel out of Vietnam. A few months later, the Da Lat School, which the Hayes brothers were attending, was forced to evacuate Vietnam to assure the children’s safety.

Beyond the Form

When the Da Lat School closed in Vietnam, it was temporarily moved to Bangkok, Thailand. As a result, Hayes and his brother were moved to Bangkok, as well. Although his parents, who remained behind with his younger sister, never seemed scared or worried, Hayes said being transported by the U.S. Army on a C-123 was scary. Even his brother’s best efforts to comfort him were unsuccessful. “I felt like a paratrooper getting ready to jump,” Hayes said.

After moving to Bangkok, the Hayes brothers changed schools more than once, attending the International School of Bangkok and Morrison Academy in Taichung, Taiwan. While attending the International School, they lived in a hostel for Southern Baptist missionary children that was located right on the canal.

During his family’s time overseas, the world around Hayes was quietly making a lasting impression on him. They lived in and were surrounded by both modernist and French colonial architecture. “We lived in some really wonderful houses,” Hayes said. Some were really complex in terms of form and shape. “I feel I had a reaction to it, and it’s always been somewhere in my bones,” he said. In addition to the architecture, Hayes has memories of breathtaking scenery, particularly a drive through the mountains from Saigon to Da Lat that his family took in the early 60s before the roads were overrun with Army trucks.

From the windows of their Volkswagen microbus, Hayes watched in awe as they glided in and out of the clouds.

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Growing up there, Hayes took everything in. The culture, landscape, and architecture became part of who he is, and viewers can see their influence in the many layers of his paintings, in the grids that echo the modular spaces of his childhood, and in the bicycle motifs that recall the Saigon streets, which swarmed with them.

After spending more than 10 years overseas, Hayes’s family returned to the U.S., allowing him to finish high school in Louisiana.

However, Asian culture had become so ingrained that on the trip back to the U.S. Hayes found it a bit strange to see Caucasian men working under the planes. The change in culture was dramatic, and he said, “It was weird to try to adapt,” but he did.

After graduating from Airline High School in Bossier City, Louisiana, Hayes briefly attended Northwestern State University in Natchitoches before transferring to Louisiana Tech with his girlfriend Martha, who later became his wife. It was at Louisiana Tech where his lasting passion for architecture and painting truly developed. “At their highest ideal,” he believes, “these two art forms speak the same language.” There is similarity both in the disorder of the process and in the benchmarks of clarity and meaning that define success in both fields. According to Hayes, they’re both equally fulfilling, but painting is more difficult. For Hayes, the process of creation is a struggle that borders on torture at times. “It can be really hard, but you just have to stick with it,” he said.

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hile planning is a key step in architecture, Hayes said he doesn’t plan anything when he paints. “It’s flying by the seat of your pants,” he said, “at least for me.” At the same time, there is a process of revision inherent to both art forms, and Hayes takes revision seriously. His former colleague Karl Puljak said, “From building elements as small as a drawer pull to as large as his studio, Hayes voraciously questions the spaces in which he lives and works by proactively responding to their existing conditions with a passion of a consummate maker. Everything in his house is on the table and subject to be reconsidered, remade and attacked with zeal…even his own previous renovations.”

He approaches his paintings with the same energy and perspective.

The process is recursive, and every layer is continually evolving. It is subject to be changed, painted over, drawn on, or carved into at any stage. In his artist statement, Hayes described his process this way: “Through indecision and dissatisfaction, the design is parsed down to the essential. Begin, stop, erase, rethink, redo, remove, question, begin again, alter, erase, remove . . . always simplifying and honing.”

Everything in a painting, even its title, which he considers really important, may be revised.

Even though this process is hard, Hayes said, “It happens “Through indecision naturally. You don’t have to force it.” In the end, the layers and dissatisfaction, the can create surprises, and they design is parsed down to can change the order and the essential. Begin, stop, organization of the painting.

From the beginning, Hayes erase, rethink, redo, remove, has been conscious of the question, begin again, alter, painting surface and the character that can be created erase, remove . . . always from that. He likes the fact simplifying and honing.” viewers can see the history of the work in its layers. “It’s ~ T I M H AY E S , like an old person,” he said.

DESCRIBING HIS PROCESS “They have so many stories.”

Although his work has grown less representational over time, Hayes is not entirely comfortable calling it abstract. The category is too broad and encompasses too much. Plus, he’s not satisfied with some of the associations people have for the word “abstract” or with some of the company his work keeps in that style. But for now, he can’t think of a better word to describe it. Perhaps there isn’t one. But Hayes shared that his work has at times been compared to the work of Richard Diebenkorn whose geometric, lyrical abstract paintings helped him achieve worldwide recognition. Hayes described Diebenkorn’s style as poetic and architectural, and he counts Diebenkorn among his influences. At the same time, he wasn’t even aware of Diebenkorn’s work until someone made the comparison to his own. At least initially, the similarity was serendipitous.

As Hayes’s work has grown less representational, it’s also grown more bright and colorful. In addition, he’s become more conscious of the order and organization of his work, but he said, “That’s just the device to help you get where you’re going—it’s a vehicle.” In the structure and organization of his work, viewers can also see the connection to architecture. After retiring from Louisiana Tech, Tim and his wife moved into a new home he designed himself. When looking at the home from the outside, the numerous horizontal and perpendicular lines make an impression. In his paintings, these lines become the graphic and organizational devices that help deliver the meaning.

In creating his recent work, Hayes said he derives inspiration not from objects but instead from the challenge of trying to find and create something new and powerful. With each piece, he asks himself, “What

ART

FROM TOP TO BOTTOM: Good Earth #2, Acrylic paint on hardboard, 48x48; Blue Birds For Dottie Mae, Acrylic paint on hardboard, 12x12; The Crew Looks Up, The Crew Looks Down, Acrylic paint, Fabric, Paper on hardboard, 12x12; Baxter’s Nightmare, Acrylic paint on hardboard, 24x24

B AYO U A R T I S T are you capable of doing?” Then inspiration happens in the process of doing it—in the process of watching the work alter and change. “It’s hard work,” he said, “but you’re compelled to do it. Just like I was compelled to build this house. Just like everyone is compelled to do something.”

According to Hayes, one of the greatest lessons he’s learned as an artist is that consistent hard work pays off. “There’s no big revelation in that,” he said, but it’s been an important lesson nonetheless. He referenced a book by Malcom Gladwell called Outliers in which Gladwell argues that it takes 10,000 hours of practice to become an expert at something. “I don’t think I’m there yet,” Hayes said, “I think I have a long way to go.” At the same time, he’s proud of the work he’s accomplished and is now more conscious of how people respond to it. “What I’ve recently discovered,” Tim said, “is that it becomes really interesting what people read into your painting.” They bring their own experience and perspective to the painting, and it can become something unexpected. Along the way, feedback from friends, family, and other artists has provided Hayes with some encouragement and reassurance that the work he’s creating is worth it. “When you get a compliment from someone you really respect, you think, ‘Man, I’ve arrived,’” he said.

For some artists, letting go of work they’ve poured themselves into can be painful. The same is true for Hayes who compared it to losing a cherished pet. “When you sell a painting you really like, it’s like someone is taking one of your dogs away,” he said. Of course, selling work is a basic requirement for any professional artist. Fortunately, there is some joy in seeing others respond to the work. Hayes hopes to create something that triggers an emotion. “Hopefully, in every piece, there’s something beyond the form,” he said, “something latent that’s hidden within, a secret you see for yourself.”

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Historical Impressions

T H E P E O P L E R E S P O N S I B L E F O R O U R H O L I D AY

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few years ago, I wrote some words for another purpose that I want to share again in slightly modified form as we honor the 243rd anniversary of our Declaration of Independence from the English Crown. As Americans we enjoy the festivities of the 4th of July holiday with friends and family but it is important to remember not only what the day commemorates but who is responsible for our continuing ability to celebrate this special day.

One of the Founding Fathers of the United States, Thomas Paine, gave both insight and a warning to all future Americans. Paine wrote “Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must undergo the fatigue of supporting it.” No one has borne the burden and experienced the fatigue of supporting freedom more than our military veterans. It is our American veterans who have undertaken the almost incomprehensible task of agreeing to wage war in order to bring about peace. To help a non-veteran understand what I mean, I can only turn to another quote; a quote from an anonymous source that was first made around the time of World War I; but a quote that is well known to those who have served in uniform.

“A veteran is someone who, at one point in their life wrote a blank check made payable to ‘The United States of America,’ for an amount ‘up to and including my life.’”

From the time of the Revolution through the present day, millions of Americans have fought and died on battlefields here and abroad to defend our freedoms and way of life.

Our troops today continue to follow the call of duty, and even as some make the ultimate sacrifice, more Americans remain ready to step forward to say “I’m here to serve.” The men and women who step forward today are following in the footsteps of generations of fine Americans.

From the first shots fired at Lexington and Concord which began our Revolutionary War, through the current conflicts in far off places around the globe , American men and women have been answering the nation’s call in peace and in war. The men and women who choose to serve our country come from all walks of life. But most of these people share several fundamental qualities; they possessed courage, pride, determination, selflessness, dedication

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to duty and integrity – all the qualities needed to serve a cause larger than one’s self.

Many of our soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines didn’t prefer leaving their homes and families to fight on distant battlefields. Many didn’t even volunteer. They didn’t go to war because they loved fighting and believed there was glory in killing. They were called to be part of something bigger than themselves and the lives they had at home. They were ordinary people who responded in extraordinary ways in extreme times. They rose to the nation’s call because they wanted to protect a nation which has given its citizens so much.

I know the things that I say are true because I am honored and humbled to know many, many people who have served in the United States military; most of whom served during times of war.

My friends will tell you I spent some time in uniform as well, but I’m not writing about me, I am writing about the veterans that I am privileged to know. I’ve never considered myself in the same category as men and women who have served in war, or even those who dedicated their lives to service in peacetime.

But this neither changes nor diminishes what I say about other veterans.

What I will agree applies to me as it does to all veterans is our common background of service to our Nation joins us together like no other bond. The camaraderie shared in military service helps define what a veteran is in his or her heart. I can honestly say the time I spent as a member of the United States Marine Corps has made more impact on my life than almost anything else I have experienced. Although I was in the Corps but a few years, and that was many decades ago, what I learned from others about duty and honor, and what I learned about myself, will stay with me and define me until the day I die. I know this is the same for all veterans.

May God bless our veterans one and all for bearing the fatigue of supporting our freedom. May all Americans bless our veterans for giving us the opportunity and privilege to celebrate the 4th of July each year.

BY GUY MILLER Vice Chair-Chennault Aviation and Military Museum

Slay the Summer at Rain Local Salon Offers Products, Tools and Services

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UMMER IS OFFICIALLY HERE AND THE LIVIN’ IS EASY… and your beauty routine should be too! Rain the Salon and Day Spa is the best place to find the latest products and tools to help you slay the summer. From hair and body products to cosmetics and tools, here is the must have list of products for the summer.

REAL. SOAPS This line of soaps are great to keep your skin clean and cool for summer. Rain carries this line of soaps made from a blend of pure essential oils and doesn’t use any dyes, preservatives or artificial ingredients. They are cruelty free and handmade without any palm oil, sulfates, Parabens or phthalates. Every product they make is crafted, poured, cut and packaged in small batches and by hand. Some favorites include Bliss, Rosemary Eucalyptus and Naked.

LAVENDER MINT MOISTURE MILK Paul Mitchell just introduced an entire line of lavender mint products, which is ideal for coarse, curly and dry hair, because it nourishes strands and helps fight frizz. Infused with hydrating ingredients, this hair care regimen provides essential moisture to help tame waves, curls and coils, and leaves textured hair healthy and conditioned. Calming lavender and mint extracts put the mind at ease. The Moisture Milk gives curls the daily hydration and frizz control they need with this milky leave-in conditioner. The non-greasy formula nourishes wavy, curly and coily hair with monoi, pequi and jojoba oils. It adds layerable moisture, shine and definition to protect strands. Infused with pampering lavender, peppermint and tea tree oil, the spa-like Lavender Mint fragrance indulges the senses and relaxes mind and spirit for a soothing aromatherapy experience.

SMITH & CULT POLISH - PALACE IN WONDERLAND Rain carries a plethora of polish colors from Smith & Cult, providing pigmentation to match your personality. From shapeshifting primers to endless glitter, their high-tech formulas and ingredients deliver unrivaled performance. This polish delivers even coverage and brilliant shine and is chip-resistant. Palace in Wonderland is a metallic fuchsia pink giving your nails a pop of summer color.

SUTRA STYLING WAND The Sutra Beauty Styling Wand is one of the most advanced and versatile heat styling tools on the market 38 JULY 2019 | WWW.BAYOULIFEMAG.COM

today. It’s safe to use on all hair types and textures, so you can use it to make gorgeous beach waves and bouncy curls or even to straighten hair. Simply place the hair flat into the slot and smooth or swirl as desired. The pure tourmaline floating plates and ionic technology allow the styling wand to rapidly heat up to 450 degrees, with four adjustable temperatures that you control. Extended edges give you even more control, and the floating plates avoid creasing and tugging, creating hassle-free styles that last. The 360 degree swivel cord provides wrist comfort and tangle-free styling for beauty enthusiasts and hair styling professionals alike. With its dual voltage power supply and compact design, you can take the Sutra Beauty Styling Wand anywhere, and create a wide range of styles with a single tool.

ULTIMATE FACE DUO TONE POWDER This opaque mineral pressed powder is a great way to create a summer glow. It is fragrance and oil free and can be used as a finishing powder. You can use as a toning powder to give extra warmth and glow. Its undertones of yellow and yellow-orange provide warmth and tone. So even if you aren’t relaxing by the pool this summer, you can glow like you are!

ORIBE HAIR AND BODY OIL Rain exclusively carries Oribe products and one of the summer favs is the Côte d’Azur Luminous Hair and Body oil, a luxuriously sheer fragranced oil with Oribe’s signature scent. Calabrian bergamot, white butterfly jasmine and sandalwood delicately scent hair and skin, while a restorative blend of nourishing oils, including sweet almond, meadowfoam and starflower, impart a satin glow and silk-finish softness. It locks in moisture to hydrate, smooth and soften your summer skin.

Not only can you find the best products and tools at Rain, you can find the best services. Rain is proud to be voted Best Eyelash and Best Waxing in the 2019 Bayou Buzz Awards! Hillary Dans specializes in facial waxing, as well as bikini, arms, legs, chest and back. Both Hillary and Allison Hunt offer Eyelash Extensions and Eyelash Lift and Tint.

Whether you are looking to the latest products, tools or services, Rain the Salon and Day Spa has everything you need to slay the summer!

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YOUR

VOICE

MATTERS

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article by Laura W. Clark

once attended a meeting expecting a fairly heated debate regarding a proposed policy that several managers disliked.

During the actual meeting, I listened to the debate and quickly noticed that few of my female colleagues spoke out against the issue. This floored me because many of them had confided in me during the days leading up to the meeting. After the meeting concluded, I asked a particularly passionate colleague why she remained silent during the discussion. She immediately responded in a defeated tone: “I didn’t think I had the expertise to offer a solution, so I felt it was best to not say anything at the risk of sounding ignorant.”

I immediately empathized with my friend. My mind flooded with several similar instances I had experienced during meetings in which I later regretted not articulating my thoughts. Apparently, I am not alone. The Harvard Business Review published a 2014 study that revealed women felt “alone, unsupported, outside their comfort zones, and unable to advocate forcefully for their perspectives in many high-level meetings.” I offer the below tips to help equip you before your next meeting, whether it be a one-on-one with your boss, a large departmental meeting, or a volunteer advisory board gathering.

1. Do your homework. You do not need to spend hours researching information before your meeting, but you should be armed with enough relevant data so that you can speak coherently on the topic.

The act of preparation will also ensure you feel more confident during the meeting. Review any materials e-mailed to participants before the meeting, and jot down your ideas. Note any questions you may have as well. Questions illustrate your interest and often lead to a solution.

2. Voice your ideas based on your unique experience and perspective, not just your direct expertise. If you work in human resources, you are still qualified to offer advice on an issue facing the financial department. Elaborate on your opinions and include an anecdote that illustrates your understanding of the issue.

3. Avoid apologetic language. Do not begin your response with, “I just think that…” Instead, start strong with an emphatic, “I strongly suggest…” Remember that you have earned your place at the table, and there is no need to soften your message by using apologetic language or downplaying your expertise and experience.

4. Always ask to be included in the agenda. I cannot count the number of times I chose not to be on the agenda because I deemed my issues not important enough to be included. A meeting is a great opportunity to highlight your accomplishments and communicate what you have

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been contributing to the company. It is important for your colleagues and supervisors to have an active understanding of your role within the company.

5. Do not multi-task during a meeting. Avoid looking at your phone or laptop, even if others are doing so. This immediately signals to others that you are not paying attention and that you are disengaged. While it sounds counterintuitive, do not take scrupulous notes during the meeting because you will be viewed as a junior team member. Taking a few notes relevant to your area is fine, but remember to remain engaged, make eye contact with others, and voice your opinions as much as possible.

6. Ask yourself, why are you attending this meeting? Remind yourself why you care about your role and your company. When you are committed to your job, you feel a deeper sense of purpose, which increases your confidence. Thinking about these things helps you reframe the notion that you are “showing off” by speaking in the meeting. Instead, you are expressing your opinion because you care about the topic. And, revealing your passion for your organization’s success builds your credibility.

7. Remember to pause and take deep breaths before speaking. You will feel calmer and more confident, and your voice will actually sound stronger. Allow yourself to pause between thoughts. Doing this ensures you will not fill the silence with filler words and phrases such as “um” or “sort of.”

8. Understand when your contributions might be more effective in a one-on-one conversation. One of the best mentors I ever had believed in the old adage, “Praise in public, criticize in private.” Her philosophy caused me to carefully consider my words. Would my comments simply embarrass someone? If so, the answer regarding whether or not to publicly share was clear. If you are unsure, it is best to mitigate any potential embarrassment and share your thoughts privately.

Laura W. Clark, owner of Vivian’s Voice, LLC, a communications consulting company, can be reached at findyours@viviansvoice.com

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Lemon Cheesecake Tarts Ingredients: 2 sheets refridgerated pie crust 1 10 oz jar lemon curd (may substitute lemon pudding) Filling: 1 pkg (8oz) cream cheese softened 1 tsp. vanilla 1 container (8oz) cool whip 1 cup fresh blueberries confectioners sugar

Preheat oven to 450Âş. Cut 3 inch circles from both sheets of pie crust. Press into bottom and part way up sides of uncreased muffin cups. Prick bottoms with fork. Bake until light brown, 5-7 minutes. Remove from pan and cool.

Beat Cream cheese and vanilla. Beat in 1/4 c lemon curd (or pudding).

Fold in 1/3 cool whip, then fold in remaining cool whip.

Spoon 2 Tbs filling into each tart shell. Top each with 1 tsp lemon curd (or pudding). Top with blueberries - refrigerate until serving. Dust with confectioners sugar.

recipe by Evelyn O’Neal and photo by Kelly Moore Clark

D

FIND YOUR FLOW

by ERIN SHARPLIN LOVE | erinlove@panachebyerin.com

o you know what it means to “find your flow” or be “in the flow” of life? I believe that it is a space – or moment in time - where you are truly happy and fulfilled with every aspect of who you are and what you are doing. For instance, when I am in flow, I feel rejuvenated, excited and optimistic about the things to come. During these times I can come up with (and implement) great ideas that will propel me forward in my career and in my home life. No job or goal feels too large or overwhelming, and I can get things done!

Needless to say, I love finding my flow and I try to stay in it as long as possible. So, have or ever been “in flow” or are you in it right now?

If not, I am here to help you find it and you can thank me later!

STEP ONE: Recall the last time you were in your “sweet spot.” How did you feel? What were you doing? What time of the day did it begin and end? Did it last several days to weeks or mere hours? If you have never been in an optimum place, this is your time to use your visualization skills and actually imagine yourself there. Then you can answer the same questions above. The answers to these questions are important because they will help you to replicate the flow experience. After all, you have to know where you are going in order to get there!

STEP TWO: Work on fighting distractions.

When you are in flow, you are so focused that you are not easily distracted. However, this is a learned skill. You have to become mindful of the distractions and then let them be. Do not entertain them during your most important tasks, and you will be able to hang in there longer. The good news is that once a task is

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completed while you are so focused, the easier it is to move onto the next task and actually complete it. Flow is a compounding state. The more you flow, the more you flow! This good place can be almost perpetual if you practice it enough.

STEP THREE: Make sure that you enjoy what you are doing. Unfortunately, this is a KEY part of getting in or being in flow. You have to love what you are doing or you will never reach flow. So if you are currently in a job or situation that you do not love, change it now. As stated above, being “in flow” makes you feel happy and creative but your situation has to lend itself in that direction before it can occur.

STEP FOUR: Create a space that inspires change and new ideas. You should have an organized and clean space that is full of things that inspire you – books, pictures, pets, etc. All of these things will remind you of the task at hand and will contribute to keeping you in or getting you in flow. Think about it, can you concentrate in chaos and disarray? I bet not.

Do you feel more alive when you are reading a good book and have your kitty in your lap?

I do! I also keep a notebook and pens near my workspace so I can jot down ideas as they come into my mind.

STEP FIVE: Schedule the time. When are you at your best? Early morning? Late night?

Or somewhere in between? To find your flow you MUST know your best times of the day and then schedule tasks accordingly. Be sure to schedule thinking time and reading time, too. It is imperative that you do things that inspire you and make you feel alive. What does that look like for you? For me, I feel alive and excited when I am reading, playing with my

kids, decorating, and organizing. I make sure to include at least one of these activities into my every day.

STEP SIX: Do something that scares you every day. I know you have heard this advice before, but did you take it? Do you do one thing every day that scares you or pushes you out of your comfort zone? I may not fit something into every single day, but I certainly look for ways to do this multiple times per week.

Some ideas include – trying a new restaurant, going to a networking meeting, reaching out to a potential client that you have never met, posting a less than flattering picture of yourself on social media, etc. The ideas are endless!

STEP SEVEN: Include gratitude. To stay in flow you must begin to notice the things that you are grateful for. Make it a ritual to think of two to three things that you are grateful for every night before going to bed. What happened to you today that made you happy, for instance? The bird that visited your garden?

The smile your daughter gave you after bath time? The friend who called just to say “hi?”

There are plenty of things to be grateful for and when you begin to call attention to them and notice them, they will multiply and so will your state of flow.

STEP EIGHT: Reap the rewards! Now that you are in flow, you can reap the rewards.

You will feel happier and you will get more done than you ever thought possible. You are the only one who can stall your flow. Will you let that happen? I hope not.

If you ever get out of flow and need help getting back in, please email me. I can help with just a few suggested adjustments to your schedule and/or your environment.

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Cathi French Roberts & Lori French

Loving the Ruined

W

e adore all things chipped, a little worn and just a bit old and used. Things that are falling apart have an appeal that shiny and new cannot replace. There is nothing more gorgeous than patina lived-in leather or the simple beauty of faded vintage fabric. Sometimes a little dent or or a bit nicked just means that a life has been lived and a story is there to share. Let’s remember that all things perfect are not the goal in our homes, instead, let’s focus on all things loved.

Handmade pieces whether worn on our body or just displayed in our living rooms, can evoke a sense of comfort that store bought “shiny” can never replace. Try looking on your vacation this summer for fabrics or materials that appeal to you. Think outside the box and search for pillow covers, fabric panels, dish cloths anything that might be handmade that you can use in a new way. Cover a footstool, sew an arm chair cover or maybe frame a piece of vintage torn wallpaper. There are so many ways to give new life to antique or one of a kind textiles that make them truly one of a kind.

Aged or worn pottery is a sought after commodity by many garden enthusiasts. “Old stuff” to some means toss, but to many of us it means aged perfection. When looking at an object that has so many unspoken stories from its former life, it seems exciting to be able to share a part of its history. Vintage tea cup broken? Give it a new visual in your home or garden by nestling it in a potted herb or succulent plant. Instead of using bark or mulch in your larger pots, arrange pieces of hand-painted porcelain collected throughout the years that you don’t use. Use them and enjoy them in a new way. The colors from these dishes and ginger jars and chargers are a magnificent addition to your garden landscape.

If you come across an ornamental Victorian bird cage or a simple rustic small cage, re-imagine it’s structure.

Use different base materials like fish bones, snail shells, tree bark (favorites of a magical artist, Tony Duquette) and transfer them into a cage with a variety of plantings. Many times you will find an architecture element like a cornice or concrete bust or base of a plant stand. Look at how you can you can provide movement and spontaneity and a new life of beauty to these treasures. Loving the ruined is so easy! You are breathing new life into your world by reinventing what is many times considered old, worn-out or ruined. Open your eyes to view and enjoy all those the diamonds in the rough.

FOR YOUR OWN FRENCH TWIST CONSULTATION, CALL CATHI AND LORI AT 318-355-3041 46 JULY 2019 | WWW.BAYOULIFEMAG.COM

a r t i c l e

b y

Va n e l i s

R i v e r a

a n d

p h o t o g r a p h y

b y

A n d r e w

B a i l e y

WH YS OF T H E WI S E

J

ohn Gleason, drummer and second guitar of the duo Whys of the Wise, believes that wisdom in general is a worthwhile pursuit: “The only way to really gain wisdom is to try to deal with some of the difficult things and ask some tough questions that we don’t know the answers to.”

Initially, when Gleason thought the phrase up, it had negative connotations, but the more he and frontwoman Haidyn Long composed tracks, the more it took on a new life.

Suddenly, the cryptic name fit the band’s message of asking hard questions to seek truth.

A Farmerville native, Long’s musical education began when she was three years old. “My mom said she came in the living room and found me like, I had one of those little baby pianos and I was teaching myself how to play ‘My Country ‘Tis of Thee’ and ‘Nothing But The Blood of Jesus,’ just like random,” recalls Long.

In early high school she was involved in a youth praise band, while also getting her first guitar and self-teaching. “I was super, super shy. And I would never play guitar in front of anybody, I would never sing in front of anybody. And then finally, I guess, being in that praise band really helped kind of break those barriers down,” she says. Like Long, Gleason also grew up around music. He played a “little bit of whatever,” but he found himself needing to switch from bass to drumming because nobody needed a bass player. To improve, he turned to what he claims is the “single biggest thing” developmentally in drums—the multiplayer phenomenon, Rock Band! He played the game so much in college that when he finally switched to a real set the transition was seamless: “I was like, Oh my gosh, I kind of know how to play. I’m actually pretty good at this.”

The duo’s path converged at the First Baptist Church Farmerville via the youth praise band. In that time, Long started dabbling in songwriting where her confidence steadily peaked.

Gleason would help lead worship with Long occasionally, which advanced into playing and messing with tunes after practice where they shared ideas back and forth until they had a first song. “Okay” was written by Long and appropriately begins with a question: To make it on your own makes you resilient, right? The song-andrap track is reminiscent of the hip-hopera genre in contemporary musicals and was so well received in its first performance at the Wesley’s creative art festival that it solidified Long and Gleason’s music collaboration. Though Long had been writing songs solo, it wasn’t until she attended a Twenty One Pilots concert that she decided to challenge herself lyrically. “I’ve never dabbled in that side of songwriting,” says Long, referring to digging into “deeper

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things.” She was used to worship music and creating worshipful and authentic songs, but they were “put together and pretty.” After the concert, she started jotting down ideas and came back with the intention of writing about the hard things, the kind of stuff that she previously thought nobody would want to hear about. “But whenever I opened that door, it just kind of led to, things that, like all kind of lyrics, I’d never even knew could be possible,” she says.

The initial phases of that exploration was therapeutic for Long, as she wrote about topics that interested her and experiences she went through or had seen others go through: “It almost started from that, almost like poetry, and just writing down things and then somehow performing them into more like a music miracle.” The pair almost never start with a melody or chord progression. The lyrics come first because they want the feel of a song to capture what the lyrics are trying to convey. “There’s some metaphors in the song structures, in the song feels as well,” adds Gleason. For Long, word chaos ends up having a self-evident flow. Most of their lyrics are a collaboration with some lines in the versus belonging to each, which for Gleason is strange and for Long funny, especially when you can tell which line belongs to which songwriter.

At that point, Whys of the Wise had yet to venture outside the Wesley or BCM, until Grandma’s House. For the last three years, Ruston youth have been resurrecting the concept of punk-rock basement shows from the seventies. Predominantly attended by a college crowd, these shows are music-driven, bringing in local and out-of-town acts. Grandma’s House was a by-chance creation when a band had a show date in Arkansas that ended up cancelled while they were halfway there. A Ruston connection introduced the idea of playing a show at a friend’s house. A bunch of people were invited, and after that, others got the idea to take advantage of all the random connections that existed in coinciding circles. At these house shows local bands are usually honored first, but bands from Hattiesburg, southern Louisiana, and Texas have ventured to these exclusive performances. The originator of Grandma’s House, David Love, a friend of Long, asked the band to perform in one of the shows, but he asked that they perform five songs. At the time the band only had four, so Long and Gleason wrote “Detonate” in the span of four to five days. Written mostly by Gleason, it was the fastest song they have thrown together. “I wanted to end with pure chaos,” says Gleason, referring to the crescendo of the song. With Grandma’s House they caught the performance bug they needed to keep booking shows. “I think we played every coffee shop in this town,” laughs Long. They kept doing house shows in Ruston with the most recent played at The Farm, another house-based music venue for people of all ages.

T

hough the band grew a steady footing in the local scene, the doors didn’t fully open until Love, who moved to Nashville to pursue audio engineering, asked them to visit him and record. It was an easy step. It only took them two days to record ten songs, five of which have been published as singles on Spotify. Gleason considers Love an important piece of the band. Love helped in recording, producing, and editing tracks. The plan is to release a split album (side A, side B style) that symbolizes the before and after of their progression. “We have the half that kind of looks at some questions, and then kind of some life experiences before we really started investing in our relations. A story will play out through the lyrics, a play on dark and light, going from obscurity to knowing. The breaking point of that shift, according to Gleason, happens with the song “Detonate.” The upcoming album becomes an amalgam of Long and Gleason, a form of character that reaches an understanding by side B. “That’s the kind of saving point of our character’s story,” says Gleason.

While pretty firmly indie rock, Whys of the Wise holds that whatever they’re currently listening to comes out in their music, such as pop band Imagine Dragons and of course electropop/indiepop band Twenty One Pilots. With vocals that have been compared to Janis Joplin, Joni Mitchell, Gwen Stefani, and Bishop Briggs, Long’s vocal range is the exclamation point on all the songs, an impressive feat for someone who never took vocal lessons. “One of the things I would always do is listen to different artists and almost try to mimic them, like trying to mimic different sounds and the way that they say different words even just try to break apart every little piece and make sense of it. And then somehow it kind of like started forming my own style,” says Long, admitting that even then her voice was still on a higher register, Gleason humors, “Squeaky, squeaky. It was 52 JULY 2019 | WWW.BAYOULIFEMAG.COM

really, really, really high.” Around the time that Whys was kicking into gear, Long began experimenting with her voice, things like yelling or screaming, finding a raspiness that complimented the tone of their songs. “It’s just so funny, like how I was so scared to even try before.

And now I’m not really scared of messing up. I’m just like mess-ups are gonna happen,” explains Long, adding, “I’m not really afraid to do some weird stuff now.”

For a first time listener, the band’s songs merely navigate the difficult tides that come with existence, but their songs are mostly faithbased. They don’t want their music to only connect with Christians, because they don’t want to be pigeonholed into one specific audience.

Their message is for the world, not just a specific group of people.

“Past the faith stuff, we feel like there’s like, just good encouraging messages to work through difficult issues,” says Gleason. The concept of their music is to open up conversations and allow for listeners to press into difficult life ideas and gain some understanding through whatever process they are going through. “We want people to understand what we’re talking about. But we also want people to ask questions, which is kind of the whole point of everything in the first place,” says Long.

Much like the Socratic paradox—a wise man knows he knows nothing—Whys of the Wise believes there is a truth to be found and that it begins with asking wise questions. “The only way you can know what truth is, is to get to the author,” says Gleason. But more than anything, the message they want to send is to not be afraid to ask hard questions because it’s through the process of answering those questions that wisdom is gained, and ultimately, that is the key to being true to yourself.

Listen to Whys of the Wise on Spotify and give them a follow on Instagram.

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ar t i cle b y K enny C o vin g to n CHATTERBAIT What was once a lure manufactured in the garage of Ron Davis, Sr. in Greenwood South Carolina, the Chatterbait, with a lot of hard work, a bit of luck and a few national tournament top finishes, became a national phenomenon. The Chatterbait is another one of those lures that hasn’t lost its staying power after being introduced to the public fifteen years ago. Daytime, nighttime, muddy water, clear water, shallow water or deep water, the Chatterbait catches fish regardless of where it is fished.

Since the introduction of several copycat models of the original Chatterbait, the bladed jig industry is still one of the top selling lures in the fishing world. A few of the lures selling points are that it is easy to fish, even for beginning anglers and it is good for not just bass but other species of fish as well. This lure also gave fishermen a more effective tool when fishing scattered shallow grass.

FISHING

With Kenny

Five Lures That Changed Bass Fishing

I

n bass fishing there is always talk of “the magic bait.” Lures that fish haven’t seen, maybe an older lure that’s been forgotten over a period of time or maybe a lure that even after fish have been exposed to them, will still consistently catch fish. These are the true magic ones.

A good example is the Rapala Shad Rap. When it was first introduced people would pay money to “rent” the lure for a day’s fishing. That’s hard to believe but it actually happened because the Shad Rap was a deadly fish catcher and under the right conditions it still is.

I have often said in bass fishing nothing is really new. Lures are taken back to the drawing board and simply made better than the original. The spinnerbait now isn’t much different than the original spinnerbait. The hardware is better, the hooks better and other overall appearance of the bait is the same. But it still catches fish.

In this month’s article I take a look at a few lures that with their inception, changed the sport of bass fishing but even after the new has worn off, they still will put fish in the boat. That is a high compliment to give a fishing lure. All of the following lures, if you are serious about bass fishing or even if you’re not, should be in your tackle box:

SENKO The deadliest soft plastic ever introduced to the sport of bass fishing, without question, is the Senko. Manufactured by Gary Yamamoto Custom Baits the Senko is the grandfather of all of today’s soft stickbaits on the market. The Yum Dinger, the Tikki Stick, the Strike King Ocho and all others of like design owe their existence to the Yamamoto Senko.

To the eye it isn’t overwhelming but once the Senko is rigged and put into action there isn’t a soft plastic made that is consistently more effective. You can Texas rig it, Carolina rig it, Shakey head, Drop shot, Flip/Pitch or whatever your technique, this lure can be your lure of choice. On any river, lake, stream, or pond that holds bass it will catch fish.

To put the Senko’s demand in perspective, at Yamamoto Custom Baits, one machine runs 24/7 just to produce the green pumpkin/black flake Senko that are sold each year.

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WHOPPER PLOPPER Larry Dahlberg first introduced this lure as a bait for larger freshwater species such as Northern Pike and Muskie. While the lure was being used for these larger fish, anglers would catch bass, very big bass on their fishing trips. Soon after this topwater lure was introduced out west and became one of the secret baits of the western pros because of its ability to catch a larger size bass. Once the lure gained it big fish catching reputation and slowly made its way east, the rest they say is history.

The Whopper Plopper now comes in several different sizes and most anglers have at least one or two laying in their tackle box ready for action. The size 90 is highly regarded as the most popular size and bone being the most popular color.

ALABAMA RIG The Alabama rig came into prominence when Paul Elias used it to win a major tournament on Lake Guntersville in Alabama. The demand for the lure became overwhelming and anglers clamored to buy whatever ones they could find regardless of the cost.

Soon after spin off versions of the Alabama Rig were coming out of the woodworks but regardless of the kind you used, it still caught fish. So well as a matter of fact that some tournament organizations outlawed them in tournament use. I can think of no better compliment to give a lure than to admit it gives anglers an unfair advantage.

One of the spin-offs of the Alabama rig was to introduce much larger versions and smaller versions of the original. The smaller versions are quite manageable and work very well when dressed with smaller swim baits.

SPRO FROG The brain child of Dean Rojas the Spro Frog took frog fishing to a whole new level. Once used for plying thick grass, duckweed and other aquatic vegetation, the Spro Frog allowed anglers to cover all aspects of shallow water fishing with or without grass. The complete line of Spro Frog products has everything from their regular frogs to Poppers, shad/baitfish imitations, junior versions as well as a Baby Frog for ultra-lite enthusiasts.

The beauty of this lure is it minimizes hang ups, is easy to fish, catches numbers of bass and can catch an angler the fish of a lifetime.

Very few lures can put that on their resume’. The Scum Frog and other frog imitations may have cracked the window open, it was the Spro Frog series that blew the door off.

Looking back over the lures I just listed it occurred to me that I have caught bass on each one of these baits in all twelve months of the year.

Sure, the conditions warranted using the lures at the particular time but that still says a lot about their fish catching abilities. Not many lures can do that. That’s why these lures have helped change the sport of bass fishing.

Well it looks like we have run out of space again for another month.

I sure hope we were able to give you some information that will help you catch more fish the next time you are out on the water. Please be careful out on the water, drink plenty of water, and use plenty of sunscreen. Catch one for me and I will see you next month.

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Relax at NELA Dental Services and Tips to Calm the Young and Young at Heart STAY CALM WITH IV SEDATION

NELA Dental believes everyone deserves a healthy smile. For far too long, fear and anxiety have kept people from receiving oral care.

NELA Dental offers a solution; Intravenous Conscious Sedation (aka “IV sedation”). IV Sedation is a procedure in which anti-anxiety medication is administered into the blood system during dental treatment to help patients feel calm and relaxed. NELA Dental is one of the few certified dental practices in the area to offer IV Sedation.

Often times, an otherwise simple solution to a dental problem turns into a serious issue because a patient simply didn’t go to the dentist. IV and other forms of sedation offered at NELA Dental can help eliminate anxiety and save you from a laundry list of problems. Different from your traditional “laughing gas” option, IV Sedation is administered intravenously. IV Sedation works very quickly and dosage levels can be adjusted. Most patients sleep peacefully throughout the appointment.

A rare few will stay awake during the procedure but in either case patients have very little memory of the procedure.

Whether it’s root canal therapy or a routine procedure like a cleaning, IV Sedation is a great option. Often times, sedation allows patients to have multiple procedures completed in one visit.

EASE YOUR CHILD’S FEARS

There are different recommendations for parents regarding when children should visit the dentist for the first time. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that a child should see a dentist by age one or six months after their first tooth appears. Typically, most children will visit the dentist for the first time by age three. It is important for parents to talk with their child’s pediatrician and/or dentist to determine the specific dental needs of each child.

Some experts believe that waiting to take a child to the dentist can escalate fears and anxiety. Let’s face it, even adults can be scared of going to the dentist! No matter if a child is visiting a dentist for the first time or if they have frequent appointments, there is a good chance their nerves will get the best of them. One way to help calm the dentist jitters is to show them what a dentist visit is all about. Bring your child along 58 JULY 2019 | WWW.BAYOULIFEMAG.COM

to your next dentist appointment and let them see mom or dad get an exam. Another recommendation is to allow extra time for that first visit.

This way, the visit is not rushed or chaotic. A stressed or rushed parent can have a negative effect on a child. Also, make sure your child is well rested. A well-rested child is more likely to feel relaxed and comfortable.

CONTACT OUR CARING TEAM Call NELA Dental to schedule your next visit or your child’s checkup and find out is IV sedation is right for you, or find us online.

Our friendly team of dentists is ready to get your child started with good dental habits. We offer flexible appointment times at three convenient locations. Our offices are located in Monroe, Farmerville, and Oak Grove. Our dentists are ready to help guide you and your family to a strong smile and healthy living.

NO INSURANCE? NO PROBLEM!

Our NELA Dental membership plan will make your oral health a priority at an affordable price. Your teeth and gums are directly linked to great overall health. We want our patients to be healthy, laugh, smile, and have the ability to eat. We also want to help patients make dental visits a priority.

We understand unplanned dental expenses are often a surprise.

That is why our plan offers discounts when you need them, allowing you the freedom to focus on other things important to you and your family.

We offer two membership plans to fit your needs. Call NELA Dental or visit our website for more information.

THANK YOU! On behalf of our dentists, we would like to thank all of our wonderful patients, family, and friends who voted NELA Dental as Best Dentist in the 2019 Bayou Buzz Awards! We are proud to provide quality service and dentistry across Northeast Louisiana.

And thank you to our wonderful staff. Your hard work makes it possible to provide the highest quality dental care in the area!

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I REMEMBER when our country was respected a r t i cl e by PAUL L I PE

I REMEMBER when it was acceptable to be proud of the United Furthermore, our nation has given aid to multiple nations States and when one would stand respectfully with his/her hand around the world — wherever there has been a humanitarian need, over his heart when our National Anthem was played or sung – the U.S. has been among the first to respond. And we have acted pride of country and respect for our flag is still my practice. So you with no anticipation of anything in return. So, it is wearisome to can understand my recent consternation when a member of one of me to have to listen to those who are constantly belittling the nation our national athletic teams announced that she would no longer I love. Though I don’t agree with criticisms of our country that sing the anthem. I not only find her attitude repugnant, but I resent emanate from Iran, North Korea, China, or Russia, I can understand the fact that U.S. tax dollars are being used that she may pursue the why they do not like us. But, I am bewildered by how many of pleasure of participating in a sport she loves -- and she is getting to our “would-be” leaders appear to be ashamed of America and of travel all over the world in the process. If she holds our nation in her record in the world. I am not blind to the fact that we are a nation that has its flaws, but those such disdain, the proper action for her flaws are dwarfed by positive traits would be to withdraw from the U.S. that annually attract millions of team. I, personally, would welcome immigrants who seek a better life in her departure, because I find it the U.S. ludicrous for one who is ashamed of God has blessed America and our country to be a representative of has used her to bless others. So it this country. appears to me that, when the U.S. is

Part of the reason for my pride in disparaged and abused, God is also my country is that the United States being slandered because it is He Who has consistently sacrificed selflessly has made America good. I would for the good of other nations. In two caution those who are guilty of such World Wars, our country has come to be careful, for He may grow weary to the defense of those threatened of that kind of behavior. by totalitarian aggressors. And This month, we celebrate the after helping defeat those enemies birth of our nation. While there are of freedom, we generously poured some who refuse to stand for the resources into rebuilding nations that anthem and others who desecrate had been decimated by the brutal “ I AM NOT BLIND TO THE FACT THAT conflict. More recently, we have come WE ARE A NATION THAT HAS ITS FLAWS, our flag, let us never fail to express our patriotism to our nation and our to the defense of those whose liberty BUT THOSE FLAWS ARE DWARFED BY gratitude to our God who has so was threatened in Korea and in the POSITIVE TRAITS...” richly blessed America.

Middle East.

Due to publishing deadlines, I Additionally, l am proud that the U.S. stands between liberty and suppression by Communist am writing this article on Memorial Day, a day set aside to remember assailants. My wife and I were in Berlin shortly after the infamous over one million service men and women who gave their lives in the Iron Curtain was torn down, and the differences we observed defense of our freedom. In view of their ultimate sacrifice, the only between the prosperity in the former Soviet sector and that in the reason I would ever take a knee when our anthem is being played part of Berlin occupied by the U.S. were astounding. Due in large and sung is to thank God for the privilege of having been born in the part to President Reagan’s policies, the wall was torn down and U.S.A. and for the blessing of living in this wonderful land. May Germany was reunified, and now prosperity is visible throughout His benediction continue to be poured out on “the land of the free and the home of the brave.” May God bless America! the whole country.

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Meredith’s Musings Paper Party Hats |

By Meredith McKinnie

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n my twenties, it always felt like my friends were living life while I was waiting on mine to start. They were getting married, having babies, buying bigger houses, taking grownup jobs. I was getting divorced, childless, moving back into my parent’s home, though with a big-girl job. I remember the endless weddings, always the bridesmaid or resentful of not being asked even though the whole ordeal can be a racket. I remember numerous kid birthday parties, with paper party hats and Minnie Mouse-themed two-tiered cakes. “Aunt Meredith” would always bring the good gift, a benefit of having little to no bills. I could splurge on children that weren’t mine. But it was always someone else’s celebration, someone else’s little person, someone else’s life. It was easy to forget I was living mine, even if I didn’t have a Christmas card worth sending.

We tend to define accomplishments in people. She’s married, then she’s on the accepted path. She’s having children, then she’s contributing to society. I felt I didn’t matter until I did the things society tells women they should, as if I was taking up air reserved for those who played by the rules. I now know better. As a result, I resented those reminders of my life not yet happening, other people’s weddings, other people’s child parties. I would lament to friends about the constant reminders. Most of them would give me the pity smile, insist I didn’t have to come. It was selfish of me to complain, but it had never had to be about anyone else. What bothered me was all that mattered to me.

Once married with kids of my own, I still didn’t look forward to kid parties, even though I had kids to take. With a family, our lives only get busier, and while it’s nice being wanted, it seems every weekend has a schedule. For my daughter’s first birthday, I quietly planned a family event. I didn’t want to bother anyone, as I had always felt bothered. My girlfriends weren’t having it. They

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insisted on being a part of my daughter’s day, perhaps because they remember me showing up for theirs. Or perhaps because they know in reality how few there are or how fast it all goes. Just a year in, I’m beginning to learn the adage of time is true. Children are walking reminders of life’s speed; their milestones highlight the realization of our own mortality. And I realized, after the weddings, the kids’ parties, the graduations, then come the funerals, reasons we gather not to celebrate, but to respect a life lived.

Now closer to forty than thirty, I notice the joy in grandparents’ eyes at those same parties I once lamented, the excitement of my mother finding the perfect shower gift or obsessing over the right wrapping paper. Celebrations of life are simply that. And more pointedly, they’re not an acknowledgement of death. Every time I call my 71-year-old father, he’s attending a funeral. Every elderly person I know reads the obituaries religiously. It’s where they find the people they once knew, the people they outlived. They keep watch because the likelihood of a familiar name is too common. The reasons to celebrate become fewer than the reasons to grieve.

They say youth is wasted on the young. The truth is, we just don’t know what we have, how fragile it all is, how quickly it all goes. I’ve learned to celebrate the reasons to celebrate, revel in the goodness and the recognition of the milestones. If I have a baby shower, a tenyear-old’s birthday party and a wedding all in the same weekend, it’s evidence I’m blessed with friends who want me included. Having people who matter with events that matter is worthy of celebration.

I look forward to invitations in the mail, post them proudly on my fridge, stack my Google calendar. I dress my daughter in her fluffiest party dress at any chance to wear one. The celebrations won’t last forever and paper party hats can’t come often enough.

Once in a Blue Moon Cheers to the 50th Anniversary of the Moon Landing

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

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N 1961,WHEN PRESIDENT KENNEDY, JUST A FEW MONTHS into his term in the White House, challenged America to “land a man on the moon and return him safely to Earth,” no one knew how to make it happen. But in true American fashion, they persevered and found a way.

Eager young minds were put to work on the Apollo Mission.

The average age on the mission control team was just 28. They were all recent graduates who had benefitted from President Eisenhower’s National Defense Education Act. The program had been a massive capital investment in the US education system, started in the late 50’s in response to Sputnik.

As progress in human space flight accelerated through the 60s, PhD intake at American universities, particularly in the field of physics, increased almost threefold. Apollo was doing more than space exploration. It was making our country smarter.

Apollo 11 was the first manned mission to land on the Moon.

The first steps by humans on another planetary body were taken by Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin on July 20, 1969. The astronauts also returned to Earth the first samples from another planetary body.

Apollo 11 achieved its primary mission – to perform a manned lunar landing and return the mission safely to Earth. They paved the way for the Apollo lunar landing missions to follow.

But the mission meant so much more than that to Americans.

“That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind,” was famously said by Neil Armstrong as he became the first man to walk on the moon. He was joined shortly thereafter by fellow astronaut Buzz Aldrin, who described the surface as “magnificent desolation.”

It was not just a great stride for the scientific community but as Armstrong so rightly pointed out, for mankind.

The moon landing taught us about the composition of the moon.

It gave us the first perspective of Earth from Space. The “blue marble” image is the most reproduced photographic image in history. There are many modern technologies that we use on a daily basis that were brought to us by these explorations. Weather satellites, freeze dried food, communication satellites, TV satellite dishes, medical imaging

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devices, and joystick video game controllers, just to name a few.

The Apollo 11 mission blazed the path for the future of space exploration.

Engineers kept working on more sophisticated technologies that eventually took us to explore asteroids, and other planets. It inspired scientists to continue not just to explore space, but to look for ways to do the impossible.

This event also had a great impact on the non-scientific community. President John F. Kennedy promised to put a man on the moon and bring that person home safely. Prior to Apollo, the idea was pure science fiction. But Kennedy’s promise and the brilliance of the scientists at NASA made it happen. In the midst of a turbulent decade, it brought Americans together to celebrate the glory of this accomplishment.

The moon has inspired men in every walk of life. Keith Villa, who earned his PhD in brewing from the University of Brussels, was so taken when he brewed his now famous Belgian style wit, he exclaimed, “A beer this good only comes around once in a blue moon.” And thus, Blue Moon Belgian Style Wheat Ale was born.

They adopted a blue moon as their logo and helped to catapult the craft beer movement forward, shaping the modern American beer scene. Over 20 years later, Blue Moon is still the number one craft beer in the United States.

In July, Blue Moon Brewing Company will begin counting down to the 50th anniversary of the moon landing. Look for features and events where Blue Moon is sold throughout the month of July.

Be sure to like Choice Brands on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and Instagram to keep up with local happenings and new product releases. Look for the hashtag #reachforthemoon. In addition, you’ll find links to beer related articles, fun recipes, and much more! Find us at facebook.com/choicebrands, twitter.com/ choicebrandsinc, and instagram.com/choicebrands.

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Happy and Healthy Feet 5 Tips to Keep Your Feet Healthy and Free of Injury This Summer

BY J. MARSHALL HAYNIE, MD

A

MERICAN WRITER/SATIRIST, RUSSELL BAKER WROTE “Ah, summer, what power you have to make us suffer and like it.”

Even though temperatures may rise to nearly unbearable in our beloved Louisiana, we still flock to our lakes and rivers, fire up the grill and flip-flops become the footwear of choice… only to be beat out by bare feet running down the pier. Unfortunately these seasonal behaviors, can wreak havoc of our feet leading to foot pain, blisters and even increasing your risk of infection and injury

There is a lot you can do to protect your feet and ankles. Here are five tips to help keep your feet in tip top shape this summer.

1) Flip and flop in moderation. Flip-flops are a summer staple and they are comfortable, convenient and fun. However, flip-flops typically offer little to no structural support around the foot and very little, if any arch support. This lack of support can lead to foot/ankle pain and fatigue which can lead to even greater orthopedic issues. Flip-flops are not designed to wear all day. I tell my patients wear the proper shoes for daily activities, so you can wear the fun shoes for special occasions or shorter periods of time. Not all flip-flops are created equally… when shopping for new pair, look for flip-flops that have a thicker sole with arch support and a moderate toe box that allow minimal movement underneath the toes.

2) Drink plenty of water. Spending more time on our feet and in the summer heat can cause our feet and ankles to swell and a big contributor to this swelling, is dehydration. When you perspire and don’t take in enough water, your blood will become slightly thicker which decreases circulation and can exacerbate foot and ankle swelling. When outdoors, try to keep water with you at all times and if the weather is particularly hot, try to continue drink and do so regularly. If foot and ankle swelling persists, lie down and elevate the feet higher than the rest of the body.

You can also soak your feet in ice water for fifteen minutes or less to reduce swelling.

3) Wear your sunscreen! Summer footwear or lack thereof leads to greater sun exposure to the feet. In the summer, we replace shoes, boots and socks with flip flops and sandals. The skin on the outside of the foot is very thin and more susceptible to sunburns and sun damage and

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can increase the chance for callouses and blisters forming on the feet.

Don’t forget about your lower body! Getting a sunburn on your feet will make it very painful to wear shoes in the coming days.

4) Waterskiing… woe is me! We love our lakes in Louisiana and one of our favorite pastimes is to get behind a boat on a pair of skis. Being aware of some the common injuries associated with waterskiing can help water enthusiasts reduce risk of injury and seek proper treatment if an injury does ensue. Some of the more common waterskiing injuries I see as a foot and ankle surgeon include: ankle sprains, fractures and Achilles tendon injuries. In all water sports, ankle sprains are probably the most common injury. If the water skier “catches the edge” of the water, it can cause the foot to be pulled backwards causing the leg to move outwards or inwards resulting in either an ankle inversion sprain (outward) or ankle eversion sprain (inwards). Prevention and taking precautions are key to keeping you on the water. Make sure before you get behind the boat that you practice strengthening and conditioning exercises and that you are in sync with your boat captain regarding turns and speed changes. Remember to adjust the skis so that your feet are not wobbling in an event of a crash and most importantly, if you suspect or know you have an injury, do not push the limits and consult an orthopedic foot and ankle specialist sooner rather than later. Also, with all water sports, whether it be the pool, the lake, the beach, be sure to rinse and clean your feet. Stagnant water often carries bacteria which can potentially lead to foot infections.

5) Don’t ignore foot pain. If something happens to one or both of your feet, it can have a major impact on the rest of your body. Foot and ankle instability often leads to putting extra stress on our body, particularly the knees, hips and spine. If you have injured foot or have persistent pain, see your doctor. With summer and greater exposure of your feet, don’t ignore blisters, punctures or wounds and be mindful of your feet by strengthening and conditioning the feet and wearing the proper footwear for the designated activity.

Here’s to a safe and healthy summer and happy feet! Also, if you want to look for more information about foot and ankle care and treatment, you may want to visit: http://myfootcaremd.com/.

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Experience Counts…

1500+ Mako Robotic Total/ Partial Knee Replacements and Counting

BY STEVEN ATCHISON, MD

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N 2010, MY PARTNERS AND I AT SPECIALISTS HOSPITAL Shreveport invested in a new robotic technology: MAKOplasty- a robotic, arm assisted system for partial knee replacement, and I would be the first surgeon in Louisiana to perform a MAKOplasty, partial knee replacement in July 2010. In 2013, Stryker Orthopedics acquired MAKOplasty and combined Stryker’s market-leading implants (US) with Mako’s proprietary robotic arm technology and began a partnership with orthopedic surgeons from around the world (including myself) to create the surgical application of Mako Total knee replacement. Having performed hundreds of Mako robotic partial knee replacements, I was excited and intrigued by the MAKO Total Robotic Knee application and worked closely with Stryker Orthopedics to grow the application. In December of 2016, I was again, Louisiana’s first surgeon to perform the Mako Robotic Total Knee at Specialists Hospital Shreveport.

One of the greatest achievements in total joint replacement is the Mako robotic total knee replacement. Robotic technology has been utilized for years in orthopedics, primarily focusing on partial knee replacement and hip replacement, and we now have the technology to perform robotic-arm assisted knee replacement. As an orthopedic surgeon, precision and accuracy are key factors in a successful surgical outcome. Using the Mako Robotic arm assisted technology, the surgeon can better execute getting the implant in the pre-surgical plan position determined through an individualized CT (computed tomography) scan. Ideally, the more exact the implant is positioned, the better the function of the knee and the greater potential for the longevity of the implant… meaning the implant has the potential to last over a longer period of time. We have used numerous tools and instruments to insure implant placement before, but none are as precise and clear as the technology offered with the Mako robotic arm assisted robot. Mako robotic total knee replacement offers my patients a customized approach to their total knee replacement and provides the technology to insure proper implant alignment and placement intra-operatively with real-time feedback. Do keep in mind… the robot does not perform the surgery, rather it is a trained surgeon’s tool to insure accuracy and precision.

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Any patient with osteoarthritis of the knee, that is significant enough to affect their daily activity level and function to warrant a knee replacement would be a candidate for Mako robotic total knee replacement. When a patient does come to see me, we’ve determined through x-ray and an evaluation that they are a candidate for knee replacement, and they assure me that they are ready for total knee replacement surgery, the next step is getting them scheduled. We will order labs and some preadmissions testing that need to be completed about three weeks prior to their surgery. One of those tests will be a CT (computed tomography) scan that allows us to make an individualized surgical plan that is customized to each patient. Once we obtain the CT scan, we can feed information through the robot, as to indicate the size and location of the patient’s bone, determine the size of the implant to be utilized and exactly where on the patient’s bone we will place the implant.

For the most part, patients will spend one to two nights in the hospital following their Mako Robotic total knee replacement and be up walking just a couple of hours after surgery. While in the hospital the patient will work with a physical therapist to learn exercises that promote a strong recovery at home. Patients go home with a walker and generally progress to a cane and then walking on their own with full regain of function within six to eight weeks following their surgery. Keep in mind, every patient’s recovery is their own… you get out what you put in to this surgery! Mako Robotic total knee allows for surgical excellence… you’ve got a great new knee, but you have stay focused and dedicate time to your recovery to have your very best outcome.

Steven Atchison, MD is one of the Nation’s leaders in Stryker Mako Robotic Partial and Total Knee Replacement and has performed over 1500 Mako robotic knee procedures since 2010. Dr. Atchison practices at Orthopedic Specialists of Louisiana in Shreveport and Bossier City. To schedule an evaluation with Dr. Atchison, please visit: orthopedicspecialistsla.com or call: 866.759.9679.

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BAYOU O U TDO O R S

RED, WHITE AND TRUE BLUE

BY DAN CHASON

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have been very blessed in my life with strong male role models. Of all the role models I ever had, excluding my dad and grandfather, all of these men had one thing in common: They were all veterans.

The first I recall was a man I met in the 70s at summer youth camp. His name was Rev. Everett Johnson, or Bro. J as we called him. He was the camp cook. What I learned was that he was a cook in the Navy during World War II assigned to, of all things, a submarine. Bro. J never talked about his military service and there was always a quiet that came over him anytime it was mentioned. I took it as remembering lost shipmates or bad memories and never pushed it. Until just this week, I never knew why but now I understand.

Bro. J was a world class bass fisherman. He taught me how to make my own spinnerbaits and took me to Lake Bruin to learn how to catch striped bass. He and his best buddy, H.B. Roark (West Monroe Postmaster for years) were notorious when it came to their catches on Bayou DeSiard at night and on Bruin. They are the reason I started night fishing with H.B.’s nephew and my lifelong best friend, Jon Miller.

Bro. J gave us some spinnerbaits and with some good advice, Jon and I had some memorable trips there. I never go into a tire place I don’t think about Bro. J as he would get the biggest smile on his face when I would show up with a bucket of tire weights to make spinnerbaits. He was one remarkable man. Just how remarkable brings me back to his service time. His daughter Ashley told me that the submarine that he was assigned to in World War II was set to sail. Bro. J was medically prevented from boarding due to a horrible skin condition. On that mission the submarine went missing and all of his shipmates were lost. She said that Bro. J never talked about it and to this day the family

knows very little. But that issue was never lost to Everett Johnson’s memory.

Another remarkable veteran I will never forget is Ray Niswanger. Mr. Ray and I became friends and I count the trips to Lake Fork and Toledo Bend with him to be some of the fondest I have ever experienced. Mr. Ray was a “Fighting Seebee” in World War II. He, like Bro. J rarely talked about the war. One thing I do recall is that he was talking about soldiers and wars one day and said, “Son, I’ll tell you one thing about war. If you didn’t know the Almighty before you got on the battle field, you dang sure introduced yourself to Him once you got there.” Mr. Ray was a devout Christian and never waivered from his strong beliefs. What I loved about him was that he never minced his words. He would lean back, grab a handful of his red suspenders and say what was on his mind. One incident I recall was on Lake Fork.

Mr. Ray did NOT like going fast in a boat. I had a 20 foot Champion with a 225 on it that would fly. So we are easing down the lake and I started trimming it up, then up again until we were pushing 65 mph. I looked over and Mr. Ray had both eyes closed and was looking to the heavens. When I stopped, I asked him if he enjoyed the ride. I’ll never forget his response as we had traveled there in his motor home which were our sleeping arrangements: “Boy, let me tell you something. I ain’t going to get to heaven’s gates and have ole’ Saint Pete ask me how I got there for me to explain that I was taken while riding a rocket ship on water. Now you can slow this thing down to a slower pace, or tonight you will sleep in the parking lot!”

After that trip, when we went fishing we went in Mr. Ray’s boat and he drove. Quite a man and a good friend I miss dearly.

One of the highlights of my life is something that my landowner and I do for active military.

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For the last 5 years, I entertain members of special ops and special forces. We go hunting, fishing and have some very memorable times.

One of these service members is Mofer. We don’t reveal their real names as they all go by code names. This serves to protect them as many SEAL Team members still have bounties on their heads from past missions. Mofer comes to my place at least twice a year. He is active duty in the SEAL teams and has become to refer to me as “my brother from another mother.”

The first time Mofer came, he brought along his spotter, Viper. We walked down to a creek to cross over to a sweet spot to deer hunt.

This creek is all of two feet deep in the winter.

As we approached the creek, I raised my fist (signal to stop). You have to picture these two full camo, face paint the whole nine yards, very intimidating to say the least. I reached into my back pack and handed them each a package.

I whispered “Don’t want you to drown” as both frogmen open up their packages of kid’s swimming floaties. I have never seen two men laugh so hard in my life. Our relationship was sealed then, but it got better. On Mofer’s next trip, I had a knee problem, and I could barely walk. He showed up on a cold morning with ice on the water. We had to cross a small ditch to get the stand and I had on hip waders. I told him to climb on my back and I’d carry him across. After much chiding he did, only to have Viper take a picture of him on my back with a caption that hung in their team room: Old Seals Improvise.

The one common denominator of all of these men are the pure patriotism they carry. I love them as friends and respect them for what they do. Our independence is secure due to the men and women who serve and have served.

We owe you a great debt of gratitude. Happy Independence Day.

RICH EMBERLIN & MOFER

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Bayou Pages

NIGHTSTANDS & COFFEE TABLES Becoming by Michelle Obama REVIEWS BY MEREDITH MCKINNIE

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n the former First Lady’s autobiographical memoir, readers are shown an intimate look at the woman herself. To the public, she emerged out of her husband’s shadow, but in the book she has created a space all her own, from her meager beginnings on the southside of Chicago, to one of the few black female students at Princeton University, to a highrise office at a fancy law firm where she lacked fulfillment, and then the White House, with the eyes of skeptical Americans on her constantly. She writes with style and grace, using anecdotes to relay personal truths, to capture an unimaginable experience for most of us, but even more so for a little African-American girl.

The Preface begins the day after President Obama left office, where for the first time in a decade, Michelle returns to the pleasure of making her own cup of coffee, in her own home apart from Pennsylvania Avenue. She can reflect from outside the bubble of Washington, once again separate from the forefront of politics. The story is not so much a love letter to her husband, or to America, but more so to little girls, from the viewpoint of a little girl.

She claims her parents never “sugar-coated hard truths.” Perhaps that is why she is able to speak about hardship so eloquently; the ideas have had time to marinate.

She speaks about discrimination not as a chastisement, but rather from the experience of her

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grandfather Dandy who no matter how hard he worked would not be promoted but for the color of his skin; how her father never said he had to work harder, but just did so because he understood the rules he didn’t make. She makes her opinions known through the stories from her past. We don’t just learn what she thinks, but why. When her neighborhood friends ask Michelle why she speaks like a white girl, she realizes she is caught between two worlds, one where her parents make sure she attends the best schools, but that those schools often separate her from the kids on her street.

As a mother of two little girls, she shows Malia and Sasha a different perspective, one where life does not wait on the man of the house to get home, independently saying, “We don’t wait on dad. It is his job now to catch up with us.” She admits having the utmost belief in her husband’s values, principles, and enormity of heart, but never believing he could win the nomination, let alone the presidency. She recounts the kindness of the Bushes during the family’s first visit to the White House and throughout their tenure, and the tenacity of a soldier badly burned in a military hospital who fought just to stand and salute the wife of his Commander-in-Chief. America showed her its strength, its beauty, its humanity up close.

From her position, she saw America in its extremes, and her powerful perspective is evident in the voice of this woman and the pages of this book.

Bayou Pages

NIGHTSTANDS & COFFEE TABLES Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng REVIEW BY MEREDITH MCKINNIE “Here, she found, everything had nuance; everything had an unrevealed side or unexplored depths. Everything was worth looking at more closely.”

After her debut novel, Everything I Never Told You, Celeste Ng’s second book came highly anticipated and delivers the powerful punch of a vividly detailed story with intricate layers of humanity, its flaws and the power of personal redemption. The story begins in the privileged suburb of Cleveland called Shaker Heights, where the people are raised on principle and duty, in a microcosm of America isolated from poverty and struggle. Reputation is paramount, and family name and status matter. When the local Richardson family rents a property to Mia and her daughter Pearl, the quest for answers about the duo with no known history and vagabond lifestyle becomes the goal of matriarch Elena Richardson.

The story opens with the Richardson family home burning to the ground, little fires having been started in each of the bedrooms with the suspected culprit being the wayward Richardson daughter Izzy. And while it would seem the story would be an investigation into why, it’s more so about the little fires within each of us. Mia and Pearl have learned to survive on very little, traveling from town to town, recreating their little world in each new home for six-month periods. The Richardsons have known nothing but stability and comfort, having never ventured outside Shaker Heights, yet are intrigued by these new characters who understand

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life better than their meager reality should allow.

Hardship and change have a way of bringing about self-confidence and an innate ability to adapt to any environment.

When a local family’s adoption of a newborn rocks Shaker Heights; the locals find themselves at odds over a respect for culture and biology in the raising of a child. In a community so centered on its structure, the firm hold on tradition and keeping secrets secret, the exposure of the fragility of it all scares the locals. They’re not sure what to hold on to, what really matters anymore. The fear of change is battling the fear of not changing. Does humanity trump tradition? Should the rules be rewritten?

Celeste Ng pays detailed attention to character development, slowly unfolding each person’s layers individually and in relation to one another.

As much is revealed via contrast as it is through the characters’ own words and actions. The story reveals how quickly we are to judge others based on circumstance more so than character, how when life forces us to reexamine what we’ve always thought, the challenge can prove daunting for those defined by what’s always come easy. As readers, we anxiously turn each page wondering what Mia and Pearl are running from and what each one of the Richardson’s are running to. We see the two families becoming more intertwined as they become more suspicious of each other’s motives. And we can’t help but consider the simmering coals of our own burning fires, some sparked long ago, and others waiting for the match.

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B A Y O U H E A LT H

article by SHANNON DAHLUM photos by JAMIE DAHLUM

HOW TO RAMP UP YOUR METABOLISM THIS SUMMER

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Part Two: Adding Fuel To The Fire

ast month we talked about the first step to getting your metabolism moving more efficiently; optimizing your sleep routine. I hope you’ve been focusing on that throughout the month of June and are ready to dive in to the next step! This month we’re talking about how to stoke your metabolic fire with food.

You’ve probably always understood that in order to lose weight, you need to eat fewer calories than you burn. That’s true, and it sounds simple enough, but it can actually be very complicated to accomplish.

This is because your body doesn’t work like a bank account. At the bank, you simply need to put more money in than you spend in order to build wealth, while spending more than you save will lead to debt. But your body is a living organism, and it’s designed to adapt for survival. When you

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initially deprive your body of calories, you’ll see your fat stores diminish, but over time, it becomes more and more difficult to keep losing weight.

Your bank account doesn’t adapt to your spending habits, but let’s imagine what would happen if it did, and it’s number one priority was to prevent you from going into debt. If you had $1,000 in your account and you withdrew $200 from the ATM machine, you’d be left with $800 in your account. If you did the same thing the next day, you’d be down to $600. So far, so good! Your bank account is dwindling as expected. But after your third day in a row of withdrawing $200, your account would start to figure out that at the rate you’re spending cash, you’ll be in debt in only three more days. Since your account’s top priority is to not allow you to go into debt, it’s going to control your spending for

you; obviously, you can’t be trusted.

When you visit the ATM machine on day four and request to withdraw $200 again, it will only spit out $100. You’ll probably get mad and kick the machine, but it’s really just protecting you from your poor choices. If you keep going back to the ATM machine day after day, it will continue to give you less and less, until eventually, it won’t give you anything. Of course this leads to more kicking and cussing, but at least your account is protecting you from going into debt!

Your body works just like this imaginary adaptable bank account. Sure, it’s frustrating to continue dieting and depriving yourself without seeing the weight loss you expect. This is happening, though, because your body is saving you from yourself. You obviously can’t be trusted to provide your body with what it

MEASURING PORTION SIZES OF PROTEIN, FAT, CARBS & VEGGIES

needs, so it takes over and holds on to everything it can. It knows that at the rate you’re expending energy without replenishing it, there soon won’t be enough energy left to carry out vital functions. Since it can’t force you to eat more, it will instead prevent you from burning it by slowing your metabolism. Your calorie depleting diets have led to a slower metabolism instead of a leaner body.

Let’s go back to the imaginary adaptable bank account. Imagine you’ve withdrawn money consistently until you’re down to $50.

Every time you request to withdraw $200, it shoots a few pennies out, but that’s it. If you want that ATM to allow you to take more more out, you’re going to have to put more in. Instead of focusing on how much you can withdraw every day, start putting money in consistently. Start by adding in only $10 every day for a week. Now your account will feel safe enough to allow you to withdraw $5 each day. As you continue to increase your deposits on a regular basis, the bank account will see that you’re no longer in danger of going broke and it will allow you to continue withdrawing more and more.

In order to get your body to continue burning energy so you can lose excess fat, you have to give it energy consistently so it doesn’t fear you’re going to run out. Your metabolism works more like a campfire than your bank account; in order to keep it burning, you have to continuously feed it; without enough fuel, the fire will go out.

So what do you need to eat in order to get that fire burning again? In a nutshell, you need three to four meals daily, each containing protein and veggies, with healthy fats at most meals, and complex carbs at some meals.

If you have a long history of deprivation diets and now struggle to lose weight at all, it’s a good indiction that your metabolism has slowed down. Your body is holding onto energy rather than burning it, because it’s been given the signal that it’s in “starvation mode.”

Decreasing calories even further or incorporating intermittent fasting will only exacerbate the problem. What your body needs is something called a “reverse diet.” This is where you slowly increase your calorie intake to get your body out of “starvation mode” and get your metabolism moving again. You need to add fuel to that fire to get it to burn hotter.

PROTEIN: 1-2 PALM SIZED PORTIONS AT EACH MEAL

How do you increase your calorie intake without gaining a lot of excess weight?

By very slowly increasing your intake and starting with protein. Protein is less likely to be stored in your body as fat than carbohydrates or fat, and more likely to go toward regenerating new cells.

It’s important to begin your day with a serving of protein, so no more skipping breakfast. Add in another serving at lunch and one more at dinner. If needed, have a fourth serving between meals, too. If you’ve been eating a good deal less than this for a long period of time, then increase your amounts slowly. Start by adding in protein at breakfast and just stick with that for a week or two. When it feels comfortable, begin adding it to your lunchtime meal until that’s comfortable, etc.

Continue increasing your servings until you’re consistently eating three to four meals daily, including a serving of protein at each one.

Good sources of protein include all varieties of animal products, like poultry, beef, pork, fish, shellfish, dairy, and eggs. Always choose organic, pasture raised or wild animal products when possible.

Powdered protein supplements are a great option for increasing your protein intake when you don’t have an appetite for including more food. A good trick is to add a serving of Vital Proteins collagen peptides to your morning cup of coffee for a simple protein boost to start off your day. If you prefer eating only plant based sources of protein, you’ll need to consume almost twice the amount of protein to give your cells what they need. While plant foods are undoubtedly a very healthy choice, the protein in them isn’t as easily assimilated and used by the body as animal sources are.

VEGGIES AND FRUIT: 2-3 FIST SIZED PORTIONS AT EACH MEAL

Once your protein servings are adequate, shift your focus to fruits and vegetables. Plants contain a wide variety of vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals that are necessary to support the health of your mitochondria. Focus mostly on vegetables and limit your fruit intake to two daily servings or less if you suffer from metabolic disfunction.

Produce with especially bright or rich coloring is full of protective antioxidants. Two antioxidants in particular, called alpha lipoic acid (ALA) and coenzyme Q10 (coQ10) support energy production and the ability of your mitochondria to renew and multiply. Some plants that contain ALA include spinach, broccoli, brussels sprouts, carrots, beets and yams. CoQ10 can be found in spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, oranges, and strawberries. It may also be a good idea to explore supplementing with these two antioxidants to give your mitochondria some added support until your metabolism begins to function more efficiently.

FAT: 1-2 THUMB SIZED PORTIONS AT MOST MEALS

Consuming adequate amounts of healthy fats is vital for hormonal balance and metabolic function. The standard American diet is skewed toward fats from vegetable and seed oils, which are high in omega-6 and omega-9 fats, and this leads to inflammation and damage to the mitochondria. To protect the health of your cells, you need to increase your consumption of omega-3 fats while decreasing those omega-6 and 9 fats.

Vegetable and seed oils are so abundant because they’re cheap, have a long shelf life, and can be practically tasteless. They’re ubiquitous in processed foods and most restaurant foods. Although they’re cheap to your wallet, the cost to your health is high. Because WWW.BAYOULIFEMAG.COM | JULY 2019 77

simple carbs can go by on ingredient labels can be very tricky; the simplest way to avoid them is to choose foods that resemble their natural state as closely as possible. For instance, oatmeal cookies don’t appear anywhere in nature, but whole oats do. Whole food sources of carbohydrates are rich with fiber and other nutrients that help support healthy energy production. Brown rice, oats, quinoa, legumes, bananas, potatoes and sweet potatoes are examples of healthy complex carbohydrate sources.

SEEK OUT WHOLE FOOD SOURCES OF OMEGA-3 FATS

of how they’re processed, most of these oils are already damaged before you even consume them and they go on to damage your cells once inside your body. Check the labels of all of your foods, and do your best to avoid them! Oils to look out for: canola, corn, soybean, sunflower, peanut, cottonseed, safflower, grapeseed, or anything simply called “vegetable oil.”

At home, use saturated fats for high heat cooking because they’re more stable and won’t be damaged with heat. Extra virgin coconut oil or butter and lard from organic, pasture raised animals are good choices for use with high heat. Extra virgin olive oil can be used for low heat cooking or drizzling on foods after cooking. Avocado, macadamia and walnut oil can be used for salad dressings or other cold uses. Always look for extra virgin, cold pressed varieties of these oils, and include one to two servings at most meals.

Seek out whole food sources of omega-3 fats, too, from wild caught fatty fish (like wild Alaskan salmon) and avocados. Eggs from pasture raised chickens and meat from pasture raised cows are also good sources of healthy fat. Consider supplementing with a high quality omega-3 fish oil to improve your ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 and 9 fats, and decrease inflammation.

COMPLEX CARBOHYDRATES: 1-2 HANDFUL SIZED PORTIONS ON DAYS YOU’RE ACTIVE

When fat loss is the main goal, decreasing or completely avoiding carbs tends to be the most common approach taken. However, when an inability to lose weight is due to a metabolic deficiency or low thyroid function, avoiding carbs isn’t the answer. Low carb dieting has been shown to diminish thyroid function over time and lead to a slower metabolic rate. To increase your body’s ability to burn energy, the key is to consume the right amounts of carbs, from the right sources.

Carbohydrates are a fuel source for your body. To figure out how many carbs you should be eating daily, consider how much activity you’re getting. In general, on days you’re doing some sort of intense exercise (characterized by burning or fatigue in your muscles), you should include a serving of whole grains or starchy veggies at one or two meals. On days you’re fairly inactive or doing only lower intensity movement, like walking, you don’t need the added complex carbohydrates; you’ll be getting all you need from your vegetables and fruit.

Simple carbohydrates, like sugar and white flour, increase inflammation and damage to your mitochondria. These are the carbs that are best avoided altogether. Finding all the names these

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Certain drugs are known to damage mitochondria. Of particular concern are those taken frequently or for extended periods of time. When you need to take them, consider adding in multivitamins and omega-3 supplements to help support your mitochondria. Some of the worst offenders are: • acetaminophen • antibiotics • NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like asprin, ibuprofen and naproxen) • griseofulvin (an anitfungal) • indomethacin (a prescription anti-inflammatory) • methamphetamine (often prescribed for ADHD and sometimes weight loss) • statins (prescribed to lower cholesterol)

To sum it all up, for the month of July, you’ll be working on consuming three to four balanced meals each day. Do your best to eat at the same times every day, as well. When your body starts to rely on balanced meals at regular intervals, it will be less stingy with all that energy and much more willing burn it.

Once you’ve regained a healthy metabolism, you can briefly incorporate fat loss tools if needed, like ketogenic diets and/or intermittent fasting. But remember, your body always adapts to the inputs you’re giving it. If you rely on any type of weight loss protocol for an extended period of time, it’s going to stop working eventually.

To keep your metabolic fire burning, you have to mix things up.

Between low carb, low calorie or intermittent fasting cycles, always go back to the balanced nutritional habits above to “reset” your metabolism.

Be sure to check back next month for the third and final step of revving up your metabolism!

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Healing:

It’s More Than Just Physical

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EALING IS DEFINED AS “THE PROCESS OF MAKING or becoming sound or healthy again.” At Melanie Massey Physical Therapy, we recognize that healing is more than just physical. It actually requires the body, mind and spirit. True healing is more than just strength or freedom from pain. True healing happens when hope is restored.

Our goal at MMPT is to reach all of those areas--the body, mind and spirit. We have studied the power of our minds and know that our thoughts and our beliefs will impact our bodies. We intentionally keep a fun and positive atmosphere. We laugh together. We dream together. We celebrate accomplishments, no matter how small, and our patients are encouraged to do the same. From the first session, patients are urged to take control of their thoughts, to focus on the good and to hold an image of what it is that they want.

The spirit is also an integral part of healing. We have patients and families who are facing very difficult situations, often devastating times in their lives—times of doubt and questions. We love the opportunity to encourage and inspire during these times.

It is not uncommon at MMPT, to hear words of prayer, words of empowerment, words of life, spoken to those we serve. We know that we can imagine our future with faith or with fear, and we choose faith.

One example of this journey to true healing is our friend who suffered a life-changing brain injury a few years ago that left him paralyzed on one side of his body. Completely dependent on others to take care of him, he began his process of recovery. You can imagine the emotions that he was feeling. Fear. Hopelessness. Anger.

Depression. Grief.

Once he arrived at MMPT, things began to shift. From the moment he rolled in the door, he knew something was different. He remarks that he immediately noticed the atmosphere. It was fun, and it was positive. He experienced an environment of expectation. He was surrounded by people who believed in him and his potential, and who were coaching him to believe as well. Our thoughts and

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our mindset are so powerful, and they influence our bodies. As his thoughts and beliefs began to change, so did his body.

Yes, he worked very hard physically. He did not shy away from any challenge. He was willing to push himself in all therapy sessions.

As a result, he began to regain control of the left side and to get stronger. His balance improved. He progressed to walking without a walker or cane, then to walking outside in his yard and garden.

Movement returned to his arm. The hand was next, as he was able to open and close it. Soon he was able to use the hand to pick things up.

He rediscovered independence with his daily chores, with his life.

As his mind and body transformed, his spirit did as well. Those hopeless emotions became hopeful. He became a great encourager to patients around him, as well as to therapists and employees. Just as we prayed with him early in the journey when he could see no possibilities, he began to pray with others.

In the end, he is fully independent and has resumed his life as a father and husband. He remarked recently that he is thankful for the injury. In fact he said if he were given the option to go back and avoid the injury altogether, he would not choose to do so. He says “I am a better man because of this journey.”

This is just one of the inspiring stories that we have been blessed to be a part of at MMPT. There are many, many more. Children whose diagnosis seemed to limit their futures. Men whose livelihoods were jeopardized by injury. Athletes whose seasons were cut short. All stories of exceeding expectations, of restored strength, hope, and faith. Stories of true healing.

Our mission at MMPT is to “joyfully use your gifts to brighten the lives of others.” We are thankful for each of these opportunities to do just that.

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New at Hopkins Dermatology Hopkins Dermatology Announces Our Nurse Practitioner and the Latest Advances in Dermatology

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HIS MONTH I AM CELEBRATING 23 YEARS OF PRIVATE practice in Monroe, LA. When I first started my practice, I had just completed my dermatology residency at LSUMC in New Orleans, and was excited to offer my patients the latest treatments in general, surgical, and the emerging field of cosmetic dermatology.

Over the past two decades the specialty of dermatology has expanded with advanced treatments for psoriasis, skin cancer, atopic dermatitis, and laser medicine. Staying current requires a lot of work, and I am grateful that I have continued to hone my knowledge and skills. Also, I have been able to pass on my knowledge by lecturing and teaching other colleagues and medical professionals at medical meetings across the country, and this summer in Barcelona, Spain. My practice has grown from only two employees when I first started to now an amazing team of 12 highly trained and qualified staff members to meet the demands of patient care. In June, I added my third Fotona Laser to my practice. These state of the art, cutting edge laser systems allow me and my team to treat a variety of skin disorders and cosmetic concerns non-surgically.

This month I am very excited to announce the addition of my new Nurse Practitioner, Anna Grace Livingston. Anna Grace has been a member of my clinical staff as a registered nurse for the past three years, but while working, she was also earning her nurse practitioner degree. It’s a family business here at Hopkins Dermatology, because Anna Grace just happens to be my niece. Anna Grace is an AdultGerontology Nurse Practitioner that will be seeing patients ages 13 and older at Hopkins Dermatology. She graduated this past May from the University of Louisiana at Monroe with a 4.0, and as Valedictorian of her class. We are so proud of her accomplishments. In addition to training and working along with me over the past three years as one of my nurses, Anna Grace is also a certified Fotona Laser medical technician. In my practice, Anna Grace will be specializing in advanced laser treatments, like tattoo removal, as well as treating skin conditions like acne, melasma, rosacea, skin infections, and hair loss.

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I am also excited to announce that I am the first physician in North Louisiana to offer now the newest neuromodulator, Jeuveau, to treat fine lines and wrinkles. Jeuveau is a new FDA-approved injectable treatment that temporarily improves the look of lines and wrinkles.

This modern more refined product was studied head to head with Botox, and was found just as effective and lasted up to 150 days in most patients. Join us at our VIP Jeuveau Launch on July 17th from 3:30 to 7:30 PM to be the first to learn and experience the newest treatment for those pesky little wrinkles. Attendees can receive treatment the night of the launch, and the attendee to bring the most friends with them will receive a free Jeuveau treatment.

This month Hopkins Dermatology will be launching the SkinIO full body imaging technology for mole-mapping. This technology will assist me in early detection of skin cancer and changing skin lesions.

The SkinIO technology uses standardized sequential photography to create an easily accessible digital, visual timeline of a patient’s skin across visits. Patients can track their health like never before with the SkinIO app. SkinIO’s proprietary image processing engine uses advanced computer vision and deep learning models to process and compare patient’s photos. Early detection of melanoma is imperative.

Also, I am now offering the latest, most effective technology for body contouring and fat reduction, the truSculpt iD. truSculpt® iD uses radiofrequency (RF) energy to reduce stubborn fat pockets resistant to diet and exercise. The treatment can be customized to each individual patient and no downtime is required; normal activities can be resumed immediately. truSculpt iD is virtually painless and often compared to a hot stone massage. One or two treatments are needed and is noninvasive with no scarring. truSculpt iD eliminates fat cells and tightens skin, plus multiple areas can be treated simultaneously.

Hopkins Dermatology is now in network with Blue Cross Blue Shield, United Health Care, UMR, and Medicare insurance. Call our office today to make your appointment. 318.325.0600

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Bishop, Candidate for Senate Bishop Has a Proven Record of Community Service and Business Success “THERE IS NO QUESTION THAT WADE BISHOP IS THE candidate we need to represent District 33 in Baton Rouge. Wade’s record speaks for itself. Wade understands what it takes for businesses to continue to provide jobs as well as how the business community and government must work together to create a positive business climate.”

Staci Albritton Mitchell, West Monroe Mayor “Now, more than ever, we need business candidates like Wade Bishop to represent us in Baton Rouge. Wade’s business success and his record of community service proves that he knows what small business needs to not only continue to provide jobs, but also to grow, which translates into more jobs.” Gus Campbell “Wade Bishop is a successful business owner whose candidacy is welcome news for this area of the state. Wade a Republican, who has never run for political office, brings maturity and years of proven experience and service as the business candidate for State Senate District 33.” Wallace Hardy, Wade Bishop for Senate 33 Campaign Chairman Wade Bishop, has been asked by the business community to run for the open State Senate District 33 seat that has been created because Senator Mike Walsworth is term limited and cannot run again. Senate District 33 includes all of Union and West Carroll parishes and some precincts of Claiborne, Lincoln, Morehouse and Ouachita parishes.

“I would not be a candidate for the Louisiana Senate District 33 position if I did not have the support of the business community. Kay and I made the decision to run after the business community committed to raise the resources necessary to win this Senate District 33 seat. They made a very convincing argument, pointing out that my business success and experience proves that I understand what business needs to continue to provide jobs here in our area and that this is the kind of knowledge and experience that we need in Baton Rouge in today’s economy. It’s easy to oppose a proposed idea, but my experience tells me it’s a lot harder to work to find a solution for the benefit of the community. I won’t make any political promises, but I will promise to work hard to represent the people of District 33.” Wade Bishop The business community is supporting Wade because of the leadership positions that he has held which include: • Chairman of the Board of Directors, West Monroe Chamber of Commerce • Chairman, Supervisory Committee – Centric Federal Credit Union • Chairman, Citizens Advisory Committee, Ouachita Parish Fire Department 84 JULY 2019 | WWW.BAYOULIFEMAG.COM

• Ouachita Economic Development Corporation, Land Corp. Board of Directors • Fund Drive Chairman of the Girl Scouts. “Every Girl Everywhere” Campaign • Glenwood Regional Medical Center, Board of Trustees and served as Chairman • United Way Board of Directors • Monroe Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and Executive Committee • Louisiana Association of Business and Industry (LABI) Board of Directors and Executive Committee • West Monroe High School Foundation Board of Directors, Chairman of the Board • 2010 recipient West Monroe High School Distinguished Alumni Award • ARCO 2011, Standing Tall Award • United Way Campaign Chairman 2012 raising $3,600,000, which exceeded the goal by $42,000 • Graduate of Leadership Louisiana Class of 2012 • 2012 A. O. Evans Award - Awarded annually to one individual in recognition of outstanding community service Wade and Kay recently celebrated their 40th anniversary. They have two children, Ashley and Jason, and four grandchildren.

Ashley, a Louisiana Tech graduate, is a math teacher and former Teacher of the Year at West Monroe High School. Ashley’s husband, Kyle is in business with his family at Northeast Truck & Trailer and serves as a OPSO Reserve Deputy. They have two children, Alyssa and Thomas.

Jason, a ULM graduate in Construction Management, estimates jobs all over the south and southwest for a structural steel company. Jason’s wife, Britany, is a Physician’s Assistant and they have two children, Kylie and Bekah.

Wade and Kay are members of McClendon Baptist Church, where Wade serves as Treasurer. Kay is a member of the Ouachita Parish Women’s Republican Club and Wade is an Associate Member.

Wade, an NRA member, enjoys hunting, photography and sports. This year, Wade coached his granddaughter, Alyssa, in Coach Pitch softball.

He coached Alyssa’s mother, Ashley, all the way to a Dixie World Series softball championship when she was just 16.

Contact Wade at 318-355-5803, wade@wadebishopforsenate33.com or on Facebook: Wade Bishop for Senate 33.

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B AYO U

E ATS

GROWN AND GRAZED article by vanelis rivera photography by andrew bailey

LOUISIANA IS NO STRANGER TO NATURE’S BOUNTY. From corn to sugarcane, the boot of the country has been kicking up cash crops since its infancy. Even in the thick of mass production and processed foods, farming remains integral to our health, environment, and community.

Many forward-thinking restaurants have taken note, creating the farmto-table movement. To develop more self-reliant and resilient food networks, why not aim to connect with local food producers? It’s not an easy task, but it’s not impossible either. A few local food hubs have flocked to fresh products and hardworking growers in the region, accenting their menus with locally grown ingredients. Ruston recently joined part of this holistic food chain through the food truck Grown & Grazed, owned by Desi Bourgeois and his wife Dianne W. Bourgeois—a small space with a significant vision!

A South Louisiana native from Lafourche Parish, Desi’s ties to Ruston originate with Louisiana Tech University where he decided to study architecture. He gained kitchen experience at Trenton Street Cafe, and between the bustle of kitchen life and the idle world of some of his classes, he quickly realized that hands-on work was where he grooved. So in 1996 he decided to leave architecture and attend the New England Culinary Institute in Vermont. There, two years of career-focused immersive training fully prepared him for a ritzy internship at the Breakers Hotel in Palm Beach, Florida, and he later moved to Dallas, Texas to work under Stephan Pyles, chef and a founding father of Southwestern cuisine. After the short stint in Dallas, he returned to Ruston. “I always found Ruston to be a place missing its potential, maybe. Now, the right people are in place to make that happen,” he says. At the time, that mindset was dedicated to opening Squire Creek Country Club in Choudrant. It introduced him to corporate dining, a food program style he stayed involved in until moving back to Ruston and opening Grown & Grazed. In 2003, Desi landed an executive chef position at CenturyTel (now CenturyLink) while working for the national food service, Valley Services, leading to a director’s position at JP Morgan Chase. But “feeding masses and cutting costs” is not what he imagined when leaving culinary school, yet he found value in learning the systems of corporate dining. “It’s important to know the business aspect of your craft, especially if you are trying to capitalize on it,” he says, adding, “Scheduling labor at your business is as important as what you make and how you make it.”

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hile tedious work, Desi’s path steadily revealed itself when in 2005 his wife got transferred to Austin. He took another corporate job with tech company Cirrus Logic, where he unleashed his culinary creativity thanks to a client open to ideas and local chef collaborations. After five years with them, Desi decided on an extensive hiatus and grew a home garden. The process of growing re-engaged him with the most important part of his job, the product: “As a chef, I never had really grown anything.

When you grow fruits, vegetables, herbs on your own, you get a perspective that it’s not easy. So when you buy something from someone who grew it, it’s worth the energy, effort, time to pay a little more for it.” The best carrot you’ll ever have, he asserts, is one that you pull from the ground, wash, and put in a pan with a little butter drizzled with salt and pepper. Fired up, he sought different culinary experiences, working for free with chefs he admired, visiting restaurants on his to-eat list, and developing business plans and models. The synergy he built allowed for an opportunity with a coveted global company.

In 2012, a friend encouraged him to interview for an eighty person technology company looking for a chef. Impressed with his tasting, the employer took him to what would be his work site. When the elevator doors opened in the nondescript building, a prominent Google logo greeted him. Between August 2012 to December of the same year, the eighty person account at Google turned into a four hundred and fifty person account.

“It was a lesson in logistics, is what it was,” recalls Desi. As executive chef and director, he got validation on the things he’d learned in the previous years, but the standout lesson of his five years at Google was the company’s desire to push out quality food made from quality product. Google originally only wanted organic but quickly changed their decision after researching the connection between organic farming and deforestation. “Local first,” became Desi’s mantra. For four more years, he worked with sustainable food centers and vendors at farmers’ markets, bringing them to the company. Googlers were in direct contact with growers like Marysol from Fat Frog Farms, who went out to her farm fields with her nine-month-old on her back. Suddenly, it’s not only important for Google to spend their dollars on a quality product but also on dedicated growers. “It’s not easy to be a small farmer. There’s validity when they charge a little more than that grocery store,” says Desi.

A serendipitous opportunity landed Desi and Dianne back in Ruston. At the time, the mayor’s office in Ruston was spearheading a development project involving the purchase of a downtown building with plans to design a public market space, food business incubator, community center, and a downtown hub. Eager to be part of the changes he always envisioned, he asked himself, “Do you want to wait fifteen years and hope that everything progresses the way you think it is or do you want to come back now and make this happen?” He came back on December 2017.

If you happen to drive by the intersection of North Vienna Street and East Railroad Avenue, don’t let the gravel patch deter your gaze. Catch the baby blue accents of wooden planters sprouting yellow blooms and fresh herbs, lining the entrance to picnic-style benches canopied by patio umbrellas. It’s an uncomplicated set-up, maximized by flavor-packed chow.

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The Louisiana Sweet Potato Hash features Creekstone Produce’s sweet potatoes, joined with onion, celery, and bell pepper, and choice of Bourbon Cane Glaze (using local sugar cane syrup) or Jennings Apiaries Spicy Honey Glaze.

Partially keeping its namesake, the original 1935 structure titled C. Raymond Heard Wholesale Grocery Distribution Warehouse #2 now goes by the Heard Freighthouse Food Park. The warehouse itself, a whimsical structure of brick and mortar, is still in the architectural process of transformation. Plans include a green lawn space where people can bring blankets or lawn chairs to hangout. The building is the generator, says Desi. The building will house: commissary kitchen space, a full service restaurant and bar, craft butcher shop, and artisan bakery.

Additional food truck spots will be the incubator spaces. The food truck area already executes that goal. Chindian Flavors takes over the Grown & Grazed truck every other weekend, serving mouthwatering Trinidadian meals—cuisine that melds dishes from East India, China, and Africa. Bad Wolf BBQ subleases a space, dishing out Texas style brisket with other new age craft specials.

Desi wanted to communicate a message with his truck and the park: “We’re going to make good food. We’re going to make it here. We’re going to buy as locally as we possibly can.” His next goal was to make something that everybody understood, which ended up being the burger. Proudly using beef from Smith Family Farms, all burgers are dressed with mayonnaise, mustard, lettuce from Estes Farms, tomato, red onion, and pickles, grilled expertly by Tim Bryan, longtime friend of Desi.

Desi claims their speciality burger, Bacon Jam Burger, “gets people to come back.” The bacon jam is made from rendered bacon, onion, garlic, chili flakes, brown sugar, and apple cider vinegar. The jam takes an already savory meat and escalates the flavor, providing a perfect blend of sweetness. Twisting things up in the side dish arena, the truck now serves a watermelon salad and a coleslaw made with cabbage from Campti Field of

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Dreams. Thoughtfulness with ingredients prevails even more in their breakfast menu. Their Scratch Made Buttermilk Biscuits and Whole Milk Gravy—made with milk from Flowing Hills Creamery—is an easy sell, but their leading item must be their Louisiana Sweet Potato Hash. Creekstone Produce’s sweet potatoes, joined with onion, celery, and bell pepper, and choice of Bourbon Cane Glaze (using local sugar cane syrup) or Jennings Apiaries Spicy Honey Glaze make this uncommon and bright hash one known for converting sweet potato haters. Desi has fun with people who claim to hate sweet potatoes: “If you say you don’t like sweet potato fries, you’re going to end up with five or six of them in your box, just because.” You may not end up liking sweet potatoes in all its preparations, but the hash and hand-cut fries will have you making an exception with just one bite.

Flavor-consciousness also extends to the third food truck on the lot, Yolo Nitro Ice Dreamery, serving up liquid nitrogen ice cream. Same locally sourced concept but for the sweet tooth addict, Yolo accomplishes a satisfyingly tasty flavor-to-sweet ratio. You may be tempted to create-your-own, but Yolo’s ice cream specials should be your first ice-dream experience. If their Sweet Potato Pie is too adventurous for you (all butter pie crust,

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sweet potato ice cream, candied pecans, caramel, and cinnamon roasted house-made marshmallow), then surely the Strawberry Shortcake will do the trick (buttermilk biscuit baked with sugar, strawberry ice cream, strawberry sauce, and house-made strawberry marshmallow). Want to cool off from the summer heat a different way? Yolo is now serving mocktails. BayouLife had two servings of the strawberry-mint fizz!

Craft and creativity is what’s cooking at Heard Freighthouse Food Park. For Grown & Grazed, the park extends beyond food, community involvement and building a prominent food system speaks to Ruston’s strength in unity and foresight. According to Desi, all it takes to source locally and eat farm-to-table is to shift your perspective on what a better food product means, adding, “Don’t come here because I’m local. Come here because I’m the better choice and local.”

Grown & Grazed is located 93 East Railroad Avenue in Historic Downtown Ruston and is open Monday Through Saturday 7 AM to 3 PM. Follow them on Facebook and Instagram to keep up with seasonal specials.

G A L L E R Y of H O M E S 196 Fairview Street

Beautiful home, has been updated! It has 3 bedrooms and 2 baths in 1,868 HSQFT. It also has new appliances that will remain with the sale. The home boast granite counter tops in kitchen, window drapes, wood floors and painted cabinets. It has an open floor plan, fenced yard, a new roof and a two car garage. It is found in an excellent location, a beautiful and quiet neighborhood. The perfect home for a family. MLS #187874 Lily Mann, Century 21 United, 318-366-6377

505 Darbonne Drive

1500 Spencer Drive

A custom built 3901 HSF home on 3.5 acres in the new Darbonne Hills Estates subdivision. 4 BR/3.5 BA plus an office and a 490 SF bonus room with a full bath. It has a screened in outdoor kitchen and living area with granite countertops, built in grill, separate ice maker, wood burning fireplace and ceiling fans. Coffered ceilings, brick archways and heavy crown molding are just some of the architectural details this home has to offer. MLS#188438 Clark Smith, John Rea Realty, 318-366-4622

ALL AMERICAN BEAUTY in one of Monroe’s most popular neighborhoods! 3BR, 3 BA, tall ceilings, large rooms and old world charm make this home a winner. The original wood floors have recently been refinished and the roof is close to new. Other features include 2 fireplaces, an outside storage/workshop, an extra room attached to the garage that could be a nice office or rec room, a 2 car garage, a doll house and beautiful landscaping.

MLS #188274 Kathy VanVeckhoven, John Rea Realty, 318.537.3701

2700 River Oaks Drive

2602 Bramble Street

105 Bayside Drive

The best views on Bayou Desiard await you! Enjoy Bayou Life and breathtaking views in this home loaded with character and charm! From fishing on the dock, taking in the views overlooking the beautiful landscape and bayou from the upstairs sunroom, or enjoying an evening dinner on the dock over the water, this location is just what anyone needs to feel at home in Louisiana.

In addition to all the awe this home has to offer, it is priced below appraised value! This River Oaks Drive home has 4 bedrooms and 2.5 baths and had been completely remodeled by the current owners. Call today to view this home! MLS#187275 Julie Hansen 318-355-7301

5BR/3BA Location, elegance and style- a must see! This fabulous family home has a beautiful courtyard, pool and patio area. 14.5 ft ceilings in den with fireplace. 9 ft ceilings throughout the remainder of first floor. Very versatile floor plan. Plenty of rooms for an office and hobby room. Updated kitchen with wood flooring, pantry and large utility room. A third garage, a workshop and lots of storage. Beautiful windows, a large master bedroom with lots of closets. You will not be disappointed when you view this home. Great for entertaining. Security system and professional lighting in trees. MLS#188107 Susie Husted Realty, 366-1472 or 322-8268.

A large family home with 3,203 HSQFT, 5 bedrooms and 3 1/2 bath. This is an excellent home with capacity for more growth.

Recently painted, with new lights & faucets in master bedroom.

Plenty of storage throughout the home. It has a fenced yard large enough to fit a pool, new appliances (that will stay with the sale), and a workshop. The 5th bedroom could be a mother-in-law suite as it has private stairs. Granite counter tops in kitchen. This home has so much to offer. A must see. MLS# 185430 Lily Mann, Century 21 United, 318-366-6377

189 Ormond Lane

Boasting 5 bedrooms, 4, 500 heated sf, 6 acres of manicured grounds with a boathouse on beautiful Bayou Desiard. Spacious mother-in-law apartment (great for traveling guests) includes a full kitchen and a large second story sunroom with sweeping views of the bayou. Built in 1917, this home was moved to its current location in the late 1990’s. Natural light permeates the totally updated kitchen. MLS# 187350 Mark Sisk 318.801.4344

2804 River Oaks Drive

READY TO BE POOLSIDE THIS SUMMER OR FISHING ON THE BAYOU? You will wake up with a smile every morning in this 2 story Colonial style home with 4 bedrooms and 3.5 baths inside as well as an 811 sf pool house with soaring ceilings, a fireplace and a 1/2 bath. The home features sweeping views of Bayou DeSiard and the boathouse is just waiting for you to park your boat! Other features include , tall ceilings, generous moldings, a media room, wood flooring, a balcony overlooking the back yard, a covered patio area, a seawall and a new roof in 2017. MLS# 186840 Kathy VanVeckhoven, John Rea Realty, 318.537.3701

108 Hilton Street

Come quick to see this beautifully restored 5BR\3.5BA Garden District home. Built in 1935, this home features architectural details perfectly preserved from another era while boasting premium modern amenities. All new electrical wiring, HVAC systems, windows, digital surveillance system, and plumbing.

Original wood floors beautifully refinished. Roof was replaced in 2015. Spray foam insulation in all exterior walls, underneath the home, and 18` insulation in attic along with all LED lighting and all new appliances. Entire structure was re-leveled and re-inforced. MLS#184972 Mark Sisk, RE/MAX Premier Realty, 318.801.4344

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Beautiful Custom Cabinets Serving Our Community for Over 43 Years

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AYO CUSTOM CABINETS HAS BEEN A LEADING innovator in custom cabinetry and creating remarkable spaces since 1976. Their goal in design has always been to deliver the highest quality of materials with products that stand the test of time while maintaining their beauty.

Locally owned by Jeff Mayo, Mayo Custom Cabinets is excited to help solve any and all of your woodworking needs, desires, dreams or simple wants. They offer custom kitchen solutions that stun; fireplace mantels to wow; plus closets and custom furniture that are sure to get you one step closer to living your dream.

CUSTOM BUILT KITCHENS

The kitchen of the home is a place for entertaining, cooking dinner for your family and can be considered the focal point of the house. Mayo Custom Cabinets has been building the kitchens of people’s dreams for over 43 years. They would love to work with you on bringing your dreams to life. Practical and functional, Jeff will work with you every step of the way and help to provide updates on the process of the project.

CUSTOM BUILT BATHROOMS

They love helping people bring their dreams to life, and bathrooms are no exception. A bathroom is a place of solitude and privacy. With the right atmosphere, your bathroom can be a get-away from the business of life. A place to relax, breathe and wash the day off. You can work personally with Jeff and his team to design your own personal oasis.

CUSTOM HOODS

Whether a professional chef or someone that just likes to cook, a custom hood can add so much charm to your kitchen. Designed to fit your style and make a statement, Jeff has built thousands over the years, and would love to build one to perfectly match your kitchen.

CUSTOM BUILT MANTELS & BUILT-INS

Do you need a mantel to liven up your fireplace? Do you ever

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dream about having storage that looks like it’s part of your house?

Mayo Custom Cabinets is here to help. If you’re not sure what you want or what is possible in the space, Jeff will help give you design options custom to your home and style.

CUSTOM PIECES Some of their favorite projects include specialized pieces designed specifically with a particular job in mind. If you need something built from wood they are the ones to call. If you already have a vision or need inspiration from one of our design experts, please don’t hesitate to call or email Mayo Custom Cabinets. They will get in touch with you promptly.

CUSTOM CLOSET STORAGE A place for everything and everything in its place! Jeff and his team are here to help you create the custom closet storage system that fits your needs (and all of your shoes)! They may even have some design ideas you haven’t thought of. Everything built to make life simpler and more beautiful.

Allow Jeff to help take on the challenge of making your space more functional, your home more beautiful and your space more purposeful than ever. He loves making a difference in this local community as well as personally in your everyday living spaces and business environments. Visit their website at www.mayocustomcabinets.com to see their gallery of beautiful work.

There is a reason Mayo Custom Cabinets has been voted one of the Best in the Bayou Buzz Awards for custom cabinets three years in a row.

They want to say thank you to everyone that chose them to work on their homes and everyone that voted for them again this year!

Mayo Custom Cabinets 1104 Natchitoches St, West Monroe 318-410-0155 info@mayocustomcabinets.com

Investing in Hometown Talent Thomas H. Scott Award Winning Recipient

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RAPHIC PACKAGING INTERNATIONAL (GPI) HAS called Ouachita Parish home since 1923, and the recent $170 million investment in a new converting facility in Monroe shows they believe in this area. The new location on Millhaven Road across from Ouachita Parish High School will be a consolidation of the current two converting facilities in West Monroe and five warehouses. The original paper mill will still be in West Monroe, home of the famous steam stacks visible from across the river.

Whereas the paper mill turns trees into paper, the converting facility turns the paper into cartons for the beverage market, so if you drink our customers product out of a bottle or a can, please continue to do so responsibly. Graphic Packaging’s Monroe facility is responsible for producing cartons for Miller Coors, Anheuser-Busch, Boston Beer, Yuengling, in addition, GPI also makes the cartons for the Capri Sun boxes.

GPI is committed to its customers, providing a quality product at a great price. It’s why they’ve stayed in business so long, as “one of the largest folding carton manufacturers in the world.” Three priorities guide GPI’s business practices, our community service activities and our philanthropic commitments: preserving the environment, putting food on the table, and investing in education. The company is dedicated to community investment, contributing to the local food bank and educational programs. Local 4th and 5th graders learn the benefit of sustainability every year around Earth Day through a program called TICCIT, Trees into Cartons, Cartons into Trees. The company educates the children how paper is made, the value of recycling, and how to plant a tree. Each student goes home with a recyclable box that goes directly in the ground, and in 10-15 years, they have a 20 foot pine tree. GPI prioritizes sustainability by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, non-renewable energy use, water effluent at mills, and increasing recovery of paper and paperboard.”

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engineering schools for our salaried employees, GPI is truly invested in hometown talent, creating a real-life pathway for residents of Ouachita and the surrounding parishes. Informational sessions conducted before and during enrollment, GPI employees teach students about the benefits of maintenance, electrical, and process technology programs. They show them what they will be taught and the job that degree will get students in the future.

As long as they successfully complete the programs, students are guaranteed an interview with GPI upon completion of their degree.

Converting facility jobs include: Electrical and Instrumentation, Maintenance workers, Engineers, Quality Control, shift supervisors and production workers. The $50,000-$60,000 salary range serves as incentive and motivation for potential graduates and aids GPI’s hiring of future employees. The need for these workers in this area is in high demand; Louisiana Delta can’t graduate enough electrical and mechanical students to fill the need entirely. For essentially a $15,000 degree, students are almost guaranteed local employment, a win for everyone. GPI appreciates the partnership with Louisiana Delta Community College, ensuring a high quantity and caliber of employees. Senior Human Resources Manager Kevin Cuppia says “The Partnership with Louisiana Delta Community College will aid Graphic Packaging in securing a trained and educated workforce for today and in the future”

Inside the converting facility, the paper follows three processes on its journey. The first machine prints the external design of the carton. The second machine cuts the spool to a flat sheet, and lastly, the finishing machine forms the carton, including the folds and indentations, much like how many of us flatten boxes to toss after use, that’s how the boxes are sent to their respective companies to be filled with product. The staff who handle the machines make up a long-tenured workforce, many having been with the company for at least ten years. GPI is proud that its employees want to stay and provides leadership to ensure a safe work environment.

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T H O M A S H S C O T T AWA R D S

ayou DeSiard Title Company, MOEbiz, Wagner Logistics, and Graphic Packaging International were honored with Thomas H. Scott Awards of Excellence during a reception held Tuesday, June 4 at the Monroe Civic Center. In addition, three businesses received special Judge’s awards. The selections came from forty-seven nominations for the prestigious awards, which honors companies making significant contributions to the Ouachita parish economy through capital improvements, expansion, job creation, and community involvement during 2018/2019. This year’s nominees collectively employ 4,165 people in

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Ouachita parish and made capital investments of over $291 million.

The Thomas H. Scott Awards of Excellence Reception is hosted by the Monroe Chamber of Commerce and the University of Louisiana at Monroe’s College of Business. Presenting sponsor for the event is Strauss Interests. Additional sponsors for the reception are: Allen, Green and Williamson, CrossKeys Bank, Heard, McElroy & Vestal, LLC, IberiaBank, KTVE/KARD, Origin Bank, BayouLife Magazine, Scott Powerline and Utility Equipment, LLC, Lagniappe Media, Patty Stewart Photography, Progressive Bank, The News-Star, The ULM College of Business, the City of Monroe and the Radio People.

T H O M A S H S C O T T AWA R D S

BAYOU DESIARD TITLE COMPANY SMALL BUSINESS AWARD WINNER Bayou DeSiard Title Company 417 North 3rd Street in Monroe | 318.325.8800

Bayou DeSiard Title Company is a real estate title company providing services in connection with all types of real estate transactions. Gene Hastings, attorney and owner of Bayou DeSiard Title Company, and his team serve almost every banker, mortgage broker and realty office in the region. Gene originally opened the company in 1997. In spite of the mortgage crisis in 2008 the company continued to grow. By 2018, the company’s six employees were processing 1,100 transactions per year. To accommodate that growth, Gene invested $850,000 to build a new office at 417 North 3rd Street in downtown Monroe and his son, Cooper Hastings, a licensed attorney, joined the company. Gene serves as the Chapter 13 Trustee for the Monroe Division of the US Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Louisiana. Gene has coached several athletic teams, served on the board of the Monroe Youth Baseball Association, and Grace Episcopal and St. Frederick High school.

BAYOU D E SI ARD TI TLE COM PA N Y: COOP E R H ASTI NGS AN D GE NE HA ST I N GS

MOEbiz MEDIUM BUSINESS AWARD WINNER MOEbiz 2318 Armand Connector in Monroe | 318.388.4600

M OE BIZ: A N N A ND C HAP BR EA R D

Monroe Office Equipment, now known as MOEbiz, was started in 1923 by Armand Breard and currently owned by Chap and Ann Breard. MOEbiz sells, services, and installs office furniture and machines throughout the entire state of Louisiana as well as other multiple states. The company manages over 3,500 computers, copiers and printers in north Louisiana, south Arkansas and 12 other states. In 2017 MOEbiz purchased The File Depot which is a comprehensive records storage and management company. In 2018 MOEbiz purchased Stuart’s of El Dorado/North LA. In January, with a capital investment of $1.6 million, MOEbiz and The File Depot moved to its newly renovated location at 2318 Armand Connector. The company now employs 28 people. Chap is a board member for North LA Economic Partnership and the Boy Scouts. He is also a part of the Ouachita Business Association. MOEbiz has contributed to Ouachita River Valley Animal League, Leadership Ouachita, and an animal rescue society. MOEbiz’s philosophy is to treat others the way they wish to be treated.

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T H O M A S H S C O T T AWA R D S

WAGNER LOGISTICS LARGE BUSINESS AWARD WINNER Wagner Logistics wagnerlogistics.com

Wagner Logistics was founded in Kansas City, Missouri in 1945 and opened in Monroe in October, 2018 with an investment of $34 million. Wagner Logistics offers warehousing, transportation, fulfillment and packaging services. The company is a Top 100 third party logistics provider with over seventy years in the supply chain industry. Headed by Jacob Frugé, Warehouse Manager, Wagner Logistics sorts, ships and receives inventory for Graphic Packaging. In 2018, Wagner grew from one full time employee to eighty-six today.

In addition, Wagner Logistics has fifty temporary employees using three local staffing agencies in Ouachita parish. Wagner’s employees are selfless givers. Their first United Way of NELA campaign yielded a 51% employee participation rate and they are planning to participate in the United Way’s “Read Learn Succeed” program next fall.

WAGN E R LOGI STI C S: J ACOB FRUGÉ , WARE H OUSE MA N AG E R

GRAPHIC PACKAGING CORPORATE BUSINESS AWARD WINNER

Graphic Packaging 430 Highway 594 in Monroe, Louisiana

GR AP HIC PAC K AGING: KE V I N C UP P IA, SENIOR M A NAGER , H R

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Graphic Packaging International has been a significant employer in Ouachita parish for almost 100 years. In 2017, Graphic Packaging continued their commitment to the community when they announced that the world’s largest carton converting facility in terms of production would be built in Monroe and would employ 350 people. In 2018, Graphic made a $170 million dollar capital investment to build the new facility located at 430 Hwy 594. Graphic Packaging is an active member of the community. They support the United Way of NELA, in addition to serving on their board of directors.

Graphic employees also serve on the United Way’s campaign committee. Graphic Packaging has also partnered with Monroe City Schools, Ouachita Parish Schools and Louisiana Delta Community College.

T H O M A S H S C O T T AWA R D S

KTVE-KARD THE SPIRIT OF COMMUNITY AWARD WINNER

KTVE-KARD 200 Pavillion Road in West Monroe | 318.323.1972 In 2018, Randy Stone, General Manager of KTVE-KARD, and his Weather Team purchased a $1.3 million state of the art Baron Doppler Radar System. This cutting edge technology revolutionizes how their station’s weather team tracks severe weather. The radar provides viewers with real time severe weather tracking information that is precise down to street level. In addition, the station made other capital improvements of over $2.7million. KTVE-KARD is located at 200 Pavilion Road in West Monroe and employs 59 people.

KTVE-KARD supports the community through live streamed political debates, presentations, and education forums. The station helps countless non-profits in the region by promoting their events. Randy Stone serves on the board of the Monroe Chamber of Commerce, the United Way, and the Louisiana Association of Broadcasters. KTVE-KARD sponsored dozens of causes throughout the region from the St. Jude Dream Home Giveaway to Health Care Heroes. All while bringing us “the right news at the right time.”

KTVE- KARD : RAN DY STONE , GE NE RAL M AN AG E R

ACADIAN AMBULANCE SERVICE THE SPIRIT OF LIFE AWARD

AC A DIAN AMBULANCE SERV ICE: TAY LOR RIC HARD, OPER ATIONS M A NAGER

Acadian Ambulance Service was founded in Lafayette, LA with two ambulances and eight returning Vietnam veterans with medic experience. To date, Acadian Companies have approximately 5,000 employees across the United States. This past January, the ambulance service came to Ouachita Parish employing 135 employees and made a capital investment of $6.8 million. Between two facilities along with a dispatch center, a helicopter, 23 ambulance units, and the 911 provider for ambulance service, Acadian Ambulance offers outstanding support in health, safety and transportation. Acadian Ambulance provides emergent and non-emergent transport and has expanded across Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee and Texas. Acadian Ambulance is a member of the Monroe Chamber of Commerce and is committed to assisting Louisiana Delta Community College with their EMT and paramedic training programs. Taylor Richard is the Operations Manager for Acadian Ambulance Service.

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T H O M A S H S C O T T AWA R D S

THE SALVATION ARMY OF NELA IN MONROE SPIRIT OF RESILIENCY AWARD WINNER

Since 1927, The Salvation Army has been a part of Northeast Louisiana with their mission to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination. In 2018, under the direction of The Salvation Army officer Capatin Jerome Casey, the Red Shield Emergency Shelter was renovated and the number of dorm workers was increased from 6 to 14. In addition, Family Thrift Store re-opened. Since the re-opening, the shelter has provided over 3,000 nights of lodging and helped two people transition from the shelter to permanent housing.

Their clients are given the opportunity to go through the Alcoholics Anonymous, 12-Step Program and are given the opportunity to attend Sunday school and the children can attend summer camp. Last year, The Salvation Army served over 2,000 clients. The Salvation Army feeds the hungry through their Shelter Feeding Program and provides gifts at Christmas to families with children. The Salvation Army is located at 105 Hart Street in Monroe.

J E ROM E C ASE Y, TH E SALVATI ON ARM Y O F F I CE R CA PTA I N

2 0 1 9 T H O M A S H . S COT T N O M I N E E S SMALL BUSINESSES ABG Professional Development Solutions Bayou Brew House Bayou Desiard Title Company Bayou Trade Days/Bayou This & That Big Boy’s Snack Attack Blend Bonekrusher Youth Program Eagle Bank Mortgage GiGi’s Kountry Kitchen Glass Doctor of Monroe Grace and Lace Boutique Griffin Funeral Home H2GO Paddle Infinite Technology Solutions, LLC Mitchell’s Body and Frame Northeast Properties, LLC NOVA Workforce Institute of Northeast Louisiana, Inc. Phone Fix Pros, LLC Regus – Monroe, LA Business Center

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Something Borrowed Event Rentals & Styling South Ouachita Clinic Talkin Shop & Keeping It Local Taste of India The Main Event MEDIUM BUSINESSES 2Dudes Brew & Que Arrow Dental Center Car Town of Monroe, Inc. J & L Associates of Monroe dba Arby’s Louisiana Eye & Laser MOEbiz NELA Dental Panda Express Parish Restaurant The Gardens at Georgia Tucker The Salvation Army of Northeast Louisiana in Monroe TownePlace Suites by Marriott

LARGE BUSINESSES Banner Ford of Monroe, LLC Centric Federal Credit Union KNOE KTVE/KARD Magic Grill, LLC Origin Bank Wagner Logistics CORPORATE BUSINESSES Acadian Ambulance Service Graphic Packaging International Ochsner LSU Health Monroe St. Francis Medical Center

Fabulous Fabric in Monroe Explains the Market Trends for

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HE BEST SALE OF THE YEAR IS going on until July 20th at Fabulous Fabric. Its time to save on all in stock fabrics, decorative pillows, bedding, trims and tapes. We are making room for all our new arrivals from our market trip.

MARKET TRENDS FOR 2019

Color Explosion - Color is back in all types of patterns, florals, geometrics and solids. Add a little color to make a big difference in a previously all neutral palette and you have a completely new look.

Textile Art - Using fabric on the wall in a frame or as a wall hanging is an easy way to add texture and interest to a wall and its also easy to take down when you decide you want a change.

Bold Print Fabrics - Whether its on a statement piece of furniture or a pair of draperies, adding a bold print will elevate your style.

Black & White - A timeless design trend can be added to any color palette to add drama - or just a room in total black and white.

Pillows & Fabric Throws - Beautiful pillows and fabric throws can hide old and worn furniture to make any room look new 2019 and alive. Layering neutrals or adding pattern

Performance Fabrics - This is the biggest and color can make a dramatic change.

Tape Trims - Add beautiful tape trims to trend in the fabric biz these days. Everyone wants a fabric that can be cleaned after a existing draperies and pillows and especially food stain, dog stain or wine stain happens! furniture for an easy DIY. You will be amazed We have performance fabrics that can be how easy it is to embellish with our tape bleach cleaned. You can now have that white trims.

Need draperies quick? We have a new furniture you’ve been wanting and it is also line of pinch pleated draperies that come in soft to the touch!

Velvet Furnishings - Luxurious and multiple lengths and colors that arrive in 7-10 comforting! If you want to set the stage for business days. Decorative drapery hardware a dramatic living room, add a bold colored can be just for design and style or it can be velvet couch and let that be your inspiration for functionality too. Whatever your needs for the room. Nothing says luxury more than are we have a large array of styles to select from. At Fabulous Fabric we deal strictly in velvet!

Floral Patterns - Refreshed and custom sized hardware. This means you are modernized in playful scales will make getting a product cut to size for your window.

Wood, metal, lucite, french return rods are all timeless patterns feel new.

Richer Color Palettes - Richer hues popular choices. Windows treatments are like throughout your home can make the muted puzzles and we can put the pieces together for and natural colored furnishings instantly you! Great pricing thru the end of July! And pop. Look for dramatic reds, statement pinks, now available with grommets! Come in and let us help you make your home Fabulous! bold yellows and lush greens.

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Let the Chick Cater to You Celebrate July 4th With Us

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ELCOME TO CHICKEN Salad Chick, where we offer delicious, scratch-made, southernstyle, craveable favorites served from the heart. We don’t believe in strangers, just friends we haven’t met yet—so come in and enjoy! You’ll find fresh, healthy fare and gracious hospitality at our chicken salad restaurant. We know everyone has a different idea of what makes the perfect chicken salad recipe, so we’ve created several options. If you’re a chicken salad lover, you’ll discover something here to satisfy your tastes. From simple to savory to fruity and nutty or even a little spicy, you can pick the chick that suits your mood. We have over a dozen varieties of chicken salads along with pimento cheese or egg salad, served by the scoop, sandwich, or bowl. You’ll also find delicious sides, soups, and desserts in addition to the scoops of chicken salad that started it all. Bringing

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along your little chicks? We have a great kids menu. For quick, amazing meals we even offer convenient carryout. At Chicken Salad Chick, we use fresh ingredients and timehonored traditions. We take great pride in making our flavors by hand each morning, using only premium chicken tenderloins, and our special combinations of sweet and savory ingredients.While you are here, consider yourself an honorary chick! We believe food brings people together, so we always provide service with a smile and aim for you to leave our chicken salad restaurants happy with your meal and refreshed from time well spent.

Follow your appetite & earn rewards and download the Chicken Salad Chick App from the App store or Google Play! Every time you enjoy our mouthwatering menu of fresh, scratch-made chicken salad, pimento cheese, and other favorites, you’ll earn one

point for every dollar you spend. Redeem them for special discounts, free food items, and fun Chick gear. At Chicken Salad Chick, we love to share the love. Get the App, scan your barcode, and get started earning points today!

If you are planning on hosting a July 4th event, let us help cater your fun day.

Call in and order what you want from our new catering menu and we will have your food ready for you and you can enjoy you’re exciting day with family and friends.

This month we are introducing Miss Tamara’s Tarragon Dijon chicken salad with fresh picked herbs and savory Dijon mustard!

Come in and try this new flavor while it lasts.

1191 Lamy Lane Suite 7 Monroe, Louisiana Call (318) 322-4425

Not Just Aesthetic Surgery Dr. Mickel & His Staff Offer In-Office Procedures

BY Timothy J. Mickel, MD, FACS - Certified, AmericanBoard of Plastic Surgery

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XCESSIVE SWEATING - hyperhidrosiscan shatter confidence, ruin clothes and strain relationships. This devastating condition affects about 5% of the population, but another 20-30% sweat enough to have an impact on lifestyle and activities. Excessive sweating can cause social anxiety, withdrawal and embarrassment, and can affect overall quality of life. Over the course of a lifetime you could spend a fortune on powerful antiperspirants - which could have health issues - or armpit Botox, which is temporary, not to mention the money you spend replacing clothes.

Or, you could have a one-time treatment that destroys your sweat glands and at the same time reduces odor and armpit hair.

MiraDry is a revolutionary new treatment that uses thermal energy to heat the armpit, where bothersome sweat and odor glands reside, and safely eliminate them. MiraDry

is a non-invasive treatment that takes about an hour, is done under local anesthesia, has little or no downtime, and results in an 8085% reduction in perspiration and odor in just one treatment. As a side benefit, there is also a 40-50% reduction in armpit hair – regardless of the color. Most patients can return to their normal activities immediately after treatment, although there may be mild localized soreness, swelling or numbness that can last a week or two. The results are immediate and lasting – the sweat and odor glands eliminated by MiraDry are gone for good. A single treatment is sufficient for the majority of patients, although an occasional heavy sweater may need a second treatment in four to six months.

While your body does need sweat glands to cool itself, you have 2 – 4 million of them so eliminating the trouble making 2% that reside in your armpit won’t affect your ability to

stay cool. All MiraDry treatments are done in my office by Kasey Burks, a licensed nurse practitioner. Kasey is trained and experienced not only in performing MiraDry, but also in performing Botox and filler injections as well as FemTouch vaginal rejuvenation treatments.

FemTouch is a fractionated CO2 laser with an established track record of safety and effectiveness. FemTouch allows rapid, safe, comfortable, non-surgical treatment for a variety of peri-menopausal vaginal symptoms in women from their 30’s to their 60’s, and it has revolutionized laser vaginal rejuvenation. FemTouch helps with mild stress urinary incontinence, vaginal dryness, painful intercourse and vaginal laxity after childbirth.

FemTouch is a simple procedure performed in my office that takes just a few minutes and requires no anesthesia or special postprocedure care. Generally, FemTouch requires just 2-4 short office treatments until the desired result is achieved. All FemTouch treatments are done by my nurse practitioner, Kasey Burks, in the privacy and comfort of my office.

So, whether you have excessive sweating, wrinkles or peri-menopausal vaginal symptoms, call Mickel Plastic Surgery at (318) 388-2050 and set up a free consultation with Kasey to see if MiraDry or FemTouch is right for you. From surgery to lasers and everything in-between, when it comes to looking and feeling your best, if it works, we have it!

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MOEBiz Offers Solutions A Local Company For Nearly a Century

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OEBIZ HAS BECOME A TRUSTED provider of office equipment & network services in the Ark-La-Miss area by working with businesses to improve their office productivity and efficiency for 96 years. We recognize the frustration that can result from having to contact multiple providers in order to address connectivity or mechanical issues, so MOEbiz provides a one-call-does-it-all solution for its customers.

Our commitment to provide the highest level of service to our customers is what sets MOE apart from the competition. From the initial sale to consistent service and communication, and every need in between, we are dedicated to delivering exceptional customer service; we want to earn your business. MOEbiz dedicates 33 employees with 9 service technicians to cover Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi and Texas businesses.

MOEbiz offers the following Professional Services:

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HP & LANIER OFFICE EQUIPMENT

MOEbiz offers HP & Lanier Copiers, Printers and Wide Format Machines for blueprints. Your office depends on quality equipment and prompt delivery of sales.

We pride ourselves in delivering service professionally, punctually and effectively.

MANAGED PRINT SERVICES

MOEbiz was the first company to actively embrace Managed Print Services in our market. Utilizing our MPS services will allow you to optimize the way that your business approaches printing. From device management and supply ordering, to conducting print audits within your business, there are numerous ways that Managed Print Services will help you create a more efficient office.

DCA - DATA COLLECTION AGENT

Our DCA software allows us to remotely verify meter readings, as well as toner levels and device statuses. This means no more

monthly phone calls or emails to report your current meter values, as well as the ability to track toner levels for our MPS services to ensure that there is always toner on hand.

REMOTE CALL AVOIDANCE

In order to provide our customers prompt service to ensure their devices are performing at their optimum level, MOEbiz’s Remote Call Avoidance team can reach out to customers via phone to remotely solve a plethora of issues.

They will establish a remote connection to your device(s), which allows them to resolve your issue From resolving error codes to installing print or scan drivers, our Call Avoidance technicians are ready to assist you!

MANAGED NETWORK SERVICES Our Managed Network Services Department can assist your business with finding the best solution to consolidate and reconfigure its hardware and software to save you both time and money. MNS provides automated remote monitoring and maintenance of all servers and workstations on a network along with Help Desk support, all for a fixed monthly fee that is based on the number of workstations and servers at your facility. This provides our customers with “one throat to choke” for all things technology, internet, network, software, and phone issues, rather than having to call multiple providers to fix different parts of the same problem.

Petals & Pearls Is Moving Stop By and See Us at Our New Location

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ETALS & PEARLS IS A FULLservice florist and we take pride in taking care of all the details with each order. We know flowers will make everyone smile and bring comfort when needed. If it’s not flowers you are looking for, we offer a variety of gift baskets for any and every occasion for every special person in your life.

We are pleased to offer candles by PaddyWax, a soy candle that will make your entire space smell amazing. Stop by and tell us what your favorite scent is. Petals & Pearls is also proud to offer Belle Vie Belle Maison, a local company that specializes in all-natural bath and skincare products. One of the favorites for men is Olivina which includes beard oil and moisturizers. Our clothing line carries several brands such as Nally and Mille, Blu Pepper, Simply Noelle and more. We offer a moderately priced line of jewelry and we

also carry Corky brand shoes. From jewelry to clothing and sweets to flowers, Petals and Pearls has many choices to fit your needs.

Are you planning an event? Petals & Pearls is proud to serve the Ark-La-Miss area for all your event needs. The girls and I will take care of small details to help relieve any stress. From flowers to decorations, we can do it all. We also have a large selection of items to rent if you are looking for something to use to make your event pop! No job is too big or too small for us. At Petals & Pearls, we are here to serve you!. We have exciting news!

Petals & Pearls has been very blessed over the last four years. We are thankful for our customers that have given us the opportunity to serve them and supported our dream.

Thanks to all of you, we have outgrown our current location. While we have enjoyed the many memories with the pink doors, we are

looking forward to making more in a bigger buildingon Highway 165. Our new location will be next to El Paso, so look for our sign and come visit us starting the first of July.

We will have a larger space and an updated, fresh place for you to shop. We are looking forward to serving you and creating unique floral arrangements and helping you pick out special gifts for your family, friends, and even yourself.

Thanks to all our customers new and old, we are a finalist for the Bayou Buzz Awards.

We are completely overwhelmed by the support everyone has shown us and we look forward to continuing to serve you for many years. Please watch for our Open House date.

We are excited to start our new adventure in our new building and look forward to see you when you come by to visit.

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Her primary focus is promoting wellness by educating parents, as well as working with teenage patients to help them make healthy choices.

Puberty

BY THE CHILDREN’S COALITION FOR NORTHEAST LOUISIANA

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hile most of us know the telltale signs of puberty — hair growth in new places, menstruation, body odor, lower voice in boys, breast growth in girls—we may not fully comprehend the science behind all of these changes. Puberty begins when an area of the brain called the hypothalamus starts to release gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH). When GnRH travels to the pituitary gland, it releases two more puberty hormones — luteinizing hormone (LH) and folliclestimulating hormone (FSH). For boys, these hormones travel through the bloodstream to the testes (testicles) and give the signal to begin production of sperm and the hormone testosterone. For girls, the hormones go to the ovaries and trigger the maturation and release of eggs and the production of the hormone estrogen, which matures a female’s body and prepares her for pregnancy. At about the same time, the adrenal glands of both boys and girls begin to produce a group of hormones

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called adrenal androgens. These hormones stimulate the growth of pubic and underarm hair in both sexes. Puberty also triggers adolescence—that period between childhood and adulthood and adulthood and includes both what is happening on the outside and the way teens relate to the world. The many physical, sexual, cognitive, social, and emotional changes that happen during this time can bring anticipation and anxiety for both children and their families. Talking about what to expect at different stages can promote healthy development throughout adolescence and into early adulthood.

Rena Braswell has been a practicing Family Nurse Practitioner for 16 years.

She started her career in rural health but has deep and diverse experience in several settings including: ULM school-based clinic, general surgery, Affinity walk-in clinic, and primary care. Currently, Ms. Braswell practices at Monroe Pediatrics which is part of Morehouse Community Medical Centers.

Q: What do parents and youth need to know about puberty?

A: Puberty is the changes the body goes through during the preteen and teenage years. These changes involve physical changes as well as psychosocial changes. The most important thing that a parent needs to know is that educating your child about the changes that are going to happen should be done before they occur. Children need to be given accurate information regarding puberty either from their parents, caregivers, or their healthcare providers during their wellness visits.

Q: Why is it important for parents to talk to their children about puberty?

A: Communicating information regarding puberty for many parents and caregivers can be uncomfortable; however, children who have received this education will have the foundation they need to make healthy decisions. They are also more than likely to go to their parents or caregivers when they are faced with other questions or problems. Children who have not built that foundation with a trusted adult may go to their peers or the media and get potentially inaccurate information. In particular, talking to girls about what is happening to their bodies and minds, can help offset the “confidence gap” (Shipman et al, 2018).

Research shows that between the ages of 8-14,

girls’ confidence levels drop by 30 percent. Boys do experience some bumps in confidence entering their teens. But at 14, when girls are hitting their low, boys’ confidence is still 27% higher; for some girls that gap never closes.

Q: When is the right time to have the conversation with my child?

A:Today, children are being exposed to sexual content on social media, television, and the internet. The time a child starts puberty depends on different factors that include his or her genes, weight, and nutrition. The right time to have the discussion on puberty should be based on your own child’s maturity level and exposure to sexual content. That time frame is generally between the ages of 8-10. At the very least, be prepared to talk to a girl about the expected events of puberty, including menstruation, when you see the first signs of breast development, or earlier if she seems ready or has questions. A boy should know about normal penile development, erections, and nocturnal emissions before age 12 — sooner, if he’s an early developer. And it’s also important to talk to your child about what’s happening to members of the opposite sex.

Between the ages of 8-14, girls’ confidence levels drop by 30 percent…

Q: What is a good way to start “The Talk”?

A: A good way to start the conversation with your child is that their brain tells their bodies to make hormones. Hormones are responsible for all the changes that are getting ready to happen to make them an adult. Hormones may cause you to have pimples, sweating under your armpits which causes body odor, mood swings or eyesight changes. Everyone is different and most things are normal. Keeping the conversation simple and light hearted will keep them engaged. Depending on whether you are talking with your son or daughter, then you would proceed to go down individual changes unique to them.

It’s best not to have “The Talk” as one grand summit but rather as a series of talks, ideally beginning when your child is young and starting to ask questions about body parts. Each time you talk, offer more and more detail, depending upon your child’s maturity level and interest in the topic. If you feel your child is ready, or if they ask for information, you may want to move on to the more sensitive subject of sexual activity. This is a personal choice, but providing medically accurate information to your child can prevent risky behavior that could lead to pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. If you find yourself unable to have this conversation with your child, make an appointment with your health care provider for a wellness visit and they will be happy to have the conversation with your child. North Louisiana has one of the highest rates of teen sexually transmitted diseases in the country—as a parent you can help be the change.

RESOURCES KidsHealth KidsHealth is a great resource for youth and their parents on a variety of health-related topics. You can also use kid-friendly (https://kidshealth.org/en/kids/puberty.html) or parent friendly (https://kidshealth.org/en/kids/puberty.html) web pages to share the specifics of puberty and answer some of the harder questions.

Jan Daniels, Youth Development Director at the Children’s Coalition, works with middle schools in northeast Louisiana to provide the suicide prevention program Signs of Suicide (SOS) and the the program Rights, Respect and Responsibility which addresses dating violence and healthy relationships. The Coalition will be offering a series of classes this Spring for parents to learn more about the sexual health of their teens and how they can have healthy relationships. Call Jan at (318) 323-8775 or go to www.childrenscoalition.org to learn more about how you can get these programs at your child’s school.

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St. Francis Medical Center Awarded ‘A’ Safety The Leapfrog Group Designates Excellent Safety Grade

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T. FRANCIS MEDICAL CENTER WAS awarded an ‘A’ from The Leapfrog Group’s spring 2019 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade. The designation recognizes St. Francis Medical Center’s efforts in protecting patients from harm and providing safer healthcare. The hospital was also awarded an “A” in the fall of 2018.

“To have received this national recognition again as one of the country’s safest hospitals is a result of our entire team’s daily pursuit of excellence,” said Kristin Wolkart, President and CEO of St. Francis Medical Center. “Whether it is patient safety initiatives like using new technology to reducing falls or patient-centered rounding to involve the patient and family in the plan-of-care, our physicians and dedicated team members never stop improving and innovating on behalf of those we serve. We are extremely proud to have this recognition

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affirm we are doing the right things for our patients and our community.”

The Leapfrog Group is a national nonprofit organization committed to improving health care quality and safety for consumers and purchasers. The Safety Grade assigns an ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘C’, ‘D’ or ‘F’ grade to hospitals across the country based on their performance in preventing medical errors, injuries, accidents, infections and other harms to patients in their care.

“To be recognized nationally as an ‘A’ hospital is an accomplishment the whole community should take pride in,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “Hospitals that earn an ‘A’ grade are making it a priority to protect patients from preventable medical harm and error.

We congratulate hospital leaders, board members, staff, volunteers and clinicians who work so hard to earn this ‘A.’”

Developed under the guidance of a national expert panel, the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade uses 28 measures of publicly available hospital safety data to assign grades to more than 2,600 U.S. acute-care hospitals twice per year. The Hospital Safety Grade’s methodology is peer-reviewed and fully transparent, and the results are free to the public.

St. Francis Medical Center joins Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center and Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center, all part of the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System, in being recognized with a Leapfrog ‘A’ for patient safety.

Here’s the Latest

Fiesta Nutrition Center Has All Your Reputable Products and Clean Food

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AIR RENEW. Everyday can be a good hair day! This is a revolutionary formula to nourish thinning hair, stimulate new growth at the follicle and may reduce age-related hair loss. It comes in a easy-to-take softgel .

ACNE ESSENTIALS. Environmental toxins, stress, hormonal imbalances, and poor diets are likely the cause of skin eruptions in teens and adults. This tried and true blend of minerals, fatty acids, vitamins and herbals is designed to nourish and protect .

PURE ROSEHIP OIL Cold-pressed oil from the rose fruit seeds (hips) is the main ingredient of many high-end cosmetics for the skin and hair. Using the oil in its pure form is a great foundation for hydration and as an anti-oxidant (to slow down the signs of aging). For under $15, this is the best beauty bargain ever.

PIK NIK COFFEE CREAMER This is the new wave of coffee creamers made with grass-fed butter, whey protein and MCT oils.

This makes for a creamy texture we’ve all been looking for. The protein and good fat are satisfying to the appetite and a source of energy and fat metabolism.

PRIMAL KITCHEN Good fat, no sugar, and lots of flavor describe this brand of sauces, dressings and toppings that fit into many special diet requests. Flying off the shelves are the various ranch dressings, aioli mayos and steak sauces.

LOW CARB FOODS Ways to produce low-carbs foods just keeps getting better.

Fiesta stocks breads and pasta from the Great Low Carb Bread Company, Liviva Pasta, Smartcakes, and various brands of cauliflower crackers, pizza crusts, and snacks.

Protein and collagen powders suitable for the

keto diet are still going strong.

GOOD EARTH JUICE AND SALAD BAR Seasonal new items : Hippie Acai Bowl, Tropical Acai Bowl, Low Carb Bites (choc chip cookie dough, lemon poppyseed).

DREUX COFFEE Cooling summer drinks: Thai Iced Latte (dairy-free), Matcha Iced Latte, Italian Sodas.

Fiesta Nutrition Center loves the reactions of customers that are always amazed at the new and unique products added daily. We are motivated by the support this region gives us and strive to keep our store a “mecca” for reputable products, clean food and positive community interaction. Thanks for shopping local first!

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Southern Roots Do Do Do Do Local Dental Office Celebrates Shark Week

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OUTHERN ROOTS IS CELEBRATING THE ANTICIPATION of Shark Week for the entire month of July! Dr. Julie LeBell Simpson and Dr. Sarah Hummel Gregory are offering prizes, giveaways and discounts the entire month. The local family dental practice is located in the heart of Monroe on N. 18th and offers treatments and plans for the entire family….from baby shark to grandpa shark! They are currently offering a summer special for new patients that includes cleaning, an exam, x-rays and fluoride treatment for just $99. Be sure to make an appointment during the summer to keep your shark teeth sharp! Follow Southern Roots on Facebook to catch all of their giveaways and prizes during the entire month of July!

Starting at baby shark, Southern Roots encourages patients to have their first visit around two years old. This is a great way to get your baby shark comfortable at the dental office and let the dentist take a peek inside their mouth and count their teeth. “Often times around this age, we get kids on a multivitamin with fluoride,” said Dr. Gregory. “Many people don’t realize that we don’t have fluoride in our water system so it is important to get that treatment to prevent cavities in the future.” Southern Roots strives to make all of their patients comfortable, but especially the newest and youngest patients. They even walk away with a balloon, stickers and prizes!

Following their first visit, baby sharks should have an appointment every six months for a check up and to continue getting comfortable visiting the dentist.

Southern Roots treats the entire family as well! They offer GLO® whitening system, which doesn’t involve impressions or trays at all. The patented GLO® mouthpiece combines LED light and heat resistors in a closed system, which prevents oxygen from escaping the teeth. With each application the mouthpiece warms us to the optimal temperature to accelerate and activate the process for quicker, more efficient results. For optimal whitening results, they recommend the in-office treatment, which takes about 45 mintues, followed by 5-7 days of at home whitening with the universal mouthpiece that is yours to keep. You can expect to see your teeth up to eight shades whiter! The team at Southern Roots is so pleased to be able to offer a highly effective whitening system to their patients with the peace of mind knowing there’s little to no sensitivity involved.

They are also proud to offer BOTOX®. This treatment can be used for patients that suffer from TMJ issues, such as teeth grinding and clenching. Plus, there are the obvious cosmetic benefits, targeting one of the underlying causes of frown lines and crow’s feet.

Their preventive services include comprehensive exams, dental emergencies, oral cancer screenings, digital imaging, sports guards, TMJ therapy and cleanings. Southern Roots offers restorative dentistry for the entire family as well. These procedures can help to care for patients who suffer from common oral health problems and include dental crowns, bridgework, fillings, tooth extractions, dentures and implants.

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Best Time to Eat Healthy Summer Offers Fresh Vegetables

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HY IS IT THAT WHEN WE BUY A CAR AND A specific grade of gas is recommended, we make sure that we only put that grade into the vehicle? Yet, when it comes to what we eat and our health, it seems anything goes.

Without a good diet, our bodies are living in a state of inflammation, which is the root cause of most diseases. Adding fresh fruits and vegetables gives us the nutrients we need for a healthier life. This summer is a great time to incorporate healthier foods.

We have access to a huge variety of fresh fruits and vegetables this time of year. I encourage everyone to buy fresh and local. A great source for locating farms in our area is www.localharvest.org., which can also locate local farmer’s markets.

Branch out this summer and try new ways to prepare vegetables.

Try eating fresh mixed vegetable salads instead of green salads. Try a variety of different vinegars with olive oil or avocado oil.

To roast vegetables, you need a cookie sheet, parchment paper, olive oil, pecan oil, or avocado oil, salt, and pepper. Use salt sparingly.

Vegetables that roast well are: cabbage, cauliflower, carrots, tomatoes, mushrooms, and radishes.

Eat vegetable meals. Below is a recipe for a Vegetable Lasagna that is made with cabbage and is an excellent low carbohydrate meal.

LOW CARB CLASSIC LASAGNA 12 oz. Mozzarella cheese, shredded 3 C. Ricotta or cottage cheese ¾ C. Parmesan cheese, grated 1 lb.

Ground deer meat or grass fed beef, optional 24 oz. Spaghetti sauce, I look for the one that is organic and has the lowest in added sugar 2 Lg. Eggs, beaten 2 Bags Angel hair shredded cabbage 9 x 13 Casserole pan

Brown ground meat if using meat. Grass fed beef and deer meat are both high in Omega 3 fatty acids. 4 oz. = 46% of recommended daily omega 3s. (If you rinse the beef after browning, it will lower the fat content down to that of chicken breast.) Add spaghetti sauce and allow to simmer to blend the flavors.

Take out 1 C. mozzarella cheese and ¼ C. parmesan cheese; set aside. Mix the remainder of the mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, ricotta or cottage cheese and season with black pepper, which is antiinflammatory.

Place one bag of cabbage into the pan and spread out evenly.

Take one half of the meat sauce and cheese mixture and spread on top of the cabbage. Add the second bag of cabbage on top of the sauce and cheese; layer with the cheese mixture then meat sauce and top with the cheese that was set aside.

Cover with aluminum foil and bake for an hour. Enjoy!

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B AYOUKID Z

CELEBRATING SIMPLICITY This Summer is a Time to Focus on Decluttering and Prioritizing article by Cindy G. Foust

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appy birthday to the United States of America month, readers, and I hope you are enjoying your summer as I write this column. Believe it or not, we will officially be halfway through summer once this magazine hits your driveway. In fact, this writer is already looking at Christmas decorations on Pinterest. I’m just kidding, but one store that I frequent has already started putting out their decorations and I am shocked and outraged.

Not really, they do it every year but the last time I was in there I passed a little old lady who was giving the imaginary store manager the one-two about it not even being the 4th of July and they were already putting out snowmen.

Anywho, Christmas will get here soon enough and for right now, I want to savor all things summer.

As a matter of fact, as I write this column, I’m sitting on the patio as my husband grills us a burger watching the College World Series.

We had the good fortune of going to the CWS two years in a row and I am not sure what that has to do with my column, but it was a lot of fun and both my boys thought they had died and gone to heaven. Speaking of heaven, my first cousin, who’s like my sister, surprised me with a visit last weekend and boy did we have a good time. I’m fortunate to have cousins who are more like siblings and I really enjoy

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spending time with them. We sit around and laugh about our childhood and the supersecret club we had. You might be surprised to know that I was the president of our club and my cousin, Jeff, was the vice-president and did we ever have some strict rules for the younger

members. For one, you had to eat dog food to be a member and that was the deal breaker if you didn’t. Of course, Jeff nor I had to eat the dog food, I mean, you think Queen Elizabeth eats beanie weenies? That’s a big no, the top of the food chain makes the rules, they don’t have to follow them. And that deal has really worked out well for the Queen because she has a national holiday just in honor of her birthday.

Far as I can tell, my reign as president of the “I Spy a Fly” club (we thought we were spies,

of what, I am not entirely sure, maybe my grandmother watching her soaps?) did not result in a national holiday in my honor but it was really fun bossing around the younger kids and making them be the “kool-aid girls” to go fetch our drinks. Now, you might be wondering why I’m sharing cousin stories and I might be wondering why you, readers, are not aware that July 24th is National Cousin’s Day.

Now, don’t you feel a little out of touch?

This national day of celebration got me to thinking about those good ole days, carefree… innocent…simple. I do that routinely you know, long for simpler times, when life seems to be whizzing by on a jet plane and I’m at the boat dock.

With that fine analogy in mind, I sometimes catch myself, when life is swallowing me up, longing for a just a moment, a minute, to sit on my back porch and watch my donkey (Glen, who incidentally, likes pancakes) and drink a tall glass of sweet tea. Or lay in the game room with my family and watch the Hallmark channel or the College World Series. Or piddle in my herb garden. Wait, I don’t have an herb garden because I was too busy to plant one this year. See, that’s exactly my point…I was too busy to do something I ordinarily enjoy.

So what’s the secret to having and doing it all? I wish I knew, I wish someone could coach

me into “finding the balance” because I truly want to just stop and smell the roses. National Simplicity Day is July 12th and I think it’s pretty cool to have a holiday (I use that word loosely because I’m quite sure I won’t be off work) that encourages people to simplify their lives, but is one day enough? Shouldn’t this be a mindset shift? I actually wrote a column about this very thing some time ago, but I obviously didn’t heed my own advice because here I am still on the Texas Giant roller coaster of life.

I think as importantly as my own “slowing down” process, I truly don’t want my kids to think this is how you are supposed to live your life. Can I get an A to the MEN? I began to read about simplifying my life in researching this column and I was surprised at some things that I could be more proactive with that might just give me the jump start I need. For instance, and this is also a very good place to start with your children, but limiting my time on social media will certainly be a priority.

I don’t know about you readers, but social media can sometimes make me feel really bad about myself. I love the aspect of staying in touch with family and friends, but some people really seem to have charmed lives and well, sometimes, I don’t. But besides the fact that I don’t get to take a vacation every month,

shop to my heart’s content and work out 23/24 hours a day, I just think there is a better use of my time, so I’m going to work at minimizing my time on these platforms.

Next, I started creating a list of priorities.

I’m even working through this exercise with my daughter…things we want to accomplish this summer, goals we have set for ourselves.

In that list is certainly spending more time with my family and friends. A few weeks ago I planned a little homemade pizza night and invited a few friends over and let me tell you, a good time was had by all. It was impromptu, super easy and fun and the food was delicious.

It just took a little planning and the next thing you know, my kitchen was full of people that I love, Ambrosia was playing in the background and wonderful smells were coming from my oven. It was, in a word, heavenly.

Finally, I’m learning to say no. This has and will always be a problem for me. Like many of you, we get asked to do things that over extend us. To be clear, I love helping someone, especially someone in my tribe, but it’s all the “asks” on the outside of my circle, on the fringe if you would, that create chaos and suck time away from other things I’d rather be doing. So, I’m just going to be more mindful to “just say no” to some of these asks.

After I started my research, I could write pages on this, but I don’t want to start like the Titanic trying to fix everything, and end up in a paddle boat. Again. Anybody on the same page as me? Sometimes it doesn’t feel like I’m living my life, it feels like my life is living me. I know you must feel the same way, so buy in to what I’m saying readers, and jump on the simplicity wagon and let’s do this. I plan to make myself totally transparent and accountable to you in a few months with an update on my very exciting and adventurous life and I know you will be waiting with bated breath. But do the same for yourself. Talk to your children about “slowing it down” a notch. Plan some impromptu dinners. Carve out family time.

Eat around your table with your tribe. It may seem like a daunting life to embrace but think of the results, the peace of mind, you will get in return. Seems like a really good return on your investment to me and one that I look forward to with my whole heart.

Cindy G. Foust is a wife, mom, author and blogger. You can find her blog at the alphabetmom. com for weekly columns about home life, parenting, small business stories and insight with a smidgen of literacy. Give her a like or follow on Facebook and Instagram.

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Helping People Find Home

Local Real Estate Expert Mark Sisk Can Help You Buy or Sell

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UMMER IS IN FULL SWING AND THE HOUSING MARKET is hot! I’ve seen several properties with multiple offers so far this year. Even more than that have gone under contract within the first week of hitting the market. Inventory is up and buyers do have options available. To make sure your home is in prime position to sell, it’s best to call in an expert. A home must be priced to sell to be competitive in today’s market. It’s tricky to do that while still getting top dollar when you cash out. To really get buyers attention, you must showcase the home with creative advertising. I’m proud to offer professional photography and videography to maximize exposure in today’s digital age.

The challenge doesn’t stop there. You also need a way to safely show your home to qualified buyers, not just every random stranger that wants to come in. With my online scheduler, your appointments can be approved, rejected, or rescheduled all from an app on your phone (or a good old fashioned phone call/text). Digital lockboxes allow ease of access for myself or other Realtors to securely show the home during pre-determined hours specified by you, the home owner. What’s the competition doing? Stay on top of what comparable properties are doing with my weekly seller reports displaying detailed information of sales, pendings, price reductions, and other data so you can stay a step ahead of the competition. These reports also detail the

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advertising performance of your online listing so we can both monitor where to focus efforts to find the perfect buyer.

Selling a home in today’s market is challenging, and not just from a marketing standpoint either. What will you do if the appraiser shoots $10,000 low? What will you do if the home inspector finds a handful of items that need to be repaired or replaced? Title issues you never knew about? These are more common than you think. In my 12 years of real estate sales in Northeast Louisiana, I have developed systems to address these problems as, or even before arise, leaving a smooth and seamless real estate transaction for the client.

Selling real estate is more than sticking a sign in the yard and putting pictures on the Internet. I have systems in place to proactively find the perfect buyer for your home, not just wait for someone to show up. When it’s time to sell, call in an expert.

Mark Sisk, Realtor® RE/MAX Premier Realty

Northeast Louisiana’s Premier Spa Thank You for the Love and Support Over the Last Ten Years

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PA NOUVELLE HAS BEEN ONE OF the leading spa’s here in northeast Louisiana for 10 years! Partners Mary Beth Dickerson, Ana Lopez Hale, Drew Farr and Wendy Newsom all have a passion for health and beauty. With an attentive approach to relaxation and skincare health, it’s no surprise that the staff of Spa Nouvelle has won top prizes in the BayouLife BayouBuzz Awards since it’s inception. Ward off the stress of your crazy life with one of the many spa services offered at Spa Nouvelle: body treatments, massages, facials, waxing, microdermabrasion, dermaplanning, H2O/Oxygen treatment, airbrush tanning, chemical peels, lash and brow tinting, SkinCeuticals products, DoTerra and essential oils and diffusers. Looking for the perfect gift for any occasion? Spa Nouvelle offers gift certificates to use with any of their services.

Close your eyes. Imagine soothing music

playing in a calm, relaxing atmosphere that allows you to melt away and leave everything behind. Pleasant aromas fill the space and an expertly trained staff is there to pamper you in a state-of-the-art facility with every convenience and amenity available. If this seems like a dream, wake up, it’s a reality at Spa Nouvelle.

With Spa Nouvelle, you are sure to experience an all-encompassing spa experience like none other offered in Northeast Louisiana.

Have your spa experience tailored to your specific needs. Lockers, luxurious bathrobes, towels, showers, and sandals are provided for your use during your day. Three and a half hours of uninterrupted relaxation is designed to help you escape from stress. The experience includes a light lunch, spa day customized luxury massage, and spa day red carpet treatment facial that includes product consultation. Spa Nouvelle also will host a spa

party. Whether it’s a day of pampering with your bridesmaids, a mom’s day out, or a staff retreat, they can accommodate the whole gang or just a few special ladies… or men. From beginning to end, the dedicated spa team at Spa Nouvelle will ensure that your visit enhances your well-being. If you’re needing a gift and not sure what to get them, online gift certificates are available at www.spanouvelle.com.

Our massage therapists will talk to you in detail about your needs and customize your massage just for you. Here are a few options available: The Signature Massage – our signature massage is a spa favorite with 80 minutes of body work with essential oils. Deep Tissue Massage – a wonderful remedy for tired muscles.

Call them at 318.816.4949, visit the website, or find them on Facebook and Instagram to book your appointment today.

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B AYO U I C O N TOM BROKAW CALLED THOSE WHO grew up during the Great Depression and fought during World War II, “The Greatest Generation.” While these men can’t live forever, their stories survive for generations. One such man, John Benjamin (JB) Humphrey, is still here to tell his.

JB was born Oct. 7, 1920, in Beekman, Louisiana, to Chester and Emma Humphrey. He was the youngest of three children; his sisters Zona Pearl and Eddie Lee were much older. A typical farm boy who daily paced the dirt barefoot and in overalls, JB grew up plowing the fields and riding horses. His father, Chester, farmed and cut timber, and his mother JB Humphrey shares his stories of marriage, fatherwas a homemaker. When his mother died hood, war and service with BayouLife. From a bomber before he was 10 years old, JB and Chester pilot to Shriner, his mission has been one of service and found themselves alone, his sisters having already married and moved away. JB love for his country and family. graduated from Bastrop High School in 1938 and soon enrolled in trade school.

A RT ICL E BY ME R E D IT H MCKIN N IE At 19, JB was helping a friend and PH OTOG R A PH Y BY KE L LY MOOR E CL A R K his wife move into their new place when he took a break on the back of a truck. He spotted a girl walking along the sidewalk and watched her as she entered a boarding house. He made some inquiries and took that girl, Bonnie Williams, to the picture show that very evening. Though both JB and Bonnie were in other relationships, those relationships were soon dissolved, and the new couple instantly focused on one another. They were married nine months later on Feb. 7, 1941. JB describes his wife Bonnie as, “an All-American girl who loved to dance and fish and sew.” She was known for her fierce spirit and never slowing down, having earned the nickname “Cyclone” as a little girl. JB remembers going turkey hunting and dropping Bonnie at the pond so she could fish. When he returned later that day, she had caught 82 white perch. She was vigilant, determined, and quite accomplished on the water. Ironically, she wouldn’t eat fish; she just loved to catch them.

JB accepted jobs in welding and construction, living first in Little Rock, Arkansas, before buying the couple a house in Bastrop. He helped build the ammonia plant in Sterlington. When JB and Bonnie were both just 20 years old, their first son Phillip was born. JB admits he was scared of fatherhood, particularly the responsibility and lifetime commitment of raising a child. He joked, “He’s now 76, and I’m still taking care of him.” World War II had begun in 1939, though the U.S. didn’t enter the fight until 1941. JB enlisted on Oct. 30, 1942, before Phillip’s first birthday. JB says, “Bonnie didn’t like it...she was mad until the day she died.” JB knew he would be drafted and figured he would volunteer for the Air Force, rather than be drafted for infantry and be forced to, “sleep in a hole at night.” Though JB had purchased the house, Bonnie insisted on she and Phillip staying with her mother.

JB’s first stop was Selman Field, his home base, where he spent two weeks before transferring to Gulfport, Mississippi, to learn to fly the B-17 bomber. He then spent six months in Columbus, Ohio, teaching other pilots to fly the B-17, and then went to Sebring, Florida, to learn to fly the B-26 fighter bomber, also called “the widowmaker,” due to the model’s high accident rate. Equipped with two engines and 850 caliber machine guns, the bomber hosted a pilot, waist gunner, top turret gunner, nose gunner, and a tail gunner. JB soon transferred to England, where he flew 20 missions from England to Germany, and then 12 missions from Northern France to Germany. His mission was simple: “go out and shoot.” The length of a mission depended on the route, but frequently averaged about four hours. JB said, “You learned to shoot because they were shooting back at you.” On one mission, he was shot in the hand, and he refused to look at the wound until the mission was over, though the blood was pooling underneath him. Some planes returned to base so destroyed by guns that the soldiers couldn’t bear to look at them.

They attempted to keep crew members together, but casualties and tours of duty ending required substitutions.

It took 35 missions for a soldier to serve his time and earn the right to return home. On JB’s 32nd mission, his plane was shot down on the way to Limburg, Germany. He suffered a broken back, and his crew members slid him the

A Veteran of the Greatest Generation

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B AYO U I C O N

5-10 miles to friendly territory in Belgium. He left the plane Beeker have “earned their wings.” They called Bonnie “Aunt with 21 rounds of ammo on his back; he only had 7 rounds left Cy,” a reference to the “cyclone” title of her earlier years. Lou when he crossed the border. Amazingly, all his crew members remembers her as “plain-spoken, blunt, and talented.” She survived the mission. JB describes the bond between them as would make detailed quilts during the winter, spending her more than friendship or brotherhood; they saw death up close, summer months on the pond. She made elaborate wedding feared for their lives together, and depended on one another. dresses, velvet Christmas dresses for Lou and her sister, and JB described the difference between shooting from the air Christmas stockings for all the family kids. Lou would play and shooting from the ground. When you can see who you’re in her costume jewelry, and always felt comfortable at their shooting, it makes it harder to pull the trigger, he said. JB spent house. six months flying missions in Europe before his injuries earned JB is a mason, a member of a fraternal organization with him an honorable discharge. He was shipped back to New the intent of “making better men out of good men.” The local York, where he promptly called Bonnie. Her mother reported chapter would meet every few weeks, some meetings about that she was out fishing. business, others just Back home, the social gatherings. To be a war was rough on master mason, one must everyone. Rations were attain three degrees: first implemented: 4-5 gallons being entered apprentice, of gas a week, 1 pound of second being fellowcraft, sugar per person, and only and third being master coffee if one could find it. mason. Once JB became JB had a year of recovery a master mason, he was ahead of him, most of it eligible to join the Shriners, spent in a hospital in El another fraternity built Paso, Texas. He wore a on Masonic principles full-body cast for some of that worked closely with it. He didn’t receive most children’s hospitals. JB of the daily letters from remembers taking care Bonnie until he returned of handicapped children, from overseas. A stack learning the values of of letters about 10 inches benevolence and charity, high awaited him. Phillip and he has been a lifetime was three years old when member since he was 30 At Left: Portrait of JB Humphrey his father returned home. years old. He was known At Right: Bonnie and JB Humphrey pose at their family home JB went to work at The as Beeker the Clown at Louisiana Mill, called local gatherings, always “the new mill,” in Bastrop. Their second son Johnny was born present at the circus and parades around town. He wore white later that year. He eventually took a job in Delhi as rural letter face makeup and a rainbow wig. He enjoyed the novelty of it carrier, a position he held for the next 27 years. all, particularly putting smiles on kids’ faces.

The return to civilian life was not particularly difficult, In 1992, Bonnie died of throat cancer. Lou remembers the from what JB remembers. His spirited wife and young children ornate quilt she’d made that they draped across her coffin. The kept him on his toes, he said. Bonnie and JB loved to dance. sight of Bonnie’s work across the wood brought Lou to tears.

They frequented riverboats in Natchez and Vicksburg; and JB Bonnie was 72, and she had been sick for some time, though admits Bonnie was the better dancer. He doesn’t remember she didn’t want to tell people her diagnosis. JB and Bonnie had ever learning to dance, just that the inclination came naturally always fished in separate boats; he knew it was getting bad to him and his wife shared the passion. They loved to travel, when he had to help her back up the bank. The doctor told often visiting the Gulf Coast for deep sea fishing and crabbing. them to pursue treatment in New Orleans and Texas. When They went to Florida, Little Rock, and Wichita Falls. He he pulled JB aside, he said it would be a one-way trip. Before believed in vacations being family affairs, taking the kids along they left, Bonnie would invite people over to visit, lying on the whenever possible. He remembers driving back from Seattle, couch, her tired body draped with one of her quilts. Lou insists Washington, and stopping in Fort Worth for lunch when the she was telling them goodbye without saying goodbye, more news came through the radio that Elvis Presley had died. like a “see ya later,” which was Aunt Cy’s style. The couple Having never had a daughter of his own, JB was arrived in New Orleans in February, and she passed in April. particularly close to his niece. Lou Davenport remembers Their son Johnny was a chemical engineer and worked on “Uncle Beeker” as being “so much fun” and easy to talk to. oil rigs. He was also diagnosed with throat cancer and passed She calls him “the first gentleman she ever met.” He served as five years ago. He left behind his wife Debbie, and their three her problem solver, a paternal figure who would tell her jokes children: Benjamin, Jennifer, and John David. Debbie took good and sing the hissy song when Lou would throw her tantrums care of Bonnie and JB and continues to care for JB to this day. on the floor. She would sometimes cry at night for him to come Lou remembers her cousin Johnny as her “Bob Dylan music rock her, and he always did. Lou claims her mother and Uncle buddy.” When he was sick, she would send him Bob Dylan

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videos on Facebook to cheer him up. JB knows loss, and through it all, still retains his vibrant spirit.

JB Humphrey has lived in the Northeast Louisiana War Veterans Home for the past four months. He prefers not having to cook for himself anymore. At 98 years old, he’s still spry and sharp, quickwitted, always smiling. His rapport with the staff is evident, inside jokes abound, and more than one called him a “character.” He is a decorated veteran with a Purple Heart, a Bronze Star, and a Silver Star.

When visitors enter the Veterans Home, a monument stands with the following: The War Veteran, not the Preacher, gave us freedom of Religion.

The War Veteran, not the Reporter, gave us Freedom of the Press.

The War Veteran, not the Poet, gave us Freedom of Speech.

The War Veteran, not the Politician, gave us Freedom to Vote.

The War Veteran, not the Campus Organizer, gave us Freedom to Assemble.

It is THE WAR VETERAN Who salutes the Flag Who serves under the Flag Whose coffin is draped by the Flag Old War Veterans never die, They just fade away

JB’s story will live on longer than he will. He wants all of us to “leave the world better than we found it.” This Independence Day, we salute all the veterans who continue to give us the freedoms we enjoy as Americans, and may we continue to celebrate them and share their stories.

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Dupuy/ Lincoln Flooring

Making Customer Service Their Number One Priority J. E. DUPUY FLOORING & ACOUSTICAL WAS FOUNDED IN 1950 by J. E. Dupuy, Sr. Mr. Dupuy had previously been a wholesale representative and serviced Northeast Louisiana. He specialized in Linoleum flooring and then ventured into the Acoustical ceiling business. His son, J. E. “Butch” Dupuy joined him in the early 1960s and later became President in the early 1970s. Stanley Dupuy, Butch’s son, started working there in the late 1970s and was later joined by Butch’s brother, Tom “Tuck” Dupuy in the late 1980s. Today, Stanley and his brother-in-law, Neill Kirkland, and Deano Casola, Stanley’s son-in-law operate the business.

In 2007, Dupuy’s opened Lincoln Flooring in Ruston. Lincoln flooring has two Interior Designers, Jessica Mobley and Laura Dodd and operations manager, Callie Gilmore, who work out of the Ruston store. Dupuy’s has Deano Casola, Pat Kennedy and Annette Ritter who work in the Monroe store. Both stores sell, service, and install acoustical ceilings, carpet, LVT & LVP, hardwood flooring, tile, stone, and many other specialty floors. Stanley Dupuy believes the key to his business success is customer service and quality installation. With “in-house” installers, both Dupuy and Lincoln Flooring can handle all types of projects, from small bathrooms to an entire house or office building. “Our installers are highly experienced, with many who

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have come through the ranks of our business,“ says Dupuy. Most are certified for many specialty floors such as custom wood floor designs, sanding and refinishing hardwood floors, custom showers, custom inlays for school and business logos and computer floors. “If someone can dream it or draw us a picture, we will do our best to make sure our customers get what they want.”

“I am not looking for the one time sell,“ he said. “I am looking for the repeat customer.” His belief in customer service has certainly paid off as Dupuy estimates that a large percentage of his business comes from repeat or referrals.

Our sales and design staff also takes pride in making each home or project unique. We’ve done just about every type of project from rent houses to the Southern Living Dream house. If you are looking for a flooring firm, please consider giving us a look at any of your flooring needs.

2High Trampoline Park

Celebrating One Year of Business and Being Named Bayou Buzz Award Finalist

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BIG THANK YOU. WE WANT TO take this opportunity to say a huge thank you to each and every one of you that have visited us. We have officially been in business a little over a year now and we can’t say thank you enough to each of who have made our dreams come true here at 2High Trampoline Park in Ruston. We have some of the most amazing and caring staff, who continue to help us keep our facility very clean at all times while interacting with all of our families and children that come into our park.

Our awesome community has supported us and promoted us over and over again and we wouldn’t be where we are today without each of you! Our amazing support from most all of our local parish schools, churches and organizations have made our job so rewarding.

We are honored to be able to provide an environment that so many can enjoy!

SUMMER HOURS

Our summer is in full swing here at 2High Trampoline Park and so is our Louisiana heat!

Come see us and let the kids burn off all that stored up energy, in the COOL. Our summer hours are: Tuesday-Thursday, 10:00 a.m.- 8:00 p.m., Friday - Saturday, 10:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m. and Sunday, 1:00 p.m. -8:00 p.m.

Call or come see us for all of your birthday parties, lock-ins, group and church events and so much more!

CAMP 2HIGH

We are offering Camp 2High for one last action-packed session on July 15-19 from 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

The cost is $85 per child and we have limited space. Campers will be given a 2High t-shirt and jump socks. We will provide snacks daily. The indoor and outdoor activities will

include: dodgeball tournaments, glow in the dark jump, nerf gun battles throughout the park, tons of trampoline games and a huge end of the week water balloon war. We are geared up and ready to have some fun! Call us today at 318-224-7052 to get your child signed up! They will want to be in on this full week of fun!

FAMILY PASSES

Our family pass options are the only way to go this summer! Customers asked and we accommodated. The unlimited jump can be purchased under a family pass now. We offer the 2High Family Pass (20) 1hour jumps for $200 and the 2High Family Pass (20) unlimited jumps for $300. Join our 2High family and save money all year long. This is the perfect option for families of all sizes.

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Reclaim Your WellBeing and Sexuality Now Offering Pellet and Shockwave Therapy

BY JUDY WAGONER

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OTHER NATURE PLAYS A DIRTY trick on men and women with the passage of time. Just as we begin to enjoy our lives as empty-nesters, our bodies seem to change overnight, as we cope with night sweats, ballooning weight, fuzzy thinking, aching joints, loss of stamina and libido.

What’s happening to cause these symptoms? With aging comes the plummeting of our hormone levels, which wreaks havoc on our bodies!

Women are accustomed to the fluxes of hormones. It’s been the story of their lives. It all begins with their first period. If they experience pregnancy, their world is really turned upside down as hormone levels rise and then quickly drop after birth. As they approach menopause, the changes can be even more severe. This is when the reproductive system is preparing to shut down. This decline of hormone levels, along with the subsequent breakdown of the body, is nature’s way of making sure you

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don’t live forever, making room for the next generation.

While not as disruptive as menopause, men’s sex hormones also decline at mid-life and earlier. It’s called Andropause. Testosterone is the main culprit of their symptoms. After age 30, most men begin to experience a gradual decline in testosterone, falling one to two percent a year.

Low testosterone leads to reduced libido or sex drive, quality of life, well being, and overall health. It corresponds to obesity, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and high blood pressure. It can create symptoms of brain fog, depression, and lethargy. Also, cardiovascular disease and heart attacks are higher in men with low testosterone.

The good news is you don’t have to suffer and resign yourself to the infirmities of advancing age. A simple solution is to replace your lost hormones with human identical hormones, which are available to both men and women.

Human identical hormones have the same molecular structure as those produced by the body. They look identical to your own hormones — estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, thyroid, growth hormone, and insulin. They’re taken from natural sources, such as soybeans or yams, and are more easily absorbed by the body than other types of hormone replacement therapy.

They come in the form of creams, pellets, pills, injections, and patches.

Dr. Victor Zuckerman, a Diplomat in the American Academy of Anti-Aging, and Medical Director at Professional Laser Center, has been prescribing Hormone replacement therapy for almost a decade. He is now offering testosterone pellet insertion for both men and women. Dr. Zuckerman implants the tiny pellets under the skin near the hip, where they slowly release a stable, steady, optimum dose of testosterone over the course of three to six months. We are also offering Extracorporeal ShockWave Therapy for the treatment of Erectile Dysfunction or to improve Sexual Performance, along with the O-Shot for women and the P-Shot for men.

Hormone replacement therapy can change your life! It is YOUR MOST POWERFUL WEAPON in the war on aging. For more information or to schedule an appointment with Dr. Zuckerman, call 318-361-9066. For a list of all of our services, please visit our website at www.professionallaser.com.

Tripping Over Cypress

Clifford Tresner Installation On View at Hilliard University

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LIFFORD TRESNER’S INSTALLATION

Tripping Over Cypress illustrates how competing ideas and urges live inside a person, and a work of art. The installation on view at the Hilliard University Art Museum is an amalgamation of landscapes that are important to Tresner. Part Idaho Panhandle, part Indiana, part thunderheads rolling into Monroe, Louisiana from the plains of East Texas, what you see before you is an autobiography, a stream of memories. After moving around the United States and traveling broadly, as Tresner has, it is hard to know yourself, or what defines you. For him, this fractured looking landscape is everything, all places at once; all of the artist on view, unresolved and exquisite. The probing nature of Tripping Over Cypress is further reinforced by the uncertainty of whether it is painting or sculpture. It sits

between the two categories. There are so many fine details and small moving parts in a life or an installation like this that it can manifest differently hundreds of times. For Tresner, creating and installing a work of art is a process of constantly reassessing how to make it look harmonious while measuring the life he has led. The manner in which he strives to understand his place in the world is certainly something anyone can identify with.

All are welcome to visit the Hilliard Museum in Lafayette, Louisiana before Tripping Over Cypress closes on August 10, 2019.

Cliff Tresner is the William D. Hammond Endowed Professor of Liberal Arts and Director of the Bry Art Gallery at University of Louisiana Monroe. Tresner won Best in Show in the Louisiana Contemporary at the Ogden Museum of Southern Art in 2014. He

has exhibited extensively throughout the South at venues including Newcomb Gallery, Tulane University; Memphis College of Art; University of Arkansas at Little Rock; Masur Museum of Art; Southeastern Louisiana University; Alexandria Museum of Art; Arthur R. Pierce Gallery, West Virginia Institute of Technology; Maria V. Howard Imperial Arts Center; University of Mississippi Museum, Oxford; University of Arkansas at Monticello; Durango Arts Center; Louisiana State University Sculpture Garden; and Huntsville Museum of Art. Tresner’s M.F.A. was granted by the University of Mississippi, Oxford in 1994.

by Benjamin M. Hickey, Curator of Exhibitons

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The Children’s Shoppe Your Favorite Children’s Specialty Store

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OR NEARLY TWO DECADES,THE CHILDREN’S SHOPPE has served as North Louisiana’s premier boutique for infant and children’s clothing, gifts and toys. The Children’s Shoppe provides timeless children’s fashions for girls – premie to size 16, and boys – premie to size 12. The Children’s Shoppe also carries a vast selection of must-have gifts for newborns, special events, birthdays, or just for play.

Help inspire kids to get creative with arts and crafts toys that will spark imagination at any skill level. Choose from deluxe watercolor sets to starter finger paints, sidewalk chalks and messfree markers. Help kids develop fine motor skills while making beautiful things with great beading and craft projects for kids of all ages.

Have a tiny tyke who loves dinosaurs? The Children’s Shoppe has realistic dinosaurs in every size and color, as well as party play set with nine collectible miniature dinosaurs in a case. From dinos to tractors, The Children’s Shoppe also stocks John Deere tractors, construction site vehicles, train sets, Thomas & Friends toys, everything little boys dream of. Boys and girls will jump with joy over a PlasmaCar – no batters, gears or pedals…kid powered and kid approved for hours of endless fun.

Purchasing great quality toys and investing in your children’s toys are great for their brain development. Toys get children engaged in physical activity, by exercising their fine and gross motor skills. Whether they are coloring or dressing and undressing a doll, for example, children are using their sense of touch and sight (fine motor skills) while walkers, tricycles or toy cars boost their gross motor skills and strengthen their arms and legs. Toys also help them discover balance and coordination and by being physically active, children avoid obesity and adopt a healthy life style.

Toys motivate babies to use their feet and hands in order to discover forms, colors and sounds. Once babies know how to sit and crawl, toys incite them to be on the move. If their favorite toy is out of reach, the baby will use its muscles to try and grab it.

Is your little one growing like crazy and needing new clothes every other month? The Children’s Shoppe is now having a huge summer sale event on select items that you won’t want to miss.

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram (@childrensshoppela) to be in the know about our new arrivals and specials. We are conveniently located at 109 N. Trenton in Ruston’s beautiful, historic downtown district and at 2252 Tower Dr. Suite 108 in The Shoppes on Tower in Monroe.

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Crumbs Catering One Of Ruston’s Favorite Caterers

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RUMBS CATERING UNDERSTANDS THAT THE BEST catering service is one that provides savory foods, sweet treats, and full professional service without interfering with your event.

They consider themselves part of your hospitality image and will assist you in every way to make your party a hit. If there is anything Crumbs can do to make your guests feel appreciated and welcome, they will do it. Chef Jodie Morphew and Olivia Garner’s goal is to always be second to none. They want to be the best catering company anywhere and are proving to be just that. These talented ladies take your wants and needs very seriously and will strive to be the best catering service you have ever experienced.

Over the past five years, the Crumbs Duo have grown by leaps and bounds and have expanded their services from simple catering events and pick-up products including pastries and casseroles to now providing large catering services for extravagant weddings serving over 500 people. They provide the wait staff and full service for the simplest to the most luxurious formal events and treat their customers with the same exceptional quality. You can also find their amazing quality foods in three locations in Ruston including Gibson’s Fresh Grocer and two locations of Railway Coffee. Owners Olivia Garner and Jodie Morphew have been steadfast nurturing their business and expanding their services to cater to the needs of the community. From humble beings of recipe testing at the family dinner table, they now are one of the busiest and most respected catering businesses in the Ark-La-Miss. Big dreams, hard work, and supportive family have pushed crumbs to the next level.

Crumbs newest baby is “Skinny Crumbs,” their health conscience and whole 30creations. Skinny Crumbs products have become a favorite of anyone who wants to eat a healthy, freshly prepared, meal without having to prepare it themselves. They have a new menu out weekly and meals are available for pick up at their business each week.

Know a child who loves to cook? The chefs at Crumbs Catering have their own kids cooking school that offers birthday parties and cooking camps for a variety of age groups. The children proudly leave the school with an exceptional basket of kitchen knowledge and a moderate amount of icing both on their personally created and decorated cakes and their faces.

Crumbs Catering is a local Ruston Catering Company that started as a simple small time business to now an ever-expanding and continually growing respected professional catering company. They have served catering events for Presidential candidates, Governor’s parties, college team meals and local celebrities. Their clients rave over the food, but the service and personal attention that these fine ladies provide is compared to none. No job is too big or too small and the attention to service and satisfaction is prioritized the same. So the next time you find yourself asking the question, “What should we do about the food,” let your next call be Crumbs Catering in Ruston (318)224-7082. We would love to be a part of your special event.

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Have You Met Team Fashion?

Making Your Fashion Dreams Happen

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EAMWORK [TEEM-WURK] NOUN, a cooperative or coordinated effort on the part of a group of persons acting together as a team or in the interests of a common cause.

The ladies of The Fashion of Ruston embody teamwork, rapport and old-fashioned customer service. Not only does Team Fashion work together seamlessly but you never know where you might find them. You can often meet a crew of them at the store located at 208 West Park Avenue as they are never shortstaffed. Team Fashion often partners with fellow downtown shops to ensure that Ruston continues to enhance its unique shopping experience. They actively participate in the Ruston Mainstreet Association as well as Ruston Fashion Week and work closely with numerous organizations on Louisiana

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Tech’s campus like the Panhellenic Council and the School of Human Ecology’s Fashion Merchandising Program. Team Fashion stays up-to-date on what is happening in their community so stopping by regularly guarantees that you’ll stay in the know too.

You can even spot numerous members of the team along the downtown streets walking Cooper, the Fashion’s beloved shop dog.

Most teams that win go into the game well-prepared.

Behind the scenes, Team Fashion never stops working to ensure that they are ready for each season. Carefully and meticulously the team searches to present a curated selection of each seasons’ finest offerings. Apparel, shoes, handbags and jewelry along with other fine gift items create a selection that would be more commonly found in a much larger city.

No team is effective without a common cause, so what is very clear among this energetic group is that their customers are top priority. Team Fashion thrives on building relationships with customers that go far beyond the walls of the store. Their mission is making shopping easy and enjoyable. Their real strength is when it comes to styling! Team Fashion loves to help dress you from head to toe, even when that means creating a look around something from your own wardrobe.

Customers can always rely on the help of the Team Fashion to guarantee a personalized experience.

Come let Team Fashion be your team for this season. They are prepared, involved and connected and their priority is you!

Treating A Hidden Condition Robert D. Marx, M.D., Your Local Urologist

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ENS OF MILLIONS OF PEOPLE ARE living with overactive bladder (OAB) and chronic fecal incontinence (FI).

These conditions not only disrupt everyday life, they are embarrassing to talk about, so people tend to keep them hidden. Robert D. Marx, M.D. and his staff are here to help our community members suffering from these conditions find relief.

OAB and FI are more prevalent than many other common conditions. When people with OAB and FI finally seek treatment, they are often unhappy with the results. Here’s why: dietary changes and physical therapy can be ineffective, medications often cause unpleasant side effects or patients don’t realize other options are available.

Medtronic therapies can help people with bladder and bowel control issues get their

lives back. They are potentially life-changing options for any patient with OAB or FI who isn’t responding well to first- and secondline treatments. More than 70% of patients with OAB discontinued medications within 6 months and many people with bladder and bowel control issues do not seek treatment.

Medtronic offers a proven therapy for treating OAB and chronic FI. Medtronic Bladder or Bowel Control Therapy delivered by the InterStimTM system, also called sacral neuromodulation (SNM), is clinically proven to relieve the symptoms of both OAB and chronic FI. Unlike conventional treatments, SNM works by gently stimulating the nerves that control the pelvic floor muscles, lower urinary tract, anal sphincter, and bowel.

This is thought to restore the bladder-brain and bowel-brain communication pathway,

resulting in significant improvements in quality of life.

Unlike other treatments, SNM allows patients to experience the 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.

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. 84% of OAB patients are satisfied with SNM therapy.

Whatever level of severity your problem is, Robert D. Marx, M.D. and his dedicated staff are ready to assist you. If you are suffering from OAB or FI please call their office for an appointment today.

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NON-PROFIT SPOTLIGHT

RAYS OF SONSHINE Rebuilding Lives and Restoring Hope One Step at a Time A R T I C L E B Y K AY S T O T H A R T R E C T O R PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANDREW BAILEY AND PRAJAL PRASAI

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ear downtown Monroe, inside buildings scattered across several city blocks, radical changes are taking place every day. Through the ministry of Rays of Sonshine, a nonprofit agency led by Executive Director Lynn Daniel, lives are being transformed.

Following a rigorous treatment program designed to free them from the bonds of addiction, women struggling with drug and alcohol abuse are being healed. Encouraged by Rays of Sonshine’s staff, women are making difficult choices and dedicating themselves to long-term recovery. Supported and assisted with housing, education and job training, they are finding strength, acceptance and, most importantly, hope for the future.

While their stories may end well, the women whose lives are changed by Rays of Sonshine do not always come here voluntarily. In fact, most come reluctantly, and in many cases by mandate. They typically show up discouraged, hopeless, angry and bitter. Besides being addicted, these women are often plagued with low self-esteem, broken relationships, financial problems and even legal troubles. Some are homeless, with children they are unable to care for properly. But gradually, at Rays of Sonshine they began to recover and to overcome these hardships. They learn to replace doubt and fear with optimism and courage. They learn to be self-sufficient and to give back to their community, improving themselves and the lives of others.

Rays of Sonshine began more than 20 years ago as an idea and a yearning to serve. An ordained minister, wife and mother of four children, Lynn Daniel had what she describes as a “strong desire to establish a local mission.” In 1998, she and other community activists and volunteers started collaborating, searching for ways to provide essential services for those in need.

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“Our goal was to figure out what the greatest need was in our community, and to focus on meeting that need,” Daniel says.

Her group drafted a survey and distributed it to local nonprofit organizations, civic leaders and community volunteers. They received over 300 responses to their survey. At the top of the list was the problem of drug and alcohol addiction. “It was from that framework that Rays of Sonshine developed,” says Daniel.

They started small, opening a residential facility which housed a few men seeking treatment for substance abuse.

“Initially, we only housed men because they were the ones who came to us first,” explains Daniel. During this formative period, Rays of Sonshine purchased its first building, on the corner of North 3rd Street and Arkansas Avenue in Monroe. Just a couple of years into their operation, Daniel was approached by the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals about providing substance abuse treatment for women.

“We found out through the Department of Health and Hospitals that there was a huge need for an all-women’s facility,” says Daniel. “In order to work with the Department of Health and Hospitals, we had to become a licensed clinic, and that was quite a jump for us.” Additional certifications were required, as well as a larger facility. Daniel and other staff members obtained the necessary licenses and found a building they could remodel to suit the agency’s evolving needs. After graduating all of the men from the program, Rays of Sonshine eventually became a treatment program exclusively for women.

Not long after converting Rays of Sonshine to a female-only facility, Daniel read about a study by the federal court system, correlating community volunteer work with positive outcomes for participants who had been convicted of crimes. Finding this concept interesting, Daniel began to look for ways to include community volunteer work in their addiction recovery program.

ABOVE: Executive Director Lynn Daniel - photo by Prajal Prasai BELOW: Breard Apartments are available to women still in the treatment program. This house option allows freedom while maintaining accountability for long-term treatment goals. photo by Andrew Bailey

Toward this end, Rays of Sonshine became a local food bank agent. Women in the program help by packing grocery bags and distributing them once a week to needy people in the area.

This ongoing community project allows participants in the treatment program to help others in the community.

This project was a success from the outset and grew very quickly. By 2005, Rays of Sonshine participants were packing and distributing 150 to 180 bags of food each week. Realizing the need for more space, the agency’s Board of Directors decided to purchase another building. In August of 2005, Rays of Sonshine bought a warehouse on South 1st Street. Two weeks later, Hurricane Katrina hit Louisiana.

“It turned out to be really a blessing,” recalls Daniel. “We had a lot of space, and we were able to work very well with the Civic Center in helping distribute clothes and food. A lot of the 18 wheelers coming from Ohio and other areas in the North would come to our warehouse and unload, and then people from New Orleans and Baton Rouge would come up and get the items they needed. We were sort of like a middle person for a lot of the work that went on down there.” Daniel says that using its warehouse, Rays of Sonshine continued to service 18 wheelers hauling items to South Louisiana for over a year following Hurricane Katrina.

All the while, Rays of Sonshine continued in earnest its primary mission of helping women recover from drug and alcohol addiction. Daniel and her Board of Directors were persuaded by DHH to expand their services to include a residential facility for mothers and their children. “One of the disadvantages women often have is that there is no one to tend to their kids while they come into treatment,” explains Daniel.

They were eager to start allowing children, but serving this need required additional housing.

Fortuitously, Ameripride Linen and Uniform Services on Louisville Avenue had two houses they needed moved and were willing to donate. Rays of Sonshine owned vacant land that could accommodate the donated houses. “We were able to have the houses moved to our lot, put together and reconfigured to suit our purposes,” recalls Daniel. “The house is large and has enough rooms for 5 mothers to live with their children while they’re undergoing entry level clinical treatment.”

A child development center provides activities for the children whose mothers are in treatment. The center is based on the “Boys Town” model which originated in Omaha, Nebraska, designed to help at-risk children. Working together with the Children’s Coalition of Northeast Louisiana, the center assists children with homework and conducts testing each month to insure that each child is developing academically and able to succeed in school. Reading is especially important. Mothers at Rays of Sonshine read to their children every evening at 7 o’clock, even the newborns. “Our dream is to expand the child development center,” Daniel says. “We are expanding, and therefore we’re having more and more children come to us.”

Over time, Rays of Sonshine has been able to acquire more property as the organization’s needs have grown. In addition to the residence for women with children, a large residential group home houses up to 12 women as they undergo the first three months of treatment. Individual apartments are available to women who are still in treatment but have completed the initial phase of the program.

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photo by Andrew Bailey

Housing is a critical issue for many clients in treatment.

“We began to recognize that 75% of the people that we serve are homeless, some of them chronically homeless,” says Daniel.

“When they finish treatment, they have nowhere to go.” To address the housing crisis, Rays of Sonshine contracted with the Department of Housing and Urban Development to provide permanent supportive housing. Daniel describes permanent supportive housing as an “exceptionally perfect answer to this type of problem.” Permanent supportive housing allows independence as the women work on their long-term recovery goals. Eligibility is based on need and rent is determined by the person’s income.

Rays of Sonshine now has a growing number of permanent supportive housing options for women who have completed their treatment program. A beautiful older home in downtown Monroe was restored and converted into 8 apartments. More apartments are located near the treatment clinic on North 3rd Street. With funds from the Louisiana Housing Authority, Rays of Sonshine purchased adjudicated properties and built a group of free-standing houses, creating a neighborhood known as the Community of Hope. Rays of Sonshine recently partnered with Northeast Delta Human Services Authority to create what is called the “Phoenix House.” The Phoenix House will serve as recovery housing for people who are still in the early stages of their sobriety but are ready to live independently.

Daniel emphasizes how important housing and other factors can be for successful long-term recovery from addiction.

“Addiction is a brain disease, and it’s a chronic disease,” says Daniel. “It takes time for people to really gather themselves and begin to live a normal life. Housing is a main feature in helping people with this level of illness.” Daniel explains that even with excellent in-patient treatment, long-term recovery takes several years. During the months and years following in-patient treatment, permanent supportive housing is critical to success.

Also critical to successful recovery, Daniel insists, is attention to overall health and wellness. “Women present to treatment very, very sick,” Daniel says. “Not just because of their disease of addiction, but because of their physical condition. They are dehydrated. They are malnourished. It is typically a very sad situation.”

Daniel points out that it is necessary, when treating addiction, to treat the whole person. “Rays of Sonshine is a unique type of recovery treatment program,” Daniel says. “We are a recovery community, and we take a holistic approach.” The treatment program stresses the importance of proper nutrition. Not only is the campus smoke free and tobacco free, but participants are also

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expected to give up sugar and caffeine. There are no soda or coffee machines. Instead, the women are encouraged to drink lots of high quality filtered water. Whole, unprocessed foods are served at every meal.

“We want to make sure they understand the relationship between good nutrition and a quality recovery,” explains Daniel.

“Research that has been out about eight years now shows that if you can teach someone to change what they eat, their chance of recovery goes from below 30% to over 80%.”

Rays of Sonshine has a masters level fitness instructor on staff and three workout areas with exercise equipment for the women to use. A goal of 200 minutes of exercise per week is suggested while in treatment. The program also incorporates yoga and meditation. Donna Ponder, owner of Blue Sky Yoga, invites the women at Rays of Sonshine to come to her studio once a week for yoga classes.

Adult education is offered in many forms during treatment.

Participants have access to a computer lab with 24 work stations.

Here they can prepare for and take the high school equivalency exam, learn skills and earn certificates. “Adult education is a primary feature of what we do,” insists Daniel. “Our goal is for them to leave here with whatever the next level of schooling or training is for them.” Staff members also assist participants with job searches and job training.

In keeping with Rays of Sonshine’s commitment to give back to the community, all participants in the addiction treatment program spend time working at the warehouse on South 1st Street. Now called “The Zone,” the warehouse is a hub of activity every Thursday and Friday. On Thursday mornings, participants help pack between 10,000 and 15,000 pounds of groceries which are given out the following day. Every Friday at The Zone, approximately 400 grocery bags filled with food are distributed to pre-qualified families in need.

In addition to food, The Zone distributes all sorts of other items to those who need them. “We are a warehouse system,” explains Daniel. “We have furniture, appliances, clothes, hygiene products. Whenever there is a community crisis, we get referrals from churches or businesses or individuals. We give away anything we have if we have it.”

Since its founding over two decades ago, Rays of Sonshine has helped more than a thousand individuals recover from drug and alcohol addiction. Through its food bank and related outreach programs, it has provided countless families with the life-sustaining essentials of food, clothing and shelter. With the support and dedication of its staff, volunteers and donors, Rays of Sonshine will continue its mission, offering people in this community hope, healing and the opportunity for a better life.

H O W TO H EL P

As a nonprofit organization, Rays of Sonshine relies heavily on community support. Volunteers are always welcome at The Zone on South 1st Street to help sort and distribute groceries and other donations. Donations from the community are accepted and can be dropped off at the Rays of Sonshine administrative offices located at 200 Breard Street in Monroe.

Monetary gifts to Rays of Sonshine allow the organization to continue its effective addiction recovery program. Even a small donation can help participants stay in treatment longer, enhancing their chances for successful long-term recovery. Monetary donations can be made through the organization’s website: www.raysofsonshine. com or by mailing to 200 Breard Street, Monroe, LA 71201.

testimonial images by Prajal Prasai

DANIELLE’S STORY DANIELLE DESCRIBES HER CHILDHOOD as lonely, marked by emotional depravation and neglect. Her mother and stepfather provided shelter and material things, but she says she was rarely shown love, kindness or nurturing in the way that other children were.

Her mother was verbally abusive towards her. Her biological father left when she was very small, leaving her with feelings of abandonment. “I was alone a lot as a child,” Danielle says. “I just remember always being alone.”

Danielle moved a lot as a young child.

“I went to a different school every year until the sixth grade,” she recalls. It was not until middle school that she learned to make friends or felt a sense of belonging.

She attended high school in Calhoun with the same group of kids from middle school.

Like many teenagers, she experimented with drugs and alcohol, but overall, Danielle exceled in high school. She made good grades, was a cheerleader and played sports. On the outside, she appeared to be fine. “I had a lot of stuff festering inside of me,” Danielle says.

I was very sick, but I hid it really well, and no one around me had the insight to see it.”

A couple of years after she graduated from high school, she became pregnant. She married her son’s father, her high school boyfriend, but the marriage did not last. “It was just one more instance of someone not loving me enough,” says Danielle.

After a divorce, Danielle joined the US Army. She enlisted for four years, but was injured while on active duty and was discharged after only two years. “I was

trained as an EMT, but I really didn’t know what I wanted to do,” she recalls. After coming home, she worked various jobs to support herself and her son. She used money she earned bartending to attend nursing classes, with the goal of becoming a registered nurse.

Danielle married again, this time to a man more emotionally unavailable than her first husband. Although her marriage was not a healthy one, she was working and going to school and seemed to have her life together. “I was the first person in my family to graduate from high school,” she notes. “I became the second person in my family to graduate from college.”

Danielle was pregnant with her second son when she realized that her husband was using methamphetamine. While he went to treatment, she held their household together, taking care of two children and holding down a job as a home health nurse. Her husband’s sobriety was short-lived, and soon after he returned, Danielle’s life started to spiral out of control.

In a bizarre turn of events that resulted from her husband’s drug-induced behavior, Danielle lost the nursing license that she had worked so hard to earn. Devastated, she began actively using methamphetamine.

Destitute, she began selling the drug to support herself, her kids and her habit. “I knew I needed help, but I lacked the ability to ask for help, which played a big part in my demise,” she says.

Danielle was arrested several times and was in and out of jail for various drug-

related offenses. “In retrospect, it was divine intervention,” says Danielle. “God was constantly trying to set me down, but I was bullheaded. I thought I had it under control.”

She eventually found herself facing 13 felony drug charges in two different parishes. She was also charged with a federal firearm violation, which potentially carried a fifteen year sentence.

According to Danielle, it was her conviction on a relatively minor possession charge that ultimately saved her life. For that charge, District Judge Terry Doughty sentenced her to serve 3 years in prison, but suspended that sentence and placed her on supervised probation for 2 years and ordered her to participate in Drug Court.

Within two weeks of that sentencing, Danielle failed two drug screens and was back in front of Judge Doughty. Instead of revoking her probation, Doughty ordered her to jail for thirty days, and to substance abuse treatment for eight months. “I was mad as a hornet,” Danielle remembers. She railed against the judge and the criminal justice system, blaming everyone but herself.

When she finally arrived at Rays of Sonshine, she was still angry and resentful.

She remembers that Director Lynn Daniel likened her to a “loaded machine gun” and was tough on her during her first few days there. “I love her,” Danielle says of Daniel.

“She ‘tough loved’ me like no one else could have.’”

“I was always stoic, because I thought I had to be,” Danielle says. She tried to remain that way as she started the recovery program mandated for her. “I didn’t like it, but I did what they told me to do,” she says, recalling her first few weeks at Rays of Sonshine. Gradually, though, she began doing in earnest the emotional work required for recovery. “I started ‘taking out the trash,’” Danielle says tearfully. “I had to expose some really difficult things that I had not been able to face my entire life.”

Danielle finished the treatment program at Rays of Sonshine and graduated early from Drug Court. She was offered a job at Rays of Sonshine as a residential staff member which she accepted. In the past three years, she has been promoted several times. She now serves as the Case Manager for one of the program’s recovery houses. She also helps her stepfather operate her family’s produce farm. She has finally made peace with her past and renewed her relationship with her family.

“God has worked astronomically in my life,” says Danielle. “I am so happy and thankful for the state of my life today.”

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FAIRENDO’S STORY

WHEN FAIRENDO CAME TO RAYS OF SONSHINE IN 2014, SHE had just given birth to her son, a beautiful baby boy who tested positive for crack cocaine. Addicted, Fairendo had been using drugs during her pregnancy. It took the presence of crack cocaine in her child’s bloodstream and the fear of losing him to motivate her to seek recovery from addiction.

Hospital staff reported the test results to the state Child Protective Services agency and the child was removed from her care. Rather than place the child in a foster home, CPS allowed him to live with Fairendo’s older sister. “That was a blessing,” Fairendo says, recognizing that her son could have ended up in foster care and her parental rights terminated.

Fairendo says she always had family support growing up, especially from her mother. Her parents provided well for her and her brothers and sisters. They were strict, and good grades were expected.

After high school, she attended a vocational program and became a

LINDA’S STORY LIKE SO MANY YOUNG PEOPLE IN their teens and early twenties, Linda experimented with drugs and alcohol in her younger years. As she got older, she used drugs recreationally from time to time, but 134 JULY 2019 | WWW.BAYOULIFEMAG.COM

Certified Nursing Assistant. She got a job as a CNA at a nursing home and worked part time while taking nursing classes at the University of Louisiana at Monroe.

During her first year at ULM, Fairendo lived at home with her parents. But she was partying a lot with her friends, drinking and hanging out with what she describes as the “wrong crowd.” Her grades dropped and she eventually quit school, disappointing her parents who expected her to get a college degree.

Although Fairendo was exposed to drugs at an early age and even sold marijuana as a teenager, she didn’t begin using crack cocaine until she was almost 27 years old. During the time she was at ULM, drugs were constantly a part of her life. Her boyfriend and some of her friends were using, and after she quit school she became actively involved in selling crack cocaine. “I learned how to sell it, how to cook it and process it and cut it up,” Fairendo recalls. For years she sold but didn’t use the drug. Eventually, though, she tried it and quickly became addicted.

Fairendo was arrested several times, for offenses ranging from misdemeanor theft to drug possession. She spent time in jail and even a brief time in a treatment facility, but had no desire to quit using. It took her mother’s death and the realization that she had passed her toxic drug use on to her newborn son to make her change course.

Her son was less than a month old when Fairendo came to Rays of Sonshine. She spent 9 months in the treatment program. Every week, she wrote postcards to her son that he could read someday and know that she was thinking of him. After completing the initial phase of the program, she was allowed to have overnight visits with her son in her sister’s home.

She made good use of her time at Rays of Sonshine, working her recovery program and also training for jobs so that she could support herself and her son when she got out. “I had two jobs waiting when I got out of here,” Fairendo recalls. “At Rays, I trained to be a behaviorial instructor with COA, working with children of addicts while their mothers were in class.” She kept that job for a year, leaving when she was pregnant with her second child, a daughter who is now three years old.

In the three years since her daughter was born, Fairendo has continued working and gone back to school. She attended Louisiana Delta Community College where she was on the Dean’s List her first semester and the Chancellor’s List every semester after that.

She recently graduated with a degree in Business and Technology.

Today, she is employed as the Permanent Housing Manager at Rays of Sonshine, and runs Sincerely Mo Cleaning, her own residential and commercial cleaning service.

Fairendo marks her years of sobriety by her son’s birthdays. He is five years old, and she is five years sober. Thanks to Rays of Sonshine, she is a loving mom whose life is fulfilling, productive and drug free.

she always held a job, took care of her family and led a productive life. She says her struggle with addiction began with pain medication prescribed for her after surgery.

In the midst of a contentious divorce and custody battle, Linda’s abuse of opioid pain medication escalated as she tried to cope with increasing stress. She became involved in an unhealthy relationship with someone who was a drug user, and soon she was abusing other substances in addition to pain pills.

Eventually, Linda’s family stepped in.

Her mother actually collaborated with her

ex-husband, and together they took action through the court to force Linda to get help for the sake of her child. Rather than risk losing her son, Linda agreed to enter the treatment program at Rays of Sonshine. “I realize now that it was a ploy to make me get help,” she says.

“I moved quickly through the program, more quickly than most do.” Linda says.

After her entry level treatment was complete, she moved into transitional housing, where she had more independence. Her son, who had been staying with her mother, came to

JACQUELINE’S STORY

LINDA’S STORY CONTINUED

the apartment with her. She had successfully completed six months of treatment when Lynn Daniel offered her a full time job at Rays of Sonshine. Linda had worked as a secretary before coming to treatment. This job offer, which she looked upon as a huge vote of confidence by Daniel, afforded her a new career complete with a salary and benefits.

Linda worked and stayed with her recovery plan, eventually completing an entire eighteen month program, and for three years, she and her son continued to reside at Rays of Sonshine in independent housing. She bought a car and moved into a home away from the Rays of Sonshine property. Even though she lives offsite now, she continues to be a vital part of the recovery community there through her job as staff member.

Linda has been drug free for six years, with the exception of what she calls a “slip” three years into her sobriety. This time, with the support of her colleagues and mentors at Rays of Sonshine, she voluntarily re-entered clinical treatment and got the help she needed to get back on track. “Recovery is a way of life,” she explains. Adopting this way of life allows her to remain free from the nightmare of opioid abuse.

She notes that the treatment program and general atmosphere at Rays of Sonshine has changed somewhat since her first time in treatment. There is more focus on a holistic approach to recovery, using practices such as yoga, meditation and better nutrition. Linda tries to incorporate these new principles into her day-to-day life, along with the other wisdom and tools that she has gained during her time here. Her life is better because of Rays of Sonshine, and for that she is grateful.

JACQUELINE STARTED USING DRUGS RELATIVELY late in life. For the first 30 years, her life could be described as normal. She grew up in Port Arthur, Texas, where she graduated from high school. She went to college, got married and had two children. She worked full time with the school district in Port Arthur.

In her mid-30s, Jacqueline started “dabbling” with cocaine.

“We were freebasing back then,” she recalls. Popular in the late 1970s and early 1980s, “freebasing” involves smoking cocaine converted from its powdered form, usually with ammonia. It was how Jaqueline became addicted. “People would come over on the weekends and turn me on to it,” she says. “I wasn’t spending any money on it, but it was like a set up to get me reeled in.” Before long, she was buying and using crack cocaine, and it took over her life. She lost her home and contact with her family.

Jacqueline moved to Shreveport where she met her second husband. Together, they drank and smoked crack cocaine. They eventually separated, and Jacqueline became homeless.

Still using drugs, she spent her time walking the streets, living from house to house. She got involved with prostitution as a way to get the money she needed to get high. “In the beginning I was real green,” Jacqueline recalls. “I knew nothing about street life, but I learned real quick.”

After living on the streets, Jacqueline ended up in the psychiatric unit at LSU Medical Center.

Doctors there suggested long term treatment, and referred her to Rays of Sonshine.

Before coming to Rays of Sonshine, Jacqueline had been admitted into dozens of different treatment programs, but never stayed longer than a couple of months. When she learned that the treatment program at Rays of Sonshine required a minimum of six months, she thought that was way too long. For her, it was not long enough.

After six months at Rays of Sonshine, Jacqueline went back to Shreveport and was reunited with her husband. He assured her he was sober, but together they started using again. She says this happened multiple times. “It just gets worse and worse every time. The conditions, the consequences, all of it gets worse,” Jacqueline says, recalling the cycle of temporary sobriety and relapse.

Although crack cocaine was her drug of choice, Jacqueline acknowledges that she is also an alcoholic, describing herself as a “full-fledged drunk.” Until her recovery, she never thought of alcohol as a problem. “The first time I went to treatment in 1988, I did not tell people I was an alcoholic, because I drank zinfandel and chardonnay, and in the right glasses,” she laughs. “But then, I ended up on a street corner with a 40 ounce malt liquor in a brown paper bag, passing the bottle. So yes, I am now convinced that I am an alcoholic.”

It took two more relapses before Jacqueline finally hit rock bottom. “It’s not over until you hit bottom,” she insists. For her, that day came 5 years ago when, at age 56, she was referred to a nursing home due to mini-strokes and overall poor health. “My family was okay with that, because that way I wasn’t running the streets and using,” she says.

Instead of going into the nursing home, Jacqueline decided to return to Rays of Sonshine and try one more time to turn her life around. This time, she found lasting sobriety and longterm recovery. Five years later, she is still here. She works as the treatment clinic’s Intake Coordinator and sponsors others who are recovering. With money she earned, she purchased a car and has become self-sufficient.

Jaqueline is continuing her college education, working toward becoming a licensed substance abuse counselor. She completed an internship at Rays of Sonshine under the supervision of Assistant Director and Clinical Supervisor Claire White. In 2017, she graduated from an addiction counselor training program sponsored by the Louisiana Association of Substance Abuse Counselors and Trainers.

“Being able to attend the LASACT conference was a blessing,” Jacqueline says. “It was like God’s divine plan was just mapped out for me.” Inspired by Dr. Daisy Daniels, a retired ULM professor and counselor at Rays of Sonshine, Jacqueline hopes to earn a masters as well as a doctorate degree. “I can have a PhD by the time I’m 70,” Jacqueline insists. “That’s doable.

That’s my goal.”

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40 Years of Serving Our Community Voted Best HVAC/Heating and Cooling in Town

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ILLEY’S HEATING AND COOLING began serving Northeast Louisiana in 1978 and continues to build a strong company based on the principles of honesty, integrity, and caring for our customers with a special hometown feel. We stay on top of the heating and cooling industry enhancements and technological breakthroughs that make your heating and cooling system the most energy efficient products on the market today.

Randy Gilley, owner of Gilley’s Heating & Cooling, LLC started serving the Monroe – West Monroe area in 1978 and is thrilled to be able to serve the customers with the Gilley’s personal service.

The heating and cooling industry is everchanging, but one thing remains the same at Gilley’s Heating and Cooling: our emphasis on customer satisfaction. Our top priority is you, the customer. With forty years of experience and dependable service, Gilley’s looks forward to remaining the leader in energy efficiency and effective heating and cooling systems in

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Northeast Louisiana. Our focus is serving our community, not an out of town corporation.

With Gilley’s 40 years of repairing virtually every size and type of air conditioning unit, regardless of the manufacturer, you can be confident that Gilley’s can repair whatever issue you might have. Confidence comes with experience. With technicians having experience and being NATE certified, Gilley’s will repair your system correctly the first time, we guarantee it!

Whether we are servicing an existing air conditioner, replacing your ac, assessing your indoor air quality and balance or installing a new heating and cooling system in new construction building or homes, you can feel confident with having experienced and certified HVAC technicians and can offer the most cost effective and the most extensive maintenance services in North Louisiana.

Gilley’s believes it’s smarter to assess your building with a “Whole House” approach.

That simply means we combine super-efficient,

state-of-the-art air conditioning, furnace, heat pump, and ductless mini-split, systems with energy improvements like duct repair, insulation, and air infiltration as needed in order to make your building both comfortable and cost efficient. The solutions we offer are fully customized to meet your home or building’s specific needs, and our estimates are at no cost to you.

Visit our website at www.gilleysac.com or follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ gilleysheatingandcoolingllc to stay up-to-date on all our offers on qualified home comfort systems, involvement in the community and quick tip videos to help maintain the health of your HVAC unit.

We are very thankful for our customers who voted for us for the 2019 Bayou Buzz Awards. We look forward to serving our customers many years to come with the same principles of honesty, integrity and care.

State-Of-The-Art Invisalign Technology Creating Perfect Smiles

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NVISALIGN HAS REVOLUTIONIZED modern orthodontics with their clear aligner technology. With 20 years of research, 900+ patents, the world’s largest 3D printing operation and data from 6 million smiles… you can trust Invisalign clear aligners.

And now with Propel VPRO+... a high frequency vibration aligner seater... you get safer, healthier and more efficient tooth movement. And as a bonus, it shaves 40-50% off the time you wear each aligner, getting you the beautiful smile you’ve always wanted faster!

At Caples and Robinson Orthodontics, we are Northeast Louisiana’s ONLY Platinum Premier Providers of Invisalign. Our doctors have attended hundreds of hours of advanced training to best utilize Invisalign technology.

Our knowledge, coupled with Clin-Check Pro digital software, allows us to customize

your smile and detail your bite to perfection, delivering A+ results without wearing braces!

And yes… we can wear rubber bands with Invisalign to correct your overbite/overjet.

In todays techno world, it seems the internet offers almost anything delivered to your door. Unfortunately, clear tooth aligners hasn’t been met with much success. Just last week, two patients were in with boxes from the well advertised “at home” aligner company frustrated because they didn’t fit or weren’t working. Just because you have scissors at home doesn’t mean you should cut your own hair. And straightening your teeth without the guidance of a board-certified orthodontist usually isn’t a good idea either.

Getting started has never been easier.

With our state-of-the-art Itero Scanners, we can precisely record your smile and bite and digitally transmit it to Invisalign. Once that’s

done, we usually adjust and review each case 3 to 4 times to utilize our orthodontic expertise and experience to get you the perfect smile!

For the months of July and August, we are offering $250 off Invisalign treatment OR a free Propel device to increase the efficiency of the aligners.

So call Caples and Robinson today at 318325-9655 for your free consultation… it’s the first step to achieving a brace-free perfect smile using all the latest technology in a friendly, caring environment!

Dr. Ricky Caples, Dr. Chris Robinson and Dr. Sarah George are all Diplomates of the American Board of Orthodontics with over 44 years combined clinical experience.

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Corner Vet Opens in Calhoun Local Vet Introduces New Doctor and New Location

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OR NEARLY TWO YEARS, CORNER Vet has been committed to serving the area based on three principles - compassion, community and comprehensive care. Founded

by Dr. Nicole West, Corner Vet opened in the Sterlington area and is a small animal hospital and boarding facility. This year, they are excited to expand to Calhoun and open Corner Vet West. Corner Vet West is located at 3030 Hwy 80 West in Calhoun. Dr. Richard Baessler is joining the team at Corner Vet and will be at the Calhoun location. Dr. Baessler earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree through Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2015 and afterwards began practicing at a mixed animal hospital.

His passion is interacting with clients while promoting quality health care for their pets.

He has attended several speciality surgical conferences and has a strong interest in internal

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medicine. Dr. Baessler is married to Dr. Phoebe Ainsworth, who is veterinarian at Corner Vet Sterlington. Together, they have a Corgi named Wilson, three cats, Thomas, Bernie and Rio, as well as a horse, Confetti. In Dr. Baessler’s spare time, he enjoys fishing and spending time outdoors. “We are excited to welcome Dr. Baessler and expand in the Calhoun area,” said Dr. West. “This second location will allow us to serve our customers conveniently and expand our reach of community. We truly believe in being rooted in our community and giving back and we are excited to be able to do that in Calhoun.” Dr. West and the staff of Corner Vet has participated in Race for the Cure, the PAWS Mardi Gras Pet Parade, a Community Service Day, as well as visited with local elementary, sponsored local youth soccer teams and more.

They are truly committed to serving the community and looking forward to doing even

more in the future!

At Corner Vet West, you can expect the same level of services and care including routine exams, vaccinations, in house diagnostics and lab tests, surgery, dentistry and oral surgery, critical care, heart worm treatment, preventative care and chemotherapy treatment. Both clinics will have the same hours - Monday through Friday, from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Appointments are preferred but walk-ins are welcome.

Corner Vet always strives to offer compassionate, courteous and comprehensive veterinary care to their patients and clientele.

From cutting edge technology and advanced medical procedures to routine vaccinations and boarding services, Corner Vet delivers the best there is to offer in veterinary medicine.

Their service and dedication to the community is truly what sets them apart, while caring for all of God’s creation with integrity remains the cornerstone of their foundation. Whether you choose to see Dr. Nicole West, Dr. Phoebe Ainsworth or Dr. Kelsey Stokes in Sterlington or Dr. Richard Baessler in Calhoun, you can rest assured that both you and your pet will be cared for with the utmost compassion!

Southern Magnolia Landscaping Lawn Care Customized to Your Needs

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E ALL DREAM OF HAVING THE perfect lawn. While a “perfect” lawn may be less than ideal, as there will always be something to deal with (like weeds or disease), you can still have a healthy lawn using the proper care. The guys at Southern Magnolia Landscaping have the knowledge and capabilities to treat and care for your lawn so you have that picture perfect home you can be proud of and want to show off. If you’re needing to revamp your home or business with new landscaping, they can come up with a fresh new look to make your place more appealing.

Lawns have proven time and time again to be of many benefits. Not only are they aesthetically pleasing to admire, but they can also increase the property value of a home, compliment the community at large, and have proven to be good for the environment.

It also provides life-saving oxygen every day, improves the quality of the air we inhale, acts as a natural pollution filter and provides great soil erosion control. Therefore, it is important that if you are a homeowner you take pride in your lawn. Invest quality time and money to keep your lawn manicured and healthy.

Lawn care done properly takes time and effort. It is an ongoing process that requires careful and constant attention. Although at first thought one might equate lawn care with pushing the old lawnmower around and pulling out some bad weeds, there is actually a lot more to it than that. Southern Magnolia Landscaping offers different packages which include certain services designed to meet your specific needs. These guys can help you figure out which one is best for you and your lawn.

For the past 10 years, Southern Magnolia Landscaping has served North Louisiana

with the highest quality lawn and landscape maintenance services. From Sterlington to Shreveport, Monroe, Ruston, and Farmerville, our mission has been and always will be to serve you. We specialize in lawn and landscape maintenance services such as our regular mowing packages (weekly or biweekly), bed maintenance, hedge trimming and tree pruning, mulch and pine straw installation, turf fertilization and weed control, and annual color. We also offer new construction landscape installation as well as landscape remodeling.

Southern Magnolia Landscaping also supports Cutting for Cancer. If you are battling cancer, our team is here to support you by offering our lawn care services to you. Call 318-243-9467 to book an appointment.

Thank you to our customers for voting for Southern Magnolia Landscaping!

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Best Chiropractor

Dr. G.G. Grant BayouBuzz Award Recipient

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R. G.G. GRANT IS EXCTIED to be named the Best Chiropractor

in the 2019 Bayou Buzz Awards! Dr. Grant grew up in Ruston and graduated from Louisiana Tech in 2001. In 2005, he graduated from Parker University in Dallas, Texas with a Doctor of Chiropractic degree. Right after school, Dr. Grant began to work at Shell Chiropractic in Monroe. He is in his thirteenth year and practices along side Dr. Brent Bryant.

While Dr. Grant does see patients from all ages, from pediatric to later in life, most of the people that walk through the door are coming in as result of injury or affliction.

“Most people who come to see me are hurting and in pain,” said Dr. Grant. “They are limited in their daily activities and my goal is to get them back to their normal routine, free of pain.” For the past 11 years, Dr. Grant has

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worked with ULM athletes, as well as student athletes from St. Fred’s, Neville, Ouachita and other local schools. “I am very passionate about educating younger athletes on how to stay healthy, whether they eventually play professionally or not,” said Dr. Grant. “I really like to educate people on their body and how to maintain their spinal health.”

One of the things that sets Dr. Grant apart is that he works well with the entire medical community as he works to get patients healthy.

“I believe it is so important to work together to help patients,” said Dr. Grant. “I work with other doctors, orthopedic specialists and physicians, for the betterment and overall health of my patients. I am just another person helping a patient feel their best.” He prides himself on being honest with his patients and making recommendations to other physicians,

doing whatever it takes for a patients health and wellbeing.

Dr. Grant resides in Monroe with his wife Heather. He has two boys and a little girl. Lake is a sophomore at Neville, Hunt is in 8th grade at St. Frederick and Griffyn is in Pre-K at JGS. In his spare time, Dr. Grant enjoys spending time with his family, duck hunting and playing golf.

Dr. G.G. Grant and Shell Chiropractic are conveniently located on Hwy 165 North in Monroe and are always accepting new patients. The clinic also has two massage therapists on staff. Call today to set up an appointment with BayouLife’s Buzz Award’s Best Chiropractor in Northeast Louisiana!

Lauren Roebuck Designs Home Décor, Lighting, Floral Design and More

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OR THE LAST 16 YEARS, LAUREN Roebuck has put her signature staple on interior decorating and floral design. Her first love is floral design. She started out working at a florist part time while attending college.

A graduate of LA Tech in Marketing and Management, Lauren has had her floral license for 23 years and couldn’t be happier with the business and reputation she’s built in the industry. Whether classic elegance or lavish designs, Lauren Roebuck Designs makes wedding dreams come true! The team at Lauren Roebuck Designs, also gifted in home decor and lighting, pay attention to detail and personal touches making their team a wonderful and unique asset for any occasion. Lauren and her team are passionate about creating the finest one-of-a-kind floral arrangements for your wedding or event.

Lauren and her team pride themselves on their aesthetic, that a Lauren Roebuck

design is recognizable. They have an eye for the unique, love to use color, and much like Lauren’s personality, the designs are energetic, happy and seem to be smiling. LRD only uses high-end flowers, and calls their style, “traditional with a twist.” Lauren focuses on the details, insisting, “Every little detail makes a difference.” Lauren gets to know her clients and makes suggestions based on personality.

She adapts her style to them; but it being a Lauren Roebuck design remains abundantly clear.

Lauren wanted her own business for flexibility and creative control. Her parents owned a family business for 40 years helping create Lauren’s business mind and work ethic.

Her studio is an 1800 square-foot attachment to her home with its own entrance. Located at 395 Old Wire Rd in Ruston, Lauren doesn’t call it a store, but it essentially is, with everything for home decorating and furnishing. She is

in the process of building a 5000 square foot building. It will be completed in the fall!

Shoppers can find lighting, furniture, jewelry, home decor, pillows, rugs, furniture and gifts within her store.

Her husband, Steven Roebuck, is her strongest supporter, and for the first ten years, her only helper. Her daughter Haley (16), and Alex (11), pitch in now…. the whole family is involved, and the location of the business allows them all to work together while maintaining a home family atmosphere closeby. Lauren has a passion for what she does, creating repeat customers and a reputation for exquisite work and service. “I thank God for giving me this talent and the ability to serve others through my floral designs! I absolutely love what I do and very fortunate to have a job that I am excited about and truly love!”

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Simply Lou CYCLONE

article and illustration by Lou Davenport

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RIGHT OR WRONG, I’LL ALWAYS LOVE YOU, THOUGH YOU’RE GONE, I CAN’T FORGET RIGHT OR WRONG, I’M STILL IN LOVE WITH YOU.

am so proud that my Uncle JB Humphrey is this month’s Bayou Icon.

Meredith McKinney captured him and his story so well and Kelly Moore and her camera showed his sweetness and kindness. And the three of us had such a good time visiting him at the VA Home. Everyone there made us feel so welcome, so thank you everyone!

Now, they say behind every great man is a great woman and my uncle certainly had one.

She was my daddy’s sister and even though her name was “Bonnie,” everyone called her “Cye.” That was because her mother said she went through the house like a “cyclone!” It fit her well! She was a “force of nature” and

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very unforgettable! I didn’t even know her real name was Bonnie until I was probably 10 years old.

They met when they were both 19 years old and were married when they were 20. I never realized they were the same age. He said he saw her first and he wanted to find out who that fine lookin’ girl was. Well, he did and the rest is history. He loved her until the day she died.

IN YOUR HEART PLEASE JUST REMEMBER RIGHT OR WRONG I’M STILL IN LOVE WITH YOU.

They were two of the prettiest dancers I have ever seen. They seemed to be dancing or going dancing a lot of the time. I loved watching them but oh, how I wish I’d gotten them to teach me! They loved big band music and Texas Swing, especially Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys. They gave me that love

of both kinds of music and right now I have a Bob Wills CD playing in my car. They also danced in their living room and had a really cool record player. My cousin Johnnie introduced me to Bob Dylan, who I still love.

Let’s just say their house was full of music and laughter and I loved spending time there.

The “Cyclone” didn’t really know how talented she was. Sewing was just sewing to her. But, her workroom was full of cheerleader uniforms, pep squad uniforms, dresses and a beautiful wedding dress she made for my cousin, Beverly. It could easily have hung in Neiman Marcus. She made my cousin Lisa and I little red velvet dresses that we had our pictures made in for Christmas. One of my most cherished possessions is a Christmas stocking she made for all her nieces and nephews. They had all kinds of sequins and little felt pictures she’d made on them and she embroidered our names on them and the date, 1964. I still get mine out every year and yes, I think of her!

She was a bit complicated. She sure didn’t mind telling anybody just what she thought. I guess what I’m trying to say is she was not perfect. In the summer, she’d wear her shorts and a bra, the kind with the circular stitching around the cups and she didn’t care who saw her! She was barefoot a lot or in her house slippers, but when she dressed up, she transformed into somebody else. She had a good figure and could wear those shirt waisted dresses with the pencil skirts. She made them all, of course. She had her great collection of costume jewelry and her “ear bobs.” And amazingly, this woman could wear a pair of tall high heels like they were flats. She had two definate sides and probably a few more.

I MISS YOU DARLING MORE AND MORE EVERYDAY, AS HEAVEN WOULD MISS THE STARS ABOVE.

Aunt Cye could quilt like “nobody’s business.” She made complicated, beautiful designs and had a talent for choosing colors.

She usually quilted during the winter when she couldn’t go fishing. But, here’s where the “complicated” comes in. She would lovingly fold these true works of art up, slip them in a black garbage bags and put them in the top of her closet. I never knew why. I’d had them all over the place enjoying all that hard work.

But, she had her ways and I never asked why.

Her most favorite thing in life and I mean very favorite thing was fishing. She would rather fish than eat and here’s another complicated “thing” she did, she didn’t eat fish! No kidding! She and my uncle fished in separate boats, too. I thought that was hilarious! She fished where she wanted to and didn’t much care where he went. It would tickle her too death if she caught the most fish, too. Even a little baby bream counted to her!

There were eight children in the Williams’ family, she was number five. My daddy was number seven and the baby for a year or so. Aunt Cye just took him under her wing and spoiled him rotten. They were cut from the same cloth! Hardheaded, stubborn and cantankerous but would give you the shirt off their backs. And nobody better say anything “untoward” about Duke! I made the mistake of asking her a question about something during his Navy days and she almost came undone on me! I didn’t ask anymore. (By her reaction, it may have been true but I’ll never know!)

When he had his aneurysm, all we could do was a “deathwatch” waiting for his heart to stop. It took three days. His heart was strong as a mule! She was of course, upset, and I worried about her and her reaction when the time came. I finally talked her into going home to get some real sleep in her own bed and for once, she did what I asked her to do. He passed away before she got back but I think that was best. She had had time to make peace with it all and when she was told, she did well. I was sad of course, but, I think I might have been more sad for her. My daddy really was like one of her own sons.

DEEP WITHIN MY HEART LIES A MELODY, A SONG OF OLD SAN ANTONE. WHERE IN DREAMS I LIVE WITH A MEMORY BENEATH THE STARS ALL ALONE.

She and my uncle came to my high school graduation. Aunt Cye was there when I had Carolyn, my first baby. They were there the night I was born. She was also at my dad’s house with a few of her sisters when my mother died. I remember she met me at the back door with tears in her eyes, grabbed me and told me I had about six or seven aunts who were going to take care of me. It was the first and only time I ever saw her have tears. But,she loved my mama dearly. They became close when my mama taught in Delhi and was dating my daddy. She’d go to their house and read to my cousin Johnnie...how she loved him! When my mama wouldn’t marry my daddy as fast as he thought they should, he told her she’d never see Johnnie again! BLACKMAIL! She ought to have slapped him upside the head but, she thought it over for a few days and said yes.

I have said often, my mama and my Uncle Beeker earned their wings and about twenty halos being married to those two. The two of them were patient and kind and completly different from Aunt Cye and Duke. But, they say “opposites” attract and it was definitely true with these four! When my uncle enlisted in the service, my cousin Phillip was just a toddler. He felt it was something he should do and as he said, “I didn’t want to get drafted and be in the infantry!” She didn’t see it that way and I can’t even begin to imagine how angry she was at him. She was still fussing about it occasionally 10 years ago. It wasn’t like she was left totally alone, all the Williams lived in Bastrop and so did their mama. Phillip had loads of attention and plenty of mothering!

I remember hearing the story of my Uncle being shot down. I was too young to really understand but later that night, my mama had to get me calmed down. I was so worried that would happen to him again or those bad men would come looking for him. I guess you never really know what tiny minds take in and what it turns into.

Being part of the greatest generation couldn’t have been easy. I don’t think I could have been as courageous as they were. We have never lived with rationing. We are really spoiled if you think about it.

We enjoy what they sacrificed for, on the war front and home front. I just know my uncle is one fine gentleman, loving, giving and always smiling no matter what he has lived through. I am certainly proud of him and I did love that “Cyclone,” too!

“MOON IN ALL YOUR SPLENDOR KNOWS ONLY MY HEART CALL BACK MY ROSE, ROSE OF SAN ANTONE” TAKE IT AWAY, LEON! RIGHT OR WRONG, FADED LOVE, SAN ANTONIO ROSE, by BOB WILLS AND THE TEXAS PLAYBOYS WWW.BAYOULIFEMAG.COM | JULY 2019 143

Learning The Love of God

Generations of Ministry and Mission Work

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ING’S CAMP IS A STORY ABOUT A GROUP OF individuals who understood that they belonged to something bigger than themselves. They were pioneers willing to trust that God is good and that He would lead them to something greater than just the individual stories of their lives. It started with a prayer meeting in Baby and Clare Clark’s home in Mer Rouge, LA in the mid 1970’s. The living room of Baby and Clare would be filled with people of various backgrounds and denominations praying and praising God. And, as often God does, He led them into something deeper, something beyond themselves.

One afternoon as Baby was driving out on family property she felt the Lord give her a vision of what these pastures could be, that the prayer meetings were to move from the living room to these pastures. So they did. When they first started meeting, they would bring their tents and campers, eat a meal together, and worship and pray in the horse stable. Not all the people who met in the living room followed when the prayer meetings moved out to the pastures.

Often when God calls us to something bigger than ourselves, it will be inconvenient and take us out of our comfort zones. Prayer in the pasture was not as easy as prayer in the living room, and not everyone was up for it, but those who were were all in. The pastures became the Lord’s. They created a non profit called Christian Life Fellowship donating the land for the Lord’s use. Many people came and continue to come through those stable doors, some renown authors and musicians in the world of Christian literature and music.

Brennan Manning, Phil Driscoll, and later as a camper, Lauren Daigle.

Mostly what took place in these pastures though was imperfect but redeemed people sharing the love of Christ with one another.

And as often happens when you love and know that you are loved, you want to share that love with others beyond your circle. So in 1986, the crew again moved beyond their comfort zone with Molly Clark Hartrick leading the way. They wanted to reach out to the community by providing a camp on the beautiful grounds. The first year of King’s Camp, as they called it because it was JESUS’, the King’s Camp was a day camp. The next year a dorm was built and they had a “spend the night camp.” Every year they would envision how the camp could provide more opportunities for the campers… so they would build it and campers would come.

Today, we see over 500 young people on the grounds in just the month of June alone. We have many 2nd generations of campers whose parents came to camp. Our camp staff, most who are past campers, hail from colleges all over the country. We have camp alumni throughout the continental United States and overseas, many in full time ministry and mission work. Every year we have scholarships provided by our generous camp community. Campers from various places and backgrounds all come together in the month of June to learn what it’s like to be loved by our good God and to love one another. It’s a glimpse of heaven itself! Check out our website www.kingscamp.net to learn more about our story and current events on our grounds.

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Pearce Lumber

Can Help With Large or Small Projects

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OR 83 YEARS, PEARCE LUMBER COMPANY HAS been serving North Central Louisiana with quality building products. In June of 2016, we relocated to a new state of the art facility at 1032 Burgessville Road, just off Highway 33.

In 1926, T. J. Pearce moved his wife and six children to Ruston so the children could attend college at Louisiana Tech. He ran a sawmill on West California Avenue until 1936 when he decided to open a retail lumberyard. Reeves and Jacob, his sons, worked in the business as teenagers and college students. After they had graduated from Louisiana Tech and served their country in World War II, they both returned to Ruston to work at the lumberyard. In the 50’s Pearce Lumber was incorporated as T. J. Pearce & Co. Inc., and Reeves and Jacob took control of the business.

In 1981, Jim Pearce, Reeves’ son, and Cary Alsup, Jacob’s son-inlaw, began working full-time in the business. In 1986 they sold the business to Jim and Cary. Reeves and Jacob continued to work part time at the lumberyard where they enjoyed helping many customers with their projects.

Jim grew up working at the lumberyard. He is a graduate of Louisiana Tech University and is married to Sherri Barr Pearce.

Cary, a native of Pineville, attended Louisiana Tech and is married to Marty Pearce Alsup.

Pearce Lumber is currently in its third generation of family ownership and has the fourth generation active in management.

Daniel Alsup, a Louisiana Tech Alum, heads up Contractor Sales.

Ben Alsup, an LSU graduate, is in sales and purchasing. Sherri Pearce is the bookkeeper and has been for the past 32 years. Pearce Lumber has and is still today truly a local family business.

T. J. Pearce started the business with the philosophy to give the customer a good product at a fair price, provide good service and to treat everyone fairly and honestly. It is this same philosophy that we strive to serve our customers with each and every day.

Here are a few things their customers had to say: • “The best quality lumber yard. Helpful, knowledgeable staff. A great company to do business with.” - Larry H. • “If you are building....They have the best lumber.... Get the best, you won’t be sorry!”- Jan L. • “Awesome place to do business! Love their new location!” - Jay M. • “To all our north side ladies , they have all the cleaning supplies you could ask for from brooms and mops to your favorite cleansers and laundry needs . No more going to those huge crowded stores for your cleaning wants . Stop by and let the friendly people help you with all that!!” -Marty A.

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Why Dance?

Missy Crain Dance Offers a True Dance Education in a Fun & Inviting Atmosphere

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N THIS WORLD OF CELL PHONES, internet and social media, one can receive instant gratification by typing a few letters and pressing “send.” Most people expect immediate results from nearly everything they do. However, there is no cell phone app or website where you can reap the benefits of an instant dance education. Becoming a dancer takes patience, dedication and hard work.

Therefore, parents are not paying for a child to take dance classes but a true dance education, that will enhance a child’s future and become a valuable tool in all of their endeavors.

THE JOURNEY BEGINS At age 3, tiny dancers can begin their dance experience.

The dancers learn body awareness, simple coordination skills and how to behave in a social environment. Perhaps one of the most important aspects of pre-school dance is expanding one’s attention span at an early age.

A correct pre-school syllabus encompasses all of these things in addition to teaching correct dance terminology in a fun and motivating atmosphere.

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THE TECHNIQUE Around age 6 or 7, dancers are capable of absorbing the details that create excellence in technique and dance form. In addition, a good dance syllabus enables classes of this age group to properly process dance steps into their muscle memory.

It is important for these steps to be put to use in an artistic performance that is of professional caliber. After all, even the youngest dancers deserve a performance they can be proud of and share with all of their friends and family.

THE CONFIDENCE BUILDS A child that begins a good dance education at an early age truly reaps the benefits and rewards around age 10 or 11. The child’s confidence builds, while their dance skills get stronger each year. Social skills improve as they learn to support each other and build relationships with other children that are on the same path.

The impeccable focus for these individuals carries over to other aspects of their lives. All the while, each dancer is gaining strength in technique and performance quality.

LIFE SKILLS ARE FORMED When a

dancer reaches the teen age years and beyond, he/she has become an artist. This artistry is the perfect combination of athletics, music, drama and life skills. Dancers are known for developing excellent time management skills and being more than capable of conducting themselves properly during a job interview.

The dancer understands the process of setting a goal and achieving it through patience, dedication and hard work. Regardless of God’s plan for a dancer, they will be able to move forward in life with these incomparable skills. And, the best part is they now dance the leading roles in state-of-the-art dance productions.

The dance education experience proves that though everything does not come with instant gratification, some things are worth working for. Whether parents are seeking a recreational experience for a short time, or find a long-term relationship more applicable, dance is the path to seek and is well worth the money, time, and effort it takes to support a true dance education.

A Family Practice

Voted One of Our Communities Best Attorneys

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ARIO LEIJA HAS BEEN VOTED AS ONE OF THE BEST attorneys in our area for the 2019 Bayou Buzz Awards. His focus and passion for what he does have helped him grow into the attorney that he is today. Mario’s love for this community and the joy he gets from helping others directly contributes to the success he has had.

Born and raised right here in Monroe, Mario Leija watched as his uncle, Attorney Amado Leija, become a well established criminal defense attorney in Northeast Louisiana. Mario worked as a runner for his uncle’s firm since he was 15 years old. It was there that he decided to follow in his footsteps and pursue a career in law. He graduated from West Monroe High School in 1997 and then continued to further his education. He felt blessed to be accepted into Southern University Law Center in Baton Rouge, which is where he received his degree.

Graduating in May 2010, Mario began practicing law in Monroe in October of 2010 with his uncle.

“If I turn out to be half as good of an attorney as he is, then I will consider my endeavor as an attorney a success,” said Mario.

An official attorney since 2010, Mario has been practicing law in Monroe ever since. Their law firm primarily focuses on criminal law,

personal injury, expungements, bankruptcy and uncontested divorce.

Mario sincerely enjoys helping people and aiding them through times that may be tough. In 2017 he was the President of the Young Lawyers Section of the Fourth Judicial District Bar Association.

With no plans to move, Mario enjoys this community and wants to stay in Northeast Louisiana and continue to practice law. Mario married Carley Burkett May 5th, or Cinco De Mayo, of last year. Together they have two wirehaired dachshunds, Raylan and Deuce, which are basically their children. An active part of this community, Mario is so thankful for everyone that voted him one of the best attorneys in Northeast Louisiana.

The Leija Law Office 1203 Royal Avenue Monroe, La 71201 318-387-6111

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There’s a New Krewe in Town Krewe de Rivière is Ready to Roll in 2020

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HE KREWE DE RIVIÈRE IS LOOKING forward to their inaugural parade next year and they are looking for people who want to join their Krewe now! The Krewe de Rivière believes in making new friends, letting your creativity flow, increasing tourism to our area, business networking and creating an environment for people from all walks of life. If you are fun loving and want to give back to the community, this is the Krewe for you!

The Krewe de Rivière is just getting started and recently celebrated with with a launch party at Flying Tiger Brewery in Monroe. They have begun building floats and will continue to work in the coming months. Krewe de Rivière is set to roll for their inaugural parade on February 8, 2020 at 5 p.m. The parade will start in West Monroe near West Monroe High School and end at the Garrett House in downtown Monroe, just past the Rivermarket area. The Krewe’s ball will follow directly

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after the parade at the Monroe Civic Center.

The Krewe will embrace the year 2020 and will celebrate with their theme “The Roaring 20’s!”

“We already have so many exciting things lined up for the parade and would love to have you join us,” said Judy Babb, one of the Krewe’s founding members. “We just had our launch party and the response was better than expected so that makes us even more excited!”

The Krewe de Rivière plans on having some traditional parade traits like floats pulled by tractors but still plans on putting their our own unique flavor on the parade. The parade will include Mardi Gras floats, walking groups, riding groups and bands, as well as a few fun surprises.

Non profit organizations can enter the parade for free. “Members do not have to pay their membership fees all at once because we want it to be affordable for everyone,” said Judy. “Our King and Queen will not be members of the Krewe but deserving members

of the public, like a returning member of service or someone from Make-A-Wish or St. Jude’s. We will open up those nominations sometime in November. We truly want this to be a community parade!”

The Krewe is hosting their next event on July 27. It will be held at the LAC Range and will be a day to enjoy fried fish, participate in a shooting event and mix and mingle with Krewe members. This is a great opportunity to find out how you or your business or organization can get involved in the Krewe de Rivière! “One of the greatest things about our area is the amount of creative individuals that live here,” said Judy. “I’m always amazed.

I personally love that we’re the Krewe de Rivière because it’s the River that connects us.”

Judy and the rest of the Krewe invites you to join them on this special adventure that will continue to grow and thrive. They would love you to be a part of their krewe!

Be Confident This Summer

Treat Varicose Veins at The Surgery Clinic of Northeast Louisiana

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OUTHERN SUMMERS ARE synonymous with beach trips, pool fun, and garden parties. We want to savor these activities with our families and friends, not feel self-conscious about how we look in shorts, dresses, and swimsuits. Unfortunately, the relatively common condition of varicose veins can significantly impact how we feel in our skin.

Women are twice as likely to develop varicose veins, which appear as blue or purple chords beneath the surface of the skin and affect the legs and feet. Most varicose veins are the result of weak or damaged valves; these valves cause blood to flow backward and pool in the veins, making the veins stretch, twist, and become discolored. The swollen veins are sometimes accompanied by spider veins, or flooded capillaries.

Varicose veins can also be painful, reduce circulation, and cause irritated skin, aching limbs, muscle cramping, swollen

ankles, and puffy feet. Eventually, varicose veins can make walking—and even standing for extended periods—quite painful. In some cases, untreated vein disease can even lead to heart disease, diabetes, and obesity.

Thankfully, Northeast Louisiana residents can seek treatment for varicose veins—and several other vein diseases—at The Surgery Clinic of Northeast Louisiana in Monroe. In December of 2018, clinic owners Dr. Walter Sartor, Dr. Bart Liles, and Dr. Patrick Smith acquired recently-retired Dr. Larry Barr’s Delta Vein Care and since that time, have continued Dr. Barr’s tradition of providing the area’s only in-office vein treatment.

Surgeons Sartor, Liles, and Smith also provide many other medical services, including breast, thyroid, and colon cancer surgeries. All three surgeons are trained in laparoscopic and robotic surgeries, less invasive approaches that result in shorter

recovery times. In addition, Dr. Sartor and Dr. Liles perform bariatric (weight loss) surgeries, including the gastric sleeve, gastric bypass, and duodenal switch. Dr. Sartor’s surgical skills were recognized by the Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program. Dr. Liles, also an accomplished general surgeon, began practicing weight loss surgery after completing a laparoscopic, robotic, and bariatric externship at WillisKnighton Medical Center. Dr. Smith shares his surgical expertise with medical students and surgery residents as a part-time assistant professor at Ochsner LSU Health in Monroe.

These physicians are devoted to Monroe, a place all three of them proudly call their hometown. Dr. Sartor, a River Oaks School graduate, earned his medical degree from Tulane University School of Medicine. Dr. Liles and Dr. Smith, both St. Frederick High School graduates, earned their medical degrees from Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in Shreveport.

Please contact the clinic today with any questions you may have about vein treatment or any other surgical needs. The Surgery Clinic of Northeast Louisiana is located at 312 Grammont Street, Suite 303, in downtown Monroe. The clinic can be reached by calling 318-398-2984.

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LAKE D’ARBONNE IDYLL

Could you be in the Texas Hill Country or perhaps the Shenandoah Valley? Perched high on a bluff overlooking Lake D’arbonne, the home of one of Farmersville’s prominent power couples is sited to take advantage of sweeping 360 degree views of the fisherman’s paradise reservoir and its surrounding hills and verdant forests.

INTERIOR DE SIG N B Y J UL I E MAY S , J UL I E MAY S I N T E R I OR S

PHO TO G R A PHY B Y K E LLY M OOR E CLA R K

S TAG I N G BY JU LI E M AY S AN D STAC I STUC KI AR T I C L E BY M A R É B R EN N A N

THE GEORGE III GILT WOOD MIRROR IN THE DINING ROOM IS ONE OF THE FAMILY HEIRLOOMS THAT MADE ITS WAY TO THE NEW HOUSE. THE WOOD DINING TABLE IS SOFTENED BY MICROSUEDE UPHOLSTERED PARSONSSTYLE CHAIRS.

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he exterior of the home is a modern interpretation of French Acadian style with ridge tiles enforcing the lines of the elegant, hipped roof. Two large and substantial columns lead guests to the front door. Modern containers by Veradex are filled with traditional plantings of spiral topiaried juniper, ivy, huechera and portulaca and are placed strategically between three French doors with arched transoms.

The front veranda features a brick floor and generous double height ceiling. A brick archway creates a beautiful vignette of an adjacent bluff and the pond below. Gas lanterns flicker and lead the way to the home’s entry.

Once inside, the power of the place and the quality of the light begins to take hold. To carry out the homeowners’ vision of their ultimate lake home, the couple enlisted the help of Ruston interior designer Julie Mays of Julie Mays Interiors, a trusted design partner who translated wishes into reality. Says Julie of her dream clients, “They knew what they wanted, and I just facilitated the execution, gave them choices and selected materials.”

“The entire home reverberates with light energy,” says Julie, who is known for her skillful use of color and how color reacts with different sources of light and environment. Explains the designer, “My fundamental love for color as a key design element was reinforced during my time at the University of Arkansas, where I received my degree in Interior Design, with a minor in Studio Art. One class in particular, a deep study of

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Color Theory presented by a visiting professor from Harvard, made a permanent impression on me. I realized that all colors are built upon adjacent colors. This constant affects every decision I make. My hyper awareness of this fact has completely changed my outlook on design, choosing fabrics, paints, natural verses LED lighting, and design interaction with nature.”

For maximum impact in the home’s foyer, Julie chose a Ronald Redding wall covering and a custom runner made especially for the entry, coordinating the rugs pattern and thread colors with the cream, grey and gold palette. The entryway’s credenza features a modern, limed grey finish with square acrylic pulls. A gold and mother of pearl lamp by Gabby echoes the pendant above, and hide covered stools on delicate gold legs add balance. Throughout the home, custom designed lighting

by Chris Hart of Hart Lighting provides perfectly proportioned illumination and use of a richly stained hardwood flooring adds a unifying element.

The powder bath just beyond the foyer is packed with covetable design details, like jewelry-like fixtures, an adorable quartz-topped tissue holder, a mirrored waste basket, and a shower with hexagon tile flooring and a modern, vertical placement of wall tiles. A mixed media abstract painting by Ruston’s Maggie Boudreaux creates a harmonious balance of colors.

Julie describes her assistant, Staci Stucki, as a super sleuth, able to track down elusive and unusual materials for projects.

One such find was the effective and efficient cabinetry hardware for the home’s laundry room. Sourced from IKEA, door pulls are long and practically hidden, yet give easy access for opening drawers when hands are full.

ABOVE THE HOME’S FOYER FEATURES A RONALD REDDING WALL COVERING AND MODERD CREDENZA WITH LIMED GREY FINISH AND SQUARE ACRYLIC PULLS. AT RIGHT THE POWDER BATH FEATURES JEWELRY-LIKE FIXTURES AND A SHOWER WITH HEXAGON TILE FLOORING.

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With spectacular views of Lake D’Arbonne from every vantage point within the home, the designer knew where attention would be focused. “The windows are the art for me,” explains Julie. “I paid close attention to the way the light changes within the house based on the reflection of light off the water. We chose all the wall colors based on the environment and how the house interacted with the environment.”

Every detail of the home was planned to perfection.

“Drapery in the dining room is crafted like a modern wedding dress, offering shine, matte and sumptuous softness to the windows which look out onto the back gardens and beyond to the lake. The panels are hung from gold-toned zip rods with acrylic ends and long golden pulls which makes opening and closing drapery as easy as the breezes blowing across the lake.

The George III gilt wood mirror in the dining room is one of the family heirlooms that made its way to the new home. The wood dining table is softened by microsuede upholstered Parsons-style chairs.

Says the designer, “When I plan a room, I always want to make sure the most important thing in that room is what you see when you walk in.” The Great Room offers commanding views of Lake D’Arbonne. A contemporary rug of muted wool and silk provides the ground-level drama. Tall gold-toned table lamps by Bliss create the perfect mood for the house. A grey velvet sofa is enlivened with custom handpainted silk pillows. Flanking either side of the fireplace, the designer has placed demilune consoles with soft-toned abstract paintings above each. Conversations here are given special treatment with comfy lounge chairs that swivel to take advantage of every view.

The open concept kitchen is filled with hidden amenities.

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A walk-in pantry is revealed behind cabinetry doors. A Thassos marble and mother of pearl tile from Ann Sacks employed as the kitchen’s backsplash mimics the shininess of ripples on the surface of the lake. A graceful and soaring custom range hood in a contrasting stone hue draws the eye upward. Sleek white cabinetry is dressed with gold tone hardware. A trio of pendant lights from Hart Lighting provide task lighting above the island which is ample enough for four custom grey shagreen bar stools with gold rings. Two paintings by Ruston-based artist Maggie Boudreaux offer artful counterpoints beneath tall upper cabinets.

In the master bedroom, Julie selected colors, which repeat the water’s hues and are found within the important room-sized heirloom rug underfoot. Serene and soothing are keywords for creating a masterful retreat for the busy couple. Two large abstract paintings, which Julie found in High Point, North Carolina, are creatively framed on a linen backing and given a reflective quality with a clear acrylic shield. Navy velvet upholstered gold chairs emphasize the bold hue found in the rug. The king size upholstered and palladium-leafed bed is luxuriously appointed in a pebbled matelassé coverlet with custom silk accent pillows. At bedside, Julie has installed a pair of cabinets with ivory and metal ring drawer pulls and light as air acrylic legs. Drawers are custom papered and offer hidden charging stations within an arms reach for personal devices.

Windows in the master suite are covered by black-out Roman shades crafted from a luxe silk fabrication. Says Julie, “Roman shades are wonderful as they provide privacy and tailored coverage without hanging to the floor.” An ingenious cabinet beneath a bank of windows looking out onto the lake hides a pop-up television.

A THASSOS MARBLE AND MOTHER OF PEARL TILE FROM ANN SACKS EMPLOYED AS THE KITCHEN’S BACKSPLASH MIMICS THE SHININESS OF RIPPLES ON THE SURFACE OF THE LAKE OPPOSITE SPECTACULAR VIEWS OF LAKE D’ARBONNE CAN BE VIEWED FROM EVERY VANTAGE POINT WITHIN THE HOME OPPOSITE RIGHT IN THE MASTER BEDROOM, COLORS WHICH REPEAT THE WATER’S HUES ARE FOUND WITHIN THE HEIRLOOM RUG

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uring a visit to Julie’s office, the homeowner saw a sample of the whimsical dragon wallpaper pinned to Julie’s “Inspiration Wall” and fell in love with it.

In the master’s en suite bathroom, a bold Carleton V dragon wall covering provides a statement wall behind the freestanding oval soaking tub. Behind that central wall lies a double shower with glass doors on either side. Large rectangular tile flooring adds coolness. His and hers vanities are created with light painted cabinetry topped with Carrara marble counters with undercounter square-shaped sinks. Mirrors in the master bath and throughout the home were custom framed by Lead Terry, owner of The Frame-Up in Ruston. Bahama shutters, sourced from Smith Blind and Awning, provide privacy in the bathroom. In the dressing area, Julie employs the light-catching and weightless quality of acrylic, using the material as the curving, arched legs of navy velvet vanity stool in the dressing area.

The hallway which leads to guest rooms features a large abstract painting by Ruston artist Shelly Nealy. Keeping with the color scheme established, the guest room’s focal point is a golden-hued double bed by West Elm appointed with navy bedding with white and grey accents. An acrylic lamp by John Richard at bedside is reminiscent of the lake’s horizon lines.

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IN THE MASTER’S EN SUITE BATHROOM, A BOLD CARLETON V DRAGON WALL COVERING PROVIDES A STATEMENT WALL BEHIND THE OVAL SOAKING TUB. OPPOSITE BELOW AN UPHOLSTERED AND PALLADIUM-LEAFED BED IS LUXURIOUSLY APPOINTED. OPPOSITE ABOVE THE GUEST ROOM’S FOCAL POINT IS A GOLDEN-HUED BED WITH NAVY BEDDING

In the Jack and Jill guest bath, cloud paintings by Rachel Evans, a Savannah College of Art and Design student, were sourced by Julie while she was on a trip to the East Coast. A custom shower curtain with ample double width and a replaceable, snap-off lining is placed on a zip line rod, offering ease of opening.

Living areas extend outside to take full advantage of sweeping views and breezes blowing off the lake. The outdoor living room features a faux wood tile and a state of the art outdoor kitchen with cypress cabinets topped with honed black granite. Julie enlisted Smith Blind and Awning to create custom shutter and mesh blinds which raise and lower with the touch of a remote control button. An industrial sized stainless gas grill is the centerpiece of the working kitchen and is topped by a custom cypress hood. Julie’s assistant, Staci, sourced indoor/outdoor rugs which add softness and color to the outdoor spaces. A teak dining table and chairs is the setting for family and friend get-togethers. The back porch seating areas include a grey woven chaise found at The Patio Place and a pair of turquoise teak lounge chairs, strategically placed for mornings spent sipping coffee and watching sunrises over the lake.

While the couple have only been in their home for the last six months, the gardens and landscaping are quickly maturing.

Pollinator-loving Vitex trees bloom with purple spires and are buzzing with insects toward the back of the property. Azaleas, crepe myrtles and globes of agapanthus keep the eye’s interest grounded with color and texture in the landscape, while Mississippi kites bring the eye toward the heavens to watch their aerial acrobatics above.

The lure of the piney hills of Louisiana is strong and pulls you to this place built high above the lake, yet close enough to enjoy the majesty of nature in a home that reflects that beauty.

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Anzelmo & Creighton Attorneys at Law Local Law Firm Named BayouBuzz Winner

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HEN ATTORNEYS DON Anzelmo, Michael Creighton, and Charles Anzelmo came together to open Anzelmo & Creighton Attorneys at Law in March of 2018, we knew we had the support of our families and friends. But for the community to show such a tremendous display of support by voting Anzelmo & Creighton the Bayou Buzz Attorney Winner our first year in business is a humbling honor that we could not be more proud of! Thank you to all of our clients, families, friends, staff, and to the awesome community we are blessed to be a part of.

Congratulations to all of the nominees and finalists in each of the Bayou Buzz categories.

Anzelmo & Creighton Attorneys at Law was formed with a vision to be more than just another law firm in Northeast Louisiana. To that end, Managing Partner, Charles Anzelmo, set out to create a firm that not only provides

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legal services, but one that also plays an active role in the community through supporting the arts and local charities, sponsoring and coaching youth sports teams, holding positions on civic committees and boards, as well as playing a part in the beautification efforts throughout Ouachita Parish.

With over 50 years of combined legal experience, Anzelmo & Creighton is a full service law firm providing efficient and effective legal services to its clients throughout Louisiana. Our attorneys and staff understand that the legal profession is progressing and evolving along with the everchanging world. As the world progresses, so do our clients’ needs. That is why Anzelmo & Creighton has implemented state of the art practice management software and technology that allows us to provide more efficiency, accessibility, and affordability without reducing the quality of the work our clients deserve and expect.

The firm offers legal services in a variety of practice areas including Workers’ Compensation and insurance defense, general litigation, personal injury, collections, and transactional law. To facilitate a convenient and seamless real estate transaction, Anzelmo & Creighton also offers in-house real estate services through our affiliate title company, Partners Title – Monroe.

Partners Title provides a full range of title insurance and closing services to buyers, sellers, developers, and fellow professionals who serve the real estate industry.

Our goal is to provide our clients a friendly, “boutique” atmosphere, defined by personal attention and timely, knowledgeable service. We look forward to the continued opportunity to serve you and our community for years to come!

Louisiana’s First Lagniappe Main Street Community A Portion of The West Monroe Cotton Port Historic District Recognized

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PORTION OF THE WEST MONROE Cotton Port Historic District has been named as a National Register Historic District. In addition, the City of West Monroe’s downtown has been named as Louisiana’s first Lagniappe Main Street community.

An area of downtown West Monroe has been designated as a National Register Historic District by the National Park Service.

The area, known as the West Monroe Historic District, encompasses parts of Commerce, Cotton, Cypress, Natchitoches, Pine, N. Riverfront, Trenton and Wood Streets.

West Monroe’s Cotton Port Historic District is a locally-designated district recognized by the City of West Monroe. The downtown district is now designated as a Lagniappe Community. This designation is part of a new process required to become a certified Louisiana Main Street Community.

Beginning June 1st, the City will have 12 to 18 months to complete the necessary benchmarks

for the certification. The Main Street program is a proven strategy to spur communitydriven, comprehensive revitalization. The program is organized around four points: economic vitality, design, promotion and organization.

The National Register designation does not trigger any federal regulations on what people can and cannot do with their properties.

It is purely an honorary designation but means property owners are eligible for federal historic rehabilitation tax credits.

The national nomination was organized

by Dr. Evelyn Causey, a historic preservation consultant who was hired by the Downtown West Monroe Revitalization Group and the City of West Monroe. In addition to her work with the nomination, Dr. Causey also helped organize a self-guided historic walking tour of the Cottonport Historic District. Brochures can be found at the Monroe-West Monroe Convention and Visitors Bureau and several

downtown stores.

“The West Monroe Historic District has an outstanding collection of historic buildings that tell the story of the city’s economic development from the 1880s through the 1960s,” said Dr. Causey. “Walking the streets of the district, you can see evidence of West Monroe’s early history as a railroad town, its rapid growth in the early 20th century, the arrival of chain stores in the 1920s and 1930s, the architecture of racial segregation, and the impact of automobiles on downtown businesses.”

For more information about either designation, please contact the West Monroe Mayor’s Office at (318) 396-2600 or mayorsoffice@westmonroe. la.gov.

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Masur Museum and Louisiana Purchase Gardens and Zoo Monroe Offers Great Local Attractions

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O ESCAPE THE HEAT IN THE middle of the desert you would look for an oasis. To escape the heat in the middle of Monroe head for the Zooasis, the Zooasis splash pad at the Louisiana Purchase Gardens and Zoo. It is just one of the many things to do at the zoo that can fill your whole day, all for a family friendly price. A visit to the zoo includes about 30 acers of mostly shaded paths past dozens of exotic animals from monkeys, to birds, to lions with an additional 50 acers that can be seen from our Safari Boat Ride and our train ride (rides are an additional $3.00 each). Guests of all ages can then cool of in the splash pad (included in the cost of admission). We offer meals and refreshments at our Flaming Flamingo Café and souvenirs at the Wildside Gift shop. A family of 4 can experience the whole zoo and ride all the rides for less than $50.00. We are open every day from 10:00am until 5:00pm but I warn you…. arrive early because we

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offer you hours of fun. See you there.

And while you’re out on the town, stop by the Masur Museum of Art at 1400 South Grand Street. The museum has much to offer for guests of all ages and general admission is always FREE. Children will receive a special art-kit prize after completing our fun art scavenger hunt. All visitors can enjoy the current exhibition on view, Our Story: Over Fifty Years of Collecting. This exhibition features highlights from the Masur’s permanent collection, including sculpture, photography, paintings, and prints. Artists featured include George Rodrigue, Mary Cassatt, Lynda Benglis, Ida Kohlmeyer, Robert Motherwell, and many more. This exhibition showcases over sixty works of art and is guaranteed to impress! Also available for your consideration are our popular Summer Art Camps for children. Two of our July camps still have spaces available and are open to children ages 5-8 and 9-12.

Children will create several original works of art in a variety of media to take home with them! Call today to reserve your child’s space in these terrific art camps. You should also be on the lookout for our upcoming FREE Children’s Drop-in Activity from 2-5 pm on August 17. Children of all ages can tour the museum and make a work of art related to the exhibition on view to take home with them. We are also excited to announce a new exhibition opening on September 5 entitled Treasures of Art Nouveau and featuring decorative objects and furniture, sculpture, prints, and paintings from the 1890s – 1930s that capture the spirit of this stylistic era and demonstrate how it permeated all types of art and design. The Masur Museum also regularly offers art classes for adults, including painting, drawing, book making, stained glass making, and more. Come see what the Masur Museum of Art has to offer!

Traditional Mexican Flavors Fun and Creative Dishes

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UTHENTIC? NOT QUITE, MORE like unique. Avocado’s offers you a twist to your typical Mexican restaurant in this area. How? Using the delicious ingredients and techniques used in Latin food to make unique dishes that you will only find at Avocado’s.

As a result of their unique style of cooking they have quickly become a favorite in the Twin Cities. Luckily their unique style was accepted quite well and thanks to all the support of the community, Avocado’s has been recognized as the best place for tacos and one of the best places for margaritas in the Bayou Buzz Awards!

Fresh, different and clean are some words that describe Avocado’s cuisine. Whether you want to try something different or maybe some of your traditional favorites, Avocado’s menu has a little bit of both. Although, they highly

recommend to try something different and new every time, you won’t be disappointed.

There is a reason Avocado’s continues to be voted Best Taco Joint in the Bayou Buzz Awards… their tacos are amazing! The Baja Fish Tacos are served on flour tortillas, topped with grilled fish, freshly made pico de mango and a side of cilantro ranch. The Carne Asada Tacos are crafted with grilled steak, fresh diced onions and cilantro and a side of chimichurri sauce. Carnitas Tacos are served on corn tortillas and filled with slow cooked carnitas (Mexican style pork), cilantro, queso fresco and fresh onions. They even have fried Avocado Tacos with pico de mango, lettuce and, you guessed it, fried avocados! All tacos are served fresh and with a side of charro beans.

Try the Stuffed Avocados for healthy twist on some classic flavors. The Santa Fe

Chicken Chicken, Shrimp Cocktail, Steak Fajita and Carnitas are the different types of toppings for the Stuffed Avocados and they are all uniquely amazing. Wraps and salad provide more amazingly delicious options fro those trying to be healthy.

Some of the favorite dishes include: Fajitas, the Santa Fe Salmon, Chipotle Burrito Wrap and the Carnitas Burgers. Not traditional Mexican dishes, but traditional Mexican flavors with an American spin. New, fun and very creative food proving itself as a one-of-a-kind restaurant.

Locally owned, Avocado’s is a proud member of this community and it fills them with pride and joy to be considered the best in the twin cities. Having already won various awards, the Avocado’s family thanks this community for all the support. “We know we are where we are only because of our customer’s constant feedback and support.”

Stop by for lunch or dinner and try some award-winning tacos or margaritas.

Join them for Taco Two’sday! $2 Tacos, 2 for 1 beer and $2 Margaritas!

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First Methodist Childcare Center

Curriculum That Stresses Creative Thinking and Problem Solving

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IRST METHODIST OF MONROE Childcare Center is an educational program of First Methodist of Monroe Children’s Ministries. They recognize their Christian responsibility to nurture each of God’s children. They are committed to providing a quality, loving, caring, and learning environment which enhances the cognitive, social, physical, and spiritual growth of children in their program.

In August 2002, FMC Childcare Center opened its doors with Mrs. Sue Anderson as the director. Approximately 35 to 40 children ages 6 weeks through 2 years old were enrolled which included an infant room, Toddler room, Younger Twos Room and Older Twos Room. The center enrollment increased greatly under her administration.

In March 2009, the newly constructed Christian education building was completed.

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The lower level was designated for the childcare center which included six classrooms (Infant, Crawler, Toddler 1, Toddler 2, Younger 2s, Older 2s), two offices, a full kitchen, a cafeteria, laundry room, and storage room. Ms. Icey Jones was hired as the assistant director. The licensed capacity is 246.

In May 2015, Mrs. Anderson was promoted as FM of Monroe’s Administrative Director. She was replaced by the Older Twos Lead Teacher, Mrs. Tonda Butler.

The center currently has approximately 80 children enrolled. Promotion day is in the fall of each year. The two-year old children that turn three by Sept. 30th are promoted to FM of Monroe Preschool. The preschool has approximately 50 children enrolled each year. Mrs. Cheryl Carr is the director. The preschool has been a growing part of the

community for over 50 years.

FMC Childcare Center offers a strong developmental “hands on” curriculum that stresses creative thinking and problem solving.

FMC Summer Camp has rapidly grown over the past couple of years. The summer camp consists of daily fun activities, summer enrichment, and field trips. It currently has 6 groups of 13 children ages 3-12. Mrs. Jana Spillers is the camp coordinator.

The center is located at 3900 Loop Road.

Rev. Lynn Malone is the Senior Pastor.

A Revolutionary View of Health Dr. Bob Calhoun Offers a Better Alternative

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ARACLETE HEALTH SOLUTIONS would like to introduce a new way of thinking about health care to Northeast Louisiana. Dr. Bob Calhoun’s Family Medicine practice in Monroe, located in the Cross Keys Bank building on Hudson Lane. Dr. Calhoun’s practice is based on a growing model of healthcare, Direct Primary Care, or DPC, which is taking off in all 50 states and is quickly becoming an attractive alternative to assembly line medicine through restrictive health insurance plans. DPC is based on a subscription model giving you access to Dr. Calhoun whenever you need him. Your visits are as long as needed to address your concerns, and you can have as many visits as you need. House calls are also available, as well as after-hours care. Same-day and next-day visits are usually available. Instead of rushed visits and long wait times at a traditional clinic, Dr. Calhoun offers convenient, compassionate care, on your terms, when you need it, for one flat monthly fee.

Dr. Calhoun is a Monroe native and has

always had a passion for healing and helping the members of this community. He completed his Family Medicine residency at E. A. Conway hospital in 2014 and served four years in the US Air Force before returning to Monroe. During his service, he received multiple customer service awards, including AY Magazine’s Healthcare Professional of the Year for 2017. He continues to serve in the Air National Guard as a Flight Physician. Dr. Calhoun brings a perfect combination of hometown familiarity and worldwide experience in a variety of disciplines to provide world-class care to the people of Northeast Louisiana. Members of his health care service have the following benefits - • Immediate access to services at virtually any time - in person, by phone, or through text or email • Appointments usually within 24 hours • As many visits as needed and direct advice when you need it • No copay or fees for office visits • Transparent and affordable pricing

• Minimal to no wait time at every office visit If you have an insurance plan with a deductible that you never meet, you have to pay out of pocket for many of your medical expenses in addition to the high premiums you already pay. For less than the cost of the average doctor’s visit, you can have unlimited, direct access to a physician. Most people would save hundreds of dollars per year by changing to a less expensive, high-deductible plan for major medical issues and allowing Dr. Calhoun to provide for their primary care needs.

Dr. Calhoun truly believes this is the way that medical care is supposed to look, getting back to the heart of medicine: the ancient and honored relationship between the physician and the patient. Cutting out the middle man keeps costs low, and it allows greater flexibility in how you can choose to experience your health care.

While Dr. Calhoun’s practice is a subscription based model, individual consultation rates are available for people who either do not want to change their doctor or who want to investigate this model more fully before committing. If you choose to enroll in a subscription after your initial consultation, Dr. Calhoun.will apply the consultation fee toward your first month’s subscription.

If you are interested in exploring a new way of experiencing health care, call Paraclete Health Solutions today to make an appointment.

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Ruston Strong:

The True Meaning of Community

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N THURSDAY, APRIL 25 AT 1:47 a.m., an EF3 Tornado touched down in Ruston, Louisiana. In just eight minutes, the tornado traveled a distance of 6.68 miles throughout the area, destroying homes, businesses, infrastructure, and the city landscape. Tragically, the community lost two precious lives as a result of the storm, Kendra and Remington Butler. Our thoughts and prayers remain with the Butler family every single day.

The community had never seen a tragedy of this magnitude. Treasured neighborhoods now looked like war zones. Areas of Louisiana Tech’s campus were in utter disarray. Beloved businesses found themselves without a space to safely operate. The city was broken, both physically and emotionally. But it didn’t take long before the citizens who love this town so dearly sprang into action. By daylight, neighbors were helping clear debris, local businesses were pulling their resources to feed

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first responders, and supplies for those in need began rolling in. The community moved fast to repair what had been damaged just hours before.

The outpouring of support from nonprofits, volunteers, and donors was overwhelming. The Ruston Lincoln Chamber of Commerce and United Way set up operations in the Ruston Civic Center, directly fielding requests for immediate aid. Donations of supplies, food, and financial support poured in faster than volunteers could get it out to those in need.

The effortless unity that resulted from the storm was something remarkable. While we’ve always said that Ruston is special, there was something about seeing it in action that was truly humbling and beautiful.

The quick action could be seen in every area of the community, especially on and around the Louisiana Tech campus. Students quickly answered the call to help, following the sound of the chainsaws until they found yards

that needed cleaning up. Groups of students worked together to move trees, clear debris, donate supplies, and support their community in every way possible. The admiration and connection between the city and Louisiana Tech was so palpable in those days after the storm, confirming what we always knew to be true: Ruston is Louisiana’s College Town.

From the start, Mayor Ronny Walker made a promise to the residents of Ruston that his team would provide updates on the storm damage and recovery every single hour via social media. That direct connection to the residents during those difficult hours seemed to strengthen the relationship between the community and the city, offering a way for residents to share their stories and concerns and for the city to listen and respond. In a time when social media can quickly cause a divide between people, the city was touched to witness it serving as a platform to unite the community.

The city hopes to maintain that connection in the months and years to come.

While the storm was a hit to the community, it did not break us. In fact, it made us stronger than we ever thought we could be. It brought people of every age, race, gender, and background together for a unifying purpose - to help one another through the mess of the storm. It took that passion we have for our city and turned it into a community movement of kindness, generosity, and support. It gave a whole new meaning to the words “Ruston Strong.”

Baldwin Jewelers The Finest Antique Wedding Jewelry and Much More

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ANY PEOPLE CHOOSE VINTAGE OR ANTIQUE engagement rings instead of contemporary jewelry because of the history and design of the rings. Just as the contemporary design of rings today dazzle the eyes, the designs of the old can be just as stunning. The old saying, “They don’t make ‘em like they used to” applies to all kinds of products - but especially jewelry. The quality of the jewelry you buy can make all the difference. If you’re looking to buy an antique engagement ring you’ll want to make sure the stones in the ring are in good condition and without blemishes or cracks. It’s important to assess the ability of the ring to withstand day-to-day wear - so inspecting the prongs and knowing the type of material the ring is made of is important to ensure the diamonds in your antique ring aren’t lost.

At Baldwin’s Antique Jewelry, we’ve selected only the finest antique wedding rings for our customers. You can rest assured that your purchase is guaranteed and we will work for your satisfaction. We wish you the best on your engagement. We even offer a few tips on the proposal!

Antique jewelry is both romantic and mysterious. As jewelry, the ring has always symbolizing infinity. They are popular as informal accessories, but antique rings are highly sought after for formal

occasions such as wedding engagements. Because of the history and unique design associated with the vintage style, antique rings are popular for both men and women.

Antique jewelry delivers great value and unique beauty. Although modern jewelers replicate historical styles, antique jewelry will always be unique. If you are buying the an antique piece for another person, consider their preferences, and get feedback from others close to them.

We offer several in house servicing including jewelry repair, insurance appraisals for those new or old pieces and replacing watch batteries and bands. We can custom make that special ring for your special day and custom make so much more. Call us today!

Summer Hours Monday - Friday 10:00 - 5:00 • Saturday 10:00 - 2:00 318-255-1864 102 Park Avenue • Ruston, LA 71270

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Tropical Punch From free-flowing dresses to fruity frocks, these outfits channel the easy-going atmosphere of the tropics. Pair sleek sandals with rattan earrings for looks perfect for staycations or beach escapes.

M O D EL : MAC Y D E B N A M | P H OTO GRAP HY: K E LLY M OORE C LARK | M UAH: M E K A BEN N ETT

TH E FASH ION OF RU S TO N This tunic dress features an elegant floral print on an airy viscose fabrication and short flutter sleeves.

Accessorize with a multi-color organic pattern beaded clutch, nude leather sandals, and rattan and hammered gold jewelry.

H E R R I N G S TO N E ’ S This outfit features the perfect crop and pants that everyone will go bananas for. This top features a banana print and elastic lining at the arms, chest and waist. Accessorize with rhinestone embellished orange slice earrings, BuDhaGirl bangles and metallic sandals.

CA RA’S BOUT I QUE Channel tropical vibes in this halter maxi with all over banana leaf print.

Finish the look with a beaded necklace and earrings, twist-top sandals, and rattan/metallic bag.

M R . P’S T EES Get cozy in this super soft tee from Mr. P’s Tees.

Handdrawn and made to look like a vintage Zinnia seed packet, this shirt is available in adult sizes.

Women Invited to “Find Your Voice – and Sing!”

Piney Hills Harmony / Sweet Adelines International

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N INTERNATIONAL FEMALE singing organization is encouraging women to live “Life on a High Note,” and to help that occur, the Ruston chapter is offering four “Find Your Voice –and Sing!” sessions in July and August.

Piney Hills Harmony Chorus of Sweet Adelines International is hosting a special series of guest nights that area women can attend to see how singing can bring positive changes to your life.

The “Life on a High Note” program indicates that you can actually find more than your voice with a Sweet Adelines chorus.

“You can find a sisterhood that lasts a lifetime,” Piney Hills Harmony President Judy Sisson said. “As the international organization says, we will be your harmony. We will be your

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metronome. We will be your applause.

We will be your biggest fans.”

Sweet Adelines choruses sing fourpart a cappella harmony. Women of all ages and all voice ranges are welcome; the ability to read music is not required.

The award-winning PHHC includes about 25 members from Shreveport to Rayville and Farmerville to Winnfield and bills itself as friendly, fun-loving and accepting.

Guest nights are scheduled for July 11, July 18, July 25 and Aug. 1. The chorus meets in the fellowship hall of the Presbyterian Church of Ruston, 212 N. Bonner. For more information call Sisson at (318) 237-9203, visit www.pineyhillsharmony.org or go to the Piney Hills Harmony / Sweet Adelines Facebook page.

The shirts and the scene say it all: Singing is fun, and Piney Hills Harmony Chorus is inviting area women to share the joy with four "Find Your Voice – and Sing!" sessions. Living and laughing it up in this photo are, from left, Sallie Rose Hollis; Rebecca, Keera and Alanna McNeill; Lynette Murphy; and Sheila Carothers.

Local Artist’s Work Travels North by Northwest Hooshang Khorasani’s “Lady in Black” will be featured at Yellowstone Art Museum

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NE OF HOOSHANG KHORASANI’S FIGURATIVE PAINTINGS WILL BE part of the “North by Northwest” exhibition at Yellowstone Art Museum from July 18 to October 10.

The Billings, Montana, show will feature more than 40 original works of art in a variety of media. Artworks were selected from 543 entries by 291 artists living throughout the United States. The juror was Julia Andrews, director of the Coral Springs, Florida, Museum of Art.

Hooshang’s painting is “Lady in Black,” a 30-by-40-inch acrylic on canvas. The painting is part of a series of female figures. A portion of his artist statement regarding these works reads:

“The subject of this work is a beautiful, mysterious woman – the lady that you see always, everywhere, but you don’t know her. With her face often in the shadow, her identity may be only partly disclosed. With my work, I seek to find the energy and inner life within my subjects without fully revealing them. I try, as it were, to unveil the mysteries and the beauties of the universe.”

Yellowstone Art Museum is the largest and most comprehensive art museum in Montana. Contemporary and historic work from nationally and internationally acclaimed artists is featured there in changing exhibitions.

Hooshang resides in Ruston with a studio at 1001 Cedar Creek Road.

Hooshang Khorasani's "Lady in Black" will journey to Montana for Yellowstone Art Museum's "North by Northwest" exhibition.

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Glen Womack Running for District 32 Senate Womack’s Companies Provide Hundreds of Jobs Across Our State

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LEN D.WOMACK IS THE BUSINESS candidate for the open position in Senate District 32 created because Senator Neil Riser has termed out.

Womack, a Franklin Parish native, began his business career with one truck and a walkbehind trencher.

Now, his successful businesses provide hundreds of jobs across our state in utility management and construction, agricultural services, trucking and directional drilling, as well as commercial building construction.

Glen and his wife, Judy Cotten Womack, have been married for 38 years. They have three children, seven grandchildren, two daughtersin-law and one son-in-law. The Womacks are members of Wallace Ridge Pentecostal Church where Glen serves on the board of directors.

The Womack children are co-owners

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of the Womack companies and are actively involved in running those companies. Both daughters-in-law are teachers in the Catahoula Parish School system and their son-in-law is employed with State Farm Insurance.

Now that his daughter and sons are successfully running the Womack companies from the home office in Catahoula Parish, Glen is in a position to campaign for the opportunity to serve the people of State Senate District 32.

Although Glen is in the transitional phase of turning over the operations of the different Womack companies to his family, he is currently President and Chairman of the Board of Womack & Sons. Glen also serves as President and Chairman of JCP Management and as president of G.D. Womack Trenching.

Womack served as a Board Member of District Six for the Louisiana Rural Water Association,

which includes the parishes of Concordia, Catahoula, LaSalle, Grant, Rapides, Avoyelles, Vernon and Winn.

He served as president of the District Six Louisiana Rural Water Association before being elected to serve on the National Rural Water Association Board to represent Louisiana. He has served as secretary of this national organization for the past two years.

State Senate District 32 includes all of Caldwell, Catahoula, Franklin and LaSalle as well as certain precincts of Avoyelles, Concordia, Ouachita, Rapides, Richland and West Feliciana Parishes.

ULM Director of Athletics

ULM Alumnus Scott McDonald Named Director

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NIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA Monroe President Dr. Nick J. Bruno announces Scott McDonald as the new ULM Director of Athletics. McDonald joined the university in June 2018 as Chief Administrative Officer and soon took on the role of Interim Director of Athletics.

“Scott has been serving as Interim Director of Athletics and we are very happy he has chosen to remain and take the fulltime, permanent position,” said Bruno.

“Scott has a wealth of business experience and is connected in the community. Also, he is a former ULM baseball player, so he has multiple perspectives.”

McDonald was a four-year letterman as an outfielder for Lou St. Amant, from 198083. During his senior season, ULM won the 1983 Southland Conference Tournament

Championship and became the first team in program history to advance to an NCAA Regional (Austin, Texas).

“It means a great deal to me to be named ULM’s Director of Athletics,” McDonald said.

“I’m a former student-athlete here. This is my alma mater and my community. I’ve spent 48 years of my life in Northeast Louisiana, so I’m fully invested in this institution as well as this community. I also spent 10 years working professionally in the Midwest and chose to return to this area, so I have a special affinity for this community.”

“What gives me confidence moving forward is the administrative staff and coaches here at ULM. I’ve had the pleasure to work with these individuals for the past nine months, and we’ve collectively accomplished a lot in a short period of time. I’m excited because our best

days lie ahead,” McDonald said. “I appreciate the confidence the search committee and President Bruno have expressed in me by offering me this opportunity.”

“Most of all, Scott has a love for ULM and that love will lead to better success of the ULM athletic program,” Bruno said.

McDonald is a 1983 graduate of ULM with a Bachelor of Business Administration Marketing. He completed post-graduate studies at both ULM and the University of Indianapolis. McDonald is a 2010 graduate of the LSU School of Banking. Most of his career has been in banking. From 2006 to June 2018, McDonald was Executive Vice President and Chief Retail Officer with Ouachita Independent Bank, now Bancorp South. McDonald has worked with Student Loan Finance Corp., AmSouth Bank and USA Group (Sallie Mae).

An active alumnus, McDonald is chairman of the ULM Facilities Corporation.

He serves on the boards of trustees for the ULM Athletic Foundation and ULM Foundation.

He previously spent 14 seasons on the ULM football radio broadcast team, including five years as color analyst. McDonald is past president of the L Club and recipient of the Slim Scogin Award from the Athletic Foundation.

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Ride the White Claw Wave Marsala Beverage Has the Summer’s Hottest Brand

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UMMER IS HERE AND SO IS THIS SUMMER’S MOST sought-after drink that embraces the healthy lifestyle and a balanced life. White Claw Hard Seltzer brings the simplicity that is seltzer water, along with a spike of alcohol and a hint of natural fruit flavor, to create a refreshing low-calorie, gluten-free seltzer drink with no artificial ingredients.

Crafted with simple and pure sparkling water, it’s a brand-new kind of alcoholic refreshment that is more relevant than ever given today’s healthier lifestyles and choices. White Claw Hard Seltzer makes it possible for health-conscious drinkers to enjoy a convenient and refreshing alcoholic beverage they can feel good about. At 100 calories, White Claw Hard Seltzer is all-natural, low carb and gluten-free. Each refreshing flavor of White Claw is naturally sweetened with a touch of pure cane sugar and free of artificial ingredients, high fructose corn syrup, or crystalline fructose.

Who exactly are White Claw drinkers? What’s driving this shift in consumer behavior? They are both men and women. Some of them drink wine, spirits and light beer. Some are “lapsed” drinkers, meaning they had stopped drinking altogether. But the common thread, according to research, is that they’re “healthy lifestyle” consumers.

Marketed as a “better for you” option for active, healthy types, most of the top hard seltzers are relatively low in calories — about the same as light beer — low in carbohydrates and gluten-free. Most, including White Claw, are even sold in skinny cans.

White Claw fits into the “work hard, play hard” mentality of many young professionals, There weren’t any good options for a light and refreshing gluten-free drink that wasn’t either too sweet or too alcoholic.

“Alcoholic beverages and healthy alternatives don’t always go hand-inhand but White Claw fuses convenience, refreshment and subtle flavor to deliver a drink that’s considerably lighter than a cocktail or beer,” said Sanjiv Gajiwala, vice president of marketing, White Claw Hard Seltzer. “Serving as a step away from high-sugar sodas and mixers, White Claw is a shift into a lighter, all natural, better-for-you alcoholic beverage – defining a whole new category for those who want to enjoy life and have fun while maintaining a healthy lifestyle.”

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▪ Natural Lime – Similar to the crispness of a vodka + soda, natural lime delivers the ultimate refreshment to quench your thirst on a hot summer day without the hassle of mixing your own drink.

▪B lack Cherry – Just as black cherries thrive in sunlight, the premixed seltzer with all natural black cherry flavors comes in a convenient can that can be cracked open wherever the outdoors may take you.

▪R uby Grapefruit – The tart and tangy natural flavors packs a punch of antioxidants making White Claw a refreshing post-yoga sip.

▪M ango - This hard seltzer is the perfect blend of seltzer water, their Brew Pure alcohol, and a splash of natural mango fruit concentrate. We hope you enjoy the mango flavor.

▪R aspberry - A masterful blend of pure seltzer water, their proprietary BrewPure alcohol and a kiss of raspberry to bring together a refreshing and thirst quenching hit at your next family gathering.

White Claw Hard Seltzer takes its inspiration from the legend of the White Claw wave - when three perfect crests come together to create a moment of pure refreshment. We set out to make something as pure, refreshing and natural as this. The result? White Claw Hard Seltzer.

Made Pure.

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

Womack Fundraising Event Supporters and friends enjoyed fun, food and fellowship at the fundraising event held in the beautiful home of Lisa and Barron Gill in Crowville on May 21.

The spacious home was decorated with fresh flower arrangements and guests were treated to delicious hot crawfish etouffee dip served with small pastry cups prepared by Brenda Wade. Fruit and cheeses as well as an array of cold cuts were served on a huge Charcuterie board. Keeping with the theme of local farm grown foods, cold and hot corn dips were served along with sweet potato fries and fried catfish nuggets cooked by Barron, with sweets provided by Thurman’s Food Factory.

Glen thanked those in attendance for supporting him as the business candidate for Senate District 32.

On the BayouScene 1 Henry Parks, Jimmy Cloessner and Bill Sargent 2 James Womack and Paige Womack Barbo 3 Annette Darden, Lisa Gill and Brenda Wade 4 Glen Womack and Arte Goode 5 Sheriff Kevin Cobb, Guy and Leah Pardue 6 Leah Pardue, Dorothy Young and Annette Darden

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Spartan Adventure Park The birthday capital of the Twin Cities opened their doors to the public on Friday, May 17th and it couldn’t have been a better day. Spartan Adventure Park celebrated their grand opening and ribbon cutting at their location in the Twin City Shopping Center off of Louisville Avenue. Saints player Alvin Kamara even stopped by to join in the celebration, taking pictures and signing autographs. For the opening, kids from the community got to tour the facility and enjoy the trampolines, zipline, PGA endorsed golf simulators, virtual reality simulators, ninja courses and more! An overwhelming amount of people attended the event to show their support. Spartan Adventure Park would like to thank everyone that helped make the park a reality!

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On the BayouScene 1 Mary Grace Littlefield, Robert Worley, Landon Barnes and Connor Brittain 2P atty Slayter, Margo Lee and Suzie Lee 3 Abbi Ramsey and Brittney McNamara 4K atherine Yarbrough and Megan Brady 5C reighton and Jeremy Raley 6M arcedes Crear, Felicia Crear, Kayden Stewart and Shuntriece England 7 J essica Phillips, Case Phillips, Reece Caroline Phillips, Tonya Rhodes, Turner Rhodes, Leslea Futrell and Hudson Futrell 8U nlanda Jones, Rudy James, Angela Mayo, Ashley Mayo, Tyler Williams and Tarian Winston 9D avis Brown and Emma Webb 10 A lvin Kamara, Everett Stagg and Josh Hobson 11 B renda Zuber and Matt Parker 12 E mmaLarson Edge, Amanda Edge, Michael Walsworth and Corbin Walsworth 13 H arry Sorrel, Will Brady and Garrett Brady 14 M att Stevens and Holly Eubanks 15 M ayor Jamie Mayo and Angela Mayo 16 J ames Moore and Michael Echols 17 S ue Nicholson, Kathy Gardner and Lila Strode 15

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ULM Fishing Tournament The anglers supporting the ULM School of Construction Management Industry Advisory Council arrived at Bourgeois Cajun Vista Lodge on May 31, 2019 and were treated to a delicious dinner, open bar and a social to get to know each other. They boarded the boats at 6:00 a.m. on June 1st and fished until 1:00 p.m. When they arrived back at the lodge for the official weigh in, they were treated to jambalaya and each angler received a gift provided by CCA of Louisiana. The anglers relaxed Saturday evening in the lodge telling fish stories, and departed Sunday morning. Corporate sponsors for the event include Joe Banks Drywall and Acoustics, Kent Design + Build, Bernhard MRC., AGC of Louisiana, Cangelosi Ward General Contractors, Nabholz Construction Services. Sponsor: J. B. Mouton, LLC. Partners for the tournament were CCA Louisiana, BayouLife Magazine, Favalora Constructors, Inc., Southern Eagle Beverage, Kuda Offshore and Chris Valentine - Lures.

On the BayouScene 1 Brad Blackmon and Doug Bonds 2 Popie Billeaud and Larry Favalora 3 Mitch Reppond and Larry Favalora 4 Andrew Barber and Nick Spilller 5 Andrew Barber and Larry Favalora 6 Jason Catanzano and Larry Favalora 7W es Mouk, Andrew Barber, Jason Favalora and Mac Mardis 1

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Thomas H. Scott Awards Bayou DeSiard Title Company, MOEbiz, Wagner Logistics, and Graphic Packaging International were honored with Thomas H. Scott Awards of Excellence during a reception held Tuesday, June 4 at the Monroe Civic Center. In addition, three businesses received special Judge’s awards. KTVE-KARD was awarded the Spirit of Community Award, Acadian Ambulance Service the Spirit of Life Award and the Spirit of Resiliency Award was presented to The Salvation Army of Northeast Louisiana. The selections came from forty-seven nominations for the prestigious awards, which honors companies making significant contributions to the Ouachita parish economy through capital improvements, expansion, job creation, and community involvement during 2018/2019. This year’s nominees collectively employ 4,165 people in Ouachita parish and made capital investments of over $291 million. The Thomas H. Scott Awards of Excellence Reception is hosted by the Monroe Chamber of Commerce and the University of Louisiana at Monroe’s College of Business.

Presenting sponsor for the event is Strauss Interests.

Additional sponsors for the reception are: Allen, Green and Williamson, CrossKeys Bank, Heard, McElroy & Vestal, LLC, IberiaBank, KTVE/KARD, Origin Bank, Bayou Life Magazine, Scott Powerline and Utility Equipment, LLC, Lagniappe Media, Patty Stewart Photography, Progressive Bank, The News-Star, The ULM College of Business, the City of Monroe and the Radio People. Some photos courtesy of Patty Stewart Photography.

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On the BayouScene 1 Ashley Doughty, Mike Megee and Jennifer Harrison 2 Victoria and Trey George 3 Mayor Jamie Mayo, Susie Dartlon and Sue Nicholson 4 S helly and Jeremy Harrell 5A lana and Michael Rodriguez 6P hillip and Teresa Shepherd 7 Bruce and Rhonda Black 8B ill Harrison and Ashley West 9A imee Kane, Laura Maddox Daniel and Tammy Belleau 10 C hrista Lewis, Lawrence Ingraffia, Dr. Chico Rosales 11 Shelby Dunn and Alana Babb Peggy 12 L indsey Dartlon and Susie Dartlon 13 J eanne and Steve Taylor 14 S ue Nicholson and Michael Echols 15 Beverly Lewis, Mitchell Gill and Nicole Owens 16 P eggy and Ricki Sullivan 17 J onathon Phillips and Tracie Jordan

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Wade Bishop Campaign Kickoff crowd of supporters gathered for the Senate A 33 campaign kickoff for Wade Bishop in the home of Jane and Gus Campbell in Monroe on May 22, 2019. Guests enjoyed the beautiful bayou setting of the Campbell home along with delicious food provided by Thurman’s Food Factory and music by Mason and Shannon Granade. Choice Brands, Marsala Beverage and Flying Tiger Brewery provided refreshments.

Wade thanked everyone for encouraging him to run as the candidate with the business success and experience needed to represent Senate District 33.

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On the BayouScene 1 Laurie Scott and Cheryl Dearman 2W allace Hardy, Zak Marchelos and Tom Nicholson 3 Anna Grace Mashaw and Marc Mashaw 4 J ay and Staci Mitchell 5P at Spencer and Wade Bishop 6K ay Bishop, Ashley and Kyle Walker with Wade Bishop 7K risti and James Jones 8W ade Bishop and Jackie Hines 9R andy & Cherry Morris 10 J ames Jones and John Jones 11 Laura Kilpatrick Marchelos and Wade Bishop 12 G us and Jane Campbell 13 John Mark and Sherry Wilhite 14 James and Arabella Moore with Kay and Wade Bishop 15 W ade Bishop and Bob Devinney 16 Wade, Jason, Britany, Bekah and Kay Bishop

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Lisa Miller Retirement

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On Wednesday, May 29, Lisa Miller celebrated her retirement from the University of Louisiana at Monroe after 16 years. The afternoon soiree was held at Bayou Pointe event center on the ULM campus. Lisa joined the university in 2002 as the Director of Recruitment and Admissions and was promoted to assistant vice president in 2007. In 2005, she assumed a new role as the university’s Chief Communications Officer, a role in which she has served as ULM’s official spokesperson, provided leadership for the university’s major rebrand and guided ULM’s marketing team. Many past students, co-workers and friends attended to event to wish Lisa farewell as she enters the next adventure in her life.

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1 Lisa Miller and Alberta Green 2 L isa Miller and Lori Sherba 3 Lisa Miller and Dr. Richard Hood 4N athan Hall, Lisa Miller and Seth Hall 5D r. Eric Pani and Lisa Miller 6 L isa Miller, Mary Bernard and Sharon Brown 7 J oey McNamara, Emerald McEntire, Sharon Bratton, Shanette Washinton, Srdjan Marjanovic, Avery Borrell, Lisa Miller, Hope Young, Julia Letlow, Sherry Bates, Caroline Courville and Jeanette Robinson 8D r. Pamela Saulsberry, Lisa Miller and Dr. Carl Thameling 9M eagan Olinger and Lisa Miller 10 L isa Miller, Ben Allen, Alberta Green and Brenda Allen 11 Lisa Miller and Barry Delcambre 12 D r. Nick Bruno, Lisa Miller and Linda Bruno 13 Freeman Stamper, Lisa Miller, Jim Lockhart and Barry Delcombre 14 Meagan Olinger, Brooke Ferguson, Amy Robinson, Jamie Hilburn, Ashley Ellis, Lisa Miller, Krystal Anzalone, Susan Green, Therese Pirkey and Megan Kellyett Brady 15 M ary Bernard, Faith Gremillion, Lisa Miller, Shannon Pittard, Sarah Green, Mandy Green and Laura Hunt 16 Lyle and Lisa Miller 14

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THE SUPER FRUIT FROM PANCAKES TO POPSICLES, BLUEBERRIES ARE THE ALL-AMERICAN BERRY AND STAR OF THE SHOW STY L I NG BY TAY LOR B ENNET T PHOTO S BY KE L LY MO OR E C L A R K 190 JULY 2019 | WWW.BAYOULIFEMAG.COM

Blueberries are one of the most nutritious, antioxidant-rich types of fruit in the world. They have been shown to do everything from enhance brain health, keep your heart strong and help fight cancer. This super fruit might be tiny, but packs a huge punch when compared to its berry companions. And besides their health benefits, the blueberry is a great addition to any recipe and picking them makes for a fun family outing.

If you are looking for a summer treat for the whole family, the little blueberry farm in West Monroe is a great way to get fruity. Butler Blueberry Farms opened on June 4th, and the BayouLife crew was among the first foragers. Located at 735 Ole Highway 15, the farm allows families to come pick blueberries for only $11/gallon. We used our fresh harvest for delicious gluten-free pancakes and homemade blueberry popsicles The recipes are available on the following pages.

GLUTEN-FREE BLUEBERRY PANCAKES Ingredients: 1 1/4 cups gluten-free all-purpose blend flour 2 tbsp. sugar 1 tsp. gluten-free baking powder 1 tsp. baking soda 1/4 tsp. salt 1 large egg 2 tbsp. olive oil 1 1/4 cup buttermilk 1 cup fresh blueberries

Measure dry ingredients in a bowl and whisk to combine. In a separate bowl beat the egg until foamy. Then add olive oil and buttermilk and combine.

Add dry ingredients to egg mixture and whisk until the batter is smooth. Stir in fresh blueberries.

On medium heat, add one teaspoon of vegetable oil in a heavy skillet. Drop about 1/4 of the blueberry pancake batter into the hot oil. Cook until golden brown and then flip. Serve with blueberry sauce and syrup.

HOMEMADE BLUEBERRY POPSICLES THESE GLUTEN-FREE BLUEBERRY POPSICLES ARE SUPER SIMPLE AND PACKED WITH PROTEIN. EASY AND DELICIOUS FOR KIDS AND GROWN-UPS ALIKE. modified from sallysbakingaddiction.com

INGREDIENTS: 2 cups blueberries 3 Tablespoons honey 2 cups Greek yogurt (vanilla or other flavor) You will also need a popsicle mold.

Blend the blueberries in a food processor or blender on high speed until nearly liquified into a smoothie-like consistency Pour the thick blueberry liquid into a large bowl. Stir in the honey. Add the yogurt and very gently mix everything together. Taste the mixture and if you’d like it a little sweeter, add more honey.

Pour mixture evenly into each popsicle mold. If your popsicle mold has slots for sticks, you can insert them before freezing - if not, freeze for 2 hours, then put a wooden popsicle stick in the middle (that is what I did). Continue to freeze for an additional 4-6 hours or overnight.

Run popsicle molds under warm water to easily remove.

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Banner Ford of Monroe’s Grand Opening Banner Ford of Monroe held their Grand Opening Celebration on Thursday, June 6th at their showroom on Frontage Road. Speakers at the event included Monroe Major Jamie Mayo, West Monroe Major Staci Albritton, the owner Rick Flick and manager Greg Jones. Flick stated that Banner Ford is a family business and how happy Banner is to be a part of the Monroe community. He told guests that Banner stands for “Building A New Name Everyone Respects.”

The ribbon cutting took place after the speeches.

Guests were then invited to stay, celebrate and enjoy hors d’oeuvres provided by Thurman’s Food Factory.

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On the BayouScene 1 Lisbeth Cruz and Jissan Cruz 2R ick Day and Robert Harris 3 JT Thomas and James Miles 4B rad Bellamy and Eric Kinley 5 J ennifer Lollar and Kersten Puechner 6R ick, Tina and John Conner Flick 7B rooke Thomas, Clinton Downing, Beatrice Bowman, Theresa Thomas and Jason Thomas 8M alcolm Donner, Kelley Flick Moreu and Raymond Fields 9M ike Vining, Tyler Williams and Mayor Jamie Mayo 10 A my Ryder, Cierra Royer, Leeann Doyle and Alesha Williams 11 M ichael Echols and James Moore 12 M ayor Staci Mitchell, Sue Patel and Janie Russ 13 Tammy and Greg Jones 14 B uddy Hill, Lila and Chip Strode 15 S hawn Fleming and Captain Jerry Casey 16 A ngie Fusilier, Tammy Jones and Tracey Fields

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Bulls in the Streets

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The third annual Bulls in the Street event was originally scheduled for Saturday, May 4 and had to be rescheduled due to inclement weather. However, fun was not delayed and everyone still showed up for a good time for a great cause. The event was held at Flying Tiger Brewery on Saturday, June 1 and brought the essence and culture of Spain to downtown Monroe. Participants donned red handkerchiefs and ran the one mile course while Roe City Rollers roller derby team chased after them with wiffle-bats. There was also food trucks, music and a bounce house for the family friendly event. Proceeds benefited the Chennault Aviation Military Museum, as well as the Roe City Rollers roller derby team.

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On the BayouScene 1 Carolyn and Cory Brown 2N athan and Brien Duchesne 3 Delia Simpson and Nell Calloway 4N athaniel, Sinia and Jody Alford 5 S hanon Amber, Sam and Wolfgang Blue 6B rian, Kate and Connor Robinson 7 E lizabeth, Madeline, Jackson Rials 8A ustin Bowden and Clara Moon 9 J essica Bostick, Melinda Robinson, Nola and Jessica Grigson 10 M eg Keene, Barbara Dawson-Monk and Melissa Touchet 11 B renda and Kyle Doller 12 J ason, Maggie, Trouper and Asher Nelson 13 Emily Harris and Christy Parrish 14 W ill and Bailey, Ward and Wren Jones 15 R ob and Sara Brewe 16 A melia Haynes and Jesse Grinter

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Downtown Gallery Crawl he bi-monthly Downtown Gallery Crawl was T on Thursday, June 6. The Monroe-West Monroe Convention and Visitors Bureau and BayouLife Magazine partnered once again to host an annual photo contest for the 12th year in a row.

The theme “Photo the Roe” was inspired by the revitalization of the downtown areas, inspiring new local organizations and the community that are committed to making the area better than it is now. Winners’ work were on display at the Palace Gallery and the winners were announced during the crawl. For the student category, first place went to Emily Hornsby, second place to Lexi Harper and third place to Dylan Jung. In the adult category, first place went to BJ Alvis, second place to Chandler Robinson and third place to Jeff Perot. The best of show winner was Janet Knott, receiving $200 and the honor of having her photo on the cover of the July issue of BayouLife.

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On the BayouScene 1 Corey McKnight and Aron Felkins 2 L ena Satge Ormond and Arely Castillo Vargas 3 Danielle and Grant Tolbird 4G reg, Heather and Lexi Harper 5D arra and Billy Jung 6 J anet, Steve and Jackson Knott 7M ayor Staci Mitchell, Kori Flowers and Cydni Tatum 8 J arod Stokes and Josh Freeman 9B randon Dicks, Daniel Fawcett and Kyle Lewis 10 G racie Putnam, Ryland Brulison, Samantha Bonnette and Grant Smith 11 F rances Boudreaux, Courtney, Shawn, Cooper and Emily Hornsby and Melinda Martinez 12 J ames Smith, Jo Tatum, Shannon and Jeff Perot 13 A lana Cooper, Amy Korndorffer, Kaitlyn Grekoff, and Sheila Snow 14 S heila and Ann Marie Snow 15 E van Gray, Jack Clements and Sarah Owens 16 K ennan and Charise Irving

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Surge Entertainment Ground Breaking On May 21st, the City of West Monroe hosted a Gorund Breaking for the new Surge Entertainment Center. Drew Brees, NFL quarterback for the New Orleans Saints, attended the ground breaking, took time to take pictures with fans and spoke of the excitement for the area. Surge is going to be the hub of family fun for Northeast Louisiana. The 43k SQFT facility is scheduled to be built next to ike Hamilton Expo Center in West Monroe.

The West Monroe Chamber of Commerce and Monroe Chamber of Commerce both spoke at the event, as well as , Major Staci Albritton, Monroe-West Monroe CVB and the COO of Surge, Jeremy Harrell. The 10 million dollar project will provide 125 jobs and economic growth to our community.

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On the BayouScene 1 Linda O’Neal, Drew Brees and Rachel Mitchell 2 J ason Bullock, Tyler Johnston and Jonathon Kennedy 3 Shana Sutton and Carolyn Clampit 4 J im and Debbie Bond with Sharon Dollins 5K athy Gardener, Stephanie Sikes and Alex Sikes 6C am Shannon and Jacob Sapp 7 J eremy Harrell and Mayor Staci Mitchell 8 L aTisha Lux, Halie Shannon and Kaleb Shicksnider 9D ayna Poppen and David Haynes 10 R obby Compton and Rick Guillot 11 P aige Hodnett, Lila Strode, Jeremy Harrell, Allie Harrell and Stephanie Sikes 12 D ana and Kyndall McCarthy 13 S am Nelson and Matt House 14 J acob, Landon and Andrea Sapp 15 P hoebe Compton, Drew Brees, Pearson Compton and Katie Compton

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HEIRLOOM SOUTHERN APPLES LSU AG CENTER

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wo score years ago, back home in North Carolina, I went apple picking several times with my maternal grandmother. In the mid and late 70s, every summer during the Dog Days, she was on the lookout for something she called Horse apples to put up for fall and winter. I remember them as large, greenish-yellow apples that evidently ripened in late summer. She would pile me, several peck buckets, a laundry basket, and a number 3 tin tub into her two door Chevy II Nova with three on the tree, and we would head up in the country to Mr. Genie Starling’s apple orchard. She always said Horse apples were her favorite apple for cooking. During fall and winter, beaucoup apple pies were made and consumed. Fried apples with Sunday dinner were also common. Then, there was the supreme of all her culinary marvels: Jack pies! Basically, they were fried apple pies, and there was nothing like them on a crisp fall or cold winter day. For all these years, I thought Horse apple was just a name she called them, but it turns out, Horse is a real apple variety.

And an old one, very old.

One day back in 2015, something triggered the memory I just told you and begged the following question: why aren’t more apples grown in Louisiana? As often happens with me, this question became an obsession. And, of course, as a song lyric says, “obsession has to have action.” So, I decided to jump off into the world of heirloom southern apples!

The common belief is that apples can’t be grown in Louisiana. Comparatively mild winters, coddling moth, fire blight, cedarapple rust, aphids, black rot, sooty blotch, and apple scab aside, they can be. In fact, a surprising number of apple varieties were either developed, discovered, or grown all over the south for many years. So, I don’t think apples should be designated as forbidden fruit here in the Pelican State. Not yet, anyway.

Let’s start with that old Horse apple. An internet search for it led me to the webpage of Century Farm Orchards located near

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Reidsville, North Carolina, and its owner, David Vernon. David specializes in growing and propagating several hundred old, nearly extinct apple varieties that are specifically suited for cultivation in the southern United States. I never knew there were so many southern apple varieties! I was thrilled to find his picture of the Horse apple. It looks just like I remember it. My grandmother’s identification of old Mr. Starling’s apple was confirmed!

While discussing via e-mail with David that I was interested in whether the Horse apple would be productive in Louisiana, he suggested I also try a variety called Summer Banana. So, in April of 2016, I placed my first order: 8 Horse and 2 Summer Banana trees.

Ten trees that arrived in early December, 2016 and were planted immediately. David ships bare root trees grafted onto MM-111 rootstock.

This is a semi-dwarfing rootstock, so will be not more than twenty or twenty-five feet tall when fully grown. Throughout the winter of 2016/2017, the trees looked ridiculous; seemingly dead sticks just sticking up out of the ground. “There’s no way this is going to work,” I thought. Then, in spring 2016, buds turned silver, then swelled, then opened, and before I knew it, these sticks had leaves! This year, 2019, is their third spring in the ground and

some trees have produced a few fruit! There’s hope!

Of course, an initial planting of just ten trees has become a small orchard of twentytwo trees! Obsession, right?

Apple Varieties I’m Trying • Arkansas Black. This apple originated in the Bentonville area and dates to around 1870.

It is a triploid, so another variety will have to provide viable pollen, and is named for the deep red, almost black color the skin develops as it hangs on the tree through October and November. I grafted this variety using scions supplied by Larry Stephenson, owner of Southern Cultured Orchards and Nursery in Carrollton, Mississippi.

• Carter’s Blue. I’m excited to have this variety because it was extinct from North America for a while. This is an Alabama apple that dates to the 1840s. Lee Calhoun, author of the definitive Old Southern

Stayman Apple Flower Horse Apple

“Throughout the winter of 2016/2017, the trees looked ridiculous; seemingly dead sticks just sticking up out of the ground. There’s no way this is going to work,” I thought.

Summer Banana Apple Apples, published by Chelsea Green Publishing was apprised of Carter’s Blue occurring as a specimen synonymous with a variety called Lady Fitzpatrick in the National Fruit Trust collection in Kent, England. Mr. Calhoun was able to obtain scions of Carter’s Blue for grafting and get it back into circulation in the U.S. My specimen is from Larry Stephenson.

• Cauley. This is a Mississippi apple from the Grenada area that likely dates to the early 1860s. Specimens of Cauley were grown at the Delta Branch Agricultural Experiment Station in Stoneville, Mississippi, where they survived the Great Flood of 1927. My specimens are from David Vernon.

• Horse. The star of this apple show, Horse is an old apple and its origin isn’t clear. It likely dates to the 1700s as it was considered an old variety even in the 1800s. All sources I check have Horse classified as a “spitter,” meaning it’s too tart for fresh eating. I don’t remember it that way, but several factors like soil type and climate may affect flavor. At one point in time, Horse was the most widely grown apple in the southern United States, including the Deep South. I can’t wait to see how these do in Louisiana! My Horse trees are from David Vernon.

• Johnson’s Keeper. Calhoun has this apple originating in Wilkes County, North Carolina. This make sense as that is an apple growing hotspot in NC. Other sources, including David, say Johnson’s Keeper originated near Jackson, Mississippi. I like that theory, too, because that means it would be well-adapted to North Louisiana. We’ll see how it does. My specimen is from Larry Stephenson.

• Kinnaird’s Choice. I have absolutely no idea how this will perform in Louisiana. It’s a Tennessee apple that dates to the mid-1850s. My specimens are from David Vernon.

• Reverend Morgan. This apple dates to the late 1960s and early 70s, so not really an old apple per se. But, it is one that has great possibility for the Deep South as it was discovered in Houston, Texas, as a seedling of Granny Smith. It’s named for the Methodist minister who discovered it. My two specimens, from David, are grafted onto dwarfing rootstock (Geneva-11) and are currently still sitting on my patio in three-gallon pots. Please don’t tell David.

• Shell. Southern Alabama doesn’t exactly stand out as apple country.

But it was in the late 1800s and early 1900s. This apple is appropriately named after one Mr. Green Shell, who started an apple orchard on some land that would years later come to be called, appropriately enough, Appleton. Calhoun reported his Shell specimens flowering in February in central North Carolina. Thus, Shell is obviously a low-

chill variety on par with Anna or Dorsett Golden, and ripens in mid-summer. My specimen is from Larry Stephenson.

• Stayman. This apple dates to 1866, and hails from Leavenworth, Kansas. It was planted widely throughout the South by the early 1900s. My specimen, from a local garden center, is a potted tree I planted two years ago on camera for Louisiana Living. This spring, it flowered synchronously with Horse and Summer Banana. I’m glad it did because it’s self-sterile; either one, or both, of the other two varieties could have provided viable pollen. It has two fruit on it as I write this.

• Summer Banana. David Vernon sent two trees of this as a second variety for pollination with the Horse trees. Truthfully, I don’t know that either variety isn’t self-fertile, but I don’t know that they are, either. This type of information is scarce with these old heritage varieties. Nonetheless, like Horse, this is a greenish-yellow summer apple that said to have a slight banana flavor when fully ripe. We’ll see. My two trees are more vigorous than the Horse specimens, having produced more scaffold branches in just three seasons than any of the Horse trees.

• Yates. This apple is often considered a crab apple because of its small size. Yates is a Georgia apple that dates to 1844. Hunters who maintain deer plots like this apple because it hangs on the tree until October or November. My specimens are from David Vernon.

For advice on how to make your garden thrive, go to the Ag Journal page at www.myarklamiss. com and submit your questions. I’ll answer them every Tuesday on Louisiana Living!

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Calendar of Events For a full list of event happenings in Northeast Louisiana, see our website at www.bayoulifemag.com Phone: 318-255-3745

JULY 6TH STAR SPANGLED SPECTACULAR DOWNTOWN FIREWORKS SHOW

July 2 Ruston Farmers Market Shop, eat and support locals at the Ruston Farmers Market’s Tuesday evening market. Choose from a wide selection of seasonal fruits and vegetables, meats, eggs, honey, jams, salsa and other locally produced goods!

Venue: Ruston Farmers Market 220 E Mississippi Ave Hours: 4:00 P.M.– 7:00 P.M. Cost: Free to attend Phone: 318-957-1305 July 2-3 Temple Baptist Church Fireworks Show

It's the 22nd Annual Patriotic Program hosted by Temple Baptist Church. On July 2 and July 3, the program will feature songs that celebrate our nation's birth, honor our service men and women, and recognize true freedom. At nightfall, following July 3rd's program, the fireworks show will begin so bring your lawn chairs or blankets and enjoy!

Venue: Temple Baptist Church 1515 S Service Rd West Hours: 7:30 P.M. Cost: Free

July 5-7 Big Creek Trade Days

Big Creek Trade Days are held monthly on the weekend before the second Monday with over 100 indoor and outdoor vendors, food trucks, and fun for all ages! Handicap accessible with scooter rentals available on-site.

Venue: Big Creek Trade Days Grounds, 327 California Plant Rd, Dubach Hours: Friday 9 A.M.-5 P.M., Saturday 11 A.M. - 9 P.M., Sunday 10 A.M. - 4 P.M. Cost: $5 for parking Phone: 318-680-1304 July 5 Downtown RiverMarket - Drive Thru Farmers Market

The Downtown RiverMarket will have local farmers on the south end serving fresh vegetables, homemade snacks and sauces. Stop by and drive through to pick up some of your favorite fresh goodies from local farmers.

Venue: Downtown Riverwalk 316 South Grand, Monroe Hours: 12:00 P.M. - 2:00 P.M. Cost: Free Phone: 318-807-9985 July 6 Summer Scanning Saturday

Save precious family memories at the Ouachita Parish Public Library this summer. Bring old photographs to the Special Collections Department at the Main Branch, and they will scan the originals so you can have a digital copy.

Venue: Ouachita Parish Public Library, Main Branch 1800 Stubbs Avenue, Monroe Hours: 9:00 A.M. - 4 P.M. Cost: Free Phone: 318-327-1490

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Music of the Great Floods

Join the Biedenharn Museums and Gardens on Saturday, July 6 for music on the lawn at the Biedenharn Museum & Gardens, featuring Kirby Rambin. With songs inspired by the great floods of history and a killer atmosphere, you will want to enjoy this event. Cost is $10 per person.

Come experience some great music and a really good time in the garden.

Venue: Biedenharn Museum and Gardens, 2006 Riverside Drive, Monroe Hours: 7:00 PM - 9:00 P.M. Phone: 318-387-5281 Star Spangled Spectacular Downtown Fireworks Show

Monroe Renaissance presents the CenturyLink Star Spangled Spectacular on Saturday, July 6 at 9:00 P.M. Don't miss out on this awesome firework show!

Venue: Downtown Riverwalk 316 South Grand, Monroe Hours: 9:00 PM Cost: Free Ruston Farmers Market

Shop, eat and support locals at the Ruston Farmers Market’s Tuesday evening market. Choose from a wide selection of seasonal fruits and vegetables, meats, eggs, honey, jams, salsa, and other locally produced goods!

Venue: Ruston Farmers Market 220 E Mississippi Ave Hours: 4:00 P.M. – 7:00 P.M. Cost: Free to attend Phone: 318-957-1305 July 7 Goat Yoga at the Farm

Join Double BB Farms for Goat Yoga at the farm. Goat yoga is for people of all ability or no ability at all. This event will be outside so dress appropriately. Class includes tour of the farm. Please bring your

yoga mat if you have one. Class will be taught by Yogi, Elizabeth Griffon. **Disclaimer: Class could be interrupted at any moment by baby goats wanting a cuddle!

Venue: Double BB Farms 1816 Stubbs Vinson Road, Monroe Hours: 4:00 P.M. Cost: $20 Phone: 318-355-1824 July 8-12 Camp Creative

If you are looking for a day camp full of fun with a variety of creative projects, this camp is for you. Your child will be exposed to many different art forms including painting with acrylics and watercolors, drawing, mixed media collage, and more! With several projects each day, this camp is the perfect way to start developing artistic skills.

Supplies and snacks will be provided.

Ages 5-12.

Venue: MoJoy Studio 106 Summer Ln, West Monroe Hours: 8:00 A.M. - 12:00 P.M. Cost: $175 per week Phone: 318-884-8334 Summer Youth Bowling Campers will learn bowling basics and scoring. Hot lunch will be served every day. House balls and shoes will be provided. Don't miss out on this fun camp! Ages 7-17.

Venue: Bayou Bowl 101 Horseshoe Lake Road, Monroe Hours: 9:00 A.M. - 12:30 P.M. Cost: $85 per camper, 2 or more campers $75 per camper Phone: 318-325-2062 July 9 Ruston Farmers Market Shop, eat, and support locals at the Ruston Farmers Market’s Tuesday evening market. Choose from a wide selection of seasonal fruits and vegetables, meats, eggs,

honey, jams, salsa, and other locally produced goods!

Venue: Ruston Farmers Market 220 E Mississippi Ave, Ruston Hours: 4:00 – 7:00 P.M. Cost: Free to attend Phone: 318-957-1305 July 10 Dog Days of Summer

Ruston will be welcoming incoming freshmen during Louisiana Tech's orientation session. Enjoy extended shopping hours and listen to live music by Shayliff on the Railroad Park stage. The event is free, open to the public, and family friendly. Support the Bulldogs and take part in this lively night of fun, food and shopping!

Venue: Railroad Park in Downtown Ruston Hours: 8 P.M. Cost: Free to attend Phone: 318-255-2031 July 11 Beer & Bards

Beer & Bards takes place on the 2nd Thursday of every month at Enoch’s Irish Cafe and Pub. It begins at roughly 7:00 p.m. and lasts anywhere from an hour to an hour and a half.

They ask for readers from all walks of life whether they be students, teachers, published authors or just the casual connoisseur of short fiction and/or poetry from within the community, the state or anywhere in the world! Anyone with questions or who wishes to read can reach Jack Heflin, ULM English Professor and Beer & Bards Host, by either sending a message on the Beer & Bards Facebook page or contacting him directly at heflin@ulm.edu.

Venue: Enoch's Irish Pub 507 Louisville Ave, Monroe Hours: 7:00 P.M. - 9:00 P.M. Phone: 318-388-3662 July 13 Children's Fundays at the Biedenharn

Join the Biedenharn Museum and Gardens the 2nd Saturday of the Month from 10 A.M. - 12 P.M. for Children's Fundays at the Biedenharn. They'll have crafts and

fun for ages 3-16, so bring the kids and come enjoy the gardens! Cost is $5 per child; Accompanying adults enter free. *All children MUST be accompanied by an adult* Venue: Biedenharn Museum and Gardens, 2006 Riverside Drive, Monroe Hours: 10:00 A.M. - 2:00 P.M. Cost: $5 Phone: 318-387-5281 Ruston Farmers Market

Shop, eat, and support locals at the Ruston Farmers Market. Choose from a wide selection of seasonal produce as well as natural skin care products and hand-crafted items.

Coffee is available from Railway Coffee along with breakfast from local vendors and food trucks. The Ruston Farmers Market also has music and demos every Saturday morning!

Venue: Ruston Farmers Market 220 E Mississippi Ave Hours: 9 A.M. - 1 P.M. Cost: Free to attend Phone: 318-957-1305 July 15 Visual/Theatre Arts Workshop CA Studio at the Biedenharn for young artists in July. Participants will create original banner art guided by local professional artist Emily Gautreaux. The banners will appear in CA Studio's production of The Play Called Noah's Flood at the Biedenharn in November 2019. Call 318-355-8891 to guarantee a slot!

Venue: Biedenharn Museum and Gardens, 2006 Riverside Drive, Monroe Hours: 9:00 A.M. - 12:00 P.M. Cost: $50 Phone: 318-387-5281 July 15-19 Camp Creative

If you are looking for a day camp full of fun with a variety of creative projects, this camp is for you. Your child will be exposed to many different art forms including painting

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with acrylics and watercolors, drawing, mixed media collage and more! With several projects each day, this camp is the perfect way to start developing artistic skills.

Supplies and snacks will be provided.

Ages 5-12.

Venue: MoJoy Studio 106 Summer Ln, West Monroe Hours: 8:00 A.M. - 12:00 P.M. Cost: $175 per week Phone: 318-884-8334 July 16 Ruston Farmers Market Shop, eat, and support locals at the Ruston Farmers Market’s Tuesday evening market. Choose from a wide selection of seasonal fruits and vegetables, meats, eggs, honey, jams, salsa and other locally produced goods!

Venue: Ruston Farmers Market, 220 E Mississippi Ave Hours: 4:00 P.M. – 7:00 P.M. Cost: Free to attend Phone: 318-957-1305 July 17 Arts Council Summer Film Series: 61 Bullets

September 8, 1935. Bullets ricochet through the marble corridors of the Louisiana State Capitol in Baton Rouge. When the shooting finally stops and the panicked screaming subsides, two men have been fatally wounded. The

first: populist United States Senator Huey P. Long, the most powerful man in Louisiana, and one of the most prominent political figures in 1930s America. The second: Dr. Carl Weiss, a respected local physician, and Long’s presumed assailant.

Weiss is riddled with sixty bullets, some of which have passed through his body and lodged in the alabaster walls. Blood soaks through his white linen suit and onto the ornate floor of the State Capitol. 61 Bullets is a documentary, a true battle to define history. $5 admission if you are not an Arts Council member. Attendees must be 21+.

Venue: Flying Tiger Brewery, 506 North 2nd Street, Monroe Hours: 7:00 P.M. Cost: $5 Phone: 318-547-1738 July 17-21 Dixie 15Under World Series

The 2019 Dixie 15Under World Series will be held at Sterlington Sports Complex July 17-21. Don't miss out on an exciting week of baseball!

Venue: Sterlington Sports Complex, 1290 LA-136, Sterlington July 18-21 The Music Man

Hosted by the Ruston Community Theatre, The Music Man follows fast-talking traveling

salesman, Harold Hill, as he cons the people of River City, Iowa, into buying instruments and uniforms for a boys' band that he vows to organize despite having no musical ability.

Venue: Dixie Center for the Arts 212 N Vienna St Hours: Thursday-Saturday 7 P.M., Sunday 2 P.M. Cost: $18, $9 for students Phone: 318-255-1450 July 19 Downtown RiverMarket - Drive Thru Farmers Market

The Downtown RiverMarket will have local farmers on the south end serving fresh vegetables, homemade snacks and sauces. Stop by and drive through to pick up some of your favorite fresh goodies from our local farmers.

Venue: RiverMarket 316 South Grand, Monroe Hours: 12:00 P.M. - 2:00 P.M. Phone: 318-807-9985 July 20 Super Saturday – July

Join Children's Coalition for Northeast Louisiana for Super Saturday! They will be celebrating their youth volunteers with opportunities for service-learning hours as well as hosting activities for children. They will have playground cleanup, garden maintenance and more! As always, this event is free

and open to the public.

Venue: Children's Coalition for Northeast Louisiana, 117 Hall Street, Monroe Hours: 9:00 A.M. - 12:00 P.M. Cost: Free Phone: 318-323-8775 Ruston Farmers Market

Shop, eat, and support locals at the Ruston Farmers Market. Choose from a wide selection of seasonal produce as well as natural skin care products and hand-crafted items.

Coffee is available from Railway Coffee along with breakfast from local vendors and food trucks. The Ruston Farmers Market also has music and demos every Saturday morning!

Venue: Ruston Farmers Market 220 E Mississippi Ave Hours: 9 A.M. - 1 P.M. Cost: Free to attend Phone: 318-957-1305 July 22-25 The Mike Federico Summer Baseball Camp for Kids

The Mike Federico Summer Baseball Camp for Kids will be a fun, interactive camp for kids. The camp will consist of skill instruction and fun games throughout the four days of camp. Campers will get hands on instruction from the ULM coaching staff and players in hitting, pitching, base running and defensive positions.

Each day will consist of different skill instruction rotations as well as games and friendly competitions. Grades K-7th. Ages 5-12.

Venue: ULM Warhawk Field Warhawk Way, Monroe Hours: 9:00 A.M. - 12:00 P.M. Cost: $200 Phone: 318-342-1000 July 22-26 Summer Youth Bowling Camp Campers will learn bowling basics & scoring. Hot lunch will be served every day. House balls and shoes will be provided. Don't miss out on this fun camp! Ages 7-17.

Venue: Bayou Bowl 101 Horseshoe Lake Road, Monroe Hours: 9:00 A.M. - 12:30 P.M. Cost: $85 per camper, 2 or more campers $75 per camper Phone: 318-325-2062 July 23 Ruston Farmers Market Shop, eat, and support locals at the Ruston Farmers Market’s Tuesday evening market! Choose from a wide selection of seasonal fruits and vegetables, meats, eggs, honey, jams, salsa and other locally produced goods!

Venue: Ruston Farmers Market 220 E Mississippi Ave Hours: 4:00 P.M. – 7:00 P.M. Cost: Free to attend Phone: 318-957-1305

July 26 Ouachita Live Concert - Horace Trahan & the Ossum Express

FREE Outdoor Live Music Event!

Stop by Downtown West Monroe every last Friday, March through October for a musical event.

Venue: Antique Alley 100-400 blocks of Trenton Street, West Monroe Hours: 5:30 P.M. - 8:00 P.M. Cost: Free July 26-30 Dixie Youth World Series

Ruston will host the 2019 Dixie AA & Division II Coach and Machine Pitch World Series beginning July 26 through July 30. All games will be played at the Ruston Sports Complex.

Dixie Youth Baseball encompasses eleven states and each state will send representatives here to vie for the World Series Championship.

Venue: Ruston Sports Complex 1501 S Farmerville St. Phone: 318-255-2031 July 26-31 Dixie Major and Pre-Majors World Series

The 2019 Dixie Major and PreMajors World Series will be held at Sterlington Sports Complex July 2631! Don't miss out on an exciting week of baseball!

Venue: Sterlington Sports Complex, 1290 LA-136, Sterlington

July 27 Downtown Cinema Presents: Back to the Future Great Scott!

Join Downtown Cinema for their final showing as they end where they began with Back to the Future.

Admission, popcorn and water are free, just bring your own seating.

Movie starts at dark.

Venue: Downtown Cinema 220 Desiard St., Monroe Hours: 7:30 P.M. - 10:30 P.M. Cost: Free Ruston Farmers Market

Shop, eat, and support locals at the Ruston Farmers Market. Choose from a wide selection of seasonal produce as well as natural skin care products and hand-crafted items.

Coffee is available from Railway Coffee along with breakfast from local vendors and food trucks. The Ruston Farmers Market also has music and demos every Saturday morning!

Venue: Ruston Farmers Market 220 E Mississippi Ave Hours: 9 A.M.- 1 P.M. Cost: Free to attend Phone: 318-957-1305 July 30 Ruston Farmers Market Shop, eat, and support locals at the Ruston Farmers Market’s Tuesday evening market! Choose from a wide selection of seasonal

fruits and vegetables, meats, eggs, honey, jams, salsa and other locally produced goods!

Venue: Ruston Farmers Market 220 E Mississippi Ave Hours: 4:00 P.M. – 7:00 P.M. Cost: Free to attend Phone: 318-957-1305 JULY 7TH GOAT YOGA AT THE FARM

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BayouTrends This 4th of July celebrate with patriotic-hued items from local retailers. From red hot lipsticks to stylish blue armchairs, there’s something for everyone.

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