Merry &Bright
Victoria Pazchosennew generalmanager of Harbor Center
Slidell-area resident will take reinsfromretiring GM KathyLowrey
BY ANDREW CANULETTE
Staff writer
The Harbor Center Boardof Commissioners searched throughoutthe Gulf South to find areplacement forretiring General Manager Kathy Lowrey
Heroes at homeshare endlesslove, compassion fordogs
BY MADDIE SCOTT
Contributing writer
Every community has good Samaritans.
They are the people whoserve quietly,without fanfare. They get thingsdone outside the spotlight. Their work is as importantas that of elected officials andnonprofit leaders. They are the foot soldiers in the armies of compassion, empathy, grace. The St. Tammany Farmer sought out six of these people and is featuring them through theremainder of 2024.Wethink these people, their stories, are remind-
Some 80 applications, and ahandful of interviewslater,and the board decided the best candidate for the job was very close to home.
Victoria Paz, a10-year Slidell resident who is director of salesand marketing at Silver Slipper Casino and Hotel in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi,was chosen to succeed Lowrey,who has managed the Harbor Center near Slidell since 2007.
Paz has been with the Silver Slipper for 16 years, starting as aretail clerk and working
her way through the ranks to her most recent position with the business. Paz previouslyworkedasthe Slipper’s Advertising and Publicity Manager and she remains involved withvarious northshore civic and nonprofit groups. In apress release, theHarbor Center Boardsaid Paz’s“experience in sales, marketing, and operations, combined with her deep connectiontothe St. Tammany Parish and Hancock County communities, makes heranideal fit to lead
BY GRANTTHERKILDSEN
Emanuel and Marissa Giglio sit on the couch withsomeoftheir dogs after Thanksgiving
ers of the good things people do for oneanother
We’re calling them “Unsung Heroes.” But now is time to sing theirpraises
Most families haveadog or two, maybe acat. Not the Giglio family
Emanuel Giglio and his wife, Marissa Giglio, have housed more than ahundredcanines since 2021. They’veeven sacrificed their master bathroom to
provide temporary housing for puppy litters in their 8foot by 8 foot shower “I missthat shower,” he said, cracking asmile. “It was very nice.”
The Giglio family temporarily houses, or fosters, homeless dogs at thedrop of ahat for the Northshore Humane Society,a nonprofit,no-kill animal rescue and clinic near Covington. One
BY WILLIE SWETT Staff writer
The Harbor Center.” They noted she previously servedaschair of the East St.Tammany Chamber of Commerce boardof directors, is agraduate of the Leadership Northshore development program, and was chosen to receive theAthenaYoung Professional Award in 2023, amongother accolades. Lowrey,who was amanager at the HarborCenterwhenitopened in 2005 shortly before Hurricane Katrina devastated the
Aproposed $30 million STEM and healthcare facilityinLacombe, where high school students could receive advanced certifications and training, came under scrutiny on Dec.12asthe St. Tammany Parish School Board debated andultimately agreed to put its largest ever capitalimprovements planonthe ballot in May
Though the facility represents less than 10% of thetotal $325 million bond,all the attention was on the STEM facilityduring theSchool Board’sfinalmeeting of 2024. Acadre of people fromthe parish’sbusiness communityshowedupinforce to support the proposal, and board members pressed formore details
St. Tammany SchoolsSuperintendent Frank Jabbia said the facility would offer advanced courses in programming, nursing and other
health care and STEM (science, technology, engineering andmath) subjects.
It would consolidate existing STEM and health care education resources that are now spread out around theparish, Jabbia said, and would create opportunitiesfor students at schoolsthatmay notoffer certainadvanced courses.
“The better we educate and train them, the better career opportunities they will have at higher-paying jobsthatare in demand,” saidboard member Roslyn Hanson, oneof many who enthusiastically supported theproject.
Local leaders fromcompanies like Chevronand educational institutions like Southeastern Louisiana University spoke in support of the facility, arguing it would fill agrowing need in theparish forSTEM and health care workers while better
PHOTO
Paz
PHOTO BY GRANT THERKILDSEN
ä See HARBOR, page 3A
ä See HEROES, page 2A
Kids Konnection
Families bringthe spirit of ChristmastoKoopDrive
31.
HEROES
Continued from page1A
of the largest animal welfare organizations in Louisiana,the nonprofit has relied on volunteers like the Giglios since opening in 1953
“I can’tevenbegin to count howmany puppies they’ve fostered,” said Northshore Rescue Supervisor Jamesy Jenkins. “They give these pets and puppies thelove, trainingand care needed to help place theminto (permanent) homes.” Jenkins said she sees one of the Giglios at the Humane Society at least one to two times aweek, whether it’stovaccinate a puppy or to host ameet-and-greet with a prospective owner.The couple has even been featured in aFacebook reel on the shelter’sFacebook.
“We’re looking for the forever home for these dogs,” Marissa Giglio said. It’simportant to make sure each puppy is agood fit for its prospective family,the Giglios andhumane officials agree.Ifa puppy is high-strung, for example, it may not be agood fit for afamily with young kids.And families shouldn’tfeel guilty aboutbringing dogs back if the match isn’t right, they said,because compatibility is critical. As for the Giglios, it seemsasthough all dogs fit into theirMandeville home, whether as atemporary foster just passing through for afew weeks or monthsorasa permanent part of the family
latest rescue on Nov. 30
“Not many people are willingtotake in six, eight, 10, 12 dogs at onetime,”Marissa Giglio said. “It’sa lot, and Emanuel’shome all day.And for the most part, I’m home most of the day unless I’m running around for work, so it gives him something to do.”
Emanuel Giglio is adisabled combat veteran, and the dogshavebrought him a source of joy,she said. The most puppies they’vefostered at one time was 19.
In thebeginning
It all started in January of 2021 when ahusky named Cuba wandered intothe
front yard of the Giglio home. Despite his scary,wolf-like exterior,Cuba was agentle sweetheart and great with kids.
After learning that the original owner didn’twant him anymore, the Giglios decided to foster Cuba until Northshore Humane could find him apermanent home and forever family of his own.
“He found us, and he really drove us to do this,” Marisa Giglio said of Cuba.
The couple has fostered puppies, rescues and critical-care dogs ever since.
Some of the fosters so completely win the Giglios’ hearts, they never leave. The couple has accumulated seven adult dogs of their own, and the canines under their roof eat their way through a50-pound bag of dog food every month —and that doesn’tinclude any special food they need for young pups.
“Most days, Emanuel is in the garage in his man cave,” Marissa Giglio said. “And he’slaying on his recliner watching TV, and there’sabout five dogs laying on the recliner with him. Or he’satafoster event (seeking forever homes for dogs).”
The Giglios often invite family and friends over to help socialize their foster pups, who need to learn comfort in social situations before being adopted. Their neighbor,10-year-old Sophia, has become the Giglios’ expert puppy assistant. After she finishes her homework, Sophia teaches the puppies how to sit, helps clean up and hosts playtime to wear out the zoomies.
The couple also receives lots of help from their teenage son. He doesn’tvolunteer,but he gets “volun-told,” his dad explained. The couple’s19-year-old daughter helps, as well, when she’shome on the
weekend from Loyola University,providing her with atherapeutic, puppy-filled getaway
As puppies have streamed in, the Giglios renovated their house to curate the perfect puppy paradise. They re-epoxied their garage floor to accommodate for accidents. They installed aseparate washer and dryer fordoggy towels and blankets, in addition to adog-washing station like professional groomers have.
The couple has collected tons of stories over the years. There’sRosie, acriticalcare dog that wasn’texpected to live long because of her refusal to eat —until she had Parmesan cheese forthe first time. After discovering Parmesan, she started eating again and was adopted in June.
“Who knew the dog was Italian?” Emanuel Gigilo said.
There’salso Chi-chi, acritical-care chihuahua with cerebral hypoplasia who has overcome life’sobstacles. He wasn’tin good shape when they adopted him, but after finding ahome with the Giglios three years ago, he’sfound agood little life. Chi-chi runs the show now,Marissa said. He has some trouble walking, so often he runs into the other dogs or leans on them.
“He’ll run into them, lay on them,” Emanuel said. “They’re just like, ‘It’sChi-chi; what are you going to do?’ ” And who could forget Huggin’ Helen, a sweet pit bull who would stand on her hind legs every night before bed and wait for ahug to help her cope with postpartum depression. Certainly not the Giglios. After six weeks of hugs and love, she was adopted by anewly retired woman who wanted a canine companion to share her life.
Santa and Mrs. Claus star in the HolidayofLights Christmas Parade.
Lots of favorite characters took their spots in the HolidayofLights.
The RoyalLegacy dance team performers look like Christmas packagesatthe parade welcoming the holidayseason to the northshore.
Dance and cheer team members from William Pitcher Junior High help bring the parade spirit.
The Be Hooper,BeHappydancers bring their lighted hula hoops and abag full of tricks to the parade route.
Abright scene brings smiles to Koop Drive.
PHOTOSBYGRANT THERKILDSEN
When the
filled with happychildren wearing jingle bells at their wrists movedalong Koop Drive, the spirit, sound and sweetfaces of Christmas are on full display.
PHOTO BY GRANTTHERKILDSEN Emanuel Giglio shares the couch with his