March 26, 2015 • Volume 6 • Issue 25
715 Kirby St. Lake Charles, LA 70601 Phone: 337-436-7800 Fax: 337-990-0262 www.thejambalayanews.com
On cover: The Junior League of Lake Charles, Inc.
COVER STORY 21 The Junior League of Lake Charles, Inc.
Publisher/Executive Editor Lauren Abate de Albuquerque
8
The Dang Yankee
lauren@thejambalayanews.com
8
Adoption Corner
9
Tips From Tip
10
Huntin’ Tales
12
Soul Matters
13
Stir Dat Pot
Contributors Nicole Shuff Arabie Dan Ellender Mike McHugh Roger Miller Justin Morris Brian Pitre Terri Schlichenmeyer Jody Taylor Tommie Townsley Karla Tullos David Yantis
FEATURES 4 March on Selma Anniversary 14
Our Garden Grows
16
Sedation Dentistry
17
SWLA Hospital News
Sales sales@thejambalayanews.com
20 Whiskey Brunch at Jack Daniel’s!
Graphics Art/Production Director Burn Rourk
THE SPICE OF SWLA 24 Divas n’ Denim 26 Event Guide
Business Office Manager Jeanie Taggart
28 Family Fun Night at the Movies 29 Bookworm Sez... 30 Book Bites 31 The Adventures of the Swamp Kids 33 Funbolaya
Legal Disclaimer The views expressed by The Jambalaya News columnists are their own and do not necessarily reflect the position of The Jambalaya News, its editors or staff. The Jambalaya News is solely owned, published by Jambalaya Media, LLC, 715 Kirby Street, Lake Charles Louisiana 70601. Phone (337) 436-7800. Whilst every effort was made to ensure the information in this magazine was correct at the time of going to press, the publishers cannot accept legal responsibility for any errors or omissions, nor can they accept responsibility of the standing of advertisers nor by the editorial contributions. The Jambalaya News cannot be held responsible for the return of unsolicited manuscripts, photographs or illustrations, even if they are sent to us accompanied by a self-addressed envelope. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher. Copyright 2014 The Jambalaya News all rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without prior written permission is prohibited.
2 March 26, 2015
4
REGULARS 6 We Are SWLA!
34 Hashtag Dat: The Inkling & Icarus Wing Productions 36 Nightlife Guide 38 Justin Morris’s Lake Charles 41
Live Album Series
13 14 29 30 34
42 Society Spice
Vol. 6 • No. 25
A Note From Lauren I was always such a fast reader I Hope You Dance that by the time my mother found She called me “Lollipop” when I was a little girl. She always hummed, so if you were out shopping with her and got separated, you could find her by simply listening for her hum. She never went out without her makeup on, and she made sure she went out every day. She loved to dance. She was my aunt Gloria, and she recently passed away at the age of 93. My mother’s last remaining sibling, she was the fourth of the five children born to Angelo and Laura Cataldo Abate. My mother was the youngest. Since they were only two years apart in age, they were very close. But as different as night and day. Gloria was married to Uncle Ricky and they had two children, my cousins Karen and Richard. They celebrated their 66th wedding anniversary last August. Ricky is now 95 and he’s my last uncle. Speaking of night and day, I considered Aunt Gloria the “fun aunt.” Jeanette was the other aunt who lived on Barnes Ave. and she’d never had a fun day in her life. And if she couldn’t have fun, then by golly, no one else was
Vol. 6 • No. 25
going to have fun either if she had anything to say about it. And since Gloria was all about fun, you can imagine how well they got along. My mother was usually in the middle of those two, trying to smooth the waters. I loved being with Gloria. In the summer, we’d all pile into her bright yellow Chevy Bel Air with the scratchy green upholstery loaded down with beach bags and Styrofoam surfboards and picnic coolers and head for Nahant Beach to roast in the sun and splash in the waves. We’d come home burned to a crisp (no sunscreen back then) and have to smear on the Noxzema before we went to bed. Gloria had quite a collection of novels by authors such as Victoria Holt and Phyllis A. Whitney and Daphne du Maurier, and I’d sneak into her living room every chance I’d get and read them. I was only 10 or so, and my mother was horrified that I was reading “adult” books but by then, I’d outgrown children’s books. “Lauren, I don’t think your mother wants you to read those books…” Gloria would start to say, but she never stopped me.
out what I was reading, I would have already finished it. The last time I saw Gloria in December, she reminded me of this. “I can still see you sitting on the couch reading my books. You were just a little bit of a thing! Itsy bitsy!” she laughed. “Your mother would be so upset!” Gloria was game for anything in her younger days. She and Ricky drove cross-country several times and skied in New Hampshire and Vermont. A cosmetologist by trade, she gave all of us ladies facials and tweezed our eyebrows. But above all, Gloria loved to dance with Ricky. I believe they went dancing on their first date and danced so well together that they knew this was “it.” They actually met on a blind date. A buddy of Ricky’s fixed them up. “I was sitting on the front porch, in a rocking chair,” Ricky remembers. “And this beautiful woman came up the stairs. And I stopped rocking.” Almost every weekend they would go out dancing. Their favorite spot was the Andover Country Club. The club had a dance open to the general public
once a month, and there they would be, twirling across the dance floor. My parents and all of their friends would also be there, but they went more for the camaraderie than anything else. But Gloria and Ricky were there to dance. But, nothing lasts forever. “Don’t get old,” Gloria would always tell me in the last years of her life. I know it really bothered both of them when they could no longer dance. “When I dance, I’m in another world,” Gloria used to say. “I don’t think about anything.” Well, she is now in another world, free of the pain and infirmities of old age. She doesn’t have her dance partner with her yet, but I know the music is magnificent and her spirit is soaring. Dance, Gloria. I hope you dance.
Lauren Abate de Albuquerque
March 26, 2015 3
Elijah and his daughter Isabella
By Brian Pitre Elijah and his wife Nomica
4 March 26, 2015
On Sunday, March 7, 1965, hundreds of protestors gathered at the foot of a foggy bridge prepared to walk the 54-mile highway from Selma to the Alabama state capital of Montgomery. Activists, students, journalists and an eclectic group of frightened citizens readied themselves to march for the right to exercise their constitutional right to vote. Sadly, these brave individuals were met by the angry faces of those who disagreed with them and the hard clubs of the police who set out to enforce the laws in place. Beaten but not broken, the protesters believed so strongly in their cause that they continued to march, despite the violence occurring around them. This “Bloody Sunday” sparked a string of protests and violence that lasted for almost two weeks until President Johnson, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and the federal government intervened. On March 7, 2015, on the 50th anniversary of that dark day in history, hundreds of people from all walks of life met near the base of the infamous Edmund Pettus Bridge
prepared to march in remembrance of those brave souls. Whispers of the violence that had taken place so many years ago filled the air as celebrators arrived from around the country. Those events have not been forgotten and many of those who survived are with us today, still telling their story as if it were only yesterday. Selma’s fire department estimated the crowd reached 40,000, drawing huge supporters such as former President George W. Bush and his wife Laura as well as Peggy Wallace Kennedy, the daughter of the late George Wallace, the Alabama governor who once vowed “segregation forever.” An honorable list of guest speakers, including the President of the United States and The First Family, took the stage one after another, each with a story of how a torn city unified a troubled nation. A number of those original police officers and “foot soldiers” joined forces and stood arm in arm with the first African American President including Congressman John Lewis, who helped organize the first march over the bridge in 1965, and endured a tragic beating on that Vol. 6 • No. 25
“Bloody Sunday.” Quoting our constitution, “We the People…in order to form a more perfect union, We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal. “These are not just words,” President Obama said. “They’re a living thing, a call to action, a roadmap for citizenship and an insistence in the capacity of free men and women to shape our own destiny.” Lake Charles native Elijah Guillory made the journey to Selma for the memorial celebration. Elijah’s bus arrived with over 100 others from Lake Charles who couldn’t wait to be a part of this historical event. Elijah’s friends, Eric and Mona Doshier, originally made plans to make
Vol. 6 • No. 25
the trip with their family and friends, and before they knew it, they had organized three busloads of people all eager to make history. “What they did, bringing all those people together like that, was truly beautiful.” Guillory says. “It gave people an opportunity to feel the story, to walk on those streets and know what it was like.” Led by the presidential motorcade, the marchers made their way towards the infamous bridge from the old Brown Chapel. Many were holding hands and crying, while others remained stern-faced, contemplating their surroundings. Guillory marched forward, with his wife by his side and his daughter in his arms, look-
ing on at the diversity of the crowd. Young students, local residents, government officials, and visitors of all ages filled the bridge’s streets from end to end. “It was pretty amazing to see people from all different
backgrounds come together for a greater cause.” Guillory said, “No matter where they were from or why they went, they all seem to leave with the same message of peace to bring home to their community.”
March 26, 2015 5
theme of the 2015 event is Saving Lives with Disco. Tickets for the event can be purchased at www.swlaheartball.ahaevents.org.
Kerry Andersen Elected to LTPA Board Kerry Andersen, director of public relations for Pinnacle Entertainment at L’Auberge Casino Resort Lake Charles was recently installed as a new member of the Louisiana Travel Promotion Association board of directors at the association’s annual meeting held at Cypress Bend Resort in Many. Officers on the executive committee and members of the board of directors are elected during the annual meeting.
New Executive Director or Arts & Humanities Council of SWLA Ashli Waldrep is the new executive director for the Arts & Humanities Council of SWLA. She has over nine years of experience in marketing and PR and over three years of experience in fundraising. Waldrep currently serves as the Chair for Fusion Five, SWLA’s Young Professionals Organization, is a board member for the Chamber Southwest, is the Chair for the Quality of Life Recycling Task Force and is currently in the Leadership SWLA 2015 class. She holds Ashli Waldrep a degree in Mass Communications from McNeese State University and is a member of the McNeese Alumni Association.
Alfred Doucette, Jr.
Local Executive Director Named Chair of the 2015 SW Heart Ball
Kay Barnett 6 March 26, 2015
SWLA Law Center Appoints New Board Members Mark Judson, executive director of the Southwest Louisiana Law Center, has announced the appointment of three new board members who will serve three-year terms. Ann Knapp is a retired financial advisor who currently serves on the boards of the Sowela Foundation, the Public Affairs Research Council, and the Friends of Central School. Melissa St. Mary, an attorney with the Pitre Law Firm, is a Leadership Louisiana alumnus and currently serves on the boards of the SWLA Bar Association, Girl Scouts of Louisiana - Pines to the Gulf, Historic Preservation Committee and Contraband Days, Inc. Jeanette DeWitt-Kyle is a personal injury and workers’ compensation lawyer at Stutes & Lavergne in Lake Charles. She is a member of the Louisiana Bar Association, SWLA Bar Association and Louisiana Association for Justice and is also a Big Brothers Big Sisters volunteer.
Family & Youth Receives Donation
Doucette Elected to League of Women Voters Board The Louisiana League Of Women Voters Louisiana elected Alfred Doucette, Jr., of Lake Charles as director to its state board. Doucette attended the League of Women Voters of Louisiana state convention, March 13-15 at the Clarion Hotel Convention Center, Covington, Louisiana. The League has been working to make Democracy works for 95 years.
Kerry Andersen
Kay C. Barnett, CFRE, executive director of development of the CHRISTUS St. Patrick Hospital Foundation in Lake Charles, will serve as chair for the American Heart Association’s 2015 Southwest Louisiana Heart Ball. The gala will be held on Saturday, May 30, at Chennault International Airport and will begin at 6 p.m. The event will generate funds to support education, research and awareness to prevent heart disease in Southwest Louisiana. The
Family & Youth Counseling Agency received $5,000 from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana for sponsorship of its 17th Annual Connections Count Conference. During the conference, professionals from the four corners of Louisiana and beyond come together to explore, expand, and share critical knowledge and expertise for the benefit of children, (L to R) Velika Hurst, BC/BS of LA; Julio Galan, Family & Youth Counseling Agency; and Kathy Sonnier, BC/BS of LA youth and families in our collective communities. For more information on Family & Youth, call (337) 436-9533.
Chennault Airshow Supports SOWELA and Calcasieu Parish Schools with $5,000 Donation Chennault International Airshow recently contributed $5,000 to SOWELA and the Calcasieu Parish School Board to support aviation programs in area schools. The contributions from the Airshow will aid in expanding the region’s engagement in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, which will play a critical role in the next generation of the area’s workforce. The ChenVol. 6 • No. 25
nault International Airshow will take place on Oct. 24-25, 2015, at Chennault International Airport.. For more information on the Airshow, visit www.chennaultairshow.com.
McNeese Receives Donation for Scholarships McNeese State University President Dr. Philip Williams accepted a $120,000 donation to create two scholarships for students studying in the areas of chemical engineering and environmental science. The funds were part of a legal settlement signed in December by then 14th Judicial District Judge D. Kent Savoie. The funds will be endowed through the McNeese Foundation and will be matched with $80,000 from a special Louisiana Board of Regents fund designated for creating scholarships for students that are the first generation in their family to attend college.
LC BNI Chapter Honored The Lake Charles Founders BNI Chapter was just named the spotlight chapter for the states of Louisiana and Mississippi. The chapter has had amazing growth in members, closed business revenue, visitors, referrals and one to ones. The chapter is led by President Amber Mize, Vice President Michelle Miller, and Secretary/Treasurer Sara Ford.
Spell Named Marketing and Communications Manager with West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital
Kali Spell
Vol. 6 • No. 25
West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital is pleased to announce that Kali Spell has been promoted from the position of marketing representative to marketing and communications manager. In this position, she will oversee hospital marketing and public relations activities, advertising, and outreach initiatives. Spell, a graduate of McNeese State University, is currently pursuing a Master’s of Business Administration degree and has been with the organization for two years.
Junior League Donates to Local Public Charities The Junior League of Lake Charles, Inc. is teaming up with the Calcasieu Parish Public Library to add American Girl dolls to the library collection. The Junior League purchased 20 dolls, which have been donated to the library to promote literacy and writing. Children who check out the dolls will also learn about the significant role of women during different periods in history. A kick-off celebration was held at Central Library on March 24. The dolls are now available for check out at every library branch. For more information on the American Girl Literacy Project, visit the library webpage at www.calcasieulibrary.org or call 721-7147 for details.
March 26, 2015 7
Hold the French Fries, Yankee Brown Fast food is a lot like pornography. Both are booming businesses, yet no one admits to being a regular customer. Well, I’m just going to come out and say it; I like fast food. I’d tell you that I mostly go for the salads, but you wouldn’t believe me any more than if I told you I read Playboy for its provocative articles. When my wife and I go out for fast food, I like to get the combo meal. I don’t go so far as to “super size” it, although for the sake of my marriage I probably should. The scene that plays out whenever we go to a burger joint is as predictable as when Charlie Brown tries to kick the football with Lucy holding. “I just want a sandwich,” my wife always says. “Are you sure you don’t want fries with that?” I’ve asked the question more times than every cashier on McDonalds’
payroll. “No, just the sandwich,” she confirms. “Now look,” I protest. “Every single time we come here, you say that you don’t want French fries. Then when our order comes, you always end up eating half of mine.” Next comes a plausible explanation as to why this time is different, and I should believe her when she promises not to mooch any of my fries. “This week when I weighed in at Weight Watchers, I gained three-tenths of a pound,” she might say. “It’s embarrassing getting up on the scale in front of everybody and having them tell you that you gained. That’s why I’m just getting a junior hamburger, no cheese.” “Oh, all right,” I concede. I proceed to order a medium combo, which has just the right amount of fries for me. (37, to be exact.) Apparently,
I didn’t learn a thing from all those years of exposure to the wisdom contained in newspaper comics. When our tray comes and we sit down, surprise! My 37 fries suddenly take on more appeal to my wife than losing three-tenths of a pound. I don’t know whether women like my wife simply like to exercise their unalienable right to change their minds, or if they’re just doing these things to humiliate the men in their lives. If it’s the latter, they needn’t bother. We men don’t need any help in that department. We’ve got self-humiliation down pat, and it’s no wonder. Many of us spend whole Saturdays on the golf course honing the art to perfection. Others do it on Friday nights at the karaoke bar. I like to get my practice at the bowling alley, where I once got a strike on
lane three when my team was on lane eleven. Maybe one day we’ll walk into a burger joint and I’ll go ahead and super-size the order, regardless of what my wife says. But I’m not so sure. I still hold out hope for that one time when she lets me have all my fries. After all, one time even Lucy didn’t pick up the football. But on that occasion, Charlie Brown missed, kicking Lucy’s hand instead. So maybe that’s why so many women see fit to change their minds. They’ve got to defend themselves somehow against all this oafishness that we guys think of as masculinity. Mike McHugh’s column has appeared in the Jambalaya News for over five years. If you can’t get enough of The Dang Yankee, you can read more on Mike’s website, thedangyankee.com.
Roxie is a 2 1/2 year old Terrier mix (the vet believes that she is mixed with Australian Shepherd) and is 25 pounds. She is very loving and playful and is good with cats, kids and other dogs. Roxie is housetrained, crate-trained, current on shots, and spayed. If you are interested in adopting Roxie and giving her a forever home of her own, then please contact LaPaw at (337) 478-7294 or email lapaw@bellsouth.net. You may also call her foster mom, Rachel, at (337) 349-3979. A vet check and home visit are required. Hurry, Roxie is waiting! 8 March 26, 2015
Vol. 6 • No. 25
Gulf Wars As you read this column, I have been having a great time in the woods of Mississippi with almost 4,000 fellow medieval re-creators. Almost always in March for the last 23 years, members of the Society for Creative Anachronism hold a week-long event entitled “Gulf Wars.” There are maidens fair, nobles, knighted sirs, combatants in armor, armies of warriors, and classes in just about every endeavor you can imagine about life in the Middle Ages. There are weavers, armorers, cooks, formal dances, drum circles, belly dancers, falconry, artisans and merchants of many wares. There are more activities in which you can take part, including the holding of royal courts with all the pomp and circumstance you could desire. I have been going for over 10 years and only regret the very few I missed. It is amazing to see armies of 500-plus fighting an opposing army of the same size. Swords (broad and two-handed), bow and arrow, ballistas, trebuchets, glaves, war hammers and just about Vol. 6 • No. 25
every weapon of those days are represented. All are dressed in “garb”--no one would dream of calling them costumes. Polite behavior is mandatory and honor and chivalry are the standard of the day. All are addressed as either “M’lord” or “M’lady,” or of higher title if one has been earned, such as Your Excellency, Your Highness, Your Majesty, etc. The SCA has divided the “Known World” into different Kingdoms. Louisiana and Mississippi are part of the Kingdom of Gleann Ahbann, Texas is part of the Kingdom of Ansteorra, Florida is part of Trimeris, Georgia and Alabama are part of Meridies. Each Kingdom has a king and queen, along with a crowned prince and princess to replace the monarch every six months. This event is billed as a “War with no Enemies,” meaning that it is all in fun, done according to strict safety standards and rules and all based upon all the traditions of honor and chivalry. Combat victory is determined by the combatants in both individual tournament and mass melee mode. Victory is declared by the loser of any bout; there is no judge to evaluate who wins and who loses as the loser declares himself dead by acknowledging “Good” and falling to the ground as struck by a legally killing blow. There are Marshals to look out for the safety of the combatants and the observ-
ing populace, but they do not rule on the outcome of any bout. The combatants are card-holding “Authorized Fighters,” having undergone training in safety, rules and their weaponry and passing an authorization fight in the presence of an Authorization Marshal and a SCA-elevated knight. They must have already fought an authorized fighter and be able to answer relevant questions, and prove their knowledge of the proper way to engage in armored combat. The vast majority of the Gulf Wars attendees camp on site; there are literally hundreds of period pavilions with glorious banners flying in the breeze, mundane tents camouflaged as best as possible and a very few permanent structures
for various purposes. The normal exchange heard by all is “Have a good war.”
Crawfish Prices Still High We are still hoping for our mudbugs to level out to a more agreeable price. As long as there is enough demand at higher prices, the price of crawfish has no emphasis to go any lower. Remember that your willingness to pay keeps the price above where it could be for any product or service. Just remember the old story of the merchant asking the customer “Do you know why the price is so high?” to which the answer is “Because you’re willing to pay it.” No price survey this issue but we’ll get on it for you next time.
March 26, 2015 9
Fowl Fete Extraordinaire I started hunting and fishing the Hackberry area when I was in college at Joe Dugas’ lease just north of the Sabine National Wildlife Refuge. After that, I had four sections in the then-Shell Oil property just south of the Sabine Reserve and Hackberry. After that, I was on the west side of the Hackberry Salt Ditch in a fresh water impoundment for noted Lake Charles attorney E.C. Hunt. While I was at Lacoste Lodge (1980- 1998), I got to hunt and fish with Terry Shaughnessy of You Should Have Been Here Yesterday TV fame and the Hackberry Rod & Gun Club. From then on, I was the guest of Jim Bel’s Hackberry Hilton Hunting & Fishing Lodge. It was when I was at La-
Auction items
10 March 26, 2015
coste Lodge that I first met the Hackberry KGB (Kirk, Guy and Bobby Stansel), Terry Shaughnessy‘s stepsons. This year, Kirk had put an email hit out on me to attend Hackberry’s Ducks Unlimited banquet on March 12. What’s $50 to a retired teacher and noted The Jambalaya News columnist? That’s exactly what my editor Lauren Abate de Albuquerque teasingly informed me when I asked the paper to pay for it. Undaunted, my girlfriend/photographer Melony Rue LeMay (Rue) and I decided we just had to go. Just how big a deal could a town of 1,261 people put on? If it was anything like the hunting and fishing, it would be a treat. When Rue and I arrived at the metropolis of Hackberry’s
Community Center, some idiot had forgotten his wallet. Lanette Stansel, Kirk’s wife, listened politely to my “I swear I have a $50 check for DU in the wallet I forgot” tale of woe while her truly large German Shepherd lay at her feet under the greeter’s table. She laughed and said, “No problem,” then informed me that her aptly named canine “Moose” was actually a Belgian Malinois, Sure that she knew I was a complete idiot, I entered the spacious center. On tables lining two walls were outdoor life paintings, duck carvings, BB guns, shotguns and rifles of every sort. There were DU paraphernalia ranging from BBQ pits to a crystal DU carafe with four glasses, ice chests, hats, and just about
every damn thing else dealing with the outdoors. I wanted to buy everything, especially the 20 gauge over and under shotgun. But first, there was FOOD. Standing behind the peppercorn prime rib, marvelously seasoned fresh green beans, cheesy and cream cheesed potatoes and fresh green salad was my “podna” Coach Byron Gibbs. We had taught together at LaGrange High School and later, he became a teacher/coach at Hackberry High School. If that was not surprise enough, I also had the honor of visiting with two old hunting pals, Beau Barbe and Sammy Monticello. Rue and I finally made it to the Hackberry Rod & Gun Club’s table with our cuisine.
Roger and Byron Gibbs
Vol. 6 • No. 25
(L to R) Tate Little, Mike Chelene, Sammy Monticello and Beau Barbe
As we delightedly dug, in the fun began. It was auction time. The items donated by DU, corporate sponsors, individuals and artists were to be sold to raise money for DU conservation projects by auctioneer Kenny Kyle. Playing Vanna White and displaying the varied items for the evening was our host Kirk Stansel. The first big winner was Alter Berlin, whose lucky ticket got him the pick of the prizes. Naturally, he chose MY over and under. I lost $20 on that raffle. Later, Rue won so I got a box of shells and a DU calendar, thus breaking even
Vol. 6 • No. 25
(L to R) Kirk Stansel, Guy Stansel, Roger, and Bobby Stansel.
on raffle investments. Then came the piece de resistance, the drawing for a DU weapon of your choice. Rue wanted the pistol. Some other greedy soul won. All we got was the vanilla wafer and pudding dessert, which, while excellent, was not Rue’s pistol! Then I spotted two of my former Jim Bel guides, Tate Little and Mike Chalene at Jim Bel’s Hunting Lodge’s table with Beau and Sammy. I jumped up and rambled over, wildly
signaling to Rue to come take pictures. This was going on while Kenny and Kirk were auctioning off the DU Gun of the Year, a Browning A5 silveretched 12-gauge automatic. Rue looked frantic. Seems she wanted this coonass talking
Moose
with his hands to chill, as I had just bid a $1,000 on the shotgun. Chilled but thrilled that the bidding went on, I got my visit in, hands at my side. The over 150 people there made raising about $30,000 for DU’s conservation projects possible. Especially generous were Cameron LNG, Cheniere Energy, Sabine Bank and Jim Bel‘s Hunting Lodge. I got to be part of it, visit with old friends and make new ones. It was a bon fete extraordinaire that added yet another joy to the fishing and hunting delights I’d had for 45 years around Hackberry. I’ll be back.
March 26, 2015 11
Mending Hearts With Each Stitch How Alexis Robinson touched my heart A young girl named Alexis Kaitlyn Robinson recently took her own life due to bullying. She was only 13. I never met this beautiful girl, but I felt her in my heart. Carly Robinson Haftmann (Alexis’s mother) shared lovely memories with me about her daughter. “Alexis was a kindhearted, thoughtful, generous person,” Carly says. “She was a gentle soul and always respectful. Her laugh was infectious. She was a jokester.” Alexis’s family did everything they could to help her with her bullying situation. Carly, who happens to be a child/adolescent counselor, made sure that Alexis received counseling last year when the bullying became very bad. Carly would tell her to put on her armour before she went out into the world. “The armour was made of her family’s love and support,” she says. “I would tell her to put on the armour with no sword. And Alexis would ask ‘Why not the sword?’ And I would tell her to focus on the shield and the armour first.” Alexis was taking Tae Kwon Do where she was learning to protect herself. She was involved in a youth group and wanted to attend the Louisiana School for Math, Science and the Arts. “She couldn’t wait to be surrounded by like-minded people,” Carly
12 March 26, 2015
says. “Just a few weeks ago, she sat on my lap one day at dinner, and said, ‘Maybe we all feel lonely sometimes’ and I rocked her,” Carly remembers. “She needed it. She often still held my hand.” Some children are bullied relentlessly, and can reach a point of utter hopelessness, feeling that they have no way out of the pain heaped on them by their bullies. In spite of the Robinsons’ best efforts, their daughter took her life. There are multiple characters in this tragedy: the bully, the bullied and the bystanders. There can be no bullying without bullies. But they cannot pull off their cruel deeds without the help of bystanders, who either look away, encourage them or even join in and become bullies themselves. They might also be afraid to step in for fear of becoming the next target. Those who stand by and do nothing have many excuses. “The bully is my friend.” “It’s not my problem!” “She’s not my friend.” “He’s a loser.” “He deserved to be bullied--he asked for it.” “It will toughen him up.” “I don’t want to be a snitch.” Parents of bullies need to be very much aware of what their
children are doing to others. Stop making excuses for your children. Open your eyes and see what is really going on. Make sure they know that there are consequences for their actions—and follow
through. If your child is a bully and you aren’t aware of it, then you are not paying enough attention to your child.
Helping Your Child When you give birth to a child, you know that she is a holy gift. Words can’t describe how perfect this child is as you hold her in your arms. You will spend years helping God perfect this already perfect child. And then our children, whom we have loved and protected, return home broken and their beautiful hearts that used to be filled with innocence are being torn apart. We need to uncover the shame that they are wearing. When their lives have been shaken by unspeakable harm or sorrow, we can help them pray that their broken pieces will be made into something beautiful, and that their doubt will eventually be gone. As parents, we need to teach our children what love is all about and help them see the beauty inside of their own hearts. Teach them that they are never really alone and that God’s love is always with them. To lose a child is the worst thing a parent can live through, and losing a child by suicide is both traumatic and brutal. The Robinsons’ beautiful
child, whom they nurtured, encouraged, and supported, was crushed by the deep scars bullying made—despite professional help and in spite of all of the advocacy they did for her at school and at home. Alexis’s family wants young people to know that it is okay to ask for help. No child should ever have to live with the fear and embarrassment of stigma. “I hope hope that no other parents will have to live with the pain of loss that we live with every day,” Carly says. The family knows that they did the very best they could for their child. Their wish is to help other young people and their families. Alexis was an organ donor and her family recently learned that her eyes were implanted. Someone local received the gift of sight. Alexis lives on. “When she was sad about being different or hurt, I would tell her that she was loved,” Carly remembers. “Every inch of her. She would laugh and ask why. And I would tell her the same thing every time: ‘You are a gift. You saved me. You are my sunshine.’”
Go Fund Me Account Established Amanda Fontenot was a good friend of Carly Robinson. “I was in shock and denial when I found out about Alexis. I thought to myself ‘There’s no way!’ This doesn’t happen to people I know!’ Well, unfortunately, it does happen.” Amanda says that Alexis was full of life. “She would entertain herself or everyone in the room,” she recalls. “ She was sweet, loving, smart beyond her years, well spoken and respectful. At times she was sassy and independent, yet she always had a childlike innocence about her. Carly was a great mother who tried to keep her away from the horrible things teenagers are exposed to Vol. 6 • No. 25
these days. She was not allowed to be on social media sites like Facebook or Twitter. Her cell phone and computer were monitored closely.” Amanda was aware that Alexis was being bullied. “When she started to show signs of depression, Carly immediately sought counseling for her daughter,” she recalls. When she was finally able to talk to Carly after Alexis’s death, Amanda said that Carly told her, “I need this all to mean something and change things somehow.” “When I woke up the next morning, I felt that God had put it in my heart to do something,” Amanda recalls. “I had seen a ‘go fund me’ fundraiser for funeral expenses for a friend of mine and her unborn child on my Facebook newsfeed. I decided to do some research on the safety of the site and I created a ‘go fund me’ account for Alexis Robinson. The site requires that you set a goal. I thought I was being a little ambitious by setting it at $10,000, but went for it anyway. I am amazed and humbled by the generosity of people in our community and even those outside of our state. I am extremely honored and proud that we have raised over $12,000 now.” Amanda says she is meeting with Sara Judson from the Community Foundation of SWLA this week. “With their help, we are hoping to establish a nonprofit organization in Alexis’s honor that will help bring kindness and acceptance in to our schools and communities,” she says. “We are currently building a board of members who will be tasked with creating a mission statement and a statement of purpose so that we can proceed in establishing ourselves as a nonprofit organization. I have received numerous emails and Facebook messages from people donating their services. I cannot thank everyone enough. Our goal is to reach just one child. If we can help someone feel that their life is meaningful and precious, then we have accomplished our goal.” Donations can still be made to http://www.gofundme.com/ alexisrobinson. Vol. 6 • No. 25
the rest of the flour and the coconut. Holding the shrimp by the tail, dredge in the flour. Shake off any excess. Dip into bring when invited to dinner Hello, everyone! beer mixture, let it drip off the instead of a bottle of wine. If Lent is still going strong, excess then roll in the coconut. you are going to serve this as a so I think we’ll stick with a Place on a wax paper liner main course, just make a nice baking sheet and refrigerate seafood recipe for this issue. rice pilaf and a side vegetable In Southwest Louisiana, we for 30 minutes. and you will have a fantastic always have fresh seafood While the shrimp is in the dinner sure to amaze your available and this dish is sure refrigerator, pour the remainfriends and family. And by to please. It can be either an ing 4 ounces of beer and the the way, if you don’t want to appetizer or a main course. additional 12 ounces into a use shrimp or you happen to This is so easy to prepare 16-ounce glass and enjoy! be allergic to seafood like my you’ll wonder why you’re not After 30 minutes, place shrimp girlfriend Staci, you can use making it more often. I have in 350-degree vegetable oil and chicken tenders and follow the fry until golden brown. Do made this dish many times, same recipe. It will be great. either as an appetizer or to this in small batches to avoid crowding the shrimp. Transfer to a paper towel covered What You’ll Need plate to run off any extra oil One pound of 21-25 shrimp (peeled and deveined and serve with Horseradish with the tail still on) Marmalade, which you make by combining 1/3 cup of preOne egg pared horseradish to 2/3 cups 2 12-ounce cans of beer of marmalade. Mix well and enjoy! 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder And…don’t forget to Stir 1 cup A.P. flour Dat Pot!!
Coconut Shrimp with Horseradish Marmalade
2 cups flaked coconut
For the Marmalade Sauce 1/3 cup of prepared horseradish 2/3 cups of marmalade
What You’ll Do Combine the egg, ½ cup of flour, baking powder and 8 ounces of the beer in a bowl and mix well. In two separate bowls, place March 26, 2015 13
By Brian Pitre Have you ever looked out on an empty section of your yard and thought about all the times you’ve said to yourself “I want to plant something there,” but didn’t know how? Have you ever been in a garden center and questioned what grows best in winter versus summer, and will any of it grow in your yard? Not knowing what to plant, when to plant or how to plant has been one of the leading factors in the decline of locally sourced fruits and vegetables in recent years. The knowledge we once possessed as agricultural creatures was an intricate part of every community for centuries. Today, many of us are unsure of where the majority of our food is harvested and from what. Luckily, in the past decade, there has been a wave of green-minded organizations sprouting up all across the country. Focusing on sustainability and reeducating communities on the importance of local production and trade, many of these organizations have grown into thriving companies who now help with funding smaller organizations that are focused on continuing to grow the movement. We in the Lake Area have been blessed with a group who works tirelessly to replant the sustainable nature we once had back into our community. Our Garden Grows is an innovative gardening company that specializes in designing and implementing edible, organic gardens for homeowners, businesses, and municipalities that are not only sustainable but decorative as well. Creatively designing every new project from the ground up, the team dedicates itself to helping its clients grow just as much, if not more than the gardens it plants. Meeting with each client and blueprinting a oneof-a-kind garden that suits their individual or family needs, the crew guides each customer across a new border of horticultural expertise. Derek Hasha maintains a continuous education regimen to stay up to date 14 March 26, 2015
Vol. 6 • No. 25
on a variety of insecticides, fertilizers and planting methods to ensure he is always prepared to answer the tough questions. But planting your own mini-farm is not just about the who, what, when, and where to plant. Whether you are just trying your hand at the art, plotting your own backyard produce stand, or looking for a healthy hobby, you will need to build a garden that caters to your individual goals. “The ability to watch clients hold and taste what they’ve worked so hard to achieve is priceless,” says Beau Guidry, one of the founders of Our Garden Grows. In addition to their private work, the team also works with schools, non-profits, charities, and civic organizations to create community-run and educational gardens. These gardens help grow food for the hungry and homeless of our area as well as educate children and adults about the importance of sustainable agriculture, and make places beautiful. The services these guys offer are growing every day, and so are the gardens they leave behind. So next time you look out into your yard and wonder about that empty plot, remember Our Garden Grows. Our Garden Grows, LLC 700 Dolby St, Lake Charles, La 70605 Like them on Facebook!
Vol. 6 • No. 25
March 26, 2015 15
Sedation Dentistry Many people find the idea of visiting the dentist terrifying at best. In fact, dental phobias are one of the most common types of phobias, affecting millions throughout the United States. According to national studies, nearly 20 percent of Americans avoid the dentist due to fear and anxiety. Many sufferers of this type of fear can experience a number of unpleasant symptoms associated with dental exams and procedures. Some of the most common experiences include difficulty sleeping the night before a dental appointment and panic attacks before or during the visit. Some may experience feelings of nausea, trouble breathing, rapid heart rate and excessive sweating. The anxiety caused by a trip to the dentist is enough to cause some to avoid any future visits. Even when faced with warning signs of painful gums or sensitive teeth, there are many who still choose to not seek treatment. Making matters worse, avoiding regular cleanings can lead to bad dental and gum health, likely compromising your overall wellness. Poor dental health has been linked to heart problems, respiratory illness, low blood sugar imbalances and severe systemic infections. Innovative equipment and techniques have made visiting the dentist a more comfortable experience. Dr. Tim Robinson of Robinson
16 March 26, 2015
Helping You Relax in the Dentist’s Chair
Dental Group and his team understand that many people fear going to the dentist. Dr. Robinson has been practicing dental sedation for over 12 years, one of the very first in the Lake Charles area to adopt the technique. “Having your dental work completed can be a safe and positive experience. Sedation can help calm the patient and reduce anxiety and fears,” notes Dr. Robinson. “Sedation dentistry allows us to create a more comfortable experience for each patient with individualized procedures to help him or her relax.” A number of benefits are associated with the procedure. Some cosmetic and surgical procedures can be lengthy and to avoid restlessness during treatment, sedation is a viable option. If a patient chooses sedation dentistry for a longer procedure, they are usually more at ease and are able to more peacefully rest throughout the extent of the treatment. Sedation can reduce the number of appointments necessary because more work can be completed during each visit. “Sedation dentistry is based on the individual’s needs. In some cases, a mild analgesic, such as nitrous oxide, will remove the edge that many people feel when they sit down in the dentist’s chair. In other cases, severe anxiety can be more completely alleviated through a pill or IV sedation that promotes
relaxation,” assures Dr. Robinson. A sedation dentist will be able to determine if there are any risks to using sedation methods through a thorough evaluation of medical history. Knowing any current medications that the patient may be taking or known allergies is important. Aside from those two factors the risks of using sedation medications are minimal. The side effects are minimal and can actually be beneficial to the patient. One example is the amnesic effect. Patients often report they remember very little or even nothing of the dental appointment. Further, there may be less post-operative soreness due to being sedated or relaxed. Finally, patients often experience a dry mouth when taking these medications. The staff at Robinson Dental Group views their patients as partners in their care, rather than passive recipients. Dr. Robinson and his associate doctors possess a unique ability to empathize with patients while providing excellent care. Dr. Robinson’s team can provide a beautiful new smile, usually in as few as one or two visits utilizing sedation dentistry. To schedule an appointment, contact Robinson Dental Group in Lake Charles at (337) 474-3636 or in Moss Bluff at (337) 429-5057 or visit their website at www.robinsondentalgroup.net.
Vol. 6 • No. 25
WCCH Partners with Eat Healthy Southwest Louisiana The “Eat Healthy Southwest Louisiana” program is part of the Dare to be Healthy Challenge Grant, made possible by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation. Eat Healthy is working with local eateries to designate healthier menu options and create healthier dining environments. They are pleased to welcome our newest Eat Healthy partner, West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital, located at 701 Cypress Street in Sulphur. Local chefs, restaurant owners and dietitians were integral in the development of the initiative. The program offers a simple process to bring healthier options to the forefront. “We are excited to partner with Eat Healthy SWLA, says Fran Landry, RD, LDN, West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital, Director Nutrition Services. “Offering identifiable healthy entrees, sides and salad bar options in our cafe makes it easy for our employees and community members to choose nutritious, yet delicious meals, without the guesswork.” The goal of the Eat Healthy program is to encourage healthy eating and an active lifestyle to support the fight against obesity. “We know that the average American eats out at least four times per week and
Vol. 6 • No. 25
spends almost half of their food dollars doing so,” says Janice Ackley, Dare to be Healthy program coordinator. “By making healthier options readily available, we hope to make these choices simple for diners and improve the health of our community.” Eat Healthy Dietitian Assistant Allison Callahan has worked with West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital to bring them on board with the program. “Our commitment is to support local restaurants with the necessary resources to analyze recipes, identify meals that fit our guidelines, and collaborate with chefs and owners to formulate new and healthy options for diners. It’s encouraging to see the willingness of WCCH, as well as our other partnering restaurants, to support our team’s mission,” she states. To be considered for Eat Healthy designation, the main entrée must have less than
600 calories and less than 800 mg of sodium. Appetizer, soup, salad or dessert menu items must have less than 300 calories and less than 400 mg of sodium. Eat Healthy partners receive many benefits. In addition to a one-on-one consultation overseen by a registered dietitian, they have access to various materials developed by the program including an Eat Healthy sign, window cling, table tents, kids’ activity sheets, “Pack Half ” campaign and stickers, wait staff training, buttons, buffet and salad bar displays, and various recognitions and acknowledgements in the media. West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital joins current Eat Healthy Partners Delta Downs, Gatti’s Pizza, Luna Bar and Grill, Lake Charles Country Club, Stellar Beans, Pitt Grill, Hey Man! Chicken Fingers, Leonard’s Food Quarters, Pops and Rockets, and Lake Area Medical Center. More local restaurants will be coming on board soon. For more information on Eat Healthy SWLA or a list of participating restaurants, visit www.healthierSWLA.com.
March 26, 2015 17
LC Memorial Hospital Construction Projects Set to Be Completed in the Fall Several major construction projects which broke ground in early 2014 at Lake Charles Memorial Hospital are set to be completed this fall. An expanded and renovated emergency department, a new state-of-the-art intensive care unit and a full-service medical office building are all set to be completed by the end of 2015. These three main projects are all part of a more than $40 million investment in upgrades to the Memorial Health System, along with planned renovations and expansions to the rehabilitation and surgery areas. “We have certainly made great improvements to enhance the quality and array of services we provide to the community,” says Larry Graham, president and CEO of the Memorial Health System. “Most recently, we completed the rehabilitation unit, the reading room, are currently constructing a medical office building on Nelson Road and are expanding and upgrading our emergency room.” From the services standpoint, Memorial has implemented a mobile nurse-to-patient
Future Nelson Road Office Building
phones system on inpatient nursing units, added an urgent care and specialty clinics to the W.O. Moss Memorial Health Clinic ad recruited additional doctors for the Memorial Medical Group. A new Intensive Care Unit is under construction, with renovations to follow to the current ICU. New technology additions this year include a system that identifies patient information via a hand scan. PatientSecure® is a new and more secure way to register at any participating Memorial Health System facility. The system utilizes the latest in biometric technology that will streamline patient registration and provide accurate identification of patients. A new discharge system is also in place, which provides a video with discharge instructions and sends
text reminders, emails, tasks, and care messages to patients for better compliance with their care plan. “Healthcare is evolving and so must we. In just a few short years, we have reinvented our hospital into a thriving health care system, the best in Southwest Louisiana,” Graham says. “It’s a positive time for all of our hospitals, clinics and physician offices. We are proud of our past success, but even more committed to the future of Memorial, a future that we are building to serve you.”
CHRISTUS St. Patrick Announces Podiatric Medicine and Surgical Residency Program The CHRISTUS St. Patrick Hospital Podiatric Medicine and Surgical Residency Program has been granted approval by the Council on Podiatric Medical Education of the American Podiatric Medical Association, after passing its rigorous on-site visit at the end of last year. The first resident will enter the program in July, with an additional resident being added each year. Medical students looking to expand into the field of podiatric surgery will have an opportunity to gain hands-on experience and training from foot and ankle surgeons at CHRISTUS St. Patrick Hospital and Center for Orthopaedics, an affiliate of Imperial Health. The residency is a three-year, surgically oriented program that will focus on foot and ankle surgery and comprehensive podiatric medicine. With one doctor accepted each year; after three years, there will continually be three residents in the program. Doctors entering the program will have already earned their DPM (Doctor of Podiatric Medicine). The residency program will give these doctors more intense training in CHRISTUS St. Patrick’s operating rooms as well as at Imperial Calcasieu Surgical Center and West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital. These residents will also gain extensive direct patient-care experience in the areas of wound care, diabetic care, and podiatric research. Residents will receive podiatric and orthopedic experience, including clinical and practice management in the hospital and office settings. Residents will also rotate in various specialties at CHRISTUS St. Patrick Hospital including emergency medicine, internal medicine, general surgery, pediatrics and radiology, receiving training from 14 participating doctors and specialties. In addition, these residents will complete rotations through LSU Health Science Center in New Orleans and the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, which will give them advanced surgical and enhanced research experience in their field. Because the residency is partnered with Center for Orthopaedics, the 18 March 26, 2015
region’s largest musculoskeletal group, the residents will not only have the opportunity to work closely with experienced orthopaedic surgeons and specialists, they will also work within the group’s Sports Medicine Program, which provides services to McNeese State University and 14 area high schools. This adds a training aspect to the program that many podiatric residents don’t access to. Donald Lloyd II, CEO of CHRISTUS St. Patrick Hospital, says CHRISTUS is proud to be launching the new residency program, particularly at a time when the population in our region is expanding rapidly. “It makes perfect sense to us to not only recruit new doctors, but to train them right here to meet the high standards of patient care we’ve established for our hospital. Our medical staff is excited to be a part of the program and we are all looking forward to welcoming the residents to our medical community.” “We didn’t want to offer a one-dimensional training program that just repeated what these doctors had already learned in medical school,” says Dr. Tyson Green, Residency Program Director. “CHRISTUS wanted to go way beyond that. With the help and support of the participating doctors, including my partners here at CFO, we’ve created a program that will be second to none in the country.” Dr. Green says that the doctors training here will have incredible access to a diverse range of real practice settings, working with experienced physicians from a wide range of subspecialties. “Our involvement with McNeese on the sports medicine front provides additional training opportunities that are not available with most podiatric medicine residency programs,” he said. “We’ll be carefully screening applicants to ensure that we bring the most qualified doctors here to Southwest Louisiana.” Applications are now being accepted from potential residents and interviews have begun. Additional information about the program is available by contacting Dr. Green at the Center for Orthopaedics, (337) 721-7236. Vol. 6 • No. 25
Lake Area Medical Center Recognized for Quality, Cost-Effective Bariatric Surgery Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana has recognized Lake Area Medical Center as one of the first healthcare facilities in the nation to receive a Blue Distinction® Center+ designation in the area of bariatric surgery by the Blue Distinction® Centers for Specialty Care program. Blue Distinction® Centers are nationally designated healthcare facilities shown to deliver quality specialty care based on objective measures, which were developed with input from the medical community, for patient safety and better health outcomes. To receive a Blue Distinction Center+ for Bariatric Surgery designation, a healthcare facility must demonstrate success in meeting patient safety as well as bariatric-specific quality measures, including complications and readmissions, for gastric stapling and/ or gastric banding procedures. A healthcare facility must also have earned national accreditations at both the facility level and the bariatric care-specific level, as well as demonstrate better cost efficiency relative to its peers. Quality is key: only those facilities that first meet Blue Distinction’s nationally-established, objective quality measures will be considered for designation as a Blue Distinction Center+. Lake Area Medical Center is proud to be recognized by Blue Cross and Blue
Vol. 6 • No. 25
Shield of Louisiana for meeting the rigorous selection criteria for bariatric surgery set by the Blue Distinction Centers for Specialty Care program. “We are honored to be recognized for our long standing tradition of providing the community with high quality, weight loss surgery options,” says Bryan S. Bateman, CEO of Lake Area Medical Center. “This service line, in particular, allows us the privilege to work with patients every step of the way as they embark on a new and improved healthy lifestyle. With our highly experienced team of bariatric nurses, and the medical oversight of Dr. Keith Chung, board certified general surgeon and an independent member of the medical staff at Lake Area Medical Center, it quickly becomes a very gratifying experience to be involved in these successful outcomes.” According to Bateman, the Blue Distinction Center + is an important designation for Lake Area Medical Center, and sets us apart as a hospital that is highly committed to quality, cost efficiency and patient safety. Bariatric surgeries are among the most common elective surgeries in the U.S., which provides a significant opportunity to improve quality and efficiency within the healthcare system. It is estimated that 72 million Americans are obese and 24 million suffer from
morbid obesity, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The estimated annual healthcare costs of obesityrelated illnesses are $190.2 billion, or nearly 21 percent of annual medical spending in the U.S., according to the Journal of Health Economics. “More and more, research is showing us that healthcare facilities that provide the highest quality care not only have better health outcomes for their patients, but often keep costs under control, too,” said Dr. David Carmouche, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Executive Vice President for External Operations and Chief Medical Officer. “We are proud to recognize the Blue Distinction Centers+ in Louisiana that are demonstrating high quality and cost efficiency in providing bariatric surgery.” Research shows that facilities designated as Blue Distinction Centers+ demonstrate better quality and improved outcomes for patients compared with their peers. On average, Blue Distinction Centers+ are also 20 percent or more cost efficient than non-BDC+ designated healthcare facilities. For more information about the program and for a complete listing of the designated facilities, please visit www.bcbs.com/bluedistinction.
March 26, 2015 19
By Lauren Abate de Albuquerque If you know me well, then you know about my passion for Bloody Marys. I adore them, and I adore them filled with all kinds of good stuff. There’s nothing worse than getting a Bloody Mary with just a straw and some ice. Really?? Load that baby up! I want salt and pickles and olives and spicy green beans and whatever else you can throw in there. Well, there’s one place in town that will never disappoint in that department. Jack Daniel’s at L’Auberge Lake Charles is now serving Sunday brunch from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. out on the patio, and their Bloody Mary bar is just the ticket. You can get a traditional Bloody Mary for just $6 with your choice of either Absolut, Absolut Peppar or Absolut Cilantro and your choice of rim seasoning: salt, celery salt, Cajun Redhead or JD’s signature spice blend. It comes with celery, spicy green beans and lemon and lime. For a $1 more, you can choose two of the following: dill pickles, stuffed olives, pickled okra, grilled baby peppers, cilantro or Frog Balls—which are pickled Brussels sprouts
20 March 26, 2015
and simply delicious. But wait, there’s more! For an additional $2, you can “make it a meal” as it says on the menu, and add spicy boiled shrimp or the best thick-sliced applewood bacon I’ve ever had. OR you can really have fun and get a Benny’s Beef Straw, which is exactly what it sounds like—a stick of beef sausage hollowed out so you can sip your spicy drink AND have a bit of sausage as well. Look at the photo. Perfection! But there’s a lot more to the brunch than Bloody Marys. I was with a large group and we all had something different so we could try everything. The crawfish cakes were drizzled with remoulade and sweet bell pepper relish. I’m not a relish fan, but their version was excellent and enhanced the remoulade. The bread, Brie and bacon dish came out on a hot skillet so you can imagine how that melted Brie tasted, especially with fire-roasted apples mixed in with the chopped bacon. I don’t care for French toast. But everyone was dying over it, so I had to give in.
The toast was smothered in Jack Daniels, Creole mustard, cane syrup, caramelized onions, candied pecans and bacon. The mustard and onions balanced the sweetness perfectly. It was amazing; although it was so rich that one forkful was enough for me. Grilled cheese and tomato soup spell comfort food and the grilled cheese trio (cheddar, pimento and brie with bacon and tomatoes) with cream of tomato soup was enough for two people and was beyond comforting. Their version of eggs benedict includes Andouille and crawfish with a spicy crawfish hollandaise. The eggs were perfectly poached. There is nothing like a good poached egg. There’s something for everyone on Jack Daniel’s brunch menu, but you can also have their regular menu offerings as well. And an added bonus is music—we were fortunate to be able to listed to the sublime stylings of Jarius and Chester Daigle as we enjoyed our meal. Be assured that there will be always be some kind of entertainment on the patio this season. And you’ll probably see me there a lot—if you can find me behind my Bloody Mary-with-Everything. Cheers!
Jack Daniel’s Whiskey Brunch
L’Auberge Lake Charles Casino Resort Sundays 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
337.395.7104
Vol. 6 • No. 25
Leap Into Literacy
Read for the Record
Vol. 6 • No. 25
On November 11, 1933, 11 young visionaries gathered at the first meeting of the then-called Junior Welfare League. Eightyplus years later, the legacy of leadership and passion for filling specific needs in the community continues with a membership of nearly 600 female volunteers in the Junior League of Lake Charles, Inc. (JLLC). The JLLC has a legacy of serving, strengthening and sustaining the community through their funding and volunteer services. During the last five years alone, these women have performed over 120,000 hours of community service and have funded over $600,000 in community programs and volunteer training. The Junior League is donating time, volunteer support and funding to implement The Leader in Me program at Maplewood Elementary. They also partner with Oak Park and Dolby Elementary as volunteers and provide parent trainings and fitness/health programs at these schools to further strengthen families in this community. They collaborate with other organizations, such as Family & Youth, for deeper impact. The League envisions a more healthy, confident and educated community and is focusing their efforts and funding in the next few years on healthy families, literacy and workforce/leadership development. Additionally, the JLLC provides grants to local educators and scholarships for volunteer-minded females. The funds raised through donations and events (such as the Leaguers & Links Golf Tournament and Mistletoe & Moss) are used for these types of community programming, grants and scholarships. The Junior League of Lake Charles, Inc. is an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of
women, and improving the community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable.
Community Focus Areas The three community focus areas are: • Literacy • Healthy Families • Leadership Development
LITERACY ‘Leap Into Literacy’ American Girl Doll Adventures The JLLC has purchased 20 American Girl dolls and accompanying stories from the historical series. We have partnered with the Calcasieu Parish Public Library Central Branch, where children may check them out and write in a journal to document their adventures with the dolls. The JLLC hosted the American Girl Doll Kick-Off Tea Party on March 24 from 4-6 pm at the Central Library, and the children had a blast! Hungry Caterpillar Project Committee members will host two events to benefit our local Head Start program. The events will be centered on the beloved tale, The Hungry Caterpillar. We will assist with a variety of fun reading comprehension activities. Read for the Record Recap Jumpstart’s Read for the Record is a national campaign that provides the opportunity for millions to celebrate literacy and promote high-quality early education for all children in America. Participants read the same book on the same day to as many children as possible. On October 21, 2014, JLLC volunteers visited approximately 20 schools and attended the Literacy Day event hosted by the Literacy Council of SWLA. In all, volunteers read to nearly 1,500 children, and provided a copy of Bunny Cakes to each school’s library and the Literacy Council. Thank you to all of our Provisionals, Actives and Sustainers who took time to become a volunteer reader for the day. It was a huge success!
HEALTHY FAMILIES Light It Up Blue for Autism Awareness The Healthy Families Committee (HFC) is excited for their upcoming event highlighting Autism Awareness. The vision of the HFC is to bring to light and to celebrate the special needs children, their families and March 26, 2015 21
Leadership Development: Leader in Me Parent Trainings
FIT KIDS: at Oak Park Elementary all of the incredible local organizations providing services to these individuals. According to Autism Speaks: • Autism is a developmental disorder that impacts a person’s ability to communicate and socialize. Individuals with autism often have repetitive behaviors and debilitating medical issues. • Autism now affects 1 in 68 children and 1 in 42 boys and the figures are steadily growing. • Autism is the fastest growing serious developmental disability in the U.S. • Autism can cost a family $60,000/year. • Boys are nearly five times more likely than ggirls to get autism. • Currently, there is no medical detection or cure for autism. Our community has several service organizations that provide direct or indirect care to children and adults with autism. These organizations include the St. Nicholas Center for Children (which was founded by a Junior League member),
McNeese Autism Program, Autism Services SWLA and Autism Society SWLA. April 2 is World Autism Day. People all over the world “Light It Up Blue” to show their support for the millions of individuals and families around the world affected by autism. The HFC has been working to bring this Autism Speaks event to Lake Charles. We are pursuing several local businesses and neighborhoods, landmarks and government buildings. The Junior League of Lake Charles, Inc. will be providing all the blue bulbs and yard signs. Call Junior League Headquarters at (337) 436-4025 if you’re interested in getting a blue light bulb or yard sign for your home or business. Loving Our Community: Joy Drive 2014 The Junior League of Lake Charles, Inc. organizes a Joy Drive every year during the holiday season. This year, the League’s Joy Drive benefitted two organizations - ETC Harbour House and the Transitional Living Program (TLP). ETC Harbour House (a former League program) is a 16-bed licensed residential facility for children ages 13-17. The program serves runaway and homeless youth, abused and neglected chil-
Promoting Volunteerism
22 March 26, 2015
Vol. 6 • No. 25
dren, foster youth, status offenders and youth in need of a safe place. Harbour House also provides brief respite for children of families in crisis to ensure safety and reduce stress. They provide group and individual counseling, and is an official home bound school that also offers credit recovery, educational and recreational activities, aftercare, and linkage to resources. TLP is scattered site with supervised apartment housing for youth ages 16-21 who are homeless/aging out of foster care or the State Juvenile Justice System. We are happy to report that we “synergized” and provided EVERY ITEM ON THE WISHLISTS! This Joy Drive focused on the older children and teens that are typically forgotten about during the holidays.
FIT KIDS League members facilitated another successful FIT KIDS program at Oak Park Elementary. The fifth grade class learned healthy eating habits, how to read food labels, fitness techniques and about “sharpening their saws” to be the best they can be. Healthy habits make healthy minds. We are proud of our most recent FIT KIDS graduates!
Improving Our Community
Arts & Humanities Council of SWLA Arts Fest Calcasieu Community Clinic The Children’s Museum Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Done in a Day (now Impact Support) Family & Youth Counseling Agency
parent trainings to reinforce the character- building, goal-setting strategies the children are learning at school. In November, they “synergized” with the rest of the League to host our fundraiser, Mistletoe & Moss. The money raised enables the JLLC to provide meaningful programming, such as the Leader in Me, to our community. On December 3, 2014, they collaborated with another organization to co-host the Kids Can Engagement Breakfast at L’Auberge. We look forward to our continued work with students and parents at Dolby, Maplewood and Oak Park Elementary.
Young Entrepreneur Event— December 11, 2014 The JLLC hosted the Young Entrepreneur Event with Dolby’s SPARK (gifted and talented) students at the Civic Center. This inLEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT novative event was the culmination of weeks Branch Out & Grow— of hard work for these kids. They “began The Leader in Me Program with the end in mind” to develop their own Improving the Community One Leader at a Time products and a business plan. After signing The Leadership Development Commit“Loan Agreements” for funding from their tee has been helping cultivate leaders at parents, the students sold the products to our local schools and providing valuable the general public and gave 10 percent to the training opportunities to our members. charities they studied in social studies class. In October, they hosted two Leader in Me Dolby is a Leader in Me school, so the 7 Habits of Highly EffecPeople were incorMistletoe & Moss tive porated into all aspects of this event. The JLLC Headquarters is located at 1019 Lakeshore Drive, Lake Charles, LA 70601. To become a volunteer member, learn more about the yyear-round community impact, or to support our programs through donations and sponsorships, please visit www. jjllc.net or call (337) 436-4025. Vol. 6 • No. 25
Many people are unaware that the Junior League was a catalyst for the creation of many well-known programs, agencies and fundraisers, including the following:
First Steps Harbour House Healthy Choices (FIT KIDS) HELPing Hands at Moss Regional Heritage Awareness/Heritage Hike Heritage Gallery Imperial Calcasieu Museum Junior Leagues’ Kids in the Kitchen Kids’ Choice Puppets Lake Charles Symphony Leaguers & Links Golf Tournament Lego Motion (Autism Awareness) Liberty Belles Life Lessons 101 (now Leadership Development) Literacy Council of SWLA Marshes to Mansions Cookbook *Mistletoe and Moss Holiday Market Nearly New Shop Pet Therapy Pirate’s Pantry Cookbook Prevent Child Abuse Louisiana (PCAL) Rebuilding Together (formerly Christmas in April) Speech & Hearing Center Substance Abuse Resource Center Teen Leadership Council (TLC) That’s My Bag (now Fostering Families) Volunteer Center of SWLA March 26, 2015 23
By Lauren de Albuquerque Mark your calendars for Thursday, April 16. Divas n’ Denim, the spring fundraiser for the Foundation of Lake Charles Memorial Hospital’s Cancer Care Fund, will be held at the Calcasieu Marine Building in downtown Lake Charles. An evening of spring and summer fashions courtesy of Dillard’s will feature Levi’s ® jackets, hand designed by Louisiana artists that will be auctioned at the event. Leif Pedersen, the senior vice president of the Foundation, is the man behind the idea. “About 15 years ago, I was at the national conference for Healthcare Philanthropy Executives and attended a session where a California hospital exec spoke about a successful event he had just held where he recruited artists such as Peter Max and Leroy Neiman to hand-paint shirts that were modeled by known models in L.A.,” he recalls. “I forgot about the concept until I was working with some of our Art for the Souls artists last fall and it dawned on me that we have outstanding artists in our community and other parts of Louisiana who might do the same; and God knows this community wears denim!” Pedersen worked out an arrangement with Levi Strauss & Co. to get jackets in all sizes and colors partially donated and started lining up artists to paint them with the understanding that all of the proceeds would go to the Cancer Fund. “Only one artists said no, and that was only because she had a major show coming up,” Pedersen says. “We ended up with 23 artists painting and decorating 25 jackets. The reason there are 25, two more than the number of artists, is I asked Tony Bernard (Lafayette area) who has a license to do LSU art and Susan Hebert, who has the same for McNeese. Each did a college-themed jacket in addition to the one they are doing for the event.” The Foundation’s Cancer Fund was established to assist in the care and comfort of Memorial’s patients. “We have purchased a number of needs they had, such as warming units for blankets used while undergoing chemo treatments, dozens of new re24 March 26, 2015
cliners for the Cancer Bays, televisions for the Bays and rooms, etc. We have a large number of patients who go through treatment at two of our campuses and we try to help in any way we can. The larger items needed to become part of our capital process.” Since this is the first time doing Divas n’ Denim, Pedersen’s goal is to create awareness about the program while having a good time in the process. “Dillard’s has graciously added a dimension to our event by providing a full fashion show of their new spring and summer lines,” he says. “Additionally, we have Benefactor sponsors who have enabled us to open the doors with 90 percent of the costs underwritten. The ticket revenue and the proceeds from the silent auction of the jackets all go to our cause. Believe me, that’s a very warm feeling.” The Foundation is know for its outstanding fundraisers, thanks to Pedersen and his staff and board. “We try very hard to present high quality events for all constituents of the Foundation while at the same time giving back to the community we serve,” he says. With each event tied to a separate program under the Foundation’s umbrella, Pedersen says he is fortunate to have a CEO and a board that understands that philosophy and embraces what he tries to achieve. “The more we can be involved with various sectors of the community, the more we can spread our message that we are the community hospital and anything we are lucky enough to realize from our hospital and Foundation operations stays in the Lake Charles area,” Pedersen says. “And, if you can provide the programs in a setting where there is something for everyone, as we try to do with the half dozen events we present each year, that’s all the better.”
Divas n’ Denim Thursday, April 16 The Historic Calcasieu Marine Bank Building 844 Ryan St. Lake Charles 5-7:30 p.m. Champagne, wine and hot & cold appetizers provided by Reeves Uptown Catering Music provided by the John Mahoney Trio Attire: Dressy casual Individual tickets: $75, table sponsors: $600, patrons: $1,000, benefactors: $2,500 Tickets can be purchased at www.lcmh.com Vol. 6 • No. 25
Power Up in Faith March 26 CHRISTUS will host the annual Power Up in Faith dinner on Thurs., March 26 at 6:30 p.m. at Reeves Uptown Catering. The event will feature LaDonna Gatlin, inspirational speaker and sister of the Gatlin Brothers. Tickets are $50 each and may be purchased online at www.stpatrickfoundation.org or at CHRISTUS Hospice and Palliative Care at 4444 Lake St., Lake Charles. For more information, call (337) 395-5600 or (337) 499-3239.
Families Helping Families Clay Shoot March 27 Families Helping Families of SWLA announces their inaugural “Pull for Families Helping Families” Clay Shoot hosted by
Team Mary Elizabeth. It will be held on Fri., March 27 at the Lake Charles Gun Club located at 6601 Ward Line Road in Lake Charles. Event times are 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. There will be food and drinks for all registrants and golf carts, Gators and 4-wheelers are welcome. Funds will be dedicated to providing coaching and support for parents of newly diagnosed children with any type of disability. Register at www.fhfswla.org.
SWLA Garden Conference & Expo March 27-28 With gardening experts on hand, exhibitors and vendors selling plants, and garden products and accessories, the EXPO has everything you need to start or maintain your garden. It will be held at Burton Coliseum in Lake Charles on March 27-28 from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission is $3 per person, and kids 12 and under get in free. www.gardenfest.org.
Free to Breathe Run/Walk March 28 The sixth annual Free to Breathe 5K run/walk, hosted by the SWLA Lung Cancer Group Partnership, will begin at 8 a.m. Sat., March 28, at the Lake Charles Civic Center. The 5K run and onemile walk will travel through Lake Charles’ historic garden district. Registration cost for the 5K run/walk is $25 in advance and $30 on the day of the event. www.freetobreathe.org, jmkamla@ gmail.com.
Vietnam Vets Honor Day March 28 The City of Lake Charles Mayor’s Armed Forces Commission will host a “Vietnam Veterans Honor Day” event on Sat. March 28 at 10 a.m., at Veterans Memorial Park. Immediately following the program, there will be a “Family Day Picnic” adjacent to the park with fun activities for children, including kite flying. (337) 491-1201.
Glad Tidings Church Easter Egg Hunt March 28 Join Glad Tidings for train rides, puppets, inflatable jumps, balloons, and food on March 28 from 10 a.m. – noon. Candy and prizes for all children through age 11. Egg hunt schedule: 0-2 years @ 10:15 a.m., 3-4 years @10:35 a.m., 5-7 years @ 10:55 a.m., 8-11 years @ 11:15 a.m. Bring your own basket! 3400 Texas Street, Lake Charles. (337) 477-7774.
Wild Beast Feast March 28 The Wild Beast Feast, the annual fundraiser for the Lake Charles Symphony, will be held at the Historic Cash and Carry Building in Lake Charles on Sat., March 28 with doors opening at 5 p.m. Enjoy 3 Hour Tour featuring Al Touchet, Jay Ecker and Bob Landry and take part in the silent and live auctions. Individual tickets are $50 (14 years and up); $25 (7-13 years); and free for those 6 years and under. Reserved tables available. www. lcsymphony.com, (337) 433-1611. 26 March 26, 2015
Vol. 6 • No. 25
Tour of Homes March 29 The 40th Annual Palm Sunday Tour of Homes will feature homes throughout historic Lake Charles with gracious homeowners sharing their gardens and interiors on Palm Sunday, March 29, from 1-5 p.m. Homes will display a variety of distinctive exterior design styles, lush sub-tropical gardens, and exquisite interiors. For more information on tours, prices and schedules, visit www.calcasieupreservation.org or call (337) 433-2385.
Louisiana Railroad Days Festival April 9-11 Head to the DeQuincy Railroad Museum for the LA Railroad Days Festival! There will be carnival rides for all ages, a children’s stage, 5K run, Gospel Night, live entertainment, Hobo Bean cook-off, food booth, parade, pageant and more! Free parking and admission, alcohol-free. Thurs. 5-11 p.m., Fri. 3-11 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.-midnight. www.larailroaddaysfestival.com.
Downtown Crawfish Festival April 10-11 Celebrate in downtown Lake Charles at one of the spiciest events in Southwest Louisiana! With crawfish season in full swing, get hungry for over 10,000 pounds of hot, boiled crawfish. Other featured events include live music, a queen’s pageant, parade, and the Mitchell Brother’s Carnival at one of the largest indoor and outdoor festivals held at the Lake Charles Civic Center, 900 Lakeshore Dr. www.downtowncrawfest.com.
Tim Tebow April 10 Tim Tebow will host a “Night of Inspiration” on Fri., Apr. 10, at 6:30 p.m. at the Lake Charles Civic Center. Sponsored by MaciFest, funds raised will benefit autism organizations in SWLA and McNeese athletics. Tebow will speak in a question-and-answer format. For ticket info, Contact Nikki Fontenot at (337) 802-7932 or macifest15@gmail.com, or visit the MaciFest Facebook page at www.facebook. com/macifest.
Afternoon of a Faun, Claude Debussy; Cello Concerto No. 2 in D, Joseph Haydn featuring Lachecar Kostov; and Cello Symphony No. 4 in F minor, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. wwwlcsymphony.com.
Lake Charles Symphony Children’s Concert April 12 The LC Symphony’s Children’s Concert will be held at 3 p.m. on Sunday, April 12 the Rosa Hart Theatre. Performance includes Once Upon a Time 5 Fairytales for Orchestra, Bernard Rogers and Cello Concerto No. 2 in D, First Movement, Joseph Haydn with Lachezar Kostov, Cello. Francis G. Bulber Youth Symphony along with other Calcasieu Parish students plays along with the Lake Charles Symphony Orchestra.
Jazz in the Courtyard April 17 Jazz in the Courtyard is an open-air concert and dinner event featuring the Stan Kenton Legacy Orchestra, along with the Jazz in the Arts Student Combo and the Westlake High School Jazz Band. It will be held Fri., April 17 at the Calcasieu Marine Bank Building. Tickets are $20 for general admission and $400 for VIP tables of 8. Doors open and dinner starts at 6 p.m., concert begins at 7 p.m. www.jayecker@ hotmail.com, (337) 853-8800 jazzinthearts.webconnex.com/jazzinthecourtyard.
Westlake Family Fun & Food Festival April 17-19 Established in 1992 after 25 years of being the St. John Bosco Church Bazaar, the Westlake Family Fun & Food Festival started as a small town festival bringing the community together for good times with family and friends. Held at St. John Bosco church, there will be activities for the whole family. Enjoy the games, train rides, moon walks, great food and more! (337) 439-6585.
‘Walk a Mile in Her Shoes’ April 11 On April 11, men from all walks of life will walk one mile inside Prien Lake Mall in women’s high-heeled shoes to protest rape and sexual assault. The march is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. with registration ($30 per person) and checkin starting at 8 a.m. at the mall, located at 496 W. Prien Lake Rd. Women and children are also welcome to register. tvincent@lcmh.com, (337) 302-7679.
Lake Charles Symphony Concert April 11 The LC Symphony’s Concert 3 will be held at the Rosa Hart Theatre at 7:30 p.m. on April 11. Performance includes Vol. 6 • No. 25
March 26, 2015 27
and put the chores on you know who. What will Ella do? Will her mother’s advice to be kind and have courage work here? Ella wants to honor her parents by honoring their house and home, but her life becomes unbearable. Enter the prince. I’ve gone to a lot of trouble to tell you a story you already know to say this: The first half of Cinderella is extremely bittersweet. For a young girl to have so much misfortune 30 minutes into (Disney, 2015) a children’s movie does not Disney continues to create with plenty of money and make for a typical children’s these beautiful movies, fairy servants. But when Ella is still movie. I know Disney has tales about princes and maid- a child, her mother takes sick its dark moments, but Cinens and evil stepmothers. and dies, and all the happiderella isn’t even lightened Cinderella, their live action ness is gone. by so much as a song. The instant classic, is no slouch Eventually her father sisters are slightly amusing in when it comes to workmanremarries. His new wife and their idiot rudeness, but what ship. her daughters come to the really drags the movie down Cinderella, or Ella, which country. Moving in, they is the wonderfully evil Cate is her real name, is take control of the Blanchett as the stepmother. born into a happy, household, immedi- The moments where she dehappy household. ately taking a dis- grades and insults Cinderella Her mother and like to Ella. Soon are truly cringeworthy. father dote on her her father dies Of course, we were in the and love her, livwhile away theater with about 50 little ing as they do in a on business, girls and the ones near me country mansion leaving Ella got very bored and went for with her the concession stand very stepmoth- early. They missed a wonderer and ful scene where Cinderella stepsisters, meets her prince in the who imme- woods, and came back about diately exile the time the fairy godmother her to the made her fantastic appearattic, fire the ance. servants, And so it goes, a movie that careens between these wonderful scenes of Disney Magic™ and scenes of obscene stepmotherly treatment of Cinderella. The audience was on the edge of its seat
Cinderella
28 March 26, 2015
when the transformation of the pumpkin took place, and the prince’s ball will go down in history as the most classic piece of princess fantasy ever filmed. To be dancing in front of all these people with the prince that only has eyes for her! The whole sequence, from pumpkin to coach and back to pumpkin, was worth the price of admission. But then the magic wears off and Cinderella is back at home as her stepmother plots more evil. Yeah, you’d like to scratch her eyes out, anything to get her out of this movie. Do you get it yet? You simply have to go see this new classic, but tragically, it’s not a movie for the little girls it pulls in with the promotion. It doesn’t matter. Disney’s audience will get the Bluray for Christmas and grow up internalizing the abuse Cinderella receives and her fortunate rescue by the prince and Helena-Bonham-Carter, who’s actually the fairy godmother, for God’s sake. I’m personally appalled at the way Disney splits its fans in two, with the utter fantasy of a rich prince on one side and the eventual whoredom of Miley Cyrus on the other. Where does that leave a young girl? In front of the screen, searching for her happy ending, of course. So there you have it, an exquisitely crafted fantasy melded with scenes of abuse and venom. Disney wins the princess wars once more. I can’t wait to see it again. Cinderella is rated PG for abuse and ridicule. Enjoy!
Vol. 6 • No. 25
Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness The Declaration of Independence says those are things you get just for living here. But did you ever notice that the third one takes some work? You have to pursue happiness, but how can you chase something so ethereal? Dave Barry has some ideas for you. And in his new book Live Right and Find Happiness (Although Beer is Much Faster), you’ll catch them. Contrary to popular belief, money can buy happiness. The truth, says Barry, is that you “need a really large quantity of it.” And if you don’t have money, “you’re going to have to face the harsh truth: You need more beer.” And yet, sometimes Barry wonders if he’s really happy, in the way he was when he was “young and carefree and basically an idiot.” He envies his daughter for the fun she has, just like he envies his Greatest Generation parents for the fun they made years ago. David Beckham, though: Barry envies him because he’s “considered to be the hottest man on Earth by essentially every woman on Earth…” Including Barry’s wife, who’s a soccer writer for a major newspaper Not that he’s bitter about it… Maybe happiness comes with a driver’s license. Barry’s daughter is awfully excited about that, even though “there isn’t anybody that the Florida Department of Vol. 6 • No. 25
Motor Vehicles doesn’t think can drive a car.” If it were left up to Barry, at any rate, Sophie would drive a 1961 Plymouth Valiant station wagon for a while. But seriously (if that’s possible here), our parents had much more fun than we’re having, maybe because “They were just not as into worrying as we are today.” In Brazil, they know what happiness is: whether their soccer team wins or not (preferably not “not”). Russians are people just like us – they love their families, they want nice things, they hate referees – and they certainly seem happy. On the other hand, happiness is not found on TV or through the American Dream, and it’s definitely not found in DIY stores. Maybe happiness is found with family, past and present, near and far. “If not, there’s always beer.” Take a hike around any bookstore, and you’ll see that the Self-Help section is pretty good-sized. It can be difficult to know which book will make the most impact on your life, so why not make it easy for yourself ? Just grab Live Right and Find Happiness (Although Beer is Much Faster) and call it even.
I’m kidding; this book will be found in the humor section. Still, the point is that author Dave Barry will make you happy laughing at his rants and hilarious (but spot-on) observations about, well, just about everything from high school nerdiness to Vladimir Putin. Nothing’s safe from his gentle pokes – and that includes your heart, at the end of this book. That’s typical, vintage, perfect Barry and fans are going to love it. If that’s you, then Live Right and Find Happiness (Although Beer is Much Faster) is a book to pursue. Live Right and Find Happiness (Although Beer is Much Faster) by Dave Barry ©2015, Putnam $26.95 / $31.00 Canada 225 pagess March 26, 2015 29
Vivian Broussard
Jerica Guillory
With Tommie Townsley
Jerica Guillory’s
A Pig Tale
Language lovers unite and prepare to be charmed by this silly swine tale! Created for wordy birds of every age, shape and size, Jerica Guillory has brought storytellers a goldmine full of idioms and opposites along with deliciously delectable words that make for read-out-loud awe-
30 March 26, 2015
someness! You will fall head over heels for the Siamese sisters, Francine and Tallulah, as they unknowingly tangle themselves into a China Berry tree while arguing about who’s the TALLEST (a topic of utmost importance in the giraffe world) and deem
themselves permanently unavailable to assist their neighbor, Piggles, in his efforts to help a newly hatched chick named Rose get back up to her nest.
A Pig Tale, written by Jerica Guillory and illustrated by Vivian Broussard, both of Eunice, is an adorable story about a pig who can fly… but ONLY when he giggles. He comes across a situation that is no laughing matter. Will he be able to rise to the occasion? Contact the author herself to purchase your very own copy and find out! Books are $18 and professional audio recordings are available on CD for only $5 and are a great companion to the book. Every Easter basket should have a pig in it! jericanamerica@hotmail.com, (337) 580-4100, Facebook: Piggles: A Pig Tale Jerica is a member of Southwest Louisiana’s Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators Guild in Lake Charles. Her book was published through Tommie Townsley of AllyGator BookBites. Meetings are usually held on the second Saturday of the month. If you would like to attend the next meeting, email tommietownsley61@ gmail.com for details. Vol. 6 • No. 25
The Adventures of the Swamp Kids
A Zoo Ta-Do!
By Lauren Abate de Albuquerque
The Swamp Kids are at it again. Their latest adventure, third in a series, finds them reminiscing about the fun day they recently had at New Orleans’ Audubon Zoo. This book is different from the previous ones in that the Kids recall their day by looking through a photo album. Illustrator Tim Banfell’s artwork is juxtaposed over color photos by award-winning news anchor John Snell. The result is a happy blend of reality and whimsy. The whole gang is back: Pierre and Mon Cher and Plauche’ and LaFleur and Tutu and as always, the words are music to the ears: “We watched the orangutans almost an hour, they’re such a big hit at the Zoo. But while we were watching I couldn’t help wondering who is the one watching who?” As in all The Swamp Kids books, Zoo contains a traditional “Lagniappe Lesson” at the end of the story, this time penned by Audubon Zoo President and CEO, Ron Forman, who encourages children to explore the world around them by visiting the various attractions that make up the Audubon Nature Institute in the NOLA area. There’s also a fun connect the dots game on the next page so your kids can create a proud lion. Author Leif Pedersen clearly loves what he does. “We create these books because we love igniting children’s passion for reading while simultaneously offering them wholesome and important values and morals.” I visited the Audubon Zoo several years ago and loved it. This book brought my visit right back to me, especially when I saw the photos of the orangutans, whom I absolutely adored. Kids will definitely want to go once they read this book, so get ready for “Please, Mom, can we go?” From Ally-Gator Book Bites Publishing House, The Adventures of the Swamp Kids is a series of children’s books written by Leif N. Pedersen and illustrated by Tim Banfell in Slidell, Louisiana. For more information and to order these wonderful books, go to www. theswampkids.com.
Vol. 6 • No. 25
Leif Pedersen
March 26, 2015 31
32 March 26, 2015
Vol. 6 • No. 25
Vol. 6 • No. 25
March 26, 2015 33
The Inkling & Icarus Wing Productions Ever since man first rubbed his hands against his stone cave local news stands and comic shops. walls, we as a people have had a need to express who we are Despite the comic success, Danny through art. For over 40,000 years, divinely talented human is constantly working on new and beings across the world have dedicated their lives to depictmore challenging pieces, taking ing humanity and nature through various mediums. Over time, on all sorts of commissions from those known as artists began to captivate the hearts and minds detailed watercolors of your home of those around them. to seawall-sized murals. Still, no The identity of the artist has always been regarded as one of matter how high Danny and Icarus Pendant the most important facts about a work of art. From early Egypt may fly, Morgan is never far behind, by Morgan to Greece, to Rome and beyond, artists’ names have been preif not soaring higher. #TheInkling served throughout history. Their recognition and status stood Starting her company The Inkling out in cultures, eventually bringing value to the works they projust after college, Morgan transformed her vivid brushwork into duced. Some have become such renowned works of art that they a lucrative business. Shrinking her artistry into everything from are immortalized in museums across the globe for every genera- buttons and brooches, to fridge magnets and an assortment of tion to witness. But these works of art are of a time long gone. jewelry, she created a new way of displaying her talents to much Their age and origin alone bring them more value than nearly wider and more diverse market. Her use of detailed color varianything that could be created today. ation, and unique subject matter gives The Inkling a nostalgic Making a living as an artist has never been an easy task. As pop look with a real punk edge. the old saying goes, artists must die to become famous. But one With the help of her husband, Morgan has brought her sigpower couple in Lake Charles is working hard to defy those nature style to a number of local events and shows. The success odds. of these local events has really open doors for Morgan’s business Danny and Morgan Allain grew up in the Lake Area and have over the last two years. Showcasing a variety of prints and pieces been distributing a wealth of creativity throughout the community for over 10 years. The two first met on the McNeese campus and it was not long before their individual talents became a collaborative masterpiece. Shortly after finishing college the couple married and began dedicating their time to their crafts. Danny and his friend Paul Soileau founded Icarus Wing Productions in 2012, becoming one of the Lake Area’s first comic book publishing companies. Icarus’s first full series, “Dead Reckoning”, debuted in their first year of operations. Written and illustrated by Allain, Pendant by Morgan the comic’s success at local and #TheInkling out of state comic-con festivals have brought the team some real notoriety. After launching four issues of the zombie western sensation, the team switched gears ABOVE: Danny’s comic to unleash their newest work book, The Joy Kill Club “The Joy Kill Club.” Bringing in RIGHT: Danny working a new writer, Joshua McCready, under the thumb of his the company now boasts two art director, Jubilee unique series on the shelves of #IcarusWingProductions
34 March 26, 2015
Vol. 6 • No. 25
at Live @ the Lake Front this month, The Inkling is on pace to have their best year yet. Although Morgan and Danny each have their own stand-out success, when they combine their efforts, the result is nothing short of remarkable. The couple recently teamed up to design a full wall mural at the new Abraham’s Tent facility. The Allains are very humble and unaffected by their popularity, remaining focused on their family and faith. Committed to their roles as parents and spouses, the two maintain a steady-flow business without having to jeopardize either. Like the giants of the past whose shoulders they stand on today, they live, breathe, and eat on their talent. Their work is their way of life and they depend on consumers like you and me to keep that creativity alive.
Vol. 6 • No. 25
LEFT: Morgan and Danny at the Spring Art Walk, Downtown Lake Charles
So the next time you’re confused about what to get for whom when gift shopping, remember your local artists are always appreciative of your support. As always Eat, Sleep, Drink, and Support Local! #IcarusWingProductions #TheInkling #LocalsSupportingLocals #SupportLocalLC
March 26, 2015 35
Thursday, Mar. 26 Happy Hour 4 p.m.-1 a.m. @ Bourbonz 3436 Ryan St., LC
Josephine 8 p.m. @ Jack After Dark L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Ave. L’Auberge, LC
DJ Crush 11 p.m. @ Jack After Dark L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Ave. L’Auberge, LC
Troy Lazarus 9 p.m. @ Mikko Live Coushatta Casino Resort 777 Coushatta Drive, Kinder
Saturday, Mar. 28
7 p.m. @ Mikko Live Coushatta Casino Resort 777 Coushatta Drive, Kinder
Sean Ardoin-N-Zydecool 9 p.m. @ Gator Lounge Delta Downs 2717 Delta Downs Drive, Vinton
Kenzie Newman 7:30 p.m. @ Loggerheads 3748 Hwy 305, LC
Karaoke Night 9 p.m. @ Crystal’s 112 W. Broad St., LC
Mr. DJ 9 p.m. @ Bourbonz 3436 Ryan St., LC
Ladies Night – DJ Crush 11 p.m. @ Jack After Dark L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Ave. L’Auberge, LC
RKW Acoustic Show 9 p.m.- midnight @ Cigar Club 1700 E. Prien Lake Rd., LC
Sera Buras 6 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine Bar L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC
LeRoy Thomas & the Zydeco Roadrunners
Friday, Mar. 27 Live @ the Lakefront The Flamethrowers 6-10 p.m. @ Arcade Amphitheater Lakefront Promenade, LC Sera Buras 7 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine Bar 777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC
Street Side Jazz Band 7 p.m. @ Luna Bar and Grill 710 Ryan St., LC River Katz 7 p.m. @ Loggerheads 3748 Hwy 305, LC
36 March 26, 2015
Sera Buras 7 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine Bar 777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC
Jamie Bergeron & the Kickin’ Cajuns 9 p.m. @ Coushatta Casino Resort 777 Coushatta Drive, Kinder Sean Ardoin-N-Zydecool 9 p.m. @ Gator Lounge Delta Downs 2717 Delta Downs Drive, Vinton
Dance Night 9 p.m.- 4 a.m. @ Crystal’s 112 W. Broad St., LC
Mr. DJ 9 p.m. @ Bourbonz 3436 Ryan St., LC
Hazy Ray 10 p.m. @ Luna Live 710 Ryan St., LC
Brigitte London 9-midnight @ Cigar Club 1700 E. Prien Lake Rd., LC
Cowgirl Kicker Tryouts April 18 Tryouts for the McNeese State University Cowgirl Kickers Dance Team are Saturday, April 18, in the aerobics room on the second floor of the McNeese Recreational Center. Students can check in at 8:30 a.m. for the daylong event. An audition workshop will also be held from 6-9 p.m. Friday, April 17, in the aerobics room. This workshop is not mandatory. McNeese Cowgirl Kickers perform at football games, pep rallies and basketball games
with the Pride of McNeese Marching Band and make other civic appearances in the area. Scholarships are available for those students selected for the squad. High school students must have a 2.0 grade point average as well as meet the requirements for admission to McNeese to be eligible to audition. There is a $30 audition fee. For more information or to register, call Emily DeRouen, director, at (337) 475-5604. Vol. 6 • No. 25
Special Event Night 9 p.m. – 2 a.m. @ Crystal’s 112 W. Broad St., LC
Street Side Jazz Band 11 a.m. @ Luna Bar and Grill 710 Ryan St., LC
Jazz Night with Mickey Smith 6:30 @ Loggerheads 3748 Hwy 305, LC
Framing the Red 10 p.m. @ Luna Live 710 Ryan St., LC
Katelyn Johnson Band 11 p.m. @ Coushatta Casino Resort 777 Coushatta Drive, Kinder
Ellis Vanicor and the Lacassine Playboys
Two for Tuesday on Everything! 9 p.m. - 2 a.m. @ Crystal’s 112 Broad St., LC
Thursday, Apr. 2
DJ Crush 11 p.m. @ Jack After Dark L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Ave. L’Auberge, LC
Sunday, Mar. 29 Glenn Zeringue & Caleb Fontenot
Jack Daniels’ Whiskey Brunch @11 a.m. – 3 p.m. L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Ave. L’Auberge, LC
Vol. 6 • No. 25
3-7 p.m. @ Wayne & Layne’s Deli 3906 Hwy 27 S, Sulphur
Wednesday, Apr. 1
Monday, Mar. 30
Chris Miller & the Bayou Roots 6:30 @ Loggerheads 3748 Hwy 305, LC
Wholesome Karaoke Night Hosted by Lynch & Cornbread 10 p.m. @ MyPlace American Pub 630 W. Prien Lake Rd. Ste G, LC
Tuesday, Mar. 31 Guys Night @ Bourbonz 3436 Ryan St., LC
Corey Lebert 8 – 11 p.m. @ Cigar Club 1700 E. Prien Lake Rd., LC Talent Night 9 p.m. - 2 a.m. @ Crystal’s 112 Broad St., LC
Happy Hour 4 p.m.-1 a.m. @ Bourbonz 3436 Ryan St., LC
John Guidroz & Kevin Lambert 6 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine Bar L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC Joe Harmon & the Harmonics 7 p.m. @ Mikko Live Coushatta Casino Resort 777 Coushatta Drive, Kinder
March 26, 2015 37
Karaoke Night 9 p.m. @ Crystal’s 112 W. Broad St., LC
Street Side Jazz Band 7 p.m. @ Luna Bar and Grill 710 Ryan St., LC
8 p.m. @ Jack After Dark L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Ave. L’Auberge, LC
Ladies Night – DJ Sno 11 p.m. @ Jack After Dark L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Ave. L’Auberge, LC
Mike Fulmer 7:30 p.m. @ Loggerheads 3748 Hwy 305, Lake Charles
Joe Harmon & the Harmonics 9 p.m. @ Gator Lounge Delta Downs 2717 Delta Downs Drive, Vinton
Friday, Apr. 3
Billy Lord/Dirt Road 8 p.m. @ The Center Stage 3426 Ryan Street, LC
John Guidroz & Kevin Lambert 7 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine Bar L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC
Live Music
Whenever You’re Near Me, I Hear A Symphony... Back in the days of The Supremes and, this, their sixth number one hit, orchestral music still had a considerably more prominent place in popular culture than it does today. In 1965, you still had the great Leonard Bernstein with his “Young People’s Concerts” in the midst of a six-year run on prime-time television. And this was already a decade after the end of the era of Toscanini and the famed NBC Orchestra, and two and a half decades after Disney’s 1940 classic Fantasia, mind you. But, alas, the years since have only moved us further away from that classical music foundation that first started making its way into homes via Marconi’s famed little device nearly 100 years ago. Orchestral music seems to have gotten a bad rap among the younger generations and is often viewed not only as inaccessible to the masses, but also as elitist and snobbish to those not more exposed to such music or, simply put, just plain boring. Amazingly enough, there’s far less a disconnect than most young critics would im38 March 26, 2015
LA Roxx 9 p.m. @ Mikko Live Coushatta Casino Resort 777 Coushatta Drive, Kinder
agine. That people have come to see it that way neither negates the fact that much of the greatest musical artistry in history lies within this music. In addition, the musical foundations and inspirations of a profound amount of the music that we love today trace their roots to those very pieces and to those who established what music fundamentally is and the instruments and sounds they created for their orchestras to play. Another fascinating element of orchestral music is found in the inherent challenges that it faces being a purely sonic experience. Unlike opera (which faces most, if not all of the same stigmas referenced above), there is no dialogue to drive a narrative, there are no sets and costumes to give one reference to the storyline, nor are there dancers playing out their descriptive pantomime. It is purely instrumental and that leaves the entire storyline and the imagery, emotion, drama and development intended by the composer at the mercy of a conductor and his orchestra, who paint their picture using nothing but the instruments or batons that they hold in their hand. It’s a powerful concept once you get your head around it and a staggering one once you embrace, feel and understand it for yourself. I strongly encourage you to get out there and do just that. Vol. 6 • No. 25
Karaoke 9 p.m. @ Coolers 3622 1/2 Ryan St. LC
DJ Sno 11 p.m. @ Jack After Dark L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Ave. L’Auberge, LC
Patrick Townsend/ Pale Wooden Door 9 p.m.- Midnight @ Cigar Club 1700 E. Prien Lake Rd., LC
Saturday, Apr. 4 John Guidroz & Kevin Lambert
Dance Night 9 p.m. – 4 a.m. @ Crystal’s 112 W. Broad St., LC
7 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine Bar L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC
Mark Chestnutt 7 p.m. @ Delta Event Center Delta Downs 2717 Delta Downs Drive, Vinton JC Melancon 7:30 p.m. @ Loggerheads 3748 Hwy 305, LC Dustin Ray 8 p.m. @ The Center Stage 3426 Ryan Street, LC
There are actually a few things happening here and I encourage everyone to get out and enjoy some classical music courtesy of the Lake Charles Symphony in the coming weeks. Oh yeah... and there’s MEAT.
certo No. 2 in D by Joseph Haydn (featuring famed Bulgarian cellist Lachezar Kostov) and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4 in F minor. Tickets are $20 for military and students and $25 for adults and are available at www.lcsymphony.com.
March 28 - The Lake Charles Symphony’s Wild Beast Feast – Historic Cash and Carry
April 12 – The LCS Children’s Concert – Rosa Hart Theater – Lake Charles Civic Center
Something’s Happening Here...
This famed event returns with all the mouth-watering goodness that any South Louisiana carnivore should get excited about. This event will feature teams of chefs grilling, charring, brazing and broiling every sort of game, fowl, fish, and every other grazing entree-to-be in every sort of succulent style under the sun. Not only that, you can also participate in the silent and live auctions, enjoy some great drinks with your feast and listen to live music to round out the night. It’s the tastiest way to support the arts around! Don’t miss it! Individual tickets are $50 for adults, and $25 for children ages 7 -13. Children 6 and under are free. Reserved tables are available starting at $500. Tickets are available at the door, by phone at (337) 433-1611 or online at www.lcsymphony.com/events/wild-beastfeast.
April 11 – The LCS In Concert – Rosa Hart Theater – Lake Charles Civic Center Join the Lake Charles Symphony for a presentation of works from 3 of the greatest composers in classical music; Afternoon of a Faun by Claude Debussy, Cello ConVol. 6 • No. 25
The Lake Charles Symphony will be joined by the Francis G. Bulber Youth Orchestra and other area student musicians for a special Sunday afternoon of music featuring Bernard Rogers’ Once Upon a Time:5 Fairytales for Orchestra and once again featuring cellist Lachezar Kostov in the First Movement of Haydn’s Cello Concerto No. 2 in D. Please bring your children and come support the talented young people who have the great opportunity to play in this very special performance. Have some more chicken, have some more pie, it doesn’t matter if it’s boiled or fried, just eat it...
And by “it” I mean Beasts! GO EAT THEM and support the Symphony at the same time. It’s a no-lose situation, right? Then you can make like Diana Ross and GO HEAR a Symphony. I hope you can dig it as much as I do. Drop me a line at JMLC@justinmorrisentertainment.com if you have questions, critiques, suggestions, “want-to-see’s” or what have you’s for the ol’ column. I love hearing the feedback! Keep it coming! Until next time, take it easy out there, gang. I’ll see you at the show! March 26, 2015 39
Special Event Night 9 p.m. – 2 a.m. @ Crystal’s 112 W. Broad St., LC
Casey Courville 9 p.m.- Midnight @ Cigar Club 1700 E. Prien Lake Rd., LC
Joe Harmon & the Harmonics 9 p.m. @ Gator Lounge Delta Downs 2717 Delta Downs Drive, Vinton
Lake Charles Album Series
Red Hot Chili Peppers Californication Chad Townsend, Taylor Lee, Mason
Feduccia, John Guidroz, Logan Fontenot and Ryan Bourque 9:30 p.m. @ Luna Live 710 Ryan St., LC
Wednesday, Apr. 8
LA Roxx 9 p.m. @ Mikko Live Coushatta Casino Resort 777 Coushatta Drive, Kinder
Chris Miller & Bayou Roots 6:30 p.m. @ Loggerheads 3748 Hwy 305, LC
DJ Sno 11 p.m. @ Jack After Dark L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Ave. L’Auberge, LC
Sunday, Apr. 5 Live Music
Jack Daniels’ Whiskey Brunch @11 a.m. – 3 p.m. L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Ave. L’Auberge, LC Street Side Jazz Band 11 a.m. @ Luna Bar and Grill 710 Ryan St., LC Ellis Vanicor and the Lacassine Playboys 3-7 p.m. @ Wayne & Layne’s Deli 3906 Hwy 27 S, Sulphur
Monday, Apr. 6 Wholesome Karaoke Night Hosted by Lynch & Cornbread 10 p.m. @ MyPlace American Pub 630 W. Prien Lake Rd. Ste G, LC
Tuesday, Apr. 7 Guys Night @ Bourbonz 3436 Ryan St., LC
Mickey Smith 6:30 p.m. @ Loggerheads 3748 Hwy 305, LC Dancing 9 p.m. - 2 a.m. @ Crystal’s 112 Broad St., LC 40 March 26, 2015
Karaoke with DJ Cornbread 7 p.m. @ Bourbonz 3436 Ryan St., LC
Take in the Distance /She’s an Animal Bloodgeon/Aurum 8 p.m. @ The Center Stage 3426 Ryan Street, LC William Christian 8-11 p.m. @ Cigar Club 1700 E. Prien Lake Rd., LC
Karaoke with Avid Sounds 9 p.m. @ Coolers 3622 1/2 Ryan St. LC Talent Night 9 p.m. - 2 a.m. @ Crystal’s 112 Broad St., LC
Thursday, Apr. 9 Happy Hour 4 p.m.-1 a.m. @ Bourbonz 3436 Ryan St., LC
Julie Williams 6 p.m. @ Ember Grille & Wine Bar L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Avenue L’Auberge, LC Backyard Boys 7 p.m. @ Mikko Live Coushatta Casino Resort 777 Coushatta Drive, Kinder Karaoke Night 9 p.m. @ Crystal’s 112 W. Broad St., LC Ladies Night – DJ Crush 11 p.m. @ Jack After Dark L’Auberge Casino Resort 777 Ave. L’Auberge, LC Vol. 6 • No. 25
On Saturday April 4, the Lake Charles Live Album Series brings to the stage its fourth installment, a tribute to the incredible and amazing Red Hot Chili Peppers, specifically their seventh studio effort, Californication. Released in 1999, RHCP’s best-selling record featured the hits “Otherside,” “Californication,” and the GRAMMY award-winning “Scar Tissue.” The Lake Area musicians bringing this album to life are John Guidroz (lead vocals), Taylor Lee (bass), Chad Townsend (drums), and guitarists Logan Fontenot, Mason Feduccia, and Ryan Bourque. The Live Album Series is Fontenot’s brainchild. I spoke with the guitarist/manager for Louisiana’s mightiest party band, the Flamethrowers, over fried pickles at Luna for a little backstory on this project that was conceived during a super long road trip to Key West with his regular gig. “The original idea was to play albums that I liked with people that I haven’t had a chance to play with,” Fontenot said. “And it’s a one-time thing so if you miss it, you miss it.” He shopped the idea around and received only positive feedback so Fontenot got to work. He first turned attention to Tom Petty’s third release Damn the Torpedoes, followed by one of the best-selling albums of all time, Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours. “That’s the one to beat,” Fontenot said. On a rainy Wednesday night, the set drew an unprecedented 400 people. He attributes the immediate impact of the Live Album Series to “a mixture of good albums, hard work from the bands I’ve put together, a little bit of cool factor, and a lot of luck.” Vol. 6 • No. 25
LAS features a revolving door of Lake Area musicians handpicked by Fontenot for the best fit. “I pick people based on the vibe they have and if it meshes well with the album,” he said. “Paul [Gonsoulin] did a great job singing for Tom Petty. His voice and personality was dead-on.” Fontenot also credited the three singers in the Fleetwood Mac set (John Guidroz, Jackie Stark, and Bekah Bourque) for embodying the distinct personalities of each original member. These albums connect with people and Fontenot feels a lot of pressure to get the songs right, down to the tiniest details. The process of studying the working parts that make up a classic recording has some unexpected side effects too. “I’m meticulous with breaking it down, and you can’t get around learning throughout the whole process,” Fontenot said. “With every album, I feel like I’m growing as a musician.” LAS isn’t just about the music, though. Fontenot commissions a local visual artist for each event to design the promotional poster. For the RHCP show, he tapped comic artist Danny Allain. “On stage, the Chili Peppers are basically cartoon people, caricatures of the crazy rock star,” he said, so it seemed natural to choose an art style that reflects that same vibe. Catch the fourth installment of the Lake Charles Live Album Series on Saturday, April 4 at Luna Live, 9:30pm. Bayou Rum will be serving up Californicationthemed signature drinks, and local artist Danny Allain will be selling art pieces, including the original drawing of the concert poster, autographed by each band member. For more information, click to www.facebook.com/lakecharleslivealbumseries. March 26, 2015 41
EMPTY BOWL FUNDRAISER Twelve of the area’s finest restaurants served up their most tantalizing soups, bisques, red beans and gumbo at the Empty Bowl Fundraiser at L’Auberge to benefit the Salvation Army. Each guest received a bowl handcrafted by a local artist to take home. Door prizes and live entertainment made the evening complete. Thank you, Salvation Army, for helping our community!
Dominique and Joseph Darbonne
Rick, Jennifer and Rosie Meaux with Melissa Nunez
Kim Anderson and Vickie Oblanc
Ursula and Daniel Ieyoub
Cory Leger, Barbara Chesson, Marilyn Dawdy, Angel Mefford and Gail Brame
IOWA RABBIT FESTIVAL Lawrence Toups, Jr. Memorial Park in Iowa was the setting for the 29th annual Rabbit Festival! Lots of fun things to see and do, including the rabbit cook-off, food and craft booths, the carnival, live music and the queen’s pageant. Rain or shine, everyone passed a good time!
Tyler Gary, Tucker Hazelton and Skylynn Bennett
Rodonia Bellard, Rhonda Curlee, Kristal Miller and Courtney Dupris 42 March 26, 2015
A’mya Rideaux and Jo Ann Kirby
Zoya and Zarish Zia
Jody, Grant, Jake and Trace Hurst Vol. 6 • No. 25
FLEA FEST Burton Coliseum Event Barn Complex housed hundreds of vendors who set up shop for one fantastic weekend of wheeling and dealing their best treasures! The rain on the first day didn’t keep anyone away from the Flea Fest as crowds poured in, hot on the trail of jewelry, furniture, accessories, clothing, art and sooo much more! Next Fest is in the fall—we can’t wait!
Melli Montie, Summer Reed and Brynlee Boudreaux
Courtney, Clarke and Daina Howard
Helen Trahan and Katrina Lejeune
Christian Deshotel and Koti and Suzette Quirk
Amber Caillouet, Trisha Bruns and Corrin Aguillard
LCCB’S ASSEMBLÉ 2015 The Lake Charles Civic Ballet presented Assemblé 2015 at the Rosa Hart Theatre in collaboration with Southwest Louisiana’s arts community. Another outstanding contribution to the enduring legacy of Lady Leah Lafargue. What talent in the Lake Area! Bravo!
Rochela Fendley, Pat Meyers, Monica Martin, Sylvia Ardoin and Doodle East
Maddie Henning, Jordan Book, Emma Cooper and Gracelyn Benoit Vol. 6 • No. 25
Natalie and Ashland Theriot
Kate, Hillary and Angela Reeves
Kennedy Anderson, Cate O’Byrne, Katie Joseph and Chloe Ramcourt March 26, 2015 43