Honoring Our Heroes- July 2022

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2 JULY 2022 | VOL. 16 • ISSUE 7 | POVHOUMA.COM

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CONTENTS | JULY 2022

• VOLUME 16 • ISSUE 7

table of

Page 10

Page 14

CHIC 10 CHATEAU From the Ashes

14

ONE DROP

Through the power of one phone call, one connection, one movement, Jonathan Foret and others helped a community to start over.

Page 18

18

AFTER THE MISSION

Ricky Folse aims to help create a better future for our veterans After the Mission.

25 HOMETOWN HEROES Special Section

EXTRAS

ON THE COVER

NOTE 06 PUBLISHER’S Honoring Our Heroes

WORD, YA HEARD BEHEST

INTERVUE

[ bih-hest ] noun

OBSERVER 34 THE Remembering the Good

an earnest or strongly worded request.

36 WE SUPPORT A

WORD ON THE STREET

08

Say What?

a command or directive.

HEALTHIER FUTURE

The committee met again at the behest of the senator

Stay Safe and Have Fun This Summer

THE SCOPE 38 UNDER Where Do the Noses Go? (Part Two)

40 RENDEZVOUS

Where You Need to Be Around Town

42 LOOK TWICE

At the director’s behest, I am being called back for a second audition.

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PUBLISHER’S NOTE |

MARY DOWNER DITCH • ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER

HONORING OUR HEROES What is a hero? In past years, I have included the dictionary definition of this word. This year, it weighs a little stronger on my heart, reaching for emotions not conveyed by a simple definition.

featured on these pages as well that support our hometown heroes and please give them your support in return.

In the past, we have recognized heroes that serve us in segments such as the military or the police force. In 2020, we added two new categories where we feel heroes serve as well: Health Care and Volunteers. We took care to recognize each category: military, police, fire, healthcare and volunteer heroes.

In our fifth annual Honoring our Heroes issue, we again recognize our hometown heroes with a special section dedicated to them, selected from nominations by you, our readers. It was through these nominations, however, that we realized not all of our heroes could be neatly categorized.

Our military nomination was a group of volunteers! And one of our nominees didn’t fit ANY of those categories! So, in order to be true to our readers and true to the nominations, we decided to forego the “official” categories and just recognize our Hometown Heroes for what they are: true Heroes. In four profiles, we honor our Hometown Heroes. Take a look at the advertisers

Jonathan Foret. Through the power of one phone call, one connection, one movement, Jonathan and his many friends helped a community to start over. While his story is one of many, we are grateful for Jonathan and his desire to make more out of our community. Read more on page 14.

For local Ricky Folse, it was the loss of close friends who were veterans, to the difficulties surrounding post-traumatic stress disorder that gave him the strength to start a nonprofit focused on what happens to veterans when they return home After the Mission. Ricky is working towards his dream of creating a community for veterans that focuses on their well-being and happiness.

Learn more about Ricky’s efforts on page 18.

We also introduce you to two more local heroes within the pages of the magazine, both volunteers who dream of a bigger and better future for the people of our area.

When Hurricane Ida struck our communities, so many individuals and groups stepped up and stepped in to help with the recovery. One of those individuals was Chauvin native

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There are so many more heroes in our communities than we could ever honor within the pages of a single issue. We just hope to provide you with a snapshot of the men and women who step up each day to provide for a better community for each of us. For your service and dedication, and the service of others like you, we recognize and honor you.

Thank you. POV

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INTERVUE |

SAY WHAT?

Who is your hero, and why?

AMY My hero is my husband, Jason. At age 39, he went back to school to become a registered respiratory therapist and joined the workforce in New Orleans just before COVID-19 made its way to Louisiana.

Despite being put through the wringer, working hurricane crew during Ida, and enduring personal loss, he continues to be an example of positivity and strength to his peers and incoming graduates and has quickly become a leader in his field.

KATI Mary Shelley. I have been a lover of books since before I could even read and working in libraries for over 15 years has only intensified that love. I admire Mary Shelley not only as an author, but also as a hero for all women in the field. At 19, when there were very few respected female authors, she created a piece of literature that not only laid a foundation for the horror genre and science fiction but also spoke to the human condition in a way few works had before or since.

TARA My mother, she's not only blessed me with spiritual and natural "muscle", but she's instilled in me the desire to champion.

STACIE My hero would be my friend Thu, she lived each day to it’s absolute fullest. Enjoying every moment, trying new things, making friends everywhere she went, and took the time to tell people kind things and what she loved about them. She always chose to help others and was one of the most giving and thoughtful people I’ve ever known. I try to remember to be more like her and live life with that kind of fullness.

JULIA My sister, Grace, is my hero because of the confidence she has instilled in me. She is the strongest person I know and never backs down from a challenge. Because of this, she has laid out the example of how I should live my life-never being scared of anything.

KARISSA My hero is Dian Fossey. Her courage changed conservation and broke barriers. She was selfless and truly gave everything; it saved a species from extinction.

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CHATEAU CHIC

FROM THE ASHES

BY MARY DITCH | PHOTOS BY MISTY LEIGH MCELROY

1 After a catastrophic fire destroyed their home in 2017, this month’s homeowners rebuilt in the same neighborhood overlooking a beautiful lake. The three bedroom, three and a half bathroom home has approximately 3,200 square feet of living space. Sixteen months after the fire, they began the rebuilding process and moved into their new home in October 2019. The homeowners said, “all the glory goes to God and we were extremely blessed and grateful.”

The homeowners shared they were blessed to live in such a great neighborhood and community that came to their aid in their time of need.

Bayou Cane Fire Department, Acadian Ambulance and the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office all responded quickly and efficiently. An unnamed fireman was even able to save their beloved cat,

Kitty, from the burning home. Kitty still rules the new home to this day.

Original home plans called for a four bedroom home, but modifications down to three bedrooms allowed for more room in the storage garage.

(Coincidentally, this was the only disagreement the owners had. She reluctantly conceded that he was right; a storage garage can never be big enough.) With the assistance of Travis Buquet Home Builders and draftsman Cody Thibodaux, the homeowners' dream house began to take shape.

After deciding they wanted the home to incorporate more of the lot’s lakefront, the decision was made to build the house linear to the lot to use less property, affording them a daily breeze on the back patio. A second round of plans was crafted based off of a

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Floridian-style home that was designed for a narrow but deep lot. Modifications to the plans included widening hallways and doorways and modifying bathrooms to be handicap accessible; raising ceiling heights to 10 feet throughout; converting a bedroom into more storage garage space; changing elevation to match the neighborhood; raising the peak of the roof to create more attic space and adding full set of stairs and a Versalift for access; and an expanded back patio.

While the homeowners love every inch of their new space, she lists her favorite features as the Marvin Bifold patio door, the Versa-lift in the garage and the design of the kitchen. He enjoys the outdoor patio area which includes a custom grill and retractable screens, and the garage.

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The homeowners enlisted the help of multiple local vendors for the home’s details. The engineered wood floors throughout the living areas and bedrooms are from Dishman Flooring. The tile flooring in the bathrooms and utility room is from Leblanc Tile. The stainless steel kitchen appliances are from Rod’s Superstore. The glass shower is by Dwayne’s Glass. The retractable screens on the patio are by Greg Eaton. The custom built cabinets are

by Travis Buquet.

The homeowners describe their home’s style and decor as a mixture of old and new. They shared they have realized that when a tragedy occurs, you don’t get to choose what is saved.

Along with family and friends, they shifted through the debris and were able to recover several items. Most of the artwork that hangs in their home was rejuvenated by Lefevre’s Framing. They were also able to salvage the water fountain, their original mailbox and a gas lantern that now adorns their back patio.

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STORY BY KEELY DIEBOLD | PHOTO BY AKASHA RABUT At wind speeds over 155 miles per hour, a storm officially In the least intense stage of hurricane development, a tropical receives the unnerving title of a category 5 hurricane. disturbance begins its formation when warm ocean water turns into water vapor and subsequently into clouds that cluster On the opposite end of the spectrum, a storm has to reach wind together into a moving group of thunderstorms. speeds of at least 74 miles per hour to upgrade to the hurricane classification in the first place.

One drop of water is how a hurricane starts. Within a span of days, a single harmless drop of water can become part of a Before that, storms have to pass through varying levels of behemoth of a storm that levels entire towns and devastates intensity before they reach hurricane status: tropical storm, communities. tropical depression, tropical disturbance.

All it takes is one.

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One phone call can change lives in an instant. One encounter with a new person can lead to a beautiful, fruitful relationship. Maybe it starts with one moment or one piece of a puzzle, but it certainly doesn’t end with one. Just as a hurricane doesn’t end with one drop of water, movements don’t end with one person.

South Louisiana Wetlands Discovery Center Executive (SLWDC) Director Jonathan Foret may have been the one who founded local nonprofit the Helio Foundation, but it’s the collective power of the team behind the organization that has propelled its boots-on-the-ground outreach in the local community and that gave a voice to a voiceless region in the wake of Hurricane Ida’s devastation.

the slums burned down. Jonathan, who was stationed in Bangladesh, shared the slum’s story with his friends in Louisiana, who wanted to fundraise in response.

That phone call was one that took place between Jonathan and Raegan, the Helio Foundation’s executive director, the night before Ida was set to make landfall.

Anticipating some level of destruction due to the storm’s intensity, the pair From there, the Helio Foundation became decided to preemptively establish a a grant-writing nonprofit to support fundraising page for recovery efforts arts and education programming for before power and internet went down. the Head Start Program in Terrebonne Parish, and subsequently a providor of Reagan set up the donation page, which food pantries at Nicholls State University proved to be beneficial in the immediate and elementary schools in Terrebonne. days after the storm when phone service and internet access were largely The Helio Foundation is one chapter nonexistent. of a life and career of volunteerism for Jonathan, who describes himself as After the inception of that initial “just a kid from Chauvin…doing what fundraising hub that garnered around I’ve been taught to do,” and makes it $7,000 in donations, support from clear that volunteering is a privilege and people with ties to the Bayou Region luxury afforded by the hard work his began flooding in from every corner of parents enacted to provide for him. the United States.

Jonathan credits Helio Foundation leaders like Raegen Creppell, Genie It started in childhood, volunteering in Ardoin and Melissa Martin as the driving his mother’s third grade classroom and forces in making the organization’s work in middle school, assisting at the school on the ground happen. board office. That passion translated into “The Helio Foundation was a vehicle overseas volunteerism in the Kingdom of [through which] many people were able Tonga and Bangladesh. to do this work, Jonathan says. “The After all was said and done, that same efforts of many people were able to help drive to help others led him right back in the recovery of Ida.” to the Bayou Region with the SLWDC, For Jonathan, the word “hero” didn’t where his return to his roots would place bear just one definition in Ida’s him in the middle of one of the region’s aftermath. Heroism was collective, and it most devastating tragedies. was community-driven.

For Jonathan, the power of one phone “There was no superman in this story. call or one connection has been as There were just people coming together evident as ever in the days, weeks, and and helping each other,” Jonathan says. months following Ida’s landfall.

“There were a lot of people doing a lot of “We raised, in terms of money and things that eased the burden of the folks supplies that we distributed, it’s well that were in need, and I’m glad to have over a million dollars that we were able been one of those people.” to get back in the community,” Jonathan The Helio Foundation began in 2008 as says. “From a phone call that started the an outlet for aiding an organization that night before the storm, saying, ‘Hey, provided education for children living should we try to do something? What are in slums in Bangladesh when one of we doing? Yeah, let’s do this.’”

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For a start, a connection out of Colorado contacted Jonathan about Dallas-based nonprofit Operation Airdrop, who wanted to airlift supplies to the region.

Within a couple of days, the group had fundraised and airlifted roughly four pickup truckloads worth of essential supplies like baby formula and feminine hygiene products to a distribution site in Chauvin based on needs communicated by volunteers at the Ward 7 Citizens Club.

“The sense of relief that you saw on their face that we were bringing items that people desperately needed was overwhelming. That was heartbreaking and beautiful and emotional because these are my people,” Jonathan says.

“I’m a part of this community, and we’re in dire straits.”

Another Facebook friend reached out to Jonathan about establishing a point of distribution in Pointe-Aux-Chens.

Through a network of people developed

largely through the SLWDC’s annual Rougarou Fest, a distribution point was established for residents of Pointe-AuxChenes.

The support didn’t end with distribution sites.

Mimosa Handcrafted, a jewelry business out of Baton Rouge, raised roughly $50 thousand for the Helio Foundation through a necklace sales fundraiser after reaching out to former foundation board member Heather Guidry. At the same time, New Orleans’ Mosquito Supper Club launched a GoFundMe after becoming aware of the initial fundraisers for the region.

With the plethora of funds raised, the Helio Foundation’s first priority was getting immediate money into the hands of people in need, circumventing the applications and forms required by entities like insurance organizations.

“Through the Helio Foundation - and again, I give so much credit to Raegan and Genie because they were instrumental in getting the funds to the people - we started out with mini grants of like $400,” Jonathan says. “You lost your roof?

Here’s $400. You lost your house? Here’s $1000. You need a new toothbrush, and you need water, and you need gas, and so it gave people funds to be able to survive.”

The Helio Foundation then introduced its Float the Boat program, which sought to repair boats and provide new crabtraps through mini grants so fisherman and crabbers could begin earning a living once again to fund the restoration of their homes and support their families.

Additionally, Raegan launched the Moving Community Forward initiative, which partnered with locally-owned lumber companies and hardware stores to fund home repair purchases for people without insurance or FEMA grants.

One phone call. One fundraiser. One connection.

In the midst of tragedy, actions and networks that once seemed small suddenly became the catalyst for restoration efforts in a region that largely felt ignored in the aftermath of Ida. Jonathan says it’s an honor that a local nonprofit like the Helio Foundation could lead recovery efforts in the Bayou Region. However, it’s hard for frustration to not coexist with that feeling, since a community should not have to rely seemingly only on itself in the midst of a natural disaster.

When a National Public Radio (NPR) interviewer asked Jonathan how he felt about larger cities in Louisiana receiving the bulk of attention following the storm, July 2022 16 povhouma.com

it was the first time he became aware of the rest of the world’s perception of Ida’s impact.

“I don’t think we knew the significance of it while we were doing it,” Jonathan says. “There was no information coming in. We were just in triage mode trying to help our community recover. So, it was the first time I recognized I have no clue what’s happening anywhere in the world right now [other] than the things I can see and the people that I can talk to.”

For Jonathan, the triumphs of the aftermath of Ida manifested in the efforts of volunteers who spent their time learning the unique needs of people in the Bayou Region, and individuals suffering loss themselves who still took time and effort to provide for others.

Jonathan and other members of the Helio Foundation received awards of distinction for their post-Ida efforts, but seeing people come together without hesitation was the real reward.

“None of us individually can achieve the level of accomplishment that we can achieve together, working as a group,” Jonathan says.

As the one-year anniversary of Ida approaches, Jonathan believes the community is left with a few takeaways to ponder.

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The first is the importance of breaking stigmas around therapy and treating mental health as valuably as physical health, since the storm and subsequent recovery took emotional and mental tolls on people as well.

The second is what exactly makes Louisiana’s culture so special - that there’s something about South Louisiana for which it’s worth turning one phone call, one action, or one spark into something so much bigger. There’s something that makes the Bayou Region worth enduring the the intensity of rebuilding after a devastating hurricane.

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“Louisiana ranks in the bottom of all of the ‘good’ things. Education, healthcare,” Jonathan says. “But, when you look at the overall happiness of a state, Louisiana ranks pretty high….It’s more about crawfish, and a six pack of beer, and a Pedro game.”

“Louisiana has the highest population of native-born residents. That means you’re born here, you live here, you die here, and there’s got to be a reason for that, too,” Jonathan says. “It’s got to come down to culture, to family, to friends, to our enjoyment of life.” POV

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STORY BY HEIDI GUIDRY | PHOTO BY MISTY LEIGH MCELROY Riding a bicycle from New Orleans to Key West, Florida, and then on to Washington D.C. sounds like a fantasy, but it was very much a reality for Houma activist Ricky Folse. Ricky said the 2,400-mile trip wasn’t easy, but it was important to him to complete as he raised awareness for veterans and the new battles they face once they return home after the mission ends.

Ricky completed the trip in a nomadic fashion, traveling from city to city, visiting homeless centers where he focused on volunteering at soup kitchens and camps. ”It was the best time of my life because I was able to wake up every day just to help people,” he said. “I wanted them to know

they were not forgotten and that I care about them. That myself and the people behind me want better things for them.”

Veterans, and more specifically ones who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), are near and dear to Ricky’s heart.

Not only does he have family members that are veterans, but through his career in mixed martial arts (MMA) and as owner of the Tree-A-Nator tree services, he’s met friends that are veterans. His father practiced martial arts and Ricky said he remembers his father working out three to four hours a day since he was a child and that inspired him to get into the arts as well. He worked at it as a kid, but it was at age 19 that he decided to get into the sport.

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Ricky has had almost 80 fights between MMA, pro-boxing, kickboxing, and four years of training in Thailand. It was in Thailand he met two combat veterans that became his close friends. Upon returning home in 2019, COVID changed the world forever, and his veteran friends were stuck at home, battling their demons with PTSD. Both of them started drinking to deal with the harrowing thoughts and memories.

One went to New York to check into a VA rehab. His other friend lost his battle. This is what led him to plan the bicycle trip in 2021, “I wanted to do something,” he recalled. The week he left for the trip, he lost yet another friend who struggled with PTSD.

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When Ricky returned from the bike trek, he was full of emotions, passion, and a new purpose. He took his experiences from his journey and the pain of losing friends and founded a nonprofit that focuses on veterans and PTSD awareness. He chose the name After the Mission. “I chose that because when they come back, they don’t have a mission anymore, and it gets to them,” he said. “That’s why my heart’s into it…because of all of the suffering I have witnessed.”

After the Mission held its first official event in May at On The Canal Bar in Houma. The event showcased big name DJs and was well-attended by local and regional supporters. So far, Ricky said he has had great support

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"I will not stop until I have people marching in the streets with me to fight for our veterans..."

from local and state leaders, friends, and family for the cause and he plans on continuing events and fundraising to raise awareness, and remind veterans they are not forgotten.

of Houma. He envisions the retreat to have a wooded-area, nature trail, obstacle course, softball field, a pavilion, a building for veterans to have meetings, a bunkhouse, and a dock along the water for recreation.

While Ricky’s last fight was supposed to be in 2019 when he left Thailand, he came out of MMA retirement to jump in the cage at the Houma-Terrebonne Civic Center in late June for the “Summer Salute,” a huge local fundraiser that drew large crowds both in-person and on the live stream. Ricky reiterated that the proceeds made from these events goes straight to the non-profit to continue advocacy efforts and allow them to inch closer to their ultimate goal.

The second phase involves bringing in five-to-ten tiny homes to create a place for detoxed veterans getting out of rehab or who are homeless to have a safe place to transition into the world. Ricky also said they plan to help veterans get resources they may need. “We’ll help them get jobs by people who appreciate them in our community. We’ll help them get counseling by other veterans, and get into physical fitness programs,” he shared.

The ultimate goal is to establish a local veterans’ retreat to help veterans transition into a foreign world, our everyday world, after serving. “They’re trained to go to war, but they come home with these experiences they feel alone with, and left with bare resources,” he said. His goal is to buy 12-15 acres of bayouside property on the outskirts

Ricky envisions the retreat being operated by veterans as well, which will allow the veterans who need the help, to be helped by those who have walked in the same combat boots. He also shared the phase three vision, which includes apartments that provide low-income housing for veterans. “A lot of the jobs in the military don’t transfer over,” July 2022 20 povhouma.com

he said. “Think about it. These men and women have people under them. They drive million-dollar equipment, come back here, and get jobs such as sweeping the floor. I couldn’t handle that. How can we expect them to?”

Meeting veterans on his journey and having to experience loss because of the system’s deficiencies when it comes to veterans taught him one big lesson– it’s unacceptable how hard veterans need to fight after they come home. “Our veterans, living in the streets, sleeping in tents, living under bridges, being delayed and denied their benefits, and they just give up and die… that’s unacceptable. I will not stop until I have people marching in the streets with me to fight for our veterans the way that people fight for other causes. We have to march for the people who have fought for everybody to have the right to protest,” he said.

For more information or to support the mission, visit afterthemission.net. POV

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CIS LEG & VEIN CENTER When you think of your cardiovascular system, you most likely think of your heart and your blood vessels. However, your cardiovascular system extends to the arms and legs as well, and includes veins as well as arteries.

The Leg & Vein Center at Cardiovascular Institute of the South (CIS) is the premier clinic for the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular conditions in the legs, such as peripheral artery disease and venous disease. CIS cardiologists at CIS clinics in Houma, Gray and Thibodaux offer these services. These physicians include Dr. Craig Walker, Dr. Mohammed Rais, Dr. Al Timothy, Dr. Pradeep Nair, Dr. Ross Melvin, and Dr. Akshit Sharma.

Cardiovascular conditions in the legs are usually identified by leg pain, cramping, or discoloration. In the case of peripheral artery disease, also known as PAD, plaque buildup narrows arteries and reduces blood flow to the legs. Just like clogged arteries in the heart, clogged arteries in the legs puts you at risk for having a heart attack or stroke. Other symptoms include numbness, coldness, sores that won’t heal, discoloration, hair loss, shiny skin or weak pulse. If you have heart disease, you have a one in three chance of developing PAD. Other risk factors include: age 50+, smoking, diabetes, high blood pressure or cholesterol, and family history of vascular disease. A simple, painless ultrasound called an ankle brachial index (ABI) can diagnose PAD. Once detected, treatment can reduce symptoms, improve mobility and quality and life, and prevent heart attack, stroke, and amputation.

Just like in the arteries, damaged veins

in the legs can also cause vascular leg complications. Venous disease, or venous insufficiency, is a condition when the veins in the legs do not properly return blood back to the heart. Damaged or weakened veins cause blood to flow backwards and pool in the legs. This leads to visible, painful or swollen veins, including varicose or spider veins. Varicose veins are enlarged, bulging or twisting veins, whereas spider veins are smaller and are

seen as blue or red lines closer to the skin’s surface.

In addition to visible veins, other symptoms of venous disease include: • Swelling or heaviness in legs • Leg pain – Aching, cramping, burning or throbbing, especially after prolonged periods of sitting • Discoloration of skin • Protrusion of enlarged veins with a cord or rope-like appearance • Dry or weeping eczema • Leg ulcers • Restless legs • Itching Diagnosing venous disease relies on a

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combination of symptoms, physical examination, and diagnostic tests. To confirm the presence of venous disease, a physician will most commonly use tests such as ultrasound, computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging to visualize how blood travels through the veins. A blood test or venography x-ray can also be done to find potential blood clots.

Venous disease can be treated with lifestyle modif ications as well as medication.

Compression stockings are most commonly used to help relieve symptoms, improve blood flow and reduce swelling. However to treat the root of the problem, further medical treatment may be needed to reduce symptoms and improve appearance.

Cardiovascular Institute of the South offers comprehensive treatment for venous disease with the latest minimally-invasive procedures, all performed conveniently in a clinic setting. Without treatment, venous disease can worsen due to the pressure of the backflow of blood in the legs. It can cause tissue inflammation, tissue damage or blood clots, leading to ulcers and infections, ultimately making the condition painful and debilitating.

That is why it is important to receive proper diagnosis and treatment from a vein specialist.

If you experience symptoms of vascular disease in the legs, visit a cardiologist to determine the cause of the problem.

Schedule an appointment at Cardiovascular Institute of the South, or learn more about the CIS Leg & Vein Center, at www.cardio.com/venous-disease.

Burning, aching or throbbing in the legs can be signs of vein disease.

If left untreated, this condition can become painful and debilitating. Trust the specialists at Cardiovascular Institute of the South who treat the root of the problem with minimally-invasive, in-clinic procedures to restore both the health and beauty of your legs.

Schedule an appointment at the CIS Leg & Vein Center today.

Scan the QR code to learn more about vein disease.

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While “hero” is the word given to figures such as Hercules or Achilles, a hero to us is someone just a little more humble than that. A hero is an individual of service, to his country or his community. A hero is someone who believes in, defends and fights for our rights and freedoms. A hero is someone who often times puts the lives of others before his or her own. A hero is someone to whom we owe a debt of gratitude, but for one reason or another, we might never have the chance. A hero could be the person standing next to you right now, an every day person who was in the right place at the right time.

July 2022 25 povhouma.com

GINA DANOS

BY KEELY DIEBOLD

For Gina Danos, the word “hero” can hold numerous meanings, one being the definition of people who selflessly give their time and life to respond to the needs of others.

Ambulance beginning a national emergency medical services (EMS) academy made her realize her calling was to pursue that dream of becoming a paramedic - news that appeared on the front page of a Lafeyette newspaper shortly after she settled into her new city.

After one semester at UL, Gina returned home to start her emergency medical technicians (EMT) training.

With 18 years of service to the Montegut Fire Department under her belt, there is no question that “hero” falls in line with a list of titles to describe the figure that Gina has become in the bayou community: volunteer, lifeguard, swim instructor, and coach, to Seeking street experience, Gina decided to name a few. become a volunteer firefighter.

As of this spring, Gina added another title to “I knew they ran medical calls, and that’s kind that list when she became the first female fire of how it started. I started running medical chief in Terrebonne Parish: groundbreaker. calls, and that’s all I was interested in,” Gina says. “I knew I didn’t want to do anything “It definitely is a great honor…We’re like firefighter related until I got my paramedic a family, so everybody has a family role, [credentials].” so sometimes they look at me as like the momma hen, like I kind of keep things in However, when the department issued gear line,” Gina says. “I think sometimes women to Gina unexpectedly and she began fighting bring different things to the table…different fires, the course of her path changed. She strengths.” dove into the education aspect of the field, receiving numerous firefighter certifications, The road to becoming chief of the Montegut and served in both part-time and full-time Fire Department began with Gina’s roles with the department. unwavering drive to become a paramedic.

When the Montegut Fire Department’s chief She set her sights on a criminal justice degree position became open in April, Gina stepped from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette up as interim chief. By May, the department after high school, but news of Acadian named her its full-time chief.

July 2022 26 povhouma.com

Whether it’s teaching swim lessons, coaching local tee-ball teams, or fighting fires, Gina says that serving Montegut has been a blessing, especially since she comes from a line of family members who served the community in various capacities.

“It’s honestly a true blessing. I kind of felt like I needed to get away, but though I was only away for a couple months for that semester, Montegut was still home just in those few months. I knew I always wanted to stay a part of the community,” Gina says.

Serving with the Montegut Fire Department in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida and as the region still continues to heal from the storm’s impacts, Gina says she was moved by the strength of community members who continued to give to those around them, even as they suffered loss themselves.

As she begins her new role as fire chief, Gina says she wants to thank the Montegut community for accepting her and to let them know that the community will always have the support of her and her department.

“The department is always there for them, through the bad times, for storms, through the good times,” Gina says. POV

OUR HOMETOWN HERO SPONSORS

we support our "The greatest one among you will live as one called to serve others without honor. The greatest honor and authority is reserved for the one who has a servant heart."

Luke 22:26 July 2022 27 povhouma.com

SOUTH LOUISIANA VETERANS OUTREACH

BY HEIDI GUIDRY

The hidden battles that are fought when veterans come back home after deployment are critical to transitioning into a world that once was normal and is scarcely talked about, especially through the eyes of our veterans.

South Louisiana Veterans Outreach (SLVO) was founded in 2019 by a group of local combat veterans who not only recognize the struggles of returning home after deployment but also suffer from the repercussions as well. Board President Brock Talbot said one of the most difficult aspects of the nonprofit outreach is that veterans are a prideful population who always take care of not only themselves but those around them. Often, when a veteran comes home and struggles with PTSD, disabilities, or unemployment, they try to handle it on their own until things get overwhelming. It was a tragic experience that led to the foundation of SLVO.

years. The organization raises funds through community events, such as Freedom Fest and a Gumbo Cook-Off. The group has also seen success with raffles that they partner with local businesses, “ We’re very communitydriven,” Brock said, “ We really try to benefit the businesses that sponsor our events by giving them as much business as much we can push to them, give as much recognition as we can, supporting them personally, and anything that we can do to show them the appreciation we have that they support the organization.” In the last raffle, they raised close to $25,000, which has already helped many veterans.

Most veterans are pride-driven; they’re proud of their service, they’re proud of the people they were in service, and when they get out, they carry that same pride with them. Brock explained that when they struggle, it may be hard to turn to someone else for help, and the organization witnesses veterans reaching out when it’s the last resort before losing everything. “It’s very hard because it’s kind of like discussing your personal situation to a complete stranger. Of course, there’s going to be barriers up,” he said,” We have to ask the hard questions. We try to do all of this face-to-face so they can see that we are real people. We relate to them.”

Brock signed up with the Army at the same time as a friend who was also from Houma.

It was this friend who lost the fight to PTSD when he committed suicide that inspired the organization to come to fruition, “Myself, along with the other board members, wanted to put something together for a network for veterans to reach out if situations like that would arise. We quickly found out that it wasn’t just a phone call, a text message, or hanging out with your buddy type of deal, SLVO board members are all combat it was veterans needing financial support veterans which makes it easier to relate to as well.” the population they are serving, “we know This is when SLVO shifted to helping what the veteran is dealing with. We feel veterans pay their mortgage, cell phone what he’s dealing with as well because we bills, utilities, insurance, rent, groceries, deal with the same struggles,” he said. Brock gas, vehicle payments, and anything with served seven years in the Army which included monthly obligations and that’s where the two deployments; one to Iraq and once to organization has focused for the past two Afghanistan. His first deployment was in 2007 July 2022 28 povhouma.com

when he was just 18 years old, “I spent two birthdays over there, so when I came back to the United States I was 21…from 18 to 21, I’m definitely not the same person, on top of what I went through,” he said. His second deployment was in 2010 just two months after he and his wife had their first child.

“It’s a very rough lifestyle and it for sure goes unrecognized for spouses as well. It’s not easy.

It's rough to transition back into this type of world,” he explained.

It’s these experiences that bridge the gap between strangers. When veterans return home and struggle with the transition, they have those that surround them, but Brock said it’s a different experience altogether when you talk to a fellow veteran. “You understand that they understand how you feel. They've been through the same situations and they understand what you’re thinking and how you’re feeling,” he said. Part of the process that goes beyond transitioning back home is some people may live in denial when they don’t think they have a problem. “You get out of the service and you might not think you have a problem with PTSD or traumatic brain injury, or any other type of disability,” Brock said, “but in reality, the veteran is showing symptoms…this could be five to ten years down the road.”

SLVO's long-term goal is to have a facility that offers amenities to veterans such as internet, events, providing meals, networking, and more free of charge for veterans. To donate or to keep up with the organization, follow SLVO on Facebook or visit www.SLVO.org. If you’re a veteran or know a veteran that needs help, reach out to them through Facebook or the website to get help today. POV

OUR HOMETOWN HERO SPONSORS

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July 2022 29 povhouma.com

TEACHERS

BY MARY DOWNER DITCH

All of us can remember one or more teachers who made a difference in our lives, someone who took the time to encourage us, tutor us, help us get past the hurdles and find the open doors to our future. Educators are our everyday heroes. They work tirelessly to make learning engaging, exciting, and relevant.

At the core of their work is a desire to give our future generations hope.

Being an educator in today’s world can be challenging. Teachers not only are expected to meet the basic requirements of their job, but they are also expected to be nurses, mental health experts, social workers, security, janitors, and sometimes even parents for their students. That sentence doesn’t even fully begin to explain what teachers really do.

It’s more than just the hours you see them inside the classroom. Teachers work long hours, up early preparing for classes, on their feet most of the day, grading papers and writing lesson plans late into the night, often spending their own money to help their students and worrying about their students long after that child moves on to another

destroyed, and their families being displaced, they took on the stress of not being able to return to their own classrooms, and the loss of their sense of school pride. For many schools across our districts, platooning became the name of the game. Our teachers rallied and Teachers became our pandemic heroes supported our children through their as we adjusted to a new way of life in own struggles to make it through to the 2020 and 2021. Many made drastic end of another very difficult year. adjustments, learning new skills to teach remotely using Zoom, putting lessons But the difficult year didn’t stop there. in Google classrooms, and trying to be On May 24, 2022, 18-year-old Salvador sure everyone had what they needed to Ramos fatally shot nineteen students and complete the next assignment. Others two teachers and wounded seventeen took on the risk of exposure in order other people at Robb Elementary School to teach classes in person, placing in Uvalde, Texas. While this tragedy themselves and their families at risk. unfolded in another state, we were again As we returned to the classroom in 2021, reminded of the potential dangers we are new rules and regulations on social asking our teachers and educators to take distancing and mask wearing were just on. In Terrebonne Parish School District, one more thing to be implemented to the school year ended with an increased keep everyone safe and back inside the police presence in all of their schools. classroom.

We are forever grateful to the teachers Then along came Hurricane Ida. and administrators that overcome the Not only did our teachers all take on challenges given to them to constantly the stress of their own homes and place our children first. POV communities being damaged and grade. Add to this the extracurricular activities they often sponsor or support: sports events, performances, contests, parties and dances. They are almost always underpaid and too often underappreciated.

July 2022 30 povhouma.com

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HACHE GRANT ASSOCIATION

BY MARY DOWNER DITCH | PHOTO BY HEIDI GUIDRY

The purpose of the Hache Grant Association is to fund specific, measurable, and actionable revitalization initiatives that will enhance the quality of life in Terrebonne Parish.

Through multiple fundraising events over the course of the last few years, the organization raised the money to take on their first project: The Bandstand. Once upon a time, a gorgeous bandstand existed in the downtown Houma area. It was a gathering spot for our community to listen to music, speakers, and more. The new bandstand will be located on the corner of Church Street and Main Street, in the front corner of the grassy area of the Courthouse. In partnership with the Houma Downtown Development Corporation and Terrebonne Parish Consolidated Government, once the bandstand is built, it will be turned over to the Parish. The groundbreaking for this project was held in June, with the goal of having it complete by October 2022.

Founded in 2021, the board consists of officers: President, Noah Lirette; Vice President, Ryan Page; Treasurer, Jason W. Bergeron; Secretary, Dr. Natalie Lirette; and Executive Director, Manny Merlos.

Board Members include Daniel Babin, Mitch Trahan, Chad Guidry, Rodney Lirette, Tyler Harrington and Nick Hebert. The Hache Grant also recognizes the numerous

volunteers and supporters of their events they knew such as Jonathan Foret with the and fundraisers who give of their time and Helio Foundation and State Representatives money to support their worthy cause.

Tanner Magee and Jerome “Zee” Zeringue.

They would learn what was needed in what While the first “official” project was the areas, collaborate with individuals and bandstand, the Hache Grant Association organizations, and find a way to get them stepped up in a big way last year after what they needed. At first, they traveled Hurricane Ida. Noah said hurricane relief to POD sites and delivered supplies, slowly wasn’t anything they actively decided to continuing to push further south into the do, it just played out that way. They started communities that were hit the hardest. “We receiving questions from people about where all have our strengths,” Jason said, “and we they can send donations. With help from all pulled together and pushed forward. We individuals such as Nick Hebert and the wouldn’t take no for an answer; we knew ELH Group, they were getting an influx of there was a way to figure out how to get supplies ready to be distributed to those in supplies into these communities.” need. Noah, who is also one of the owners of Bayou Terrebonne Distillers in Downtown Through donations and fundraising efforts, Houma, said they were able to use the the association was able to expand its distillery as a depot for supplies. lending hands. Jason spearheaded the PAC Camp Project in Pointe-aux-Chenes that This kick-started hurricane relief efforts for provided residents with showers and laundry the group. One of the first initiatives was the appliances. This simple gesture of running “Bayou Terrebonne Grocery” where supplies water and showers meant the world to those were set up in a grocery store fashion. People struggling without. were handed bags upon entry, and they were able to “shop” for supplies they needed, free Noah said he believes that downtown is the of charge. Once Houma started to get a little heart of Houma and the community is losing on their feet, Jason and Noah said the group a lot of cultures and that if we don’t preserve then focused on running supplies down the the building and history, we’re going to bayou to the areas hit hardest, which meant be in dire straits. He shared, “We want to a lot of driving. actually see things change, and believe that we can do something to make a difference.”

They said that it was tough especially when Remember, Lache Pas La Patate! POV all communication was down. They would have to drive to areas, tag in with people July 2022 32 povhouma.com

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THE OBSERVER |

BY JAIME DISHMAN

REMEMBERING

The Best Choice

IN SHORT TERM

REHAB

THE GOOD If I don’t write it down, I won’t remember.

As I heard myself saying those words to someone the other day, the words rang truer than I would have liked. When I said them, I was referring to a small matter, something I quickly typed onto my everchanging to-do list on the “notes” section of my phone.

Honestly, I can’t even remember what it was I was writing down to remember.

The hastily typed note has long since been erased, and my memory fails in my effort to recall what I was trying to remember.

It’s not the only thing I can’t remember.

Entire days of my life are gone. My mind has no recollection of them other than one big blur of time. That may sound dramatic, as though I’m exaggerating my memory. I wish it was an exaggeration.

Lately, I’ve been doing memory exercises. The brain is a complex organ and can be retrained, reshaped and molded. So I’m hoping these mental exercises will increase my ever-failing memory.

But most of the time, I forget to do my self-made brain workout.

It’s funny, sometimes. And not funny, all at the same time.

My kids use it to their advantage, giggling amongst themselves at all the times I’ve doled out punishments to them and forgotten to carry them out. My husband has suffered the repeatedly due to my memory lapses, with the most recent escapade being me going to the grocery store and forgetting the one item he wanted me to purchase.

As much as I try to fight it, time is somehow getting the best of my memory. Every day brings on piles of new information, and the old information fades away from my memory without me ever knowing it left. I’m constantly making vows to take more pictures, capture more moments on video, and write in the journal I have that is still mostly blank.

Because I really do want to remember things. I want to remember the good moments of laughter, the little moments that are adding up to be called “the life I’ve lived.”

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I understand the importance of story telling. It’s almost a lost art amongst today’s tech-savvy world of digital memories and electronic files. I’ve tried to tell more stories to my kids. They ask details about their early years, and I tell them story after story of the way they used to crawl, how much they cried, or their younger nuances of speech.

Sometimes, they’ll ask about details, and I can’t remember. I wasn’t good about writing down first words or how old they were when they took their first step, so

July 2022 34 povhouma.com

my answer to those questions in our story-telling sessions usually sound something like “I don’t remember, but I do remember my favorite thing you used to say.”

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Most nights, at supper time, our kids go around the table, and each share their favorite part of the day. It started off as just a fun way to hear about each other’s day. But my true hope is that in the retelling of the good parts of their day, it becomes the part they cling to. Because sometimes if we don’t repeat what we love about our life, we will lose the remembrance to a memory that doesn’t work as well as it should.

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It’s easy to go over the details of wrongs suffered over and over again in our minds, until it’s the only parts we remember. Ask me ten years later about how a person wronged me, and often, I can still remember. But that’s not what I want my memory to be made of as the years go on. I’d much prefer to remember the good moments I’ve enjoyed, the smiles shared with others, and days worth remembering.

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If my brain only has a limited capacity for remembering, that’s what I’m holding onto. I will repeat the good times until they are the main memories taking up space in my brain. My memory is fading all too fast, and if it’s going to fade, I want it to be filled with the blessings and not the burdens.

And I’m pretty sure that as long as I remember to keep remembering them, it’s going to be the best thing I’ve ever remembered. POV www.houmafamilydental.com July 2022 35 povhouma.com

WE SUPPORT A HEALTHIER FUTURE |

BY THIBODAUX REGIONAL HEALTH SYSTEM

STAY SAFE AND HAVE FUN THIS SUMMER The heat index and humidity push beyond 90 most days. Tropical disturbances pop up in weather forecasts. It's summer, and it's Louisiana. It's time to have fun during summer holidays and vacations but with a bit of caution to stay safe in the heat and sun.

Many chemicals used in some sunscreens have proven harmful to both humans and the environment. Here are some sunscreen tips:

Sun Safety

• Choose mineral-based sunscreens with zinc oxide or titanium dioxide

Heat, or sun stroke, is among the most serious heatrelated illnesses. It occurs when body temperatures rise quickly, sweating mechanisms fail, and the body cannot cool down. If this happens, seek emergency treatment immediately.

Signs of dehydration that can lead to heat stroke include: • Thirst • Weakness • Decreased urination • Mild headache • Dry skin Here are ways for staying safe in the sun and lessening heat-related risks: • Stay hydrated; follow the 8X8 rule—8 eight-ounce glasses of water a day • Avoid strenuous outdoor activity during peak heat, 11 a.m.–4 p.m.

• Drink sports drinks with electrolytes instead of soft drinks or alcohol to cool down • Use portable or hand-held fans if outside in high temperatures

• Avoid sunscreens with oxybenzone, which can cause allergic reactions and affect the hormonal system

• Avoid sprays, which can be harmful if inhaled and are difficult to apply evenly • Choose products with SPF of 30 or higher and are broad-spectrum, which protects from UVA and UVB rays • Apply liberally and often; adults need about an ounce to fully cover the body; reapply every two hours and after swimming

Water Safety If your summer plans include water activities, follow basic safety tips: • Never allow children to be alone near any water source, even the family pool • Build a barrier around home pools and keep lifesaving devices nearby • Wear life jackets when boating, canoeing or kayaking • Know beach flag systems and heed warnings, particularly of rip currents • Don’t swim alone or while under the influence of alcohol or medications • Stay out of the water during thunder or lightning

• Don't forget easy-to-miss spots—neck, back, ears, face and tops of feet

• Don’t dive headfirst into unfamiliar or shallow bodies of water

• Keep infants six months and younger out of the sun; sunscreen should not be used on their skin

• Learn first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)

See a dermatologist or primary care physician for routine skin checks. Scan your entire body at home every one to three months for changes in shape, color and size of moles.

Food Safety Summer heat can drive cooks out of the kitchen and to the grill. However, food-borne illnesses increase during the summer, because bacteria grows faster in hot, humid conditions. To prevent food poisoning, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends:

• People with asthma or other breathing conditions should avoid being outside for extended periods; they should also wear masks if mowing lawns or gardening to filter out pollutants.

• Washing your hands and cooking surfaces often

Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the U.S., with 1-in-5 Americans developing skin cancer in their lifetime. Wearing reflective clothing, hats, caps and sunglasses, as well as using sunscreen can reduce skin cancer risks and slow effects of aging.

• Separating raw meats from other foods when cooking and prepping to avoid cross contamination

• Using a food thermometer to ensure meats are fully cooked

• Refrigerating perishable foods as soon as everyone has been served

Travel Safety After two years of lockdowns and restrictions, travel stateside and abroad has rebounded. When planning vacations, check regulations in areas where you are traveling. Negative COVID tests are required to board planes when returning to the US from another country.

With an uptick in COVID-19 cases, the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) recommends vaccinations and boosters for anyone five years and older. Other guidelines to protect yourself and your family include: • Choose outdoor over indoor activities whenever possible • Older adults, particularly those with underlying medical conditions, and others at high risk of severe COVID outcomes should mask indoors and in crowd For more information on ways to stay safe this summer contact Thibodaux Regional Wellness Education Center, 985.493.4765.

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UNDER THE SCOPE |

BY JOHN DOUCET

WHERE DO THE NOSES GO?

(PART TWO)

Here in PoV country, we think about lots of special things in July when hurricane season is in swing. We might be thinking about batteries and flashlights and radios and plywood and canned foods and bottled water and important papers. One of the things we don’t normally think about is Egypt. That’s right: The place where Charlton Heston left Anne Baxter for Yvonne De Carlo before leading the Hebrews out of bondage and parting the Red Sea. Lest we forget, however, Eqypt is also the place of the pharaohs, the pyramids, and the Sahara Desert.

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Meteorologists often speak of the Sahara during hurricane season because in summer huge clouds of dust from that largest desert in the world get blown and swirled across the Atlantic toward the southeastern U.S. You can actually see Saharan Dust on weather radar or in unusual yellow sunsets or even on your Kleenex. What’s good for us, however, is that this hot and dry dust is something that cool and wet tropical systems don’t like very much, and so the dust tends to weaken storms and even prevent their formation.

When I think of Egypt during hurricane season, however, I think mostly of something other than desert dust. I think of the Great Sphinx of Giza—that huge, ancient, limestone monument with the body of a lion with the face of a man--built presumably to protect the pyramids. Specifically, I think of the face of the Sphinx--with its high cheekbones and wide eyes surrounded by a kingly headdress—but mostly I think of what’s missing from its face. Why, might you ask, am I thinking about the Sphinx’s missing nose--and why is it missing?

Here on the Gulf Coast in the 21st century, we know a thing or two about erosion. Fishermen, boaters, and camp- and homeowners who work and live along the coast see it every day. And so, we may logically assume that the hot, sandy windstorms that frequently blow across the Sahara may have eroded the soft limestone of the Sphinx’s nasal protuberance over the course of 4500 years, and that’s why it’s missing. But there are other explanations for this historic nosefall. A common explanation is that cannoneers of Napoleon’s army held target practice across the face of the Sphinx in 1798 in preparation for a nearby battle. However, drawings from a half-century earlier show that the nose was already missing when Napoleon’s trigger-happy forces arrived.

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A more historically grounded explanation dates 400 years before Napoleon.

Ancient documents describe actions of an Islamic cleric whose men drove iron rods into the Sphinx’s face to pry off and then chisel the great nose away. The cleric saw that the local tribes spent too much time praying to the limestone beast for a good harvest and protection from floods rather than following him. By removing the nose, the Sphinx could no longer breathe and was thus dead to the locals. By defacing the image, he drained the image’s strength and overturned local culture.

July 2022 38 povhouma.com

History is filled with examples of cultural destruction like this. In the 5th century B.C., Sun Tzu acknowledges the practice in “The Art of War.” In the 20th century, not only did Nazis seek to eliminate an entire race but they also stole art and cultural artefacts from across conquered Europe. Watch “The Train” with Burt Lancaster or “The Monuments Men” with George Clooney. Better yet, and to better understand, just watch evening news and see how modernday monuments, museums, and most recently a monastery are being destroyed in Ukraine.

Celebrated British novelist and critic George Orwell, who lived through both World Wars and the Spanish Civil War, observed that “the most effective way to destroy people is to deny and obliterate their own understanding of their history.” Though faraway from historical and current cultural attacks, PoV country nonetheless faces a battle.

The opposing force in this battle is insidious and mostly unrecognized as a destroyer of culture. Just ask the folks of Isle de Jean Charles or any of our coastal villages facing the slow encroachment of saltwater. Just ask the grassroots curators of the Galliano and Golden Meadow historical centers who lost priceless artefacts when Hurricane Ida tore holes in the roofs protecting their heritage.

So, join me this hurricane season and, among the lots of special things we think about this time of year, think of Egypt. And, in thinking of Egypt, remember our innate responsibility to protect the Nose--to battle against destruction of the Past, to protect those things here among the bayous that give us a sense of place and identity, that give significance to the little villages where we were born and raised, that give us our own place in the very long story of humanity. Our ancestors, as well as our children, are depending on us. POV

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Terrebonne 200: Environment Presentation

July 7, 6 p.m.

Houma-Terrebonne Civic Center In honor of the Terrebonne Bicentennial Celebration Year, presentations will be conducted throughout the year in celebration of 200 years of prosperity and growth. The presentation will be about environment and will be presented by Earl Eues.

Luminate Houma

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LANE BATES

July 9, 6 p.m.

Main St. Houma Amphitheater Luminate Houma’s mission is to revitalize downtown Houma by promoting & providing entertainment & art to the community. This month features Nonc Nu and Da Wild Matous.

Historic Thibodaux Walking Tours

Weekly on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 10 a.m. - 11 a.m.

Wetlands Acadian Cultural Center, Thibodaux Join the friendly park rangers at Jean Lafitte Wetlands Acadian Cultural Center for a walking tour of historic Downtown Thibodaux.

Big Brims & Healthy Skin

July 10 11 a.m.- 1:30 p.m.

Ellendale Country Club Join Dermatologist Alexis Duke, M.D., F.A.A.D. for a summer luncheon that aims to expand melanoma awareness and raise vital funds for cancer prevention and early detection. Guests will hear a survivor's personal story and learn from Dr. Duke, while enjoying cocktails, delicious food, and bingo. Be sure to show up in your best decorated hat! A prize will be awarded for the best hat of the bunch - proving that sun protection can bebeautiful! All funds raised will remain local to benefit Terrebonne General | Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center.

Island Strong Beach Fest

July 15-16 Grand Isle, La. The first Island Strong Beach Fest is a two-day festival featuring live music, food, craft booths and various other vendors that will support Grand Isle’s recovery from Hurricane Ida. All proceeds go to rebuilding Grand Isle’s recreational facilities. The festival will take place on the beach across from the Grand Isle Community Center and Birch Lane beach crossover #19. More information and lineup can be found at townofgrandisle.com/ island-strong-beach-fest. POV

985-209-9762 lanebates@cannatas.com

July 2022 40 povhouma.com

FUN FACTS Everyday first responders put their lives on the line to protect us and keep us safe. Here are a few facts about these everyday heroes that you may not know.

The United States has more than 17,000 police agencies.

Women make up for 11.9 percent of police officers in the United States.

The United States has over 1.1 million firefighters as of 2022.

The U.S. has over 900,000 law enforcement officers who are sworn in.

We’re here.

We’re ready.

When a disaster strikes, we will be there. Backed by one of the industry’s largest catastrophe response teams, we’ll be ready to help when you need us.

Like a good neighbor, ® State Farm is there.

Mark Andrepont, Agent 5947 W Main Street Houma, LA 70360 Bus: 985-876-5815 markandrepont.com

Fire-fighters are required to dress in gear in less than 2 minutes.

Darryl M Brue, Agent 1950 Prospect Blvd Houma, LA 70363 Bus: 985-851-2584 darrylbrue.com

*According to facts.net and seriousfacts.com.

Rene Carreker Ins Agcy Inc Rene Carreker, Agent 1221 Museum Drive Houma, LA 70360 renecarreker.com

Group and Commercial Insurance Jean Marmande Chuck Weaver, Jr.

www.slfsllc.com

985-851-4281

July 2022 41 povhouma.com

State Farm Bloomington, IL 2001966

LOOK TWICE |

WIN A $50

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Find the six differences in this photo from our feature on page 10. Email your answers to us at looktwice@povhouma.com or drop it in the mail: Rushing Media, P.O. Box 5013, Houma, LA, 70361.

A winner will be picked by random drawing July 15.

The winner will receive a $50 Visa® gift card courtesy of Synergy Bank.

Participants must be 18 years or older.

Congratulations to Vernell Solet for winning last month’s contest.

ANSWERS TO LAST MONTH’S CONTEST 1. Removed box on middle shelf 2. Changed color of cups 3. Removed knob on drawer 4. Added additional plates 5. Changed color of lampshade 6. Removed rope from anchor

s Help u

! s u b e h t K PAC

Donate new school supplies to benefit Terrebonne and Lafourche Parish students!

Donations accepted at all Synergy Bank locations.

July 2022 42 povhouma.com

/BayouPacktheBus

6161 WEST PARK AVE., HOUMA, LA | 876-1817

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