FREE AUGUST 2021 | VOL. 15 • ISSUE 8 | POVHOUMA.COM
CONTENTS |
AUGUST 2021 • VOLUME 15 • ISSUE 8
CONT HOME + LIVING
Page 12
12 CHATEAU CHIC Renovation Reverie
FOOD + FUN
Page 24
24 LIVING FOSSILS
How one professor is making waves with garfish research
20 THE OBSERVER Time Marches On
MIND + BODY
Page 32
32 GATR KEEPS GROWING
Thibodaux-based custom cooler company continues to grow as big as its namesake.
36 WE SUPPORT A HEALTHIER FUTURE
The Kids Are Going Back to School
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ENTS EXTRAS
ON THE COVER
WORD, YA HEARD
JOIE DE VIVRE noun French a delight in being alive; keen, carefree enjoyment of living
WORD ON THE STREET Admired for joie de vivre, cajuns know how to laissez les bons temps rouler. Laughing and dancing together, joie de vivre is a way of life in Louisiana.
06 PUBLISHER’S NOTE
The best damn GARticle you’ve ever read.
08 INTERVUE
Photo: Misty McElroy
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Gars and Gatrs
Say What?
38 UNDER THE SCOPE UFOs, UAPs, and U
40 RENDEZVOUS
Where you need to be around town
42 LOOK TWICE
Sponsored by Synergy Bank
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What is your favorite Louisiana product?
Crawfish “pies” from a gas station
PUBLISHER
Brian Rushing ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER
Mary Downer Ditch EDITORIAL
Drew Miller ASSOCIATE EDITOR Heidi Guidry STAFF WRITER
CREATIVE
Lauren Pontiff GRAPHIC DESIGNER Breanna Parfait GRAPHICS INTERN PHOTOGRAPHY
Misty Leigh McElroy Drew Miller
Tony Cachere’s
VIDEOGRAPHY
Keely Diebold ADVERTISING
Beth Tabor MARKETING CONSULTANT
DIGITAL MARKETING
Addie Wetzel
Crystal hot sauce DIRECTOR OF FINANCE
Michelle Ortego SUBSCRIPTIONS
Point of Vue magazine is published monthly. Subscriptions are available for $36 for 12 issues. For more information, email mail@rushing-media.com or visit rushing-media.com/subscriptions.
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Jaime Dishman John Doucet Bonnie Rushing CONTACT
Publisher: publisher@rushing-media.com Editorial: mary@rushing-media.com Creative: graphics@rushing-media.com Sales: sales@rushing-media.com
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PUBLISHER’S NOTE |
MARY DOWNER DITCH • ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER
GARS AND GATRS Ever notice how peaceful life seems to be when staring at the water? Any body of water, really. Some people find their peace on a lake or a pond. For me, it’s the ocean and the melodic rhythm of the waves. But for most in Louisiana, it’s the bayou.
swaying with the pull of the tide and the larger vessels passing further down. The Louisiana Bayou is also “home” to our feature stories this month, literally and figuratively! Garfish and alligators find their home in the murky waters of many of our waterways. Both of these creatures aren’t typically very exciting to those of us who have lived here all of our lives. But in this issue, these prehistoric creatures are making headlines!
There’s just something about those murky bayou waters that carries you home. I was raised on a bayou. Not Bayou Terrebonne, or any of the waterways that carry you south, but in town on a little waterway called Ouiski Bayou. Pronounced “whiskey”, this bayou is now little more than a glorified canal that helps drain the areas off of Martin Luther King Blvd. But as a child, this mysterious waterway was a wonder to observe. Swimming just underneath its still, mirror-like surface was an entire ecosystem of amazing creatures. While my mom was always warning my brother and me to stay away from this danger, we continuously made our way to its edge to peer beneath the waters at what lay below. From safer things like tadpoles, frogs and small fish to the more intense alligators and garfish, the bayou was always showing signs of life. Wild ducks and our domesticated ducks made their nests along its banks and raised their families there. Nutria were often found snacking on the foliage and swimming around. Every now and again, a lone adventurer in a pirogue would silently part the waters as they paddled by. There was always something happening on that bayou. As an adult, our office space overlooks Bayou Terrebonne as she flows through downtown Houma, racing to her end point in the Intracoastal Canal. The water at this end is never still; this close to the end, it is always flowing,
Dr. Solomon David is an Assistant Professor in the Biology Department at Nicholls State University, known as the “gar man.” The head of the “Gar Lab” on campus, Dr. Solomon heads up research that makes news on national and international levels. Students come from all over the globe to complete graduate studies on the GARgantuan living fossil. Enjoy our GARticle starting on page 24. GATR Coolers — a Thibodaux-based company that specializes in custom coolers and drinkware, among other items — is a booming business, with countless orders coming in from all over the United States and overseas. It’s already reached several milestones, including racking up a million miles of shipped products, impressive considering the enterprise hasn’t even hit its 5-year mark yet. So much more than another monster from the murky deep, GATR Coolers is also helping to put Thibodaux on the map. Learn more about GATRs starting on page 32. The Louisiana Life and Heritage Issue is always a fun issue to work on. It’s amazing to see how far our culture and creatures reach outside the winding bayou landscape we call home. So the next time you see a gator or a gar, remember, to others, they are amazing! POV
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INTERVUE |
SAY WHAT?
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What would you miss the most about Louisiana if you ever moved?
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What I’d miss the most if I moved from Louisiana is the food. We have the best food here. From Monday’s red beans and rice to fried seafood. And let’s not forget the crawfish, crab and shrimp “bawls”and grilled oysters. I’d have to order seasonings and have them mailed to me. Not every state has the seasonings we use. Our language here is different than anywhere else too. So I’d probably have to learn how to talk all over again, since we “make groceries” and “save dishes and laundry”. I’d miss the festivals. Let’s face it, we have a festival for EVERYTHING under the sun! Those are the most important things I’d miss if I ever moved. But I ain’t going nowhere!
JOSH
If I ever moved from Louisiana I would miss the Cajun food, my family, and shrimping on the waterways. I’ll miss zydeco music and a voodoo woman named Phyllis.
KAITLYN
Since moving to Germany I’ve come to realize that the things I miss most about Louisiana are my family of course, and the tight-knit community where everyone knows everyone. And the food, everyone loves good southern food!
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LAURYN
I just moved from Louisiana to Florida for the Disney College Program! Being down here in the Orlando area I have Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando that both offer authentic “Louisiana” or “Cajun” food. And we all know that that ain’t true. I miss Louisiana food so much! I tried to bring what I could with me. I brought a bottle of Tony’s with me and a few cans of Blue Runner Red Beans but boy oh boy am I going to miss Vernon sausage and andouille! Oh and boiled crawfish!! Oh and specifically Middendorfs fried shrimp! Louisiana food just tells a story that I love to hear over and over again! And other than food I’d miss my family. I’m lucky enough to have grown up with all my family either across the track, down the road or less than 10 minutes away. I’ll be forever thankful for the family I was brought up with!
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HOME + LIVING
CHATEAU CHIC | 12 Renovation Reverie
THE OBSERVER | 20 Time Marches On
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HOME + LIVING |
CHATEAU CHIC
RENOVATION REVERIE BY BONNIE RUSHING | PHOTOS BY MISTY LEIGH MCELROY
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We all know the beginning of this couple’s home story all too well. With plans to build their family’s dream home, another home came on the market and the story was instantly rewritten to include a life in that property. Dustin and Nadine Hebert had their hearts set on building a home for their family of five. Having flipped a home once before, Dustin had no interest in renovating again. However, Nadine came across an older home situated on a large lot with mature trees, and quickly realized it’s potential. After convincing Dustin to take a look at it and consulting with contractors, the couple decided this house would become their home. “She was passionate about what it could be, and it got me excited about the potential too,” Dustin remembers. While the home needed to be updated, the couple knew the
former owner and the original builder, and were confident about the quality of the home that was built in 1979. Enlisting Carol Naquin, who originally built the house to consult on the renovations brought an interesting perspective to the table. “It was fun to see him walk around and remember building it,” Nadine recalls. Naquin was also consulted on creating an open floor plan between the kitchen, living and dining room and also shared knowledge about the materials used and the history of the home. Eliminating many interior doors, scraping the popcorn ceilings, and creating an open floor plan in the common areas updated the space to fit the young family’s needs and gave them a blank slate. Nadine explains that using neutral colors to give the appearance of higher ceilings and neutral
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furnishings to keep things simple and clean makes the space feel even larger. The addition of old cypress accents adds warmth and feels as if it was part of the original space. The carefully curated interior demonstrates Nadine’s talent and patience in creating her family’s home. “Her ability to see things and put them together in a practical way was vital to the renovation. I really admire how she sees things and puts them together and it makes everything look so nice,” Dustin shares. POV
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Shannon sharpened her senior care expertise in leadership positions at Hospice of South Louisiana, where she served as both Administrator and medical social worker during her 4-year tenure. Her distinguished healthcare career also includes experience as a medical social worker for Terrebonne General Medical Center and as a social worker at Leonard J Chabert Medical Center. Born and raised in the New Orleans area, Shannon is a 20-year resident of Houma. As Executive Director of The Suites at Sugar Mill Point, Amanda Champagne devotes herself to providing exceptional assisted living and memory care services to the residents she serves. She brings with her 20 years of experience as a nurse with a passion for caring for others and supporting their families. Amanda started at The Suites in February 2017 as a floor nurse and assumed the role of Director of Health & Wellness in September of 2017. Her love and compassion for the Senior population led her to pursue her career in the assisted living and memory care industry. She is a certified trainer who provides specialized Dementia Training to all staff at The Suites. Amanda is also an instructor for First Aid and CPR. The Suites at Sugar Mill Point is a community that truly makes living life easy. Aside from being located right in your backyard off of Valhi Boulevard in Houma, The Suites offers top-of-the-line entertainment, delicious dining, daily activities, and special events. Situated on three beautifully landscaped acres in the Sugar Mill Point neighborhood, the state-of-the-art community consists of thirty-six luxury suites. The comfortable suites are the perfect place to enjoy some much-deserved peace and quiet, and there are endless opportunities to socialize both indoors and outdoors. Being centrally located in Houma offers easy access to local hospitals, doctor’s offices and other attractions. Each resident’s care plan is specifically curated to provide them with exactly what they need and what they desire. You are invited to share extensive information about your loved one so their plan can conform to his or her interests, habits, and routines. From customized wellness plans and activities, nutritious meals and snacks, social events, inhouse therapy opportunities, and a wide variety of customizable services, The Suites delivers TRUE CARE every day. Schedule your tour, or just stop by and visit The Suites at Sugar Mill Point at 220 Valhi Boulevard (at the corner of Polk and Valhi) in Houma.
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THE OBSERVER |
BY JAIME DISHMAN
TIME
MARCHES ON He sat next to me on the couch. Pressing close. Sitting still. If I’m honest, it had been a while. He sat, and I savored. These moments are passing faster than I care to admit, and when he sat and stayed and leaned in close, my heart swelled. Everyone told me in the early years, “blink and you’ll miss it.” I kept blinking, hoping I could hur-ry it all along, because it all felt overwhelming. So here I am, trying to hold close growing boys who have grown taller than me. Trying to capture moments that aren’t just flying. They’re disappearing. Trying to raise them in a world where people keep saying things like “today’s world is just such a crazy place to raise kids.” But this is their world. They’re my people. So he sat close, and I even managed to take a picture to capture the moment. These days are the best days. But what if we called every day a best day? Every day a treasure? Because when they’re gone, they feel like lost treasures that can only be recaptured by re-membering. Seven years ago, I was writing for this same magazine. With the same boy sitting close. I said this all those years ago: Even as I’m writing this, my seven-year-old has climbed on the couch, asking if he can “hit a letter” while I’m typing. I’ve ignored him twice, yet he’s squeezed closer, changing his question to “Can I type in a letter for you?” I haven’t responded. He’s not deterred. He has pushed himself until I can barely move my left arm to type on my laptop because he is pressing so hard against me. Which is sometimes what it feels like. All these people who call me mom press against me until I can barely move And then I blinked and seven years passed. And I wish I would have savored more the seven-year-old pressed against me as I typed. Because now he’s 14. He thinks he’s ready for his own adventures. His own life. He’s still ours, but I can feel the restlessness of boy turning to man.
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So in the pressing of this life, maybe they’ve reshaped me. Because when the 14-year-old sat, I didn’t want him to leave. “Just sit and stay a while with me,” I thought. He did, but it was over sooner than I wished. He went somewhere to do something. Had a plan that didn’t involve me. He’s grown, while I’ve aged. It’s been a reflec-tive year and a half. A world with a pandemic has slowed us down and
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somehow sped us up all at once. It’s been different and hard and unexpected. And here we are again, with cases rising again even as I type. Mandates being put back in place. It’s tempting to want to rush through it all and hope I can blink and this, too, will be over. But then seven years will pass, and 14-year-old will be 21.
Designer Smiles
So this time I’m trying to savor. Trying to sit still. Trying to breathe enjoyment in-stead of being overwhelmed. Counting this all as blessings instead of burdens. Author Bob Goff says “What we’ve spent our time collecting might not be worth it.” We recently spent our time collecting quartz pieces at one of those rock mining type places in Arkansas. Spent hours digging through red dirt, squealing over shiny pieces of quartz. Counting the “points” each piece had. Washing them off afterward, telling ourselves how proud we were of our treasures.
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Those treasures are in a bag in our garage now. Not even a month later, and they’re forgotten, pushed in a corner, left to sit because where do you put dozens of pieces of quartz?
BE UNCOMPLICATED
BE UNCOMPLICATED
What am I spending my time collecting? Are my days an endless blur of activity or pressed tight moments on a couch with people I love? Am I collecting accomplish-ments or gathering close the people who mean the most?
BE UNCOMPLICATED
Maybe I’ll take one of those (probably worthless) pieces of quartz out of my bag and display it as a reminder that just because you’re busy collecting things doesn’t mean you’ll value the hours/days/years you’ve spent on what you once thought was so important.
BE UNCOMPLICATED
Gather your people. Gather memories. Grow in love. And give grace. POV
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FOOD + FUN
LIVING FOSSILS | 24 How one professor is making waves with garfish research
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STORY BY HEIDI GUIDRY | PHOTOS BY MISTY MCELROY
Louisiana waters are as diverse as the culture and the wetlands breathe beauty like the people. The state is called Sportsman’s Paradise for a reason; there’s simply nowhere like it and it is a melting pot of wildlife. Dr. Solomon David is an Assistant Professor in the Biology Department at Nicholls State University, known
as the “gar man.” He really likes gar. Although the fish gets a bad reputation, even called “trash fish,” Solomon brings fresh life to the species through his studies. His interest in science and all things ‘crawly’ began when he was a child. He grew up in Ohio where he says his parents and grandparents fostered his love for nature; he was absolutely that kid who would be in the
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ditch rummaging for the “less cuddly” critters. His favorite creatures were dinosaurs and turtles. Gar entered his life while flipping through a ‘Ranger Rick’ magazine. It was initially turtles in an illustration that caught his eye, however, the main focus of the drawing was a prehistoric fish with big jaws and a slew of teeth that immediately hooked him in. The story was titled ‘Mississippi
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Coming soon King’ and it featured the unique alligator gar. The family of gar has been around for over 150 million years, which was during the late Jurassic period. That makes them older than the Tyrannosaurus Rex which was Solomon’s favorite dinosaur as a kid. He says, “they swam before the dinosaurs, outlasted the dinosaurs, and
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still look the same.” Solomon has known since reading that story he wanted to grow up to be in the science field. Solomon went on to study at Ohio Northern University for his undergraduate degree. He later earned a master’s degree and Ph.D. at the University of Michigan. During graduate school, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Lab had extra room in a building and told Solomon he could study in it which became known as the Gar Lab. It was also during his studies in Michigan that he connected with Dr. Allyse Ferrara and Dr. Quenton Fontenot from Nicholls State University in Thibodaux who helped him understand the most current research and projects. They later met for the first time at a conference in Costa Rica and he went on to visit the Nicholls campus in 2009. Fast forward to 2017, where Dr. Fontenot made a point to let Solomon know a position at Nicholls was becoming vacant soon due to the retirement of a professor and Solomon went all in. The Gar Lab name also
migrated south with him. The main focus of the Gar Lab is, you guessed it, garfish (Lepisosteidae). Although the lab doesn’t only study gar, they use the fish family to answer other questions that are based on biology, ecology, conservation, and reservation. The professor and the graduate students in the Gar Lab have also bred the fish to gain a better supply of gar and its embryos. The embryos are then sent to Michigan to help with studies. Although the fish is abundant in the south, they are less prevalent in the north due to them preferring warmer slow-moving waters. This, along with people exterminating the fish when caught because they see them as a predatory species and habitat loss, has caused extinction in some areas. Solomon says there are efforts put in place to help the areas that see
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extinction and they are starting to see gar in areas that haven’t seen the fish in decades. Solomon says one of the best aspects of being a professor is to work with students that are primarily from the region and being able to teach them not only about biology, but also things such as different ecosystems with genuine excitement that is infectious. He says he first-hand gets to see the excitement pass to his students about their studies. There is a difference between his undergraduate and graduate students, Solomon says, and interestingly the graduate program brings in students from all over the country. The students come from all different cultures and get to see first-hand the beauty of Louisiana culture that includes a variety of species that are in no other area.
Solomon, or master of the #GarPun, shared many interesting facts: gar has an armored hide where it’s as thick as enamel, they have poisonous eggs, the lifespan of a gar can be over 100 years old, alligator gar can get up to a “GARgantuan” size of over six feet long and can weigh more than 200 pounds, gar breathe air through special air sacs, there are seven species of the fish family (five of which are in the United States), they are living fossils that evolve at a much slower rate than other organisms, and spotted gar are genetically closer to humans than other fish species. The last fact is especially important because it could potentially lead to advancements in biomedical research focused on human diseases.
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“That’s a big part of what I do at the university and on social media is talking about the value of the organisms and how they fit in the bigger picture of biodiversity,“ Solomon said, “We live alongside these organisms and they can do stuff for us too. They can tell us the health of the environment and their genomes can be important to us when working on studying the evolution of diseases.”
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Solomon said the most challenging part of his study efforts is accessing already limited resources. He said, “when studying the environment, you have to look at ecology and biology which is conservation of biodiversity, so conserving nature and its world around it. Resources are always going to be the most challenging part.” He said because gar is the ‘underdog’ of fish, the limited amount of resources are more likely to go to other efforts. He said the results of gar research are very important because it can help with a great deal for the area such as conservation such as what the fish tell the health of the environment, ethics of genetics to help with human diseases, and more. Although they have a long history with a bad reputation, the fish have a hopeful future of repopulating, helping biodiversity, and biomedicine that is ‘GAR-anteed’ to push the species to thrive for another 150 million years. POV
August 2021 27 povhouma.com
BILLY’S BEST BRANDS PLUS Owner: Billy Allen Specialty/type of business: Appliances, Tv’s, Stereos, Mattresses Local Since: 1990 What's In Store: We carry top-of-the-line appliances, Tv’s, stereos and mattresses. We stock brands that include: Frigidaire, Maytag, Whirlpool, Kitchenaide, GE, Beko, Forno, and Danby. Our TV brands include Sony, LG, Samsung, and Skyworth. The Difference: At Billy’s, we are very knowledgeable about the products we offer and provide excellent customer service. We stock a good bit of inventory and handle all service calls for our customers. The Latest: We do day in, day out pricing. Our vendors do promotions and we follow. POV
August 2021 28 povhouma.com
GFP ARCHITECTURE + INTERIOR DESIGN Owner: Kevin M. Gros, Architect – President, Amy Connor-Flores, Interior Designer – Director of Interior Design, L. “Andy” Positerry, II, Architect – Director of Operations Specialty: Full-service Architectural and Interior Design firm specializing in all large-scale and small-scale commercial and custom residential projects. Local Since: Our firm’s history goes back to its original founding in 1949, most recently rebranded as “GFP Architecture + Interior Design” as of March 1, 2021. What's In Store: Simply put, we assist in turning our clients’ visions into reality. Regardless of project size or design complexity, our firm specializes in bringing our unique experience, expertise, and design process to each and every client with an attention to detail that ensures a high-quality and affordable design solution. The Difference: We are the only true architectural and interior design firm in the tri-parish area. Combining this multi-disciplined approach with state-of-the-art three-dimensional modelling and visualization software allows our clients to see and “walk through” the various design options as they’re developed. This gives our clients and building users the ability to be an integral part of the design team and allows us to provide the highest level of service through all phases of design and construction. The Latest: In addition to several exciting projects currently “on the boards”, GFP is the Architect-of-Record for the new Thibodaux Middle School that just started construction in June. We have also recently purchased property in Thibodaux to design and build a new office building for our firm! POV
August 2021 29 povhouma.com
MIND + BODY
GATR KEEPS GROWING | 32
Thibodaux-based custom cooler company continues to grow as big as its namesake.
WE SUPPORT A HEALTHIER FUTURE | 36 The Kids Are Going Back to School
August 2021 30 povhouma.com
Advanced cooking technology isn’t just for high-end restaurants anymore. Thermador delivers stylish, professional performance — now in a gas range line designed for the home. The Thermador Pro Grand® collection features a variety of models and sizes to suit any kitchen space and style. Engineered with Thermador’s patented Pedal Star® burner technology for uniform heating, large capacity convection ovens, wifi capability and more, this collection gives you the highest control over your food creations for a truly elevated cooking experience.
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STORY AND PHOTOS BY DREW MILLER
GATR Coolers — a Thibodaux-based company that specializes in custom coolers and drinkware, among other items — is a booming business, with countless orders coming in from all over the United States and overseas. It’s already reached several milestones, including racking up a million miles of shipped products, impressive considering the enterprise hasn’t even hit its 5-year mark yet. The idea for GATR (pronounced “gator”), such as with many startups, was born out of a need. In 2016, Schriever native Mitch McGehee, who worked offshore at the time, wanted to order 10 plain “YETI-style” ice chests with no logos for him and folks on his platform. After making several calls to manufacturers overseas, he realized it would be more expensive than actual YETI coolers because he wasn’t buying enough to fill up a cargo container to ship on a vessel. After months of pondering over the situation, he decided to move forward with the idea of ordering bulk coolers and sent a text to his brothers to see who wanted to join the new venture. His brother Bryan, who also worked in the oilfield, wanted in. “I was trying to go the real cheap route. Bryan was more like, ‘If we’re going to do it, let’s do it right. So, let’s get a legit logo and a legit name. Let’s put a little more effort into it,” Mitch remembers. The two established their LLC in February of 2017 and received their first shipment of coolers, about 360 of them boasting their logo, in May that same year. They virtually sold out in almost three weeks. “We ended up having to shut our website down ‘cause we had already booked a trade show in New Orleans. So, we had to turn our website off to bring our remaining 50, 60 coolers to the trade show — and then we sold out over there,” Mitch says.
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And the business skyrocketed from there as the brothers managed it while also balancing their day jobs and family lives. “So this was like a full-time side gig for both of us. You’re staying up till
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“If we’re going to do it, let’s do it right.”
2 or 3 o’clock in the morning and dealing with manufacturing because they’re overseas and on the opposite time schedule and then waking up at 5 or 6 in the morning to go to work and do your full-time job,” Bryan shares. “Whenever we realized that it was not just our circle that was supporting — our social media platforms were growing, and we’re getting a big following and actually building a cool brand with cool products — we started putting a little bit more money into it and a little bit more time into it.” As orders kept pouring in and ice chests and cups began filling the rooms of their homes, they purchased a 1,500-square-foot storage space on Tiger Drive in Thibodaux, and six months later, were able to pack an additional one right next to it with products. In April of 2020, they acquired the former Donner-Peltier Distillers building in Thibodaux to expand their inventory space and house their machinery. Because it was a distillery that’s not so well-suited for their production needs — with pandemic woes on top of that — getting their operation up and running at their new around 15,000-square-foot facility turned out to be an arduous process. “There were some alcohol left in here, about 20-something barrels of whiskey, so we had to get that out, which took four or
five months or so. That was a long process because we couldn’t get the building inspected or the bank loan or anything done until the alcohol was gone,” Bryan says. “And then, by the time we moved in, it was a couple of months worth of moving stuff out. All the equipment was left in here and super sacks of grain and rice and all this stuff in the back — a lot of stuff to clean up.” At press time in mid-July, the GATR’s retail store at the facility was still in the works. It features a mural by local artist Hans Geist celebrating Thibodaux staples, such as Nicholls State University, Rouses and Bourgeois Meat Market, among others, nestled along the bayou. Mitch and Bryan aim to host a grand opening of the space in September — in time for gator season. GATR offers an impressive range of high-quality products, including rotomolded coolers, cups, koozies, apparel, accessories and more. But what really sets it apart is its customization, which the brothers ventured into about a year into the business. From company logos to photos of a memorable hunting trip, customers simply can upload images for the specialists to engrave — crafting catered, unique products. “We tell people literally anything will work, and a lot of people test us with that. They send us a picture of a picture in a picture frame at an angle with glare and want that to look
August 2021 34 povhouma.com
We’re here. We’re ready. good on top of a cooler,” Bryan smiles. It’s a long, meticulous process that requires special equipment. For the two brothers, however, the finished product is well worth it.
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“When you think about YETI that does a billion dollars a year, they don’t have time to sit 45 minutes for one custom cooler. There’s other ways for them to get them out faster: there’s printers where you can print directly onto the cooler, there’s stickers — basically vinyl wraps. Those are both cheaper options. But for us, this is probably the most expensive way to customize a cooler, but in our opinion, the best,” Bryan explains. “These materials are designed to be outside. It doesn’t fade; it won’t peel up like a sticker. When you CNC down into the material or you laser engrave material, it’s a permanent cut or burn into the material.”
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Another reason for the business’s success is the McGehees’ social media engagement. GATR’s Instagram and Facebook accounts, with a combined nearly 100,000 followers, are plastered with customer-created content. “There’s no new science behind plastic and insulation; it’s about the brand that you’re building. And it’s about you involving your customers — involving the people that supported you. So, it’s not something as simple as just posting photo shoot stuff on our social media,” Bryan says. “...We post and tag them on there and let them know the brand is supporting them, too.”
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To see what GATR Coolers, which is branching out into boat customization, dry boxes, duffel bags and other products and services, has in store, visit gatrcoolers.com. POV
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WE SUPPORT A HEALTHIER FUTURE |
BY THIBODAUX REGIONAL HEALTH SYSTEM
THE KIDS ARE GOING
BACK TO SCHOOL For most parents, the sound of school bells may never sound as sweet as when ringing in the 2021-22 academic year. After nearly a year and a half of juggling in-home and hybrid school, coupled with work from home and trying to safeguard the health of the household, parents deserve some post-COVID time to play hooky.
Louisiana is currently eligible—may want to watch a LDH webinar featuring a panel of healthcare experts from throughout the state. “Vaccine Q&A for Parents and K-12 Students” addresses benefits and risks of the vaccine for children.
While students return to the classroom full time, officials from the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) and Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) caution that we’re not free of the pandemic.
During the chaos of 2020, many children missed annual well checks, required vaccines and preventive dental visits. Catch up on these checkups before school starts.
Catch up on the Checkups.
With Louisiana ranking along with Alabama and Mississippi at the top—not for football but among states with the lowest vaccination rates, protecting students requires large doses of caution and prevention.
This fall is expected to be yet another unknown, mostly due to spread of the Delta variant. Don’t worry if you’ve lost track of which immunization is due. Just schedule an appointment; your child’s doctor can get everyone back on schedule.
Be Informed.
Take An Ounce of Prevention.
As students get ready for school with relaxed health rules, naturally you and your child may be nervous. Overcome any anxiety by staying informed. The Louisiana Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provide credible resources and guidance on the virus, including the highly contagious Delta variant.
As students get ready for school, review with them how to safely protect themselves from COVID and other viruses.
Parents considering a COVID vaccine for their child—everyone 12 years and older in
• Wash hands thoroughly and often with soap or use hand sanitizer; • Socially distance and avoid large groups; most schools have specific group gathering guidelines; • When wearing a mask cover the mouth,
nose, and chin; • Cough or sneeze into a tissue if available or the bend of the arm; • Avoid touching the face and eyes; • Remind young children not to use another child’s comb, brush, cap or hat, or play with another’s hair. Follow the Guidelines. Despite precautions, the LDOE expects some students and school personnel to get COVID during the school year. The agency has developed School Operational Guidelines to navigate through the uncertainty. These include: • Stay home if sick and particularly if you have fever; • Anyone with COVID should isolate at home under CDC criteria (10 days since symptoms first appeared and 24 hours with no fever); • Stay home and monitor symptoms for 14 days if you’ve been in close contact—six feet or less—to a person infected with COVID; • If vaccinated and asymptomatic, you do need to quarantine if exposed to COVID.
For more information contact the Wellness Education Center of Thibodaux Regional, 985.493.4765.
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One weekend when I returned to PoV country on a visit from college, I wanted to prove to my Mom that I could cook for myself. After watching her fry chicken for the family nearly every Sunday for the previous two decades of pre-collegiate dining, I decided to demonstrate for her my skills at preparing her signature Sunday meal. And so, I picked up a whole chicken and other supplies from the supermarket. To demonstrate my newly developed problem-solving and organizational skills, I set up stations across the whole kitchen: There was a butcher’s station, a washing station, a dusting station, and egg-wash station, and a battering station, all aligned in sequence and toward the stove where a skillet of that new-fangled canola oil was sizzling. Of course, Mom intermittently visited the kitchen to correct what to her perception were my missteps along the way. And when it came time for me to proudly turn over the chicken pieces and show their first nicely browned side, she was confused by the result at first and then eventually laughed, saying “Ça c’est some UFOs!” It was a strange moment of kitchen giddiness from a person not particularly known for giddiness, and I didn’t quite understand it. UFOs, mom? What do you mean? And then she explained her complicated metaphor, having compared my chicken not to something in the physical world, necessarily, but to something not yet proven physical: “Mais, that’s some Unidentified Frying Objects!” she said. An unusual response from Mom, no doubt, but clearly explainable on two fronts. First, I had cut the chicken not according to its skeletal anatomy, which should have resembled patterns of other vertebrates like myself (given what I had learned about evolution in freshman biology earlier that year), but rather I cut according to my own precise pattern based on Euclidean geometry, severing bones outside their normal bone joints whenever those things got in my way. Second, Mom was a WWII teenager and, as such, she aware of worrisome threats from the sky. Her generation reveled in the patriotism that America won a foreign war on the ground, on the sea, and in the air (as the famous G.I. Joe song goes). But in her young adulthood, when Russia launched Sputnik (the first artificial satellite), Laika (the first animal, a dog), Yuri Gagarin (the first man), and Valentina Tereshkova (the first woman) into space, her country was suddenly behind in the race to conquer and defend the only remaining unmilitarized domain of Earth. But back in mid-century, Russia’s challenges in the space race were in the news and in plain sight. What primed Mom for her comment on my cooking happened more mysteriously and at a more impressionable age for her: She had just graduated from high school in 1947 when something resembling a large saucer fell from the sky and crashed near Roswell, New Mexico. And almost 75 years later, that event makes the Pentagon’s new report on UFOs released this past June 25th all the more interesting. If she were still
August 2021 38 povhouma.com
alive to see it, it’s difficult to say if she’d be amused by this measly, ninepage report or if the old fears of Soviet domination would arise. Nevertheless, according to the report, those shiny, super-fast, aerial-submersible, and seemingly weightless hovering things that have been pestering military aircraft pilots over the past few years remain unidentified—just like the saucers of her day. There are new explanations for them, however, which may have been formulated to make us feel better. First, with so many new and high-tech sensors, it could be distortion or other sensor artifacts that pilots are reporting. Second, it could be technology that can’t currently be explained by conventional laws of physics. This last explanation is more convincing to me: After four years of college, six years of graduate school, four years of postdoctoral training, and more professorial years than I care to mention right now, there are certainly things I can’t explain using any laws of physics.
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If ever identified, UFOs must either be products of human technology or alien technology. With 400 billion stars in the Milky Way galaxy including our sun, aliens would need some good statistical reason for sending saucers and shiny things our way. Only about 29 planets are close enough to have retrieved the first human radio waves from the 1880s, and the closest of those is 55 light-years away. That’s a long time and a lot of lithium batteries to take a literal shot-in-the dark at finding intelligent life and expecting a response. “Ça c’est bête,” Mom might say. By the way, Mom, UFOs are no longer called “objects.” The Pentagon now calls them Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAPs). And for those of you who have been previously taken aboard a flying saucer during human mealtime, don’t be confused: You were probably served geometrically-cut “Unidentified Avian Parts”—dusted, egg-washed, battered, and fried, I hope. POV
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Harlem Globetrotters August 5, 7 p.m. Houma-Terrebonne Civic Center
An experience like no other! These ballers are putting on a show, with the addition of some new on-court characters that are guaranteed to energize the action and bring the laughs.
Geared Up: A Touch a Truck Experience August 14, 9 a.m.
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Bayou Country Children’s Museum
Climb on and interact with vehicles and equipment at the 3rd annual Geared Up event! Learn about careers in agriculture, oil and gas, marine, construction, first responder and other local industries. There will be hands-on activities to educate on the mechanics of how it all works.
8 Seconds To Glory Champion Bull Riding August 14, 7 p.m. Houma-Terrebonne Civic Center
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Bud Light and Rouses Market presents Thibodaux Regional Cancer Center 8 Seconds to Glory Champion Bull Riding! This event helps to raise money in the fight against cancer. Adult tickets start at $16, and all kids tickets are $7.
2nd Annual Cocodrie Summer Bash August 21, 5 p.m. Harbor Light Marina, Cocodrie
Join in the fun at the 2nd annual Cocodrie Summer Bash presented by the Harbor
Light Marina. Enjoy music from Junior LaCrosse and Sumtin Sneaky, The Kerry Thibodaux Band, Nonc Nu & Da Wild Matous and DJ Rhett featuring the RougaRou Too Band! $15 cover at the pavillon. Food, drinks, merch and alcoholic beverages will be for sale at the event. (Event subject to change, postpone or cancel per guidelines for Covid-19 restrictions.)
Louisiana Swamp Stomp Music Series: Louis Michot & Friends August 14, 5 p.m. Gina’s at the Legion, Thibodaux
The Louisiana Swamp Stomp Music Series presented by the Cajun Music Preservation Society aims to provide high-energy traditional Cajun bands at various locations to keep the tradition of Cajun music alive. This month’s concert is Louis Michot & Friends. The society also hosts the family-friendly Cajun Jam on the first and third Wednesdays each month at Gina’s at the Legion in Thibodaux. The jam session is open to everyone of all ages.
HUDDLE UP! on the 50 August 21, 3 p.m. Nicholls State University
The 4th annual HUDDLE UP! on the 50 5K Run/Walk & Tailgate Cook-Off is an all day celebration of Nicholls Football. Huddle Up! was organized in 2015 to create a platform of support for Nicholls Football. This family-friendly event features a Cook-off Competition that begins at 8 a.m., Kids Fun Run at 4 p.m., 5K Run/Walk at 5 p.m., followed by a spirited Colonels football scrimmage to end the day. POV
August 2021 40 povhouma.com
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Find the six differences in this photo from our feature on page 22. 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 August 20. The winner will receive a $50 Visa® gift card courtesy of Synergy Bank. Participants must be 18 years or older.
ANSWERS TO LAST MONTH’S CONTEST 1 Made patches on firefighter’s pants red 2 Changed color on helmet to red 3 Added number to fireman’s helmet 4 Changed number on fireman’s helmet 5 Changed color of strap 6 Patched hole on pants
Congratulations to Mary Creech for winning last month’s contest.
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