Slidell Magazine - 96th Edition

Vol. 96 July 2018

WE KEEP IT FRESH

SAY KEEP IT POSITIVE

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Editor’s Letter Recently, I encountered something I’m not familiar with - negative feedback about Slidell Magazine. I guess I’m spoiled by all of the good things I hear about this publication, so this hit me pretty hard.

The comment was that Slidell Magazine is losing its “Slidell.” The inference was that the magazine doesn’t have enough flavor, feel, or coverage of its community namesake. I’m OK with constructive criticism, but I’m also compelled to respond.

Slidell Magazine is owned by a Slidell native, who was born at Slidell Memorial, grew up off Pontchartrain Blvd, attended Our Lady of Lourdes, Salmen and Slidell High. She used to jump the canal behind her neighborhood to ride the open railroad cars when they stopped to transfer tracks along Front Street. That’s me. I’ve lived in Slidell my entire life, with the exception of a few short years. I moved back in 2010 with a burning passion for the community I knew and loved and missed desperately. I created Slidell Magazine in hopes of sharing that passion with like-minded folks from my hometown. And here’s how I do it: Every edition of Slidell Magazine starts with the EFOP, the Extraordinary Fascinating “Ordinary” Person of the month. The requirement for every EFOP is that they MUST live in or have been born in Slidell.

(Just for reference, I include Pearl River and Lacombe when I say “Slidell” because they are our sister cities and often overlooked by other publications.)

Every edition of Slidell Magazine ends with “Portraits of Slidell,” photographically detailing our beautiful city and its history.

In between those pages, you’re sure to find a story about a Slidell charity. I donate about $2000 worth of space each month to highlight and help promote the philanthropic work done in our city.

Kendra Maness

Editor/Publisher Slidell Magazine

Our award-winning covers? Yep, every single one is done by a Slidell artist. They work for little or no compensation to bring you beautiful, creative, eye-catching images so you will pick up this publication and read it. Because they love Slidell too.

All of my writers and photographers live in Slidell or Pearl River. EVERY. SINGLE. ONE. Every story in Slidell Magazine is written specifically FOR Slidell Magazine - no canned stories here. I get offered mass produced, generic stories all the time, at a fraction of the cost. Nope. Won’t have it. I don’t care about “How to Increase your Sex Drive” or “What’s the Best Plant to Accent Your Garden.” I want to read about local people, local events, and AMAZING works of fiction and non-fiction by our talented local literary artists.

The stories you’ll read include a Slidell financial advisor who can help us improve our lives economically; a Slidell mom who speaks on behalf of mothers everywhere in her hilarious and thought-provoking search for answers to common family problems; a world-traveling, award-winning photographer from Pearl River who chronicles her journeys for us to live vicariously through her adventures; a snapshot in time in “This Month in History,” which ALWAYS includes Slidell history; a Slidell veterinarian who lends us his expert advice for the betterment of our pets; a Slidell metaphysical and spiritual artist who brings us to higher enlightenment through her art, travels, and experiences; and a Storyteller who simply astounds us each and every month with the ultimate in creative literature.

Slidell Magazine is created FOR the people of Slidell, ABOUT the people of Slidell, BY the people of Slidell.

I’m glad to get any feedback, even if it’s negative. That means you are invested in what Slidell Magazine represents - a canvas for artistic expression in the community we live in and love.

Kendra

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Cover Artist

PATTY Patty’s name means “Honorable.” (Psalm 62:7) She became a part of STARC’s Work Training Program in 1975. She has a friendly, contagious, girlish giggle.

Her favorite things are: Restaurant - Olive Garden Movie - Jaws T.V. Show - Dallas (she even went to see where J.R. lives!)

Things to do - art, vacation, stay up late playing UNO, studying, singing Music - Country and Elvis Teams - LSU and Saints STARC Art is a program that provides enrichment opportunities for individuals with disABILITIES served through STARC. STARC Art students can earn money while experiencing growth,self-expression, and developing a sense of pride in their accomplishments. With support, guidance and instruction, STARC artists can explore their own unique, God-given, artistic talent and the public sees and ABILITY rather than a disABILITY. Purchases of STARC Art further enable artists with disABILITIES to participate in the therapeutic STARC Art program. STARC Art can be purchased online at heavensentart.org.

PO Box 4147 • Slidell, LA 70459

www.slidellmag.com 985-789-0687

Kendra Maness, Editor/Publisher Editor@slidellmag.com

Devin Reeson - Graphic Designer Graphics@slidellmag.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS EFOP, Charlotte Lowry Collins The Storyteller, John Case Pet Points, Jeff Perret, DVM This Month in History, Dawn Rivera Cajun Navy Relief,Storm Series: Part 9 of 12, Donna Bush Burning the Bayou, Donna Bush Crimmi-Mommly Insane, Leslie Gates Focus on Faith, Fr. W.C. Paysse Legal-Ease, Ronda M. Gabb Making Cents of Your Money, Mike Rich Go Beyond, Rocks, Rose Marie Sand Portraits of Slidell, Cornibe’s, William Blackwell

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Harold Loyacano, Jr

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behind so much as a footprint. Well, maybe they did leave behind more than they realized. They left us a pristine, protected swath of land, which St. Tammany Parish has now opened to the general public just off the Tammany Trace.

If you weren’t a Boy Scout in the 1960’s, I have the pleasure of introducing you to “Swamp Eagle,” aka, Harold Loyacano. Harold is an Eagle Scout and also was a Camp Director, Explorer Group Director, and is still a consummate PhD Zoologist with an emphasis in fisheries. We will tag along as Harold relates his escapades; mostly at Camp Salmen, but also in Slidell when it was still just a town.

I drove up to the pavilion at Camp Salmen and was greeted by Swamp Eagle himself. He stood upon my arrival, a perfect gentleman, and he towered over me.

Harold Loyacano presented a hand, which engulfed mine. He was handsome, lean, still muscular, and I immediately saw in him the mentor so many hundreds of Boy Scouts followed “back in our day.”

We took a seat across from each other on a picnic bench under the high roof, with large fans blowing throughout the huge space. As a Southern gentleman, Harold inquired about my comfort. We both agreed that we couldn’t have been more comfortable, even in the heat of this summer day. At the other end of the pavilion, a small children’s birthday party was winding down, and the laughter floated in the air. I felt that those young scouts from the past were joining us, while Harold replayed his memorable experiences for me, one after another.

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Harold pointed down to the concrete beneath him, and said, “This, right here, was the Dining Hall.” I remember that well, as I played with my best friend at the time, Denise Miramon, who lived directly across the bayou. How many times we spied on the Boy Scout ceremonies or pranked them, I dare not say.

But I was excited to hear about those rituals from an insider’s point of view.

Harold began his saga from the very beginning. “We lived on Thompson Road, a mile away as the crow flies. The first summer I was aware of the camp I was eleven years old. We couldn’t afford the ten dollars a week. At age twelve, I was finally able to attend for one week. A lot of camp activities took place near the amphitheater, like earning canoeing and rowing badges.

I earned mine at age twelve, and that passion stuck with me all my life. I love nothing better than paddling."

Glancing around the park, Harold gestured with his hand across the 100+ acres, “For the most part, the staff spent time teaching and giving the campers a good time. The water tower, over there, had some interesting things occur near it. The most significant one was when some of us lay on top of the tank and watched the famous Russian Sputnik fly over."

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At age 12, Harold recalled, "There were three cabins for each troop of boys and one leader cabin for each area, totaling 24 cabins in all. No one had air conditioning, and only the leader cabins had face basins. All of the cabins had screens with shutters for rain or for the winter troops. I can remember the Apache, Houma, Choctaw, Natchez, Mohawk, and Sioux areas. In later years as attendance increased, they also developed three tent areas.” Harold motioned to each area location as if it was right before us.

I could see that Harold was picturing the way the land looked in the past. Explaining that there were three different pools at different times, he detailed, “First was the swim hole, with boards for sides near the bayou’s edge. When I came to camp, the second pool was then over there by that maintenance barn, and an artesian well flowed to Goldfish Bayou. Where it came out of the ground you could divert it to the six-foot cement swim pool, which had a slope to it. That slope went from four feet to ground level, accommodating all levels of swimmers and non-swimmers. Every Friday evening after the last swim, we had to drain it because there were no filters back then. We drained it once a week and hand brushed the algae down the drain pipe.”

Can you imagine a kid today willing to work that hard in order to swim? By the way, when he showed me old black and white photos, I was immediately struck by how almost all of the campers and the staff were skinny as bean poles. I had to ponder how times have changed so much.

Continuing his history of the property, Harold explained, “In 1959, when Salmen Lodge was renovated, they also built a modern pool with filtration and chlorine, which stayed for the duration of its existence."

“At first, the camp was only available for six weeks, plus a week for staff training. I attended a second time back in 1954 for another week, when they had added the seventh week. By then, I had come to know enough of the staff that I was asked to be Assistant Quartermaster for the last week."

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Harold was very animated as he continued, “In 1955, I was selected to be on staff full-time for the summer.

For eight years, four years of which I was in high school at Slidell High, and four years while in college at Tulane, I continued on the summer staff. I was in charge of the Forestry Merit Badge, a Campfire Director, and ultimately Head Counselor." With one emphatic nod he added, “I thank God I got to spend my summers like that.”

Now things were coming back to Harold rapid fire.

His speech quickened. “At one time, there was a log building across Highway 190 that was a restaurant, bar, and dance hall, called The Ozone Club, owned

by Walter and Dolly Wall. They had living quarters on the second floor. Dancing and bands were out back on Saturdays. But on weekday nights, it was not very

busy. You have to understand that during that era, the enforcement of liquor laws was not as strong. I have to admit some staff would break the rules and walk that half mile. It cost 50 cents for mixed drinks, and beer was a quarter. We had Jax, Dixie, and Regal back then. At age 15, I was finally in a position to take that walk with the other staff members. We were paid $10 a week, so we couldn’t afford to drink much, and certainly couldn’t order food."

With a smile, Harold warned, “One of the biggest hazards here was poison ivy. On Tuesday nights, we played 'capture the flag.' Staff and campers divided into two teams. Each team had its own flag. The object of the game was to steal the other team’s flag.

In order to do that, you had to be really quiet, stay down really low, and go through bushes and vines of poison ivy. Invariably, someone would be itching for the rest of the week,” Harold ended with a chuckle. I was relieved to hear that there was a Camp Hospital with an advanced medical student or doctor on staff, who gave every scout a basic exam upon arrival. They also stayed there the whole week for minor injuries like rashes and cuts.

“Tuesday nights for the staff was a big night because we took turns riding in the truck to Slidell for all-you-can-eat fried chicken at the White Kitchen for one dollar.”

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"Thursdays were hike days. Each camper had the option to walk a trail in Camp Salmen to Neslo Road, then to the railroad track and Dixie Ranch Road. It was a five mile hike to the Dixie Ranch fire tower, and then hikers got to climb all the way up. The camp truck brought lunch and scouts had an option to ride back. Those scouts who passed the swimming test could paddle to St. Genevieve’s Chapel. Half of the group paddled, and half of them walked. Then the teams switched after lunch." It certainly sounded like a boys' paradise. Harold assured me that he did that five mile hike every chance he got.

I learned that, for three years, Harold paddled through Honey Island Swamp from Poole’s Bluff in Bogalusa to Davis Landing in Slidell. Uncle Charlie Hanna, the honorary Quartermaster at the time who was 84 years old, gave Harold his title of "Swamp Eagle." Harold was in charge of The Explorers Program, which was for boys 14 and older, who were able to pass the swim test. Harold was hired to take these boys on the river trek.

In the summer of 1960, his first Explorer’s group paddled from Poole’s Bluff on Tuesday through Thursday. Mondays were prep days and Fridays were for cleanup. He recalled, "The significance of our travel was that there was no Bogue Chitto National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) at the time. It was all private land. I remember hand painted signs along the bluff, ‘Private No Trustpassen’ and ‘Vilaters Will Be Purse Cuted’.

We made our camps on sandbars, staying away from

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woods and mosquitoes. We cooked all our meals on an open fire with an aluminum cook kit. Because we could tip canoes over at anytime, boys were required to tie the plastic bag with the cook kit to the thwart. However, sometimes boys would forget to do so, and they may have been the ones carrying a cook kit.

If so, we cooked scrambled eggs on a smashed #10 can we found along the way. We had to be resourceful. We had that old tin can for a cook pot the entire rest of the trip,” he laughed.

Harold assured me that, by day, they were very serious and taught or learned lots of important information. But when the sun went down, there were often pranks. He told me dozens of funny tales from the innocent days of his youth.

Now Harold looked up proudly and announced, “By the time I graduated from Tulane, the Boy Scout Camp had grown to eight weeks, a true summer camp! It ended on August 11th that year.

After my wife and I became engaged, in January, we set the wedding date for August 18 so I wouldn’t have to miss camp. You know, Sheila and I dated from when she was age 13, and I was 15. I was at Camp Salmen for six summers while we dated, and there were no cell phones back then.

So we hand wrote letters in cursive.

She lived near Pearl River. My dad was the Superintendent at St. Joe Brick.

Teens didn’t typically have their own cars in those days, so I had to borrow dad’s car. Things were quite different. It

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good, but I really wanted to finish my Masters in Zoology. He convinced me when he said, ‘Oh, we also want you to be Camp Director in the summers at Camp Salmen. Bring your wife and family.’ By 1959, they had renovated Salmen Lodge to accommodate a family, converting the museum and storeroom to the Director’s Quarters. As you might have suspected, I said 'sold!'”

Camp Director, 1965 Camp Salmen, BSA was a much more innocent era. Sheila and I still have an old trunk filled with our letters to and from Camp Salmen.

I even brought that trunk with me for you to see.” I peered in and saw one with “I Love You” scrolled beautifully in red ink across the back.

Looking a bit sad, Harold began the next phase of their life. “After we married in 1962, we moved to Baton Rouge, to enroll at LSU.” But then he brightened again as he held up one finger, “Then, in the summer of 1963, Ernie Doclar called and asked if I was interested in becoming the District Scout Executive.

My district would be the Plantation District, which went from Donaldsonville to Lafourche, and included six parishes.

Well, I told Ernie that it all sounded

Third grade at Slidell Grammar School, 1950.

Harold is second from left, escorting the Queen of the May Festival, held annually for grades 1-3

In the fall of 1963, Harold withdrew from school. For three summers, his two daughters, Gwen and Lauren, Sheila, and Harold spent magical summers here at Camp Salmen. The young family had a residence in Thibodaux, but both of their parents lived near Slidell. They were thrilled to all be so close in proximity once again. They were now able to have date nights, and often went dancing. “Sheila and I loved to Jitterbug, and later do the Twist. She wasn’t very happy when I invariably broke into a 'double-toe-heel' native dance,” he admitted.

Returning to his recollection of the Lodge, Harold laughed and related that, “There was also a nice colony of bats in the attic and one did get in the bedroom one day. During that time, Camp Salmen expanded to ten weeks (plus the one week for staff). Gwendolyn was born in 1963, so she was only one year old, and Lauren was born in May 1965, so she came later as an infant.

But we all loved it out at Camp Salmen.

I had to make one concession to Sheila to build a fence with a gate all the way

Harold, standing in both pictures, as a counselor at Camp Salmen during the 1956 retreat for boys with Muscular Dystrophy

around the porch to keep the babies in,” he chuckled good naturedly.

Then Harold described life after Camp Salmen. “After the summer of 1966, we returned to LSU, and I finished my Master’s Degree in Zoology with an emphasis on Fisheries. There were two professors there at that time who each had their PhD from Auburn University in Fisheries. They recommended I get my PhD from there. So, in the summer of 1967, we loaded up and headed to Auburn, Alabama. I finished the end of 1969 with my PhD. Our finances at that time included a humble fellowship.

Sheila kept other people’s children in our house to help with money. You know, Sheila and I still talk about those kids today,” and Harold smiled quietly to himself.

Fast forwarding, Harold explained, “We left Alabama, and I went to work at Clemson University, where I was on the faculty from 1970-1977. I was in charge of Fisheries research and courses. Our third daughter, Heather, was born in 1972.” An article was published with his photo in Weekly Reader during this time. I remember that school publication vividly.

Then Harold changed gears. “When Sheila’s father died in 1976 at age 54, it occurred to me that there could be no one to move back for if we waited too long. I was even willing to take a reduction in pay to get back to Slidell.”

In order to get back to Louisiana, Harold took a job at the University of Southwest Louisiana (now ULL) as Director of the

The Loyacano Family: Sheila, Harold, Gwen, Lauren, and Heather Crawfish Research Center in the fall of 1977. While at USL, there was a branch of the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) next door. Several of the USFWS men suggested a Federal job so that Harold could transfer to Stennis when a job became available. As Harold told it, “We had always expected that we would return to Louisiana.” In October of 1978, Harold took a job with the US Corps of Engineers in New Orleans, with an office at the foot of Prytania on the levee, and moved back to his beloved childhood hometown. In January of 1979, he landed a job with the US Fish and Wildlife Service at Stennis.

Harold managed to find his way back to involvement with Camp Salmen, and is a member of the Friends of Camp Salmen. He remembers, “When I learned the Boy Scouts had sold Camp Salmen, my heart was broken.

From the time it was sold until the parish bought it, I could not step foot there. I didn’t want to imagine it being

cleared for some development, as was discussed briefly. I finally went back at a friend’s suggestion. I’m pleased to say the parish has maintained most of the wildlife areas. Harold counted off on three fingers held in front of me, "They are composed of, number one, a natural habitat that benefits the trees, frogs, even fire ants. Number two are the historic old rustic buildings where I spent eight years as Staff, two years as a camper, and three years as Camp Director. It is beautiful the way they were constructed, and in keeping with that environment. The third component, and most important, were the people privileged to spend their time here.

Thank God they did not put soccer fields or homes here. The pits still fill up in a rain, and the treefrogs continue to put up a roar. This place was my life from age 12 to after my second daughter was born. I love coming here now. I just hope Camp Salmen stays the way it is.”

“It wasn’t until I was in my 40’s that it occurred to me to thank my parents for what they had done. I thanked them for giving me the chance to get the hell out of the city and grow up in Slidell at that time. It was a wonderful opportunity." Harold's mother tells the story that they left the city, bought three acres off Thompson Road for $50 per acre, and their families helped build them a house.

"I remember my first job was to walk down the gravel road to Thompson Grocery and take the bread out of the

Harold and Sheila have been a couple since he was 15 and she was 13. Here they are l-r: In the dining hall (now the picnic shelter) at Camp Salmen, 1960. Dancing, 1961. Slidell High School's prom, 1960. And, finally, on their wedding day, 1962.

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breadbox, a wooden storage box with a slanted hinged top.

The bread man came early before the store opened. It was Merita Bread, a sponsor for the Lone Ranger program on the radio. I took the bread inside and placed it on the shelves.

Most of the groceries were behind the counter. This was before self-service was popular. Bread was one thing you could get self-service there. Marshall Thompson’s father came from England and started the business. They had feed in the back in sacks made from cloth with a print that mothers could make dresses, underwear and shirts out of.”

Harold continued his snippets of memories, “Too bad Slidell can never again be like it was in the 50s, before the growth boom. It would be great if one day they rebuilt the real Slidell High School, like it was when I graduated in 1958. Till the day I die, I will be totally grateful to grow up in and around Slidell in the 50s with memories from the old and new theatres, Curve Inn, Bosco’s, and Cusimano’s Drug Store."

Harold is still enjoying Slidell and is still giving back to our community. He's also always ready to learn something new.

Late in life, at age 62, Harold learned guitar from his grandson, Justin Nunez, and fiddle from his granddaughter, Katie Nunez.

Now he plays at Counter Culture on Tuesday evenings, at Summerfield Assisted Living on Tuesday mornings, and Park Provence on the 2nd Tuesday of each month.

Thus ends our visit with Swamp Eagle. Now that Camp Salmen Nature Park is open to the public, I challenge you to go outside of your comfort zone, take a hike, and spend some time in the

Christmas 2017: Every single member of Harold & Sheila's family: 3 children (and spouses), 10 grandchildren (and spouses) and 1 great-grandchild! Since this was taken, they've added a new great-grandchild, and have another on the way! peace and quiet of Mother Nature. She has some beauties for you to discover. If you have kids, or grandchildren, introduce them to the power of natural adventures. If serenity is not your thing, hike or bike the Tammany Trace, and exercise without a cellphone as a distraction. The birds are much more soothing than a radio. You may find your heart rate and blood pressure taking a sigh of relief. Be forewarned, this could be habit forming.

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Storyteller FULL POTENTIAL Until this day, I don’t know the particulars, but I do know it had to do with my parents meeting with Miss Fishburn, my grammar school principal. After they met, I don’t think I had ever seen that look on Mom’s face before. Dad just stared out the window and didn’t say anything.

I can just guess that whatever they were told, Mom and Dad perceived it as an insinuation that they were not being the best parents. Nothing could have been farther from the truth, and I know that for a fact. I also don’t think that was Miss Fishburn’s intent either. I think they were told that I was not being given the chance to develop my full potential; which was a little speculation on their part, as I was only nine years old.

I had never been to a formal camp. Many kids I knew did go, but I had never wanted to go. I had an abundance of camping opportunities in the woods near my house. Besides, this was not really camping. We would be staying in a large barn-like building. In my opinion, camping only occurred if you slept in a tent.

The only thing I heard Dad tell Mom was that the school administration had to justify their jobs, and since we were not well-known city folks, they had decided to set their sights on me and my parents to accomplish that goal. In short, they wanted me to attend a leadership camp, or that is what they called it. Looking back, it was an honor.

My parents were told the experience would build my self-confidence so that, as I grew up, I could reach my full potential. Only ten kids in the entire county were being chosen, and it was free – sort of an experimental program.

I would not know any of the other kids, as they wanted to avoid peer pressure.

The location would be a lake down in Pike County that I was familiar with, Percy Quinn. Our counselors would be

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adults trained in child behavior, but of course I did not know that. Mother received a list of things that I should bring.

• Pajamas (I did not have any; I slept in my underwear.)

• A comb (I did not need one; I had a crew cut.)

• Sunscreen lotion (We had never heard of that, so mother put a jar of Vaseline in the box.)

• A laxative (This I couldn’t understand, but mother said that sometimes, when you’re in a strange place, things could get difficult. Once a year, Mom decided I needed purging, so I got a dose of Castor Oil and Black Draught. It was possibly a worse creation than chemical warfare. That went into the box.)

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• Toothbrush and toothpaste (I had a toothbrush that was a hand-me-down from my brother. We did not use toothpaste; we used salt and baking soda. All this went into the box.)

• A Bible (Oh my goodness, we had plenty of those, and Mother insisted I take one that not only had a reference, but concordance and a Greek Lexicon.

I suppose I looked like a young Jimmy Swaggart.)

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• A bathing suit (I did not have one, and we forgot to get one, which is part of the story.)

• Four t-shirts, four pair underwear, two long-sleeve shirts, two short-sleeve shirts, two pair blue jeans, and two pair shorts. (Washing detergent went into the box.)

• One pair tennis shoes.

We were warned that it was our responsibility to see that all these things got packed. This was part of the program to build self-confidence. I don’t know why, but I insisted on taking pajamas I did not have and a comb that I did not need.

Mother made my pajama top from a flour sack. It was blue with ducks on it, and it extended to my knees.

She did not have enough material for the bottoms, so she used an old white sheet to create what looked more like long-legged jockey shorts than anything.

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A county school bus picked me up at the grammar school campus. I was the only one to get on the bus.

We would go to other schools and collect kids until our 10-member troop was filled out. That is what we were called, a troop.

We arrived late that afternoon and were directed to our barracks where we received a foot locker. We were given a chart as to how each item was to be displayed in the foot locker. It had to be military perfect. No way I could do that, I did not have a bathing suit.

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In build-my-confidence fashion, I was called out front and center and told to do thirty pushups and contemplate how I was going to get a bathing suit.

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could be considered a sleeping gown. He reasoned that they had not specified what kind of pajamas I had to bring. We then used the bottoms as a bathing suit. ********** What we did not know was that less than a quarter of a mile away, there was another camp just like ours, with the same type of kids from another county. In fact, we discovered there was a total of three camps.

The next two weeks would be a constant contest to see who would win the title, Super Troopers.

We had all kinds of activities. Baseball, I hated it and was not good at it. Tennis, I had never played.

Riflery, I was good at that. Swimming was maybe my best asset, though I was not an athlete. Guess what, of the thirty kids in the three camps, none of us were athletes. I began to wonder if we had been chosen for our clumsiness and lack of coordination.

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About the third day, we realized that some of us had abilities that others did not have and, managing as a team, we could all contribute. We learned that, if we could not beat the competition physically, we could intimidate them into frustration.

By the end of the first week, we knew we would not be the worst troop there. In fact, we began to call ourselves the Super Troopers. We made up stupid songs like, “We are Super Troopers and we step on all the other poopers.� We did not know what we were doing at the time; but, as it turned out, we were waging a form of psychological war on the other troops. They could not stand it.

When the final day of competition arrived, on the next to last day of camp, the only activity that day was a swimming relay. There were no official rules. The counselors made up the rules, which were different from day to day. What we were told that day was there would be a relay race with all ten kids from each team competing. The first team to have all of its members finish the course would win. The course was two poles, 100 yards apart. A swimmer would leave one pole, swim to the other, turn, and come back. There, he would tag his teammate, who would repeat the drill. We planned carefully. ********** Somehow, we felt we could intimidate the other troops. I had an idea. First, everyone knew I could hold my own in swimming, and so far, no one in the competition had seen my bizarre bathing suit. Now, I was a sight in that outfit, but we had more in store.

I got the idea, and there may be some merit to it, that if we slicked our heads with Vaseline, it would make us slide through the water more efficiently. To add insult to injury, we all shaved our heads the night before the competition. We looked like a company of Marines who had just graduated from boot camp.

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We would not be denied.

When the other teams saw us, they backed away from the lake bank as if they were facing headhunters or some other harmful mass of humanity. In reality, we did look rough.

I would swim last. When it came my turn, the counselor said we were 30-feet behind. I pushed off the pole and never took my head out of the water until I touched the turning pole. Only then did I know that we had taken the lead. I took a deep breath, pushed off again, and headed to the finish line with my head under water. When I felt something pull on my bathing suit, I looked up and realized I had just passed the pole without seeing it. I had been the winner but had not touched the pole. Before I could get back, the other team touched it.

Was a challenge called for? As it turned out, when I passed the pole, a splinter had snagged my bathing suit and pulled it off. I was naked. What would be the judges’ decision? My pajama bathing suit was obviously displayed on the finish line pole. Would that count as a touch?

It was agreed that the counselors would meet that night and come to a decision. The winner would be announced in front of all the kids the next day, at the going-home ceremony.

We were confident we would win. We had that much self-confidence. And we were right. From nowhere, my white pajama bathing suit appeared. Down came the flag and up went the pajamas. ********** I only went back to that spot once, and that was about a year later. The pajamas were still flying. I bet that created some conversation.

Postscript: I only kept up with a few of the kids, and then mostly because I ran into them later in life. One is a state senator, and one became a Marine pilot who recently retired from the airlines. Most did well as far as I know.

The experiment worked. I assume we developed our full potential, whatever that is.

John S. Case July 2018

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Cajun navy relief - STORY & PHOTOS BY DONNA BUSH

Editor's Note: This month, we continue our 12-part series covering the amazing work being done by Louisiana heroes in the aftermath of the 2017 hurricanes and natural disasters.

Slidell Magazine's award-winning writer and photographer, Donna Bush, has spent months travelling with multiple Louisiana-based organizations and volunteers, documenting their missions in the affected areas and those whose lives they've impacted.

We share an unfortunate kinship with these survivors. We know all too well that disaster recovery is a slow and painful process. We are proud to showcase the volunteer efforts of our fellow Louisianians.

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There seems to be about a dozen different organizations named Cajun Navy, right?

Well, maybe not that many, but way more than one or two. There’s Cajun Navy 2016, Louisiana Cajun Navy, America’s Cajun Navy, United Cajun Navy and I’m sure there are many more! I want to share with you the Cajun Navy Relief story, founded

by Alaina Hebert Champagne during the horrific 2016 Baton Rouge flooding.

Alaina was cooking at her dad’s house when she heard her friend, Damien Callais, pleading for a boat on Facebook from the Denham Springs Home Depot.

His friend’s kids had gone to a neighbor’s house where water was rising. Unable to reach the kids or parents, he was worried.

They were only looking for one boat, but about 200 people with boats showed up, ready and willing to help!

Alaina was following the post to see if the man found his kids. “There were probably 3000-4000 comments on this one video feed. People were responding, ‘If ya’ll have a surplus of boats, we need help too!’” One person created a FB page and Alaina offered to help while she continued

cooking. She approved member requests as they rolled in. “Within 4 hours, we had around 10,000 members! It was crazy! Then all the guys out there with boats began calling me and Damien, asking where to go? Who needed help? It quickly escalated to thousands of phone calls. Suddenly, I found myself in charge of coordinating boats and rescues, with no idea how to accomplish communication with everyone.

Shawn Boudreaux suggested that we use the Zello and Glympse apps.”

Zello is a free walkie-talkie app that will work without cell phone service but does require an internet connection. Glympse is a GPS mapping and tracking app that will share your precise location in real-time.

Cajun Navy Relief had each rescuer install Zello and Glympse. A Zello Cajun Navy Relief channel was created, allowing everyone to hear the conversations between Alaina and the rescue boat drivers. With Glympse, they were able to see locations of everyone on one shared map.

“In no time flat, I was dispatching rescuers and on the phone with the Lt. Governor!

I’d never done anything like this in my

A CONTINUING COVERAGE SERIES FROM DONNA BUSH PART 9 OF 12 life! In 10-15 minutes we were organized.

Although I like to call it organized chaos!”

One of Cajun Navy Relief’s best assets was their tug boat captain volunteers.

“They were the most helpful people ever! Their expertise was priceless!

They could tell me where the water was going next because they knew how the water flowed. This gave us the ability to have rescuers staged and ready at the next town downstream when the water hit. We were on top of those rescues left and right, faster than the police. That’s why we ended up being quicker. After emergency rescues settled down, we came to the aid of people that were safe but couldn’t get out to buy food, water and other necessities. I was receiving phone calls, ‘I’m sending five 18-wheelers loaded. Tell me where to put ‘em.’ I started calling to see where we could store the supplies. People were so, so generous, offering warehouse space and more. We didn’t think it would happen again, but when Hurricane Matthew hit, the South Carolina Governor called us asking for help to clear out some neighborhoods!

We went door-to-door looking for bodies.

While we were there, North Carolina called, asking for assistance. They had some rough neighborhoods that nobody would enter. We went in with military personnel.”

The organization established relationships with authorities in each location. “We work with them. If they say, ‘Don’t launch,’ we don’t launch. We’re not trying to go rogue!

We don’t want to endanger lives.”

Cajun Navy Relief formed as a 501(c)3 after the 2016 floods. Since Hurricane Harvey and their rescue efforts in Texas, they’ve accepted donations – both money and supplies. The organization had maintained an Amazon wish list for themselves to keep track of what was needed. A request was made to make the wish list public. One of the Houston news stations got wind of it and broadcast the information along with a public plea, “Cajun Navy gave to us.

Here’s our chance to give back to them.”

The supplies started rolling in. Not just small items, but large expensive items.

flags, each representing a rescue, were placed throughout the marsh. When a rescuer collected a pre-determined number of flags, they were required to return to the check-in location, log rescues into the system, and ensure delivery to a shelter before they could resume searching.

“The Sheriff of Dickinson, Texas had made a FB post begging, pleading for help.

The water was over the eaves. It just so happened that our first crew was staged in Seabrook. They deployed and offered assistance.” Alaina began dispatching loaded 18-wheelers to their school. “About a week or two later, the mayor and sheriff asked to meet with me. This grown man [sheriff] came to me, hugged me and cried.

Tears pouring down his face. ‘I can’t thank you enough. My town would have died.

Thousands and thousands would have died, if ya’ll had not come to help us.'”

All of this training is a perfect example of how vested this organization is in helping their neighbors, near and far. Another prime example of their skillset: “When Lafayette Sheriff Garber’s daughter and babysitter went missing on Lake Martin, Cajun Navy Relief was called to round up volunteers and lead the search. Thankfully they were found safe and unharmed.”

They didn’t stop with human rescues.

They also delved into animal rescues, never separating owners and their pets.

One of their members, Tristan, spent the entire day rescuing in one neighborhood.

Each time he motored his boat in, he saw an emu standing in the flood waters with waves lapping at its legs. When the rescues were done for the day, Tristan went back and rescued the emu by lassoing him, loaded him in the boat and motored back to his truck. The emu didn’t care for riding in the back of the truck, so Tristan moved him to the truck’s cab. Yes, Tristan still has the emu, named Kevin!

Cajun Navy Relief recently held their 1st annual Search and Rescue (SAR) Games, which allowed them to train participants in the usage of apps, Zello and Glympse, without being in a crisis situation. This initial training was limited to 20 boats divided into teams, with each team having a dispatcher assigned to them. Each dispatcher was responsible for multiple rescue teams. Six hundred

To go a step further, members of the organization recently attended Rescue Systems 1 training in Washington state, which will certify attendees in introductory rescue skills. This course is designed for firefighters, EMS providers and law enforcement officers.

I don’t have enough room to list all of the wonderful deeds this organization has undertaken. I wish I did! I want you to see how much they’ve done and continue to do. I think this quote from their Facebook page sums it up, “We want to leave a legacy to our children and grandchildren to learn that Cajuns don’t wait around for help. They are the help. People helping people, no matter who you are, we are all Cajuns. Louisiana Proud, Louisiana Strong.”

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MAKING

CENTS

By Mike Rich, CFP® Pontchartrain Investment Management

ADVENTURES ON THE INTERNET This is my granddaughter Allison, who is eight years old. Allison was at our house recently, helping Mary do some cooking and baking. While baking some cookies, Allison burned one of her fingers slightly. As you might imagine, she wanted her Mimi to help with the pain, so Mary told her to put a piece of ice on her finger and hold it there for a few minutes. Allison had no reason to doubt Mary’s advice, but, being the independent type, she decided to do a little research on her own. So, she used Mary’s iPad and Google to search for “how to fix a burned finger.” The remedy, as you might have guessed, was to use a piece of ice. However, what impresses me is that Allison, at only eight years of age, already knows that much of the world’s knowledge is at her fingertips, and the future will belong to the people who know how to access it.

Goal Number 1

Have an emergency fund.

The Internet is a wonderful thing. However, no one needs it to learn the facts about money and personal finance. Yes, we can find lots of information there (and misinformation, too), but the basics of managing one’s financial life are, well, pretty basic. For example, here are some things you might want to do to get on a stable financial foundation:

Even though it currently earns a pittance at the bank, cash is still king. People often ask me about how much cash they should have in their checking or savings accounts for an emergency.

Out there in the financial world, you can read all kinds of guidance about having two, three, or six months of living expenses on hand. If that seems overwhelming at first, then start small, say with $100. Add to it every month (via an automatic savings account is good), and let it grow for a rainy day.

Speaking of rain, since hurricane season is here, it’s a good idea to keep some cash at home, in case you and your family need to leave town ahead of a storm and can’t get to the bank.

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Goal Number 2

Goal Number 4

Start early to save and invest money for retirement.

Life insurance can be valuable, even before you die.

This works especially well for people who have years to go before they retire, but it’s never too late to start. There is no mystery to building a nest egg: start early, automate your savings, and let compounding do the heavy lifting over a long period of time.

By using plain, old, boring cash value life insurance, you might be able to enhance your cash flow during retirement so you can enjoy life while you are still around.

Here’s how it works: You purchase an appropriate amount of life insurance.

Then, during retirement, you and your spouse spend your money a little more freely while you can still enjoy it (think cruises, gifts for the grandchildren, a big motorhome). When you die and are no longer around to enjoy that extra cash flow, the life insurance death benefit replaces the money you spent so the spouse who’s still alive can live out his or her days with dignity and financial security.1 This is a pretty cool strategy, and most people have never heard of it. Now you have. Call me to find out if it can work for you. It’s especially good if you’re in your 30s or 40s and can start the ball rolling now.

Goal Number 3

Set yourself up to receive a check in the mail every month for retirement.

Most working people no longer have the benefit of an employer pension. If that’s you, you should consider setting up a pension-like stream of income for yourself. My guess is that getting a check in the mail or your bank account every month during retirement (and maybe for as long as you or your spouse live) will be pretty cool. If you agree, call me, and we’ll talk about a strategy for getting this done.

As I was putting the finishing touches on this article, a story popped up on the Internet about how one might want to invest in light of the June summit between our president and the leader of North Korea. I didn’t read the article, mainly because the idea that anyone could, with any degree of confidence, know how to invest based on the results of the summit and what it might hold for the unknowable future, is preposterous. The Internet is a wonderful thing when you are looking for a way to treat a burned finger, but probably not for financial advice. To sift through all the noise out there, work with an advisor. Call me today and schedule your appointment for a free consultation.

1

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Securities and Advisory Services offered through LPL Financial, a Registered Investment Advisor, Member FINRA/SIPC. The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual.

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One of the premier women's social organizations in the world, the Red Hat Society based in Fullerton, CA, began with the gift of a red hat and has grown into a universal symbol for women around the globe as they victoriously celebrate turning 50 and entering into the next phase of their lives. The social message behind the first red hat has resonated with millions of women around the globe regardless of race, creed, occupation, age or socio-economic status. Today, it is commonplace to see Red Hat Society members out frolicking and embracing life to the fullest in their now famous symbol, the "red hat."

How it Started In the fall of 1997, on a trip to Tucson, AZ, Sue Ellen Cooper impulsively paid $7.50 for an old red fedora in a thrift shop. When a good friend was nearing a "fifty-ish" birthday, Sue Ellen cast about for an idea for an original gift. Inspired by a well-known poem, "Warning," which begins, "When I am an old woman, I shall wear purple, with a red hat which doesn't go and doesn't suit me," she

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wanted to encourage her friend to grow older in a playful manner. She gave her friend a red hat of her own suggesting that she keep it as a reminder to grow older playfully - on her terms.

The symbolism behind the red hat had a profound impact on women Sue Ellen encountered. Those women responded by donning their own red hats and entering a new women's movement, embracing a renewed outlook on life filled with fun and friendship, fulfilling lifelong dreams.

The Red Hat Society was born. No longer would maturing women be invisible to society. They simply are not done yet!

The Growth Explosion The Red Hat Society membership exploded through word of mouth, the purest form of viral marketing, growing from 2 chapters in 1999 to over 40,000 chapters worldwide within five years. Women everywhere resonated with the positive ideas of fun and friendship promoted by the Red Hat Society, and they were not about to be left out!

The Society quickly became the focus of major publications, ten books (one of which reached the New York Times Best Sellers list), television and other media, in addition to having the Red Hat SocietyÂŽ brand appear on a myriad of products. From Macy's to WalMart, the Red Hat Society's world famous brand was everywhere.

The Society was the focal point of the musical HATS! that was launched in 2006 and continues to be performed today. They were recognized with an award by the Pop Culture Association and American Culture Association in 2008. Pop Culture status was truly achieved when the Red Hat Society was the focus of an episode on the longest running animated series, The Simpsons, in which Marge Simpson joins a local Red Hat Society chapter. Perhaps the most impressive "appearance" The Red Hat Society has made is in the form of their first red hat and purple boa going on display at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History in 2011.

Years of Fun 0 2

..and friendships that last a lifetime Why a play group for women?

Most women give their all to family, career, and community. And they enjoy it. But, along the way, sometimes the existing bonds of friendship gradually diminish. Membership in the Red Hat Society is a rewarding vehicle for reconnecting old friends, making new friends and rediscovering the joy of getting together with other woman for the express purpose of‌ having FUN! They whole-heartedly promote periods of "recess" from the cares and duties of everyday life in which Hatters gather for no other purpose than to play.

Who are the women of The Red Hat Society?

The Queens & Members are from all walks of life and have varied interests.

As a result, each Chapter is unique. Unlike traditional clubs, RHS may have multiple Chapters in a given town. If a woman wants to be Queen of her own Chapter, then by all means‌ self appoint!

The Red Hatters of Slidell There are two RHS groups in Slidell. Sula Tedesco, better known as "Queen Runaround Sue," by her fellow Hatters, is the founder of the Bayou Camellia Hotties, "and dadburn cute!" she says with a laugh. Her group has 17 members. "The groups can range from 2 to 400 members, depending on how large your Queen wants. I like to keep my group under twenty to have a close friendship with the ladies." Altogether, Sue is a member of 9 different chapters!

"Anyone can start a chapter. We have no rules, no set meeting times, no bylaws. That's what I love about it. I didn't want to be in a controlled atmosphere.

At my age, you want total freedom to do what you want, when you want, and how you want."

Who can be a Red Hatter?

Any woman with approval from the Queen. Members who have attained the fabulous age of 50 wear red hats and purple clothing, while those under 50 wear pink hats and lavender clothing.

What do Red Hat Society Members do?

The Queens & Members make friends online through our Members' only website, RedHatSociety.com, and gather locally simply for fun. The RHS website provides Members with an Event Calendar for posting and viewing local Chapter events, an online discussion forum where Sisters are up 24/7 ready to chat and a Chapter connection tool that allows any Member to communicate with Queens of local Chapters anywhere in the world! Some of their favorite activities are to go to lunch, shop, see movies, theater, weekend trips and RHS conventions.

Some chapters take group cruises and vacations. If an activity sounds fun, they grab their Hats and go! In addition, The Red Hat Society gives back to multiple charities, encouraging their members to have fun AND do charitable work locally and nationally. RHS nationally supports the American Heart Association, Toys For Tots, and Breast Cancer Awareness programs. "Plus, each chapter has their own individual charities they choose to support. We'll have auctions and raffles

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Years of Fun 0 2 to raise money. And our members donate individually." Sue's chapter, the Bayou Camellia Hotties, also supports the local battered women's shelter and has "adopted" a child with severe medical needs. "We've helped her and her family for three years now. The parents have very large medical bills and travel expenses for treatment, and we'll continue to support them for as long as there is need."

Benefits of Being a Part of The Red Hat Society Yes, they are all about "play," but there are deeper, more meaningful benefits of RHS Membership – powerful interpersonal connections and emotional support systems built among Sisters both online and offline.

They support one another in every life stage from all corners of the globe! "We have lots of single women who are Red Hatters," Sue notes. "Lots of divorced or widowed ladies." When these lifechanging events happen, Sue says,

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"Your whole life changes. Your friends change or you may lose touch. It can be very lonely. But, you're NEVER lonely if you're a Red Hatter. With Red Hat Society, you always know you have a friend. Sometimes it's difficult for older women to get out and socialize when they're alone. Younger women are much more gutsy, and can do that easier."

Going Forward The Red Hat Society is reshaping the way women are viewed in today's culture by promoting, not only fun and friendship, but freedom from stereotypes and fulfillment of goals and dreams. With chapters around the globe, the Red Hat Society stresses the things that all women have in common in relation to their life experiences. They reach out, with red-gloved hands, to invite all women to join with them on their march to (tongue-in-cheek) take over the world!

They have become their own women's movement - not strident, not angry -

with a strong emphasis on the positive aspects of life, stressing the importance of friendship and sisterhood, the value of play, and a determination to find the good in life everywhere possible. They promote respect for all and the value of good will and good humor. Although their original focus was on women of 50 or older, the Red Hat Society encourages women of any age to join (those under 50 wear pink hats until they "reduate"), emphasizing the value of cross-generational friendships and mentoring. They believe that their philosophy is ageless, and has universal appeal. They are always delighted to see mothers, their daughters and granddaughters creating their own "Red Hat Legacy" as they play together.

Today, you will find the Red Hat Society and its members organically infused in all areas of life. From novels to a sea of Red Hatters parading in events around the world, the Red Hat has forever changed the world's view of women.

"I'll be a Red Hatter for the rest of my life," Sue says. "I love this organization, I love the joy it has brought to me and the friends I've made."

LEFT: Sula Tedesco at the Red Hat Hoot held at the Chamber Martketplace, where the Official Red Hat Society MisChief Red Hatter by artist Connie Born was unveiled. The doll will be on display at the gallery until August. She will then travel to the 20th Anniversary International Red Hat Society Convention in New Orleans where she will be presented on the Hat Walk. Her final trip will be with Red Hat CEO, Debra Granich, and founder, Sue Ellen Cooper, where she will be installed at the Red Hat Society Museum in Fullerton, CA.

Burning the Bayou Story and Photos by Donna Bush

Native Americans Using Fire History shows that Native Americans utilized fire to improve their habitat. At the end of their hunting season, they would burn to improve food sources for the wildlife they would hunt in the next season. In the fall, tribes would gather deadfall, debris, leaves and cones. They piled up the debris, covered it with bark slabs and at the proper time, ignited it with pitch torches.

Why didn’t the fire consume millions of acres? They didn’t have fire crews, helicopters or fire retardants. But, they knew to burn at “the right time” – first snow. Wind was calm, forest was damp, and humidity was perfect. Sounds like a burn plan!

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Have you ever driven around Slidell or Lacombe and noticed smoke rising above the marsh? Ever wondered why?

Maybe you were even told, “They’re burning the marsh.” Well, who are ‘they’ and why would ‘they’ do that?

Around here, ‘they’ are United States Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Louisiana (USF&WS-SELA). Their headquarters are in Lacombe on Highway 434, just a short drive from Big Branch Marsh National Wildlife Refuge.

They are performing a prescribed burn, a technique often used in forest management, simulating Mother Nature.

A passing thunderstorm with a lightning strike in the marsh could cause a spreading fire. Per Chris Le Rouge, Assistant Fire Management Officer and ‘Burn Boss’ for USF&WS-SELA, “We are recreating what Nature would do, but under a controlled situation.”

A ‘Burn Boss’ is in charge of the entire prescribed burn operation

from planning, start, finish and wrap up. It is an extremely technical and stressful job. At times, you are not just the ‘Burn Boss,’ but also the Public Information Officer, the Safety Officer, ignition boss, or a mechanic repairing a pump on an engine or a dozer. But, at the end of the day, the most important job is being the ‘Burn Boss.’ Other team members step up and pick up the slack. Per Chris, “A Burn Boss lives in the past, present and future at the same time. He/she is always thinking about a past burn in the same location, how that could relate in the future and how it relates today in the present.”

What is the purpose of prescribed burns?

It is multifaceted. Chris shared, “Fire plays an integral part in the ecosystem by keeping it in balance. If there is an absence of fire, certain species would dominate, while others would diminish.

Species that have adapted to fire will come back stronger, healthier and better. It keeps vegetative succession

Major Objectives of Prescribed Burns Big Branch Eliminate fuel sources and invasive species. Improve habitat for native species, including the endangered red cockaded woodpecker.

Bayou Sauvage Reduction of fuel source and invasive species. Improve ecosystem.

Bogue Chitto Improve habitat for the endangered gopher tortoise.

The Nature Conservancy Fuel reduction and re-establish fire-maintained ecosystems.

in check, without which, phragmites or invasive species, such as Chinese tallow could dominate. Secretive birds such as bitterns, sparrows, rails, ducks and shore birds have niches, which we would lose if the plant life became homogenous. After fire, grass grows back with more vigor, more protein and more nutritious for wildlife.”

Prescribed burns also reduce fuel load by burning hazardous items such as deadfall which could help a lightning strike turn into a disastrous wildfire.

Of course, the prescribed burn can’t eliminate a lightning strike or intentional setting of a fire, but it certainly lowers the risk of an out-of-control event.

A prescribed burn is more than just lighting a fire. A lot of thought and planning is involved. First and foremost is the burn plan, prepared for each unit detailing the optimal conditions for a burn – minimum and maximum air temperatures and wind speeds, wind direction, humidity, drought conditions, fire behavior parameters, smoke management, time of year, medical plan, post burn monitoring, organization, type of ignition, personal protection equipment, objectives, equipment needed to accomplish objectives, minimum personnel needed, legal description of the location, and area

fuel types, i.e. grass, brush, litter. And I’m sure there is much, much more!

We can think of the burn plan as the prescription for the burn scenario. Each burn plan is reviewed at peer, regional, agency and multi-agency levels.

Of course, a prescribed burn is scheduled for the optimum conditions i.e. humidity, wind speed and direction, temperature, and drought conditions, as well as the season of the year. The Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI) is an index used to determine forest fire potential, based on daily water balance, precipitation and soil moisture. No fires are scheduled when the KBDI is 600 or higher or temperature 95 degrees and up. At that level, fire burns the organic layer, destroying roots. Care is always taken to protect the root mass. Mother Nature doesn’t schedule her lightning strikes quite so carefully.

As you might expect, weather is a huge deciding factor in a go/no-go decision.

The weather forecast, provided by the National Weather Service located in Slidell, is extensive! A fire weather forecast is produced twice a day and available to everyone. Additionally, a point or specific forecast is provided for the area. Then a spot forecast, pinpointed for the designated burn unit is given. The spot forecast is

specific hour by hour and continuously monitored for changes on the day of the burn. Plus, USF&WS has their own Remote Automated Weather Stations (RAWS) to provide local data. Wow! The time of the year is also critical.

If the goal is to eliminate invasive species, they will burn when those are most susceptible to fire. For instance, tallows and willows are dormant in the winter. A fire then would have no effect on them. But in February or March, they are budding out and would be most affected. Burning at this time also energizes the grass with tender new shoots for rabbits and muskrats.

Seeds are more plentiful for the ducks.

Red-cockaded woodpeckers begin nesting in mid-March. Burning then would be disruptive to the nesting process.

I tagged along on a prescribed burn in Big Branch Marsh NWR for the Goosepoint C East location. An Incident Objective was created which detailed control objectives, weather forecast for the time-period, safety, assignments, control operations and special instructions. Control Objectives included: safety, contain fire within the burn unit, reduce fuel load, and maintain and restore marsh ecosystem to natural vegetation.

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Facts about Fires Fires are a Benefit to some Raptors Jennifer Coulson, Ph.D., observed approximately 12 swallow-tailed kites and 20 Mississippi kites swooping in to catch insects as they were lifted from the heat of a TNC prescribed burn in Talisheek.

Fire Starting Birds Publications have reported credible claims of Australian raptors carrying burning sticks and dropping them in other locations to flush out prey, such as lizards, snakes and insects.

Fire Smoke If the smoke is white, there is more moisture in the burning area.

If the smoke is black, the fire is consuming more dead fuel.

Fire Makes its own Weather and Radar As smoke and heat rises into the atmosphere, it produces clouds that show up on radar, sucking up moisture and producing rain. The smoke that shows up on radar is known as a smoke signature.

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Why is weather so important? For the Goosepoint C East unit a north wind was needed to push the smoke out over the lake rather than inland into residential areas and along roadways. A computer program is utilized, providing models that predict smoke dispersion from the eight cardinal directions.

Orchestration of a prescribed burn is no small feat! This particular one was pulled off with a minimum number of people, but those that were trained and proficient in multiple fields of expertise. Chris likened them to a “Seal Team” and I agree. Each team member must be skilled in several operational areas, in case someone is unavailable.

Just getting all the equipment to the location is a huge task. A lowboy trailer transports the marsh master. A 4-wheel drive truck trailers the airboat and another brings the ATV. Chris, operating as the ‘Burn Boss,’ drives the engine. Other equipment can be added to the resource list depending on the burn location. Helicopters, dozers and a tracked fire engine are often utilized. You can think of fire coming by land, sea and air!

A marsh master is an amphibious ground vehicle that crawls through the marsh with low ground pressure, able to make a track without tearing up the land. It is used to create a suppression line to keep fire from crossing. In this instance, they made a path two-widths of the machine. The general rule of thumb: width of fire line should be a minimum of 1½ times the expected flame length. Flame length was projected to be 8-15 feet. The line created was 20 feet wide. Roads were used as two additional fire lines and the lake as the fourth. The goal is to minimize the disruption to the land but maintain safety. The marsh master is also equipped with a tank and pump that can be used to spray out flames if necessary.

An airboat is a shallow-draft boat powered by an aircraft engine allowing easy access to swamps. The marsh master, airboat, engine and ATV are all utilized to ignite the burn area as well as crew walking the road. Multiple

methods achieve ignition – drip torch, flare pistol, and pyroshot. The pyroshot resembles a paint-ball gun loaded with ammo that looks like ping-pong balls, nicknamed “dragon eggs.” The ammo is pre-loaded with potassium permanganate, which is injected with ethylene glycol, producing a combustion reaction and propelled into the marsh.

Different types of fire are utilized in a prescribed burn. A mixture of heading, backing and flanking were used for the Goose Point C East fire. The type of fire prescribed depends on the desired objectives. For instance, backing and flanking fires will avoid killing longleaf pine trees, necessary for red cockaded woodpecker habitat.

A heading fire has a higher intensity and moves faster.

USF&WS is not the only one to utilize prescribed burns. United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) primarily the Forest Service office, United States Department of Interior (DOI) and The Nature Conservancy(TNC) also use fire as an ecosystem management tool.

Did you know there are fire dependent species and ecosystems? Yes! The endangered red cockaded woodpecker is dependent on the survival of longleaf pine habitat. Longleaf pines need fire to burn away twigs and pine needles that keep their seeds from making it to the ground and to eliminate competing species such as the invasive Chinese tallow and sweetgums. The Mississippi gopher tortoise, formerly a Louisiana resident, now resides only in three ponds in Mississippi. Per Bill Rivers, Fire Management Officer and ‘Burn Boss’ for The Nature Conservancy (TNC), “This species is dependent on fires to burn away brush and small shrubs that threaten its habitat.” The endangered gopher tortoise is also dependent on longleaf pine ecosystems.

Without fire, longleaf pines would be choked out by more dominant species, threatening the amount of sunlight the gopher tortoise needs to maintain its body temperature and its vegetation food sources.

Bill elaborates on the job as a Burn Boss, “It’s a DNA thing. I liken it to dancing with the devil, where you walk

out with the devil in the jar and begin to dance around with him, picking and choosing your moves in a skilled dance, never knowing when he will throw you a curve, but you better have a good plan to wrestle him back into the jar!”

One of Chris’ coworkers likens the scheduling of a prescribed burn to waiting for the planets to align.

Now we know it is not just one, but multiple agencies that use prescribed burns to protect us from major wildfires and improve the ecosystem habitat, safeguarding native wildlife and plant species. Whether they are “living in the past, present and future” or “dancing with the devil,” their job is an important part in protecting us along with the wildlife and plant life around us.

USF&WS partners with other refuges and government agencies to share resources when conducting prescribed burns. Resources can be people and/or equipment. They also have an excellent relationship with Lacombe Fire District 3, assisting each other as needed.

MANY THANKS to USF&WS, TNC, USDA, DOI, and other agencies.

Types of Fires Backing Slowest and easiest to control. Burns into the wind. Flame length is relatively low.

Heading Burns with the wind, faster and with intense heat. Flame length can be many feet.

Flanking Moves parallel to the wind. The middle ground between backing and heading.

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GO BEYOND

ROCKS

By Rose Marie Sand

W

hen I walked into Oaks By The Bay Park in Panama City, Florida, the rocks in my pockets anchored me to another Bay and another time and place. You may wonder why I carried rocks in my pocket – no, I wasn’t planning to jump into the Bay! You see, my sisters Dottie and Judy and I vacationed together in Bay St. Louis recently, and Judy brought supplies for us to paint rocks. The rocking redheads spread the rocks on newspapers on a table on a lovely veranda at our B&B and got down to being creative.

There’s a viral activity that has thousands of people around the world hiding and finding painted rocks, posting pictures on FB of their treasure, and then rehiding them.

So, when I vacationed in Orange Beach, Alabama and Panama City, Florida recently, I brought a little bit of my family and a little bit of Slidell to spread around.

Finding places to “hide” my rocks turned out to be a way to find places that reminded me of home and to realize that the world is a small place after all. It may sound crazy, but as I traveled alone, I felt less alone with a rock to hide.

I found that Panama City has lots of similarities to Slidell. There’s historical districts, art centers, downtown districts, oak trees that have stood for centuries, and water that brings commerce and tourism. There’s also interesting, diverse and exciting people.

So as I chose places to hide my rocks, I thought more and more of my hometown and of the people in Florida who might find them. And I made memories, which are as solid as any rock you’ll touch.

At a rest stop along the way, I left a rock painted like a ladybug

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near a beautiful magnolia tree. I hope someone traveling through Florida finds the rock and adds a bit of fun to their journey, too.

One of the most important features about hiding rocks is tagging them with a suggestion to “keep or rehide and post on FB #SLR.” SLR stands for Slidell Louisiana Rocks, which is a local group you can join on Facebook.

There are FB pages for many towns and groups that are painting and hiding rocks, and pictures of those who post. It’s an absolute kick to see a picture of a rock you’ve carefully placed hiding in plain sight, especially when a child finds it!

I’m not alone in that feeling, as libraries, daycare centers, and rock-headed folks like my sisters and I are getting into the act. We get together once a week and share our paints and creativity. We sing songs and talk about family secrets or make them up. And making up things to paint is just as reflective as the differences between us.

My sister Judy creates lovely flowers and sweet sayings on china and canvas, so her rocks are truly lovely and charming. She’ll go along with my requests for her to hand letter my messages or give advice while we paint. Judy told me she says a little prayer for those who see or find her flower rocks.

Dottie’s new to paints and brushes, although her creative talents have shown up in the beautiful jewelry and rosaries she makes.

Last March, I saw a post and picture that proves that finding just the right rock at just the right moment is serendipity at it’s finest.

Dottie will see something in the shape of a rock that resembles a bird or a fish, and suddenly the rock becomes a fanciful creature. Dottie says one thing’s she’s learned in the process is sometimes the “happy accidents” that occur when painting turn into beautiful successes.

Karen, who now lives in Missouri, explains what happened this way: “I used to live in Slidell, and on my last visit back I placed a rock that was found by the exact right person!”

My rocks tend to be smiley-faced suns or beach scenes. Or some abstract combination of fun colors and shapes.

But probably the most fun is learning about other people who’re doing this art project, and why they do it.

On the Slidell FB page, a painter named Amanda stated that her favorite thing to tell people is that painting rocks is cheaper than therapy and less traumatizing than jail.

Rocks from Slidell painters can turn up anywhere. There’s a picture on the Slidell Louisiana Rocks page of a child finding a rock with a Slidell tag on it near Wall Street in New York City. Next stop for this rock, the post said, is London!

Another painter named Susan shared that she and her daughter placed their creations on a road trip to Vermont last summer, and will do the same this year.

Finding just the right image for your rocks is just as much of an art as painting them. Terri says that she has a box with paintings of crabs, shrimp, baseball fields, cherries, strawberries, sunflowers and even a rendition of Van Gogh’s Starry Night!

“I’m an artist and I don’t know when to quit,” she claims.

It seems a woman named Germaine found this particular rock while with her daughter. They posted a picture of the rock in her daughter’s hand. The young woman has a tattoo to cover some scars on her forearm that says, “Stay Strong.”

That’s the exact saying, in nearly the exact font style, as on her new rock.

My neighbor Mark is an avid art collector, and he recently showed me a whole box of “smile rocks” he purchased from an artist named Patty who lives on the Westbank of New Orleans.

Now Mark is an avid hider – yesterday he was at a meeting at a local high school and placed a pretty one on a bench. The idea of a student coming across the rock made him smile.

My favorite rock hiding experience comes from Carter, a little girl who found a rock I painted while on my trip to Panama City.

I’d placed the rock on a table outside of my favorite lunch place in Slidell, and then posted about it on Facebook.

By the time I’d finished lunch and headed to my car, the rock was gone! By the time I’d gotten home, I was thrilled to see a picture of a beautiful little girl named Carter holding my rock, posted by her mother, Kasie.

My rock was painted with a smiley sun

complete with sunglasses. And Carter had a smiley face and wore sunglasses!

How fun for all of us. Kasie wrote me that, “Carter was super excited, and we’re going to rehide the rock when we go to Virginia next week.” She also shared that her mother, Michelle, also paints rocks and sent me some of her Mom's paintings.

Michelle’s work is amazing, and I’m so happy to have made this connection.

Now I have a smile as bit as Carter’s.

Want to get into the fun? Here’s how: Get some smooth river rocks (I got a bag from a local home improvement store for about $10, and they are also sold at some hobby supply shops).

Wash them to take off any dust or dirt, and then let dry.

Paint with a topcoat if you don’t want the natural color as your background.

Allow time to dry before painting.

Consider messages, shapes or designs – but don’t consider for too long! Just paint! Then place somewhere to dry before next step.

Write on the back – “keep or rehide.” You can also join one of the many Facebook rock groups and put their hash tags on the back of your rock.

Spray both painted sides with clear sealant. Let dry before turning over to spray each side.

Find fun places to hide your creations – but don’t place in grassy areas where lawnmowers may run over them, or places where someone may trip.

Daydream about the joy on someone’s face when they find your treasures.

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SIDEWALK SATURDAYS 3RD SATURDAY OF EACH MONTH!

Tips for Rock Painting Look for rocks to paint that are big enough to paint and write on, but not too big for folks to carry home.

I’ve found about 3 - 5 inches work best.

Rocks with at least one flat side are best to write and paint on.

You can put rocks in the top tray of your dishwasher to clean, as long as there are no loose pebbles on them or they are too small to stay in the rack.

A can of spray paint goes a long way to use as a base coat, and a bright color makes rocks easier to find.

Colored paint pen markers or Sharpies make writing notes on your rock a bit easier than a brush if you don’t have a steady hand.

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Take your kids or yourself outside for an afternoon of rocking – great way to enjoy the outdoors. And it’s a lot more fun than Pokémon-Go! You can use acyclic paint or even chalk to make drawings – as long as you use a sealer.

Wait for paint or markers to dry before spraying with clear coat.

You can print out the message for the back and adhere with a product named Mod Podge, or glue that dries clear.

Joining a FB group makes the effort much more fun.

You can go to Pinterest, too, for ideas of what to paint.

Local parks and areas where children play are great places to hide rocks. And keep your own eyes open as you go about your day – you never know when you’ll find a treasure!

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Let your rock “hide in plain sight” to make sure they’re found.

If you do join a group – post and let people know an approximate location where you’ve hidden a rock.

Many people take their kids out to find rocks as a summer activity.

Many library branches have rock painting activities.

Suggest to summer camps or daycare centers to begin a group, then volunteer and teach them how to join in.

Exploring your city’s parks and places can inspire a sense of community for your kids. They may not find a rock each time they go out to hunt, but encourage them to look for wildflowers, animals and the beauty of nature.

Simple paintings can be created with swirls of color – you don’t have to have a degree to be an artist!

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Be respectful of private businesses or homes. Keep messages clean and inspirational – kids are going to find them!

Work on your rocks in stages – allow time for each layer to dry before spraying with final acrylic coat.

Of course, you can choose to paint rocks to beautify your own garden. Just paint one extra to hide in your closest park.

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How about making your child’s next birthday party a rock painting or rock hiding party?

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At holiday time, create themed rocks to help celebrate the occasion.

For the littlest ones, simply have them paint a bright color and then use their imagination about what the rock has become – red can be a heart or a jewel!

The shape of a rock can often give you ideas of what to paint. Does an irregular rock look like a bird shape? A tree? A face?

One of my favorite ideas from the Internet is a rock that says “turn me over” on one side, and “you just took orders from a rock,” on the other.

Have a camera ready when you look for rocks – post a picture of your find on FB. I guarantee you the most pleasure I’ve gotten from this artistic endeavor is seeing a child with a rock I’ve hidden.

I haven’t been able to find out exactly how the art of painting rocks became viral, but there are rock painting fans and painters all around the world. A simple Internet search will bring a bounty of ideas and places to post pictures of your rocks.

A word of warning – painting and hiding rocks can become addictive. My sisters and I take rides together to place our rocks, and then get back as soon as we can to paint more.

In fact, my sister’s husband, Tom, came home one day while we were painting and remarked – "it’s looking like a quarry in here!"

Which is fine by us. We’re making memories and spreading kindness, one rock at a time.

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THIS MONTH JULY When I think of July, I think about Independence Day. On the 4th, American’s remember the struggle our forefathers endured to win our precious freedom. Across the nation, we will be celebrating with colorful parades, flag ceremonies and BBQ parties. No doubt some conversations about freedom will be discussed, debated, and even argued over. And with good reason! Many of our freedoms have become political divides.

Some of the more controversial topics are freedom of religion, the right to bear arms, equal rights, and freedom of speech. I won’t weigh in, and if you want to keep your get-together peaceful, you may want to consider avoiding the debate too. Instead, I offer you some great patriotic quotes:

ZODIAC SIGNS CANCER June 21-July 22

Strengths: Tenacious, highly imaginative, loyal, emotional, sympathetic, persuasive Weaknesses: Moody, pessimistic, suspicious, manipulative, insecure

LEO July 23 - August 22

Strengths: Creative, passionate, generous, warm-hearted, cheerful, humorous Weaknesses: Arrogant, stubborn, self-centered, lazy, inflexible

BIRTHSTONE July's birthstone is the Ruby: The ruby is one of the hardest natural gemstones, with only the diamond being harder. It was once thought to protect warriors if worn on their armor or embedded in their skin.

"Let freedom never perish in your hands."- Joseph Addison "Liberty is the breath of life to nations."- George Bernard Shaw "The American Revolution was a beginning, not a consummation."

- Woodrow Wilson "For what avail the plough or sail, or land or life, if freedom fail?"

- Ralph Waldo Emerson "Then join hand in hand, brave Americans all! By uniting we stand, by dividing we fall."- John Dickinson "How often we fail to realize our good fortune in living in a country where happiness is more than a lack of tragedy."- Paul Sweeney "A real patriot is the fellow who gets a parking ticket and rejoices that the system works."- Bill Vaughan

Considered the king of gems, the ruby symbolizes love, passion, energy, and success.

FLOWERS July's birth flowers are the Larkspur and the Water Lily. The larkspur, especially white forms, generally indicates lightheartedness; pink, fickleness; purple, first love. The water lily symbolizes purity of heart.

IN HISTORY NOTABLE DATES 1885

French microbiologist Louis Pasteur successfully gives the first anti-rabies vaccination to nine-year-old Joseph Meister, who had been bitten by an infected dog.

1906

The song "America the Beautiful" is copyrighted by Katharine Lee Bates.

1948

July is on average the warmest month in most of the Northern hemisphere which explains why bikini’s made their debut.

1952

The trademark for Silly Putty is registered.

1969

The first moon walk. After Apollo 11’s launch is watched by an estimated 530 million, even more tuned in as astronaut Neil Armstrong took the first-ever step on the moon.

1978

Louise Brown, the world’s first ‘test-tube baby,’ is born in Oldham General Hospital in England.

1988

The Bugs Bunny phrase, "What's Up, Doc?" is trademark registered.

National Blueberry Month National Hot Dog Month National Ice Cream Month National Picnic Month

Story by Dawn Rivera

Graphics by Devin Reeson

INDENPENDENCE DAY FUN FACTS The Declaration of Independence was actually approved by the Second Continental Congress on July 2nd, 1776.

Benjamin Franklin was the oldest (70 years old) signer of the Declaration. Edward Rutledge (26) was the youngest.

On the night of July 4th, 1776, a printer named John Dunlap of Philadelphia was commissioned to produce the first broadside prints of the Declaration of Independence. An estimated 200 copies were made that night, however, only 27 are known to exist today.

Calvin Coolidge is the only former U.S. president who was born on July 4th. The year was 1872.

America “borrowed” the idea of fireworks from Chinese New Year. Colonists would use fireworks for various modes of celebration even before the emergence of independent states, which made the colorful explosives a natural fit for America’s birthday. Today, according to the American Pyrotechnics Association, more than 14,000 professional fireworks displays will color the night sky this 4th.

According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, there were nearly 12,000 fireworkrelated injuries reported in 2015. Naturally, there is a spike every year right around July 4th.

SLIDELL HISTORY

In 2011, a total value of $3.6 million consisted of imports (mostly from China) of American flags and imported fireworks.

The vast 5000 acre John Guzman Tract was first owned by Vincent Rillieux, the namesake for Bayou Vincent. John E. Guzman owned a brickyard, a hospital, a ferry, and a store near the present bayou bridge crossing. It was he who received the first telephone message that was sent over the newly constructed telephone line from Mandeville to Slidell on July 7, 1884. Streets that intersect near Bayou Potassat were named Guzman and Carey after the husband and wife team who produced 10 adult children.

July 4th, 1939, a tearful Lou Gehrig gave his famous farewell speech to Yankee fans.

*(http://slidell.danellis.net/slidell_101.htm)

The Statue of Liberty was a giant birthday gift from France on July 4, 1884. Also, the cornerstone for the Freedom Tower in New York was symbolically placed on July 4, 2004, “To honor and remember those who lost their lives on September 11th, 2001 and as a tribute to the enduring spirit of freedom.”

An estimated 150 million hot dogs are consumed on July 4th.

Crimi-Mommly INSANE ie Gates

Lesl Story by

“THE CLIMB” It’s summer time, so the kids and I are back at my best friend Tonya’s house where they can play, and we can find some sanity through adult conversation. We were discussing some major life changes that are occurring in our lives. We talked about the anxiety, fear, and even downright DREAD that almost always accompanies change.

Throughout our lives, Tonya and I have experienced many major lifechanging events together: joining the Army, moving away from each other for the first time, living in foreign countries, marriage, babies, death… pretty much all of the biggies. One thing we both agree on is that the worst part about all of it was the unknown. The fear.

The feeling of being ripped away from what was comfortable; what was SAFE, and being tossed into a hurricane of imbalance, having to pray for grace and strength to overcome each new obstacle that 38

life threw at us. And guess what?

It was painful. Each and every time.

Sometimes, the grief was almost unbearable, but each time we came through to the other side stronger.

Somehow, though, knowing that in the end, everything’s truly going to be OK, still doesn’t make the next upheaval any easier.

We talked about our first experience in the Army. We were babies. Sure, we had some athleticism in our bodies because of dance team and cheerleading. But we had no idea what we were in for with Army PT (physical training). We had never done a push-up or sit-up in our lives, but now we were faced with pushing our bodies to their physical limits.

Sure, we could have given up, called it a day, admit that the Army’s a man’s game, and gone back home.

But we had something to prove.

Being our first real life-changing event as “adults,” we didn’t have the sense to be that scared. All we knew was that we wanted to change from who we were to something bigger and better. Like the little caterpillar who miraculously turns into a beautiful butterfly. Only, what we didn’t know at that time, was that little caterpillar literally liquifies in his cozy little cocoon before the glorious butterfly

emerges. That knowledge might have better prepared us for what was to come.

With every push-up, sit-up, cherry-picker, four-mile run, and ruck-march, our sleep-deprived, home-sick minds and bodies were literally torn to shreds, in order to build us into lean-mean-gaspumping machines (our job was refueling helicopters). Everyday, a new muscle felt like it was being shorn from our bodies with a rusty, dull, ice cream scoop, and slowly replaced with toned, solid, capable strength. After every run, our lungs felt like they were protruding from our mouths, as we gasped for every wheezy breath.

Slowly, our lungs became strong, and as we kept pushing, we found ourselves clocking times that reached beyond what we thought we were capable of.

After every 10-mile road march with a heavy rucksack, and other weight from additional gear, we would peel our socks off and watch as the skin of our feet came right off with it, then wrap them in

mole-skin until our feet developed callouses to protect them from real harm. Our backs would burn as our weak spines, that we never asked much of before, began to feel as though each vertebrae was being replaced with shattered glass, and our shins took on the personification of “Lucile,” Nagen’s beloved barbed-wire bat. In time, though, we discovered the necessity of a strong back and strong legs.

It allowed us to build endurance, one a soldier would need to carry a buddy to safety on a battlefield.

On top of all of that, our minds and spirits were in just as bad shape.

Emotionally drained from the brainwashing and sleep deprivation.

Every missed holiday, or 5 minute phone call home, sometimes left us in tears as we questioned our sanity, wanting to be back home.

We were caterpillar mush at that point, and began to look to God more than we ever had before.

We learned what mercy, integrity, forgiveness, honor and faithfulness truly meant. And we began to live it, growing into a soldier. We

became what we set out to be.

Changed. And it hurt every step of the way. But, in the end, two rock hard, gun-toting, bad-ass, airplane fueling butterflies emerged.

Believe it or not, Miley Cyrus got it right with her song, “The Climb.”

In it, she sings, “It ain’t about how fast I get there.” It ain’t even “about what’s waiting on the other side. It’s the climb.”

Whether you experience fast, unexpected change, like job loss or the sudden loss of a loved one, or, long, drawn-out change, like moving across the country, divorce, looking for a new job… time spent climbing that mountain seems to be at a stand-still when you need to keep from falling, reaching out for anything that might steady you, even for a moment. You try to ignore those voices in your head that say, “You’ll never reach it.”

Your faith is shaken. All you do know is the farther “up” you go, the closer you get to the top. You just keep pushing through the pain and exhaustion, because surely, there must be relief at the top.

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Not being able to sleep one night, stuck on that steep mountain of change, I decided to make a climb. Our 12 year old woke up early, before the sun. I made the climb with him. It was up a ladder next to our house, to sit on the roof and watch the sun rise.

We talked about change a little and he played me a sweet, simple song called “Life Changes” that had an upbeat message on change.

“Ain’t it funny how life, chan-ges You wake up, ain’t nothin the same And life, chan-ges You can’t stop it, just hop on the train.

You never know what's gonna happen You make your plan and God starts laughing Life, changes… and I wouldn’t change it for the world.”

What’s waiting on the other side really isn’t all that important either. Sure, you find relief and distance from the storm. You begin to accept your new role in life; and soon it becomes as comfortable and familiar as what you left on the other side of that mountain. But guess what? Wreckin’ Ball Miley got it right again. “There’ll always be another mountain.

I’m always gonna wanna make it move. There’s always gonna be an uphill battle.” The one certainty about change is that it’s inevitable. It never stops. Spring turns to summer. Summer to fall and fall to winter.

In nature, death brings new life. The phases of the moon aren’t static. Every day we witness the miracle of God’s plan through change. Why can’t we just go from Point A to Point B like sheep being herded?

Why does it have to be so scary? Why does it have to hurt? “It’s the Climb.”

The climb breaks us down and rebuilds us so that we are strong enough to handle whatever comes next. The climb strips you of your pride and arrogance to make you humble and open to growth. The climb, just like our Army Drill Sergeant, takes our brokenness and turns it into strength. Wisdom. Self-confidence. It prepares us for the next uphill battle. But seeing the good things that come from it also give us strength to keep climbing, by growing our faith.

40

Looking up at a tall, dead pine tree, I asked him which way he thought it might fall, when it does. He told me, “It will all depend how and where it is broken.”

Pointing to a tall, live pine tree next, he said, “No matter where that one is broken, it will still fall forward.” Intrigued by his answer, I asked him to explain. “Well, because most of the branches are on one side. See how the leaves are reaching out in that one direction? So, wherever it is broken, the heavy side will fall first.”

The direction the branches were reaching out to was toward our sun rise. The direction it gets most of its light during the day.

Spending time with one of the most amazing people in my life, on our roof, made a small change in both of us. It wasn’t painful at all. Sometimes, it WILL need to be the ones pushing down hard on us that create the change through our wounds, but they can also punch us in the eye so much that we are temporarily blinded to the blessings around us that also bring change. The ones that heal us through love.

Because God IS love, and He is the only thing that NEVER changes. He is the same yesterday, today, and always. Seeing the blessings in the middle of the battle is simply another change in ourselves that is growing in the right direction. The people placed on the mountain with us are there to help us climb.

Especially the ones that have loved us through the hard change.

I want our children to know that, wherever you are in your constant journey of change when you read this one day, remember, you are in training, you are

& .

.

there for a reason. Talk to God, even when you are mad and don’t understand…when your faith gets weak. Let that light be your guide, reaching your branches out to it.

So that no matter where you are broken, that heaviness you are holding onto will fall towards God, our light. Then in HIS time, when He believes you are ready to see it, the good change will come from the bad, bringing an awareness that you are now HIS soldier, using the awards and the gifts He shows you, to carry out the greater plan of bringing peace and love into a broken world.

Just keep climbing.

Trees, they grow, then shed their leaves The flowers bloom and wilt.

Their beauty still remains throughout No shaming and no guilt.

The seasons bring a different view Each view, a peering eye.

Like brilliant blue behind white clouds Or lighting through dark skies.

Change is always taking place Affecting how we feel.

To see the beauty through it all Is what helps us to heal.

Seasons change, the petals fall But death brings forth new bloom.

What turns to brown and falls away, Makes room for something new.

Weeds will serve a purpose When looking past the sins.

Perfections only perfect Through God’s all-seeing lens.

We can’t expect a daisy seed To grow into a rose.

A thorny branch, afraid to touch, When it’s the branch we chose.

That mountain in the distance Dreaming you were there.

The one you’re on, in love at first Their beauty you compare.

While wishing you were closer In awe of snowy peaks You’re crushing blooming flowers On the one beneath your feet.

The season that surrounds you The ground on which you stand When rain falls all around you, Builds castles in the sand.

Time reveals the changes As the storm blows slowly past.

Crushed flowers reaching for the sun When peace is found at last.

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ANIMAL DEATHS

Quick question: What animal species do you think accounts for the most human deaths in the U.S.? A recent article in the journal Wilderness & Environmental Medicine explored this topic, using a Centers for Disease Control database to study deaths that occurred between 2008 and 2015. 1610 deaths caused by non-human animals were reported, or about 200 per year. That’s a reasonably big number, but when

you consider that the population in the U.S. is over 300 million, it’s fairly low, corresponding to about 1 death per 1.6 million people each year.

Most deaths were caused by nonvenomous animals, something that shouldn’t be surprising considering venomous species are much less commonly encountered in most parts of the U.S., compared to non-venomous species. However, the number of venomous animal-

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associated deaths was still significant, mainly from stinging insects (including allergic reactions).

To answer my opening question, dogs accounted for the most deaths, which also isn’t surprising given the large number of dogs in the U.S. Most dogs pose little to no threat, but all it takes is a very small number of problematic dogs (or owners) for a significant number of deaths to occur.

Male victims accounted for 72% of deaths from animal encounters. Females only led in deaths caused by centipedes and venomous millipedes. I can imagine why males might dominate some of the categories, but the female link to centipedes and millipedes eludes me.

Probably, it’s just a function of small sample size, since only 3 people died from those: 2 females and 1 male. The highest mortality rate was in people over 65 years of age, with stinging insects accounting for much of that.

Deaths from dog attacks were nearly four times higher among children under 5 years of age.

The study provides some interesting information, but the data is probably far from complete in terms of all deaths associated with animals. It includes deaths from “bite, contact, attack or envenomation.” That doesn’t seem to include infection, and zoonotic infections - those that are normally seen in animals but can be transmitted to people, like Rabies - certainly would add to the totals.

For example, the article indicates no deaths from rats. Rats, you might ask? Well, it depends on how deaths are considered. I’m not thinking of bands of marauding rats attacking people, but I am aware of deaths due to an infection called Rat Bite Fever during that time frame.

Similarly, only one “non-crocodile/alligator reptile-associated” death was reported. However, Salmonella has killed more than that. Various other zoonotic infections are probably also missed. They’re fortunately still rare, but they do occur. Deaths from infections contracted from an animal are still deaths, and are important to consider.

Some simple practices and precautions can reduce the risk of deaths from animals, whether by trauma or infection. There’s no way to completely eliminate risk, but reducing mortality and morbidity rates is a worthy and attainable goal. More on the subject of prevention next April, when we observe the ASPCA’s National Dog Bite Prevention Week. I can’t wait!

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THE PRINCIPLES OF

CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING

By Reverend W. C. Paysse Pastor, Our Lady of Lourdes Church Dear Friends, July often kicks off vacation season in the United States since Independence Day (July 4) quickly approaches. Initially, I am reminded of picnics, grilling, snowballs, visits to Audubon Park to feed the ducks, a leisurely ride on the train in City Park and patriotic songs of years past.

This time of the year offers us an opportunity to reflect on our citizenship as Americans and perhaps grow with a renewed insight. The times of presidential election cycles tend to highlight what it means to be a responsible citizen, and the Catholic Bishops’ guidelines Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship usually gets more attention then. Yet now is also a great time to learn more about this responsibility.

So, I offer for our consideration a cursory review of Principles of Catholic Social Teaching. This is not for Catholics only but is universal to all people who wish to learn and embrace a possibly new perspective or way of teaching and thinking about human dignity and freedom.

As I mentioned above, it is a worthy review as people celebrate their freedom as citizens of the United States of America. I offer the following with an openness to all people, their opinions and beliefs, respecting each person and extending a hand of friendship and peace to all. As Jim Metcalf, a writer and poet I always admired from the time I was a teenager to the present, would often say at the beginning of his television show, “please, to begin . . .”

The First Principle is LIFE AND DIGNITY OF THE HUMAN PERSON. This principle teaches that human life is sacred and that the dignity of the human person is the foundation of a moral vision for society. This belief is

the foundation of all the principles of social teaching and that every person is precious.

People are more important than things, and the measure of every institution is whether it threatens or enhances the life and dignity of the human person.

The Second Principle is CALL TO FAMILY, COMMUNITY, AND PARTICIPATION. The person is not only sacred but also social.

How we organize our society in economics and politics, in law and policy, directly affects human dignity and the capacity of individuals to grow in community. We must seek together the common good and well-being of all, especially the poor and vulnerable.

The Third Principle is RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES. Every person has a fundamental right to life and a right to those things required for human decency.

Corresponding to these rights are duties and responsibilities -- to one another, to our families and to the larger society.

The Fourth Principle is OPTION FOR THE POOR AND VULNERABLE. A basic moral test is how our most vulnerable members are faring. In a society marred by deepening divisions between rich and poor, the Christian tradition recalls the story of the Last Judgment (Matthew 25:31-46) and instructs us to put the needs of the poor and vulnerable first.

The Fifth Principle is THE DIGNITY OF WORK AND THE RIGHTS OF WORKERS. The economy must serve people, not the other way around. Work is more than a way to make a living; it is a form of continuing participation in God’s creation. If the dignity of work is to be protected, then the basic rights of workers must be respected -- the right to productive work, to decent and fair wages.

The Sixth Principle is SOLIDARITY. We are one human family whatever our national, racial, ethnic, economic, and ideological differences.

We are our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers, wherever they may be. Loving our neighbors has global dimensions in a shrinking world. At the core of the virtue of solidarity is the pursuit of justice and peace. Our love for all our sisters and brothers demands that we promote peace in a world surrounded by violence and conflict.

The Seventh Principle is CARE FOR GOD’S CREATION. We show our respect for the Creator by our stewardship of creation. We are called to protect people and the planet, living our faith in relationship with all of God’s creation.

So, there you have it. For whatever it is worth, I simply share with you as a person who cares for people and nature. As a pastor, people often come to me with many, many problems, situations and circumstances that are often challenging. At first, my heart goes out to the person because I know how upset or confused that person is.

Many times I say very little, and with God’s grace and talking it out, they feel better, or the situation doesn’t look as daunting as it did initially.

In conclusion, I hope the aforementioned sharing helps some of us, enlightens some of us, challenges some of us, brings hope to some of us, sparks a greater curiosity for some of us and affirms that love from the heart continues to reign supreme in all of us. And finally, have a hot dog for me on July 4th. I like extra onions, a little chili and creole mustard, washed down with a cold Barq’s in a bottle!

Enjoy the month of July,

Reverend W.C. Paysse Pastor

Portraits of Slidell

Photo by William Blackwell

CORNIBE’S BARBER SHOP Cornibe’s Barber Shop is the oldest continuously operating barber shop in St. Tammany.

William Blackwell is a native of Slidell.

"Once I began studying photography, it seemed to me that some of those wonderful buildings in Olde Towne should be photographed to capture and preserve their memory, beauty, and antiquity for future generations."

See his Slidell shots and more on his facebook page: FieldofViewPhotography

Louis Joseph Cornibe III was the son of Henry Cornibe, the first undertaker in Slidell. Louis worked as a barber for the previous owner, Calvin Craddock, for six years before buying the business, which he operated as “Cornibe’s Barber Shop” since June, 1960.

Craddock, the first owner, had built the quaint shop in 1932. In 1952, Lou Cornibe rented the third chair in the rear when haircuts were 50 cents.

He learned to work 12 hour days.

Lou kept many of the original items, including the gas heater that warms the place. He installed an antique

porcelain covered cast-iron bath tub with claw feet and word got around.

A trucker dropped by and asked if he could take a bath, and he did for a charge of fifty cents.

For many years, until 1999, Lou had prevented Bell South from removing the last remaining “dial-up” pay telephone in town. He was always amused by the many people who didn’t know how to operate it.

Lou Cornibe passed away in 2015.

His sons now own the shop with Bobby Cockerham managing and continuing to cut hair.

Excerpted from Slidell: "Camellia City" by Dan A. Ellis.

Available for purchase at The Book Sack on West Hall 45

OUT TAKES Slidell Magazine was EVERYWHERE this month!

Here are just a few of our adventures!

CONGRATULATIONS! Our amazing graphic artist, Devin Reeson, and husband, Jacob Stagray, got married on June 2nd! l-r: Slidell Mag writer & photogra pher, Donna Bush, Jacob, Devin, and Slidell Mag Edit or, Kendra Maness

al bow: A class act gives a fin n and his na en Dr y dd Slidell Mayor Fre ge sta at his lovely wife, Glenda, on K YOU FOR AN TH . rty retirement pa EVERYTHING FREDDY!!

ator, Mardi Gras Mishief cre e SH E’S A HATT ER NOW! th o int ion es her induct Connie Born, celebrat .” ayou Camellia Hotties “B ’s ty cie So t Ha Red r be am Ch e s held at th The Red Hat Hoot wa ! fun & ir fla of ns to ht ug Martketplace and bro

Mayor-elect Greg Cromer & wife Peggy enjoy the celebration at Slidell Mayor Freddy Drennan’s retirement party, held at the beautiful lake home of Ronnie & Sylvia Reine.

ag Slidell M8

96 - July

201

Kendra joins dozens of oth ers to celebrate “birthdays” at the SMH Regional Cancer Cen ter for National Cancer Survivor’s Day. Thirteen years and counti ng!

WOOH OO!

Alan Case carries precious carg o, his son Henry, at the LPO Concert, Some Enchan ted Evening, in Heritage Park. He’s joined by wife, Katie, baby Frances, and parents, Bre nda & John Case

od Ballroom The beautiful ladies of Slidell Women’s Civic Club were at Pinewo Award nce” Differe A g “Makin t’s Clemen ry Rosema Miss te to celebra an such izing recogn for Rotary you from Rotary Club of Slidell. Thank inspirational person in our community! WELL DESERVED!!

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-Kendra Maness Editor/Publisher Slidell Magazine and VERY happy patient!

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