Happenings

MARK YOUR CALENDAR!

Chamber Fest-Presented by CSE Federal Credit Union

CSE Federal Credit Union (CSE) is proud to present West Calcasieu Chamber of Commerce’s Chamber Fest! Southwest Louisiana’s newest outdoor festival will take place at Heritage Square in Sulphur on Saturday, May 29, 2021. This inaugural event features a 5K run followed by a fun-filled day complete with local food trucks, vendors, live music and more!

The West Calcasieu Chamber of Commerce aims to provide a voice for economic, educational, social and public growth in our region. For more information visit westcal.org

CSE is the largest credit union headquartered in Southwest Louisiana with assets over $460 million. If you would like more information about CSE, please contact Colleen Desselle, Director of Marketing & Business Development, at cdesselle@csefcu.org. CSE is federally insured by NCUA. Membership and Eligibility required.

Spring Art Walk

Spring Art Walk (S.A.W.) is back and will take place on Saturday, May 8, from 3:00 - 7:00 p.m. in Downtown Lake Charles at the intersection of Ryan and Broad Streets. Nearly 50 art and food vendors will line the streets to showcase their talents. Businesses like Stellar Beans and The Gophr App will host art demonstrations and pop-up galleries. Westlake High Drama Department, Young Band Nation, and other performing arts groups will entertain the crowd on the central stage. Come out and see what S.A.W. is all about!

SOWELA Offering Two-Week Introduction to Construction Class Starting May 10

SOWELA Technical Community College’s Office of Workforce Solutions is offering a two-week Introduction to Construction class starting Monday, May 10, at its Main Campus in Lake Charles. Curriculum includes the National Center for Construction Education & Research (NCCER) Core and OSHA 10. The cost of the class is $50 with students receiving a $500 stipend at the end of the course for successful completion of all assignments and testing.

The course is designed for individuals interested in learning entry-level construction skills. Training covers safety principles; construction math principles and application; introduction to hand and power tools; how to read and understand construction drawings; introduction to rigging slings, hoists, hitches and other hardware; procedures and techniques for proper material handling; and basic communication and employability skills.

Class is held Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. during both weeks. Students who complete all modules of the class receive OSHA 10 and NCCER certifications, as well as a certificate of completion from SOWELA.

Registration is open on a first-come, first-serve basis. A limited number of training seats are available. For more information or to apply, visit www.sowela.edu/constructionor call (337) 421-6560 or email workforce@sowela.edu.

Gallery by the Lake announces bird photography competition and exhibition

Show us what you’ve got! Gallery by the Lake announces its third “Hit Me with your Best Shot” Bird Photography Competition and Exhibition, celebrating the joys and benefits of birdwatching and showcasing the work of wildlife photographers from across the US.

Fifty selected images will be displayed beginning August 20th in the Gallery by the Lake’s exhibition space in the beautiful Historic City Hall Arts & Cultural Center in downtown Lake Charles, as well as in a virtual gallery at www.gallerybythelake. org. The judges for this competition will be the editorial staff of Bird Watchers Digest.

Entries are now being accepted online until July 17th through Call for Entry at https://artist.callforentry.org/festivals_unique_info. php?ID=8873. Winning images will be selected by June 15th and delivery of framed pictures will be accepted from June 15th to July 17th. More information about the contest can be found on Gallery by the Lake’s website at https://www.gallerybythelake.org/call-forentry.

The project is being supported by a grant from the City of Lake Charles as administered by the Arts Council of Southwest Louisiana.