Thrive June 2015 Issue by Thrive Magazine

JUNE JUNE 20152015

Summers: Then and Now A snapshot of how summers have changed over the years.

BON TEMPS

ATV PARK Now Open June 2015

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SHRIMPING in SWLA www.thriveswla.com

Rehabilitation Hospital

of Jennings

DIAgNOSeS THAT we TReAT

• Brain Injury

• Hip Fractures

• Strokes

• Osteoarthritis/DJD

• Amputations

• Neurological Disorders

• Burns

• Spinal Cord Injury

• Major Multiple Trauma

• Congenital Deformities

• Rheumatoid Arthritis

• Systemic Vasculidities

• Joint Replacements

Others who can benefit from inpatient rehabilitation are postoperative patients, accident victims and cancer patients. 24 Hour Nursing Care • Physical Therapy • Occupational Therapy Speech Therapy • Nutritional Counseling and Monitoring Case Management Call for a free assessment today. One Hospital Drive, Ste. 101 • Jennings, LA 70546 • Phone: (337) 821-5353 • Fax: (337) 821-5355 or 5366 jenningsrehab@yahoo.com • www.jenningsrehab.com 2 www.thriveswla.com

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June 2015

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Contents 9

In This Issue

Regular Features

Wining & Dining

14 First Person with James Lee Burke 27 Who’s News 28 Business Buzz 49 Cameron Connection 68 McNeese Corral 69 Solutions for Life! 70 Happenings

6 Sunshine Fishermen 9 Pops and Rockets 12 Dining Outdoors? Keep it Savory not Sickly laces & Faces P 16 Meet Melanie Young: Tough Choices Faced with Grit and Grace 21 Luke Wade Seizes the Moment 24 Louisiana Celebrates Young Local Heroes

Look for our special spotlighting local businesses...

Money & Career 30 The Best Way to Boss

coming in July!

32 Networking Tips for Introverts 34 Millennials at Work

Home & Family

Summers:

38-41 Cover Story: Then and Now 44 In-Home Pet Boarding, a New Trend in Pet-Sitting Services

Style & Beauty 52 Step into Your First Impression 53 Contouring for Beginners 54 Pick the Right Jeans for Your Body Type

Mind & Body 56 Clearing Up the Facts About Cataracts 58 Gardening Helps Mind & Body Flourish 64 Office Space Can Affect Your Face DON’T JUST LIVE, THRIVE!

Thrive is designed for people focused on living a happy, healthy life, one that is balanced, full of energy and contentment. Thrive readers want to make the most of every day and be successful in all areas of their lives – family, health, home and career. 4 www.thriveswla.com

Editors and Publishers

Kristy Armand Christine Fisher

Creative Director

Barbara VanGossen

Assistant Editor

Katie Harrington

Business Manager

Katie McDaniel

Assistant Designers

Keri Cannon Shonda Manuel Kris Roy Mandy Gilmore

Advertising Sales Michelle Phelps ads@thriveswla.com 337.310.2099 Submissions edit@thriveswla.com

Submitted articles and photos are welcome. Thrive assumes no responsibility for unsolicited materials and does not guarantee any submissions.

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June 2015

All of our wonderful dogs are available for adoption through 4Paws Society. Call 287-3552 for more information and to learn about other programs that are available. These six precious puppies will be ready for adoption in another month. We have three girls and three boys. Please call for more information.

June 2015

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Wining & Dining

Sunshine Fishermen by Mitch Thomas photos by Shonda Manuel

Shrimping is a way of life in Southwest Louisiana and big business for the Bayou State

Captain Jimmy Dyson of Cameron calls himself a “sunshine fisherman.” While others work in offices from 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Dyson begins his day the moment the sun rises. He rides his boat, the Captain Hunter, along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico from the Louisiana/Texas state line to Vermillion Bay, filling his 55-foot trawl nets with the day’s catch. He’ll come back home as the sun sets and deliver to the fish house a boat-full of fresh shrimp. From there, Dyson’s shrimp is sent to area restaurants, where they grace the plates of customers hungry for a genuine piece of Louisiana. Shrimp is big business in the Bayou State. According to the Louisiana Seafood Commission, the industry accounts for 15,000 jobs and has an annual economic impact of $1.3 billion for the state. The big commercial boats also share the waters with anyone who brings a cast net and is looking to catch a few for themselves. And with an ample supply close at hand, shrimp is woven into 6 www.thriveswla.com

the rich culinary culture of Louisiana as a staple of the Cajun diet. For Dyson, shrimp is a way of life, one he’s led for 49 years. “If I had to do it all over again, I’d do it,” he said. “I’ve been my own boss almost all my life. I think shrimping has been a real good life.” Since the age of 14, Dyson has ridden five of his own boats while working in in the commercial shrimping industry, riding along the Gulf coast and passing his trawl nets through inlets and waterways. He makes his own nets and maintains his boat, along with a couple of crew members. As a commercial shrimp boat captain, there’s much Dyson has to manage in order to continue Thrive Magazine for Better Living

operating the Captain Hunter. “On this job you’ve got to be a net man, a mechanic, a carpenter, a painter, you have to be it all,” Dyson said.

June 2015

Dyson will sell his catch to a local fish house like Cameron Seafood. He needs to sell enough shrimp to cover the cost of fuel for his boat to scratch even, which can be up to $500 for a single day. The price of shrimp can vary throughout the year, depending on the market and external circumstances. For instance, due to concerns over quality, shrimp was difficult to sell just after the Deepwater Horizon spill, according to Dyson. Different sizes will also have different prices. Shrimp are measured based on how many individual shrimp are needed to make up one pound. For a single pound of 21-25 shrimp, buyers can expect there to be between 21 and 25 individual shrimp. Larger sizes, such as U-10s, in which there are 10 shrimp per pound, are significantly more expensive and are used for fine shrimp dishes by restaurants. According to Dyson, Shrimp can be caught year round by big offshore boats, but some types are only available during the appropriate season in inland waters. Brown shrimp are usually open for fishing from late May to about June or July, with white shrimp usually available afterwards up to August and September. Smaller seabob shrimp can be caught from November to January. Large boats aren’t always required to catch shrimp. With a cast net, anyone can fish up their own catch. Shallow waters, such as around banks or areas with docks and piers, are great places to catch shrimp with a net. But sometimes shrimping on a boat is an experience like no other. “I think there ought to be a law, especially in Louisiana, that every person at least one day in their life should go shrimping on a shrimp boat.” Dyson said.

June 2015

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Wining & Dining

From the Water to the Plate

Chef Kevin Thompson

After buying some frozen shrimp from the market, or fresh shrimp directly from the boats and the fish house, or even from catching some with a cast net, shrimp can go into preparing a multitude of different dishes with just as many different flavors. L’Auberge Casino Resort chef Kevin Thompson’s favorite shrimp dinner is the shrimp po’boy. Like many chefs, Thompson finds the simple meals are sometimes the best.

“We can get as extravagant as you like, but most of the time we usually like something that sticks to the ribs but executed well,” he said. Thompson says L’Auberge purchases shrimp caught from the local waters and frozen in the processing plants. Though frozen shrimp may not have quite as much flavor as a freshly caught shrimp, Thompson says a shrimp caught during the peak of the season and frozen can still be of very high quality. Before they go onto the plate, however, shrimp must undergo a bit of preparation. After peeling the shrimp, the vein in the back can be removed by cutting the membrane along the length of the vein, pulling the vein out, and then washing the shrimp thoroughly to remove the rest of the vein’s contents, which can give shrimp a gritty texture. Whether to leave the head on the shrimp or not is left to the digression of the cook. Thompson says that while some people find the head unappealing on their shrimp, the head does contain a large amount of fat, which adds to the shrimp’s flavor when cooking. It is, of course, possible to buy shrimp already deveined and removed of their shells and heads. Thompson notes, though, that shells can also be used in the creation of shrimp stock or a base for a

soup. After cleaning, shrimp are ready for cooking, though some shrimp serve better in creating a meal than others, depending on the dish. On the whole, Brown shrimp seem to be preferred in Southwest Louisiana cuisine, says Thompson, as they have a bolder flavor than white shrimp. Larger shrimp, such as the U-10s, can be used for better presentation in fancier dishes, while smaller popcorn shrimp in the 61-70 range may serve better for po’boys, especially since the shrimp will be concealed inside the sandwich beneath bread and lettuce. A half-pound of shrimp per person is a good estimate of a service size, says Thompson. This can mean about 4 U-10s or a pile of smaller shrimp about the size of the palm as a serving. Though Cajun shrimp dinners tend towards spicy seasonings, especially if it is expected the diner will be drinking a beverage like a beer, the possibilities for preparing and seasoning shrimp run the gamut. “With shrimp, they’re so versatile,” Thompson said. “We use them in stews, we use them in etouffes, we use them in creoles, we use them in gumbos, we use them in sandwiches, we use them in salads, so you’re only limited to your imagination with shrimp.”

Chef Kevin Thompson’s Spicy Garlic Shrimp Recipe • • • • • • • •

1 lb shrimp, Grilled 25 count to a pound 4 large cloves of garlic, finely minced 1 tsp red pepper flakes 2-3 oz (60-89 ml) White wine 2 oz Clarified butter 2 oz Room temp butter 3 tsp chopped fresh parsley 1 lemon for juice

Preparation

1. This recipe makes 4 servings as an appetizer. If preparing for a main course, double the recipe. 2. In a sauté pan or heavy frying pan, warm the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and sauté for about one minute or until they just begin to brown. Be careful not to burn the garlic! 3. Raise the heat to high and immediately add the shrimp, lemon juice, and white wine. 4. Stir well, then sauté, stirring briskly until the shrimp turn pink and curl – about 3 minutes. 5. Add room temperature butter to shrimp and garlic mixture 6. Remove from heat and transfer shrimp with butter sauce to a warm plate or serve right from the pan. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve hot 8 www.thriveswla.com

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June 2015

Friends and

rs Nick siness partne

stin

d Robbie Au

Villaume an

POPS and ROCKETS by Felicite Toney

It’s almost summer time, the official season of sweat stains and sunburns. Luckily Lake Charles has its own unique way of staying cool—gourmet pops from Pops and Rockets. These frozen treats are more than just a way to chill in the unforgivable sun; they act as a liaison between customer and creative opportunity. To understand the link, we have to take a look at the roots of the company. After being apart for 15 years, longtime friends Nick Villaume and Robbie Austin reconnected in Lake Charles. It was a hot summer’s day that convinced Villaume to start a business of gourmet pops. He knew of such businesses in other cities, but Lake Charles was lacking in that department. Business savvy Villaume asked Austin to be the creative mind behind the pops. Together the duo created Pops and Rockets. They took their mutual love for all things 80’s and decided to name their gourmet pops after 80’s songs. A few pop names include Blister in the Sun, which is a song by Violent Femmes, and 99 Red Doubloons, which is a play on 99 Red Balloons, and was created just for Contraband Days. If you’re more concerned about taste than names, you’re in luck. These gourmet pops are delicious. Blister in the Sun is a combination of pineapple and ginger with a raspberry frozen inside, while 99 Red Doubloons tastes like a virgin strawberry pina colada. There are plenty of flavors from which to choose, ranging from traditional to the “I didn’t know you could juice ginger, but holy moly, this pop is delicious!” Don’t worry, parents. These gourmet pops are family friendly and contain no alcohol. The Pop Lab, as owners Villaume and Austin like to call it, is where the two friends get together and collaborate on ideas for their gourmet pops. Their process requires creativity, trial and error, and of course, lots of 80’s music. The creative process involved in creating these delicious gourmet pops is very much an art form in itself. With some inspiration from the 80’s, Austin focuses on three important elements: flavor, presentation, and title.

June 2015

In regards to flavor, there’s a lot of trial-anderror involved. If something doesn’t work, they don’t scrap the idea or give up on it; instead, they learn from it and try it a different way. Austin doesn’t get stressed out. “The possibilities cannot be exhausted,” Austin says. Presentation can be a bit tricky. “How do you create a pop with a raspberry in it that floats in the middle instead of floating at the top of bottom?” Villaume asks. They are weary of creating pops that taste great but look unappealing. It’s been suggested that they create a spiral pop with two different flavors spinning around each other. “How can we ensure that if we use red and white, that the pop won’t come out pink?” It can be complicated but Austin and Villaume are relentless. They’ll master these techniques just like they’ve mastered others (like juicing ginger). Giving a pop a name can be a little worrisome. Austin wonders if customers will get the reference. For those who do, it’s an “ah-ha” moment. For Pops and Rockets, the names of their pops set them apart from others. For Villaume, one of the most stressful parts of pop making is the anticipation of the final product. For Austin, he worries about disappointing the customer. Like an artist presenting his work at an art show, Austin feels anxious and excited when a new gourmet pop is ready to be sold. “When you’ve created something that otherwise wouldn’t exist, it leaves you vulnerable,” Austin says. This is especially true of new flavors that customers may be hesitant to try. Pops and Rockets officially began last year and sold their first pop on July 29, 2014. Now, just shy of the company’s one-year anniversary, Pops and Rockets has made quite a name for itself. Though they don’t offer in-house retail, they do provide their services at local events. They sold gourmet pops at the Art Walk and Contraband Days. They are also at the Farmer’s Market regularly. The future holds opportunity, though. In the not-so-distant

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future, Pops and Rockets plan to sell their gourmet pops at local businesses in the Lake area. In addition, they plan to open up their own retail area at their current location. Villaume and Austin plan to take their business beyond Lake Charles, as well, though they refuse to abandon the Lake area. “Pops and Rockets is more than a business; it’s about the idea of bolstering the confidence of our community and creating opportunities and a creative environment for people to enjoy.”

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Wining & Dining

Bacon Nation In a country obsessed with food fads, America’s love affair with bacon has endured. Bacon sales have increased every year since 2010, according to Information Resources Inc. In 2013, sales reached record levels at almost $4 billion. Somehow, bacon shifted from our breakfast plates to our hearts. Pork supplier Smithfield claims that 65 percent of Americans would support making bacon our national food. Bacon mania is quite a departure from the dietsoda, anti-cholesterol-focused diets of the 1980s, when saturated fat was public enemy number one and “fat-free” became one of the hottest selling points on the market. So what happened? Arguably, you could point to two things: smart marketing and low-carb fad diets. A few decades ago, bacon was the embarrassing stepchild of the pork industry. To offset their losses, Pork Board marketers approached fastfood restaurants and suggested they add slices of bacon to their sandwiches. Meanwhile, low-carb diets like Sugar Busters and Atkins gained momentum. Suddenly, bacon didn’t seem like such a bad idea. “Bacon may be going through some sort of ‘trend’ phase right now, but I 10 www.thriveswla.com

don’t think it’s because people like it any more than they have in the past. The current trend probably did start taking off around the time the Atkins diet became mainstream, further empowering people to enjoy bacon with less associated guilt. Since then, bacon has become a very popular marketing tool for fast food restaurants, cooking television shows, etc., so you just hear about it more in the media than you might have in the past,” says Heather Lauer, author of Bacon: A Love Story—A Salty Survey of Everybody’s Favorite Meat. Lauer maintains a renowned bacon blog at BaconUnwrapped.com. “This has been fueled by social media which has made it possible to share unusual/extreme examples of eating bacon, unique recipes involving bacon, memes about bacon, and quirky products involving bacon, such as bacon mints and bacon Band-Aids. The trend just continues to feed off itself and doesn’t seem to show signs of coming to an end any time soon.” Despite its trendiness, Lauer notes that bacon admiration is nothing new. Bacon has been loved for thousands of years, because it was—and still is—a way of preserving meat, she says. “It’s just a happy coincidence that it is also extremely delicious, and that’s why it has continued to be part of the human diet, even as our palates have evolved.” Americans ate 1.1 billion servings of bacon from 2013-14—an increase of 6 percent over the previous Thrive Magazine for Better Living

by Erin Kelly

year, according to market researcher NPD. Pork bacon hasn’t held the monopoly on bacon mania, either. As traditional pork bacon sizzles its way to the top of our hearts, other varieties—chicken, beef, turkey, even duck—have experienced growing popularity, as well. That being said, not all bacon is created equal, Lauer says. “Understandably, bacon cured from pork belly has been imitated through other products for various reasons—as a healthier option, religious alternative, to accommodate a specific diet—but ultimately those products are all just trying to imitate the real deal, which can never really be replicated,” she says. The days of bacon-sharing on social media may start to wane, and bacon may soon become less trendy as it is today, but Lauer insists that Americans will always have a soft spot for this salty, inexpensive treat. “Even if the media or marketing agencies decide to move on to something else at some point, it’s not going to be because people are no longer enjoying bacon. Bacon has been around for thousands of years and will probably still be with us thousands of years into the future,” she says.

June 2015

4 billion

amount of sales of bacon in the United States in 2013

BACON

71%

how often bacon is paired with eggs

15% 62%

Bacon cooked in a microwave

Restaurants with bacon on the menu

average times bacon is consumed per person annually

11%

65%

Amount of pig weight that is bacon

25 million

number of Americans that would support bacon as the National Food

Number of Wendyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Baconators sold in the first 8 weeks

45%

Breakfast meat servings that are bacon

41%

Amount of bacon-eating that happens on the weekend

53%

Households that say bacon is part of their grocery routine

0.62 inches

Average calories in two slices

Size of regular-sliced bacon

Sources: Smithfield, Bacon Nation, Bacon Today, Pork Retail, Market Watch, NPD Group

Make it a Calla Night. at Walnut Grove

Lunch: Tu - Fri, 11am - 2pm l Happy Hour: Tu - Fri, 4-6pm l Dinner: Tu - Sat, 5 - 10pm June 2015

restaurantcalla.com

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Wining & Dining

Dining Outdoors?

Keep it savory, not sickly

THE SUN IS HIGH AND SUMMER IS NIGH, WHICH INCREASES THE LIKELIHOOD OF BEING OUTSIDE WITH FOOD. WANT TO KEEP YOUR OUTDOOR FOOD FROLICKING HAPPY AND HEALTHY? FOLLOW THESE FOOD SAFETY TIPS FROM THE LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH: • Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold (hot hold 135F - Cold Foods 41 or below)

• Use a separate cooler for drinks to prevent the tops of the beverages being contaminated by raw food products.

• When in doubt throw it out. If you have pastas, rice or high protein dishes (including beans) that have been held off temperature for more than two hours, discard them. Do not refrigerate the product to serve later! This is generally a four-hour rule but due to the summer climate it is reduced to two hours.

• Plan your menu with an eye to safe food handling. Cook foods in plenty of time to thoroughly chill them in shallow containers in the refrigerator/cooler. • Store your coolers in a shady area to keep temperatures low.

• Cook foods thoroughly. • Cross contamination is a big issue. Use a separate plate for the raw product than you use for the cooked product pulled from a grill. When grilling outside or picnicking you don’t always have access to potable water for wash/rinse/sanitize procedures on serving platters. • Wash your hands! Sanitizer cannot replace washing when dealing with food products. However, sanitizer can be used as a second line of defense. • Ensure that you have a safe source of “potable water” for handwashing. If not, bring water and disposable towels as well as soap. 12 www.thriveswla.com

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June 2015

This Salad Has How Many Calories? by Beth Winslett Fontenot, MS, RD, LDN

The word “salad” conjures images of a healthy, low-calorie dish made with good-for-you greens. And a salad can be just that if it contains the right ingredients. However, entrée salads at restaurants quite often miss the mark. What is it that transforms a bowl of low-calorie leafy greens into a dish containing up to 1,000 or more calories and a day’s worth of fat? Fried meats, bacon, and cheese for starters—and let’s not forget the salad dressing. The calories can add up quickly. Some salad ingredients are worth the calories, and some can be modified or eliminated to create a hearty salad that doesn’t break the calorie bank. Salad greens contain only 10 calories per cup and are loaded with vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals. Though iceberg lettuce isn’t completely without nutrients, dark green lettuce and/or baby spinach is a better choice. Take advantage of the low-calorie, highnutrient content of carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, and other vegetables by choosing a salad that includes a variety of veggies. Fruits such as apples, strawberries, or grapes are not only low-calorie, fatfree, and filling, but also a tasty addition. While fruits and vegetables are low in calories, other salad ingredients can be game changers. My advice? Pick a protein to add to your salad, and allow yourself one “extra.” If meat is your protein, avoid those described as “crispy” (code for fried) or “panko crusted’ (code for breaded). Grilled meats have half the calories June 2015

of their fried counterparts if prepared without added fat, and a restaurant should be willing to accommodate your request. Lean sirloin steak strips, grilled salmon, a boiled egg, tofu, or beans are also good protein choices. Now, about those extras. An ounce of grated cheese, roughly two tablespoons, contains 100 calories and nine grams of fat, but restaurant portions are probably more. Although tasty, bacon crumbles can add another 200 calories. Other extras include sunflower seeds at 50 calories per tablespoon, glazed pecans at 70 calories or walnuts at 100 calories for 10 pieces, or croutons at 80 calories for eight pieces. (If it’s crunch you want, crumble two saltine crackers over your salad for a mere 25 calories.) Olives, dried cranberries, raisins, and avocado can add 40 to 70 calories per serving of each. For most people, a salad isn’t a salad without dressing, but this is where your healthy salad can turn into a nutritional nightmare. Because many of the nutrients found in salad greens and other fruits and vegetables require some fat for maximal absorption, you can skip fat-free salad dressings. Heart-healthy monounsaturated fat works best at helping your body absorb these nutrients, so choose a vinaigrette dressing made with olive, sunflower, peanut, or canola oil. The same type of fat is found in nuts, seeds, avocado, and olives, so the “extra” you Thrive Magazine for Better Living

choose can serve double duty. With 80 calories and eight grams of fat in a two-tablespoon serving, vinaigrette dressings have about half the calories and fat of Ranch or Thousand Island dressing. About a third of the fat in these creamy dressings comes from not-so-healthy saturated fat. If you don’t like vinaigrette, order the low-fat version of other dressings. Restaurants typically use a two-ounce ladle (four tablespoons) to serve dressing, adding as many as 300 calories to your salad. Request that dressing be served on the side so you’re in control of how much you use. I recommend the “dip method” to add dressing to your salad. Dip your fork in the dressing, and then pick up some salad. You’ll get the flavor of the dressing while adding very little fat and calories. Whether you’re having salad at a restaurant or making one at home, these tips can help you create a healthy salad that is good for both your heart and your waistline. www.thriveswla.com

Places & Faces

first person with James

Lee Burke

by Emily Alford

First Person is a monthly Q&A that features compelling people who excel in their chosen endeavors. Ideas for future Q&As? Email edit@thriveswla.com.

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June 2015

Award-winning author James Lee Burke has a haunting way of bringing Louisiana to life in his best-selling Dave Robicheaux crime novels. Through his fiction, Burke manages to explore Louisiana’s culture, its history, and yes, even its crime. And who better to write about Louisiana than Burke, who grew up all along the Gulf Coast from Texas to Lafayette and finally New Iberia? He’s worked as an oilman, a reporter, and even an advertising copywriter, but stories of the Gulf Coast have always been Burke’s passion. And that passion has paid off. Burke is the recipient of two Edgar Allen Poe Awards for Black Cherry Blues and Cimarron Rose. He was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize for his fourth novel, The Lost Get-Back Boogie, which was rejected 111 times before being published by Louisiana State University Press. These days, Burke makes his home on a ranch in Montana and is an internationally bestselling author. However, he still loves to talk about his home state and what draws readers to the mystery and beauty of South Louisiana.

How did you know you wanted to be a writer? Since I was a kid I wanted to be a writer. My first cousin was [short story writer, essayist, and autobiographer] Andre Dubus II. Andre and I grew up together, and he lived many years in Lake Charles and Lafayette. We were four months apart, and we both wanted to be writers early on. We talked about writing. We never collaborated on a story, but our experiences were basically the same. What we witnessed was the passing away of a culture, a way of life, that may have had its problems but more or less it was a grand time to be around in many ways. Louisiana is emblematic of things that are occurring in the rest of the country but maybe in not as visible and dramatic a fashion. You come from an oilfield background. How does that factor into your work? It’s everything. It’s [Louisiana’s] livelihood. I worked for Sinclair Oil Company as a land man. I was a pipeliner in the oil patch. My father was a natural gas engineer for 30 years and died on the job. [The oil industry] is a sacred cow. Wayfaring Stranger is my best work, and it deals with that. The main character is a pipeline man, and as we read the book, we discover that the issue, as far as Louisiana is concerned, is very simple: the oil industry broke the power hold of the old oligarchy. In Louisiana years ago, the disparity between the haves and the have-nots was enormous. The petrochemical industry ended that stranglehold. You seem to care a lot about the history of the state. In what other ways has Louisiana’s colorful and checkered past influenced you? When I lived on Bayou Teche, there were three oak trees on our lawn that were around 200 years old, and I’m sure there were many balls buried in the trunks of those trees. Something like 20,000 Union troops went down that road chasing Colonel Mouton when Louisiana fell to

June 2015

the Federals in 1863. Every day I would put my hand on the trunks of those trees and think , “This was a mature tree when all those Yankee soliders came right down the road, and the Confederates pulled out on what was old Pinhook Road.” The Episcopalian church, which is still there, was a field station for the Confederate wounded. All of that happened. The same buildings are still there. The same trees are still there. It’s like William Faulkner said, the past is not even the past. It’s still there. You just reach out and place your hand on it. You’re the author of over 30 novels. What’s your writing process like? How can you produce such volumes of consistently engrossing work? I’ve never really wanted to do anything else, so today I’m fortunate. I get to write all the time. I write literally all the time. I get up, and I start writing in the morning and through the afternoon. We have a ranch, so I have to go out and shovel horse slop, but then I work in the evening. I keep a notebook by my bed at night. I write sometimes at four in the morning, all the time. And that’s a great way of life. Do you have any advice for writers just starting out? The real heroes are the [writers] that have other jobs. They go to work and they come home tired and try to do it. That’s what really takes guts. I’ve written ad copy, worked as a journalist, and sometimes had experiences with people I didn’t want to be in the same room with, but you do what you need to do in order to survive as an artist. It takes courage. A lot of people fear rejection and never send their manuscripts out. They ensure that they will lose. I don’t know how many rejections I’ve had. I had over 100 in a box at one time. But I learned this: You tell the world to break their fist on your face, but you never give an inch.

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Places & Faces

Meet Melanie Young by Emily Alford

Tough choices faced with grit and grace When Melanie Young tested positive for BRCA2 genetic mutation, she chose to have her ovaries and Fallopian tubes removed.

In 2013, Angelina Jolie made the brave decision to undergo a preventative double mastectomy following the death of her mother from breast cancer and because she carries a mutation in the BRCA1 gene, which greatly increases the risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer. Now, two years later, Jolie has revealed that she’s also undergone a procedure to remove both ovaries and fallopian tubes in an effort to further reduce her risk of developing a deadly form of cancer. In a recent New York Times op-ed, Jolie wrote, “It is not easy to make these decisions. But it is possible to take control and tackle head-on any health issue. You can seek advice, learn about the options and make choices that are right for you. Knowledge is power.” The facts are that about 40,290 women will die of breast cancer in 2015, according to breastcancer.org, and another 14,180 will die of ovarian cancer, according to ovariancancer. org. The Center for Disease Control lists cancer as the number two killer of American women, and as more women link family history to their own health and undergo gene testing like Jolie received, more and more women are making the decision to undergo prophylactic treatment, or removing breasts, ovaries and sometimes uteri, if they have a genetic predisposition toward cancer. There are many different types of prophylactic surgery. Some women, after having cancer in one breast, will remove both breasts as a preventative measure. Others, upon finding out that they carry the BRCA1 gene mutation—like Jolie—or the BRCA2 gene mutation, which provides instructions to the body for making a tumor, choose to have mastectomies or bilateral

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salpingo-oophorectomies (BSO), a surgical procedure to remove ovaries and Fallopian tubes. Melanie Young, cancer survivor and author of the book Getting Things Off My Chest: A Survivor’s Guide to Staying Fearless and Fabulous in the Face of Breast Cancer, says that ovarian cancer screenings can sometimes be unreliable, so many women with a family history of breast cancer choose to be safe rather than sorry. “Because there are no reliable tests for ovarian cancer, it is often diagnosed at a late stage,” Young says. “A BSO will not only reduce your risk of ovarian cancer but it also significantly reduces the risk of recurrent breast cancer.” But don’t think that just because no one in your family has specifically had breast or ovarian cancer, you’re immune to harmful gene mutations. Young, who underwent a mastectomy after a breast cancer diagnosis and a BSO after a positive test for a BRAC2 mutation, had no family history of breast cancer, but did have a genetic background that made her more likely to have the mutation. “Even though I had no family history of breast cancer, members of my family had melanoma, prostate and pancreatic cancer,” Young says. “Also, my heritage is Ashkenazi Jewish, and women and men with this heritage have a higher chance of having the gene mutation. My doctors advised me to undergo genetic testing which I did after I completed all my cancer treatment. I tested positive for the BRCA2 genetic mutation and chose to have a prophylactic salpingo-oophorectomy to remove my ovaries and Fallopian tubes.” Even with tests and full family medical histories, the decision to have a prophylactic surgery is very painful, and ultimately very personal for

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every woman. Like Jolie, Young says that the best thing a woman can do before she makes any big decisions about her body and her future is to speak to as many medical professionals as she can to be informed about her body and all of the risks that come along with having, or not having, surgery. “Get second and third opinions,” Young says. “Then, sit down and ask yourself what can you do first to change your lifestyle to reduce your risk. Surgery is not for the faint of heart and it should not be rushed into without weighing the pros and cons. There are no guarantees.” And finally, it is important for women to remember that while prophylactic surgery is one option, it isn’t necessarily right for everyone. If you are genetically predisposed to certain types of cancer but find surgery too risky or rash, there are many other ways to live a healthy life. “Surgery is not the only option,” Young says. “You can also work with your doctor on a surveillance program, such as regular MRIs or breast ultrasounds, rather than undergo surgery which is invasive and always risky.” Those who undergo prophylactic surgeries, like Jolie and Young, often feel grief after losing breasts and ovaries to the fight against cancer. However, there’s hope in treatment and strength in knowing that they’ve made the right personal choice for their bodies. In Jolie’s poignant New York Times essay detailing her treatment and recovery, she wrote, “I expect some physical changes. But I feel at ease with whatever will come, not because I am strong but because this is a part of life. It is nothing to be feared.”

June 2015

Bon Temps ATV Park Now Open

Bon Temps ATV Park, located at 287 Ahrens Lane in Basile, is now open for business. Bon Temps ATV Park features more than 1,000 acres of riding trails including two miles along the bayou waterfront. Designed for the experience of off-road riding (4-wheel vehicles only), the park offers camping (tent and primitive RV at this time) and fun for the entire family. There are 20-plus miles of trails ranging from easy, fun riding to the most extreme. Bon Temps ATV Park also features a oneof-a-kind trail riding experience with up close encounters of more than 500 head of exotic game, such as elk, Red Stagg, Fallow, Axis, Sika and White Tail deer. The trails through the game park are on the tame side while those looking for a wilder ride can check out the off the banks and back water swamps of Bayou Nezpique. These trails offer mud trails, wooded trails, deep water trails and stream and gully crossings.

June 2015

Admission for Bon Temps ATV Park is $30 per person on Friday (good for three days), $25 per person on Saturday (good for two days) and $20 per person on Sunday (good for one day). Children 10 and under are admitted for free. Special event rates vary from regular weekend rates. Primitive camping rates are $15 per night for RV/travel trailers and $10 per night for tents. Special event rates vary. The Lodge at Tee Mamou is also located at the same address and offers an additional lodging option. For pricing information and complete rules and regulations for Bon Temps ATV Park, visit their website at www.bontempsatvpark.com. For more information on the Lodge at Tee Mamou, www.teemamou.com.

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Places & Faces

Summer in New Orleans

By Paul Oswell

It’s hard to imagine a more seductive time and place than New Orleans in the summer. The tropical warmth hangs in the air, and life slows to an even more languid, laid back pace. The city is relatively peaceful and accessible though still has the potential for adventure. It’s time to don summer dresses and short sleeves, or how about breaking out that seersucker suit if it’s a special occasion? Stroll through the French Quarter, taking in the shade offered by the historic balconies, and drop into your favourite bar for a cooling cocktail. Mint juleps and Pimms cups are considered medicinal at this time of year, after all. The festival season may have slowed, but there’s still plenty to do. The French Quarter is as alive with music as ever, playing host to the Cajun Zydeco Festival in early June. Essence Festival in July and Satchmo Summer Fest in August also both contribute to the city’s constant soundtrack. The summer is also time for some of the city’s quirkier festivals, from the culinary delights of the Creole Tomato Festival (June) to the ‘running of the bulls’ – aka The San Fermin in Nueva Orleans (July), a rollerskate-themed tribute to the famous Spanish tradition. You can even celebrate the city’s French roots with the food and music of Bastille Day in early July. 18 www.thriveswla.com

Summer is the perfect time to take advantage of the ‘Live to Eat’ packages offered by some of the downtown hotels. The Dauphine Orleans, Hotel Le Marais, Hotel Mazarin and the Audubon Cottages all offer promotional rates that include the best of the city’s foodie experiences, from jazz brunches to beignets to dinner at Marti’s, one of the city’s best restaurants. These hotels are in fact part of the wonderful New Orleans Hotel Collection, and their properties across the city will tempt you with their Summer in the City promotion, which includes low rates, free parking and all manner of complimentary amenities, with shopping coupons to sweeten the deal even further. Meanwhile, the Crescent City’s well-earned reputation as having the best food and drinks scene in the country comes to the fore. Coolinary New Orleans in August sees the best restaurants in town offer unbelievable discounts, and in mid-July, the cream of the world’s drinks industry heads to town for Tales of the Cocktail, meaning you won’t be short of an aperitif before dinner. New Orleans in summer rewards the adventurous traveller with all of these special times. There are enough swimming pools, shady parks and air conditioned bars to help anyone keep their cool, and you really do get some of the Thrive Magazine for Better Living

most amazing deals. So pack your bathing suit and your parasol and a pair of sunglasses and head for some seriously slow but still sophisticated times, when New Orleans is at its most relaxed, and that means that you can be, too. For more information on the New Orleans Hotel Collection and their summer promotions, go to www.neworleanshotelcollection.com/summer

June 2015

Destination: Southwest Louisiana

Tourists flock to region for outdoor recreation and resorts Last year Louisiana’s tourism industry had a record-setting year, attracting 28.7 million visitors—a 5 percent increase over 2013. The revenue generated through domestic and international visitors represents a more than 38-to-1 return on investment of state funding. According to Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne, who recently visited the Lake Charles/Southwest Louisiana Convention & Visitors Bureau as part of National Tourism Week, Southwest Louisiana has played a role in those numbers; the region is being recognized as one of the top resort destinations on the Gulf Coast. “Southwest Louisiana is booming with tourists thanks to pristine outdoor recreation opportunities and an incredible new resort added to existing properties. Tourists spent more than $11 billion in our state last year resulting in $836 million in tax revenue,” Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne said. “Tourism and hospitality was Louisiana’s fastest growing job sector Pictured left to right: Gumbeaux Gator; Michael K. Dees, CVB Board Member; Sam Wilkinson, CVB Board Member; in 2014 with 223,000 Louisianians employed in the industry. I take this Rick Richard, CVB Board Member; Lt. Gov. Jay Dardenne; Shelley Johnson, Executive Director of the CVB; Nic Hunter, President of the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury; and Kyle Edmiston, Director of Tourism. industry seriously because it creates jobs for our citizens and a steady income for Louisiana that residents don’t have to provide.” along with a thriving arts community. And just last month, the bureau opened As tourism brought $385 million to Calcasieu Parish last year through a fun, free attraction in Sulphur – Creole Nature Trail Adventure Point – which travel expenditures, the bureau celebrates National Tourism Week, along with showcases the Creole Nature Trail All-American Road. It’s exciting to have one the U.S. Travel Association, to enhance awareness of tourism’s impact. “With the growth of our local gaming industry, Southwest Louisiana is being of our largest festivals, Contraband Days, going on right now in the middle of National Tourism Week,” said Shelley Johnson, executive director of the Lake recognized as one of the top resort destinations on the Gulf Coast. We are Charles/Southwest Louisiana Convention & Visitors Bureau. continuing to see new restaurants and businesses open throughout the area

June 2015

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Places & Faces

Self-Diagnosis Leads to Second Book Dr. Dale Archer: Another ADHD Success Story

A practicing psychiatrist for more than three decades, Dr. Dale Archer has diagnosed hundreds of patients with the classic traits of ADHD, including his own son, Trey. Nationally recognized as an expert on mental health, he could spot the signs within minutes of a conversation, and became fascinated with the way the ADHD brain is wired. This knowledge, combined with the vast experience he’d acquired working with numerous other so-called disorders, inspired him to write the New York Times bestselling book, “Better Than Normal: How What Makes You Different Can Make You Exceptional.” But it wasn’t until he started researching the chapter on ADHD and answering his own carefully crafted questionnaires that a light bulb went off. “It hit me over the head that I had every single ‘symptom’,” Dr. Archer recalls. “As a kid I was bouncing off walls, couldn’t sit still in class and was being sent to the principal’s office for disruptive behavior. I was bored to death by school work and the routine of sitting in a classroom for eight hours a day. What saved me was that I was relatively smart and was able to get good grades, even though I didn’t pay much attention.” Born in New Orleans and raised in Lake Charles, the Louisiana native reached school age long before the ADHD label existed. But even later in life, his academic and career successes took such a diagnosis off the radar. In college, where many ADHDers tend to come into their own, he studied what interested him most at the time: philosophy. Whenever he found a passion, he pursued it and excelled, helped in part by his ADHD ability to hyperfocus for long periods on subjects that interested him. He loved exploring and travel, also common for ADHDers. He took a year off between degrees to live in exotic locations like Jamaica, Mexico and the Cayman Islands. He sailed, cycled and hiked, 20 www.thriveswla.com

taking risks and pushing himself to his physical limits – another typical ADHD trait. “I was all over the place,” says Dr. Archer. After satisfying his wanderlust, he found his calling and returned to his home turf to study medicine at Tulane University, following in his ophthalmologist father’s footsteps. That’s when he discovered the area of medicine he loved most, psychiatry, eventually founding the Institute for Neuropsychiatry in Lake Charles – the largest full-service mental health clinic in the area. Never allowing himself to be boxed in, never forcing himself to follow a prescribed path, Dr. Archer chose activities that engaged his roaming ADHD brain, changing course regularly to prevent boredom. Ever the restless ADHDer, he didn’t enjoy sitting behind a desk and seeing patients for 60 hours a week, and recognized that routine would dull his passion for any topic, even psychiatry. So he kept it moving. In addition to his own private medical practice, he started up numerous clinics specializing in everything from addiction to personality disorders, becoming an entrepreneur in his field. Outside the medical profession, he started a successful venture capital firm in Silicon Valley and dabbled in real estate. Dr. Archer’s sudden selfdiagnosis in 2012 prompted a review of his life and career, putting his success in a whole new context. It occurred to him that he’d instinctively made decisions that leveraged his symptoms into strengths, allowing him to thrive because of, and not in spite of, his ADHD. “Mixing it up by seeing patients, recruiting other doctors, running a clinic, supervising nurse practitioners and others, serving as psychiatric medical director at Lake Charles Memorial Hospital and founding multiple new programs was my way of adapting the field of medicine to my strengths and passions,” he explains. “It was a circular process, but I Thrive Magazine for Better Living

discovered that I am as much a businessman as a doctor. This way, I could have the best of both worlds. I didn’t have to fit the profession I was in, because I was able to make the profession fit me.” It was that formula for living successfully with ADHD that inspired him to write his latest book, “The ADHD Advantage: What You Thought Was a Diagnosis May be Your Greatest Strength,” which releases on July 28. Having lived and flourished over the course of his life and career without once having to rely on medication, he decided to challenge the conventional wisdom that ADHD is a disorder that needs to be medicated away. If anything, he argues, they should be viewed as superpowers to be leveraged for success in business, sports, school and life. By interviewing a number of highly successful fellow ADHDers, from celebrities like Howie Mandel and Ty Pennington to CEOs like Mark Neeleman, his book shifts the paradigm of how parents, students, athletes and professionals should view this set of human behaviors. He makes the case that the impulsiveness, distractibility, impatience and other ADHD markers are, in fact, talents in disguise. Curiosity, resilience, adventurousness are just a few of the many strengths that have propelled countless athletes, entrepreneurs and professionals, as well as ordinary men and women, to new heights of achievement. Numerous concrete steps on how to coax out the best of the ADHD characteristics are outlined in the book, but it starts with passion. “Every advice book that’s ever been written says it’s all about doing what you love,” he says. “No kidding. But for the ADHD brain, there really is no other option. Unless you are completely engaged in what you’re doing; unless it’s exciting, self-starting, unrestricted and unstructured, you might as well still be sitting in the back of your grade six math class, staring out the window.” Dr. Archer’s own life is a blue print for how to turn “symptoms” into strengths. If anyone can turn the tables on this pervasive diagnosis, he can.

June 2015

Luke Wade Seizes the Moment Top-Eight Finisher on The Voice performs at Luna Live by Katie Harrington

Luke Wade is a busy man. Since his top eight finish on season seven of NBC’s ‘The Voice’ last December, he has been a road warrior. His cross-nation tour is bringing him to Lake Charles on June 13 for a live performance at Luna Live. Touring with his band No Civilians, Wade says he wants to seize the moment. “When you participate in something like ‘The Voice’ there’s a window of time following that opportunity and you never know how long it’s going to last. I’ve just been on the road, singing and playing music and am also starting on a new album.” This soul singer with more than a decade of performing experience won’t soon forget his four-chair turn audition. “Seeing all four chairs turn was surreal. It was like receiving validation times four in front of millions of people,” Wade explains. “Working with Pharrell was an incredible experience. He works extremely hard.” The Dublin, Texas, native says he gained a lot from the experience of being on ‘The Voice.’“My biggest takeaway is what I learned about myself. I had the ability to rise to the occasion and show some confidence. These are things that I am now using in my (song) writing.” A tour schedule that puts the singer/songwriter in a different city practically every day may seem daunting to some, but for Wade it’s something he wouldn’t change for anything. “I love it,” Wade adds. “I have more of a routine now than I do when I am home. I’m getting to see the country and meeting people through our travels is great.” In addition to touring, Wade spends time visiting and playing at various children’s hospitals. “When I was a kid I had spinal meningitis, had an eye injury and suffered a heat stroke,” says Wade. “These experiences created a way for me to understand June 2015

firsthand what it’s like to be in the hospital as a child. I like to visit children’s hospitals because I want to show them what their future can be, that they’re not defined by their sickness.” Since his run on ‘The Voice’, Wade has opened for Train, Daughtry, Blue October, Green River Ordinance, Ingrid Michelson, Jerry Jeff Walker and OAR. He also joined Patti LaBelle at the “Dream Marches On” concert at Alabama State University Dunn-Oliver Acadome in Montgomery, Ala., earlier this year to commemorate and honor the 50th anniversary of the Selma to Montgomery March. Recently, the Susan G. Komen Foundation selected Wade to record the song and music video for their 2015-2016 fundraising campaign. He recently recorded “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” by Ashford & Simpson for the campaign that will launch in October 2015 in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Concert-goers at Luna Live this month are in for a treat according to Wade. “We have a lot of new songs we are playing. We are bringing a full six-piece band, including horns, bass and drums. It’s going to be an awesome time where we are hoping to really connect with the crowd.” When it comes to advice for aspiring musicians or any type of artist, Wade offers this sentiment,“Find the story you need to tell and find a way to tell it. Find your motivation. Everything you want or need is on the other side of fear probably. You just have to find a way to get past it.” Wade currently has two full-length albums available. Tickets for his upcoming June 13th performance at Luna Live, 719 Ryan Street, range from $10-$30 and can be purchased at lunabarandgrill.com/events/.

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Places & Faces

Army Chief of Staff

calls Fort Polk “a great installation”

story and photos by Chuck Cannon

Army Chief of Staff Raymond T. Odierno recently visited the Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk.

Army Chief of Staff Raymond T. Odierno recently visited the Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk to observe training by the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division and visit with both rotational and home based soldiers and leaders. Odierno talked with soldiers and leaders at the 2nd BCT, 82nd Abn Div tactical operations center near the Geronimo Drop Zone. He presented several coins, then stopped by 2nd BCT defensive positions before meeting with InterAgency Interdependence personnel at the U.S. Consulate in Dara Lam, one of the many training sites modeled to look like a town in the JRTC. While visiting with the 2nd BCT leadership, Odierno talked about the use of air support and artillery and how those missions change outside of the Middle East. He also spoke about the thinking and logic that went into redesigning the brigade combat team. He asked the commanders how they utilized 22 www.thriveswla.com

their scouting capability in order to provide early warning. Odierno said he always asks commanders this question: “What was your intelligence collection plan, what was your observation plan, and how was that integrated between the scouts and your maneuver elements in order to shape the battlefield?” “That’s the kind of thing we don’t do well throughout the Army,” he said. “We just haven’t done it. It’s about getting back into the practice of understanding how you do that, how you shape the battlefield, no matter what assets you have.” Odierno also talked about the importance of the JRTC in preparing soldiers for future battles. “We know you can’t replicate exactly what it’s like on a deployment, but what we try to do is challenge everybody here so that when you have to deploy, you have a better understanding of what it is like,” he said. “That’s what we try to create here.” As he was speaking to airborne soldiers, Odierno Thrive Magazine for Better Living

said they could expect the number of airborne operations to increase. “One of the things we’ve stepped up over the last six or eight months are the number of airborne operations we’re doing, and we’re going to continue to do that,” he said. “We found out that because of all the deployments we’ve had, frankly, we weren’t doing airborne operations. So now, we’re really focused on doing more airborne operations and we’re trying to do them with other nations too. We have some funding issues, but the one thing we’re trying to do is maintain a high level of training readiness and invest as much as we can in that. More and more operations are popping up and I think we’re going to have an opportunity to do more cooperation with other nations - we’re going to do more in Europe, more in Korea, continue to do more obviously in the Middle East. There will be a lot of opportunities for us to do things around the world.” June 2015

As he prepared to leave, Odierno thanked the soldiers for their service. “Less than 1 percent of the people decide to do that and that makes you special in my mind. I understand everyone comes in for different reasons, but the fact that you’re willing to do that says a lot about you as an individual and you should be very proud,” he said. Odierno then took a windshield tour of Fort Polk, hosted by JRTC and Fort Polk commander Brig. Gen. Timothy McGuire. “Fort Polk is a great installation with great people and great community support,” Odierno said. Odierno began his visit to Louisiana with a trip to Camp Beauregard to receive a Special Operations Task Force briefing, followed by a meeting with rotational unit leadership at JRTC’s Geronimo Drop Zone.

Army Chief of Staff Raymond T. Odierno thanked soldiers for their service, saying “less than 1 percent of the people decide to do that and that makes you special in my mind.”

Beauregard Parish graduation rate among highest in the state

Beauregard Parish students are more likely to graduate with a four-year degree than most other Louisiana students, according to data recently released by the Department of Education. The 2014 graduating class in Beauregard Parish had a 93.2 percent graduation rate, the second highest in the state according to the data. This represents a three-point jump from the previous year and places Beauregard Parish as one of four school districts in the state to have a graduation rate above 90 percent. “This is the ninth year that the state has issued graduation rate data,” said Cooley, “and Beauregard Parish has been among the top five school districts in the state each of the nine years.” Beauregard Parish Schools had the highest graduation rate of all public schools in the state for the 2012-2013 year. This year, DeSoto Parish topped the list with a rate of 94.5 percent. Louisiana uses a Cohort Completion Rate analysis that tracks students entering the ninth grade through graduation. For the current standings, information was compiled over a four-year period beginning with the 2010-2011 school year and ending in the spring of 2014. Students who entered high school as firsttime freshmen in the fall of 2010 were tracked through the time of graduation. A graduate is defined as a student who received a high school

June 2015

diploma in four years. Graduation rates are used in the Department of Education’s evaluation of high schools, counting for 25 percent of the School Performance Score. The graduation rate for the state was 74.6 percent, a 1.1 point increase from the previous year. The goal of the Beauregard Parish school system is to provide excellence in education with a mission to graduate students who are

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prepared to meet the challenges of post-secondary education or careers, Cooley said. “Graduation is the defining accomplishment of our students and the result of tremendous work on the part of students, teachers, parents, and administrators,” Cooley said. “We will continue to provide every avenue available so that Beauregard Parish students attain their high school diploma and are prepared for their future.” Approximately nine percent of Beauregard Parish students are children of military personnel, according to district data.

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Places & Faces

Louisiana Celebrates

Young Local Heroes by Lisa Addison

Hannah Jolivette and Jacob Waters have overcome a great deal of adversity in their young lives, and now they have something else in common—they each have been deemed Young Heroes. Louisiana Public Broadcasting and the Rotary Club of Baton Rouge honored the eight recipients of the 2015 Louisiana Young Heroes Awards in ceremonies at the Governor’s Mansion and the Renaissance Hotel in Baton Rouge on April 27. The Louisiana Young Heroes Awards, celebrating its 20th year, honor students in grades 7-12 who have overcome adversity in their lives, excelled in the classroom, served their communities, and inspired others. When Jolivette’s older sister grew more and more ill from her battle with cancer, Jolivette was there as a loving sister and a caregiver. “Before my sister got sick we were like typical sisters despite our age difference of 12 years. We would argue like cats and dogs about the most ridiculous things!” 24 www.thriveswla.com

Jolivette recalled. “But we would always make up fairly quick.” Her sister passed away at 31 and Jolivette, 18, remembers how incredibly difficult that time was. “When she was really sick I hated seeing her that way,” she said. “And when she lost her memory after some time of being in the hospital I felt like I had already lost my sister because she wasn’t really the same person as she was before.” But Jolivette said that there are things that she will never forget and forever hold dear about her sister. “I will always remember that she would take me places and we would do fun things together,” she said. “I really felt like she was proud to be my big sister and it made me happy. The thing I cherish and remember the most about her is when we would watch Disney movies together we loved doing the catch phrases and practicing different accents too.” The teen, who is homeschooled and has an Thrive Magazine for Better Living

older brother, lives with her family in Iowa and enjoys playing the violin. She helps her mother make special blankets for those who are ill or dealing with hardships. “I didn’t realize how much of an impact the blankets had on the lives of some of the people until I saw the looks on their faces and how happy they were and some of them would say, ‘You don’t know how much this means to me.’ That’s when I started to really enjoy making the blankets.” Jolivette, who plans to attend Sowela Technical Community College in the fall, said that her faith is what gets her through the tough times. “Without the help of God I wouldn’t be the person I am today,” she said. “It’s my belief that God never gives us more than what we can handle. So, no matter how hard it may seem now he will always get you through it.” Like Jolivette, Waters, 14, has had his share of challenges. He was born with an extremely rare disease called Jackson Weiss Syndrome. “But it’s June 2015

not something I ever really talk about,” Waters said. “If anyone does ask me questions, I usually just tell them that I had a birth defect.” At the age of 10, Waters made the decision to have his leg amputated below the knee, and has a prosthetic. “I never let it bother me though,” Waters

June 2015

said. “And I have never felt isolated or left out. As long as I always did my best it was good enough for me.” Nothing slows this dynamo down. In fact, he has taken the competitive cycling circuit by storm. Training seven days a week, anywhere from a halfhour spin to a three-hour ride, and taking part in races every weekend if possible, the cyclist says races are an integral part of training because “you learn from every race.” This summer, while some teens may be hanging out at a pool, catching up on their sleep, or working, Jacob will remain focused on cycling. “I’ll begin my summer by going to the Para Cycling National Championships in Chattanooga, Tenn.,” he said. “I plan to continue training and racing as much as possible because it’s what I love to do!” A freshman at Sam Houston High School, and with one older brother, Waters has been in the Boy Scout program since he was in elementary school and plans to complete his Eagle Scout project in the next year or two. And although he doesn’t have a career path in mind yet he is contemplating pursuing sports medicine. When asked if he had advice for other young people who might be facing tough times, he said, “Buy a bike and ride it! I’m just kidding. I would tell them to think before making choices and never

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forget that you only have one chance at life so be smart about your decisions. Never let bullies get to you. Remember, you don’t know what they’re going through in their life. Take ‘I can’t’ completely out of your vocabulary and accept no excuses. Always do your best and never give up!”

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Places & Faces

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June 2015

Movers and Shakers in Southwest Who’s News? You tell us! Send press releases to Louisiana... edit@thriveswla.com with the subject line “Who’s News.”

Obadiah Simmons Named Interim Athletic Director at Grambling State University Obadiah Simmons, Jr. has been named the interim athletic director of Intercollegiate Athletics at Grambling State Obadian Simmons University. Simmons is a 35-year veteran of Grambling State University. As the interim athletic director of Intercollegiate Athletics, Simmons will provide administrative direction and oversight for Grambling’s 17-sport athletics program, supervise the control and compliance with applicable National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) and University rules and regulations governing all facets of intercollegiate athletics.

Jody Taylor Named New Project Coordinator Jody Taylor is the new Project Coordinator for the Arts & Humanities Council of Southwest Louisiana. He has over 10 years of experience in the booking and promotion Jody Taylor of concerts and events around the region, including 2007’s Pony Fest, a free three-day event celebrating the culture and commerce of SWLA. For more information, call (337) 439-2787 or visit www.artscouncilswla.org.

Local Software Developer Repeats as Distinguished Microsoft Awardee Microsoft has named local software developer, Rion Williams, as a recipient of the Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP) Rion Williams Award for 2015. The MVP award is Microsoft’s highest honor and awarded to outstanding leaders in the tech community for their exceptional expertise, contributions to the technical community, and passion for helping others. Rion is currently the Senior Software Developer at Structure X, a Systems Integreator and Information Technology firm. For more information, call (337) 433-6262. June 2015

Oliver G. “Rick” Richard, III, Appointed to CVB’s Board of Directors Oliver G. “Rick” Richard, III, was appointed by the Arts & Humanities of Southwest Louisiana to serve on the board of directors for the Lake Oliver G. “Rick” Richard, III Charles/Southwest Louisiana Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB). Richard is currently the chairman of CleanFUEL USA, an alternative motor fuel company based out of Georgetown, Tex. He was past chairman, president and CEO of Columbia Energy Group; chairman, CEO and president of New Jersey Resources; president and CEO of Northern Natural Gas Pipeline; and vice-president and general counsel of Tenngasco. For more information, visit visitlakecharles.org or call (337) 436-9588.

Bayles Announced as Chennault International Airshow Director The board of directors for the Chennault International Airshow is pleased to announce Mary Jo Bayles as Airshow director. A native of Mary Jo Bayles Columbia, La., Bayles comes to the position with first-hand Airshow experience from her time as assistant to the previous Airshow director. Bayles will continue to serve as city planner for the City of DeQuincy where she has spent the past six years overseeing City projects, writing grants, and managing the DeQuincy Industrial Airport, which Chennault International Airport strongly supports. Randy Liprie joins Bayles as her assistant director. For more information, visit chennaultairshow.com.

Elizabeth Stager Appointed Administrative Assistant Don Rivers, President of Don Rivers and Associates of Lake Charles, have named Elizabeth Stager as Administrative Assistant. Elizabeth joined Don Rivers and Associates upon graduation from McNeese State University and three years of teaching experience in Lake Charles. Elizabeth will be responsible for providing administrative and operations support for two Executive Recruiters and two Associate Recruiters in Lake Charles. For more information, visit donrivers.com.

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Meador Named Volunteer of the Year Sheryl Meador has been named the 2014 Volunteer of the Year at Lake Area Medical Center (LAMC). Meador has been a Lake Area Medical Center Volunteer since November of 2012. She Sheryl Meador has been instrumental in helping to launch new service offerings provided by the Volunteers; including the hands-on training and the development of a best practice model.

NAI Latter & Blum Hires Top Producing Agent Latter & Blum Inc.’s Lake Charles commercial brokerage, NAI Latter & Blum, is pleased to announce the addition of Cheryl Addison to their team of Agents. Addison Cheryl Addison has more than ten years of commercial Real Estate experience, specializing in land, wetland mitigation banks, and farmland. In 2014, she produced $25 million in sales volume.

Lakeside Bank Welcomes New Assistant Vice President Misti Trosclair Young has joined the staff of Lakeside Bank as a Banking Officer/ Assistant Vice President. Young brings 20 years of experience in the Mitsi Young financial industry to her new position. She has an extensive background in branch staffing and operations, customer relations and operations. Young has previously held the positions of regional retail support specialist, customer enhancement program director and marketing/customer relations director, among others. She attended Northwestern State University and is a graduate of the ABA School of Bank Marketing, the Burke Baker School of Realty and has completed several additional leadership, customer service, and financial training courses. At Lakeside, Young will be working in the bank’s main office on Nelson Road in Lake Charles.

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All you need to know to stay in the know! Quelqueshoe Lodge Wins Seven Awards Quelqueshoe Lodge of the Order of the Arrow and Calcasieu Area Council of the Boy Scouts, attended the Annual SR-1A Coclave at Camp Hood, Mississppi. The youth of the lodge was awarded for Lodge Participation, Pre-Vigil Honor Honor Ceremony, Pre-Ordeal Ceremony, Man Miles Award 7,228 Miles, 2nd Place Founder’s Day, Overall Man Miles Award, and another Lodge Participation Award. The leadership of the Lodge is Chief - Brandon Brewer, Vice Chief - Adam Wagster, Secretary - Nick Louviere and Lodge Adviser - Rich Lee.Quelqueshoe Lodge had a contingent of 27 members attending the Conclave for training and competition.

Quelqueshoe Lodge members gathering before leaving for the Conclave is attached.

Bayou Technologies Opens Third Location Bayou Technologies, LLC has opened its newest location in Moss Bluff. Located at 909 Sam Houston Jones Parkway, in Suite B, this storefront will address the technology repair needs of the growing population of North Lake Charles, Moss Bluff, and all of Southwest Louisiana. For more information, call (337) 905-3320 or visit bayoutechnologies.com.

Enrollment in SOWELA’s Structural Welding Program Grows Sixteen women in the Lake area will have the opportunity to become self-sufficient members of society and productive employees in the workforce with the collaboration between SOWELA Technical Community College and Local Union 198, the labor union representing workers in the plumbing and pipefitting industries. The women, residents of Cedarwood Manor, a re-entry facility located in Lake Charles, have enrolled as students in SOWELA’s Structural Welding program. The Union is funding the students’ education and upon successful completion of the program, they will become union employees. For more information or to enroll in SOWELA’s welding program, visit www.sowela.edu. 28 www.thriveswla.com

Magnolia LNG Project FERC Notice of Schedule

LAMC Becomes a Diabetes SelfManagement Education Center

The Directors of Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (the Company, ASX Code: LNG, OTC: LNGLY) are pleased to advise that the United States Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has issued the Notice of Schedule for Environmental Review (SER) for the Company’s Magnolia LNG Project, setting November 16, 2015, as the anticipated date for issuance of the project’s final environmental impact statement (FEIS).

Lake Area Medical Center (LAMC) was named an accredited diabetes education program by the American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE), a National Accredited Organization (NAO), certified by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). This will allow the people with Diabetes in and around Southwest Louisiana increased access to high quality diabetes education services. Diabetes education is a collaborative process through which people with or at risk for diabetes gain the knowledge and skills needed to modify behavior and successfully self-manage the disease and its related conditions. The program is comprehensive and taught by diabetes educator(s) who have extensive training. For more information on upcoming diabetes education classes or support groups available at Lake Area Medical Center, please call 337-475-4075 or log onto LakeAreaMC.com.

SOWELA Chefs Attend ChefConnect in Indianapolis SOWELA Technical Community College Chefs, Jerry Sonnier, program coordinator, and Roy Angelle, Culinary Instructor, attended the American Culinary Federation’s (ACF) ChefConnect Conference held in Indianapolis, Ind. Over 400 chefs, students, and foodservice professionals gathered to participate in hands-on workshops, culinary demonstrations, educational seminars, and networking. For information, visit www.sowela.edu/academics/Culinary-Arts or call (337) 421-6565.

Decentralized Arts Funding Grant Applications Available The Arts Council of SWLA has announced the application for the Decentralized Arts Funding (DAF) is available online for the 2015-2016 fiscal year. This competitive grant program is funded by the Louisiana Division of the Arts and administered annually by the Arts Council. The deadline to apply for a DAF Grant is June 30. For more information on Arts Council grants or services, visit artscouncilswla.org or call (337) 439-2787.

Lakeside Bank Makes Donation to Fund New Football Scoreboard at Westlake High School Lakeside Bank recently made a $30,000 donation to Westlake High School’s Football program. The donation will fund a new scoreboard inside the Westlake High School football stadium. Representatives from Lakeside Bank, Mike Harmison, Lakeside Bank President/CEO and Ryan Hess, Officer and Assistant Westlake Branch Manager, presented Westlake High School football coach Phillip Fontenot and principal Jason

Volunteers of America Celebrates 25 Years in SWLA The Southwest Louisiana office of Volunteers of America Greater Baton Rouge opened in May 1990 and is celebrating its silver anniversary of serving the community. Through the years, thousands of people have been helped through the variety of programs the agency provides from its Southwest Louisiana office. Each month, a Visions of Hope tour is conducted to highlight some of the ways Volunteers of America helps people in our community. Both group and individual volunteers are needed to assist. To become involved or attend a Visions of Hope tour, call Kay Vanchiere (337) 497-0034.

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Vanmetre with the $30,000 donation. Pictured from left to right: Mike Harmison, Phillip Fontenot, Ryan Hess, Jason Vanmetre

June 2015

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Money & Career

The Best Way to Boss by Erin Kelly

It’s not easy to lead. You have to gain respect without being a pushover, delegate with efficiency, and give bad news to good people. You’re expected to hire the right employees and keep them, which is easier said than done. And you need to stay ontask and organized, lest your disorganization trickle down to your team. “Being a boss is about finding the right balance in virtually every area of your professional life. You have to oversee without micromanaging, be a confidant without becoming a best friend, and learn how to balance your responsibilities with those of your team,” says Chauntelle LeJeune, MA, LMFT, LPC, therapist with Solutions Counseling & EAP. “It’s not for everyone, and seniority does not dictate what makes a good manager. You could be with a company for 25 years and not have what it takes to lead a team. It’s not about seniority –it’s about professional knowledge coupled with strong leadership skills.” 30 www.thriveswla.com

Bosses come in all personality shapes and sizes: men, woman, millennials, Baby Boomers, passiveaggressive, assertive, team-building, task-building. There are many ways to lead—some better than others—and everyone develops their own personal style, LeJeune says. But what are some characteristics that typically make for a healthy work environment?

is that you have to make unpopular decisions sometimes, and you have to reprimand when needed,” LeJeune said. “Yes, it’s possible to be a likable boss. But don’t let your need to be liked cloud your ability to lead. Ideally, you’ll find a happy balance of both. But you have to accept that sometimes it won’t happen.”

Here are a few tips from Solutions:

DO NOT MICROMANAGE. People don’t like being told what to do every step of the way. Release the controls and trust your employees to do a good job. “And if they don’t, take the opportunity to explain why,” LeJeune said. Micromanagement creates a resentful environment. DON’T TRY TO BE EVERYONE’S FRIEND. “It’s normal to want to be liked. Unfortunately, one of the downfalls of being in leadership Thrive Magazine for Better Living

June 2015

Don’t try to be everyone’s Facebook friend, either. Don’t friend or follow your staff on social media. “It makes for potentially uncomfortable situations for all,” LeJeune said. “Keep your personal life separate from work life, and give your staff the same luxury. People need to feel safe and comfortable inside their personal zone, and social media is increasingly an area where people put their personal foot forward. Employees are likely to accept a friend request from their boss, even if they don’t want to. Do them a favor and don’t send it in the first place.” People often prefer to keep personal preferences—such as religion, political affiliation, and so on—separate from their professional life, but they may want to share that side of themselves with friends on social media. “Keep things professional, and stay out of the personal,” LeJeune says.

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BE RESPECTFUL. Trust the staff to do the job they were hired to do. Do not condescend or treat staff like inferiors. “Don’t go on a power trip,” LeJeune says. “Being a supervisor doesn’t mean you’re superior, so don’t behave that way. That’s a fast way to lose your team’s respect and morale. Act as a team. Lead as a team. Don’t expect your team to be order-takers. That doesn’t make for a healthy work environment.”

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STAY ORGANIZED. When the boss is unorganized, it tends to affect the whole team. Tasks often trickle from the top down. If the top is in chaos, that disorganization will be felt by the rest of the team or company. LEAD WITH PURPOSE. Have goals. Know what you’re working for—both individually and as a team. This allows you to measure progress.

ACCEPT FEEDBACK. Just because you’re the boss doesn’t mean everyone has to agree with you, and it certainly doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t accept ideas and feedback from the people on your staff. Listen to ideas. “People want to be heard at work. They don’t want to just take orders and produce. For higher morale, everyone needs to feel like their opinion matters,” LeJeune said.

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Solutions offers business EAP services and individual counseling. For more information, call (337) 310-2822 or visit www. solutions-eap.org.

June 2015

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Money & Career

Networking Tips

for Introverts

by Adam Gianforcaro

Sometimes the most difficult part of being a working-class adult is…well…other people. Not anyone in particular, but people as a whole — people in the sense of groups and crowds; colleagues in congested conference rooms; coworkers jam-packed in bars after work. It can be undeniably overwhelming, but these settings can be important for forming work relationships and helping you grow professionally. So how can introverts network in these important settings without completely crumbling? It may not be easy, but it is certainly possible. Here are a few networking tips for introverts: Form strong relationships with a few people. To grow in any occupation, employees need to form good working relationships. Sometimes, whom you know can yield career advancement faster than what you know. But you don’t have to network with everyone. Form a few strong relationships with colleagues who can teach you new things. It is best to make friends naturally, but network strategically. Pick your networking battles. If there is an event where participation is voluntary, weigh 32 www.thriveswla.com

your options. Gauge who will be attending and if there is an opportunity for you. For entrepreneurs, conventions are a great place to meet people — but choose smaller sessions in which to participate so the experience is less overwhelming. Show your

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face, target specific people with whom to start conversations, and don’t feel the need to stick around too long. You can always follow-up via email the next day. Network online. For introverts, social networking can be a blessing. It is also a great tool to demonstrate the work you have done without having to present it in person. Just be careful what you post online, especially on your personal accounts. More and more, companies are monitoring their employees’ social media presence. Be professional and don’t be afraid to toot your own horn once in a while. You never know who may stumble upon the great work you are doing. Introverts don’t have to travel too far into extrovert territory to network effectively. Online networking sites, like LinkedIn, have gained notable popularity and are a great place to connect with colleagues outside of the office. For face-to-face meetings, choose practical ones in which to participate. It is okay to only network occasionally, but do so strategically. Take is slow, be yourself, and let your strong work ethic shine.

June 2015

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Money & Career

Millennials at Work

Wanted: Creativity, collaboration &FLexibility by Felicite Toney

Lake Charles native Britney Blanchette Pitre, owner of Bons Chiens Dog Training, always knew she wanted to own her own business. After changing her major five times while enrolled at McNeese State University—a common trait of millennials—the 29-year-old ended up with a concentration in applied behavior analysis. While attending school at McNeese, she worked at a well-known retail pet specialty store and was promoted to accredited dog trainer. “When I was handed the training manual for dog training, I read maybe three sentences and realized that this was exactly what I was studying at MSU. It was just applied to dogs instead of humans,” Pitre said. Though she was doubted by family and friends, she realized her passion and refused to settle for less. In 2011, she attained her own LLC and has owned her business ever since. She and her husband also started a small business together in 2012 called Jam Good Canning, LLC. Her message to millennials is simple: “If you have an idea and a few people who support you, then there is nothing holding you back, but you. 34 www.thriveswla.com

With determination, creativity, support from close friends, and a lot of hard work, anything is possible. Really.” For many young adults of today, transitioning into adulthood no longer translates to getting a job, settling down and starting a family; it holds a deeper meaning that can only be understood through experience, creativity and diversity.

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According to CareerAdvisoryBoard.Org, millennials are looking for meaningful work and want to leave with a sense of accomplishment versus a bigger paycheck. They want to play an active role in the workplace and work as part of a collaborative team. From their employers, they expect to be coached, motivated, and constructively assessed. Working for an organization like AmeriCorps is appealing to millennials because it’s usually a short-term commitment that offers a flexible schedule, job experience and gives members the opportunity to serve the community. Though millennials may seem as if they are unable to commit to one job for long, it’s evident that they are driven with purpose. The restless spirits of many millennials can often lead to greatness. Entrepreneurship is one avenue many millennials consider. A 2011 survey funded by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and conducted by the Young Invincibles, Lake Research Partners, and Bellwether Research, polled 872 millennials and asked questions about entrepreneurship. The June 2015

results made it clear that millennials are interested in starting their own businesses. Another positive side to this is that they’ll be working toward creating a better economy for generations to come. Not all jobs can cater to the expectations of millennials , however. In cases where employers view millennials as lacking commitment and loyalty, actions can be confused and misinterpreted. In order for things to run smoothly, communication is key. If you’re having trouble dealing with millennials in the workplace, Forbes compiled a list of helpful hints.

COMMUNICATE! Millennials are especially

eager for feedback, be it positive or negative. Communication is the key to a happy millennial employee. PROVIDE FLEXIBLE WORK HOURS AND ENVIRONMENTS. Millennials aren’t satisfied

putting in the regular 9 to 5 that their parents did. With technology, working from home is easy. PROVIDE EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. Millennials are

appetite for information to match. They need to be taught what to do in order to get to where they want to be in their career. MAKE TIME FOR EMPLOYEES TO WORK ON THEIR PERSONAL PROJECTS. Millennials are

creative and need space to practice their creativity. They’re full of ideas and generally just want to improve the quality of the workplace. This allows them to feel more connected to their jobs and will likely keep them around longer.

eager to advance in the workplace and have an

CONNECT MILLENNIALS TO THE MEANING OF THEIR WORK BY EXPLAINING THE COMPANY VISION. Explain how they’re making a

difference and why their job is important. CARE ABOUT WHAT MILLENNIALS CARE ABOUT. Millennials are more concerned with

the difference they’re making versus a fat paycheck, so be sure to make community service a big part of the workplace. MILLENNIALS ARE EASILY BORED, so it’s a smart move to create new titles and in-between steps that promote career advancement and additional training opportunities.

June 2015

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Money & Career

5 Keys to Bring Your Presentations to the Next Level by Allie Mariano

Some are born with the gift of clear communication, but most of us have to work on it. In fact, one of the most common fears people share is the fear of public speaking. Standing up in front of a group of people and communicating to them is not easy, whether you are giving a presentation at work, a speech for a large crowd, or a toast at a wedding. On top of all of this, there is so much advice out there on public speaking, where to start? “It is all about the audience,” says Beth Levine, author of Jock Talk: 5 Communication Principles for Leaders as Exemplified by Legends of the Sports World. “A lot of presentation advice focuses squarely on the presenter, and too often on issues of physical presence and delivery” Levine says. “My advice is oriented more toward wellconstructed content and appealing tone that works for the audience.” The biggest roadblock is often the speaker’s worries about being judged or not being smart enough. But the reality is people are usually asked to present because they are qualified. The important part is to think about

36 www.thriveswla.com

your audience and arrive prepared. Levine has developed five simple principles for “shaping your content to be more effective and impactful no matter who the audience is or how large.” Through these steps, the speaker earns credibility, likeability, and trust. All of these serve the audience, so they are better able to follow and retain the speaker’s message. According to Levine, you just need audience-centricity, transparency graciousness, brevity, and preparedness:

Audience-Centricity: “Audiencecentricity is making the audience’s interests and experience a top priority in the planning and execution of a talk. Too many speakers prepare and deliver what is important and

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interesting to themselves without enough careful consideration of their listeners. Being audience-centric is a mindset shift that encourages the speaker to prepare and deliver content in a way that will matter to and resonate with the audience.”

Transparency: “Transparency is about being open and direct—yes, and honest, too. The bottom line with transparency is this: If something is true and real and you’re thinking it, feeling it, or wanting it, then communicate it. Be straight up with information as well as with your feelings and reactions. When faced with a crisis or criticism, call it out, tell it like it is, and June 2015

own up. The discerning audiences you face will give you props for being up front, direct, and genuine.”

Graciousness: “Graciousness is the art, skill, and willingness to be kind- hearted, fair, and polite. Graciousness is not about being humble; it’s about being generous, even—especially! —under duress. It’s about being your highest, best self and making the unselfish, alley-oop

June 2015

pass to the other guy. Graciousness is just as important when things are going well as when they’re not. It’s about sharing the glory of scoring. It’s about showing leadership through generous attitudes and actions.”

Brevity: “Brevity gets our attention; it’s a quick way to be memorable and ensure that your audience retains your points. There’s nothing quite like brevity for making a lasting impression. Regardless of how brilliant or compelling a speaker’s material is, audiences get downright annoyed when speakers are longwinded or go over their allotted time. In these cases, even if the content is stellar, the takeaway is a less-than-stellar impression.”

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Preparation: “Being prepared is just about the most audience-centric thing you can do. It confers a sense of importance and value on your listeners. It shows respect for their time and is arguably the least you can do in exchange for their attentiveness to you as a speaker.”

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Home & Family

Summers: Then and Now

Take your mind back to your childhood summers. Did you play chase outside until your parents came home? Watch television while the sun blistered outside? Ride your bike down the street without a care in the world? Your summers of yesterday are probably much different than those of today. Not necessarily betterâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;just different.

38 www.thriveswla.com

by Erin Kelly

Thrive Magazine for Better Living

June 2015

Then:

More time outside

Now:

More camps

If you’re of a certain age—not even that old, really—you probably spent more time outdoors than kids today. For the modern generation, much of summer break happens in the cool air-conditioned sanctuary of the great indoors. The shift to an indoor childhood skyrocketed from 1995 to 2005, according to studies by the National Sporting Goods Association and American Sports Data. By 2005, bike riding had decreased by 31 percent. And the past 10 years haven’t reversed the trend. A recent survey by Public Opinion Strategies and the polling team of Fairbank & Maslin found a growing disparity between the amount of time children spend outside and the amount of time they spend indoors, wired to technology. According to the survey, today’s children have their reasons. Eighty percent said they didn’t like playing outside because it was too hot, or there were too many bugs. Only 10 percent of youth surveyed said they spent time outdoors on a daily basis. On a typical summer day, most of today’s children would rather play a video game than ride a bicycle.

Summer fun may not involve as much tree-climbing as it once did, but it’s not without its merits. According to the American Camp Association, the number of day camps has increased 40 percent in the past five years. And the choices are far more sophisticated than they once were. Camps are no longer limited to swim clubs and hiking. Today, you can choose from a variety of structured, specialized options—everything from sports and science to arts and education.

June 2015

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Then:

Less heat and rain

Then:

Less paranoia

Since the 1970s, unusually hot summer temperatures have become more common and heat waves are more frequent, according to the EPA. From 2000-2009, the US had twice as many record highs as record lows. Something’s coming down, though: Rain. Total annual precipitation has increased at an average rate of 0.5 percent per decade since 1901, the EPA reports. The rain has also become more intense. Nine of the top 10 years for extreme one-day rain events have occurred since 1990. Seven of the top 10 warmest years on record have occurred since 1998.

Today’s parents are arguably more paranoid than those of yesteryear. You might have been able to ride your bike down the street during summer break without fear of being abducted when you were a kid. But the modern parents’ fear of kidnapping has become so palpable that some say it’s gone overboard. In 1971, 80 percent of third-graders walked to school alone, according to researchers in the UK. In 1990, that number dropped to only 9 percent. Parents today are quick to claim that the world is more dangerous and child abductions are rampant—but that’s not the case. According to the David Finkelhor, director of the Crimes Against Children Research Center, “stranger-danger” abductions are extremely rare and haven’t really increased since the 1980s. Finkelhor, recently featured in a piece for the Atlantic called “The Overprotected Kid,” says crimes against children have steadily declined since the 1990s. Family abduction has increased—but that’s not what seems to concern the typical American parent who walks their child to school. Because stranger abductions are rare, they get ample media play, which seems to feed into parental paranoia.

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Home & Family Parents are also more anxious in general, creating an environment known as “helicopter parenting.” This overbearing trend is a relatively new phenomenon. Years ago, summer break meant free-wheel play and staying home alone—today, however, children are far more likely to fall under a watchful eye on a near-constant basis.

Now:

More parents

Research shows that children today are far more likely to report that they “like being kids,” maybe because the helicopter trend has kept them pampered, at-home, and watched-over for much longer than previous generations. Despite the ever-changing dynamics of modern families—single parents, stay-at-home dads, blended families, working parents—today’s average parent is actually far more involved than previous generations, maybe to a fault. The Chronicle of Higher Education reported that parents are now increasingly involved in admissions at the graduate level, an indication that parental involvement has lengthened the path to adulthood. A record number of twentysomethings still live at home—further evidence that the journey from childhood to adulthood has grown longer than generations past. According to the Pew Center, fathers have nearly tripled their time with children since 1965 and today’s mother spends more time with the kids than mothers of the 1960s. The amount of time parents spend with their children has steadily increased over the years. In summers past, you may have wished of the days when you left your parents’ house and ventured off on your own. Today, the couch at home is a far more comfortable place, generally speaking.

Top Summer Songs

1940 — I’ll Never Smile Again, Tommy Dorsey & Orchestra 1950 — I Wanna Be Loved, Andrews Sisters 1960 — Cathy’s Clown, Everly Brothers 1970 — Long and Winding Road, The Beatles 1980 — Funkytown, Lipps Inc. 1990 — Must Have Been Love, Roxette 2000 — Be With You, Enrique Iglesias 2010 — OMG, Usher with will.i.am

Notable Summer Events

June 1940. At the Republican National Convention in Philadelphia, the party nominates Wendell Willkie for president June 1942. Anne Frank makes her first diary entry June 1950. President Truman orders American military aid to defend South Korea July 1953. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, starring Marilyn Monroe, is released July 1961. Kennedy encourages Americans to build fall-out shelters in the wake of the Berlin crisis: “Stock those shelters with food, water, first-aid kits and other minimum essentials for survival.” July 1964. The US sends 5,000 more military advisers to South Vietnam, bringing the number of forces there to 21,000 August 1970. Women’s Strike for Equality takes place in New York City June 1977. Elvis holds his last concert at Market Square Arena in Indianapolis August 1982. The first CDs are released to the public in Germany July 1989. Seinfeld premieres August 1991. The “World Wide Web” project is announced and the first website (info.cern.ch) is created June 1999. Napster, the revolutionary downloading service, debuts July 2003. The World Health Organization announces that it has contained SARS August 2007. A spacecraft is launched to the Martian north pole July 2010. WikiLeaks released more than 90,000 internal reports about the US-led involvement in the War in Afghanistan August 2014. The US military begins an air campaign in northern Iraq to deter ISIS militants

Top Summer Movies

1945 — The Clock 1955 — Lady and the Tramp 1965 — Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines 1975 — Jaws 1985 — Cocoon 1995 — Batman Forever 2005 — War of the Worlds 2014 — Transformers

40 www.thriveswla.com

Thrive Magazine for Better Living

June 2015

Arts Council Membership Drive in Full Force

With the start of summer, the Arts Council of SWLA’s annual membership drive is in full force, and the campaign raises funds that not only provide operating support but also develop and enrich the Arts Council’s impact in SWLA. Supporting the arts directly translates to supporting SWLA’s growth as vibrant and diverse region, and becoming a Friend of the Arts Council is an easy way to affect positive cultural growth. Individual membership tiers begin at $50 and business membership level begins at $150, and these funds create a tangible effect in improving the economic and cultural impact of the Arts Council’s mission to make SWLA a better place to live, work, and visit. Arts Council supporters receive information newsletters, exclusive invites to special events and patron parties, and early ticket sales to Arts & Crabs Fest. In addition, business members also receive year-round promotion on the Arts Council website and all newsletters as well as free tickets for Arts & Crabs Fest. Customized sponsorship packages to fit any business budget are also available. Memberships can be purchased online at www.artscouncilswla.org or at the Arts Council office at Central School. For details about membership or sponsorship packages, call the Arts Council at 439-2787.

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Home & Family

Lake Charles College Prep Receives More than $383,000 in Grant Funding Growing high school receives three separate grants

The Walton Family Foundation (WFF) has awarded a $250,000 startup grant to Lake Charles College Prep (the PREP) for the 2015-2016 school year. Over the past two decades, WFF has invested more than $1 billion in K-12 education efforts that expand opportunity, create choice, and educational innovation. “It is an understatement to say that we are pleased to receive this grant,” said Gene Thibodeaux, president of the board of trustees for Southwest Louisiana Charter Academy Foundation, which oversees the PREP. “We know that school funding grants are limited these days, so to be chosen for this grant means that our hard work in establishing a new high school is both recognized and supported. This grant will provide resources allowing us to offer the first class educational program to which we are dedicated.” The WFF grant will be used to improve the current educational 42 www.thriveswla.com

facilities and provide additional technology as the PREP prepares to expand from a 9th grade program with 102 students to a 9th and 10th grade program with 325 students. According to Thibodeaux, accomplishing this expansion without the Walton funding would present a real challenge. In addition to the Walton Grant, the PREP has also recently received an $83,500 grant to acquire new furnishings and equipment for the physical science and biology labs. This equipment will give the students at the PREP the most up-to-date equipment relative to the changing world of science. The PREP also has been chosen for a $50,000 award of monies related to an industrial commitment assuring that our environment will be clean and safe for decades to come. These funds will be incorporated into the general operations of the high school and will benefit current student enrollment as well as next year’s student body. “All three grants reflect the power of public and private partnership in the education of students for college and for careers,” added Thibodeaux. “The Walton’s believe that there is no limit to what ordinary people can accomplish if they are given Thrive Magazine for Better Living

an opportunity. These grants will provide great opportunities to our students.” Lake Charles College Prep is part of the Charter Schools USA Inc. (CSUSA) family of schools. The school is governed by the Southwest Louisiana Charter Academy Foundation which includes local board members: Ulysses Gene Thibodeaux, president, Charles Honore, vice president, Clyde Mitchell, secretary and trustees Aneeta Afzal, M.D., Patricia Kelty, Andrew Ranier, J.D., and Mark Boniol. CSUSA, the first education management company to receive district accreditation through AdvancED, is one of the nation’s leading charter school management companies. The company currently manages 70 schools in seven states serving more than 60,000 students in Kindergarten through 12th grade. CSUSA currently manages nine schools in Louisiana. CSUSA educational advantages include integrated technology, parental involvement contracts, student uniforms, enforced discipline policies, highly qualified and motivated staff, community focus and high academic performance. Enrollment for The Prep is underway for grades nine and 10. Those interested may apply online at www.LakeCharlesCollegePrep.org or call 419-2868 for more information. June 2015

June 2015

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Home & Family

by Robin Barton

Jordan Churchman with Ruby, Bella and Lucy

Ryan and Amber Bowman with Mikey

In-Home Pet Boarding, A New Trend in Pet-Sitting Services

by Robin Barton

For many dog owners, your “fur-baby” is considered part of the family. So, when it comes time to go on vacation or out of town for work, the thought of leaving your family member behind can be heartbreaking. Making accommodations for your pet-baby while you’re away can be stressful and depressing, knowing that you aren’t going to be around for significant amount of time

to care for your dog. Traditional accommodations include enlisting the help of a friend or neighbor to come to your home a few times a day to feed, water and take your pet outside, or leaving them at a boarding facility where, in some cases, your pet is kenneled for most of the day. Both options still leave your pet alone and without the human interaction for extended periods of time, maybe

even causing your pup to stress out. Fortunately, as the pet population grows, dog owners have more options for vacation care than ever, including the option of in-home boarding. According to the American Pet Products Association, the number of insured pet-sitter business is already at 10,000 nationally, and from 2010 to 2020 the number of animal care and service workers is expected to grow by 23%. So if your go-to move is usually traditional kennel boarding, it may be time to consider another option — in-home boarding. And, there are a few options right here in the Lake Charles area.

Mikey’s Camp Canine

Mikey’s Camp Canine is an in-home dog boarding service ran at the home of Amber and Ryan Bowman. Amber has always had a love for animals and has always known she wanted to work with them, saying, “I have always been obsessed with animals and grew up with big dreams of working in zoos or aquariums. As I got older, I put those dreams to the side and decided to just fill my home with dogs. When my husband and I needed to board our dog, Mikey, for our honeymoon we just knew that he wouldn’t do

Ryan Bowman, Amber Bowman, Vikki Bourgeois 44 www.thriveswla.com

Thrive Magazine for Better Living

June 2015

well in a facility that would keep him kenneled for most of the day, with little human interaction. After finding a friend that boarded dogs out of their home, we were completely sold on the idea! Within a year I started working for that business and eventually opened Mikey’s Camp Canine.” A day at Mikey’s Camp Canine is much like a day at home for the pups. The daily routine includes morning wake-up play and potty-time, followed by breakfast. After breakfast playtime continues about every other hour throughout the day, averaging 20-30 minutes at a time. Playtime is supervised and is varied based on the age of dog and their stamina, and play groups are determined by the size of the dogs and their behavior towards other dogs. Bedtime occurs between 9:00pm-10:30pm each night. “We want our guests to feel as much at home as possible, food and medications are given to client specifications. Our guests are welcome to bring their own dog beds or toys to keep in their kennels with them overnight. It’s very typical for us to fill a few Kong toys with peanut butter right before bed time,” adds Amber. Amber knows that for most people their dogs are not just their dogs, they are part of the family. She considers her clients and their pets to be her family too, and she is concentrated on creating a fun, safe, home-like environment for your fur-baby. “We are focused on creating a personal experience for each of our clients and their pets. From the moment a dog is dropped off to the moment that dog goes home, we make sure that dog is having the time of their life. We post pictures to our Facebook page daily so that clients can see how much fun their dogs are having.” adds Bowman. Amber and her staff are all certified in canine first-aid and CPR. They even care for dogs with special needs including: blindness, amputation, deafness, health restrictions, old age and allergies. And, should an emergency arise with your pet, emergency care will be obtained, either with your preferred veterinarian or with the pet emergency clinic in Lake Charles. Carrie Gerber has been a client of Mikey’s Camp Canine for a year and a half, she says, “The minute you meet Amber and see her with your dog you know there’s a distinct connection. She has a way of connecting to dogs that is very obvious and I believe the dogs immediately pick up on that love and affection. We also like the “home away from home” environment that Amber creates at Mikey’s Camp Canine. I used to feel guilty for leaving our King Charles Cavalier Spaniel, Franklin, now we know he is so happy while we are away we can enjoy our vacation that much more! You know you are at the right place when your pup cries to leave Amber versus crying to leave his Mom!”

Mikey’s Camp Canine Things to Know: - Open 7 days a week. - Services include: overnight bog boarding, doggie daycare, and basic dog grooming for guests. - All dogs are required to attend a trial-day to insure they are well socialized and comfortable in the boarding environment. - Reservations should be made a few weeks in advance. However, last minute reservations are accepted based on availability. - All dog breeds, sizes and ages (older than 4 months) are accepted. Dogs must be fully vaccinated, and vaccination records must be provided. - Contact information: 337-884-4967; MikeysCampCanine@yahoo.com; facebook.com/CampWithMikey

June 2015

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Home & Family

Sit, Stay, Play

Sit, Stay, Play offers a unique take on petsitting services. Owner, Jordan Churchman, comes to your home to care for your pet while you’re away, instead of your pet going to her. “At-home pet care is very convenient for pet owners. They know exactly where their pets will be, and that their pet’s daily routine won’t be disturbed. Allowing pets to stay in the comfort of their own home greatly reduces their anxiety,” says Jordan. Much like the previous boarding service owners in this story, Jordan too, has always had a deep love for animals. She grew up with multiple animals in her home, from dogs, cats and fish, to birds and reptiles. When the opportunity came for her to provide at-home pet care she knew she couldn’t pass it up. Jordan offers several at-home pet care options based on client needs, “I make visits to the home either once, twice or three times daily, depending on what the client needs for their pet. I also offer overnight stays in which I stay in the home with the animals through the night. Each visit includes feeding the pets, playing with or walking them, taking them on potty breaks and sending my clients photos to see how much fun their pets are having! While I am there I can also take in the mail, take in trashcans, water plants, empty litter boxes, and provide any medication the pets may need. Not only does at-home pet care allow the client to be stress free, but also the pets. Having familiar surrounds and smells around greatly reduces pet anxiety,” she says. In addition to dogs and cats, Jordan accepts different animals such as, fish, lizards, guinea pigs, hamsters, ferrets and rabbits. Making sure your pet is comfortable with her is important to Jordan. She likes to schedule a meet-and-greet with the pet(s) before owners leave town. “This way I am able to get familiar with the animals and where everything is kept in the home. The meet-and-greet acts as my trial period to see if the animals are comfortable with me,” adds Jordan. Lesley Leger, a client of Sit, Stay, Play, likes her three dogs to remain in their home environment when she and her family travel. “Having three little dogs with very distinct personalities makes boarding them an issue. I didn’t like the thought of them in kennels all day and Jordan offers such a personalized service. I love the packages she offers, they are versatile and fit perfectly with our needs. I can always relax and enjoy myself when I’m away because I know my dogs are home, comfortable, and being cared for. And, Jordan is so good about sending pictures of them,” she says.

Sit, Stay, Play Things to Know: - Provides pet care services 7 days a week. - Services Lake Charles, Sulphur, Moss Bluff, Westlake, and surrounding areas. - Reservations are appreciated one-month in advance. However, last minute reservations are accepted based on availability. - Contact information: for Sit, Stay, Play : 337-377-3413; SitStayPlayLC@gmail.com; facebook.com/SitStayPlayWithJordan

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June 2015

get focused on

Summer Fun Optics Unlimited at The Eye Clinic has the styles kids want, and the quality parents are looking for in children’s eyewear. Beat the back-to-school rush and schedule your child’s eye exam this summer at one of The Eye Clinic’s five convenient locations. We’re making it easy with these special offers:

routine eye exams 65 Kid’s eyewear packages $ starting at just 49

for kids

This offer is available on routine vision exams* for school-aged children at all locations of The Eye Clinic through August 31, 2015 *Contact lens exams and fittings require additional fees.

Lake Charles • DeRidder • Sulphur • Jennings • Moss Bluff | (800) 826-5223 • www.theeyeclinic.net June 2015

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Home & Family

Three Siblings Hope to be Reunited through Adoption Living apart has been hard on eight-year-old Gracie, six-year-old Amber, and nine-year-old Tyler. Where one goes, two are sure to follow, that is how the trio has always been, until being split apart into different foster homes. They aren’t able to see each other that often and can’t spend time together like they want to since they are in separate foster homes. “We’re trying to find a home that will adopt us, all three of us,” said big brother, Tyler. Department of Children and Family Services adoption specialist Carla Wilson says, “Tyler, Amber, and Gracie all enjoy school and helping out around their foster homes. Any home that’s willing to provide love for these children; one parent, two parents, it really doesn’t matter to them. They just want a loving home.” Including these siblings, there are 65 children who are legally free to be adopted through the DCFS. The Department of Children and Family Services office on Kirkman Street in Lake Charles is hosting an adoption orientation on Monday, June 22 at 6:00 p.m. for anyone wanting to learn more about the foster-to-adopt process. Model Approach to Partnership in Parenting (MAPP) classes are offered to those interested in starting the foster or adoption certification process. The next round of MAPP classes begins Thursday, July 16 from 6:00-9:00 P.M. These classes run for seven consecutive Thursday evenings. Call 337-491-2470 to sign up for the orientation and MAPP classes or make an inquiry about Tyler, Amber, and Gracie. For more information call, 337-491-2470 or 1-800-814-1584. Follow Britney Glaser’s “The New Family Tree” series at www.kplctv.com

KPLC reporter Britney Glaser, in partnership with the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), highlights one child each month who is legally ready to be adopted. Thrive is supporting The New Family Tree by featuring each month’s story.

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June 2015

Watch for Motorcycles 62 percent of fatalities occur in the summer

ACCORDING TO MULTIPLE CASE STUDIES INCLUDING THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION (NHTSA), 62 PERCENT OF MOTORCYCLE FATALITIES OCCUR BETWEEN MAY AND SEPTEMBER AND A MAJORITY OF MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENTS ARE CAUSED WHEN A VEHICLE MOTORIST FAILS TO DETECT AND RECOGNIZE THE MOTORCYCLIST. “It is our hope that motorcycle safety campaigns will help keep riders and other motorists informed and safe on the road,” said AlertID Founder Keli Wilson. AlertID, a neighborhood safety network accessible online and via mobile app, uses technology to help citizens and federal, state and local authorities share information about potential threats to public safety. Wilson encourages motorists to follow these tips from NHTSA: • Allow the motorcycle the full width of a lane at all times. • Always signal when changing lanes or merging with traffic. • If you see a motorcycle with a signal on, be careful: motorcycle signals are often non-canceling and could have been forgotten. Always ensure that the motorcycle is turning before proceeding. • Check all mirrors and blind spots for motorcycles before changing lanes or merging with traffic, especially at intersections. • Always allow more follow distance – three to four seconds – when behind a motorcycle. This gives them more time to maneuver or stop in an emergency. • Never drive distracted or impaired.

June 2015

Motorcyclists can increase their safety by following these NHTSA tips: • Always wear long pants and closed toed shoes. • Wear a DOT-compliant helmet and other protective gear. • Obey all traffic laws and be properly licensed. • Use hand and turn signals at every lane change or turn. • Wear brightly colored clothes and reflective tape to increase visibility. • Ride in the middle of the lane where you will be more visible to drivers. • Never ride distracted or impaired.

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Style & Beauty

Microneedling by Christopher Hubbell, M.D

Looking for a safe and effective treatment that will improve the overall appearance of your skin during the warm weather season? Microneedling may be just what you are looking for. “With increased sun exposure and vacation season upon us, lasers and chemical peels are generally not a good choice,” says Dr. Christopher Hubbell, board certified dermatologist and medical director/founder of a Jeuné Advanced Medical Spa. “With microneedling you can keep your skin working to repair itself—from the inside out.” Microneedling is both 100 percent natural and a long-lasting improvement for the treatment of scars, wrinkles, stretch marks and uneven skin tone. It offers Mother Nature a helping hand by encouraging collagen production in the skin, which helps prevent or reverse these conditions. According to Dr. Hubbell, microneedling is a safe, effective medical procedure when 50 www.thriveswla.com

supervised by a trained physician skin expert. “A consultation with an experienced, qualified medical provider to evaluate your skin and determine if you are a candidate for this procedure is the first step. A customized treatment plan to maximize results for your skin is developed and then estheticians trained and supervised by the physician perform the service.” “The technique of microneedling involves creating thousands of microscopic channels in the dermis layer of the skin,” adds Dr. Hubbell. “This process increases the formation of new tissue by activating the body’s wound healing process: homeostasis-inflammation-proliferation-tissue remodeling. Production of collagen and elastin activates new cell growth resulting in tighter skin, formation of a new layer of skin, a healthier look through improved blood flow and better absorption of physician-grade skin care products.” Thrive Magazine for Better Living

Benefits of microneedling include the following: • Reduces fine lines and wrinkles • Improves the appearance of scars including acne scarring • Minimizes pore size • Improves the appearance of stretch marks • Lifts, tightens, rejuvenates and effective for most skin types • Increases absorption of physician grade skin care products • Minimal downtime; low risk; little to no discomfort June 2015

“To maximize treatment efficacy and results, we recommend a combination of Microneedling treatments for new skin growth and Dermal Infusion treatments enhanced by microdermabrasion,” Dr. Hubbell says. “Alternating between these two treatments and incorporating physician grade products allows for more complete skin rejuvenation and maximizes skin vibrancy.” In aesthetic medicine, combination therapies typically yield the best and most natural results adds Dr. Hubbell. “Creating a customized treatment plan that is tailored to your specific needs requires in-depth knowledge and experience in the skin and facial anatomy and of the many tools available for treatment. An experienced, board certified provider is my recommendation for the greatest safety, the most advanced non-surgical techniques and the best results.” For more information, call a Jeuné Advanced Medical Spa at (337) 989-7272 or visit online at www.skinexpert.com.

Let

Beautiful Skin Bloom all Summer Long Rejuvenating treatments and products from the Aesthetic Center can help restore and protect healhier, younger looking skin. We offer: • Chemical Peels • Microdermabrasion • Cosmetic Injections • Dermapen

• • • •

Targeted Skin Care Treatments PCA Home Care Products Jane Iredale Mineral Make-up Facial Cosmetic Surgery

Let your youthful glow shine, with a little help from the Aesthetic Center. Call 310-1070 for more information or to schedule your appointment.

Treatments are provided under the medical direction of facial cosmetic specialist, Mark Crawford, MD.

facehealth.net • 310-1070 • 1717 Oak Park Blvd. June 2015

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Style & Beauty

Step into Your First Impression What your shoes say about you

Our shoes may be the last piece of an outfit that we put on, but researchers at Wellesley College and Kansas University suggest they form the initial imprint of a first impression. Their studies show that most people tend to take notice of a person’s shoes and use this observation as a launching pad to forming judgments. While we all know that one’s choice in shoes is often based on age or income, they can also offer insights into the wearer’s personality and how they may be perceived or misperceived. The shoes may make the woman. Here’s what different types could say about you: Drab shoes: People who do not pay particular attention to their choice of shoes are perceived as aloof and often experience difficulties in forming and maintaining relationships.

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Well-cared-for shoes: These shoes may not be new, but are immaculate, and tend to be worn by the detail-oriented and conscientious. Practical shoes: These pairs belong to the most agreeable. Expensive shoes: The owners want to display success. Colorful shoes: Exhibit confidence and friendliness. Knee-high boots: While they show confidence, these boots are not always made for walking, as they also send the message of being open and approachable. Ankle boots: The owners are likely to kickback and have fun, but are also ambitious.

Thrive Magazine for Better Living

by Jen Breen

Wedges: Wedged heels are often worn by extroverts and exhibit confidence. Stilettos: While playing to traditional femininity, the wearers of skinny heels are often perceived as adventurous and friendly. Small heels: The wearers are seen as self-aware and confident. They know what they like and what they don’t like. Sandals: Sandals often display confidence or, depending on the style, may show an open or laid-back attitude. However, the study suggested that the wearer could be perceived as difficult when worn in a professional setting. In choosing your next pair of shoes make sure they are a true fit—not just for your size, but your image.

June 2015

Contouring for Beginners by Emily Alford

Sound good? Here’s what you need to get started, according to Dana Hamel, an award winning makeup artist who’s worked on Hollywood films like Oscar-winner The Hurt Locker.

Contouring Powder You need to pick a dark shade two shades darker than your skin at it’s tannest, and a light shade two shades lighter than you are at your palest. Hamel recommends powder for beginners because liquids can be hard to blend.

the center or your forehead and down the bridge of your nose. Again, don’t worry if those lines look strange. Now blend! Take your foundation brush and blend all the edges of the lines you’ve just made until you look well-defined but not crazy. Apply your blush and eye makeup like normal then finish with a light dusting of setting powder like Makeup Forever’s HD Microfinish Powder, and you’re all set! Accept all the compliments, but never let them know you’ve done anything new.

Small Angled Brush If you associate cosmetic contouring with Kim Kardashian’s caked on make-up, you probably think shading is something best left for the red carpet. But contouring doesn’t have to look fake. Real women can absolutely hop on the contouring bandwagon to bring out their best features. Alejandro Falcon, artistic director for Osmosis Colour Cosmetics, defines contouring as “shaping an area of the face to disguise features that we would like to hide and complimenting those we want to focus more attention on by using makeup.” When he puts it that way, contouring is basically what we already do with makeup with just a bit more focus. In truth, contouring is simply uses deep browns to deepen areas like cheekbones or the lines of the nose to make cheekbones seem higher or noses seem slimmer then highlighting places cheeks, chin, and forehead to make faces seem younger and brighter. June 2015

An angled brush can fit right into the hollows of cheeks or around the jawline to really chisel out your best features.

Foundation Brush You’ll need this for blending your contouring powder into your regular makeup.

Now let’s get started. According to Hamel, “the goal here is to create a natural looking shadow.” Apply your regular foundation and then pick the parts of your face that would naturally fall into shadow: beneath your cheeks, your jawline, and the sides of your nose. Accentuate those places with lines of shadowing powder. Don’t worry if it looks harsh. You’re going to blend it! Next, apply your light powder to the places the sun normally hits: the tops of your cheeks, your chin, Thrive Magazine for Better Living

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Style & Beauty

Pick the Right Jeans for Your Body Type Finding the right pair of jeans can be a real pain. Every season brings a new denim trend: skinny or slouchy, flared or straight legged. The dressing room can be a minefield for women trying to pick a pair that’s flattering for their body types. The key to finding a killer pair of jeans, according to most style experts, is understanding your what looks best on your body and where to go from there. Turns out, you can wear more styles than you think! Fashion blog JoyofClothes.com says that a great pair of jeans should do three things, no matter your body type: shape your rear end, flatten your tummy, and elongate your leg. However, different styles do different things for each body type, so the trick is finding a style (or several) that does all three things for you.

BIGGER BOTTOM If your bottom is bigger than your chest, you’ve got a pear shape. You want to stick with styles that have regular sized back pockets that sit right in the center of your seat. High, small pockets will make your backside look bigger. 54 www.thriveswla.com

You could try many different styles, from boyfriend to “skinny” jeans, but according to Oprah.com, you should look for a brand that has a higher rise in the back than the front to avoid the dreaded gap in the back of your jeans. Some brands to consider are Seven and James jeans.

ThickTHICK Tummy TUMMY If your belly is your issue, especially around the lower midsection, Joy of Jeans recommends that you chose a higher rise jean to flatten out problem areas. However, avoid the hipster “mom jean” trend where jeans go higher than the waist. You want to accentuate your natural curves, and ultra high-waisted jeans will just make you appear lumpy down below.

HOURGLASS If your hips and bust are roughly the same size, you don’t want to wear baggy jeans that make you appear heavier than you actually are. You were made for straight leg, skinny jeans to Thrive Magazine for Better Living

by Emily Alford

exaggerate that hourglass. But if you want to try a boyfriend jean, then style blog TheJeansBlog.com says you can wear loose fitting jeans as long as they’re tapered toward the ankle. Cuffing them for summer is always cute.

PETITE Jeans can often swallow a smaller frame, and you might find yourself wanting to cuff those off the rack styles. Oprah.com says that rolling up those trousers is a mistake! It’ll only cut you off at the calf and make you look smaller. Instead, find a pair that works according to the above specifications and have them hemmed. The most important part of buying jeans is to try, try, try. Take ten pairs in ten different styles into the dressing room if you have to and pick the pair that makes you feel good! Being comfortable works for every body type.

June 2015

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Mind & Body

Clearing up the Facts About Cataracts by Kristy Armand

June is Cataract Awareness Month

Age brings many changes to the body, and the eyes are no exception. When vision becomes blurry for older adults, many assume new glasses and a stronger prescription is all they need to recapture the clear vision of their youth. However, the fact is that cataracts may be the cause for the decline in vision. Approximately 24.5 million Americans have the lens-clouding eye condition, and the incidence is expected grow by 50 percent by 2050 as the Baby Boomer population continues to age. One-half of the over-65 population has some degree of cataract development. These statistics show how common cataracts are, but fortunately, according to Virgil Murray IV, MD, board certified ophthalmologist with The Eye Clinic, this is one of the most curable causes of vision loss. He explains that a cataract is the clouding of the eye’s normally clear lens, the part of the eye that focuses light and produces clear images. Inside the eye, the lens is contained in a sealed bag, or capsule. As old cells die they become trapped within the capsule. Over time, more cells die and accumulate, causing the lens to cloud, and making images look blurred or fuzzy. For most people, cataracts are a natural result of aging. But, eye injuries, certain medications, and diseases such as diabetes and alcoholism have also been known to cause cataracts. Symptoms of cataracts can vary from patient to patient. “Some people notice a gradual painless blurring of vision, double vision in one eye, or fading or yellowing of colors,” says Dr. Murray. “When older patients mention sensitivity to glare and/or bright light or trouble driving at night, this may be caused by cataracts. Or, if a patient needs

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frequent changes to his or her glasses or contact lens prescriptions, they should be evaluated for a cataract.” Cataracts form slowly and cause no pain. Some stay small and have minimal effect on vision, but Dr. Murray says if the cataract does grow and starts to affect your vision, it can be removed with surgery in most cases. Although cataracts are the leading cause of blindness worldwide, vision loss from cataracts is nearly always reversible. “New techniques developed over the past decade have made cataract surgery one of the safest and most successful procedures available in terms of restoring quality of life to patients,” says Dr. Murray. In fact, cataract surgery is the most frequently performed surgery in the United States, with an estimated 3 million procedures taking place each year. Cataract surgery is performed as an outpatient procedure under local anesthesia. The cloudy natural lens can be replaced with an artificial lens to give the eye proper focusing power. “In most cases, the improvement in the patient’s vision is profound, even more so with the latest advances in lens implants that have become available in recent years,” says Dr. Murray. “With these newer, premium lenses, many patients are able to see clearly without glasses of any kind after surgery.” “There are no drugs or exercises that will make a cataract disappear, and contrary to popular belief, cataracts are not removed using lasers. Lasers are used in follow-up procedures, if needed,” says Dr. Murray. He

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June 2015

also wants to dispel the myth that a cataract has to be “ripe” before it’s removed. “That’s just not true. The best time to have a cataract removed is when it starts to interfere with your vision to the point that you are unable to do the things you need and like to do.” He cautions that cataract surgery, although quite safe, is still surgery. “If cataracts are not affecting your quality of life, you may feel that surgery is not needed. The only person who can really decide when it’s time to have them removed is you, under the care of a qualified ophthalmologist.” For more information about cataracts, cataract surgery and premium lens implant options, call The Eye Clinic at (337) 478-3810 or visit www.theeyeclinic.net.

June 2015

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Mind & Body

Gardening

Helps Mind and Body Flourish by Christine Fisher

The tomatoes are ripening quicker than they can be eaten, cucumber vines are loaded and the bell peppers are ready to be picked; gardens are overflowing with fresh vegetables. Gardeners who are enjoying these kinds of results know that it takes a lot of effort. In fact, the physical exertion of gardening has many health benefits. “Gardening is a great way to burn calories. Hauling bags of potting soil or mulch around the yard uses muscle groups in the back, legs and shoulders. Trimming shrubs, raking, and shoveling are all good ways to get exercise. And, in the end, have a great lawn too” said Andrew Davies, MD, family medicine physician with Davies Family Medicine.

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One of the keys to good health is consistent exercise. “Gardening is a hobby many people enjoy; some may not even realize the health benefits of the physical activity. It incorporates many important elements of accepted exercise movements such as stretching, lifting, and overall movement,” said Dr. Davies. Legs, arms, stomach, back, and shoulders all get a workout. Because gardens reflect the amount of work put into them, they are a good reward for consistent attention. Overgrown weeds and sparse vegetation are good reasons to put on gloves and get outside. With a little effort over time, the lush landscaping will show the effort expended. Some gardeners thrive on the thrill of knowing they’re actually producing something in the end, in addition to toned muscles. “Knowing that they’ll soon have fresh vegetables that they’ve grown themselves is a great incentive,” Dr. Davies explains. “Consistency is the key for exercise. Gardens are a good way to motivate someone to get off the couch and get moving.” Research shows that thirty minutes a day of moderate exercise such as gardening lowers blood pressure and cholesterol levels, helps prevent diabetes and heart disease and helps Thrive Magazine for Better Living

fight osteoporosis. “Combining gardening with an aerobic activity, such as cycling, brisk walking or swimming is a good idea,” said Dr. Davies. “Aerobic exercise utilizes large muscle groups over an extended amount of time and elevates the heart rate. Because heavier breathing is required to keep up the pace, aerobics improve lung functioning, as well as increase heart strength and pumping efficiency,” Dr. Davies explained. Some garden activities are very similar to activities found in a fitness center. “Pushing a lawn mower can be equivalent to walking the treadmill; turning a compost pile can be equal to lifting weights; walking back and forth around the yard is similar to walking a track; and using rakes, tillers, brooms and shovels simulates using weight machines,” Dr. Davies said. “It depends on the energy expended, and the length of time for the activity, but many activities in yard work require good amounts of energy and exertion and are great exercises.” There are some aspects of gardening that require more effort than others. Hauling stones for a new walkway, shoveling mulch onto flowerbeds, and push-mowing a lawn will elevate the heart rate into aerobic levels. Deadheading spent June 2015

flowers, pulling a few weeds or picking the ripened tomatoes are lower level activities that won’t necessarily keep the heart rate elevated for an extended period of time, but even a little movement is beneficial, says Dr. Davies. “Puttering around the yard is better for your health than sitting in front of the television doing nothing.” Gardening also offers soothing benefits to the mind. A walk in the garden helps calm frazzled nerves after a busy day at work. Caring for plants satisfies a human instinct to nurture and provide support. The growing process is enjoyable to watch, whether it is fruits, vegetables or flowers. “The end result of a vegetable garden is fresh fruits and vegetables, full of flavor and vitamins,” Dr. Davies said. Keeping Mother Nature in check can be physically demanding, mentally rewarding and requires consistency. Add a little water for good measure, and these ingredients should produce a healthy, balanced lifestyle.

June 2015

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Mind & Body

Be Mindful

of Migraines by Erin Kelly

June is Migraine Awareness Month

About 14 million people experience headaches on a near-daily basis, with about 18 percent of American women and 6 percent of men suffering from migraine—a complex, often-misunderstood neurological condition with no known cure— according to the Migraine Research Foundation. “Migraine sufferers deal with a unique set of struggles related to their condition. People often confuse migraines with typical headaches, but that’s not a fair comparison. You can have a headache and still get through the day. With migraine, it’s difficult to function. Symptoms often include dizziness, vomiting, vertigo, and increased sensitivity to light and sound,” said Melissa Rasberry, family medicine physician with Imperial Health. “These symptoms make it difficult, if not impossible, to work or function normally. This can cause further stress, because people with migraines may experience discrimination or pressure from employers or co-workers who don’t understand their condition.” According to the American Headache and Migraine Association, more than 90 percent of sufferers are unable to function normally during a migraine attack. Most suffers experience migraine attacks once or twice a month. According to the World Health Organization, depression is 60 www.thriveswla.com

also three times more common in people with migraine or severe headache. “Because there’s such little understanding about migraine, it’s difficult for some patients to differentiate between whether they’re having a headache or migraine attack. A severe headache is not necessarily the equivalent of a migraine attack,” Dr. Rasberry said. So, how do you know when it’s time to call the doctor? Dr. Rasberry suggests seeking medical help if you fit the following criteria: • Your headaches are constant and rarely go away • Pain is severe and sudden • Your headaches are accompanied with dizziness, vomiting, stiffness, slurred speech, confusion, fever, or shortness of breath • You experience unexplained pain or discomfort in your ears, nose or throat According to Dr. Rasberry, women are more likely to suffer from migraine attacks. And the condition isn’t limited to adult. Studies reported in the New England Journal of Medicine show that they typically start in the mid-teens. “It’s critical to seek help if your headaches or Thrive Magazine for Better Living

migraine attacks have a negative effect on your daily life, Dr. Rasberry says. “Although there’s no known cure, there are medicines and treatments available. Treatment is also important to avoid further complications.” For more information or to schedule an appointment to evaluate your headache pain, call Dr. Rasberry at (337) 474-2856.

June 2015

How Does Your Heart Score? Find out, with a coronary calcium test at Imperial Health Imaging Center.

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One in three adults has some form of cardiovascular disease, and heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States. We use advanced, non-invasive CT technology and low-dose radiation to take an in-depth look at your heart and blood vessels to determine your level of calcium buildup. This calcium score can help your doctor

determine if you are at risk, or have, coronary artery disease, even you are not displaying symptoms. Calcium scoring is painless and takes just minutes to get results that could give you an early start on beating heart disease. Call Imperial Health Imaging Center at 3128761 to schedule your appointment today to take advantage of this special offer.

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JUNE ONLY P erfect f Dad or

through 6/30/15 - cash price only (337) 312-8761 1747 Imperial Blvd. Lake Charles www.imperialhealth.com Thrive Magazine for Better Living

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Mind & Body

Deal With It! Stress-Proof Your Body by Jen Breen

Stress is unavoidable, whether it arises from everyday life or a major event. Not knowing how to deal with it in the right way can take a tremendous toll on your health. “Stress is more than a daily hassle or emotional heartache,” says Amy Soileau, MD, family medicine physician with Fleur de Lis Family Medicine. “Without the right coping mechanisms it will wreak havoc on your health. Stress affects every part of the body; it advances the aging process and can cause sleeplessness, headaches and lower back pain. If ignored, it can lead to, or worsen, serious medical conditions, such as heart disease, depression, anxiety and diabetes. It has also been known to advance the spread of certain cancers.” Dr. Soileau says it’s easy to blow off stressors as minor inconveniences, whether you had a bad day at work or got stranded in the school pick-up line.

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Maybe you are in the middle of a crisis and accept high levels of stress as being part of the process. However, stress works like a savings account; each experience—big or small—deposits tension into your body and over time it grows. “When you feel physical symptoms of stress, like a tension headache, it’s your body’s way of sending a warning,” said Dr. Soileau. “It’s telling you that you need to take better care of yourself. You need to listen to this message so it doesn’t grow into a more serious problem.” She explains that stress is actually a natural part of life, inherited from our ancestors as a response to danger. When the mind perceives a threat or emergency, it creates a fight-or-flight response by altering the body’s chemistry. Increased levels of adrenaline, norepinephrine and cortisol cause your heart to race. Then your blood pressure increases the oxygen moving into the muscles. “Stress was an asset for our ancestors; it was necessary for survival,” says Dr. Soileau. “But now that we no longer need to be on the lookout for saber tooth tigers, it’s having the opposite effect. It can now be a killer instead of a lifesaver, and it’s on the rise.” According to the American Psychological Thrive Magazine for Better Living

Association, 42 percent of Americans say their stress levels have increased over the last five years. “We all know that old saying ‘when it rains it pours,’ but that’s exactly how stress works. Prolonged episodes can cause frequent rushes of cortisol that throw the body into overdrive, weakening the immune system. This is why it’s not abnormal to catch a cold or feel dizzy or distracted when you’re experiencing high levels of stress, whether it’s a buildup of daily aggravations or acute stress, which is caused by a life-changing event such as death or divorce,” says Dr. Soileau. Stress has many faces. The way people experience it is part of their personality, whether they explode, get emotionally upset or become distantly calm. “The way we naturally approach stress is through a combination of nature and nurture,” said Dr. Soileau. “Most people tend to model their parents’ reaction to stress – it’s a learned behavior. The other side of stress is genetic predisposition. Scientists have found that we inherit varying levels of a chemical called neuropeptide Y, a natural anxiety reducer that is released during times of stress.” She says although stress is an inevitable part of life, you can learn coping mechanisms to help you June 2015

protect your body from its negative side effects. “Changing the way you approach stress is about breaking familiar routines and habits,” says Dr. Soileau. “Many people try to fight off stress with spontaneous actions or holding it in and refusing to react, but neither of these tactics is a solution. They only build upon the original stressor.” Dr. Soileau offers the following strategies for coping and protecting your health from the damaging effects of stress:

Breathe. Stop what you’re doing and take a deep breath. Count backwards from five to one before slowly exhaling. Repeat. After a few deep breaths you will feel a release.

Build up and maintain a strong immune system. Eat well to be sure you get your vitamins; A, C and E, B-complex vitamins, magnesium and zinc are natural immunity boosters.

Keep your doctor’s appointments. It’s important to know where you stand health wise, especially when it comes to your weight, blood pressure and cholesterol. Get support. No one is a rock. Talk to a supportive friend, but connect with a counselor if it’s a chronic issue to help you build a stressbusting tool-kit that works for you. Exercise! Not only will make you healthier, it’s also relaxing. Even just a 20-minute walk will relieve stress. Other psychological factors associated with resilience are humor, religion/spirituality, altruism and looking to role models. “Many of these tactics look simple. The good news is, they are,” says Dr. Soileau. “But it can take some time to break old habits. The way we respond to stress has been ingrained in us for a long time, so don’t be hard on yourself as you hit hurdles while working to embrace these new habits. It will only stress you out.” Dr. Soileau is a member of the medical staff of West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital. Fleur de Lis Family Medicine is located at 250 S. Beglis Parkway, Suite 3, in Sulphur. Call (337) 625-6955 to schedule an appointment. June 2015

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Mind & Body

Office Space Can Affect Your Face by Kristy Armand

When Dolly Parton wrote her hit song “Nine to Five,” she was talking about the challenges of making a living working in an office. None of the lyrics mentioned the effects working in an office all day can have on your skin. You may think those who work outdoors are at the highest risk of sun damage and skin cancer from sun exposure, but working in an office can also be risky without the proper protection, according to skin care consultant Tana Garcia with the Aesthetic Center in The Eye Clinic. She says working indoors can make many people feel they don’t need to protect their skin from the damaging effects of the sun’s harmful UVA/UVB rays. “This couldn’t be farther

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from the truth. Ultraviolet rays reach the skin through office windows– on sunny and cloudy days – and can still damage your skin, contributing to the signs of aging and the risk of skin cancer. You need to protect your skin every day with an SPF of at least 30. It’s easy to do this with SPF-infused lotions, moisturizers and makeup.” In addition, research shows that melanoma occurs when people are exposed to bursts of sun, so for those who are indoors all week, prolonged, intense exposure during fun-in-the-sun outdoor activities over the weekend or while on vacation pose an added, serious risk. Again, Garcia advices SPF protection every day, with higher levels when you

June 2015

will be spending extra time outdoors, and reapplying every few hours. She says indoor air can also take a toll on your skin. In the winter, dry, heated air can drain the skin of moisture. In the summer, the air is cooler, but it is still dryer than outside air. The typical humidity in an office is 10 – 30 percent. Garcia says it’s important to use a good quality moisturizer every day to hydrate the skin and to help it retain moisture. “It’s also important to drink enough water to stay hydrated – six to eight glasses a day is the standard recommendation.” Garcia adds that facial treatments can also help address facial skin dryness issues and provide a more refreshed, rejuvenated appearance. For more information on skin care treatments and products available at the Aesthetic Center, call 310-1070 or visit www.facehealth.net.

If this is your Mount Everest, then you need the specialists of Center for Orthopaedics. Our board-certified doctors are number one when it comes to backs, knees and every joint and muscle it takes to keep you moving like a champion.

Center for Orthopaedics. Your winning team for the game of life.

and 14 AREA HIGH SCHOOLS

(337) 721-7CFO • www.centerforortho.com and 14 AREA HIGH SCHOOLS

June 2015

LAKE CHARLES • SULPHUR • DERIDDER

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Mind & Body

QUARTERLY BUSINESS APPRECIATION SUPPER SCHEDULED The Cameron Parish Police Jury Department of Economic Development will host its quarterly Business Appreciation Supper sponsored by Capital Oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cameron branch on Monday, June 8 at 6pm. For more information or to RSVP, call Clair Hebert Marceaux at (337) 739-1098 or clairh@camtel.net.

JUNE 26 RECOGNIZED AS AUDREY MEMORIAL DAY Each year on June 26, Cameron Parish recognizes lives that were lost during Hurricane Audrey in 1957. This year marks the 58th anniversary.

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McNeese Mechanical Engineering Team Wins ASME Competition A four-member team of McNeese State University mechanical engineering students won first place in the “Robots for Relief” student design competition at the American Society of Mechanical Engineers regional conference host by Texas Tech University at Lubbock. The McNeese ASME team competed against universities in Louisiana, Texas and Oklahoma. The team includes seniors Nabin Dhakal, Nepal; Benjamin Pearce, DeQuincy; Jeevan Rai, Nepal; and Alper Unluer, Turkey. Faculty advisers are Dr. Ning Zhang and Dr. Zhuang Li.

Office of Public Relations and University Events. Dupre was one of five finalists for this award.

Greek Week Award Winners Over 20 awards were handed out to both individual students as well as to various sororities and fraternities during the 2015 Greek Awards Banquet. McNeese has 15 Greek fraternities and sororities on campus. Student awards included: Jonathan Barber, Moss Bluff, Pi Kappa Phi, Greek Scholar of the Year (Fraternity); Sara Dupre, Bell City, Phi Mu, Greek Scholar of the Year (Sorority); Jimmy Grigus, Pi Kappa Alpha, Greek Adviser of the Year; Grace Hernandez, Sulphur, Chi Omega, Ms. Greek 20142015; Aaron Myers, Elton, Kappa Alpha Order, Mr. Greek 2014-2015; Kim Miller, Sulphur, Phi Mu, Panhellenic Council Member of the Year; Aaron Whelchel, Vinton, Pi Kappa Phi, Interfraternity Council Member of the Year; Joshua Williams, Destrahan, Alpha Phi Alpha, National Pan-Hellenic

Council Member of the Year (Male); and Nicole Williams, Gibson, Zeta Phi Beta, NPHC Member of the Year (Female). Group awards included: Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity and Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, McNeese Alumni Association Community Service and Philanthropy Award; Pi Kappa Alpha, Greek Week Brotherhood Award and Most Involved Fraternity; Chi Omega, Greek Week Sisterhood Award, Scholarships Award (Highest Chapter GPA) and Greek Week Banner Competition; McNeese Panhellenic Association, Highest Council GPA and Greek Council of the Year; National Pan-Hellenic Council, Most Active Council Award; Alpha Delta Pi, Most Improved Sorority; Alpha Phi Alpha, Most Improved Fraternity; Sigma Gamma Rho, Most Involved Sorority; Pi Kappa Alpha, Most Involved Fraternity; Pi Kappa Phi, Fraternity of the Year 2014-2015; and Phi Mu, Sorority of the Year 2014-2015.

L to R: Benjamin Pearce, Dr. Ning Zhang, Nabin Dhakal, Jeevan Rai, Alper Unluer and Dr. Zhuang Li.

2015 Student Employee Award Recipient

Sara Dupre

Sara Dupre, a Bell City senior at McNeese State University, has been recognized as the McNeese 2015 Janet Delaine Student Employee of the Year. Dupre works in the President’s Office and the

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June 2015

Solutions for Life

from Solutions Counseling & EAP by Keri Forbess-McCorquodale, MS, LPC, LMFT, CEAP

Bless Your Heart! Ugh! I can’t believe I got stuck behind this person who’s driving under the speed limit. Doesn’t he know the speed limit is just a suggested starting place?? And what about that chick who was so rude to me in the drive through line at lunch? Don’t people know how to behave anymore? How is it that I am always surrounded by idiots? Ever feel like that? If everyone would just act like they are supposed to, the world would run just fine! Better yet, if everyone would just think like you and act accordingly, life would be great. And why is everyone so bound and determined to frustrate you? I have news for you – they’re not. The general population doesn’t care one whit about you. People are not doing whatever it is they’re doing just to irritate you. But I’ve worked with a lot of people who view it that way. When I’m working with someone on anger management issues, one thing I see over and over is the tendency for those people to live in a “should” world. People “should” act certain ways; life “should” be easier than it is; relationships “should” not be so much work. These poor people are living in a dream world, and they use their “should” thinking to justify their own angry and abusive behavior. We all have bad things happen in our lives. Why is it that some people seem to be able to let things roll off their backs, while other people wail that it is the end of the world? People with anger management issues tend to make all the bad things the same size: huge. They have difficulty assigning the appropriate amount of energy to the event. When everything that happens is big, you stay in a constant state of frustration and anger.

Here is how anger works: 1. An event occurs

3. Your thoughts lead to behaviors

a license?!” Those thoughts will likely lead to behaviors that might include tailgating, honking your horn, hand gestures, or even speeding illegally around the driver and risking a ticket or wreck. Those thoughts and behaviors are most definitely going to increase your anger and frustration. Now let’s look at the same example a different way. You are behind the same slow driver, and you are still late for work. But what if you forced your thoughts in a different direction— what I call the “bless your heart” response? “Bless his heart, he’s having car trouble.” “Bless her heart, she just left the eye doctor and her eyes are dilated.” “Bless their hearts, they are elderly and nervous.” Obviously, we don’t know if any of those are true, but just choosing to think in that manner automatically begins to calm a person down. When you’re calmer, you can make better behavior choices such as coming up with an alternative route, or taking the opportunity to have a “relaxation moment” as you are forced to slow down. “Bless your heart” is a phrase we hear often in the South. It is one that conveys empathy and understanding. Now you can begin to fully understand its power to help you out of frustrating circumstances. Bless your heart, you just didn’t know any better before!

2. You have thoughts about the event 4. Your thoughts and behaviors will either increase or decrease your emotions

Let’s take an example based on the beginning of this article. Here is the event: you are late for work, and the person driving in front of you on the two-lane road is going very slowly. Typical thoughts might include, “What is wrong with this person?” “Get off the road!” “Why do you even still have

June 2015

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Mark Your Calendar! 2015 Memorial Sports Medicine Symposium Lake Charles Memorial Sports Medicine invites physical therapists, athletic trainers, coaches, physicians, and other professionals involved in the medical care of amateur or professional athletes, to the 2015 Memorial Sports Medicine Symposium on June 13 at L’Auberge Casino Resort from 8am-3pm. This event is free and open to those in the sports medicine field. Breakfast and lunch will be provided. Space is strictly limited, and reservations are required. To register, visit lcmh.com/symposium or call (337) 4942936.

1st Annual Shrimp and Jazz Festival   The 1st annual Shrimp and Jazz Festival will be held June 20, from 11am-7pm at the Lake Charles Civic Center Exhibition Hal. Expect a variety of shrimp dishes, art vendors and soulful Jazz music. The Shrimp and Jazz Festival promotes the cultural importance of Jazz and cuisine in our area and the thriving local community that features a unique blend of music, performance, and visual arts that unites people. Admission for the festival is $5 for adults and $2 for kids 12 and under. For more information, visit swlashrimpjazzfest.com or call (337) 309-2712. Rep. Adams announces 2016 Gubernatorial Candidate Forum State Representative Bryan Adams, R-Gretna, in conjunction with the Algiers Economic Development Foundation (AEDF), Jefferson Chambers, the Harvey Canal Industrial Bryan Adams Association (HCIA), and the Plaquemines Association of Business and Industry will hold a 2016 Gubernatorial Candidate Forum June 17. Proceeds for the event benefit Café Hope, a nonprofit organization that allows at-risk youth the opportunity to become self-sufficient through training in restaurant and hospitality industries. The Forum will be held June 17, at the Alario Center in Westwego, and will begin at 9am. To purchase tickets, call (504) 361-6013.

Splash Dance With Watercolor Class Nancy Melton’s Waterclass for Kids is scheduled for July 6-10. Ages 3rd grade and up can register through 70 www.thriveswla.com

Leisure Learning at McNeese at (337) 475-5616. Kids will paint animals including their own pets, learn about famous artists, and experiment with many watercolor painting techniques. For questions, email artistnancymelton@gmail.com.

L’Auberge Announces 2015 Liquid Society Lineup L’Auberge Casino Resort Lake Charles announced the return of its iconic Liquid Society summer concert series. Award winning two-time Video DJ of the Year, DJ Crush, will preside over all 2015 pool parties with his high energy remixes. For more information and ticket pricing, visit llakecharles.com. June 4 – TBA June 11 – Andy Grammer June 18 – Flamethrowers with Opening Act: The Yams June 25 – Johnnyswim July 2 – 3 Doors Down with Theory of a Deadman July 9 – Ashes of Babylon July 16 – Andy Frasco July 23 – Candlebox July 30 – An Evening with 311 August 6 – Blues Traveler

Ninth Annual Red, White, Blue, and You Patriot’s Ball The City of Lake Charles Mayor’s Armed Forces Commission (MAFC) along with Mayor Randy Roach will host the Ninth Annual Red, White, Blue, and You Patriot’s Ball on June 27, at the Lake Charles Civic Center. A social half-hour will kick off the event at 5:30pm followed by dinner at 6pm. The SOULED OUT ’72, a local nine-piece band, will perform immediately after the presentations for the listening and dancing pleasure of attendees. Tickets are available for purchase at the Lake Charles Civic Center Box Office or by calling (337) 491-1256.

Cigar Club Announces Music Lineup June 3 - William Christian – 8-11pm June 5 - Neal Smith – 9pm-12am June 6 - Luke Cooper 9pm-12am June 10 - Gabriel’s Last Breath – 8-11pm June 12 - Kade Fontenot – 9pm-12am June 13 - Joe Ecker – 9pm-12am June 17 - Kory Fontenot – 8-11pm June 19 - RKW Acoustic Show – 9pm-12am June 20 - Acoustic Pie – 9pm-12am Thrive Magazine for Better Living

June 24 - Jim Pharis – 8-11pm June 26 - Tonight by Moonlight – 9pm-12am June 27 - Jessie Taylor – 9pm-12am For more information call Robbin at (337) 562-8889.

Live Entertainment at the Golden Nugget Announced for June 2015 Golden Nugget Casino is pleased to announce the live entertainment schedules for Blue Martini, Rush Lounge and H2O Pool + Bar during June, 2015. Blue Martini June 3 - Mike and Amber – 7:30-11:30pm June 4 – Swagger – 9pm-1am DJ Jose Mata – 9pm-2am June 5-6 – Swagger – 9pm-1am DJ Jose Mata – 9pm-3am June 7 - Kris Harper – 5-9pm DJ Jose Mata – 9pm-3am June 10 - Mike and Amber – 7:30-11:30pm June 11 - Electric Circus – 9pm-1am DJ Jose Mata – 9pm-2am June 12 - Electric Circus – 9pm-1am DJ Jose Mata – 9pm-3am June 13 – ENCORE – 9pm-1am DJ Jose Mata – 9pm-3am June 14 - Kris Harper – 5-9pm DJ Jose Mata – 9pm-3am June 17 - Mike and Amber – 7:30-11:30pm June 18 - The New Waves – 9pm-1am DJ Jose Mata – 9pm-2am June 19-20 - The New Waves -9pm-2am DJ Jose Mata – 9pm-3am June 21 - Kris Harper – 5-9pm DJ Jose Mata – 9pm-3am June 24 - Mike and Amber – 7:30-11:30pm June 25 - Jukebox – 9pm-1am DJ Jose Mata – 9pm-2am June 26-27 - Jukebox – 9pm-1am DJ Jose Mata – 9pm-3am June 28 - Kris Harper – 5-9pm DJ Jose Mata – 9pm-3am Rush Lounge June 2 - Matt and Katie – 8pm-1am June 3-4 - 3-H-G – 8pm-1am June 5-6 - 3-H-G – 9pm-2:30am June 9 - Matt and Katie – 8pm-1am June 10-11 - Brandon Green – 8pm-1am June 2015

Local Youth Soccer Team WINS SECOND STATE TITLE June 12-13 - AM Push – 9pm-2:30am June 16 - Angel Garcia – 8pm-1am June 17-18 - Allison Collins – 8pm-1am June 19-20 – Rapture – 9pm-2:30am June 23 - Matt and Katie – 8pm-1am June 24-25 - Lindsey Cardinale – 8pm-1am June 26 - Lindsey Cardinale 8 PM – 2:30 AM June 27 - 3-H-G – 9pm-2:30am June 30 - Angel Garcia – 8pm-1am

H2O POOL + BAR DJ Jose Mata will be playing House and Retro music poolside from the H2O stage every Saturday in June from 1-7pm and every Sunday from 12-6:00pm.

The Calcasieu Soccer Club Eagles U14 girls recently won the Louisiana Soccer Association AllState Sugarbowl Presidents Cup. This state-level championship title is the second one this team has won since The Calcasieu Soccer Club Eagles U14 girls recently brought home 2012 and is also the second state-level the Louisiana Soccer Association AllState Sugarbowl Presidents Cup championship for the team’s head coach, Championship. Pictured with the Presidents Cup are bottom row, from left to right, Sarah Doumite, Kelseigh Ramirez, Ariel Harrington, Ann Marie Snead, Jason Holder. Ann-Marie Herrera, Katie Lavin and Abby Bath. Pictured top row, from left to right, Coach Jason Holder, Olivia Broussard, Samantha Mercer, Micah Goss, The team, made up of players from Madalyn Howard, Julia Cheramie, Sydney Crowe, Leah Ellender, Jillian Bech Lake Charles, Sulphur and Moss Bluff, and Coach Joseph Lapira. posted a record of 21 wins, one loss and two draws; scored 83 goals and allowed only 11 in the past year of play. In addition to their Presidents Cup title, the team was named champions of the Shreveport/CABOSA Red River Classic, Hub City Ford Lagniappe Tournament and Midnight Madness Tournament. They are also the Louisiana Competitive Soccer League Competitive 2 Blue champions for the 2014-2015 season. They will travel to Lafayette, June 11-14, to play in the US Youth Soccer Region III Presidents Cup Tournament. At this tournament they will represent the state of Louisiana and face the top teams from Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, North Texas, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Texas and Tennessee. The winner of this tournament will advance to the US Youth Soccer National Presidents Cup Tournament scheduled for July 9-12 in Overland Park, Kansas. Calcasieu Soccer Club is the area’s largest youth soccer club with more than 900 area children playing recreational and competitive level soccer. They also coordinate an adult co-ed recreational league and a men’s 7v7 league with approximately 250 registrants. To register, visit www.cscsoccerclub.org. For more information, call (337) 474-6131.

The Women’s Commission of Southwest Louisiana, Inc., recently inducted the 2015 new commissioners.

Back Row, Left to Right: Kristin Ned, Jean Johnson, Sue Lanza, Retana Comeaux, Kelly Basone, Brittany Pete and Ollie Young

2nd Row, Left to Right: Vicki Dupre, Cheryl Fuselier, Crystal Scott, Brittney Vital, Precilla Adams, Patricia Daigle and Bridget Garrido

1st Row, Left to Right: Christina Girard, Cathy Brady, & Jeanine Blaney

June 2015

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