WWW.TIMESSW.COM • OCTOBER 16, 2008 / VOL. 13, NO. 21
A New Era of Tighter Credit
Things That Go Bump...
Hard-Working Mom Opens a Business That Pays Off
Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Profiles, Health Updates and More
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OCTOBER 16, 2008
GENERAL . . . . . . . . . . . 617 Drew St., Lake Charles, LA 70601 Phone: 337-439-0995 Fax: 337-439-0418 PUBLISHERS Patrick Marcantel Scot Hebert
october 16, 2008 Volume 13 • Number 21
contents
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NEWS . . . . . . . . . . . MANAGING EDITOR Lauren de Albuquerque lauren.dealbuquerque@timessw.com
EDITOR Lisa Yates timesedit@timessw.com
CONTRIBUTORS Kay Andrews Jen Breen J. Shirlene Cooper Jim Doyle Henry Goolsby, M.D. Lonnie Hall William Hart, M.D. Todd Hebert Matt Jones Allie Ieyoub Kjellsten Keith Menard, O.D. Terri Schlichenmeyer Barbara Tomek, M.D. John Winterton
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E N T E R P R I S E B O U L E VA R D The New Era of Tighter Credit . . . . . .5
COLUMNS Biz Bytes: Congress Should Protect Workers’ Freedom to Choose . . . . . . .4 Inside Baton Rouge: Jindal Won't Follow Road Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Who’s News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 MSU Round Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Business Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Perspectives: Winds of Change . . . .13
POLITICS John Maginnis Dan Juneau ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER Andy Jacobson
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COVER STORY SWLA Women in Business . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
FEATURES
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Patricia Prudhomme
Things that Go Bump . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36 Home Grown: Oasis Foods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Women’s Health . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
GRAPHICS . . . . . . . . ART/PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Darrell Buck
ENTERTAINMENT Book Beat: It’s Not About the Hair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41 Coffee Break Crossword Puzzle: No Theme for You! . . . . . . . . .43 Times Picks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44 Coushatta Pow Wow Celebration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49 The Shadow: Pink Friday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50 DeRidder Dispatch: Harvest Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54 Parting Shots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55
The Times of Southwest Louisiana is published every two weeks by Patsco Publishing, 617 Drew Street, Lake Charles Louisiana 70601. Phone (337) 439-0995. SUBSCRIPTIONS: $30 per year. Bulk mailing permit #9 paid at Lake Charles, La. Postmaster: Send address changes to The Times of Southwest Louisiana, 617 Drew Street, Lake Charles, LA 70601. FAX to (337) 439-0418. The Times of Southwest Louisiana cannot be held responsible for the return of unsolicited manuscripts, photographs or illustrations, even if they are sent to us accompanied by a self-addressed envelope. Copyright 2008 The Times of Southwest Louisiana all rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without prior written permission is prohibited. DISTRIBUTION: The Times of Southwest Louisiana is available free of charge, limited to one copy per reader. The Times of Southwest Louisiana may be distributed only by The Times of Southwest Louisiana authorized distributors. No person may, without prior written permission of The Times of Southwest Louisiana, take more than one copy of each monthly issue from its racks.
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Visit us online at: www.timessw.com OCTOBER 16, 2008
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BIZ BYTES — by Dan Juneau
INSIDE BATON ROUGE — by John Maginnis
Jindal Won't Follow Road Home
Congress Should Protect Workers’ Freedom to Choose magine an election in which you cast your ballot in public instead of in the privacy of a voting booth. Imagine that you have to mark your selection on a card in full view of others, including a representative for one of the candidates and your friends who support that candidate. What if you don’t really want to vote for this candidate? Should election laws place you in this situation? Of course not, and they don’t. But the federal laws governing labor union certification elections might do so after next year. Over the last few decades, private sector union membership has steadily declined. Many workers are realizing that unions can be a bureaucratic obstacle to workplace efficiency and employee freedom. They see how some unions have crippled companies’ ability to maneuver and compete in the demanding world market, and they want no part of that. Union membership has certainly diminished as workers at unionized companies lost their jobs because their employers were no longer competitive. However, membership has also fallen as employees — disenchanted with their union leaders — have sought to have the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) remove (decertify) a union from their workplace. During the one-year period ending July 2008, the NLRB conducted 330 decertification elections and the unions lost 201 of these, or 61 percent. Meanwhile, the number of elections to certify unions has dropped significantly. The NLRB conducted 2,726 such elections over the one-year period ending July 2001, and yet during the year ending July 2008, the NLRB conducted just 1,604 elections, a 41 percent drop. Recognizing that they are on the mat and down for the count, union leaders are struggling to get back on their feet. So, for the past two years, they lobbied Congress to pass legislation eliminating secret ballot elections
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for certifying unions, replacing this procedure with one that would require the NLRB to accept signed authorization cards from a majority of workers. This process is referred to as “card check.” Thus far, this legislation has failed to pass, but it will be before a new Congress next year — one that will likely be more willing to approve it. Card check legislation is a desperate attempt by union leaders to stack the deck to reverse their dismal experience in union elections. It would permit the use of peer pressure and even intimidation to expand union ranks. It is a power play that should never be sanctioned by Congress. The role of government in labor/management relations is to ensure balance. Governments — local, state, and federal — must never tip the scale in favor of one side. The fact that neither the employer nor the union knows how workers vote in a secret ballot election effectively stops coercion by either party. Workers are free to choose and need not tell anyone how they voted. Contrary to assertions by card check advocates, current law in no way limits the ability of unions to organize workers. What it does do is protect workers who don’t want a union in their workplace from being forced to have one. That is balance, and it is what the majority of voters in Louisiana believes should happen. Seventy-four percent of Louisiana’s voters say that having an NLRB-supervised secret ballot election is the best way to protect workers’ rights during a union organizing effort. And this sentiment is even stronger within union households (91 percent). As a right-to-work state, Louisiana law protects workers’ freedom to choose. It would be wrong for Congress to erode this freedom by favoring union leaders over workers. Jim Patterson, Vice President and Council Director for LABI’s Employee Relations Council, contributed to this column.
ith Congress grappling with the nation’s financial disaster, it’s remarkably fortunate that the body could direct any attention and money to disasters that occurred naturally, from Gulf Coast hurricanes to Midwestern floods. Dwarfed by the $700 billion financial bailout plan, the $23 billion appropriated for federal disaster response includes $6.5 billion in Community Development Block Grants to be divided among the affected states to use as their leaders see fit. Gov. Bobby Jindal already said what he won’t do with the money: Set up another homeowner-assistance bureaucracy like the Road Home program, which his administration inherited and still struggles to resolve 22,000 cases in dispute. He wants to help out homeowners with uninsured losses, especially those not covered by the surprising new hurricane deductibles, but he would rather send the federal money directly to local communities and have them distribute it, or use it for other purposes, like flood protection. He said he would set broad options and guidelines for local governments or organizations to spend the money, which the Legislative Auditor would track. But mayors and local councils would make the decisions, figure out the details and take the heat for whatever goes wrong. His is not the usual stance of politicians who don’t let anyone or anything get between themselves and the recipients of government aid. Such was former Gov. Kathleen Blanco’s choice to slap her name on Road Home, a move that served to send her there after one term. This governor is shrewd not to tread back into that swamp. As with Katrina-Rita recovery, there is no way to make whole everyone’s losses, and more hazard than reward in only going part way. Natural disasters tend to hurt the poor the most, but the aftermath of Gustav and Ike revealed a class of more affluent victims: Well-insured homeowners who found themselves out thousands of dollars from hurricane deductibles amounting to threeto-five percent of house value. The Legislature in the 1990s allowed
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insurance companies to put higher named-storm deductibles in homeowner policies, but most firms only started doing so after Katrina and Rita, in time for Gustav and Ike. It hardly seems square for equal damage claims on two similar houses to result in one policyholder getting something while the other gets nothing because he lives in a more desirable neighborhood. Legislators talk about revisiting hurricane deductibles, but, judging by the results of their gettough rhetoric of recent sessions, not a lot is going to change. In the meantime, a wise governor would be very cautious about setting a precedent of the state picking up even part of the tab for what insurance doesn’t cover. The state’s storm commitment already has been expanded to include a ride out of town with pets for whoever wants it, and a place to sleep with a shower, meals and food stamps when they return. The state’s disaster bureaucracy is big enough for Jindal not to want to extend entitlements far into the middle class. What local governments choose to do with their recovery grants will make for an interesting study in political science. Parish to parish may differ on whether to directly help homeowners or to use the grants for broader public purposes, perhaps to improve flood protection and thus mitigate future losses. Do parishes figure out on their own how to set up a process for determining uninsured losses and making compensation? What if parishes adopt different standards that result in different grant amounts for similar damage to homes a few miles apart? Even in the best of circumstances, some local governments will have the leadership and resources to do a better job than others at running local assistance programs, the likes of which have not been run before here. Is that fairer to homeowners than a uniform program administered by the state, which would benefit from economies of scale and the experience of prior rodeos? The instinct for Louisiana governors is to centralize the power and the money. Among Gov. Jindal’s early lessons learned is that sometimes it’s better to let go of that, especially when the grief and blame go with it.
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ABOUT
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ENTERPRISEBOULEVARD Who’s News
The New Era of Tighter Credit By Lisa Yates an’t get a loan? Borrowers who normally would have no trouble obtaining loans are feeling the pinch, too. Even mega-companies like General Electric have become concerned about getting credit. Recent reports said the company considered seeking a bank charter to give it access to government lending channels. Although the U.S. Federal Reserve flooded markets with emergency money and lowered its benchmark interest rate by 3.75 percentage points in the span of 13 months, banks are reluctant to lend money. It’s the same for central banks around the globe. Banks are reluctant to extend credit, because they are paying the price for previous lending mistakes. As that slows economic growth, companies will cut jobs, meaning more people may miss payments on mortgages, credit cards and auto loans, driving up bank losses and forcing them to clamp down even harder on lending. Once that cycle gets going, it is difficult to stop. That’s why the world’s richest nations – the G-7 – met on Oct. 10, in Washington, D.C. These finance ministers from the U.S., Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the U.K. met to discuss the situation. They all agreed to do whatever it takes to restore normal order to
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credit markets that have essentially shut down. In the U.S., more plans are in the works, including partially nationalizing the banking system. U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson has indicated that the administration will use part of the recent $700 billion bailout President Bush signed Oct. 3, to have the government take ownership stakes in banks. That unprecedented move is just one more attempt to boost confidence and get banks back in business. The global economy is drawing closer to a dangerous downward spiral and time may be running out for world leaders to find a way to stop it before it inflicts lasting damage. Most banks are safe and sound, but these unprecedented times are affecting everything that has to do with banking. Is the credit crunch a Wall Street-only issue? It depends on who you ask. According to a recent Senior Loan Officer Opinion Survey on Bank Lending Practices, from the Federal Reserve System, around 65 percent of domestic banks said they have tightened their lending standards for commercial and industrial loans to small firms over the past three months. The National Federation of Independent Businesses' most recent Small Business Economic Trends reported differently. Thirty-
four percent of the survey's respondents reported regular borrowing activity. Only, 10 percent said loans are getting harder to land. Two percent of the owners polled cited the cost and availability of credit as their number-one business problem. Still, most agree – what’s going on in the financial markets is not helpful to small businesses. After years of fast and loose lending, major banks have begun tightening standards for loans to small businesses -- often described as the backbone of the jobs market. That is making it harder to gain funding for anything from buying equipment to hiring new workers. Many small businesses are seen heading for trouble because they used home equity loans to fund their businesses during the housing boom, saddling themselves with too much debt in the process. With home prices dropping, some small business owners are now left with properties worth less than the money they owe the banks. Certainly, these are tough times for small businesses in Southwest Louisiana, which were also affected by recent hurricanes. Southwest Louisiana has always been an area of family-owned meat markets, dry cleaners, diners and corner stores. Small businesses like these are not just part of our economy – they are a part of our community’s identity. They also tend to be the most vulnerable.
Sasol North America Inc. is pleased to announce that Pat Brown has recently accepted the position of company president in addition to his current responsibilities in Louisiana. He will continue to reside in Moss Bluff. Brown, 51, has served as the complex manager for the company’s largest manufacturing facility located in the Lake Charles area for the past five years. With 28 years of chemical manufacturing experience in operaPat Brown tions, maintenance, engineering, purchasing and management, Brown’s proven leadership abilities will continue to serve the company well. A native of Arkansas, Brown originally joined Sasol North America’s predecessor in 1981. David Drez, Jr., M.D., a board certified orthopedic surgeon on staff at Lake Charles Memorial Hospital, is co-editor of the recently released Sports Medicine, a concise and practical guide for medical students, residents, and clinicians at every level of practice. Published by Cambridge University Press, Sports Medicine covers a wide variety of topics examining sports-related injuries, as well as answers to clinical questions on history, conditions, symptom, and treatment that challenge providers. In addition to serving as medical director of Sports Medicine at Memorial, Dr. Drez is the team physician for all McNeese State University sports programs, and is co-author of Orthopedic Sports Dr. David Drez, Jr. Medicine, the Continued on Page 6 OCTOBER 16, 2008
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Who’s News, Continued from Page 5
highly acclaimed guidebook for sports medicine physicians, physical therapists and athletic trainers. Dr. Drez is a clinical professor of orthopedics at LSU School of Medicine in New Orleans and a clinical assistant professor of orthopedic surgery at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. In recognition of his contribution to the education of orthopedists, the Dr. David Drez Chair in Orthopedic Sports Medicine was dedicated at LSU in New Orleans in June of 2006. For more information or to schedule an appointment with Dr. Drez, call Orthopaedic Specialists at (337) 4944900. The office is located at 1717 Oak Park Boulevard, adjacent to Memorial Hospital on the third floor. L’Auberge du Lac Casino Resort recently announced its August and September Five Star Employees and Employees of the Month. The August Five Stars are: Linda Chretian, a banquets server; Clint Farris, a bell captain; Lisa Defee, a reservations agent; Andre Poullard, a slot floorperson; Zachary Heaton, a front desk clerk; and Melba Guillory, a security officer. The September Five Stars are: Stephanie Ellender, a slot attendant; Philip Druilet, an engineer; Mary Langley, an employee dining room prep cook; Angel Copeland, a retail clerk; and Tammie Tyler, a main cashier. Clint Farris and Mary Langley were also designated as Employees of the Month for their respective months; they are now eligible to receive the coveted Employee of the Year award. In recognition for their hard work, the employees receive a substantial cash prize, a personalized L’Auberge gift, a month of VIP parking and gift certificates. The employees received their awards on September 29 at a Recognition Luncheon with L’Auberge Vice President and General Manager Larry Lepinski. Both August and September award winners were honored at the September luncheon due to hurricane delays.
allie@projectfit.net • www.projectfit.net • 337-274-7988
Governor Bobby Jindal recently announced the appointment of Walter Guidry, Jr., of Lake Charles to the Southern University Board of Supervisors. The board serves to provide leadership and support to the Southern University System by assisting campus administrators in decision-making, data processing, and capital construction projects. Guidry is a retired petroleum engineer and a former member of the United States Army. He has a degree in mechanical engineering from Southern University and is a member of the Southern University Alumni Federation. Beauregard Electric Cooperative, Inc. (BECi) announces the promotion of Kevin Aycock from manager of engineering to vice president of engineering. His responsibilities will include professional and technical planning and design for the cooperative system to provide for safe, efficient, reliable electric service into the future. Aycock, a graduate of Rosepine High School, holds a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering degree from Louisiana Tech University in Ruston. He is a registered professional engineer and a licensed master electrician for the state of Louisiana. Previously, Kevin Aycock Aycock worked for 14 years as general manager of Kulaga Construction Co., Inc., DeRidder – an electrical contractor specializing in the construction of transmission, distribution, and substation facilities. He also worked six years as a senior electrical engineer for CLECO Corporation, Pineville. Aycock resides in DeRidder with his wife, Tammy, and their two children, Randall and Lindsey. Governor Jindal appointed Michael T. Smith of Lake Charles to the Louisiana Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission. The Louisiana Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission serves to develop, plan and coordinate statewide events that educate the public about the life and presidency of Abraham Lincoln and assist the state liaison to the national commission in overseeing and directing preparations for statewide programs and events. Smith is an assistant professor in the history department at McNeese University and specializes in reconstruction history of Louisiana. Brent Hutson, D.O., has joined the Wound Healing Center at West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital. Hutson will see patients at the center, which specializes in the outpatient treatment of chronic wounds and non-responsive conditions. He also practices at The Family Care Center of SWLA, LLC, and is a member of the West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital medical staff. Hutson earned a degree in Osteopathic Medicine from Nova Southeastern University College of Osteopathic Medicine.
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As part of his work with the Wound Healing Center, Hutson will receive specialized training and updates on new wound care therapies at the National Healing Institute at Ohio State University. a Carlyss resident, Hutson is a member of the Calcasieu Parish Medical Society and the Louisiana Association of Family Physicians. Darryl H. Hebert is the new owner of Appraisal Assurance & Notary Express and is excited to serve all of Southwest Louisiana. Hebert specializes in appraising residential homes and vacant land in the Lake Area. He also does an array of mobile notary services, including car titles, bill of sales, power of attorneys, wills, and affidavits. Hebert has spent the last 15 years serving Southwest Louisiana with mortgage, consumer, and auto loans. He was a loan originator with UC Lending, a co-manager at Central Mortgage, and a loan originator at Grey Crest Mortgage, as well as the branch manager at Citifinancial on Derek Drive before earning his appraisal certification. For more information, or to schedule an appointment, call (337) 478-1831. Lake Charles Memorial Hospital welcomes family medicine physician, Tuananh Pham, M.D., to the medical staff. Dr. Pham recently joined the faculty of the Memorial/LSU Health Sciences Center-New Orleans Family Medicine Residency Program as an assistant professor of Clinical Family Medicine. A graduate of LSU in Baton Rouge and LSU Health School of Medicine in New Orleans, Dr. Pham completed his internship and residency at Memorial/LSUHSC Family Medicine Residency Program in Lake Charles. At the Memorial/LSUHSC Family Medicine Residency Program, Dr. Pham joins other faculty members, Danette Null, M.D., Jay Soileau, M.D., and Bryan Barootes, M.D., and medical director Alan LeBato, M.D., in training physicians specializing in family medicine. Their offices are located in the Family Practice Center, 1525 Oak Park Boulevard in Lake Charles. For more information or to schedule an appointment, please call (337) 494-6767. L’Auberge du Lac Casino Resort announces the hiring of Bill Belcher to the position of head golf professional. Belcher joins L’Auberge from Fore Golf Services in Manassas, Va., most recently as general manager at Beckett Ridge Country Club in West Chester, Ohio, where he oversaw the club’s conversion from private to semi-private. Prior to working for Fore Golf Services, Belcher was general manager at Tantallon Country Club in Ft. Washington, Md., Sabal Point Country Club in Longwood, Fl., and Magnolia Plantation Golf Club in Longwood. He also held the positions of head golf professional at the Legacy Bill Belcher Club at Alaqua Lakes in Longwood and MetroWest Country Club in Orlando. In his new position, Belcher will be responsible for overseeing all dayto-day clubhouse operations at Contraband Bayou Golf Club; sales; and tournament planning and operation. Belcher holds an associate degree in business administration from The Golf Academy of the South and is a PGA member in good standing through the Golf Professional Training Program.
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NEWS McNeese State University’s Career Services will host its fall teacher fair from 8 a.m.- noon on Mon., Oct. 27, at Burton Coliseum. The fair will allow McNeese alumni and 2008 summer and fall graduating education students, as well as students completing teacher certification requirements, to interview for teaching positions. Candidates can submit resumes and then begin scheduling interviews online through Cowboy Job Link Oct. 2-16 on the Career Services Web site at www.mcneese.edu/career. School agencies from Louisiana, Texas, and other states will be participating, and a list of those agencies, along with beginning salaries and locations, can also be found on the Web site. For more information, contact the McNeese Career Services Center at (337) 475-5612 or by e-mail at careers@mcneese.edu. The McNeese State University farm is serving as a distribution center for feed and hay for area cattle that were evacuated or flooded and stranded in Calcasieu and Cameron Parish after Hurricane Ike. As donations roll in from all over the state, farm manager Darrin Goodwin said his staff and McNeese students, along with Calcasieu and Cameron agents from the Louisiana State University Agriculture Centers, have been working around the clock to dispense hay and feed to cattlemen to help them feed their livestock until the waters recede from submerged pastures. “Since Ike hit, four truck loads of hay and 36 tons of feed—all donations—have been hauled in by the state Department of Agriculture to the
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MSU farm,” said Goodwin. “In the past two weeks, we’ve distributed feed and hay among 50 cattlemen for 1,500 heads of cattle. We’ve also directed some of the trucks to West Calcasieu areas, including Vinton and Carlyss, so those cattlemen wouldn’t have to travel to pick up their feed and hay.” Goodwin said the saltwater from Ike’s storm surge has killed most of the grass in area pastures and efforts are now being made to find other pastures until a good rain can flush out the floodwaters. “However, we will continue to serve as a distribution center until the pastures recover.” According to Dr. Chip LeMieux, head of the McNeese Harold and Pearl Dripps Department of Agricultural Sciences, the farm also served as a distribution site for feed and hay, in addition to fence supplies, after Hurricane Rita. His department oversees the 500-acre McNeese farm, which is one of three working farms within the department. Cops and Jocks has donated $15,000 to McNeese State University through the McNeese Foundation to establish the Don Dixon and Alan Heisser Law Enforcement Scholarship. The McNeese Foundation will provide $5,000 in matching funds through its current capital endowment campaign, making this a total donation of $20,000. McNeese State senior defensive back Brant Linde has been named a semifinalist for the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame (NFF) 2008 Draddy trophy and national scholar-athlete awards.
Richard H. Reid, second from left, vice president of development and public affairs and executive vice president of the foundation, accepts the donation from Cops and Jocks representatives, from left, Alan Heisser, Don Dixon and John Rudd. McNeese Photo PAGE 8
OCTOBER 16, 2008
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Linde, a native of Mandeville and an accounting major, was a second team academic all-American last year and has been honored for the past two years as a scholar athlete by the Southland Conference. He is now in his third year as a starting defensive back for the Cowboys. Nominated by their schools, which are limited to one nominee each, semifinalists must be a senior or graduate student in their final year of eligibility, have a GPA of at least 3.2 on a 4.0 scale, have outstanding football ability as a first team player or a significant contributor and have demonstrated strong leadership and citizenship. The Draddy award comes with a 25-pound bronze trophy and a $25,000 post-graduate scholarship. The NFF awards committee will select and announce up to 15 finalists on Oct. 29. Each finalist will be recognized as part of the 2008 National Scholar-Athlete Class, receiving an $18,000 post-graduate scholarship. All announcements will be made at a banquet on Dec. 9 at the WaldorfAstoria in New York City. Treasured objects and artifacts held by the Frazar Library at McNeese State University will be preserved for future generations with help from the IMLS Connecting to Collections Bookshelf, a core set of conservation books, DVDs, and online resources donated by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the primary source of federal funding of the nation’s museums and libraries. McNeese is being awarded this essential set of resources based on an
application describing the needs and plans for care of its collections.The IMLS Bookshelf focuses on collections typically found in history or art museums and in libraries’ special collections, with an added selection of texts for zoos, aquaria, public gardens, and nature centers. It addresses such topics as the philosophy and ethics of collecting, collections management and planning, emergency preparedness, and culturally specific conservation issues. The IMLS Bookshelf is a crucial component of Connecting to Collections: A Call to Action, a conservation initiative that the Institute launched in 2006. IMLS began the initiative in response to a 2005 study by Heritage Preservation documenting the dire state of the nation’s collections. The multi-faceted, multiyear initiative shines a nationwide spotlight on the needs of America’s collections, especially those held by smaller institutions, which often lack the human and financial resources necessary to adequately care for their collections. For more information on the conservation initiative, please go to www.imls.gov/collections. Upcoming Seminars The Louisiana Small Business Development Center at McNeese State University and the Internal Revenue Service will present “IRS Updates for Tax Preparers and CPAs” from 9 a.m.-noon Tues., Oct. 21, in the Business Conference Center. Topics for the event, co-sponsored by SCORE Lake Charles, include wage reporting for the Social Security Administration, electronic services through the Louisiana Department of
PPG Industries Inc. has donated $5,000 to McNeese State University through the McNeese Foundation to be divided between the McNeese colleges of business and engineering and engineering technology. Jon Manns, right, works manager for the Lake Charles complex of PPG Industries, presents the donation to Dr. Nikos Kiritsis, left, dean of the college of engineering and engineering technology, and Dr. Mitchell Adrian, dean of the College of Business. PPG has given a combined total of almost $35,000 to both colleges since 1991. McNeese Photo.
NEWS ROUND UP FROM MSU Revenue, new adjusted 94X forms and due diligence. Cost is $10 and preregistration is required. For more information or to register, contact (337) 475-5528. The Louisiana Small Business Development Center at McNeese State University and the Business and Career Solutions Center-Calcasieu Consortium will present “Working for You: An Employer’s Seminar” from 9:30 a.m - noon Wed., Nov. 5, at the Business and Career Solutions Center, 4250 5th Avenue. This free seminar, which provides business management tools for employers to run their businesses more efficiently, is beneficial to anyone who interacts with employees on the job, particularly business owners, managers, supervisors and human resource professionals. Topics include “Employment Law: From Hiring to Firing,” presented by attorney Terry McCay of Kean, Miller, Hawthorne, D’Armond, McCowan and Jarman; “Updates in Minor Labor Laws,” presented by Lonnie Rogers, workforce development manager for the Louisiana Workforce Commission; and “Small Business Capitalization,” presented by Juanita Poland of the Workforce Investment Board staff. Gwendolyn Guillory of the Business and Career Solutions Center will also provide information on training programs available through the Workforce Investment Act. Refreshments will be provided and registration is required. For more information or to register, contact Ann LeBlanc at (337) 4754900, ext. 145.
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BUSINESS
Above: Praxair Inc. recently made a $20,000 donation to the United Way of Southwest Louisiana Hurricane Fund. Participating in the check-presentation ceremony were: Dan Costanza, Praxair Pipeline business manager and James Boudreaux, Praxair Sulphur plant manager; Jim McGough, chairman of the board, United Way of Southwest Louisiana; and Blake McCaskill, head of the UW Hurricane Fund oversight committee. “More than 600 Praxair employees operate 17 facilities in the areas affected by Hurricane Ike, and we are all working to help our neighbors and communities who suffered damage or loss to get back up on their feet again,” said Anne Roby, vice president, South Region, for Praxair’s North American Industrial Gases business unit. “We hope this donation will help accelerate the recovery process.” The fund’s monies are earmarked solely for distribution to organizations and agencies in Southwest Louisiana that are assisting with the care of residents impacted by Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Gustav and Ike. With 2007 sales of $9.4 billion, Praxair, Inc. is a global Fortune 300 company that supplies atmospheric, process and specialty gases, high-performance coatings, and related services and technologies to a wide diversity of industries. The WCCH Diabetes Education Program has been awarded continued recognition from the American Diabetes Association (ADA). The program was originally recognized in September of 2005. The program at WCCH provides resources and education for those living with diabetes. “We have one-on-one diabetes education as well as group diabetes education, depending on the need of the individual,” explained Leslie Petross, LDN, RD, Diabetes Education Coordinator at WCCH. “Our support group meets the last Tuesday of the month at 11:30 a.m. Anyone who would like to learn more about diabetes is welcome. Self-management education is an essential component of diabetes treatment. The Diabetes Education Program at WCCH covers nutrition management, physical activity, medications, what to do when complications occur, goal setting, and psychological adjustment. “Hospital admissions can be reduced when patients understand the importance of following their treatment plan,” said Petross. The ADA recognition process gives professionals a national standard by which to measure the quality of the services they provide. For more information, contact Leslie Petross at 527-4282. Weingarten Realty (NYSE:WRI) announced recently that Citi Trends Fashion will open a new store in the Park Plaza Shopping Center. A valuepriced family apparel retailer, Citi Trends leased 20,463 square feet of space for their new store, which is scheduled to open in the Fall of 2008. Located on Highway 14 at Prien Lake Road, Park Plaza Shopping Center is at the hub of the Lake Charles prime retail corridor. With a large power center adjacent from Park Plaza, the area draws families from five surrounding parishes. Easy access from the heavily-traveled Interstate Highway 210 provides convenience for consumers at the center’s other popular retailers which include Kroger, Family Dollar, Conn’s and Anna’s Linens. “Dedicated to providing value priced, quality fashion in a friendly, well-maintained atmosphere, Citi Trends rounds out our tenant mix at Park Plaza Shopping Center,” said Brody Farris, leasing executive for Weingarten’s Central Region. PAGE 10
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notes
Cameron Communications Public Relations Coordinator Jason LeBlanc and 3rd grade teacher, Paulette Szymanski with Vincent Elementary students, Hayden Hagler, Owen Welch and J.T. Pinson.
Cameron Communications Public Relations Coordinator, Jason LeBlanc delivered Vincent Settlement Star Student Award T-shirts to 3rd grade teacher, Paulette Szymanski. The T-Shirts were donated as part of Cameron Communications Partners In Education program with the school. T-shirts are given every month to students who exemplify excellence in class participation and attendance, homework completion and good behavior. Hart Eye Center has moved to a new upgraded facility at 1920 West Sale Road, Building F, Suite 3, in Lake Charles, across from Women and Children’s Hospital. The larger space improves patient flow and houses the latest state-ofthe-art equipment. Flooding from Hurricane Ike was a catalyst for the move. Ophthalmologist William B. Hart, M.D., said the disaster was an opportunity to expand Hart Eye Center to a better location with new, more advanced equipment. Hart Eye Center has always been dedicated to enabling patients to “see better for the rest of their lives,” Dr. Hart said, and the new location will allow them to take this mission further by not just improving, but optimizing patient’s vision. “There’s not a typical patient. Whatever a person’s vision need is, we have a particular plan that can really make that person see as well as they can with their native eyes, and for many people, that means no more contacts or glasses.” Hart Eye Center also includes the dermatology and aesthetics practice of Maureen Olivier, M.D. Dr. Olivier said the new location will allow her to add new services and advances to her practice. Lakeside Optical also moved to the new Sale Road location. The shop offers glasses, contacts and other eye care products. For more information on Hart Eye Center visit www.harteyecenter.com or contact Elaine Dyer at 4394014 or harteyeinfo@yahoo.com. NES Rentals Holdings, Inc., one of the largest aerial equipment rental providers in the country, has announced the relocation of its Sulphur branch to accommodate growing customer and employee needs. The Sulphur branch has doubled its revenues over the last three years and outgrew its old facility. Additionally, the team felt it was time to move to a more updated space that could better support their growing technology, equipment and employee needs. The new branch, located at 122 Hood Road, fulfills all of these needs and allows the team to accommodate more equipment to support the Southwest region of Louisiana. “NES Rentals’ Sulphur branch has seen tremendous growth in the region, and needed a larger and more contemporary facility to help them achieve their goals and maintain steady growth,” stated Don Irwin, regional vice president. “We are pleased to support this type of success with the tools they need to continue this path of revenue growth. The employees are proud of their new facility and the efforts that put them there.” Along with Irwin, the Sulphur management team includes Buddy Glover, branch manager, and Mike O’Neal, district manager. For more information, visit www.nesrentals.com.
BUSINESS
notes
Reporting 30.3 percent of goal or $1,374,019, the Southwest Louisiana United Way campaign is making steady progress, said Calcasieu Parish Sheriff Tony Mancuso, campaign chairman, at the report meeting on Tuesday. “Despite damage from Hurricane Ike and an evacuation for Hurricane Gustav, the campaigns that have been completed have not only met the challenge, but many of them have increased their giving. The efforts of my cabinet, loaned executives, employee groups, staff and volunteers have been nothing less than remarkable,” Mancuso said. Emcee Carol Collins of ConocoPhillip, who hosted Tuesday’s gathering of 300, said the Southwest Louisiana United Way campaign is the state’s third largest behind New Orleans and Baton Rouge — and possibly No. 1 in per capita generosity in terms of overall giving based on population. Agency stories were presented by Dinah Landry of the Cameron Council on Aging and Ralph Wright of the American Red Cross. “We have faced a different kind of devastation with Hurricane Ike,” Landry said. “But we’re coming back bigger and better than ever.” While Ike and Hurricane Rita were different, she said Cameron Parish has received the same great help from United Way agencies. Wright said one of the first things the Red Cross does in a disaster in Cameron is to contact Landry, who helps the agency find places to deliver assistance to the people there. With $200,000 available for relief, the Community Foundation of Southwest Louisiana has granted $50,000 to Second Harvest Food Bank, which fed thousands of people after hurricanes Ike and Gustav struck South Louisiana. Second Harvest partnered with nonprofits across Southwest Louisiana to provide more than 2 million pounds of food to evacuees. “Second Harvest did extraordinary work after the hurricanes, filling the big gap in needs that arise after storms,” said Lisa Verrette, CEO of Community Foundation of Southwest Louisiana. “This grant will help the food bank offset unexpected expenses and continue to feed the hungry across South Louisiana.” The Community Foundation of Southwest Louisiana is a sister organization of the Baton Rouge Area Foundation. The foundations, along with the Northshore Community Foundation in Mandeville, raised more than $750,000 for relief after Gustav and Ike.
Mardi Gras Poster Contest Deadline is Nov. 19 The glitter and glow of the 2009 Mardi Gras season begins with summoning artists to submit original artwork for the annual poster contest promoting Mardi Gras in Southwest Louisiana. Entries need to be in hand by Wednesday, Nov. 19. The winner receives $400 and the privilege of having his or her artwork printed on a commemorative poster showcasing Mardi Gras in Southwest Louisiana. No computer generated or digital art is accepted. The winning poster will be scanned in and printed, and the
finished product will be 16 by 20 inches. The poster must include the phrase “Mardi Gras of Southwest Louisiana 2009,” and all entries become the property of Mardi Gras of Southwest Louisiana. The drop off for entries is at Paradise Florist, 2925 Ernest St. For more information, contact the Lake Charles/Southwest Louisiana Convention & Visitors Bureau at (337) 436-9588 or Laurie Moffett at (337) 263-0321.
We introduce “Parting Shots” – photos submitted by our readers to close each issue of The Times. To submit your photo, please follow these simple steps. 1) Email your snap shots to myphoto@timessw.com. Must include a contact name and phone number. 2) Photos should be attached as a file and not imbedded in copy or photoshopped into a format. Original size, please, do not compress the file. No mailed or fax photographs can be used. 3) Subjects in photo must be identified by name. Children should also be identified by parent or guardian. Unidentified or anonymous photos will not be considered for publication. 4) The Times reserves the right to decline publishing photos of questionable taste or subject matter, or for space limitations.
OCTOBER 16, 2008
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OCTOBER 16, 2008
Wings & Wheels Fly-in/Drive-in East Texas and West Louisiana aviation enthusiasts and classic car and motorcycle fans…mark your calendars! You’re not going to want to miss this event. EAA Chapter 1356 El Camino Real Flyers will once again bring The Wings & Wheels Fly-in/Drivein to the Beauregard Regional Airport in DeRidder on Nov. 1, from 9 a.m. till 4 p.m.
There is no admission and concessions will be available. This event, coinciding with National Aviation History Month, will honor those who served at the DeRidder Army Airbase during World War II. Military static displays, both modern and vintage, will be on hand. Bring your camera! There will be a special tribute to the historic WWII DeRidder Army
Air Base (DAAB). You’ll want to stop by the main hanger and take a look at the display, view photos and videos as well as the EAA Timeless Voices DVD, and maybe share some of your own stories. The group is seeking local information about this great historic resource. The Louisiana Slow Rollers Car Club will host a Car Show with awards given to the top three in each class. The six classes include pre1930, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s and post-80s. There is a $25 registration fee. Preregistration is available at www.laslowrollers.com, or by contacting Daryl Smith (337) 463-8989 or Ronnie Banks at (337) 469-1696. Southwest Louisiana Bike Enthusiasts have planned a Ride-In and Bike Show. Each biker/passenger will be charged a $5 participation fee. Those entering the Bike Show will pay an additional $5. For information, contact Jim Morris at (337) 5403586 or jmorris@fmwllp.com All proceeds, over and above the funding of participation prizes for either the Car Show and/or the Bike Show & Ride In, will be donated to the EAA Chapter 1356 El Camino Real Flyers Aviation Scholarship Fund. Prizes will be raffled to benefit the EAA Chapter 1356 Aviation Scholarship Fund. Last year’s donation to the Fund has enabled four area youths to participate in AeroScholars, a series of online college credit courses designed for high school students interested in aviation. The two-course series covers aviation history, the science of flight and introduction to careers in aviation, and will prepare them to take the FAA private pilot exam. To donate cash or raffle prizes, contact the EAA Chapter 1356 Aviation Scholarship Fund, 1220 1st Ave. DeRidder, 70634, (337) 463-8250, fax: (337) 463-5826 or see ecrflyers@eaa1356.com . The EAA Chapter 1356 (The El Camino Real Flyers) is the East Texas & West Louisiana chapter of the International Experimental Aircraft Association (www.eaa.org), headquartered in Oshkosh, WI. EAA is a family-oriented organization formed for the enjoyment and promotion of general aviation.
PERSPECTIVES — by Jim Doyle
Winds of Change y lifelong friend and college classmate Jimmy Buffett once wrote a song called “Trying To Reason With Hurricane Season.” Amen, Brother Bubba. No way to make sense of this one, no sir. Hurricanes used to have memorable names filled with dread because of their rarity: Audrey, Betsy, Camille, Katrina. But Rita? Sounds like the blonde on the barstool at K.D.’s waiting for her turn in the video poker booth. Gustav and Ike? Two of the Smith Brothers. And this year a hurricane hit MAINE, for frak’s sake. What’s up with that? My tracking chart doesn’t go past Virginia. Even Buffett couldn’t make up a song about that one, at least not without a volcano in the background. Before I get too far down this malarkey road, let me be perfectly frank about that frankly imperfect representation of my relationship with the author of the World’s Greatest Love Song. (Hint: It’s about beer and a bodily function performed in pairs. No, not potty breaks.) True, we did go to the same institution of higher learning, the University of Southern Mississippi. At the same time. I was a freshman living in the Pike House and he was a senior next door at Kappa Sig. If we ever me, it was probably over a glass of the vintage bourbon of the day, Rebel Yell, vintage Monday. I do vaguely recall signs on campus offering a free concert at the Student Union by my fellow frat boy, but I never went. Hell, if it’s free, how good could he be? Anyway. . . Let’s hope this hurricane season is over now, not on the official date of November 30. I’ve seen enough. Coming back from Houston last week on the Port Arthur highway (it’s shorter and faster) I saw a new kind of road kill. Alligators. Five of them, one about eight feet long with a Buffett-worthy character eyeballing him in brogans and coveralls, trying to find a way to lift him into the back of his King Ranch 250. I have lived south of I-10 since 1972, and not until Rita have I ever been personally affected by a hurricane. Never even evacuated. This year, when Gustav was bearing down on us, I wound up looking at the ducks in the Peabody pond in my hometown of Memphis. So, are things getting worse?
M
I don’t know. Hard to tell. I’ve been suffering from Boomer-itis lately, a creeping sense of nostalgia. I think the old days really weren’t that great compared to now; we just remember them better. Short-term memory goes first. Actually, the first symptom of Boomer-itis is an incessant, compelling need to turn first to the obituary section of any given newspaper. I have a picture on my wall at home of my first grade birthday party held in the parlor of my home in Bolivar, Tennessee, an antebellum house bought by my father for $5,000 in 1942. According to my brother Thomas, they had to completely remodel the house because the former residents were raising goats in the living room. See, Bolivar is kind of in the country. Anyway, by the time I came along, the goats were gone and the house was restored to its original luster,
AND THIS YEAR A HURRICANE HIT MAINE, FOR FRAK’S SAKE. WHAT’S UP WITH THAT? MY TRACKING CHART DOESN’T GO PAST VIRGINIA. brightened in the immortal Kodak moment of that picture on the wall by memorable, shining young faces. My friend Blake White is standing next to me with a smile that makes it look like it was his birthday. My cousin Carl Watson is off to the side next to Maria Reynolds, daughter of my dad’s best friend and one of two at that party who is no longer with us. Maria was one of the sweetest girls I ever knew, and she had a special connection. Her aunt was married to Guy Williams, whom you may remember as the dad from Lost in Space, but who will always be Zorro to me. I met him once at her house, wearing my Cub Scout uniform. I was tongue-tied and couldn’t say a word, but I loved Maria’s stories about “Uncle Guy.” Last time I saw her she was a nurse at
the local old folks home. I never knew she was dead until I saw her headstone one spring day. The most recent loss among my party guests is Jody Sharp, a tall kid who moved away in ninth grade and, as far as I know, I never saw him again. He died last week. His obit was in the Bolivar Bulletin. R.I.P. Jody. Most of my adult life those days, and that place in the picture, and those true lifelong friends, have been a refuge from the storm, more literally lately with whatever forces bring more, and more powerful, winds of change our way, winds of all kinds, actual, financial, political, personal. Whatever eter-
nal truth there may be recognizes the prime directive that life is change, for better or worse. And everybody needs a little shelter from the storm now and then. May each of you, dear readers, find your shelter. It’s good to be back. Many, many thanks to all of you who said a kind word to me over the last few years about missing this little bit of doggerel, and special thanks to Patrick Marcantel and Lauren de Albuquerque for finding room in their hearts (and their paper) for me again. See you on the flip.
Woman to Woman,
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OCTOBER 16, 2008
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S O U T H W E S T
L O U I S I A N A ’ S
H O M E G R O W N
B U S I N E S S E S
Hard-working Mom Finds Opening Business Pays Off By Lisa Yates edad Abrusley opened Oasis Foods, Inc. because small businesses needed a distributor willing to handle small orders. In 1978, her husband, Eddie, was working as a salesman for a food service distributing business in Beaumont, Texas. The company was bought by a major company and soon implemented a new policy — it quit filling orders of less than $700. “Many of my husband’s customers were small mom and pop businesses,” Abrusley said. “These were people in Abbeville and Port Arthur...Good customers, but small businesses.” Her husband suggested they start a company to fill the void. It was a good opportunity and it would help these small businesses, he told her. Abrusley, 60, wasn’t excited about the idea. Instead, she wanted to pur-
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chase an import store franchise from a company in Houston. Besides, the timing wasn’t right. “At that time, I was expecting our third child,” she said. “I was six months pregnant. I did not want to lose the insurance.” However, she took a chance. “We borrowed $25,000 on our home – we took out a second mortgage,” Abrusley said. Without a personal vehicle, the couple purchased a truck for pick-ups and deliveries. “I took orders over the phone with three kids screaming at me in the background,” Abrusley said. In addition to taking orders by phone, she divided onions and potatoes in her garage. Then, she helped load the produce onto the truck for her husband to deliver. She did this while caring for her three small children at home, while her husband delivered
Wedad Abrusley, owner.
orders throughout Southeast Texas and Southwest Louisiana. “I was a wife, a mom, an employee – I did the invoices, mailed out statements while I took care of the kids,” Abrusley said. “I cooked and I cleaned; and, I worried about him on the road. There were no cell phones back then. My blood pressure – it raised from worrying so much.” The big break Her first big break came when a chain of convenience stores became customers. More money became available, but rather than purchase personal luxuries, Abrusley put money back into the business. The company hired employees and purchased new equipment – freezers, storage facilities and delivery trucks. Growing up without luxuries in Syria helped Abrusley to prioritize and to invest wisely in her business. She said it also helped her appreciate the opportunities and luxuries many take for granted in this country. “We had no electricity,” she said. “We had no refrigerator.” At age 33, Abrusley’s father became disabled and had to retire. Her mother supported the family, which included seven daughters and two sons. “My mom is my hero,” Abrusley said. “She would sew one dress for seven children to wear. She taught us a lot. I am 100 percent like my mom. She had no refrigerator, but she always had a smile. She worked hard and built a house for us in Damascus – the capital city.” Even though Abrusley didn’t speak English – only Arabic and some French — she wanted to go to college in the United States of America. She wanted a better life. “In America, I know I could do it,” she said. “I know I could cut grass, wash cars – there is freedom here.” She followed her dreams and came to this country. A family from her church – Judy and Frank Mousa, of Houston, welcomed her into their home. She helped care for their baby, while attending college. “I never will forget those people,” Abrusley said. “They made me a part of their family. When I got married, they even paid for my wedding.” The leap from college student to business owner took many years, but she did it. With her husband and children, Abrusley built a successful company, which has been in business for 25 years. Challenges Along the way, Abrusley said she faced many challenges – including
customers who let her know that they did not want to do business with a woman. However, one of the biggest setbacks occurred when she lost her largest customer – a chain of convenience stores she had done business with for 16 years. The chain hired new management, who went with another distributor. Abrusley remembered thinking “God, help us.” “We had 26 employees, then,” she said. Like the Boy Scouts, her motto has been: “Be prepared.” Being prepared helped her weather many storms. “You have to be very patient, smart, and you have to prepare,” Abrusley said. “When one window closes, you have to open another one. Always in business — if you lose a customer, you need to have another.” For example, she took action when Harrah’s Casino came to town. She filled out vendor applications and got some business from that company. By providing excellent customer service, she has managed to work with other area casinos, including L’Auberge du Lac, Delta Downs, and Isle of Capri. “I would say that about 80 percent of our business is with casinos,” Abrusley said. “But, we have no guarantees – no contracts. We just have a history of giving the best quality service.” Other challenges The 9/11 attacks on New York and Washington, D.C., had chilling effects on many Arab-Americans, including the Abrusley family. “One of our best customers came into our lobby and starting yelling (obscenities) at us,” she said. Besides being disturbed by this outburst, Abrusley — a life-long Christian – said she was surprised that people here did not know Syria’s significance in the history of Christianity. “He did not know history, or geography,” she said. “The persons responsible for these attacks were not from my country.” Even after 25 years in business – paying taxes and giving back to the community, some still eye her with suspicion, she said. Despite this and other challenges, Abrusley continues working as she has done her entire life. Her husband, who is recovering from major surgery, spends less time at the office. Following in their footsteps Following in their parents’ entrepreneurial footsteps, the couple’s children – grown now — are developing their own businesses. Their daughters, Sami and Omaia,
are opening Regalia at 411 W. College Street in Lake Charles – formerly Spain’s Gift Shop. Shadi, their son, founded Southwest Marketing and Distribution – a wholesale distributor of premium liquor, spirits, wine, kitchen equipment and smallwares. “I am very proud of them,” Abrusley said. “They work very hard – seven days a week.” Just like their parents. For more information, call (337) 439-5262, (337) 439-4405, or visit 2222 Kirkman Street in Lake Charles, or online at www.oasisfoodsinc.com.
The Times of SWLA is distributed throughout our region and via the world wide web. Call Andy, or Patricia at 337-439-0995 and let them show you how to grow your business today.
Market Hours Thursday ~ 9 a.m. - 8 p.m. Friday ~ 9 a.m. - 9 p.m. Saturday ~ 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.
The Junior League of Lake Charles, Inc. presents...
General Admission $5.00 per person or stroller, children under 8 get in FREE for General Admission (Handicap Accessible)
HOLIDAY MARKET
For more information, or to obtain tickets, please call:
Celebrating 16 Years 1993-2008 th
NOVEMBER 12 -15
436-4025
th
or visit www.jllc.net
Lake Charles Civic Center
“PREVIEW PARTY GALA” Wednesday, Nov. 12 • 7:00 PM-10:00 PM “SHOP ‘TIL YOU DROP” Thursday, Nov. 13 • 9:00 AM-8:00 PM “FASHION SHOW LUNCHEON” Friday, Nov. 14 • 11:30 AM-1:30 PM “FAMILY BINGO NIGHT” Friday, Nov. 14 • 6:00 PM-8:00 PM “BREAKFAST WITH SANTA & FRIENDS” Saturday, Nov. 15 8:30 AM-9:30 AM & 10:00 AM-11:00 AM “COOKIES WITH SANTA & FRIENDS” Saturday, Nov. 15 • 2:30 PM-3:30 PM All proceeds benefit community projects sponsored by The Junior League of Lake Charles, Inc.
OCTOBER 16, 2008
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OCTOBER 16, 2008
By Lisa Yates
Search all you want, there is no magic formula for fame and fortune. The truth is, success doesn’t just happen; people make it happen through hard work, networking, courage, passion and even pain. Anna Wiggins, Dr. Yoko Broussard, Karla Hunt, Anna Romero and Sarah Ehlers – all successful entrepreneurs in Southwest Louisiana – tell their stories.
Anna Wiggins
Owner of Curious Cargo in DeRidder An old Chinese proverb says that the person who cannot smile should not set up shop. After all, who wants to buy from a shopkeeper who is rude or impatient? Anna Wiggins agrees. She's the owner of Curious Cargo, at 1118 N. Pine Street in DeRidder, and her goal is to see people smile. “People are so much fun,” she said. “We have a goal here – when people come in, our goal is to make then laugh, or giggle, and to
get them to relax and forget their troubles for a little while.” This philosophy has kept Wiggins in business for 25 years. Wiggins, 66, said she likes to give her customers “a little bit of extra” service -like gift-wrapping. “Around Christmas time men will stick their heads in the door and ask if we gift wrap,” she said. “I tell them 'sure, come on in.'” She also plans special events to attract new business.
OCTOBER 16, 2008
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Anna Wiggins
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OCTOBER 16, 2008
For example, George Fenton, president of collectible Fenton Art Glass, will be in her store Nov. 6, to sign pieces for customers. “Fenton Glass is a 103-year-old American company that started in West Virginia,” Wiggins said. “A signed piece of glassware can triple its value.” Fenton Art Glass, gourmet coffee, silk flowers, made-to-order gift baskets, holiday and home décor, Louisiana souvenirs, LSU memorabilia, and more – Curious Cargo is a shoppers paradise and a fun place to browse. “We laugh and say we have everything but motor oil!” Wiggins joked. Never planning to go into business for herself, Wiggins said she “fell into it.” “It was really and accident,” she said. Before becoming a business owner, Wiggins worked a couple of days per week at Pier One Imports. When the owners retired, she bought the franchise and ran it. Eventually, she sold it back to the company and started Curious Cargo – her own retail business. “I enjoyed it, so I guess it was just meant to be,” she said. Wiggins is a bundle of energy. In addition to running a successful business, she is active in the community. One of her many activities includes serving on the Military Affairs Committee of the Greater Beauregard Chamber of Commerce. Wiggins recently re-activated a yellow ribbon campaign through the committee. “It’s something we’ve done in the past, but it has kind of fallen by the wayside for awhile,” she said. “We have a lot of military in DeRidder and Ft. Polk, so we want to be sure and support them. We also want to remember that we still have soldiers fighting
oversees.” Ampacet Corporation in DeRidder donated spools of plastic ribbon for the cause, which Wiggins ties into bows and distributes for donations at her store. “We're asking for donations to purchase phone cards for soldiers and their families,” she said. Besides supporting the troops, Wiggins is the president of the local community theatre. “I've been with the Impromptu Players Dinner Theatre volunteering for 20 years,” she said. “We've revamped the building. It's beautiful now.” Volunteering includes cooking all of the food for the dinner theatre. How does she do so much? “I guess I'm just scared to stop,” she said, “So, I just keep on truckin'!” When she's not working, or volunteering, she is spending time with her husband Dave, who works as a transportation officer at Ft. Polk. The couple has grown children -- a son in Ft. Worth, and two daughters – one in Dallas, and one in DeRidder. “Thank goodness my two grandchildren – a boy and a girl – live here,” she said. “Sarah is a senior at DeRidder High School, and Kevin is an 11-year-old soccer player.” Wiggins said her granddaughter is very involved with her business. She even works with her at the store on Saturdays. “She put together the ballet area of the store by herself,” Wiggins said. “She also goes to market with me in Dallas.” Her granddaughter also designed a souvenir mug featuring the Gothic jail and courthouse in DeRidder. Wiggins said the mugs will be available soon and will be sold in the store this Christmas. “We make a good team,” she said.
Dr. Yoko Broussard M.D., pediatrician
Dr. Yoko Broussard Photo by Phil de Albuquerque
Dr. Yoko Broussard, M.D. devotes her life to caring for others. Her medical practice at 711 South Ryan Street in Lake Charles has operated successfully for 14 years. Broussard, 41, chose to become a doctor having come from a long line of physicians. She said her grandfather has been her greatest influence. “My grandfather told me that I could do anything that I set my mind on,” she said. “He believed in the perseverance and dedication. He instilled in me the belief that every person can make a difference. I chose to make a difference by being a doctor and by being an advocate for my patients and their health care needs.” She described some of the things she enjoys about her work. “I enjoy talking to my patients and making them feel better,” Broussard said. “I cannot always cure an illness, but I can help make the pain a little more tolerable. “I think it is a privilege when patients trust me enough to allow me to help them, whether it is writing an antibiotic prescription for an infection, to prevent illness by ordering a mammogram or colonoscopy, to being present to advise and guide patients and families in the last stage of life. “I love following the birth of a newborn and watching that infant grow into the cute, toddler stage, then progress to a young child. Some of my patients have grown from adolescents to young adults having children of their own. I am blessed when they in turn ask me to be their new baby’s doctor.” Happily, Broussard has been able to combine the family life she always wanted with the career she considered her personal mission. She has been married for 18 years and
has raised two sons – “Matthew is an 11-year-old intellect, who wants to grow up to be a baseball player or to be the coolest video game creator,” she said. “Jared is the friendliest 8-year-old who recognizes no strangers and participates in every sport and social event that he comes across.” Balancing work and family life isn’t easy, especially for a doctor. Broussard said her profession does not recognize a 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. shift; and, she frequently works long hours caring for her patients. “The time I spend with my family is very precious,” she said. “It is rare that I work less than a 45 hour work week. On call weekends, I may actually work up to 60 hours. I am lucky that I have a husband and children that are very tolerant of my work schedule. My children are well-known in the area hospitals for they have accompanied me frequently on rounds. They know which hospitals have the best food and how to get treats from the nursing staff.” In addition to her medical practice, Broussard’s career includes charitable work to benefit the community. She is an advocate for children and the underserved. Broussard serves on the board of the Children’s Museum, and is a a long time
OCTOBER 16, 2008
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champion of the Children’s Miracle Network. “I also have been the director of Kidpower of Southwest Louisiana, which is a program that addresses the obesity problems of our kids today,” she said. In addition, the doctor serves as the medical director, and on the board of Matthew 25:40 – a nonprofit organization that oversees the intervention of recovering addicts and integrates them into being productive members of society. “I also serve on the Calcasieu Medical Society Foundation Board,”
she said. “We provide the funding necessary to run the Calcasieu Community Clinic that provides health care for the working uninsured poor in this community. I am also a volunteer physician at the Calcasieu Community Clinic.” Broussard was nominated recently to serve as vice president of Louisiana Medical Society. “I hope to be able to play a part in finding a solution to the health care crisis in our society, and to encourage our legislators to come together to solve the Medicare/Medicaid and uninsured issues of our state,” she said.
Anna Romero
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OCTOBER 16, 2008
Owner of Briar Patch in Jennings The Briar Patch is a boutique, at 342 N. Main Street in Jennings, specializing in children's clothing, gifts, toys, shoes and baby apparel. Owner Anna Romero started the business in 2000, because she loves working in retail meeting people and working with children. “I spoil all of the children that come into the store,” she said. Romero, 54, knows about spoiling children. This mother of three grown children has six grandchildren: Gracie, 8; Ireland, 6; Ella, 3; Haydon, 3; Thomas, 1; and, Hudson, 1. “And, there's one due in February,” Romero said. When she's not working at the store, she's spending time with her husband, Rick, and their grandchildren. The grandchildren call her “Granna.” “I guess you can say they are my biggest hobby,” she said. As a successful business owner, Romero said her inspiration to make a positive difference in the world came from her own mother. “My major influence has been my mom,” she said. “She didn't work in retail. Mom was a nursing home administrator who loved serving people.” As a result of her upbringing, Romero has always found it is important to treat people with respect, and she believes that's one of the reasons she has been successful in business. “If you treat people good, they'll be good to you,” she said. “Be pleasant and happy, and keep your customers happy – that's what I try to do.”
She said in a service-oriented business, you have to love working with people. Fortunately, she has a dedicated, talented employee to help her. “I could not do this without Beth LaBouve,” Romero said. “She's been with me for seven years. She's dedicated, wonderful, honest; and, she's great with the customers.” Romero said customers also provide feedback, which is important when it comes to selecting merchandise people want to buy. “We have wonderful customers,” she said. “They give us tips on what's new; and, what they would like to see us carry in the store. In this business, you have to stay current.” Also, Romero stays current through membership in the Jeff Davis Business Alliance. There she makes important business contacts at the Chamber's luncheons, mixers and social events. Her charitable work includes volunteering for the American Heart Association. “People should support their towns,” she said. “It's especially important to support youth, because they are our future.” In business, Romero said it's important to diversify. Her plans to diversify include adding a wholesale business. She will be manufacturing monogrammed and personalized hair bows and pacifier clips. Romero's advice for young women, who want to follow in her footsteps: “be positive.” “You can do anything you put your mind to doing,” she said. “Be ambitious, but be cautious.”
Photo by Phil de Albuquerque
Karla Hunt
At the Lake Charles Civic Center
Karla Hunt
Shelter Insurance agency owner Who says insurance is a male-dominated profession? Not Karla Hunt, an industry veteran with her own agency – Shelter Insurance, located at 3028 Ryan Street in Lake Charles. “Even though I am a woman in a man's world, more and more women are getting into this industry,” she said. Her message to other women who want to succeed in a male-dominated profession is: “Don't be afraid to do it just because you're female,” she said. “Go out and try.” Hunt, 43, said she has been working in the industry since graduating from McNeese State University in 1986. She has managed to carve out a successful career setting out to achieve a big goal. “I've always worked for someone else,” she said. “So when I got into this profession, I set a goal to own an agency by the time I was 30-years-old.” She accomplished her goal. “I turned 30 on Oct. 24, 1994,” she said. “My hire date was Nov. 7, that same year.” Pleased to have met that goal, Hunt said her other goal is to help people. “I'm a helper, and insurance is a great way to help people,” she said. “Besides helping to insure homes and autos, I get to help families.” Besides helping families save for their future – college for the kids and planning for retirement, life insurance helps families when a tragedy occurs.
“If the breadwinner dies, it's great to be able hand the widow a check to take care of expenses,” Hunt said. Her company also helped people who have been affected by the recent hurricanes. “After Rita, I really got to see my company shine,” Hunt said. “I also got to see first-hand the good in people. People were very patient during this stressful time; and, the adjusters put in a lot of time working many hours to help them.” Running a thriving business and raising kids doesn't leave Hunt with a lot of spare time. “I wash clothes and tote kids,” she said jokingly when asked about her leisure-time activities. As a wife and mother with two elementary-aged girls, Hunt stays busy juggling the responsibilities of home, family and business. “I'm a room mother,” she said. “I am very active and involved at the school with the children.” She's also an active member of her church and she loves to read. “My parents raised us to go to school and get a good education, then to go to work and become self-sufficient,” Hunt said. Her parents and her husband, Stewart, have been very supportive. “When I told my husband I had this opportunity, he said 'I think you can do it,'” Hunt said. “It's very scary to leave something comfortable and to branch out on your own.”
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PAGE 21
Sarah Ehlers
Owner of Jon Margeaux
Sarah Ehlers Photo by Phil de Albuquerque
PAGE 22
OCTOBER 16, 2008
When entrepreneur Sarah Ehlers’ mother died, she left her job as ad director for The Times. “I took some time off to grieve her passing and think about what I wanted to do,” she said. During that time, Ehlers recalled her mother’s fondness for entertaining and setting an elegant table. “My mother was a gourmet – she loved to cook and make ordinary food look pretty on the table,” she said. Her mother's style included collecting beautiful serving pieces and decorative glass. “The joy my mother experienced in planning, preparing and setting a beautiful table made a deep impression on me that I didn't fully realize until after her death,” Ehlers said. In memory of her mother, she founded Jon Margeaux – an international wholesale supplier of pewter tableware and hand-finished decorative glass items. The collections are featured online at www.jonmargeaux.com, and in major giftware catalogs. There’s even a piece of Jon Margeaux at the White House – a pewter wine bucket shaped like a cowboy boot. “One day we got a call from the White House,” Ehlers said. “They needed to find out the retail cost, because someone gave it to the president as a gift; and it had to be reported. That was exciting. So, we sent the matching wine glasses.” She said the president responded with a note of thanks. “Our pieces have also been featured on The Price is
Right,” Ehlers said, noting that it all began here in Southwest Louisiana. Her wildly successful business began in 1999, operating out of Sulphur. Then, she changed her business strategy and moved the business to the Cottage Shop District at 2706 Hodges Street, in Lake Charles. “In July, we opened a storefront to retail,” Ehlers said. “People told me they have been buying Jon Margeaux for years, but had no idea we were local.” She said her retail space includes a gallery featuring the works of local artists – photographers, potters, stained-glass artists, and an acrylics-artist. “I am very active in supporting the arts and in the revitalization of the mid-town area,” she said. Ehlers attributes her amazing to success to many wonderful people in her life, including her husband, Greg Mahoney, a senior operations director at Excel Logistics. Her brothers, Chuck and Robert Ehlers, both of whom operate successful businesses, have been very influential. Susan O’Connor, her sister, has also been a
great source of support. “Whenever I faced challenges, felt down, or just needed a good laugh to relieve stress, she was always there for me,” Ehlers said. Ehlers said she faced many challenges in business – finding a manufacturer, protecting her original designs in foreign markets, and prospering in a tough economy. “Gail Brame, a commercial loan officer at Cameron State Bank, was another person who was very influential and helped me overcome one of my business challenges. A couple of years after I started my business, I realized that in order to expand into other markets in the U.S., I would need financing. Gail reviewed my company, loved what she saw, could relate to my vision, and believed in me. I owe a great deal of my success to her faith and support.” Ehlers also learned a lot about business and tenacity from her mother, who was the main breadwinner of the family. “She was a terrific business woman in her own right, and was elected Business Woman of the Year by the ABWA (American Business Women's Association) many, many years ago,” she said. Like mother, like daughter.
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PAGE 23
Fewer Women are Getting
Mammograms
Women’s
Health
A study released by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports that the percentage of American women getting mammograms has dropped slightly over the past few years. According to Radiologist Barbara Tomek, M.D., with Lake Charles Medical and Surgical Clinic, while the drop is not a huge one, even a small decrease in the mammography rate can mean that thousands of cases of breast cancer are missed. “Survival rates for women with breast cancer have continued to improve, and that is due in large part to earlier detection through mammograms,” she said. “We don’t want to see a change in this survival trend due to complacency among women about this important screening tool.” According to the CDC report, the share of women 40 and older who said they had a mammogram in the previous two years slipped from 76.4 percent to 74.6 percent between 2000 and 2005. Prior to this time period, the rate had risen dramatically over the
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OCTOBER 16, 2008
past two decades, from 29 percent in 1987, according to American Cancer Society statistics. The decline of less than two percentage points may seem small, but it is actually significant when you look at the bigger picture. CDC researchers said if you consider that about 80 million U.S. women should be getting a mammogram every year, a drop of two percentage points means more than 1 million fewer women are getting the screening test. Dr. Tomek said that could mean thousands of cases of breast cancer may not be diagnosed. “And, one thing we do know for certain is that women whose breast cancer is caught early have more treatment options and a better chance of beating the disease. That’s why mammography is so important.” The CDC and other researchers said possible explanations for the drop include a shortage of mammography screening centers and specialists, and a lack of health insurance among patients. Dr. Tomek said the decline may also reflect the fact that women entering the age range in which mammography is recommended have heard so much about the great strides in breast cancer treatment and survival that they are not as concerned about this disease as previous generations were. “Just a few decades ago, a diagnosis of breast cancer was the most terrifying thing a woman could hear because chances of survival were very low,” she said. “Now, just about everyone knows a breast cancer survivor. However, this is not the time for women to forget the importance of screening for this disease.” She wants women to be aware that the battle against breast cancer is being won because women have taken an active role in the fight. “Education and screening are still our best tools,” she explained. The CDC warned that recently reported declines in breast cancer incidence rates and cancer deaths are at risk if the decline continues. “If women don’t continue to be proactive, and pay attention to recommended screening guidelines, there is a real risk that some of the progress made in recent years in fighting breast cancer could be reversed,” added Dr. Tomek. For more information about mammography and screening recommendations, call Clinic Imaging at 312-8761.
Parrot Heads’ Fundraiser
“Angels in Tropical Shirts” to Benefit Ethel Precht Cancer Walk Fund
Women’s
Health
Your Comfort Zone Is Your Failure Zone
The Parrot Heads will hold a fundraiser in November to benefit the Ethel Precht Cancer Walk fund. All monies raised will go directly to local breast cancer survivors in Calcasieu and Cameron Parishes. The event will include Trop-Rock bands and a silent auction. The Parrot Heads will prepare and serve lunch and dinner—jambalaya and gumbo—and there will be a cash bar.
It will be held Saturday, November 22 at the Lake Charles Civic Center (The Contraband Room) from 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Registration is $40 per person (or $42 through PayPal) Register on-line at: www.angelsintropicalshirts.com. All artists are donating their performances for the fundraiser.
By Allie Ieyoub Kjellsten
Had you told me six years ago that I would be teaching exercise classes to large groups of people, I would have shaken my head in disbelief. Not me— I’m too shy. Had you told me five years ago that I would don a bathing suit (without a towel wrapped around me) and swim, bike, and run in said suit, I would have doubled over in laughter. Had you told me four years ago that I would bike 65 consecutive miles or run a marathon, I would have said “Impossible! I haven’t been on a bike since I was ten years old, and six miles is the absolute most I can run!” Had you told me three years ago that I would own a fitness company and promote it by putting pictures of myself on ads, giving live TV interviews, and writing newspaper articles, I would have definitely called you insane. Tell me any of those things today and I would say “bring it on!” What I know today is that my “comfort zone” – that which is routine, comfortable, and familiar, – is my “failure zone.” So often, I pushed my dreams aside in exchange for security and comfort. Fear of failure and fear of the unknown stopped me from venturing out of my safety bubble. As a result, I always felt like I was on the outside looking in; wondering why others could do things that I could not. As a personal trainer, I often deal with clients who are dissatisfied, bored and frustrated with their current fitness plans. They question why they are not seeing results, even though they have been walking two miles a day for the last three years. Out of habit, fear, and sometimes an inability
to understand or accept their potential, these women have allowed themselves to fall into exercise ruts. Doing what is routine is often easier than risking failure by trying something new. Habits are extremely hard to break and it takes a great deal of thought and willpower to change them. My job is to challenge my clients, test them, and introduce them to their potential by taking them out of the confines of their physical comfort zone. The longer you chose the “safe route,” the harder it is to leave. If you settle for mediocrity, you can never be fully gratified, because personal growth and change will only occur by enlarging your comfort zone. Sometimes we are unexpectedly thrust into the unknown and sometimes we must make a conscious decision to leave the safe behind. In doing so, our discomfort will soon be replaced by new ideas, opportunities, and perspectives, rendering the old comfort zone unacceptable. Always remember: The tougher the journey, the greater the reward! Allie’s company, Project Fit, strives to develop innovative fitness programs that will safely usher clients beyond their perceived limitations. Its flagship program, “Allie’s BootCamp,” was created on the premise that success and results are proportionate to effort. The next Bootcamp is Nov. 17. For more information, call (337) 274-7988, e-mail allie@projectfit.net, or visit www.projectfit.net.
11:30 a.m. – Doors open 12 noon – “Lone Palm” Paul Tull - Little Rock, AK 12:45 p.m. – Scotty Lee Shuffield (Six String Sailor) - Lake Tyler, TX 1:30 p.m. – Brad Brinkley - Lake Charles 2:15 p.m. – Don Burke - Dallas, TX 3 p.m. – Coconut Dave Waugh - Biloxi, MS 3:45 p.m. – John Reno - Fairhope, AL 4:30 p.m. – Bob Karwin - San Diego, CA 5:30 p.m. – Dinner Break 6:30 p.m. – The Bad Monkeys - Dallas, TX 9 p.m. – Hanna’s Reef - Beaumont, TX 11 p.m. – Close
Last year, Angels in Tropical Shirts was held in the Kemah area and raised $10,000 for Gilda’s Club of North Texas to help survivors of ovarian cancer. This donation was matched dollar for dollar by the T. Boone Pickens foundation. The founders of the Angels, Kelly
and Anita Brown, are from the Dallas area. They are planning to do similar events in other areas, all benefiting local charities in the communities where the event is held. The Pelican Coast Parrot Head Club is helping to host this particular Angels event.
Tying Local Breast Cancer
Survivors Together The 5th Annual Ethel Precht HOPE Breast Cancer 3K Walk/Fun Run will be held Sat. October 18 at the Lake Charles Civic Center Outdoor Theater. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. followed by open ceremonies at 8:30 a.m. Cost for adults is $15 and $10 for students and children. Participates can pre-register online at www.EthelBreastCancerWalk.org. “While I believe money is needed for extensive research, my walk is dedicated to local survivors and their families,” says Ethel Precht, organiza-
tion founder. All monies raised are used to benefit local Breast Cancer patients that reside in Calcasieu and Cameron Parishes who cannot afford to purchase bras, wigs, prosthesis and other items. To receive aid, please visit www.EthelBreastCancerWalk.org and complete the form. The form needs to be mailed to 162 West Precht Road, Bell City, Louisiana 70631. For more information, please call (337) 5982093. OCTOBER 16, 2008
PAGE 25
Women’s
Health
American Cancer Society: Early Detection is Key in Reducing Breast Cancer Deaths As the nation marks the annual National Breast Cancer Awareness Month this October, the American Cancer Society is encouraging women to fight breast cancer by taking charge of their personal breast health and supporting efforts against the disease. The Society is reminding women 40 and older about the importance of getting a mammogram annually to detect breast cancer in its earliest, most treatable stage. An estimated 182,460 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to occur among women in the U.S. in 2008, and about 40,480 deaths are expected. Studies clearly show that early detection of breast cancer through mammography greatly improves treatment options, the chances for successful treatment and survival. Early-stage breast cancer typically produces no symptoms when the tumor is small and most treatable, so it is important that women follow recommended guidelines for finding breast cancer before symptoms develop. On average, mammography will detect about 80 percent to 90 percent of breast cancers in women without symptoms. “Survival rates for breast cancer are significantly higher when the cancer has not spread,” said Lindsay Ardoin, Income Development Representative at the American PAGE 26
OCTOBER 16, 2008
Cancer Society. “Numerous studies have shown that early detection increases treatment options and can save lives. That is why it is so important for women 40 and older to get an annual mammogram.” The American Cancer Society recommends yearly mammograms and clinical breast exams for women 40 and older and a clinical breast examination at least once every three years for women between the ages of 20 and 39. The Society also recommends magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for certain women at high risk. Women at moderate risk should talk with their doctors about the benefits and limitations of adding MRI screening to their yearly mammogram. While we do not yet know how to prevent breast cancer, we do know that women who maintain a healthy weight, eat a well-balanced diet, and are physically active 45 to 60 minutes on five or more days of the week can reduce their risk of breast cancer. Also, limiting alcohol consumption can reduce breast cancer risk – two or more drinks a day may increase breast cancer risk by 21 percent. The American Cancer Society and its partner advocacy organization, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action NetworkSM (ACS CAN), continue to engage in activities to increase funding for the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP). This important program provides low-income, uninsured and underinsured women access to mammograms, Pap tests, follow-up care and treatment when needed. Current funding only enables the program to serve one in five eligible women ages 50 to 64 nationwide, and for the first time since the program’s inception, fewer women are now being served due to flat funding rates and cuts in funding over the past five years. This lifesaving program cannot be fully realized if eligible women cannot get early detection tests
due to insufficient funding. ACS CAN encourages anyone touched by this disease to let Congress know that support for the NBCCEDP is important and that an increase in funding for this program, to $250 million this year, is vital to its continuation. The faster members of Congress make their commitment of support, the better the program can serve more of our mothers, sisters, daughters and friends. To get involved, or to learn more about this effort, please visit www.acscan.org/makingstrides. The American Cancer Society has invested more than $352 million in breast cancer research grants since 1972, and has been an important part of nearly every major breast cancer research breakthrough of the past century, including the use of tamoxifen to reduce the risk of first or second breast cancer occurrences. The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network is also active in the fight against breast cancer, mobilizing more than 100,000 volunteers to
defeat legislation that would have allowed insurance companies to remove laws guaranteeing cancer screening coverage for women who need it. ACS CAN continues to support legislation that would improve the quality of treatment for breast cancer patients and the quality of life for breast cancer survivors. The American Cancer Society is dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by saving lives, diminishing suffering, and preventing cancer through research, education, advocacy, and service. Founded in 1913 and with national headquarters in Atlanta, the Society has 13 regional Divisions and local offices in 3,400 communities, involving millions of volunteers across the United States. For more information anytime, call toll free (800) ACS2345 or visit www.cancer.org.
OCTOBER 16, 2008
PAGE 27
Living with Breast Cancer: Two Area Women Cope By Lauren de Albuquerque
A Lake Charles Tradition Since 1962
1025 Ryan St. • 433-3637 www.navarras.com
PAGE 28
OCTOBER 16, 2008
Bertha’s Story Bertha Stoner’s breast cancer was diagnosed by chance. In the hospital after a car accident 17 years ago, she decided to have a complete check-up— and her lump was discovered. “I was crushed,” said Stoner, 76, who had her sister come with her for moral support when her doctor broke the news to her. Her mother was still living at the time—at the ripe old age of 100. “I didn’t want her to know. But she was living with us…how do you keep something like that from your mother?” There was no cancer in her immediate family, so the diagnosis was quite unexpected. And Stoner felt as if she were in the dark. “People didn’t know that much about breast cancer then [in 1991]” she said. “There wasn’t a whole lot of information out there.” Stoner’s cancer was treated with tamoxifen, but she experienced side effects. Still, she remained in remission until 1998, when a lump was discovered in the other breast. But it was a different form of breast cancer. The first was ductile; the second was lobular. This time, she underwent a modified radical mastectomy. Again, she went into remission. In 2004, she discovered that her cancer had metastasized to her bone. “I started getting terrible headaches on my left side,” she said. Her daughter encouraged her to tell her doctor, who did a PET scan of her skull. The scan revealed cancer. “Dr. Lewis (Ronald Lewis) saved my life. He called a neurosurgeon. They took part of my skull out and replaced it with titanium.” She also had some radiation after surgery. Stoner’s most recent recurrence is hormone-related. “I get a shot of Faslodex once a month to kill the hormones,” she said. “I’ve been taking them for two years.” Despite what she has gone through in her life, she remains optimistic—and has not allowed the disease to get the best of her—or her family. Eight years ago, her daughter was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent a double mastectomy. “It broke my heart to shave her head—my own daughter,” she said. “But all this makes you know what life is about. Some days I’m down, especially when I first wake up,” she said. “But then I get motivated.” And motivated she is. Along with DeeDee Savoy, Stoner is co-facilitator of Bosom Buddies, a support group for breast cancer survivors and their families, which meets once a month at
Christus St. Patrick’s Hospital. And she has organized a luncheon at Temple Sinai next week to honor breast cancer survivors. “I’ve always had a positive outlook on life—even now,” she said. ‘But my family, friends and support group are what got me through.” Jan’s Story Jan Newman, 57, had routine mammograms for years. But a few months after a mammogram in 2004, she noticed the skin on one breast was puckering. She returned for another test, and was told everything was okay. “I have dense, lumpy breasts, so it looked like more of the same,” she said. But when the lump remained, she had a biopsy. It tested negative, but her surgeon was suspicious. He did a lumpectomy, which revealed cancer. “It was horrible news,” Newman said. “I cried for 10 minutes.” Disconcerted by the initial misdiagnosis, Jan and her husband George went to M.D. Anderson for a consultation. Ultimately, they opted to have the treatment (chemo and radiation) in Lake Charles under the direction of M.D. Anderson doctors. Newman had a lot of support as she went through her ordeal. “My husband is my rock,” Newman said. Her son lives out of state but did as much as he could for her. She was working at the time, and her co-workers were amazing, she said. “I had chemo once a week, and the day of my chemo, they would provide a meal for me and my husband, and give me gifts. I’m starting to cry just thinking about it.” She chose not to go to support groups, but instead visited reliable Web sites, such as the American Cancer Society’s, and read everything from medical pamphlets to Chicken Soup for the Soul. Newman is now in remission, but goes to M.D. Anderson every six months for a checkup. “You’re never the same, but it’s not a death sentence,” she said. “At the same time, I think about things differently now. I’m expecting my first grandchild, and I find myself praying that I can see her grow up.” What advice does she have for a woman who has just been diagnosed? “I know that if feels like the end of the world, but it isn’t,” she said. “Concentrate on yourself and put off other people. Take care of yourself first.”
ing area. Lymph node dissection is also done during this surgery.
Women’s
Health
Inflammatory Breast Cancer: What You Need to Know Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is a rare but very aggressive type of breast cancer in which the cancer cells block the lymph vessels in the skin of the breast. This type of breast cancer is called “inflammatory” because the breast often looks inflamed. According to the National Cancer Institute, IBC accounts for 1 to 5 percent of all breast cancer cases in the United States. It tends to be diagnosed in younger women compared to non-IBC breast cancer. It occurs more frequently and at a younger age in African Americans than in Caucasians. Like other types of breast cancer, IBC can occur in men, but usually at an older age than in women. Some studies have shown an association between family history of breast cancer and IBC, but more studies are needed to draw firm conclusions. Most ob-gyns and even many cancer specialists have never seen a case, so in women of childbearing age, it’s frequently misdiagnosed as mastitis, a common (and benign) complication of breast-feeding. Because IBC spreads so rapidly, misdiagnosis can be deadly. Of the 100,000 American women who suffer from it today, nearly half weren’t diagnosed until the disease had already metastasized. And when cancer spreads from its original site to other organs—such as the liver, lungs, bone, or brain—it’s too late for a cure. That’s one reason why the five-year survival rate is only around 40 percent—less than half that of other breast cancers. Symptoms Symptoms of IBC may include redness, swelling, and warmth in the breast, often without a distinct lump. Cancer cells blocking the lymph vessels in the skin cause the redness and warmth. The skin of the breast may also appear pink, reddish purple, or bruised. It may also have ridges or
appear pitted, like the skin of an orange (called peau d’orange), which is caused by a buildup of fluid and edema (swelling) in the breast. Other symptoms include heaviness, burning, aching, increase in breast size, tenderness, or a nipple that is inverted (facing inward). These symptoms usually develop quickly— over a period of weeks or months. Swollen lymph nodes may also be present under the arm, above the collarbone, or in both places. However, it is important to note that these symptoms may also be signs of other conditions such as infection, injury, or other types of cancer. How is IBC diagnosed? Diagnosis of IBC is based primarily on the results of a doctor’s clinical examination. Biopsy, mammogram, and breast ultrasound are used to confirm the diagnosis. IBC is classified as either stage IIIB or stage IV breast cancer. Stage IIIB breast cancers are locally advanced; stage IV breast cancer is cancer that has spread to other organs. IBC tends to grow rapidly, and the physical appearance of the breast of patients with IBC is different from that of patients with other stage III breast cancers. IBC is an especially aggressive, locally advanced breast cancer. Treatment Treatment consists of chemotherapy, targeted therapy, surgery, radiation therapy, and hormonal therapy. Patients may also receive supportive care to help manage the side effects of the cancer and its treatment. Chemotherapy is generally the first treatment for patients with IBC. After chemotherapy, patients with IBC may undergo surgery and radiation therapy to the chest wall. Both radiation and surgery are local treatments that affect only cells in the tumor and the immediately surround-
For More Information and Help The Inflammatory Breast Cancer Foundation is a group of concerned citizens who came together with the hope of making a difference in the way Inflammatory Breast Cancer is perceived by both the general public and the medical community. Their ranks come from IBC patients, physicians, the media and those affected by IBC. Their mission is to change the perceived notion that all breast cancers
have a lump. According to the foundation, the medical community has not been educated to a degree where they can catch this deadly form of breast cancer earlier than stage IIIB. They can be reached at (866) 9444223 or at eraseibc@eraseibc.com. On October 21, 2006, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston opened the first Inflammatory Breast Cancer Clinic in the world. To schedule an appointment with the IBC Clinic and Research Program, call askMDAnderson at (877) MDA6789.
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PAGE 29
Women’s
Health
Caring for Yourself After Breast Cancer
Tips for navigating some of the common concerns women face after breast cancer treatment ends Finally, the day you thought might never come has arrived. Your treatment for breast cancer is behind you. No more surgery, no more chemo, no more radiation. You’re in recovery mode. That’s good! But it may take a while for things to get back to normal. Fatigue, worry, stress and treatment side effects don’t necessarily disappear overnight. And new concerns may be added. Fortunately, there are plenty of resources to help you get through this time, just as there were during your treatment, says Todd Hebert, Director of Cancer Services at CHRISTUS St. Patrick Hospital. “And, there is a good chance that your quality of life will be restored, or only minimally affected in the future,” Hebert said. Finding support Your hospital can be an excellent source for support services you need, including nursing, social services, nutrition information, rehabilitation facilities and spiritual services.
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OCTOBER 16, 2008
While some women rely primarily on family and friends, others turn to individual or group counseling or self-help groups for support. One support group is the Bosom Buddies group that meets the second Tuesday of every month at the CHRISTUS St. Patrick Regional Cancer Center. Bosom Buddies was started by the American Cancer Society and breast cancer survivor Dee Dee Savoy 15 years ago. Bosom Buddies is now co-facilitated by Savoy as well as Bertha Stoner. The group averages 20-25 breast cancer sur-
vivors each month. “No one person is going to meet all your needs, so support groups can be extremely beneficial to both survivors and women who have been recently diagnosed.” Hebert said. “Newly diagnosed women can gain a true sense of hope as they listen to five, ten and 15 year survivors of breast cancer come together on a monthly basis and share their stories of triumph.” Some common concerns Fear that cancer will return. It’s normal to worry that cancer will return. And it
could. But there are ways to handle your fears, Hebert said. “Don’t let fear affect your ability to love, live and laugh today. Learn to let go of things you can’t control, and take control of the things you can.” Some women, for example, find that engaging in activities they enjoy allows them to avoid focusing on fear. Others gain confidence by setting future goals, such as celebrating a wedding anniversary, a birth or a college graduation. “Each person finds their own pathway. There are no cookie-cutter solutions,” said Hebert. Tamoxifen troubles. Tamoxifen is usually taken for five years after cancer treatment ends to help prevent cancer recurrence. Side effects can include sleep problems, weight gain, joint pain, vaginal dryness and problems with fertility. However, these undesirable reactions are generally treatable. Newer medicines— called aromatase inhibitors—cause fewer side effects,
says Oncologist Henry Goolsby, M.D., with CHRISTUS St. Patrick Hospital. But their effectiveness is less well established, since they haven’t been in use as long. Whatever course of treatment is prescribed should be completed, he advised, because it could save your life. Lingering side effects. Some treatment side effects of treatment may linger on. Most can be treated; others may resolve on their own. For example: Fatigue following the end of treatment usually eases with time and rest. Exercise, with your doctor’s permission, can also help. If weariness persists, you may have anemia, which is treatable. Post-radiation pain is uncomfortable, but it won’t last forever. “It’s more like a sunburn, so that will heal,” said Dr. Goolsby. In the meantime, moisturizing the skin with aloe vera, lanolin or vitamin E may help. You could experience early menopause or have menopausal symptoms, such as hot flashes. Talk to your doctor about managing the symptoms. Lymphedema can cause arm or hand swelling on the side of lymph node surgery or radiation. Lymphedema may develop at any time, and it can recur months or years later. Range of motion exercises can help restore arm movement. Mild lymphedema should be treated by a physical therapist, said Dr. Goolsby, whereas moderate or severe lymphedema is most often treated by a specialized professional who will help you with skin care, massage, special bandaging, exercises and fitting for a compression sleeve. Body image. Losing a breast (or breasts) and hair can be traumatic for some; others take it in stride. But hair will grow back and breast reconstruction is possible if you’re interested, even if it isn’t done immediately. Depression and anxiety. When you aren’t feeling well physically and emotionally, depression and anxiety may follow. Just like the cancer itself, these feelings need to be treated by professionals. Return to usual activities. Every person is different, Hebert said. When and how much you can do now depends on your level of activity before cancer, as well as treatment side effects, depression or other factors. Talk to your doctor if your ability to resume your usual activities takes longer than expected. To find out more about the Bosom Buddies Support group held at CHRISTUS St. Patrick Hospital, or other information on breast cancer treatment and recovery, call 491-3553.
OCTOBER 16, 2008
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The Breast Cancer Site Celebrates 8th Anniversary in October Every month, millions of visitors click on The Breast Cancer Site’s big pink button, helping to raise money for free mammograms for women in need. Throughout 2008, the site has raised funding for more than 200 free mammograms each month. The Breast Cancer Site, www.thebreastcancersite.com, records its highest traffic in October during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. “We appreciate the support of our loyal visitors and hope that others will join them this month and every month,” said Tim Kunin, CEO of GreaterGood Networks/CharityUSA.com which operates The Breast Cancer Site. “It only takes a second to click and can make an enormous difference in a person’s life. Early detection is key to the successful treatment of breast cancer.” Founded in 2000, The Breast Cancer Site celebrates its 8th anniversary in October. Besides the
“Click to Give” button (which is free to site visitors), the site also donates a portion of every purchase in the Web site store to help fund free mammograms. More on the Breast Cancer Site Launched in October 2000, The Breast Cancer Site provides funding for the National Breast Cancer Foundation’s free mammogram program and for breast cancer research through three important channels: the company’s innovative Click to Give™ program, direct donations through such site programs as Gifts That Give More™, and contributions paid for by items sold through the Breast Cancer Site’s store. The Click to Give™ program allows visitors to the Breast Cancer Site to provide funding for free mammograms by simply clicking on the pink button located at the top of the homepage (www.thebreastcancersite.com). Each Click to Give™ on
the site’s homepage is paid for by advertisers and 100 percent of this ad revenue goes directly to support the work of the charities listed on the site. In 2007, the Click to Give™ program funded more than 3,801 free mammograms—visitors to the site paid nothing to participate in the program. The totals of the 2008 Click to Give program are posted on the Breast Cancer Site’s results page and are updated daily. Further funding for free mammograms and other breast cancer projects come from the sale of items such as Pink Ribbon clothing and jewelry at The Breast Cancer Site’s Pink Ribbon Store. Purchases from The Breast Cancer Site store in 2007 funded an additional 3,349 mammograms for women in need. In total, working with its charity partner the National Breast Cancer Foundation, the site provided funding for 7,151 mammograms for low
income, uninsured, and working poor women throughout the United States and Puerto Rico last year. In recent years, The Breast Cancer Site has worked with the Mayo Clinic to fund research into a cure through the site’s Gifts That Give More™ program. The 2008 recipient of the The Breast Cancer Site Research Scholar Award is Matthew P. Goetz, M.D., a breast cancer oncologist researching the pharmacogenetics of cancer therapy at the Mayo Clinic. The Breast Cancer Site is part of the GreaterGood Network of Web sites. To learn more, visit www.thebreastcancersite.com or www.greatergood.org.
Women’s
Health
Irish Setter
Supports the Breast Cancer Research Foundation with Women's Hunting Boots Irish Setter has developed a women’s specific Ladyhawk hunting boot line that benefits women in several ways. Irish Setter will donate a portion of each Ladyhawk boot purchase to benefit The Breast Cancer Research Foundation®. The boots not only benefit a worthy cause - they also aim to improve the fit, comfort and performance of the sportswoman with its unique design and fit. “Irish Setter’s pink camouflage boots will benefit a great cause that affects so many women and adds style and fun to this category. But our entire women’s’ endeavor is much more complex than taking a boot, making it pink and saying it’s for women. We completely refit an entire line so that it’s shaped uniquely for a woman’s foot as well as added features that will increase the performance of women in the sport,” says Sarah Pitts, Marketing Manager for Irish Setter. PAGE 32
OCTOBER 16, 2008
Irish Setter’s limited edition Pink Camouflage Ladyhawk features abrasion-resistant pink camo and brown leather with a camo-wrapped EVA midsole. This fashionable boot also includes functional components like an UltraDry waterproof membrane and 400 grams of Thinsulate Insulation. The limited edition Pink Ladyhawks will be available midAugust for $119. The inclusion of a pink hunting boot in the new women’s line up follows recent style trends in the hunting category. Several hunting companies have introduced pink equipment for women. Gander Mountain is one retailer that’s jumped on the pink trend and is carrying Remington pink shotguns and Taurus pink semi-automatic pistols. Mossy Oak has developed a women’s apparel line including chocolate/pink camo tops. While the pink boots may be a bit of a fashion novelty, Irish Setter is
introducing an entire women’s hunting boot line, the Ladyhawks, in standard finishes. While most women’s hunting boots are nothing more than modified men’s boots, these Irish Setter Ladyhawks have been specifically created for women. Five dollars from the sale of each Irish Setter Pink Camo boot and two percent of profits from the rest of the Ladyhawk line will be donated to support The Breast Cancer Research Foundation. The new Ladyhawk boots is available at leading outdoor retailers. Visit www.irishsetterboots.com for the retailer nearest you. The Breast Cancer Research Foundation® was founded in 1993 by Evelyn H. Lauder as an independent, not-for-profit 501(c) (3) organization dedicated to funding innovative clinical research.
Preventing Heart Disease
Women’s
Health
After Menopause
Curves of Lake Charles Helps Local Women Exercise
Good Breast Health Curves, the international women’s fitness franchise, is no stranger to the fight against breast cancer. Over the last several years, Curves locations, including the one in Lake Charles, have participated in various fundraising and charitable events to raise millions for the cause. Now, to continue their efforts, Curves of Lake Charles will be offering the Liv Aid breast self-exam kit during October Breast Cancer Awareness Month to help women become more comfortable performing their monthly at-home exams. Breast self-exam is an important step a woman can do herself as part of a regular breast health routine. “Clearly, a significant number of breast cancers are found by the patient herself, even in the setting of a normal mammogram,” says renowned breast cancer surgeon, Ernie Bodai, M.D., F.A.C.S. “The Liv Aid greatly enhances a woman’s ability in detecting an abnormality, which in many cases will lead to early detection and a better chance for a cure.” Non-members can get a free Liv Aid when they come in for a compli-
mentary Fitness Assessment. Curves members have a variety of ways to obtain a Liv Aid, including showing proof of a mammogram within the last 12 months. Liv Aids are also available for purchase by anyone in the community. And to help Liv Aid recipients remember to use them, they can sign up to receive complimentary monthly email alerts from Olivia NewtonJohn, who has partnered with Curves to help promote breast cancer awareness. “Being a breast cancer ‘thriver,’ I know that early detection is key to good breast health,” says NewtonJohn, whose cancer was diagnosed in 1992 and who is now cancer-free. “Curves has always been an advocate of breast cancer awareness, but now we’re taking it a step further and helping the women in our community exercise good breast health,” said Janis Chapman, owner of Curves of Lake Charles, located at 605 W. College St.. “We’re proud to be part of a company whose goal is to put the Liv Aid into a million women’s hands this October.” For more information on Curves of Lake Charles, or details about how women can get a free Liv Aid breast self-exam kit, please contact any trainer at (337) 479-2477.
Sometime between the ages 40 and 55, most women start noticing some changes. Menstrual periods may shift, moods may swing, and hot flashes may begin. The signs vary from one woman to the next, but the meaning is the same: menopause is just around the corner. This time of life can also bring changes women don’t see or feel. One of the most dangerous is an increased risk for heart disease, the most common cause of death among U.S. women, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Risk control “When you’re approaching menopause, talk to your doctor about a heart disease prevention plan,” said Cardiologist John Winterton, M.D. from the CHRISTUS St. Patrick Regional Heart Center. “Everyone’s plan will be a little different, but some of the rules for a healthy heart apply to everyone. In general, women who don’t smoke, control their blood pressure and cholesterol, stay active and eat right will significantly lower their risk of heart disease.”
Know your family history If your mother had a heart attack before age 60 or your father had one before age 50, your risk is 25 to 50 percent higher, Dr. Winterton said. If these family members had heart disease even though they didn’t have risk factors, your doctor may suggest extra tests for you. These tests look for emerging risk factors, such as fatty acids and proteins that affect plaque buildup and blood clotting. Your heart is in your hands Heart disease “is the No. 1 women’s health concern,” said Dr. Winterton. And about 10 years after menopause is when many women see the first signs of the disease. But heart disease isn’t inevitable. In many cases, it simply reflects decades of neglect or indifference. The health of your heart—right now and in the future—is largely up to you. To find a physician to help you learn more about preventing heart disease, visit www.mywomensnetwork.org and click on the “Find a Physician” link.
479-1434 • 3415 Louisiana Ave. www.dinacucciosdesign.com OCTOBER 16, 2008
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Seeing Eye Health as a Women’s Issue
Women’s
Health
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OCTOBER 16, 2008
When we think of women’s health concerns, eye disease does not make the list. However, it is a significant women’s health issue. The condition of our vision determines how we live our lives. William B. Hart, M.D., an ophthalmologist at Hart Eye Center said, “We interact with the world through vision. In fact, 60 percent of the central nervous system is involved with vision.” According to the Schepens Eye Research Institute, an affiliate of Harvard Medical School, approximately two-thirds of the 3.4 million visually impaired Americans are women. In addition, twothirds of the one million blind Americans are also women. Nearly all eye-related conditions, including age-related macular degeneration (AMD), glaucoma and cataracts, are more prevalent in females. Researchers have not determined why women experience higher rates of eye disease and vision loss, but most agree that the causes may stem from women’s tendency to live longer than men and the higher rate in women of autoimmune diseases, such as multiple sclerosis, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and Sjögren’s syndrome—all of which can have a significant impact on vision.
By Jen Breen
The good news is, 75 percent of eye diseases can be prevented and corrected. Knowing how to defend your eyes against these threats, both in terms of proper eye protection and lifestyle changes, will help you see more clearly. The key to maintaining healthy vision is the combination of early detection and prevention. It’s important to take actions to protect your vision at an early age. “Start taking care of your eye problem in your forties, not when it’s broken in your seventies,” said Hart. Take charge The first step is to take charge of your eye care. If you are having a problem, do not wait for it to subside or worsen. See an eye doctor. “The latest procedures and technology allow us to correct most problems comfortably and efficiently,” said Hart. “Poor eyesight should be a thing of the past, not a problem of the future, so it is best for patients to receive treatment when a vision problem is discovered.” Even if you are not experiencing any vision problems, you should maintain regular eye care to prevent the possibility of suffering from diseases or conditions in the future. After age 40, you should have an
annual eye exam. “Every woman in her forties should start a relationship with an eye doctor,” Hart advised. When you are meeting with your doctor, be aware of factors that may have negative effects on the eye, such as airplane travel, sunlight, wind, smoking, computers, poor diet and family background. A discussion with the doctor can help modify the potential impact of these factors. An ounce of prevention… The second step toward healthy vision is prevention. As with most health issues, it is essential to maintain a healthy diet; poor nutrition can lead to serious eye conditions. “One simple way to keep your eyes healthy is to eat a balanced diet with fruits and vegetables as well as other vitamins,” said Keith Menard, O.D., an optometrist at Hart Eye Center. Another important preventive measure is to wear sunglasses to limit your exposure to the sun. “It’s vital to shield your eyes from the sun. Ultraviolet rays can cause damage to the eye,” said Menard. “Increased exposure to UV rays increases the chance of developing some types of cataracts, and UV rays have also been linked to an increased chance of developing eye problems such as pterygium, tissue growth on the white of the eye; and macular degenera-
tion, damage to the retina.” In addition to diet and sun protection, Drs. Hart and Menard advise women to practice the following tips: Quit smoking. Smokers have much higher rates of age-related macular degeneration and cataracts. Be conscious of your weight. Being overweight puts you at risk for developing Type 2 diabetes. Diabetic retinopathy is a leading cause of blindness. Exercise, even if it’s just taking a 30-minute walk every day. Researchers are finding that regular exercise can reduce the affects of glaucoma. Change your eye makeup every three to six months, especially mascara, liner and powder. Over time, makeup becomes contaminated with bacteria from your lashes and lids and can infect the eye. Following the steps to maintain healthy vision can save your eyesight. “Individuals are responsible for maintaining their own health, there are easy ways to prevent permanent eye disease,” said Menard. Hart Eye Center specializes in total eye care for all ages, including cataract removal and LASIK vision correction. For more information on how to take care of your vision, call 439-4014 or visit www.harteyecenter.com.
R. Dale Bernauer, M.D.
4150 Nelson Rd., Bldg. D, Ste. 1 Lake Charles, La. 70605 PH: 337-474-6960 FAX: 337-474-6970
A non-surgical technique to fight against arthritis and sports injuries. Do you need a joint replacement or suffer from arthritis or sports injuries? We offer a non surgical solution. Regenerative Therapy is designed to regenerate joint cartilage and decrease arthritic changes and pain. This therapy uses a combination of injection therapy, laser therapy, exercises, bracing and other modalities. Parts of the program can be covered by insurance while parts are not. A commitment to the whole program is necessary for success. This is how it works: The physician introduces natural medicine into damaged, arthritic cells by means of a precise injection. This process is followed by infrared laser as well as several other modalities in order to accelerate the process. Depending on tissue damage, severity of the condition and the size of the joint that needs to be injected, people usually need a series of 1 to 6 treatments to improve. There is usually no downtime, and people can go back to their usual activities or work immediately. The treatments can help most musculoskeletal problems such as knee pain, shoulder pain, whiplash, tendonitis, sprain, strains, torn ligaments and cartilage damage. For more information and to schedule your treatment call 337-474-6960.
Woman
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Moving Furniture and Bloody Sheets Paula Johnson of Westlake writes: This past August, I attended a conference in New Orleans. I stayed at the Provincial Hotel in the French Quarter. My room was in Building 5, on the third floor. The first evening, I noticed the toilet was not working properly, and called maintenance, which came later that night to fix it. The second night, I headed back to my room around 8:30 p.m. after having dinner with friends. As I approached, I heard loud banging noises, as if someone was moving furniture— many pieces of furniture. I though that possibly the room was being cleaned, or perhaps maintenance was working on the toilet. I hesitated before placing the room card in the door. I remembered that the toilet had already been fixed and that room service had PAGE 36
OCTOBER 16, 2008
cleaned the room. I then realized that there must be an intruder in there. I placed my ear near the door, and the doors of the other rooms on either side, to make sure the noises were coming from my room. They were. What to do? Should I tell the front desk? Should I knock on the nearest doors? Should I call my friend, whose room was on the other side of the hall? I heard voices coming from the nearby stairs and thought, if someone is in my room, I will yell, and others will hear me and come to the rescue. I got into a crouching position as I placed the key card in the slot—which would keep me balanced if I needed to knock someone off his or her feet. I noticed that the noise began to subside. When I slowly opened the door, the noise stopped—which made me think the perpetrator was hiding. I slowly reached on the wall for the light switch and cautiously looked behind the door, then in the bathroom, behind the shower curtain, and in the closet, still in the crouched
position (yeah, I suppose I looked very silly to someone looking in!). I gradually moved more into the room, looking around the wall, under the beds, behind the curtain and behind the armoire. No one was there—and nothing looked as if it had been moved. VERY strange. I remained cautious throughout the night, to say the least. I sat in bed for a while, only getting up to change my clothes and delaying my shower until morning. When I returned to bed, I noticed some blood on the sheets. I looked at my legs and arms to see if I had a cut or scratch, but since I didn’t see any, I dismissed it. The next morning, I told a friend, who was also staying at the hotel, of the “haunting.” I was surprised when she said that the staff told her that the hotel, specifically Building 5, was built on the site of an old army hospital; and yes, it was haunted. When I mentioned the incident to two maids, they informed me that guests had told them many similar stories.
Of course, I related my experience to family and friends when I returned home. They did some research online, and discovered more information about Building 5 and the “hauntings” that occur there, which include strange noises, bloody sheets, and ghostly figures walking the halls. I went to the Hotel Provincial for a conference, only a conference, not expecting anything but a conference. Instead, I got my very own Haunting!
Unwelcome Dorm Guest Anonymous of Sulphur writes: In my freshman year at my outof-state college a few decades ago, my friend Tammy spent a weekend with me in my dorm. At night, she slept on the floor of my room in a sleeping bag, and my roommate and I were in our beds. In the middle of the night, I woke up suddenly to see someone standing by the door. At first I thought it was Tammy. “Are you O.K.?” I asked, thinking that she
needed to use the bathroom and forgot where it was. There was no response. I looked around and realized that Tammy was sound asleep on the floor, and I could make out the shape of my roommate in the bed next to me. This wasn’t good. The figure didn’t move. I couldn’t tell what it was, but it was there, and it wasn’t leaving. I sensed that it wasn’t human. So I closed my eyes and started praying, scared to death. I never opened my eyes for the rest of the night and somehow managed to fall asleep. The next morning, my roommate took me aside. “Did you see something by the door last night?” she asked. I couldn’t believe that she saw it, too. She basically had the same reaction that I had: At first she thought it was Tammy, and when she realized that it wasn’t her, and it wasn’t me, she put the covers over her head. “Let’s not ever talk about this again,” she said. I agreed. Our visitor never returned and I never spoke about it again—until now.
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Sticky Halloween Messes Halloween clean up – from Jacko-Lantern goo and messy make-up to sticky fingerprints and melted chocolate -- can be a parent's worst nightmare. Here are some helpful cleaning tips. Hard Candy Problem: In all the excitement of candy swapping, your living room carpet becomes a dumping ground for sticky wrappers. Solution: Blot sugary stains with a mixture of one teaspoon of neutral detergent and one cup of lukewarm water. For melted sugar candy, mix one-third cup of white vinegar with two-thirds cup of water and blot. Blot once more with detergent mixture and finish by blotting with clean water.
Candle Wax Problem: Melted candle wax from a smiling Jack-o-Lantern spills onto your carpet, tablecloth or furniture. Solution: An easy way to remove melted candle wax from furniture, carpet and tablecloths is to apply a product designed specifically for this purpose, such as Weiman’s Wax Away Candle Wax Remover. Gum Problem: Some goblin forgot a pack of chewing gum in their pocket and it accidentally goes through the washing machine and all over the other clothes. Solution: Fill a plastic bag with ice cubes and hold the bag in place over the gummy mess for a few minutes until it begins to harden and loosen; you can then gently peel it from the surface of the clothes.
Chocolate And Peanut Butter Problem: Somebody enjoyed a peanut butter cup while watching a spooky movie... and left some scary fingerprints on the good leather furniture. Solution: First, blot away excess candy with a clean dry cloth. Avoid wiping, as that will only spread the stain. Then, leave the stain alone, as it will dissipate into the leather. Do not apply water or try to wash the stain, rather apply a leather conditioner once the surface has dried completely. Caramel Apples Problem: What's more fun than dipping caramel apples over the stove? There's just one problem, how do you get rid of that sticky residue all over your stovetop?
Solution: To remove the caramel, use a cook top cleaner and scrubbing pad designed to clean but not scratch your glass or ceramic smooth top range. Fake Blood Problem: Dracula spilled fake blood all over your carpet. Solution: Cover the fake blood in salt to absorb the stain. Then, to remove the spot, dab the stain with a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and water. Weiman Products, LLC develops and manufactures professional high quality products that clean, protect and prolong the life of the newest and most popular surfaces in and around the home. Headquartered in Gurnee, IL, Weiman's products are available nationwide, as well as at Weiman's Web site www.weiman.com or by phone (888) 281-6400.
OCTOBER 16, 2008
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wearing a rich brocade gown with a choker of pearls around her neck.
By Lauren de Albuquerque My mother’s dear friend, Marjorie, married a man named John Buck whose home in Wethersfield, Connecticut has been in his family since the 18th century. This colonialera house holds a treasure trove of historical artifacts—along with the ghost of a woman who has been living with the family for a few hundred years. The ghostly lady is Elizabeth Saltonstall Deane, a Buck family ancestor. No one knows precisely when the apparitions began to appear, but meeting Elizabeth has been a rite of passage for generations of Bucks. Elizabeth was the granddaughter of an early Connecticut governor, the daughter of a Revolutionary War general, and the second wife of Silas Deane, whom she married in 1769. Deane’s accomplishments are many. He was a delegate to the First and Second Continental Congresses; assisted in the birth of the United States Navy; and was the first accredited American diplomat. Elizabeth, a widow when she married Deane, was a prominent woman of her day. She dined with George Washington and sipped tea with John Adams. But, while her husband was in France on a diplomatic mission, Elizabeth died suddenly. Because the ghost is only seen by men, the story is that Elizabeth is searching for her husband. She has appeared to almost every male Buck PAGE 38
OCTOBER 16, 2008
descendant—usually when they are around 17 or 18—and occasionally, to young male guests. Sometimes, she manifests as a real flesh-andblood woman dressed in the garb of her day; on other occasions, she appears as a headless white figure glowing with an unearthly light. Haunted Weekend When I was around 11 years old, the Bucks invited my parents and me to spend the weekend with them in their haunted house. I was thrilled, to say the least. Already a budding reporter, not to mention a history buff, I brought my Polaroid Swinger (if you’re too young to remember what that was, it was one of the first Polaroid cameras) and a notebook to document the events of the weekend. I remember that the house was fascinating: There were fireplaces in every room, including the kitchen, which also had a big wooden butter churn on the hearth. There actually was a chair that George Washington sat in. Of course, I had to sit in it, too. For some strange reason, Elizabeth’s headstone was on the hearth of the fireplace in one of the rooms No, she wasn’t buried there, and all these years later, I don’t recall why the stone was in the home. Elizabeth’s portrait was over the fireplace. It depicts a pleasant-looking woman with fair skin and brown hair,
The Visitations I couldn’t wait to hear the ghost stories. John Buck was a big, no-nonsense Yankee—a man who doesn’t look like he’d be given to flights of fancy. He told me that Elizabeth showed up in his bedroom one morning when he was 17. “I was just waking up,” he said. “I suddenly realized that there was someone else in the room.” There was a woman sitting on the edge of his bed, staring at him. She was dressed in an old-fashioned white gown, but did not look like a spirit. “She looked so much like a real person that I didn’t think she was a ghost,” he said. “I actually said, ‘Do I know you? Then she stood up and just disappeared.” That’s when he realized who she really was. Buck said his father met Elizabeth under similar circumstances. When he was a teenager, the elder Buck was awakened in the middle of the night by a strong sense that someone was in his room. He opened his eyes to a glowing female form standing over his bed—a form that gradually dissolved into thin air. John Buck’s two sons also saw Elizabeth in much the same way. But they were a little embarrassed about the family ghost and never mentioned it to their friends. Perhaps they should have. The family remembers the time their son Doug brought his college roommate home for the weekend. The boys bunked in Doug’s room that night. Doug’s friend Steve said he awoke in the middle of the night and saw an incredibly bright light shining under the door. Curious, he opened it, to see a glowing headless female form in front of him. Needless to say, Steve’s screams woke the whole house up as the wraith of Elizabeth faded into the night. Steve sat up with the lights on for the rest of the night, and as soon as the sun came up, that boy was GONE. Marjorie Buck’s father lived with her and her husband. An elderly man, he never met Elizabeth, probably because he was a little long in the tooth for her. But he told me that often, when he was alone in the house, he would hear the muffled sound of a woman’s voice—and could never figure out where it was coming from.
Then there was the picture taken at a Buck family gathering in front of the house in the 1930s. When the picture was developed, there was one extra person in the photo—a shadowy woman. The Witching Hour By this time I was beside myself—and rather upset because I knew that as a female, I would never get to see Elizabeth. But I had a plan. I would share a room with my mother, and my father would sleep alone in the room designated for me. Maybe she would pay him a visit! Daddy readily agreed, because he don’t believe in no ghosts. I gave him the camera and reminded him to take a picture if she happened to show up. That night my mother and I tossed and turned in the big fourposter bed. We were too nervous to sleep after all those stories. I remember that it was a hot summer night and my mother had the quilt over her head because she “didn’t want to see anything.” The next morning, we all gathered for breakfast at the old oaken table in the kitchen that was probably as old as Elizabeth herself. Daddy proudly reported that he had a great night’s sleep and didn’t see a thing. “Nothing?” I wailed. “Did you hear anything? Did anything strange happen? He assured me that nothing did. Then he backtracked, and admitted that the door of the bedroom opened by itself after he had gone to bed. “But it was probably just the wind.” I was indignant. It was a hot night and there was no wind. I asked him what time the door opened, and he said it was around midnight. Midnight! The Witching Hour! It had to be her. Daddy insisted it wasn’t. “If she’s a ghost, she doesn’t have to open doors,” he argued. “She could have just come through the wall.” In my 11-year-old heart, I felt that it was Elizabeth who opened the door that night, although I was disappointed that she didn’t show herself. No matter. It was a fascinating weekend that I will never forget. That was four decades ago. Marjorie and John Buck have passed on. The portrait of Elizabeth, along with that of her husband Silas, now hangs in the Webb Deane Stevens Museum in Wethersfield. And as far as I know, the Buck home remains in the family, where no doubt Elizabeth still comes to call.
ll nie Ha By Lon
I first became involved in paranormal investigations in 1991. I worked with different groups in Ohio and Kentucky, but found most of them were more interested in thrill hunting than in scientific research. At that time, I began investigating on my own, using scientific methods. After moving to Louisiana in 2005, I started visiting different locations that had claims of activity. In late 2005, I formed SWLA Paranormal. The most common question that I and other group members are asked is why we hunt ghosts. Most of us have had personal experiences with the supernatural since childhood. But the biggest reason is the desire to know if ghosts are real—and why are they here. Equipment SWLA Paranormal uses different types of scientific equipment during investigations: Still Cameras - Each member has their own personal camera. Most have some type of digital camera, but we also use 35mm and instant cameras. DVR Camera System - This is a set of four to eight IR cameras that are set in different locations and connected to a DVR recorder. This system is used to monitor, record, and playback video. Video Recorders – Different types of recorders (miniDV, DVD, Digital) are used by various members. Digital and Analog Voice Recorders - Each of us has a voice recorder. This is a mix of digital recorder types and analog (tape) recorders. Compass - A common compass helps detect changes in magnetic fields.
Electromagnetic Field Detector (EMF) – Also utilized to show changes in the magnetic field. We believe ghosts affect the field when they are present. Thermometers – Both contact and non-contact thermometers reveal cold and hot spots. Night vision device – Utilized when we do not want to use flashlights. Batteries - We use lots of batteries, due to a theory that ghost use different types of energy to manifest. Motion Detectors - monitor areas and doorways to control access. Laptop Computer – to log events and record wireless audio. Sensory Experiences Since forming, SWLA has had different types of experiences with the paranormal. The must common experience we have is that of EVPs. This is Electronic Voice Phenomenon – voices recorded on audio recorders that are not heard at the time of recording, but are found during playback. We have captured voices telling us to return to a clothes dryer, where the door opened on its own without cause, and have been ordered to “get out” of a local cemetery. Other group favorites captured at locations in Lake Charles are the sound of a woman singing, someone asking, “Where are they?” and two different occasions where investigators where made fun of and laughed at. The most
OCTOBER 16, 2008
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compelling is when investigators hear their names called. This is one that causes the hair on your neck to stand up! All of us have been touched by someone or something that we cannot see. This has happened many times, from a light tap on the arm or a tug on the hair, to shirtsleeves being pulled and female investigators being touched in unappreciated places. On one occasion, two members clearly felt someone sit down between them. We’ve also seen objects being
moved: Medium-sized potted plants, soda cans on tables, an equipment case pushed off the hood of a truck, and a DVR camera moved. We have also had the caps from laundry soap bottles fly across a room at an investigator. We have had many other experiences, too numerous to mention. If you would like contact us with your own story or experience, or to request an investigation, visit our Web site at www.swlaparanormal.org or send us a letter at P.O. Box 2822, Sulphur, LA 70664.
This picture was taken after the clip on the investigators belt was undone. The light was not seen at the time it was taken.
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OCTOBER 16, 2008
Book Beat By Terri Shlichenmeyer
Breast Cancer Survivor Shares Tears, Hope and Joy You can rant and wail. Scream, pound a pillow, or Zombie-glare at everyone around you. Tears are cathartic and fear is easy to understand, but none of these will change a thing if your diagnosis is cancer. That’s one of the things you learn up-front in the new book, It’s Not About the Hair by Debra Jarvis. As a chaplain in the cancer center at a Seattle hospital, Jarvis counsels patients who are new to chemotherapy and their disease. She talks to family members about treatments and expectations. She listens. And she talks about dying to cancer patients who are terminal. You would think, with a job like that, Jarvis would have seen it all. And you might be right. She did, until she herself was diagnosed with Stage I breast cancer. Jarvis said she cried, but wasn’t as terrified as she thought she would be. First of all, she had
seen cancer: What it means, what it does, how people react to it, and that it can be survived. Secondly, she had faith in God and a sense of humor. Sometimes, those were one and the same. Jarvis went through a mastectomy and reconstruction, but while her treatments were exhausting and her body felt as if it had run the kind of marathon that she was fond of tackling, Jarvis never stopped caring for the patients she had become close to. Woven through a narrative of her treatment, her work, and her post-cancer life, Jarvis remembers people like Addie, who died with her three rambunctious grandchildren attending, one of whom put the adults at ease. She writes about Jenny, who received a “rock ritual” after her last treatment. She writes of Cindy, who planned her own death. She writes of the faith she shared with them and all her patients as they went through treatment together.
Unique Gifts and Accessories
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OCTOBER 16, 2008
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As an almost-18-year survivor, I’ve read a lot of books about cancer by former patients and by the doctors who treat the disease. Among those books, this one is refreshingly different. Gone are the doomsday suggestions for sores and stents and sutures. There are no maudlin bedside scenes where people carry on and relatives wail, and while you’ll find anger in this book, you’ll find more of an abundance of joy. Yes. Joy. This book is all about finding peace and faith, no matter where your cancer takes you. It’s about the silliness (and needfulness) of buying mastectomy lingerie. And it’s about surviving the days you have left, whether it’s two, 22, or 22 thousand. If you’ve just been diagnosed with cancer, are many years past treatment, want to mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month, or if you’ve been on the support side of surviving, It’s Not About the Hair (now in paperback) is an excellent book about living and dying and the faith to do both. If you fall into one of the above categories (and who doesn’t?), this book is balm for body and soul. It’s Not About the Hair By Debra Jarvis Copyright 2007 Sasquatch Books $16.95 / $18.50 Canada 256 pages
Terri Shlichenmeyer has been reading since she was 3 years old, and never goes anywhere without a book. She lives on a hill in Wisconsin with two dogs and 11,000 books.
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OCTOBER 16, 2008
"No Theme For You!" — but some pretty sweet wordage anyway.
by Matt Jones • ©2008 Jonesin' Crosswords Brought to you by Melanie Perry, Agent State Farm Insurance
Last Issue’s Answers
Across 1 ___ Raton, FL 5 It's created to prevent data loss 15 Unknown quote source, for short 16 Free 17 "M" director 18 Some document signers 19 Mormon grp. 20 "Mercury" indie rock band ___ Party 21 WWII naval vessel 22 Infomercial, usually 24 Actor Hakeem ___-Kazim of "Hotel Rwanda" 26 Leaning typeface: abbr. 30 Workplace tech support helper, slangily 31 Stereotypical adult bookstore denizen 32 Guantanamo Bay locale 33 Indie rock band Yo La ___ 34 Photographer Geddes who dresses up babies 35 Sandwich alternative 36 Washington estate 39 Fromage used in Buffalo wings dip 41 Largest dwarf planet almost named the tenth planet in 2003 42 "___, come on!" 45 Rock musical based on "La Boheme"
46 47 48 49 50 51 53 55 56 60 61 62 63
64
Cans, in Canterbury "My Name Is Earl" concept Campus recruiters: abbr. Included on the e-mail list, for short Cottage cheese category Rap sheet abbr. "Right Now (Na Na Na)" rapper Suffix meaning "sorta" British scientist Tim credited with inventing the World Wide Web Desert flatland "Feasting on Asphalt" host Valley Bemused phrase said after your favorite childhood movie turns 25, maybe Throws in
Down 1 Indoor playground fixture 2 Seeing someone, maybe 3 Second-hand kind of shop 4 Director Lee 5 Get bigger 6 Part of A.D. 7 Spicy non-vegetarian Indian dish 8 Model purchase 9 Parent company of Klondike and Ben and Jerry's
10 BlackBerries, e.g. 11 Irish ensemble with five singers, a fiddler, and a few PBS specials 12 Azurite, for one 13 Part of WPM 14 Gridiron measurements: abbr. 20 Louisiana area 23 Boat that's always made of wood 25 "Gunsmoke" star James 27 Home of the Braves 28 Dr. J once played for them 29 To the end of the pool and back 31 "Speed 2: Cruise Control" star Jason 37 Atkins Diet measurement 38 Tokyo-based camera company 39 Opposite of "I'm roasting!" 40 Feline in the sky 43 Put together 44 "Famous" company that sponsors an annual hot dog eating contest 50 ___ in sight 52 ___ Ration (former brand with the jingle "My dog's better than yours") 54 Awesome, on some message boards 56 Chinese-born actress ___ Ling 57 One of the four players in "Gauntlet" 58 66, for one: abbr. 59 Broadway ticket office abbr. 60 ___ Entertainment (company that markets the Bratz doll line)
OCTOBER 16, 2008
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t i m e s
picks the best in lake area entertainment
MSU NATIONAL WORKS ON PAPER PERMANENT COLLECTION OCT. 10 – JAN. 3 — 21 Years: Selections from the McNeese State University National Works on Paper Permanent Collection will be on exhibit at 1911 Historic City Hall Arts & Cultural Center from Oct. 10 through January 3, 2009. This exhibition of artworks created on paper represents a diverse cross-section of creative styles, narrative themes, and application of techniques. The Permanent Collection currently contains over 150 nationally recognized artworks and is housed and displayed within the Shearman Fine Arts Building at McNeese State University. Historic City Hall Arts and Cultural Center is open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Admission is free, but donations are gladly accepted. For more information, please call 491-9147 or visit www.cityoflakecharles.com. 84TH ANNUAL CAL-CAM FAIR OCT. 5-18 — The 84th annual Cal-Cam Fair in Sulphur is a fall tradition to most Southwest Louisiana residents. It is one of the few remaining ‘Old Time Country’ fairs in the state, where almost anything baked, grown or crafted can be entered, judged and awarded prizes. Celebrating the rich cultures of both Calcasieu and Cameron parishes, it is one fair that is not to be missed, drawing nearly 100,000 attendees each year! There are also live entertainment, pageants and wildlife exhibits. Sponsored by the Cal-Cam Fair Association, all proceeds go to support the organization’s scholarship fund. Events are scheduled to begin on Wednesday, Oct. 15. Festival hours are as follows: 5 p.m. - 10 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, 5 p.m. Midnight on Friday, and 10 a.m. - Midnight on Saturday. The annual Cal-Cam Fair Parade will be on Saturday, Oct. 18, at 10 a.m. Lineup will be at W.W. Lewis Middle School. The Cal-Cam Fair grounds are located at 923 Lewis Street in Sulphur. No alcoholic beverages are allowed. For a schedule of events, contact the festival office at (337) 527-9371 or the Southwest Louisiana Convention & Visitors Bureau at (337) 436-9588 and visit www.visitlakecharles.org.
HOUMA BLUESMAN TAB BENOIT AT CENTRAL SCHOOL OCT. 16 — The Season Opener of Louisiana Crossroads begins Thursday, Oct. 16 at 7 p.m. at the Central School in Lake Charles. The City of Lake Charles and Louisiana Crossroads welcome Houma bluesman Tab Benoit, who will share his stylistic diversity in an intimate performance accompanied by Alexandria native, bassist, producer, songwriter and founding member of Louisiana’s LeRoux, Leon Medica. The program will air from 7-9 p.m. via National Public Radio affiliate KRVS, simultaneously streaming audio worldwide via krvs.org. For more information, call (337) 491-9147. Tickets are on sale until 4 p.m. the day of the concert for $10 online at www.louisianacrossroads.eventbrite.com or at the Arts and Humanities Council on the second floor of Central School. Tickets can also be purchased at the door for $12. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the show starts at 7 p.m. MOVIES UNDER THE STARS RETURNS TO PRIEN LAKE PARK OCT. 17 — Grab a blanket, pack a snack and load up the kids for a Fall family night as the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury presents “Movies under the Stars,” at Prien Lake Park, 3700 West Prien Lake Rd. The series will be also show movies Friday, Nov. 7, and Friday, Nov. 14. All events will begin at 6 p.m., or whenever dusk occurs. The event is free to the public. A local classic will be featured first in the series, as M’Lynn, Truvy, Clairee, (and Ouiser,) love, laugh, and cry in Steel Magnolias. The other two films to be shown this fall are the film classic Wizard of Oz, and the animated feature Barnyard. Patrons are free to bring their own food, or they can buy tasty selections from O’Charley’s restaurant, a participating partner with the series. Seating is not provided, so patrons are encouraged to bring a blanket or lawn chair. In the event of inclement weather, the event will be canceled. For more information, please call 721-3500. GOING TO THE DOGS - A GRRRRRREAT GARAGE SALE OCT. 18 — Don’t miss Calcasieu Animal Rescue Coalition’s GIGANTENOURMOUS Benefit Garage Sale on Saturday, Oct. 18, from 8 a.m. - 3 p.m. No bones about it, it’s going to be Grrrrrrreat! Take advantage of this huge multi-vendor opportunity to shop ‘til you drop! Hot dogs and drinks available, as well as a special Bake Sale with treats for humans and canines. Proceeds benefit local animal rescue groups.
MCNEESE JAZZ ENSEMBLE FALL CONCERT OCT. 16 — The Jazz Ensemble of McNeese State University will present its 28th annual fall concert at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 16, in Ralph Squires Hall at the Shearman Fine Arts Center. The McNeese Jazz Ensemble, under the direction of associate professor Rick Condit, will perform its latest sampling of high energy, sophisticated big band arrangements and originals featuring the university’s most talented student musicians. The McNeese Little Big Band, under the direction of alumnus Tim McMillen, will join the ensemble in the fall performance. A professional arranger and composer, McMillen served eight years as trombonist and staff arranger for the U.S. Air Force. He is currently band director at W.W. Lewis Middle School in Sulphur. The Little Big Band is an 11-piece ensemble that plays specially tailored arrangements and consists of saxophones, trombones, trumpets and a rhythm section. Admission to the fall concert is free. JEFF DUNHAM AND SUITCASE POSSE AT LAKE CHARLES CIVIC CENTER NOV. 6 — Jeff Dunham has taken the art of ventriloquism to new heights and has transformed it into a cutting-edge comedy experience. His new Christmas special will air on Comedy Central in November and is sure to become a holiday classic of hilarious proportions. Often considered the Edgar Bergen of the 21st century, Dunham has mastered his craft to an unequaled level by putting a contemporary spin on an ancient and classic art form. Showtime is at 8 p.m.; tickets are $39.50 Log onto www.ticketmaster.com or call (337) 491-1432.
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OCTOBER 16, 2008
Peanut and Jeff Dunham
Take the time to admire our many homeless dogs that will be there for adoption, and learn more about joining pet therapy programs in nursing homes and hospitals. It’s all located on the peaceful pond-view acres of 4 Paws on the Bayou Kennel at 465 Hardy Road, off Hwy 108 and S. Boudoin Rd. in Sulphur.
Frances Fenton
Lake Charles’ Premiere Halloween Superstore Adult Costumes, Child/Toddler costumes, pet costumes, accessories, masks, makeup, party supplies, props and decorations. Everything to make your Halloween extra spooky!! We’ve got it all!!! Also, tons of items for your Mardi Gras Krewe and Contraband needs! SOPRANO FRANCES FENTON IN FREE RECITAL OCT. 21 — The Department of Performing Arts at McNeese State University will present dramatic soprano Frances Fenton in a free guest artist recital at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 21, in Ralph Squires Recital Hall at the Shearman Fine Arts Center. Fenton, who has sung world premieres of works by Richard Hundley, Henry Mollicone, John David Earnest and Philip Glass, will also present a master class at 4 p.m. Monday, Oct. 20, in Ralph Squires Hall. The class is free and open to the public. Fenton is former director of the Vocal Division of the Arts in Hessen, Germany and has performed with the Zürich Opera, Opera Frankfurt, the Houston Grand Opera and Central City Opera. A graduate of the University of Texas and the University of Houston, she has sung with opera companies and orchestras all over the world. Fenton is a frequently requested performer for the U.S. State Department and has given master classes for Ashdod Chamber Opera in Israel.
Located at 2700 Ryan Street, Suite A (Formerly Steinmart)
337-721-9906 Email: jason@spirithalloween.net Open 7 Days a week! Thru November 2nd!
CELEBRATE ARTS AT ARTSFEST OCT. 25 — This year’s event will be a “Wild Wild West Fest” located at the Lake Charles Civic Center. This annual festival is free of charge and open to the public. Bring the whole family for a day of art, crafts and fun. The gates will open at 10 a.m. and the festivities will end at 3 p.m. Our first event is a costume contest. So dress up in your best Wild Wild West outfit and plan on a day of creative fun. For more info, call 439-2787. OCTOBER CHILDREN’S MUSEUM EVENTS — Wednesday, Oct. 22: National Color Day (All Day Event) Stop by and commemorate National Color Day by spending time in the ArtSpace. There will be plenty of colors and markers for everyone! Thursday, Oct. 23: Third Thursday This is a program for families of children with autism spectrum disorders. Take the opportunity to visit the museum after hours from 5-7 p.m. and visit with other families dealing with similar impairments. Admission fees are paid by the SWLA Autism Chapter. Donations are welcome. Friday, Oct. 24: Football Friday We’ve partnered up with the Cowboys in presenting Football Fridays. Come meet McNeese State Football players from 4-5 p.m. Parents, be sure to bring your camera! Support the Cowboys on Saturday, Oct. 25 as they play Nicholls State at 7 p.m. GEAUX POKES! Wednesday, Oct. 31: Halloween Fest (Members Only) The 2nd Annual Halloween Fest is an opportunity for parents to bring their kids into a non-scary and safe environment for trick-or-treating fun. Be sure to bring something to carry your candy! Get your membership today so you can join the fun! The museum will close at 3 p.m., and Halloween Fest will be held from 4 – 5:30 p.m. For more information, please visit www.swlakids.org or contact Allyson Blackwell at (337) 433-9420.
We Are Seeking A Media Sales Representative Full Time Position, Minimum 3 yrs. Experience Required. Call 439-0995 Ext. 11, E-mail Resume: timespub@timessw.com or Send Resume To: The Times of SWLA, 617 Drew St., Lake Charles, LA 70601
OCTOBER 16, 2008
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Calling all music-lovers, artappreciators, and food-enthusiasts! Poor Pony, in keeping with its mission to be the antidote to the poisonous thought “There’s nothing to do in Lake Charles,” is organizing the Second Annual Pony Fest and Poor Pony Monster Mash Bash to take place Fri., Oct. 31 – Sun., Nov. 2 on the grounds of the Central School for the Arts And Humanities. The festivities kick off on Friday evening, Oct. 31 at 5 p.m. with a kidfriendly Poor Pony Monster Mash Bash, complete with safe trick-ortreating, a Halloween movie, costume contests, and scary stories with the Library. Your favorite zombies, the dancers of BREATHE, along with volunteers from the community, will be onsite to entertain you with live
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OCTOBER 16, 2008
performances of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” and Rocky Horror Picture Show’s “Time Warp.” The Monster Mash Bash is free of charge and is sure to be as big a success as last year’s inaugural Halloween celebration, which boasted a costumedcrowd that neared the thousands. Saturday and Sunday, talented musicians, painters, sculptors, writers, dancers and artists from various disciplines will be in the spotlight at the Central School. In addition to traditional great music, art, and talent, there will be food booths from local restaurants and chefs, offering the best cuisine SWLA has to offer! This year’s Pony Fest will also proudly feature our region’s natural resources, especially our native grasses. Coastal Plain Conservancy and
other environmentally-conscious groups will be on the festival grounds with informational booths, native grass seeds, and exciting hands-on activities. Music Poor Pony is aware that people of the Lake Area have an eclectic taste in music. Bluegrass, Rock, Country, Hip-Hop...Pony Fest will showcase as many genres as can fit in one festival. The beautiful Central School Theatre will be host to some of the Lake Area’s most talented singers, songwriters, and musicians; and an outdoor stage will also have its fair share of melodies. Bring a blanket and enjoy the sun and
music while lounging on the Central School lawn. The main stage of the Central School Theatre will feature such musicians as Lake Charles-native and singer-songwriters Eleisha Eagle and Wendy Colonna. The outdoor stage will feature crowd-pleasers Ashes Of Babylon, Brokebread, Carolina Liar, Lost Bayou Ramblers, Magnolia Sons, and the Susan Cowsill Band. Also of note will be our Gospel Choir Showcase on Sunday afternoon, focusing on the gifted church choirs that can be found in Lake Charles. Finally, it is with great pleasure that Poor Pony will present the Red Stick Ramblers, Steep Canyon Ramblers, as well as Atlantabased Bluegrass outfit the Dappled Greys, all courtesy of our partners at the Coastal Plain Conservancy The week preceding Pony Fest, Poor Pony and select students from Doug Gay’s Baton Rouge Music Studios will visit several Lake Area schools. In an effort to get the children of Southwest Louisiana excited about music and the prospect of learning an instrument, performances by Gay’s Student All-Star Band will feature the history of rock, its many different styles, the importance of music in our schools, and tips on how to be in a successful band. During Festival weekend, all eight of Gay’s student bands will be on hand to rock your socks off. Public Art Hits Lake Charles Pony Fest isn’t just a place to look and listen, it’s a place to get in on the action as well. Multiple “community collaborative art” projects have been launched and will really spread their wings with the help of festival-goers, young and old, experienced or not. A mixed-media photo project, “Why I Live Where I Live,” a living, breathing Sculpture Garden, and an performed-on-site wall drawing based on our connection with the Calcasieu River will grow out of these three days of fun and excitement. Public Art performed by the public is the next big thing at Pony Fest! Dance and Performance Art P.L.A.C.E., a showcase of local performing artists working in collaboration with each other, will perform at Pony Fest on the Central School Main Stage on Sunday, as well as at various locations on the school grounds Saturday. Saturday’s performances will begin at Noon and Sunday will boast a matinee show. The P.L.A.C.E. pieces, all original works, will feature such performanc-
es as belly-dancing, spoken word and movement improvisation, aerial dances in suspension from beautiful Central School trees, and martial arts accompanied by percussion. All performances, including P.L.A.C.E., “Thriller,” and “Time Warp,” are coordinated by Jillian Ardoin, director and founder of BREATHE, which is a group of independent artists from the surrounding community driven by the desire to explore, expand, and experiment with music, movement, and art.
Readings Poor Pony goes highbrow? Sure…but it’ll be accessible and fun. On Saturday and Sunday, local authors, including students from the McNeese State University group So You Like to Write, will read from a few of their selected works in the beloved Black Box Theater on the third floor of Central School. All activities are FREE. For more information, visit www.poorpony.com or www.ponyfest.com. Pony Fest 2008 is presented by the Coastal Plain Conservancy and
supported by grants from the Office of the Lt. Governor, the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism, and the World Cultural Economic Forum (WCEF); the Louisiana Division of the Arts, Office of Cultural Development, Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism in cooperation with the Louisiana State Arts Council as administered by The Arts and Humanities Council of Southwest Louisiana; the Joe W. and Dorothy Dorsett Brown Foundation; and the Southwest Louisiana Convention & Visitor’s Bureau.
8056 Eastex Freeway Beaumont, TX 77708 409-898-1535 1-800-945-1119
OCTOBER 16, 2008
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Debbie Allen Women’s Commission Keynote Speaker
Fri. Oct. 31 BRMS’s Young Band Project – 5 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Kara Grainger – 2:30 p.m. - 3:10 p.m. Josh-Kat-Jimmy – 3:15 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. Devil & the Details – 3:30 p.m. - 4:10 p.m.
Belly Dancing by Ladonna @ 809 Kirby St. 5:15 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Wendy Colonna – 3:30 p.m. - 4:40 p.m.
Time Warp – 5:30 p.m. – 5:45 p.m.
Axis – 4:30 p.m. - 5:10 p.m
Ghost Stories @ 809 Kirby St. – 5:30 p.m. - 5:45 p.m.
Martial Arts Demo – 4:45 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Thriller – 6 p.m. - 6:15 p.m.
Steep Canyon Rangers – 5 p.m. - 6:10 p.m.
Red Stick Ramblers – 6:30 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Electric Mojo – 5:30 p.m. - 6:15 p.m.
Children’s Theatre Co. presents Frankenstein @ 809 Kirby St. – 6:45 p.m. - 7:15 p.m.
Fallen Stars – 5:30 p.m. - 6:10 p.m.
Casper the Movie! – 7:30 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Susan Cowsill Band – 6:30 p.m. - 7:40 p.m.
Thriller – 8 p.m. - 8:15 p.m.
We Landed on the Moon – 6:30 p.m. - 7:15 p.m.
Trees – 6:15 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Kid’s Costume Contest – 8:15 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
The Vettes – 8 p.m. - 9:10 p.m.
Research Turtles – 8:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
The Brothers Whirly – 8:30 p.m. - 9:10 p.m.
Time Warp – 9 p.m. - 9:15 p.m.
Colorcast Veteran – 9:30 p.m. - 10:15 p.m.
Thriller – 9:30 p.m. - 9:45 p.m.
Dash Rip Rock – 9:30 p.m. - 10:40 p.m.
Adult Costume Contest – 9:45 p.m. – 10 p.m.
Brokebread – 10:30 p.m. - 11:30 p.m. Sun. Nov. 2
Rocky Horror Picture Show – 10 p.m. – 12 p.m. Corey Saucier & Friends @ Luna Bar & Grill, 719 Ryan St. – 12 a.m. – 1 a.m.
Jay Ecker Jazz Ensemble – 11:30 a.m. - 12:10p.m. Josh Garrett & the Bottomline – 12:30 p.m. - 1:25 p.m
Sat. Nov. 1 P.L.A.C.E. – 1 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. Barbe Show Choir – 11:30 a.m. – 12:10 p.m.
Amanda Shaw & the Cute Guys – 1:45 p.m. - 2:55 p.m.
St. Louis Show Choir – 12 noon - 12:40 p.m.
Paradise Faded – 3:15 p.m. - 4:15 p.m.
Belly Dancing – 12:15 p.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Magnolia Sons – 3:15 p.m. - 4:10 p.m.
Eleisha Eagle – 12:30p.m. - 1:40 p.m.
Jonny Sketch & the Dirty Notes – 4:30 p.m. - 5:40 p.m.
Dappled Grays – 1 p.m. - 2:10 p.m. Jeff Lejeune - Jillian – 1:45 p.m. – 2 p.m. Lost Bayou Ramblers – 2 p.m. - 3:10 p.m.
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OCTOBER 16, 2008
Big Sam’s Funky Nation – 6 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
The Women’s Commission of Southwest Louisiana, Inc., is proud to announce that Debbie Allen will be the Keynote Speaker for the Fall Conference, which will be held on Thursday, Oct. 16, at the Lake Charles Civic Center. For over 30 years Debbie Allen has been a talented and successful actress, director, producer, choreographer, singer, and dancer who continues to redefine herself as an accomplished artist. She is best known for her 1980s portrayal of the dance instructor, Lydia Grant, on the hit series “Fame,” during which she began directing and became the first African American woman hired by a television network as a director in prime time. On Broadway, she was a Tony Award nominee for her performance in “West Side Story” and “Sweet Charity”, and has won numerous other awards for television and film performances. Her roles in the miniseries “Roots: The Next Generation” and the special, “Ben Vereen—His Roots,” allowed her to work with some of the most prominent African- American performers in show business and to demonstrate her dramatic and comedic acting range. Allen’s film work is also quite extensive with the successful and highly acclaimed DreamWorks production, “Amistad,” the story of a famed mutiny aboard a slave ship in 1839. Her success in TV and film production has not deterred her from her love of dance, and she continues to dazzle television viewers with her choreography. In 1982, she choreographed the dance numbers for the Academy Awards and for the past consecutive five years, her unique style of choreography has been featured on the worldwide broadcast of the Award ceremony. For over twenty years, Allen’s contributions to television, on the three major networks and in syndicated programming, have highlighted the maturity of a performer and artistic producer with an impressive spectrum of talents in the performing arts. There will also be four sessions of workshops, with seven workshop choices per session. The various workshop topics center on personal development, fashion, food, fun, health, money management, and more Information on workshops and registration forms for the conference are
located on the Web site at www.womenscommissionswla.com. Between workshop sessions, the MarketPlace will again provide vendors with an opportunity to introduce their services and sell their products, as well as hand out informational brochures. The MarketPlace consists of three floors with over 200 booths ranging in content from skin care, Breast Cancer awareness, jewelry, pet adoption, specialty foods, candles, home decor, fashion accessories, event planning, mental health support, voter information, and much more. Vendor tables are assigned on a first-come, first-serve basis, and tables with electrical outlets will be limited. If a vendor anticipates needing an electrical outlet, please indicate so on the Reservation form. You may reserve your table online at www.womenscommissionswla.com or print and mail in a form from the Web site. For continued safety of vendors and conference attendees, all booths must be set up the day before the Conference, Wednesday, Oct. 15. Vendors should be sure to review MarketPlace Guidelines for any answers to questions you may have. For more information on the MarketPlace contact Angel Mefford at (337) 802-6077 or via e-mail at marketplace08@yahoo.com. For more information on Debbie Allen or the Fall Conference, visit the Women’s Commission Web site at www.womenscommissionswla.com.
Debbie Allen
14th Annual Coushatta Pow Wow Celebration Dazzles and Delights Story by Lauren de Albuquerque; Photos by Katsie Fanelli
Nancy Burleigh, Ruth Unkel, Georgia Karam enjoyed the Gala.
It was a colorful gathering of tribal nations the first weekend in October when the Coushatta Tribe hosted its 14th annual Pow Wow celebration in Kinder. Dancers, drummers, skilled artisans and craftspeople came together from all over the country for three days of friendship and fun. The weekend was packed with events for the whole family. Attendees met the lovely Tribal Princesses, sampled delicious native cooking and listened to the mesmerizing rhythms of the drummers. Of
course, the highlight of any Pow Wow is the dancing. And dance they did. The male categories are Traditional, Southern Straight, Grass and Fancy, and the women’s are Buckskin, Fancy Shawl, Jingle Dress and Southern Cloth. Each dazzling outfit is different, and each dance tells a story. Dancers ranged from toddlers to seniors. It was amazing to watch! At the close of the weekend, awards were given to the best dancers and drummers. It was a wonderful celebration of Tribal spirit and culture.
Kinder Hospital Joie de Vivre Gala The Kinder Hospital Foundation recently presented their second annual gala at the Koasati Pines Veranda to raise money for women’s services at the hospital. Event-goers enjoyed
wine and hors d’oeuvres while Foundation President Nancy Burleigh and Coushatta Vice Chairman David Sickey addressed the crowd. A good time was had by all.
David and Kelly Sickey OCTOBER 16, 2008
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Pink Friday
t was a pink Friday morning at L’Auberge du Lac. Madelyn Bonnot Griffin, VP of Operations and Crystal Miller, Promotions Director for FOX29, greeted the Shadow at the FOX29 Ethel Precht Breast Cancer Breakfast and introduced me to the key members responsible for the formation of the Ethel Precht HOPE Breast Cancer 3K Walk/Run. Sponsors for this auspicious event include Cameron State Bank, L’Auberge du Lac, Central Crude, Inc., Christus St. Patrick’s Hospital, Clayton Davis, Langley, Williams & Company, McDonald’s, Women and Children’s Hospital and, of course, FOX29. We all enjoyed the delicious buffet with an array of breakfast foods and drinks. Les Amis de la Louisiane, an all-female quartet, provided wonderful music during and after the event. Dr. Henry Goolsby, oncologist, therapist Robbi Dowden, and exercise specialist Michael Gary presented informational topics to an audience of survivors, family members, service providers and others who care. I suppose coffee has been around since the beginning of time, but my introduction to Louisiana’s premier coffee was just a few short years ago. It kinda told me something when my son-in-law brought his Community Coffee when coming to visit in North Carolina; since relocating to Lake Charles, Community Coffee has become my coffee of choice also. And if you don’t know about coffee,
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PHOTOS SHOWN: 1–Breast cancer survivors Peggy Baggett, Bertha Stoner, Lois Cowen and Faye Barnhart are ready for breakfast at the Breast Cancer Breakfast. 2–Speakers Robbie Dowden and Dr. Henry Goolsby shown with Bonita Elias, General Manager of FOX64 Beaumont get ready for the program at the FOX29 Breast Cancer Breakfast. 3–Shelya Langley, Karen Thibodeaux and Mandy Robichaux arrive at the Ethel Precht Breast Cancer Breakfast. 4–Ethel Precht flanked by Madelyn Bonnot Griffin, VP of Operations, FOX29 and Crystal Miller, Promotions Director, FOX29 at the FOX29 Ethel Precht Breast Cancer Breakfast.
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OCTOBER 16, 2008
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5–Table Sponsor Lester Langley and staff in line for a breakfast of champions at the FOX29 Ethel Precht Breast Cancer Breakfast. 6–Musician wives Hazel Cormier and Marceline Miller attended the Recording Academy informational gathering. 7–Timmy Dugas, drummer for Zydecane Band and Shelly Johnson, Director of the SWLA Convention and Visitors Bureau give a supporting hand to Terrance Simien and his Grammy Award. 8–Mari Bittner, Keelan Leslie and Laura Watkins of Brick House Catering and Events prepared and served up some dandy food for all the guests at the Recording Academy gathering.
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PHOTOS SHOWN: 9–A Community Coffee family, Norman and Donna Saurage, Jr. with Catherine and Matthew Saurage, president of Community Coffee, at the Imperial Calcasieu Museum’s opening night of JAVA! 10–Doug and Heather LeBleu and Valerie McAnulty join JAVA! sponsor Steve Jordan for a photo. 11–Seen enjoying the refreshments at the opening night of JAVA! are Karen and Darrell Spencer and Mary Ann Romero. 12–Enjoying a lively discussion at JAVA! is Lynn Reynolds, Hilary Gayle and Keagan LeJeune.
don’t like coffee, or can’t think of anything interesting about coffee, you should take the time to visit the Imperial Calcasieu Museum’s elaborate display of memorabilia, signage, photos, paintings, serving pieces and more. Presented by the Southwest Louisiana Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Imperial Calcasieu Museum, the JAVA! exhibit showcases the history of coffee roasters in Louisiana. Guests on opening night had the opportunity to meet and greet the most recent and current presidents and first ladies of Community Coffee, along with Curtis Nelson, who worked for the company in the 50s in Lake Charles. The exhibit of coffee treasures includes vintage coffee makers, cups and servers, and coffee-making and tasting equipment. Artist renderings of the meaning of coffee were interspersed throughout the exhibit; and included works by Lynn Reynolds, Francis Pavy, Melinda Antoon, Heather Ryan Kelley, Lisa Reinauer and Marty Bee, to name a few. The exhibit continues through November 1 and is a Shadow pick for “you don’t want to miss it.” The Shadow had no idea what lay in store for her on the evening of the
OCTOBER 16, 2008
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PHOTOS SHOWN: 13–Maggie O’Dowd, Mason Lyon, Annabelle Bang and Rebecca Grosset enjoying the food and fun at the 24th Annual Cal Chew Food Festival. 14–The ladies in red, Belle Thomas and Ella Hebert, peruse the auction items at St. Margaret’s Calca Chew Festival. 15–Jayla and Makayla Landry, Brittany and Catherine Gobert, Joseph, Carrie and Jayln Landry finish off some great Cajun food.
Recording Academy’s informational gathering held at The Brick House. Reid Wick, Sr. Project Coordinator for the Academy, gave an enlightening presentation regarding the Grammy process and the painstaking journey for Louisiana representatives (Cynthia Simien was a leader in this effort and is the only trustee in the Recording Academy from Louisiana) to introduce Zydeco and Cajun music as a category for the music awards. Describing the Academy as a trade association for musicians, Wick defined the organization’s role as a means to recognize the recording excellence of the industry. PAGE 52
OCTOBER 16, 2008
It was a special treat to meet and greet local musicians Lesa Cormier of the Sundown Playboys and Timmy Dugas of Zydecane but the piece de resistance was when Cynthia Simien entered with Terrance and his Grammy Award in tow! In February of this year, Terrance and the Zydeco Experience band won the Grammy for “Best Zydeco or Cajun Music Album!” The winning album, “Live! Worldwide” features live recordings done across the globe over the past 25 years of his career. Go Zydeco Cajun! Go Terrance! Go Louisiana!
PHOTOS SHOWN: 16–Amy, Mike and Brenda Hollenbeck enjoying some of the delicious food at the Calca Chew Food Festival. 17–Vic, the Viking mascot, getting cozy with Melva Portinause and Carolyn Palmore at the Calca Chew Festival. 18–Sisters Mary Jo Cullen and Karen White with Ted Cullen at the LC Symphony Concert.
The Shadow had not planned to have lunch when arriving at St. Margaret Catholic Church for the Calca-Chew Food Festival, but my love for Cajun cuisine overcame me and I found myself sampling more than one of the spicy offerings available. Guests feasted on Cajun dishes including boudin, shrimp etouffee, jambalaya, fried fish with fries, cracklins, gumbo, barbecue, sweets and more, all of which were prepared by parish members. According to Pete Shatic of St. Margaret Knights of Columbus Council 3208, who cooked the barbeque that ran out before the Shadow got hers, they could have sold more
than the roughly 735 plates of barbeque had they not run out of rice. I was told that a member of St. Margaret’s office staff danced to entertain at a past festival when the barbeque dinners were running slow and the line was long. The Shadow did not see anything like that at the 2008 festival, but there was certainly plenty of entertainment, food, fun and fellowship, all providing a day of enjoyment for the entire family. Designed to celebrate Cajun heritage through authentic Cajun traditions and Cajun French food, the festival serves as a reminder each year of the Acadians who settled in the parishes.
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Another Success Story... I have advertised with The Times of Southwest Louisiana for over ten years. Having a degree in advertising, I know The Times definitely reaches my target audience and the quality of the paper is impeccable. — Susie Book, Owner, Expressions
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PHOTOS SHOWN: 19–Janelle Brahm and Kathy Briggs with Margaret Cromwell, LC Symphony Membership Chair at the Symphony Season first performance. 20–Taking an intermission break at the Symphony are Ronnie Collins and Ellen Carter. 21–Jay Jacobs, Director of Bands at McNeese with band students Tiffany Smith, Lauren Landrum and Travis Maxey at the LC Symphony Concert.
Gary Scroggs, Lake Charles Symphony Board President, welcomed the assemblage in Rosa Hart Theatre to the opening concert of the 51st symphony season. Guest Conductor Gregory Pritchard took the baton to begin a wonderful afternoon of symphonic music. Pritchard is one of today’s leading young conductors and was appointed as the Music Director of the Gainsville Symphony Orchestra in May of 2005. After the introductory Academic Festival Overture, Opus 80 by Brahms, Lina Morita, Guest Artist, took center stage and gifted the audience with a superb performance of Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Major,
Opus 58 by Beethoven. An eloquent performer and performance! Following intermission, Pritchard prepared the audience for the final performance by describing the four movements of what was originally a symphonic poem. The ensuing performance of Symphony No. 1 in D Major, “Titan” oscillated in emotional fervor from very restrained to stormily agitated and carried the listener along to a breathless crescendo. And this is just the beginning! Don’t miss a single installment of the season!
For a free tour guide highlighting affordable adventures close to home, call or visit our Web site today. 1-800-876-7899 LouisianaTravel.com
© 2007
Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism
OCTOBER 16, 2008
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Dispatches from DeRidder
Harvest Time in Beauregard Parish: Fun, Fellowship at the Festival and Fly-In
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J. Shirlene Cooper
n keeping with a tradition almost as old as Beauregard Parish itself, the harvest season was welcomed in with fanfare, floats, and festivities at the Parish Fair in DeRidder. Over 100 entries representing area schools, businesses, churches, beauty queens, and politicians made the two-mile hike in this year’s parade. Guest judges for the event included former DeRidder resident Brittany Glaser, of Lake Charles KPLC television news, “Kid Vicious” of Hot 97.9 FM radio station, and “Boomer” of 93.5 KJAE radio. Presented with the tough assignment of selecting entries which most closely demonstrated the theme, “Beauregard Agriculture: Make it great in ’08,” the panel rose to the challenge, identifying an overall frontrunner, as well as winners in several categories. Leading the procession as Grand Marshal, and riding on the back of a convertible Corvette driven by DeRidder City Councilman Gordon Jenkins, was Maj. Gen. Roger Nadeau, a former DeRidder resident, now living in Alexandria, Virginia. As the Commanding General of the U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command (ATEC), Nadeau was stationed at nearby Fort Polk almost 40 years ago, and returned to Beauregard Parish to attend the festival. Following closely behind the Grand Marshal was 2008 King BeauFair, George Feldtman. A past president of the Beauregard Parish Police Jury and a longtime member and past president of the DeRidder Lions Club, he has, for many years, performed his club duties from behind the counter of the Lions’ concession booth at the fair, serving up hamburgers, fries and other delicious food fare. This was one of the reasons he was selected as this year’s King, explained Fair Manager Kay Allen. She described Feldtman as “always committed,” and a “strong supporter” of the fair. For over an hour, the parade made its way past hundreds of spectators. Carver Elementary Principal Ellis Spikes waved to the crowds from his
B. L. “Swamp” Smith (far right) visits with pilots and fellow Stearman airplane fans at a Fly-In event and luncheon he hosted this month.
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OCTOBER 16, 2008
Stearman pilot Pam Bartlett shows off her aircraft at a Fly-In event south of DeRidder.
Waving to spectators from the back of a convertible Corvette, driven by DeRidder City Councilman Gordon Jenkins, Maj. Gen. Roger Nadeau was Grand Marshal of the 2008 Beauregard Parish Fair Parade.
From CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) director Gayle Hodnet (driving) and office staff cruised the parade route in a vintage car, dressed as “Hons” from the 60s.
school’s float. With its faux barn, farm animals and “blooming” students, it was named Sweepstakes winner. Other winners included the Pinewood Elementary PTO float, the Rosepine Youth Football – Purple Team, Christway Church, and Ideal Health Mart. Immediately following the parade, the gates officially opened on the 80th Annual Beauregard Parish Fair. Manning the entrances, Beauregard Women’s Organization members Deedie Slaydon, Lisa Harper, Frances Jouban, Cindy Sherman, and Laura Henderson, along with a host of volunteers, welcomed thousands of fair-goers to the annual week of frivolity. Visitors offered a variety of reasons for heading to the fair each year. For many, the carnival rides are the big draw, while others just want a chance to run into old friends and sample the delicious food. Many enter items in the arts and crafts, recipe, and gardening contests or the livestock shows, hoping to win a ribbon or trophy. Then again, at any given time of the day, plenty of folks are found in the outdoor pavilion, tapping their toes to the music of various entertainers. Headliners onstage included country-western singer Frank Ott and
Laurel and the Edge, a rock group. Local talent also took turns, with Christian group, Sanctuary, performing one night, while Vick Gray and friends offered Gospel music on another. Champion fiddler Ron Yule and the Country Allstars provided bluegrass, country and Cajun tunes, while Beauregard Courtesy, along with DeRidder Mayor Ron Roberts on the trumpet, performed a selection of oldies jazz, blues, country and rock. Flying High at the Stearman Fly-In Meanwhile, another form of fellowship was taking place just a few miles south of DeRidder, at B. L. “Swamp” and Sharon Smith’s house and aircraft hangers. Each year, in conjunction with the annual Stearman Fly-in, which takes place in Jennings the first weekend of October, Swamp, who served in the United States Army back in 1959, also hosts a fly-in on his property. He acquired his first Stearman sometime around 1969, and now owns three of the biplanes, as well as several other types of aircraft. Over the years, he has made many friends in the Stearman world, and his event always draws a big crowd. Longtime pilot and Stearman
owner Don Buck, a visitor from Web City, Missouri, provided a bit of history about the Stearman, or the Stearman Kay-det, as it’s known officially. He said the aircraft, which was first manufactured in 1927, became the United States military’s primary trainer aircraft during World War II. Nicknamed the “Yellow Peril,” the biwing planes, which were once used by both the Army and the Navy to train fighter pilots, were sold by the thousands after the war. Buck, who owns and flies a 1945 Stearman, said that many of the army surplus planes went into use as crop dusters, which they were well-suited for due to their size and handling. However, the highly recognizable aircraft also developed quite a following, and that’s where events, such as the annual National Stearman Fly-in, held on Labor Day in Galesburg, Illinois, the End-of-the-season fly-in at the Jennings airport and Swamp’s Stearman Fly-in, come in. The events offer enthusiasts the chance to visit, observe, and take part in competitions, including formation flying, target drops, and spot landings. Not every guest gathered under the shade trees at the Smith’s were Stearman owners, or even pilots for that matter. Dianne Penney, Frances Cole, Don Gray, Keitha Donnelly,
Below: No, it's not Lance Armstrong. It's just Mike McHugh of Lake Charles cycling around Key West.
Clerk of Court Brian Lestage, Pam Hickman, Jerry Evans, Matt Young, Randy Brown, and Keith Milam were serious spectators. Visitors Ian and Pat Martin had traveled from England for the event. Although they do not pilot or own an airplane, they have made their way across the pond for the last eight years. “We just like Louisiana,” Ian said, adding. “We like the food, the music and the people.” The meadows of Smith’s property filled as eyes stayed focused on the skies and approaching planes. Pulling into a parking place on the grassy field, Air Force retiree Gale Haskins from Cypress, Texas, and Ole Nygren, a retired airline pilot from Spring, Texas, stepped from their jointly-owned Stearman, identified by its white paint with red and blue stripes. They, too, were making a stop for lunch and fellowship before traveling on to Jennings. Also on the makeshift airstrip, and offering an up-close look at her bright yellow Stearman, was Pam Bartlett of Carthage, Missouri, a 30-year veteran of the cockpit. She explained that a plane of this type might sell for $75,000 to $150,000, and she purchased it because, “it was my dream plane.”
Below: Eddie Boudreaux gets ready to cheer on the Cowboys at a recent McNeese football game. He attended with his mother, Michelle Boudreaux, and his grandmother, Theresa Boudreaux.
Above: Leighton Chamblee and Cameron Broussard, both of the Cardinals, made a triple play during a recent game against the Pirates.
Above: Count and Countess Dracula (Sonny and Dolores Hodges) are out for blood at the Buccaneer's Monster Mash.
Parting Sh o ts
1) E-mail your snap shots to myphoto@timessw.com. Must include a contact name and phone number. 2) Photos should be attached as a file and not imbedded in copy or photoshopped into a format. Original size, please, do not compress the file. No mailed or fax photographs can be used.
3) Subjects in photo must be identified by name. Children should also be identified by parent or guardian. Unidentified or anonymous photos will not be considered for publication. 4) The Times reserves the right to decline publishing photos of questionable taste or subject matter, or for space limitations.
OCTOBER 16, 2008
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