Zachary Post 01-09-18

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Proud to be Zachary’s only locally owned, managed, and staffed newspaper. Zachary Post • Tuesday, January 9, 2018 • Vol. 14, No. 2 • Published Weekly • Circulation 16,000 • zacharypost.com © 2018

In Our Schools

Bronco Wrestlers Take Down Live Oak

The Zachary High School Wrestling team beat Live Oak High School this past week 42 to 30. “We had trouble getting going, a lot of young kids took to the mat tonight for the first time. In a big duel Senior Chris Hart got us going. Our juniors Travis Hale and Austin Landry came through in the clutch. We need to get better in the lower weights, and that only comes with experience and time. We have some tough competitions coming up and we are going to keep moving forward,” said ZHS Wrestling Coach JP Pierre. Pictured above from left to right is Chris Hart, Austin Landry and Chance Jackson. Photos by Sharron Ventura Photography.

ZHS Lady Broncos Help Homeless During Recent Cold Snap

Martin Luther King, Jr. Activities Planned for January 15 ary City Hall (4700 Main Street) and will conclude at the New Pilgrim B. C. (4277 Old Weis Rd.) in Zachary. Following the march, we will commence with our Annual MLK program. This years’ speaker will be Assistant Pastor Jonathan Hill of the Fairview Baptist Church in Jackson, LA. For those individuals who wish to participate in the march, transportation

The following GoodHealth Classes and Programs will be held in January at Lane Regional Medical Center, 6300 Main Street in Zachary: The Pregnancy Workshop & Baby Care Basics – an overview of what to expect for expecting parents, and all you need to know to care for your infant in the first weeks of life. Registration is required. Seating is limited. Child care is not provided. Date: Saturday, January 13 Time: 10:00 a.m. Infant CPR Anytime – learn the core skills of Infant CPR at this FREE course for expecting or new parents, grandparents, family members and babysitters. This course does not offer a CPR Certification Card. Registration is required. Seating is limited. Child care is not provided. Date: Wednesday, January 17 Time: 10:00 a.m. Blood Drive – a blood drive coordinated by United Blood Services, the sole provider of blood to Lane Regional Medical Center. Appointments are not required, but donors are encouraged to sign up online at UnitedBloodServices.org - Code: LaneRegional Date: Friday, January 19 Time: 7:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Zachary High School girls’ basketball team spent their Christmas break putting together care packages for the homeless during the recent cold weather. They filled gift bags with everyday essentials and delivered packages to the St. Vincent DePaul Center. The includes Seniors: Bryana Langford, Lindsey Mitchell, Lauren Langley, Rayah Haynes, Jamecia Profit, Kristina Brooks and Avery Long; Juniors: Mya McDaniels, K’neisha Ghoram, Ty Izzard, Katy McDonald, Adrianna Brown and Ajah Smith; Sophomores: Skye Allen and Osha Cummings; Freshmen: Zoa Adams, Kali Howard, Jakenzie Thymes, Mylicia Washington, Diamond Hills, Aniya Harris, Tamia Patterson, Cairah Green and Johneshia Nixon. Team Managers are Brianna Blunt and Zuri Jenkins. The Lady Bronco basketball team is coached by Tami Reynolds-McClure, assisted by Jamar McKnight. On a side note, the Lady Broncos won all three of their games in the West Monroe Tournament over New Years weekend. The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Zachary Committee will be hosting its annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day march and program to be held on Monday, January 15, 2018 (Martin Luther King Day). In commemoration of the life and legacy of the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. we will conduct a march, which will begin promptly at 6:00 p.m., from the Zach-

JANUARY WELLNESS CALENDAR

will be provided from the New Pilgrim B. C. to the Zachary City Hall. As always, it is our hope you will join us as we come together as one and March for the Dream honoring the past, impacting the future – “Walk with Us”! You may contact our Chairman, Ms. Johnnie Evans for additional information at 225-933-6431.

AARP Smart Driver Course – a classroom refresher course for drivers age 50 and older to help you learn the effects of aging on driving and how to adjust and remain safe on today’s roads. Most auto insurance companies provide a multiyear discount to course See WELLNESS on page 4

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POST Tuesday, January 9, 2018

In Our Schools

Nick Johnson recently visited Rollins Place Elementary School show how he uses programming to create his spectacular Christmas light displays that are synced to music. He demonstrated his program and allowed the students to help him create a program that ran pixels on a jacket. Mr. Johnson is responsible for the Christmas displays at the home on Knight Drive and in the Zachary Historic District. Mr. Johnson encouraged students to collaborate with classmates and to keep working even when encountering problems in programming.

Congratulations to the Northwestern Elementary School December Star Students! Back Row: Calem Sutton, Lucas Jarreau, Joseph Spinks, Luke White, Brennan McCoy, Klayten Peeples, Owen Arceneaux, Teyen Lee, Zachary Golan. Front Row: Jayli Rosenbach, Alexandria Jensen, Baylee DeLatte, London Jones, Ja’Laijah Polk, Emmalynn McGhee, Amy Foster, Chalcee Square, Abigail Robinson. Not Pictured: Aiden Derozan

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IN 33,000 PAPERS A WEEK IN ZACHARY AND THE FELICIANAS

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Please send in your Milestones, Submissions and Achievements to info@ZacharyPost.com Announcements are free of charge, space permitting


Tuesday, January 9, 2018

In Our Community

POST 3

A Foundation of Faith, Family, Education and Service

By Patricia Rachal Stallman

The Invitation Early last February, Derquisia Spears, a student at St. Joseph’s Academy in Baton Rouge and a resident of Ethel in East Feliciana, received a letter with a return address that read Robert Darling, MD, a name she did not recognize. When she turned the envelope over to open it, she saw: Harvard Square, a Boston address. She had not applied for an academic program and was unaware that someone at St. Joseph’s—a teacher, an administrator, a counselor, or even an alumna—must have done so in her stead. She unfolded the letter to find an invitation to attend the National Congress of Future Medical Leaders at the University of Massachusetts in Lowell, just outside of Boston. The Tsongas Arena on the Lowell campus hosted the three-day conference. Soon after she received her letter from Dr. Darling, a certificate of recognition arrived from Governor John Bel Edwards, followed by a letter welcoming her to the field of medicine from Congressman Ralph Abraham, M.D. Academic Requirements The Congress of Future Medical Leaders is “an academic honors program...for students dedicated to entering the medical field as physicians or scientists (biomedical, technological, engineering and mathematics).” Candidates must also demonstrate leadership qualities. Ms. Spears easily met the academ-

The Spears family gathers to congratulate daughter Derquisia Spears, second from left, for her achievement both academically and in service to others. Derald J. Spears, Sr., from left, Derald J. Spears, Jr., and Chiquita Bennett Spears, along with Derquisia, emphasize faith, family, education and service in their daily lives. Photograph by Patricia Stallman

ic requirement with the cumulative 4.0 grade point average she earned her sophomore year at SJA. Her achievement began at St. Isidore in Baker, which she attended from kindergarten through third grade, and continued in Baton Rouge at Redemptorist for fourth grade and Sacred Heart for fifth through eighth grades. There she

served as Beta Club president her eighth grade year. Along her path, she has developed a love of science, mathematics, writing and Latin. At the Academy, she is a member of the Beta Club, “a very active member of the Latin Club,” and a member of the Speech and Debate Club, through which she entered a regional

competition, her first debate, and won fourth place. In her freshman year, St. Joseph’s recognized her for outstanding performance in Algebra I; in her sophomore year, for outstanding performance in English. In the Louisiana Junior Classical League testing, she earned maxima cum laude in the national Latin examination for both her freshman and sophomore years at St. Joseph’s. In other State testing she placed first and second in Louisiana in creative arts and graphic arts. She has also earned college credit through advanced placement coursework in psychology. Leadership Requirement As for leadership, she instructs through her example of service to others. During her freshman year at St. Joseph’s, she took part in Key Club, an international service club. By the end of her sophomore year, she had won the Mae Stokes award for dedication to the school. Spears is currently a Junior at SJA. The Academy recognizes students who log 50 hours of volunteer work a year; during her first two years, Ms. Spears logged 250 hours. Last year, when the volunteer focus was working with young students, she served at the Sacred Heart camp and the Tapestry camps of the Lutheran church, teaching arts and crafts and physical education. She has also volunteered at Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center

See SPEARS on page 8

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POST Tuesday, January 9, 2018

JANUARY WELLNESS CALENDAR

graduates. Registration is required. Seating is limited. Fee: $15 AARP members / $20 non members Date: Thursday, January 25 Time: 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. “Committ to Quit” - a smoking and tobacco cessation program provided by Cardiovascular Institute of the South. If you or someone you love smokes or uses tobacco and wants to quit, then Commit to Quit can help you successfully kick the habit. Call 1-877-288-0011 or visit Cardio.com/QuitSmoking Call (225) 658-4587 for more information or to pre-register. The following support group meetings will meet in January at Lane Regional Medical Center, 6300 Main Street, Zachary: Food Addicts Anonymous – a weekly support group to provide fellowship for men and women willing to recover from the disease of food addiction. Meets every Thursday. Dates: Thursday, January 11 & 25 (No meeting January 18) Time: 5:30 p.m. Call Velma Alford at (225)7159268 Stroke Support Group – a bimonthly support group to provide stroke survivors and their caregivers a place to connect with others and exchange practical information on the challenges of adjusting to the changes in their lives. Date: Friday, January 19 Time: 12:00 p.m. (lunch provided) Registration preferred. Call Lane Rehabilitation Center at (225) 658-6800 Alzheimer’s Caregiver Support Group – a monthly support group to provide a place for caregivers of persons with dementia to develop a mutual support system and to exchange practical information on caregiving challenges and ways of coping. Meets the fourth Friday of every month. Date: Friday, January 26 Time: 2:00 p.m. Call Dianne Miller at (225) 9751636 or call (225) 658-4587 for more information.

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Tuesday, January 9, 2018

POST 5

In Our Business Community

Prescription for a Blessed Life: Faith, Family and Friends By Patricia Stallman Curry Pharmacy “We like to be open in all we do,” Pharmacist Wimberly Gayle said last Tuesday. Her comment was an explanation of the pharmacy’s design, which is her own innovation. From the moment customers enter Curry’s on Plank Road in Clinton, they walk down a large center aisle toward the back, where pharmacists and pharmacy technicians stand in a row on a raised floor behind the counter—in full view of their customers and, in fact, facing them. No mystery here. Dedication to the task sets the tone for Curry’s entire operation. The atmosphere is quietness and concentration, even peace. One customer, who drives an hour to do business with Curry’s, passes three other pharmacies on her way. The same four prescriptions that Curry’s fills for a total of $10 under Medicare, she says, cost at least $30 elsewhere. “I’m not going 40 miles out of my way to save $20,” she explains. “I just want to deal with people who could charge more but don’t. I know I can trust everything they do.” While negotiating that lower co-pay may be good business, it benefits the customer as well as the pharmacy. Early Mentors For her love of chemistry, Wimberly Gayle thanks Becky Record, her chemistry teacher at Silliman Institute in Clinton; for her love of mathematics, she credits Robert Gilmore, who “taught us all of our maths.” Those chemistry classes led to her interest in “how medicines interact,” and math taught her “the necessity for complete accuracy.” Though a doctor’s handwriting can be a challenge, she says, the pharmacist must decipher it perfectly, as “the difference between 2.5 and .25—a decimal—is a big dosing difference for a patient. “If you go through Burger King and they give you the wrong food, it’s not going to kill you. But a pharmacist’s error is not like getting mayo on your hamburger or onion on your hot dog.” Her very first mentors, of course, were her parents. “Both Mom and Dad required our studies to come first...always. They encouraged us to be leaders and insisted that we never give up on our dreams. And they taught us to make serving others part of our lives.” Wimberley Gayle and her husband Bradley have deep educational and family roots in the communities they serve. They bring professionalism and expertise to their customers, many of whom they know very well and have known for years. A Challenging Start At Curry Pharmacy in Clinton, clients come first and the team of pharmacists and pharmacy techs works in perfect synchronicity, filling at least 400 prescriptions every day. Business and family obligations coexist quite peacefully. Employees don’t have to leave any part of who they are at home. Everyone’s job is important. The atmosphere of support and respect, though understated, is clear. All of that makes a trip to Curry’s a moment of quiet for its customers. The new Slaughter location, which opened April 2017 in front of Grace Health

Ready to assist their customers last summer at the Curry Pharmacy’s Clinton location are, front row from left: Buyer and Pharmacy Technician Sunny Chasteen, Pharmacy Tech Kristin Chasteen, Pharmacy Clerk Alissa Phillips, Pharmacist and Owner Wimberly Gayle with Izzy, Pharmacy Assistant Tiffany Holmes and Pharmacy Clerk Gabby Hopson. In back are: Pharmacist James Jelks, Pharmacy Tech Kelli Gayle, Buyer Toni Lawton, Pharmacy Tech and Owner Bradley Gayle, Buyer Kathy Buhler, Pharmacy Clerk Ally Babel and Pharmacy Clerk Rachel Leonard. Photograph by Patricia Stallman

and Rehab Center on Highway 19, is off to a solid start. And a general practitioner will soon welcome patients in Curry’s Slaughter building, in the space next door to the pharmacy. Today’s smooth operation, however, gives no indication of the challenges the Gayle partnership faced and overcame in its beginning. Today’s success, Mrs. Gayle says, is a testimony to faith and determination. Wimberly Reeves and Bradley Gayle were high school sweethearts. “I know the exact date he gave me his class ring: October 21, 1987.” Bradley, the CEO of Curry Pharmacy and a certified pharmacy technician, attended Southeastern Louisiana University. Wimberly and he married in 1992, during her third year of the University of Mississippi’s five-year pharmacy program. A year later, Austin, their first child, arrived; around the same time, however, her father, Douglas Reeves, was diagnosed with a brain tumor and “given six months. “We lost him that September,” she says. “That year truly made me a believer that all things happen for a reason and that God definitely has control of our lives. Faith, family and friends carried us those next few years. Without them, none of this— our business, our blessed life—would have been possible.” Mikayla, their second child, arrived in 1998. “A Big Variety of Everything” Upon entering the Curry Pharmacy in Clinton, you’ll think for a minute you’re in an old-time general store. There, all along one half of the wall to the left, filling shelf after shelf, floor to ceiling, countless rolls of fabric stand on end. In front of the fabric shelves, a large square counter edged on one side with a yardstick waits for employees to roll out and measure what your pattern requires. A notions section offers but-

tons, thread, pins and scissors. On the opposite wall an array of Italian leather purses in a variety of sizes and colors, most with a price tag of only $42 to $62, catches your eye, and in front of the purses and along the main aisle you’ll find large pewter, copper and ceramic serving trays suitable for wedding or birthday gifts, or, of course, a gift for yourself. Jewelry displays fill every available nook and counter. All of those offerings—and especially the free giftwrapping—call up the former McKnight’s Department Store in Clinton a few years back, when Marquita McKnight and Pat McKnight kept the store filled with customers who were also friends. Need a very large sock monkey for only $32? Curry’s has it. School uniforms for both private and public school students? Stop at Curry’s. What about a French line of lotions, sprays, perfumes and gels? You’ll find all of that on your stroll to the pharmacy counter...as well as a handy machine that allows you to print photographs from your camera chip, and for a very reasonable price. In addition, of course, you may pick up the usual drug store offerings of toothpastes and face soap and makeup and tweezers. And canes and braces. Crutches and reading glasses. As buyers Sunny Brook and Cathy Buhler say, “We have a big variety of everything! We’re definitely a one-stop shop.” Although the Gayles pride themselves “on getting you in and out quickly, absolutely faster than a chain can,” for the short time you may wait for your meds, you’ll have plenty to do: Shop! Curry’s even stocks a “dollar aisle” like those you find in some of the dollar stores. How nice to discover a fun side trip to a serious errand. Or if you want to pick up a copy of The Feliciana Explorer from the counter and settle into one of those soft so-

fas, feel free. That Serious Side Curry’s offers a boon for anyone who takes—or cares for a person who takes— medications: packaged pharmaceuticals. You no longer need to count out medications into a plastic egg-carton like box with 30 divisions for a month’s medication, each division halved for morning and evening doses. Curry Pharmacy packs the meds in a string of tiny, flat, clear plastic zip-bags, one or two bags for each day, depending on how often you must take medications, and each small sleeve is clearly marked with the date, the names of the medications, and the time to take them. You will never again wonder whether you really took your medication or just think you did...and the pharmacy will have the next month’s pills waiting for you when it’s time to refill. The packaging service is free of charge. Curry’s already provides this foolproof packaging service for distribution to 120 residents at Grace Health and Rehab Center in Slaughter, and has now begun to meet the needs of individual customers as well. The pharmacy’s two locations also offer vaccinations—for flu, pneumonia, shingles and pertussis—and most insurances cover them. The State of Louisiana has changed the laws, Mrs. Gayle says, so that “if a vaccination is recommended by the CDC—the Centers for Disease Control—you don’t need a prescription if you’re 60 or older.” Another Curry’s service is emergency on-call evening and weekend assistance. The Gayles estimate that they make at least one after-hours trip to the store during the week and one during each weekend as well. The people who need their help, Wimberly Gayle says, always apologize. “I don’t consider that service a burden,” she says, with emphasis. “It’s part of how I see my job, whether to fill a prescription or to take a phone call just to answer a question. It’s a matter of responsibility to the community, to provide help when people need us.” Further, the drive-by prescription pickup window offers a convenient and quick way to keep current on meds. Finally, the Gayles make sure that the team of pharmacists and pharmacy techs covers both stores without a hitch. Pharmacists, in addition to Mrs. Gayle, include: Ena Aucoin, Ash Jelks, James Jelks, Justin Prestridge and Kelli Sterling. Technicians, in addition to CEO Bradley Gayle, are: Sunny Brooks, Kristen Chasteen, Bradley’s sister Kelli Gayle and Kassey King. Curry’s has also recently added two technicians, Katelynn Bell and Haley Temple. Even newcomers to the Felicianas can’t help noticing that more than a few of the Curry employees are, like the Gayles, from families with long ties to the area. Mrs. Gayle divides her time between the Clinton and the Slaughter stores. Ash Jelks and Kassey King work only in Slaughter. Justin Prestridge is full time in Clinton. Three of the pharmacists work part time, but, “as the Slaughter store grows, the current staff will move back and forth as need-

See CURRY on page 6

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POST Tuesday, January 9, 2018

CURRY

continued from page 5 ed,” Mrs. Gayle says. Family History “Our families mean everything to both of us,” Wimberly muses, noting that their family members “all still live in East Feliciana.” Parents Wimberly Gayle’s parents owned Time Acceptance, a personal credit institution in Jackson. Her father, Douglas Reeves, “was a true businessman. Many nights I’ve wished he were still around to give me advice. I often think about how proud he would be.” Her mother, Carolyn Austin Reeves of Clinton, was born in the Milldale area and graduated from Pride High School. Wimberly is one of four children, three girls and a boy. “My mom is a rock,” Mrs. Gayle says. “She raised me to be a strong woman and taught me never to quit.” Bradley’s mother, Nancy Holland Gayle of Clinton, is also from the Milldale area and a graduate of Pride. His father Steve, who hailed from Bluff Creek, died in 2014. He was employed at EXXON as a chemical plant operator for 30 years. Grandparents and Two GreatGrands Wimberly Reeves Gayle’s maternal grandmother, now deceased, was Ray Crawford Austin, from Pride. Ray Crawford married Reuben Austin, also now deceased, who was a great deal older than she. “There was a huge age difference,” Mrs. Gayle says. “He was born in the 1800s. They lived in Pride. He was retired from the city–parish government in East Baton Rouge as long as I knew him.” Her mother, Carolyn, was the last of the six Austin children. All of her mother’s first cousins, Mrs. Gayle says, were raised with her, “like siblings. She was an aunt when she was 18 months old.” She recalls spending most of the summer each year at the Austins’ country home, complete with chickens, horses and a few cows. “Grandmother woke us at 6

a.m., calling out, ‘Breakfast’s getting cold! You’re going to sleep the day away!’ And every morning she fried potatoes and baked homemade biscuits for my sister and me. We’d play outside, while she rocked on her front porch and swept it...at least 20 times a day.” Mrs. Gayle’s paternal grandparents, both from Greensburg, were Ivy Earl and Janie Foster Reeves. She recalls Sundays in Greensburg, where the family attended Grangeville Baptist Church and then repaired to the Reeves home “for the best fried chicken, rolls and brown gravy around. They had a huge garden, and we would often go digging up potatoes or picking, which always led to the shelling and snapping. Our friends knew to grab a bucket and start shelling when they walked into the Reeves’ house.” Bradley Gayle’s maternal grandfather, Claude “Sonny” Holland, who was born in the Memphis area but has lived in Clinton most of his life, was one of 14 siblings. His brother, Marvin Holland, was the headmaster at Silliman for many years. Though “Bradley’s grandfather wasn’t saved until he was older,” Wimberly Gayle says, “in his late teens or early 20s, he found his calling as an evangelist, a travelling preacher in the Baptist Church.” The Gayles and their children attend the Baptist Church in Bluff Creek. Dorothy Passeur Holland, Bradley Gayle’s maternal grandmother, now deceased, was also from Memphis. The Gayles believe that the Hollands were married in Memphis and, along with “a bunch of Claude’s brothers, moved to Clinton, where Bradley’s great-grandfather, Claude Jefferson Holland, was a builder. Most of the brothers came here to build, and several stayed.” Mr. Gayle’s maternal great-grandmother was Anna Laura Holland. That side of the Gayle family was “the city folk,” Mrs. Gayle says. The “country folk” made up Mr. Gayle’s paternal side. His grandparents were Caulfield “Cowboy” and Lelia Bennett Gayle. “I spent a lot of time with my grandfather, growing up,” Bradley Gayle says, “doing cowboy stuff, riding horses and penning cows. We’ve always been very close.” Curry History

Lamar Curry opened Curry Pharmacy in Greensburg. Bill Huber, who Mrs. Gayles believes “taught school in Greensburg,” worked at Curry’s “on the side.” After he earned a pharmacy degree from Xavier in New Orleans, he and Mr. Curry built the Clinton store in 1975. When Mr. Huber bought out Mr. Lamar, he and Frank Walker moved the pharmacy “from where Bumper to Bumper is now,” Mrs. Gayle says. At that location, the business included a Radio Shack. They then opened the Ben Franklin store, with Curry Pharmacy inside. Finally, they moved Curry’s to the current 10463 Plank Road location, formerly an automobile dealership with a machine shop. Meanwhile, the Gayle’s path was pointing toward home and in Curry’s direction. While Wimberly Gayle was earning her credentials as a pharmacist, her husband was supporting the family as a financial officer for a lending company. When Mrs. Gayle graduated in 1994, she came to work for Bill Huber at Curry’s. Including a brief stint at Villa, she says, “we’ve always lived and worked here in Clinton.” In 2001, the year Bradley completed his certification as a pharmacy technician, he and Wimberly bought the Clinton pharmacy. Bradley’s uncle, Monte Holland, a builder, designed and executed the renovations, which included stucco sides and front entry gardens, a setting that recently earned the Gayles an award from Keep East Feliciana Beautiful. Passing the Torch Though not near ready to pass the torch to the next generation, the Gayles point proudly to their children, who they hope will join them in the family business. Austin, now 24, is in his third year of pharmacy school at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in Sewanee, Georgia, where he will earn a doctor of pharmacy degree in two more years. He completed pre-pharmacy coursework at LSU in Baton Rouge. At Silliman Institute in Clinton, where he lettered all four years in three sports—baseball, basketball and football—and, on top of that, ran track and played tennis and golf, he served his class as salutatorian.

Daughter Mikayla, 19 in July, has just begun her sophomore year at the University of Mississippi in Oxford, her mother’s former stomping grounds. A business major in marketing and management, she says her love of accounting reflects her mother’s love of mathematics. At Silliman, Mikayla was captain of the varsity cheer squad and a cheerleader for six years; her sports included softball, basketball and tennis. Her parents hope she will “take over the business end” of Curry’s. Work Hard, Remember to Play The Gayles agree that running a pharmacy is “a lot more demanding than most people realize.” They have chosen to dedicate their lives to work that “makes an important difference” in the lives of others. At the same time, they have taught their children to take care of themselves as well as those they will serve. The Gayles “love the beach,” Bradley says, remarking with a laugh that the entire family also “loves Disney World and has visited it close to 20 times.” Now that their children are grown, the parents find themselves without the activities that formerly filled their lives...notably attendance at all of those Silliman sports events. So far, Wimberly says, opening the new store in Slaughter has meant that they “haven’t had time to discover what we’re going to do with the rest of our lives.” What’s next? The Gayles are ready. They know they’ll find time, whatever may come, for everything and everyone. Days and hours of operation Curry’s locations in both Clinton and Slaughter are open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and on Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The Gayles’ stores offer a small town atmosphere, where those who serve you know you—and, often, your family as well, going back generations—and thus offer services that the impersonal big box and chain stores simply can’t. At the same time, the technology, as well as the education and expertise of the Curry’s team matches or exceeds the best anywhere. The Gayles’ customers thank them for bringing their skills and dedication back home.

HOME/HOTEL SETTING FOR RENT NIGHTLY OR WEEKLY 3151 Quiet Lane, Jackson, LA 70748

Clean, quiet, comfortable home furnished: 2 Private Bedrooms (rent one or both)/Bathroom (Key Pad Locks), Shared Living Room, Kitchen. Washer/Dryer, Internet, and Cable. Nightly or Weekly Rental. Call Mary (404) 759-5262 • Also listed on AirBNB.com

WE BRING YOUR GOLF CARTS BACK TO LIFE

GAYLE BATTERY

Ideal Protein Weight Loss Protocol

Start-Up Kit $300 Start-Up Kit Includes: • Initial Consultation • BCA Scan • Shaker • Supplements • Food Journal • 1 Week of Meals: 7 Breakfasts, 7 Lunches, 7 Snacks

Over $100 in Savings!

Limited Time Offer • Restrictions Apply Initial Consultaion Must be Scheduled by February 15th 2018! COACH HAILEY USSERY HUSSERY@MOUREAUPT.COM ZACHARY: (225) 654-3800 • CENTRAL (225) 261-8405

- ALL TYPES OF BATTERIES - GOLF CARTS TOO! -

BUSINESS BOOMING HELP WANTED

(225) 774-7475 16555 Plank Road • Baker, LA gaylebattery.com • Fax: 225-774-7470

SEE CLASSIFIED!

BATTERIES NEW & USED GOLF CARTS

WE NOW HAVE BUILDINGS AND CABANAS RENT TO OWN AS LOW AS $69 A MONTH PLUS TAX- NO CREDIT CHECK

Treads & Care is now Tire Engineers NEW NAME. SAME PEOPLE. SAME GREAT SERVICE.

Zachary: Hwy. 964 (Behind Sammy’s) (225) 658-5919 Airline Hwy. (225) 753-3626 • Wooddale Blvd (225) 927-2723


BUSINESS DIRECTORY | CLASSIFIEDS ACCOUNTING

Tuesday, January 9, 2018

REAL ESTATE

HOME SERVICES

“LICENSED AND INSURED”

HOMES & LAND AVAILABLE

Zachary

262-1234

654-9080

ANTIQUES NOW OPEN Thursday, Friday, & Saturday only Antiques Primitives Vintage Retro Linens Cast Iron and More!

(225) 570-2039

Open Thursday, Friday & Saturday 10:005:00

20130 Plank Rd.; (Hwy 64 & Hwy 67); Zachary, LA 70791 www.AntiquesAtTheCrossroads.com Antiques At The Crossroads

St. Francisville

784-0448

225-634-7880

225-719-2383 • Hwy 955 W. • Ethel, LA Baton Rouge

Kenny & Nancy Clark, Owners Licensed and Insured

Full Service Lawncare: Cutting • Edging • Trimming

Now able to mow larger properties. 10-15 Acres. Pressure Call today for a free quote!

Washing Now Available

(225) 603-4106

OPEN 6 Days a Week Tuesday-Saturday 10am-5pm Sunday 1pm-5pm (225) 570-2339 • 21126 Plank Rd. • Zachary sistersetczachary@gmail.com

Paige Overcash Travel Advisor Associate 985-788-4537 386-333-9331

paige.overcash@cruiseplanners.com paigeovercash.overandovertravel.com

Lawn Care

Room for Rent in Zachary (on Church St., Behind Bank of Zachary.) Utilities included. Furnished. Call (225) 654-9900 or text (225) 480-8534.

For Sale - Climate Controlled warehouse in Slaughter. 150K. 225-324-9515. For Sale: 4.08 acres clear land in slaughter and 30x60 building with electric ac/heat. Call 225-778-1293 or 225-936-2412. $140k.

225-505-0646 Mayeux’s Mowing and More LLC Acreage Welcome, Licensed, Insured, Free Estimates

$30-$60 (225) 205-2995

(225) 654-4500

Professional & Insured Builders llc & etc Licensed

We are proud to offer the following services: New Construction, Additions & Renovations Insurance Claims - Fire, Flood Storm Damage

Kitchen & Bath Remodeling Kitchen Counter Tops, Cabinets, Plumbing, Tilesetting, Tub & Shower Marble Surrounds, Marble Vanities

Outdoor Projects Kitchens, Patios, Decks, Fencing, Concrete Driveways

225-757-5668

Email: professionalbuilders@cox.net

Event Planner, Designer & Decorator

Simply Elegant Created Designs for All Events. We Bring Concepts to Life. P.O. Box 1431 Zachary, LA 70791

225.571.9199 jjdcreativedesign@gmail.com

GLASS

GUN RANGE

HOME SERVICES

Spears A/C & Appliance Service Johnny Spears

(225)439-1369

Hiring Company & TEAM Drivers Regional & OTR lanes. Christian Company Seeking Professional Drivers. Great Place to Retire CLASS A CDL & Clean Record 2 Yrs. Current OTR Experience Required. Passport & TWIC a Plus! $3000 Sign-on Bonus. 401K , Insurance, $25K Co. Pd. Life Ins., Detention Pay, Cell Phone, Inspection & MPG Incentives! Border Crossing Incentive PLUS MUCH MORE! TSD LOGISTICS Call: 800-426-7110 x.156 www.tsdlogistics.com (app) live chat

Mustang Coatings located near the city of Central area is looking for an experienced Crane Operator/All Around Hand. Good pay and benefits are available to the right person. Send resume to: ashley@dmi-lt.com

Fabrics, Slip Covers, Custom Drapery, Roman Shades,Shutters & Upholstery

JJ&D CREATIVE DESIGN, LLC

Home Center with multiple locations is looking for people with work ethic and ability to learn. Apply by email ONLY to localhomecenter@hotmail.com

Drivers: $5,000 Sign-On! Big Miles=Big Money!! Company, Lease, or O/O. CDL-A, with H&T End. 2018=New Comp. Package!!866-451-4495

“We come to you, FREE estimates”

EVENTS & RENTALS

For Sale: Custom Built Home with 8.98 acres in Ethel! 3BR, 2.5 Bath. 1824 Sq Ft Living, Stocked Ponds, Shop, Barn and Cabin. $369,900 – Make your appointment today! Leigh Brashier, Owner/Agent Cell 225-726-1249. Keller Williams Greater Baton Rouge 225-570-2900. Each Office Independently Owned & Operated.

NOW HIRING. Cashier and Kitchen help needed. 5am-2pm. Apply in person at TMC Concessions, 4347 High Street, Zachary (Next to Chris’s Specialty Meats).

CUSTOM DRAPES

INFLATABLES MCC Inflatables, LLC.

Mustang Coatings located near the city of Central area is looking for experienced Industrial Painters, Sand Blasters, and Paint Helpers. Good pay and benefits are available to the right person.

Bringing Fun To You!

Party Supply Rentals

Zachary, LA 225-205-2995 mccinflatables@gmail.com www.mccinflatablesllc.com

PERSONAL LOANS

POND MANAGEMENT LOUISIANA POND MANAGEMENT Fountains & Aeration Vegetation Management Fisheries Enhancement

(225) 308-4145 www.louisianapondmanagement.com

Classifieds Immediate opening Inside Sales, 7:30-4:00 M-F, 20 minutes North of Zachary, distribution experience a plus. Holiday pay, PTO, benefits. careers@gulfcoasttmc.com In home childcare all ages, full or part time. Flexable hours for working parents. Before and after school. Meals provided, homework help. 39th St 2 blocks before Zachary Elementary call for more info: 225324-1614

House cleaning needed? Call Debbie Bennett for a free estimate (225)572-3033. Subway is Now Hiring at 2023 Hwy 10 Jackson, La. Apply on line @subway.com or inside.

Help us celebrate our HEROES!!! The Louisiana Veterans Home is seeking FT & PT Certified Nursing Assistants, LPNs & RNs.CNA training is provided onsite. Experience based salary with shift differentials & premium pay. For more info, contact Human Resources at 225-634-5265 ext. 215. Equal Opportunity Employer

Pointe Coupee Homebound has POSITIONS AVAILABLE • Home Health Physical Therapist (prn) • Home Health Psychiatric RN (Part Time.) Prior Home Health Experience Preferred. Send resume to: homebound@ eatel.net or 350 Hospital Rd. New Roads, LA 70760 (225)638-5717 Golf cart Mechanic needed Gayle Battery. Call Clint Gayle at Gayle battery at (225) 774-7475.

Do you like to cook? Immediate opening at Lakeview Manor for a cook. Call to set up an interview today at 225-638-4404.

Kayla & Andre McCalope

INSURANCE

WEIGHT LOSS

Home/Hotel Setting for rent Nightly or Weekly. 3151 Quiet Lane, Jackson, LA 70748. Clean, quiet, comfortable home fully furnished: 2 private bedrooms(rent one or both) / bathroom (key pad locks), shared living room, kitchen. washer / dryer, internet, and cable. nightly or weekly rental. Call Mary 404-759-5262

HELP WANTED/SERVICES OFFERED

tnsdance.webs.com

Credit cards accepted

WASTEWATER TREATMENT

REAL ESTATE TO BUY OR RENT

“God is first in all we do”

OVER 60 DEALERS UNDER ONE ROOF 20,000 SQ FT. OF SHOPPING

225-936-8649

(225) 721-1669

NO JOB TOO LARGE OR SMALL We Accept: Visa/Master Card/Discover/American Express

Classifieds

Presenting

AUTOMOTIVE

(225) 784-0936

KTG Lawn Services LLC

Antiques & etc.

Dance Classes: Enroll Now

DANGEROUS REMOVALS, PRUNING, ETC. 24 HR. EMERGENCY SERVICE BILLY JOE BRASWELL

TRAVEL

262-1234

4 Sisters & etc.

ARTS, DANCE & MUSIC

TREE CARE BRASWELL TREE SERVICE & STUMP GRINDING

QUICK SERVICE TO GET YOU BACK IN YOUR FLOOD HOME!

Family Business

POST 7

Have it all!! Competitive pay and satisfying career in Geriatric Nursing. Lakeview Manor has IMMEDIATE OPENINGS for LPN’s, CNA’s, and cooks in all shifts. Call to set up an interview today at

(225) 638-4404.

Have it all! Competetive pay and satisfying career in Geriatric Nursing. Lakeview Manor has immediate openeings for LPN’s, CNA’s, and cooks in all shifts. Call to set up an interview today at 225-638-4404. MISCELLANEOUS/ ITEMS FOR SALE

Cross Creek Cowboy Church. Sundays breakfast 9:30, service 10:30. 21160 Plank Road, Zachary. Come as you are. Crosscreekcowboychurch.com I will pay for your scrap metal and junk cars. Call (225)276-4273.

I buy junk cars and scrap metal Call Justin 225-9079812.

Call in or send us your Classified Ad Only $10 Up to 20 words

Phone 225-654-0122 or email advertising@zacharypost.com


8

POST Tuesday, January 9, 2018

SPEARS

continued from page 3

in Baton Rouge, where she greeted patients and helped them maintain a positive outlook. “I loved it there,” she says today. Every Wednesday, she spends one and a half hours teaching sixth through eighth graders—and sometimes ninth and tenth graders--from Thrive Academy, a tuition-free Baton Rouge boarding school that works with under-served populations. The Thrive students come to St. Joseph’s, where Ms. Spears teaches skills such as 3-D scanning and printing, and how to program computers and robots. As a member of the Liturgy Committee during her sophomore year, she served as spirituality coordinator, helping organize masses and prayer services, preparing prayers for the Liturgy Committee meetings and planning school liturgy programs. During the school year, she wrote weekly devotion emails, based on Scripture, which the Campus Ministry Department sent to the entire school—that is, to students, teachers and administrators. She has continued her contributions monthly during the summer. During this school year, in addition to her duties as spirituality coordinator, she serves the Liturgy Committee as its secretary. She will also serve as the American Sign Language Club treasurer. Ms. Spears was one of eight students representing SJA at the annual Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph Conference in Cleveland over the summer.. Four other schools that the Sisters founded also took part. This “massive meeting” of schools

Derquisia Spears holds the certificate of recognition she received from Governor John Bel Edwards on the occasion of her selection for the Congress of Future Medical Leaders in Massachusetts. Photograph by Patricia Stallman

from across the country gathered at Baldwin Wallace Methodist University. “As we learned more about the history of the Sisters,” Ms. Spears writes, “we were often reminded that the history of their Congregation of Sisters is ongoing and that it is also my mission to serve those around me as Christ’s vessel. “While we were at the conference, we took part in several service projects. Our schools were divided into small groups to visit and serve at a nursing home, a clergy retirement

home, a soup kitchen and a working facility for previously incarcerated people. I served at a soup kitchen for my first time during this trip. It really touched me to see young children in the facility and to meet amazing people who might not have eaten that day without the generosity of the kitchen.” Mentors The entire Spears family appears to function as mentors for each other. Ms. Spears’ parents met when they were students at Clinton High School but “didn’t date until our college years,” her father, says, explaining that when the two reunited, they met at church. “I was singing with a Gospel male chorus that visited different churches, and she was singing in a church chorus”—a perfect way to reconnect and set the tone for their marriage. Derald J. Spears, Sr., earned a degree in computer science and applied mathematics at Alcorn State University in Mississippi, and Chiquita Bennett Spears earned her degree as a registered nurse at Southern University’s School of Nursing in Baton Rouge. Mr. Spears, who is employed with Shell Oil Company, serves East Feliciana Parish as a member of the School Board. Mrs. Spears is employed with Capital Area Human Services. Derald J. Spears, Jr., who will enter the sixth grade at Sacred Heart in the Fall, is already planning to attend law school at Yale. Helping to secure this already sturdy foundation in education and service are grandparents Leon and Viola Matthews Spears and maternal grandparents Richard McCallister and the late Minister Minnie Bennett McCallister. Both Leon Spears and Richard McCallister are proud veter-

ans. Viola Matthews Spears taught in East Feliciana Parish for over thirty years. Minnie McCallister served as a nursing assistant at East Feliciana and East Baton Rouge Parish Health Units. At around age 8, Ms. Spears recalls, she enjoyed playing with her mother’s medical equipment and learning how to take family members’ blood pressure. Of her mother, she says, “She’s my inspiration, but she never pressured me to go into medicine; she wanted me to follow my own passion.” Another medical professional, one Ms. Spears has also known since birth, is her pediatrician, Dr. Susan Bankston of the Baton Rouge Clinic, who, like Ms. Spears, attended both Sacred Heart and Saint Joseph’s Academy. “We have a really close bond,” Ms. Spears remarks. “She is a role model, very professional and very happy in her work.” Ms. Spears at first gravitated toward pediatrics as a specialty, but is now considering family medicine. Science teachers at SJA have also played inspirational roles—Lori Harper in physical science and Shelley O’Dowd in biology. Ms. Mandy Tuminello, campus minister at SJA, has also inspired Ms. Spears to serve others. The Spears family attends Bethany, a nondenominational church in Baker. Family, the Answer The Spears family members prioritize a balance of faith, family, education and service to others. This has left Ms. Spears free to set her sights on a life of purpose without limitation.

do you have the

write stuff?

the 2018

DEMCO Youth Tour Essay Contest four high school juniors will win

all-expense paid trip to

s y sa e 9! s E du n 1 Ja

Washington, D.C.

Close to home, far from ordinary. Because we live in this community, too. Committed to a healthier hometown. .................... We’re open after hours and seven days a week with experienced medical staff committed to helping you and your loved ones stay healthy.

Visit demco.org for rules and eligibility

KEEPING CURRENT: TIP #1 DEMCO awards college/ university scholarships each year at our annual membership meeting. Learn more at our website today.

ZACHARY LOCATION 18989 Old Scenic Hwy • (225) 654-8850 Mon-Fri 9AM-9PM • Sat-Sun 9AM-6PM /DEMCOLouisiana demco.org

www.LakeAfterHours.com


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