2015 Oct layout

OCTOBER 2015 

Mayor’s Notes: Cameron Parish • Breast Cancer Awareness • Dishing with Carol Cox

For the last twenty 24 years of living in my 

neighborhood, I have witnessed my neighbor exit 

her front door at 9 o’clock in the morning, stand 

on her front porch and with her hand, abundantly 

cast out bread onto her lawn. Some early birds are 

already waiting on the electric lines right above 

her house, just a little before the nine o’clock hour. 

Other birds speedily fly in from behind her house, 

both sides of her house and in front of her house. 

They all land on the ground, making room for each 

other, bow their heads and partake of the bread 

that is gracefully being supplied to them. What a 

peaceful and beautiful moment to observe! 

Several squirrels scurry really fast, then stop, 

then scurry faster across the electric lines to my 

neighbor’s house. She continues to abundantly cast 

out bread with her hand onto her lawn. 

When they reach my neighbor’s yard, they leap into 

the top of the tree planted in her yard, speed down 

By Brenda Hill 

the tree trunk onto the ground and pick the bread 

up off the ground, sit back on hind legs and quietly 

eat their daily bread. 

Amazingly, the birds move aside, continue to eat 

their daily bread with bowed heads and remain 

undisturbed. They all partake of their daily bread 

together. After all, they didn’t toil for it, it was 

supplied to them. Oh what grace! Once these 

creatures have eaten to the full, the birds fly and 

the squirrels leap and run! 

What a beautiful and peaceful sight of grace 

made new each morning and how the attitude 

of gratitude gives wings to fly and legs to leap 

and run! 

LOCAL NEWS, EVENTS, STORIES & PEOPLE 

2 EDITOR’S PEN 

4 HUMANITARIAN CAMMIE COOLEY 

SWLA HEALTH AND FITNESS: 

10 SENIOR CIRCLE MEMBER ON PERSONAL MISSION 

11 MEN GET BREAST CANCER TOO 

12 MAYORS NOTES: CAMERON PARISH 

14 DISHING WITH CAROL BAUMGARTEN COX 

16 LIFESHARE BLOOD CENTER 

17 #POSITIVE IS ME 

18 COMMISSIONERS OF ELECTIONS 

21 ENTERTAINMENT: CORBIN BERNSEN NOVEL: RUST 

22 BEHIND THE SCENES: THAT THEY MAY BE ONE 

24 MY SENIOR MOMENT 

26 TAKE YOUR POWER BACK, AMERICA 

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF | Brenda Hill 

brenda@thevoiceofsouthwestla.com 

GENERAL MANAGER | Tracy Clark 

tracy@thevoiceofsouthwestla.com 

GRAPHIC LAYOUT | Kyra Labrie 

voiceofswlagraphics@gmail.com 

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CONSULTANTS 

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CONTRIBUTING WRITERS 

Cynthia LeMelle, LeNae Goolsby, JD, 

Kris Welcome, Rhonda Babin, 

Angie Kay Dilmore, Lowell Bergeron, 

Pam Thibodeaux, Joyce R. Kebodeaux, 

Cecely Clark, Mary Carroll 

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OCTOBER 2015 VOICEOFSOUTHWESTLA.COM Volume 3 • Number 2 Volume 3 • Number 2 VOICEOFSOUTHWESTLA.COM OCTOBER 2015

THE Making of a HUMANITARIAN 

By Angie Kay Dilmore 

Cammie Cooley has seen 

more of the planet than the average 

person. And she plans to 

see much more. Still in her 20s, 

Cooley possesses a keen sense 

of self-awareness. She knows 

where she’s been, where she’s 

at, and where she wants to go. 

She has a plan and nothing can 

get in her way or slow her down. 

When Cooley says she 

wants to travel the world, she’s 

not talking 

about pleasure vacations. 

Cooley has a warm heart 

for humanity. She views the 

world through the eyes of the 

hungry, thirsty, injured, and 

homeless people suffering as a 

result of natural disasters such 

as the earthquakes in Nepal 

last spring. “I’ll do anything in 

my power to help someone in 

need,” says Cooley. “I want to 

help. I want to be there.” 

Several life circumstances 

Vietnam 2015: 

Passing out gifts to patients at lepracy center 

and 

events led 

Cooley on this empathetic 

path of service. When she was 

sixteen, Cooley’s parents divorced. 

It was a difficult time in 

her life, but as she says, she survived. 

As a freshman at South 

Beauregard High School, Cooley 

joined Junior Reserve Officer 

Training Corps (JROTC), in part 

because she knew her parents 

wouldn’t be able to help her 

financially for college. JROTC 

granted her a generous college 

scholarship, but the experience 

proved to be more valuable 

than just a source of funds. 

JROTC also instilled in her a spirit 

of volunteerism. In addition 

to drills and discipline, Cooley 

says JROTC focuses on community 

involvement. “People don’t 

realize JROTC programs are the 

ones who do the flag ceremonies 

for school events, attend 

funerals for veterans, and plan 

field days for students.” 

In her early 20s, Cooley attended 

a comedy show at Coushatta 

Casino. She met the performers 

and they hit it off and 

Cammie meeting with local 

Lions Club to secure 

transportation to remote areas 

became friends. This encounter 

led Cooley to a job in California 

and the formation of her business, 

Dat Phan Productions. 

She and her business partner 

represent, promote, and book 

live comedy shows, tours, and 

music events within the United 

States and around the world. 

This job requires her to travel a 

lot, inspiring her desire to see 

the world. 

As an adolescent, Cooley 

became interested in photography. 

Her production company 

enabled her to take those skills 

to a professional level. She photographs 

her clients onstage 

for media purposes. Through 

her photography connections, 

Cooley was asked to travel to 

Vietnam with the humanitarian 

organization Seven Day Hero 

to document their relief efforts. 

While on this trip, she met vol- 

unteer physician 

Gale Lawrence. This 

doctor introduced her to the 

organization Reach Out Worldwide. 

Both of these groups send 

teams of doctors and paramedics 

to places experiencing the 

aftermath of natural disasters or 

to countries where there is great 

poverty and need. “They visit orphanages, 

leprosy clinics, set up 

small medical clinics, whatever 

is needed,” says Cooley. 

Cooley remembers the day 

she got the call from Reach Out 

Worldwide to travel with them 

to Nepal after the devastating 

earthquakes. At that time, she 

was at a rough point in her life. “I 

didn’t feel I was in a place I needed 

to be. When I got that call, I 

immediately knew. I’m going.” 

That trip was a turning point 

in Cooley’s life. “The team I was 

with had one doctor (Dr. Lawrence) 

and the rest were firemen, 

paramedics, and EMTs. I’ve 

always been interested in the 

medical field. I knew I was doing 

a good thing by documenting 

their efforts, maintaining com- 

munica- 

tions, and ensuring the 

team was fed and hydrated, but 

I wanted to help more. These 

firefighters volunteer their time, 

being away from their families 

in a very dangerous situation, 

working eighteen hours a day, 

treating people. When I saw 

what they were doing and how 

they were helping people, I said, 

‘I want to do this.’ It’s so fulfilling 

to be able to help people.” 

Cooley returned from that 

trip determined to become 

certified as a paramedic. She 

is currently enrolled in the National 

EMS Academy, in partnership 

with Acadian Ambulance 

Service. It’s a two year course, 

but with her existing degrees, 

she hopes to finish in eighteen 

months. After that, she’ll spend 

a year with paramedics for training. 

Currently, she’s in class eight 

hours a day, four days a week – 

in addition to managing her entertainment 

booking business. 

Once she is fully certified, she 

plans to give her time to help 

charities who help people in 

Delivering MRE supplies 

with a volunteer 

need. 

What drives this gung-ho 

go-getter to work so hard to 

achieve her goals? Cooley exhibits 

several characteristics 

that foster her desire to see the 

world by serving others. 

Independence 

Cooley says she learned 

to be independent from her 

mother. When she gets an idea 

OCTOBER 2015 VOICEOFSOUTHWESTLA.COM Volume 3 • Number 2 Volume 3 • Number 2 VOICEOFSOUTHWESTLA.COM OCTOBER 2015 

and makes a plan, she goes for 

it. No permission required. For 

example, when she first got the 

entertainment booking job, she 

hopped on a plane to California 

and didn’t tell anyone she was 

leaving. “I don’t like people telling 

me what to do or what I can 

and cannot do,” says Cooley. 

Perseverence 

Cooley realized early on 

that she would be financially 

responsible for her own college 

education. She did everything 

she could to ensure that would 

happen. She made good grades. 

She joined JROTC her freshman 

year and earned a scholarship 

to LSU. After a year there, she 

lost her scholarship due to an 

undiagnosed medical problem. 

Years later, she and her doctors 

finally realized she has Hashimoto’s 

and celiac disease which results 

in a gluten intolerance. She 

controls her symptoms through 

diet and exercise. 

After losing her LSU scholarship, 

Cooley came back home 

and attended McNeese State 

University. “I kept my TOPS, applied 

for as many grants and 

scholarships as I could, worked 

three jobs and got myself 

through school,” she says, with 

well-deserved pride. Cooley 

graduated with a degree in General 

Studies and an Associate’s 

degree in Foreign Languages/ 

Latin. She speaks six 

Teaching 

locals to heat MRE’s

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different languages – English, 

French, Italian, German, Spanish, 

and Vietnamese. “I’ve been a 

linguist my entire life,” she says. 

“I strive my hardest to do the 

best I can at whatever I do, always 

trying to be better.” 

Curiosity 

Cooley displays a natural 

curiosity that drives her life. For 

her, there’s always something 

new and exciting around the 

corner. “My curiosity makes me 

want to do more in life, further 

my education, be a better person.” 

Courage 

It takes a courageous person 

to travel to a far corner of 

the world in the face of a disaster. 

Cooley encountered looting, 

water shortages, disease and 

death. “It was a little daunting, 

knowing I was going into a third 

world country, to a major disaster 

where 10,000 people had 

died and there was a chance 

Vietnam 2015: 

7 Day Hero passing out prosthetic devices to 

patients at lepracy center 

I might, too. It changes a lot in 

your life.” 

Generosity and 

Compassion 

Through her own adventures, 

Cooley hopes to inspire 

others to persevere and never 

give up. She directs a scholarship 

fund for JROTC students at 

South Beauregard High School. 

JROTC alumni donate to the 

scholarship fund and they provide 

two scholarships every 

year to help students go to college. 

“We’re proud to help these 

kids with their education and 

future. The kids that generally 

tend to join ROTC tend to not 

fit anywhere else. They’re not in 

the band, they’re generally not 

in sports, maybe their family 

was military and that’s what put 

them in ROTC. Maybe they are 

kids who need a closer watch 

and more discipline. I ended up 

in ROTC at a very tough time in 

my life, when my parents were 

Joseph C. Duhon 

Vice President / Branch Manager 

Lake Charles & Grand Lake 

Lake Charles (337) 477-8661 

Fax (337) 477-1019 

Grand Lake (337) 598-2177 

Fax (337) 598-2668 

joseph.duhon@citysavingsbank.com 

Allen Ray Wood 

Realtor® 

Cell: 337-515-1695 

Office: 337-433-1171 • rwood@kw.com 

825 Ryan St. 2nd Floor 

Lake Charles, LA 70601 

Each Office is 

Independently 

Owned and 

Operated 

FIGHTING FOR JUSTICE SINCE 1959 

Roach Law Building 

2917 RYAN STREET • 433-8504 

www.larryaroachinc.com 

Barry A. Roach • Larry A. Roach, Jr. • Fred C. LeBleu III 

David M. Hudson • Christopher S. LaCombe 

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Cammie with our sponsored 

cataract surgery paitents 

getting divorced. The instructor 

there, he’s like a second father 

to me. Even though he’s 

retired, I keep in contact with 

him.” 

Again, Cooley gleaned 

her generous nature from her 

mother. “My mom is definitely 

a very giving person; emotionally, 

physically, everything she 

can. I grew up in the church, as 

well. I don’t consider myself religious 

or claim membership to 

any certain church, but I see the 

fellowship and what community 

can do. I appreciate the faith 

and the humanity behind it and 

it’s instilled in me.” 

A Wanderlust 

Grounded in Strong 

Roots 

Cooley has lived most of her 

life in the Longville/Ragley area. 

She’s a country girl who loves 

the outdoors – hiking, hunting, 

kayaking, and running with 

her dogs through the woods. 

“This is home and family. I have 

been around the world, and I’ve 

not found a culture that is like 

ours. There’s nothing else like 

it. There is so much here and 

many people don’t realize it. I 

hope to spread the word, get 

people here, and show them 

our hospitality.” 

What’s next on Cammie 

Cooley’s ambitious list of things 

to do? For the next couple years, 

she is focused on becoming a 

paramedic. After that, she plans 

to continue traveling, helping 

people wherever she can. She 

hopes to go to Vietnam next 

summer. South America is also 

on her short list. “I’ve not been 

there yet. I want to go to Machu 

Picchu, Patagonia, a desert in 

Chile.” 

No matter where Cooley’s 

heart takes her or how long she 

is gone, Southwest Louisiana 

will always be her home. “I’ll always 

come back. Always.” 

Visiting with 

patients at lepracy center in 

Vietnam 

TAKE CONTROL. 

GET SCREENED. 

Early detection is a powerful tool 

in the fight against breast cancer. 

The American Cancer Society 

recommends an annual mammogram 

for women over the age of 40. 

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 

During OCTOBER, West Calcasieu 

Cameron Hospital is offering a 

20% DISCOUNT ON DIGITAL 

SCREENING MAMMOGRAMS. 

Appointments are available 

Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., 

and on Thursdays until 7 p.m. 

during the month of October. 

Call (337) 527-4256 to schedule 

your mammogram today. 

Radiologists’ fees are billed separately from the 

hospital and are not included in the discount. 

701 Cypress Street, Sulphur 

wcch.com 


SWLA 

By Cynthia LeMelle 

SWLA 

My name is Cynthia LeMelle. 

As a frequent visitor to my 

neighborhood library, I was 

invited to join Senior Circle. It 

out-of-pocket expense for treatment? 

Am I really going to lose 

my hair? Where should I go for 

treatment? I had no idea how 

important the answer to these 

questions would become. The 

both were tested. From the 

doctor responsible for the 

chemotherapy treatment, 

I’ll summarize my experience: 

• After the first treat- 

was my good fortune to be introduced 

to the Book Club by 

Librarian Felicia Oliver in 2011. 

Although my main focus is the 

Book Club, I have also participated 

in annual functions like 

Thanksgiving, Christmas, and 

even a trip to San Antonio, TX. 

The diverse group of book lovers 

always make the discussion 

fun and interesting, and I always 

learn something new. Little did 

I know late 2012, my love for 

reading and attending Book 

Club would be drastically interrupted. 

The words, “you have breast 

cancer” delivered by my family 

doctor on September 11th, 

2012, felt surreal at the time. 

Yes, the result of a self-exam, a 

mammogram, and a breast biopsy 

confirmed the lump I had 

felt was cancerous. Who? Me? 

I had no history of breast cancer 

in my family. That moment 

of shock contained a thousand 

questions in my mind: Am I 

going to die from this disease? 

How am I going to tell my sister 

I have breast cancer? Will I need 

to stop working to go into treatment? 

Will I be able to pay the 

answers to these questions 

would also be the reason for 

my special mission. It seems 

not enough to just survive the 

disease if others cannot benefit 

from my experience as a breast 

cancer patient. That’s what the 

survey questions are about. 

With the advertisements 

available about ‘cancer treatment 

centers’, it is daunting to 

make a decision about where 

to go to save your life. My decision 

to receive treatment 

right here at home seemed like 

a no-brainer. My health insurance 

is through my employer; to 

keep my insurance I had to keep 

working. Question answered. 

Actually, I chose my surgeon, 

my oncologist, and my radiologist 

primarily because of their 

location. If I wasn’t going to be 

feeling well, I didn’t want to 

have to drive clear across town 

to my next appointment. Oh, 

how wise am I? ‘Pray and Prepare’, 

that’s my motto. Now, let 

me tell you how that decision 

worked out for me. 

My oncologist was very 

prompt about giving me the 

hand-outs about the chemotherapy 

drugs (required by law) 

and his cell phone number. It 

was not long before the limits of 

ment, as expected, I did lose my 

hair. When I presented another 

side effect, I got:’ I don’t know. 

I’ve never seen that before.’ No 

follow-up. 

• After being rushed to the 

ER with severe stomach cramps, 

I called the cell phone. ER care 

givers were specifically instructed 

to send the oncologist the 

results of the tests. I got no visit 

from my doctor in the ER, I got 

no call back from the doctor, 

and no referral for further tests 

from the oncologist. 

• When I reported some neuropathy 

in my feet there was no 

test to measure the severity or 

to see if I was even telling the 

truth. There was no prescription 

or suggestion to minimize the 

pain. Treatment halted. 

• I was released from treatment 

as if I was being expelled 

from school with no note from 

my teacher. 

These are the reasons for the 

survey. Was it just me, or have 

other breast cancer patients experienced 

same or similar treatments 

from our local breast cancer 

health care providers? 

Today, I am so grateful to 

say my treatment was successful. 

I am approaching 2 years 

as a survivor. However, these 

rough spots during treatment 

still haunt me. Even after chemotherapy 

had begun, should 

I have changed doctors? When 

I was sick enough to go to the 

ER, who was I supposed to call? 

Except for the ladies in ATC (Ambulatory 

Treatment Center), 

where I received chemotherapy, 

I really felt as if I was in this 

fight alone. After that battle, 

my radiologist was wonderful. 

Having cancer is complicated; 

expecting the best care available 

should not be. Hopefully, 

the results of the survey will offer 

our breast cancer health care 

providers and Breast Cancer Patient 

Navigators some tangible 

information about care and expectations. 

Participation in the 

survey is completely voluntary 

and anonymous. I am asking 

all breast cancer patients and 

survivors living in Southwest 

Louisiana or Southeast Texas to 

please request a copy of the survey. 

You may request a copy of 

the survey by calling (337) 433- 

6527 or e-mailing: misslem@ 

live.com to leave your mailing 

address. Each package will also 

contain a self-addressed return 

envelope. Together, I know we 

can make a difference. 

By Kris Welcome 

Breast cancer affects thousands 

of women in a year, but did you 

know that over 2,200 men will be 

diagnosed and a quarter of them is 

expected to perish as a result. 

Cancer is a group of diseases that 

causes cells in the body to change 

and grow out of control. Breast 

cancer begins in the breast tissue 

and forms masses or lumps called 

tumors; the plight strikes both 

sexes the same. 

The treatment for male breast 

cancer is typically a mastectomy 

(removal of the breast) followed by 

rounds of chemo/radiation, 

hormone therapy, or targeted 

therapy. The average age of a 

man who contracts breast cancer 

is 60-70. 

It may seem crazy to attach breast 

cancer to men, but what’s even 

crazier is that many men have no 

clue that they can contract the 

disease! The truth of the matter is 

the tissues and components are all 

the same (although men have 

very few, if any, lobules making 

lobular carcinoma a rare 

occurrence in men.) 

Symptoms for men to look for 

when checking any differences in 

their chest are lumps in the breast 

(usually painless), thickening of the 

breast, discharge of fluid from the 

nipple, or changes to the 

skin or nipple such as dimpling, 

puckering, or redness. These are 

the same symptoms women with 

breast cancer may encounter 

as well. 

Though the issue is extremely rare 

in retrospect to breast cancer in 

women which takes nearly 40,000 

lives a year, it is still an issue that 

goes unnoticed often times. Saving 

one life is reason enough to shed 

light on an issue that faces many 

men in society. Male breast cancer 

is a real thing and shouldn’t be 

taken lightly. Men often let issues 

go untended to longer than 

women, especially when it comes 

to preventative measures. 

Don’t be ashamed to go see a 

doctor if you notice any 

abnormalities you may be having 

with your breast! The sooner you 

know the better chance you have 

at survival. Remember to shed light 

to the issue of breast cancer (of 

both sexes) throughout the month 

of October. Let’s also take the time 

to be mindful of those who have 

lost their battle or are currently 

fighting their bout with cancer. 

It’s a horrific ordeal for anyone 

and here at The Voice of SWLA, 

we want to help ensure our 

readers can do their best to 

maintain a superb level of well 

being; be it spiritual, mental, or 

physical. 

*THE FACTS PRESENTED IN THIS ARTICLE WERE DERIVED 

FROM CANCER.ORG AND CANCERCENTER.COM* 


By Mary Carroll 

There are no incorporated 

communities in Cameron Parish, 

so the Cameron Parish Police 

Jury is the formal governing 

body for the parish. The Police 

Jury is currently composed of 7 

jurors, but an 8th will be added 

January 2016, who are elected 

every four years. The jury operates 

under the police jury system 

as provided by the general 

laws of the State of Louisiana. 

The Cameron Police Jury is 

both a legislative and administrative 

body. Its legislative 

functions include enacting 

ordinances and resolutions, 

establishing programs, and 

determining policy. As an administrative 

body, it prepares 

the budget, hires personnel, negotiates 

contracts, and directs 

the activities under its supervision. 

The Police Jury appoints a 

Parish Administrator to oversee 

daily business and functions of 

the parish. The current Parish 

Administrator is Ryan Bourriaque. 

Cameron Parish was organized 

in 1870 from parts of Calcasieu 

and Vermillion Parishes. 

A typical governing body of a 

Parish was a Police Jury, and 

each parish had a parish judge 

and a justice of the peace, both 

appointed. Voters also elected a 

police jury, which was responsible 

for law and order and other 

administration. The first Cameron 

Parish Police Jury meeting 

was March 2, 1874 and consisted 

of 5 Jurors. 

Our parish governing body 

is very similar to other mayoral 

structures, we have a police jury 

and an administrator, and they 

have a town council and a mayor. 

Hurricane Rita was a devastating 

storm for the Parish in 

2005, and lower Cameron Parish 

suffered nearly a total loss of 

structures following the storm. 

Wave heights in some areas of 

the Parish were over 18 feet. 

Over 40% of the total structures 

in the Parish were destroyed 

with an even larger number 

damaged. Lower Cameron Parish 

was without electricity for 

some four months and even 

longer without a gas station. 

The effects of Rita were significant 

for our people, no doubt, 

but our residents also realized 

and were thankful that the life 

loss experienced in Hurricane 

Audrey was not repeated; however 

Rita recovery was greatly 

hindered by Hurricane Ike some 

three years later. The community 

has slowly come back or at 

least a pace that is not as expedient 

as we would have liked. 

Much of the redevelopment 

that has taken place is to do 

with the fact that our residents 

are tied to their family land and 

the freedom and history that 

come with it. 

Cameron Parish is an area 

of abundance, unique in formation, 

fertile in soil, and rich in 

beauty. Cameron also serves as 

a major economic driver in our 

region and state with profitable 

finds of oil and gas, support services 

for those industries, wild 

game, fisheries, fur-bearing animals, 

farming, and cattle. In recent 

years, the expansion of the 

LNG industry has resulted in an 

economic boom for the Parish. 

Currently, Cameron Parish has a 

total of $30 billion in industrial 

investment under construction 

(Cheniere & Cameron LNG) with 

another $23 billion in proposed 

projects that are in various stages 

of the federal permitting 

process. At the same time, we 

entertain over 300,000 tourists 

a year either through the Creole 

Nature Trail or our Wildlife Refuges. 

This does not account for 

the number of sportsmen who 

2016 

MAYOR’S 

cultural season 

Memberships 

On Sale Now 

banners.org 

Ryan Bourriaque 

Parish Administrator 

temporarily occupy the Parish 

during hunting seasons or peak 

fishing times. Cameron Parish is 

a unique place. We are home to 

CPPJ 

JURORS 

Left-Right: Curtis Fountain – (Vice President) District 1, Anthony “Dino” Hicks – District 2, 

Kirk Quinn (President) – District 3, Terry Beard – District 4, Kirk Burleigh – District 5, 

Joe Dupont – District 6, Darryl Farque – District 7 

one of the largest strategic oil preserves, top 10 fisheries producer, 

the healthiest Parish in the State of Louisiana, home to the largest 

private industrial development project in the Cheniere LNG expansion 

in Johnson Bayou (southwest corner of Cameron Parish), top 

10 producer of beef cattle in the State and the list goes on and on. 

Our most vital resource, however, is our 6800 spirited residents. 

The Ethel Precht 

Breast Cancer Walk 

will be held on 

October 17, 2015 at 8:30 a.m. 

Registration will begin at 7:00 a.m. 

The Ceremony will start at 8:00 a.m. 

*The Walk will begin at 8:30 a.m. 

ethelbreastcancerwalk.org 

If you have any further questions, feel free 

to call the walk line at 

(337) 905-0327 

* WE DO NOT SHIP SHIRTS-While supplies last, participants will receive a T-Shirt with 

their donations. The deadline to pick up your T-Shirts early is Friday, October 2, 2015. 

OTHERWISE YOU MUST PICK UP YOUR SHIRT THE DAY OF THE WALK. 

ELECT 

CALVIN 

COLLINS 

POLICE JUROR • DISTRICT 2 

God 1st • People 2nd • Environment 3rd 

Honest • Concerned • Determined 

Married to Mary Lou Collins with three children 

VOTE #69 OCTOBER 24, 2015 

When I was elected in 

1996 the voters in District 2 

informed me of their problems and concerns. To list a few: 

• Constructed and over lay road and streets 

• Cleaned out drainages, closed ditches and installed larger 

culverts for future growth 

• Closed open ditches at Combre-Fondel Elementary School 

• Closed open ditch on Goss Blvd. 

• Build bridges • Repaired railroad crossings 

• Built new library and new post office 

• New traffic lights and signs 

• New parks and repairs at Mallard Junction, LeBlue 

Settlement, White Oak and Moss Bluff Parks 

•Young Generation - New Jobs, training, and education 

• Worked to help our senior citizens 

• Built Senior Citizen Community Center 

Due to the expansion and new projects in SWLA funding’s has been 

awarded to help assist the community with the following: 

• Infrastructure • VA Clinics for our Veterans • Education • Training 

• Jobs • Greater Opportunity for our children and grandchildren 

• Resource of information for the community 

• Assist the unemployed and under employed 

• Assist the individuals that are released from incarceration 

WHERE THERE IS UNITY, THERE IS GROWTH! 

I did not do this alone, without God and the help of the Police Jury and 

staff I could not do anything. I need your prayers, vote and support to continue 

making Calcasieu Parish a safer and better place to live and work. 

Yes! Your Vote Matters! 

Please vote Calvin Collins 

Police Juror District 2 


#69 

Paid for by 

Calvin Collins

By Rhonda Babin 

Carol 

Baumgarten 

Cox 

gan raising her six children. Her children wanted 

to celebrate her birthday and Halloween so 

a new family tradition was born. Around 1968 

‘Hot Dogs on Halloween’ became the annual 

Carol Cox birthday celebration. 

Every year the Cox family gathers to have 

hot dogs, dips, cake, cookies, and sometimes 

her favorite dessert, Lemon Meringue Pie, in 

honor of her birthday. During the evening, all 

the children go trick or treating. Many times 

friends of the family are also in attendance. 

Halloween is Cox’s favorite holiday because 

of the fun of costumes, candy, and a 

birthday celebration. After close to 50 years 

of Halloween Hot Dogs, Cox takes special joy 

in the anticipation and excitement of her 47 

grand and great grandchildren spending another 

Halloween at “NaNa’s” house! 

Carol’s Ingredients: 

Birth Date: 10/31/1942 

Parents: The Late Ardie Mae & Walter 

Baumgarten 

Spouse: The Late Fitz Cox 

Siblings: Dickie, Tommy, & Bobby 

Baumgarten & Mary Catherine Sexton 

Children: Vicki Ogea, Becky Laird, Pris Perry, 

Kay Zaleski, Jennifer Miller, & Todd Cox 

# of Grandkids: 18 

# of Great grands: 29 

(1 more will be here in January) 

Pets: Sister and Brother the Siamese Cats 

Hometown: Lake Charles 

Current Residence: Sulphur 

Standard “Dishing With” Questions: 

Q: What is your favorite food? 

A: Anything edible. I really like seafood. 

Q: What did you last cook? 

A: Stuffed Bell Peppers. 

Q: What would your last meal be? 

A: If it were possible, I would want a bowl 

of my Daddy’s Duck Gumbo. 

Q: What do you ‘dish’ about at the 

dinner table? 

A: Current events and my family. 

Soaping windows is a classic Halloween 

prank. In 1942, when Carol Faith Baumgarten 

Cox was born at St. Patrick’s Hospital, 

her father returned to the parking lot to find 

the windshield of his car had been soaped. 

He had the best of both Halloween worlds 

that year, the trick of soaping windows and 

the treat of a new baby girl! 

“I’ve always been told stories about the 

night I was born and that my daddy wanted 

to name me Spooky Mae. The nuns told him 

he would have to wait until my mom woke 

up to sign the birth certificate,” recalls Cox. 

Ardie Mae Cox, her mother, obviously decided 

to go with a more traditional name and 

would celebrate many Halloween birthdays 

with her daughter Carol. 

Carol’s early birthdays were always celebrated 

with a party. She says, “My momma 

would always have all my cousins over. We 

would have cake and go trick or treating.” 

Her mother made her costumes and she 

was particularly fond of a clown costume 

she wore one year. She does not remember 

wearing masks. 

She does remember collecting treats 

around the Chennault Air Base where she 

spent younger years. “When we moved 

off the base we lived on Hodges and Cedar 

(now 17th) Streets, I can remember my 

older cousins taking us around the neighborhoods 

to trick or treat,” Cox informs. Her 

reminiscing continues, “We were so excited 

one Halloween because we all got a little 

white paper bag that was stapled shut 

and it was heavy. When we got home and 

opened the bags it was a lemon!” Cox does 

not remember the fate of the lemons but 

she does remember future All Hallows Eve 

and Birthday celebrations. 

After high school, Cox married and be- 


As I checked into Women and Children’s Hospital in Lake Charles 

to deliver my third child, I did not realize that instead of the joy 

of welcoming another boy to the family, I would almost lose my life. 

I was a 34 year old mother of 2 boys, my pregnancy was uneventful 

with no complications and I was scheduled to have another 

C-Section. As I was brought back to my room with my new baby 

boy, my husband and parents ready to celebrate the birth things 

Why should you donate Blood? 

It’s absolutely essential to the survival of vertebrate life forms, including people. It 

carries oxygen from your lungs to all the cells in your body. It also picks up the carbon 

dioxide you don’t need and returns it to your lungs so you can exhale it. Blood delivers 

nutrients from your digestive system and hormones from your endocrine system to the 

parts of your body that need them. It passes through the kidneys and liver, which remove 

or break down wastes and toxins. Immune cells in your blood help prevent and 

fight off illnesses and infections. Blood can also form clots, preventing fatal blood loss 

from minor cuts and scrapes. 

If you lose a lot of blood, you lose a lot of your oxygen delivery system. The immune 

cells, nutrients and proteins that blood carries are important, too, but doctors are generally 

most concerned with whether your cells are getting enough oxygen. 

While research is constant, scientists have not found a manmade substance that 

can do all of the miraculous things that our blood does. 

Statistics show that 1 in every 3 people will need to have a blood transfusion to 

save their life and the average transfusion is 2.5 units of blood or blood components. 

Examples of blood use are: 

Auto accident: Up to 50 units 

Heart Surgery: 2-25 units 

Bleeding Ulcer: 3-30 units 

Cancer: Up to 8 units per week 

Liver Transplant: Up to 100 units 

Hip fracture or Joint replacement: 2-5 units 

The number of people who need blood is growing faster than the number of people 

who donate blood. To donate you need to be at least 16 years old (16 year olds need 

to have a signed permission form), weigh at least 110 pounds and be feeling well and 

healthy on the day of donation. Approximately 40% of the population is eligible to 

donate but on 4% actually do donate blood. 

Remember it may be you or someone you love that needs this priceless gift next. 

Erin Guillory 

Emergency Hysterectomy 

5 Units of Blood Transfused 

went terribly wrong. My uterus would not contract and 

the bleeding would not stop. Seconds later the doctor 

rushed in and told my family that I was bleeding to death 

and he was taking me back to the operating room. An 

emergency hysterectomy and 5 units of blood saved my 

life. 

You really take for granted that all would go well but 

the reality is that I would not be alive today but for the 5 

volunteer blood donors that took time out of their busy 

day to give blood. My children have a mother, my husband 

has a wife and my parents still have a daughter. 

Whoever they are I am grateful and I pledge myself to become one 

of them, a faithful, regular blood donor. We are all busy, I cannot tell 

you the number of times I passed by a blood drive and thought I just 

do not have time but because 

5 people, who probably did 

not have time either, took just 

a few minutes saved my life. 

FIGHTING FOR JUSTICE SINCE 1959 

Roach Law Building 

2917 RYAN STREET 

433-8504 

www.larryaroachinc.com 

Barry A. Roach 

Larry A. Roach, Jr. 

Fred C. LeBleu III 

David M. Hudson 

Christopher S. LaCombe 

AUTO ACCIDENTS 

SERIOUS PERSONAL INJURY 

WRONGFUL DEATH 

MARITIME/OFFSHORE ACCIDENTS 

DEFECTIVE PRODUCTS 

FAMILY LAW 

FIRE AND EXPLOSIONS 

CHEMICAL & TOXIC XPOSURE 

BURNS AND ELECTROCUTIONS 

18 WHEELER ACCIDENTS 

CRIMINAL 

WILLS AND SUCCESSIONS 

Left to right: Kris (son), Wes English (Fae’s brother in the background making the face), 

Jackie (daughter), me. Taken Christmas Eve, 2014. 

him) with our friends and partners. We talk about every week or 

so and our conversations can last up to an hour. We talk about 

our wives, but also other things. The talks are upbeat even 

though we know what will always be imbedded in our minds. I 

feel good after these conversations and I hope he does, too. 

Positivity, to me, is that I keep going. There are days when it is 

not so easy, but I do it because not to do it would mean I lose the 

battle to the grief instead of turning it into something positive. 

Something that gives me a reason to go on. 

To read Fae’s story visit: 


is looking 

LOCAL NEWS, EVENTS, STORIES & PEOPLE 

for sales 

reps! 

Contact 

Tracy Clark 

at 474-2210 

By Lowell Bergeron 


#PositiveIsMe 

I never thought I’d feel this 

low for this long. 

After eight and half months my mind still 

reels at the thought of Fae not being here. 

It is difficult to be positive when my memories 

are tearing my insides apart. 

I get support from an army of family and 

friends that give me a boost when they 

feel I need it. Most of my advice or suggestions 

come from those who have lost 

spouses. They know my days ahead will 

be rough, but with time, the adjustment 

gets better. How I handle each situation 

will determine how I progress. Keep 

moving forward. Bad or good take the 

next step. 

A high school friend’s wife died about 3 

months after Fae. We were both blessed 

to spend many years (44 for me, 38 for 

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Commisioners 

of Elections 

By Rhonda Babin 

The State of Louisiana will 

hold two more elections in 2015. 

Election dates are October 24, 

2015 and November 21, 2015. 

These are both Saturday elections 

and when voters report to their 

precincts to vote, they will be met 

with a routine that is based on 

elections laws. The people putting 

these laws into action are called 

Commissioners of Elections. 

On Election Day, a voter approaches 

the table where the 

commissioners are located and 

identifies themselves. This is most 

commonly done with a Louisiana 

driver’s license or Louisiana identification 

card. A commissioner 

will look for the individuals name 

in the Precinct Register. That book 

is a list of names with information 

used to identify that person wanting 

to vote as being registered in 

that precinct. 

When the name is located the 

commissioner has the voter sign 

by their name and then initials 

that the signature was made by 

the person identified. The voter’s 

name is announced and another 

commissioner records the name 

in books called Poll Lists. The voter 

then makes their way to the 

voting booth or machine where 

a commissioner has activated the 

Dr. Tammy Mitchell, 

keeping your family healthy. 

Lake Area Medical Center and Lake Area Family Medicine welcome 

Tammy Mitchell, M.D., to their medical staffs. She has served in the 

Naval Reserve for the past 18 years and has been treating families 

in Southwest Louisiana since 2011. As a board–certified family 

medicine physician, Dr. Mitchell strongly believes in preventive 

medicine and encourages regular checkups to help identify 

illnesses in their earliest stages. You can count on Dr. Mitchell 

for healthy strategies for the well-being of your whole family. 

For an appointment, call 337-562-3761. 

Tammy Mitchell, M.D. 

Family Medicine 

Catherine Lorenzi welcomes a voter into the booth. 

machine to enable them to cast 

their vote. Once the vote is cast, 

the voter exits the polls and is usually 

offered a sticker to let others 

know they exercised their rights 

and voted at the day’s election. 

For every voter the same routine 

happens over and over again 

to ensure that the Constitution 

and Laws of the United States 

and Louisiana are being upheld 

and executed fairly and impartially. 

It is the responsibility of the 

commissioner and the commissioner-in-charge 

working those 

polling places to make sure that 

routine is followed. 

The people working at various 

polling places as commissioners 

are community members who 

4150 Nelson Rd., Bldg. G, Suite 5 

Lake Charles 

337-562-3761 

LakeAreaPhysicians.com 

were drawn from a pool of people 

who met certain criteria and attended 

a class where they earned 

their commissions. The commissioner-in-charge 

attends a special 

class with additional duties 

to be able to earn that title and is 

responsible for submitting information 

to the Clerk of Court when 

voting is completed for the day. 

On Saturday elections the 

polls are open from 7 a.m. until 

8 p.m. Before voting can begin, a 

custodian opens the building and 

allows the commissioners and 

commissioner-in-charge to enter 

and ready the polling place for 

voters. At 6:30 a.m. the commissioners 

take an oath that they will 

execute their duties to the best of 

their abilities. 

Voting machines are put into 

place, turned on, and examined 

to be in correct working order. 

While the machines are being 

readied, other commissioners are 

hanging sample ballots and posters 

that must be displayed. The 

Precinct Register is unlocked 

and any forms or 

paperwork needed are 

organized for the day. 

All of this happens 

following the guidelines 

from the Secretary 

of State and the 

instructions received 

at a pre-election class 

held by the Clerk of 

Court and Co-Directors 

of Elections. These 

pre-election classes are 

usually held a week prior 

to the election. 

The day passes 

and the commissioners see their 

neighbors, friends, co-workers, 

and fellow voters get to exercise a 

right and privilege that most hold 

dear. Commissioners are paid 

wages to work an election but 

when you talk to most of them, 

they continue working those long 

election days because of a sense 

of pride and patriotism they feel 

after working an election. 

Calcasieu / Cameron Parish Government Auction 

FRIDAY AND SATURDAY, OCTOBER 23RD AND 24TH 

starting at 9am both days 

LOCATION: 

Burton Coliseum Complex 

7001 Gulf Highway in Lake Charles, La 

Note: This will be a drive thru type auction on the major items in the arena with plenty of seating. 

CONSIGNMENTS WELCOME: 

Accepting farm machinery, construction and industrial 

equipment, cars, trucks, trailers, RVs, motorcycles, 

ATVs, boats and miscellaneous items. 

Contact us as soon as possible in order to get your items 

included in our massive advertising campaign! 

Voting Commissioners waiting for the next voter at Precinct 314. Tommie Cloutier, 

Ron Calhoun, Susan Perkins 

If you would like to become a 

Commissioner of Elections in Calcasieu 

Parish, contact the Clerk of 

Court Office at 337-437-3550 at 

extension 123 or extension 144. 

The class is free of charge and is 

usually offered once a year in the 

fall. 

If you are not registered to 

vote and would like to do so in 

person, visit the Voter of Registrar’s 

Office at 1000 Ryan Street, 

Lake Charles, or call 337-721-4000. 

Geauxvote.com is a website 

with much information. You can 

register to vote, see if you are registered, 

find out the precinct were 

you are registered, and what’s on 

the ballot. 

Get informed 

and go vote! 

CONSIGNMENTS 

WELCOME! 

Contact us right away to have your items 

included in our massive advertising! 

(337) 494-1333 

Dr. Tammy Mitchell is a Member of the Medical Staff at Lake Area Medical Center. 


87076_LAMC_Mitchell_9x5_4c.indd 1 

9/10/15 4:03 PM

Are You Tired of the Same Old Fundraiser? 

Ever wish there was something different out there that would 

REALLY earn $$ for your school, organization or group? 

Now there is! 

Pelican Ventures Book Group (a Christian publishing co.), has created 

a unique fundraiser selling Ebooks that has the potential to earn your 

organization hundreds, even thousands of dollars. 

No Kidding, No Scam! 

Statistics show e-book sales make up over 30% of ALL book sales. Pelican Book 

Group’s Digital Fundraiser offers your organization the opportunity to capitalize 

on this far-reaching, ever-growing trend of reading books on electronic 

devices (Kindle, Nook, tablets & cellphones, etc.) with this simple card 

containing a redemption code that gives access to several novels. 

It can even be branded for your specific organization or event! 

For more information feel free to visit our webpage 

http://pelicanbookgroup.com/fundraising/ 

or email pthib@pelicanbookgroup.com and request the .pdf file 

containing the pertinent information. 

Better yet, contact PBG’s Marketing Associate, Pamela S Thibodeaux at 

337-842-5674 to set up a meeting and see how easy it is to earn 

thousands of dollars! 

Emmy® Award Nominee Corbin Bernsen to 

Release Debut Novel Based on His Film, Rust 

Pelican Book Group brings the movieto-book 

adaptation to readers this fall 

Pelican Book Group has announced the 

signing of Emmy® Award and Golden Globe 

Award® nominee, Corbin Bernsen to a publishing 

agreement. The publisher will bring 

Rust: The Novel, to readers this October 15. 

The book is an adaptation of Bernsen’s 2010 

feature film Rust in which Bernsen played 

the main character as well as served as writer 

and director. 

“I really found my voice in that film,” Bernsen 

says. “I was really looking for a greater 

meaning, a greater purpose, in life…to be 

able to expand on that in a novel just became 

an opportunity I couldn’t pass up.” 

Ever Since Georges Méliés adapted Jules 

Verne’s From the Earth to the Moon in 1902, 

books have regularly been adapted into 

movies. The reverse—movies into books— 

is a less common occurrence, but “makes 

sense when the characters and plot can 

be fleshed out to create a compelling novel,” 

according to Editor-in-Chief for Pelican, 

Nicola Martinez. 

“The book holds such a relatable message 

about faith and family. We are thrilled 

to publish Rust,” says Martinez. 

Rust: The Novel is the plight of one pastor’s 

crisis of faith and the struggle to save 

his friend’s life and restore hope to a floundering 

community. Readers will be getting a 

“better, fuller, richer story in the novel,” says 

Bernsen. “I was able to expand more intelligently, 

more interestingly, on some of the 

original themes and concepts in the film.” 

Fans will be able to enjoy Rust: The Novel in 

both softcover and e-book formats. Pre-order 

discounts as well as book clubs, retailers’ 

and librarians’ specials are available. For 

more information about the forthcoming 

novel and Bernsen, visit http://pelicanbookgroup.com/rustnovel. 

Rust is available directly from the 

publisher at: pelicanbookgroup.com/ 

rust.novel, through your local book 

seller, and at Amazon. 

Submitted by Pam Thibodeaux 

Q: 

IndustryInsider 

Straight Answers to Your Questions on Industry and the Environment 

A: 

Industries clean the water before 

it reaches the environment. 

With all of the industry located near the 

various waterways we have in our area, 

what effects are they having on our water? 

Sometimes advisories are issued for drinking and swimming, but they are related to biological 

waste hazards from homes and businesses, not industrial processes. Stringent guidelines are 

in place to monitor the impact local industry has on our waterways. The regulations continue 

to tighten and industry is consistently meeting the guidelines. The treatment processes at local 

industries result in clean water, which is lab-tested to verify compliance with regulations. 

These labs are certified by the DEQ to avoid any perceived bias. One of the reasons Louisiana 

is known as a sportsman’s paradise is because of our rich waterways, and we understand that 

everyone – including industry – plays a role in maintaining good water quality. 

LAIA 

Lake Area Industry Alliance 

Kevin McGee 

environmental manager at local industry 

Visit www.laia.com to learn more and submit your question about local industry and the environment. 

©2015 United Healthcare Services, Inc. All rights reserved. 

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BEHIND 

By Cecely Clark 

In Lake Charles, Louisiana 

on August 30, 2015, two local 

churches met together for a 

very inspiring Sunday worship 

service. The people of the Mill 

Street Church of Christ, a predominantly 

black church, together 

with those of the Enterprise 

Boulevard Church of Christ 

(EBCC) which is predominantly 

white, held a Unity Fellowship 

Sunday at EBCC’s building. It 

was a day on 

limited our perspective can be. 

The church was shown a drawing 

that can be seen as either a 

rabbit or a duck. The two preachers, 

and much of the audience, 

initially saw it only one way or 

to remove the dividing wall of 

hostility, referencing Ephesians 

2:14. He went on to postulate 

that our unity is bound up in the 

very mission of Christ in coming 

to earth, that Jesus prayed 

pledged his and the city’s 

utmost support for any future 

events. Many members 

from both congregations 

could be heard saying 

Bishop Jerry Ardoin, from Mill 

Street and Stephanie Mann, 

from EBCC 

which they could come 

together, worship God, sing 

songs and pray together, and 

listen and watch as both their 

ministers shared the podium in 

a dialogue-style sermon. 

The congregations have a 

long and positive history with 

one another, going back more 

than 40 years. They have held 

joint fellowships and even traded 

preachers before, but this 

event, an integrated Sunday 

morning church service, was a 

first. 

The theme of unity in Christ 

was extolled and exemplified 

throughout the morning. Song 

leaders Doug Berry and Levert 

Blount III co-led the church in 

an uplifting medley; men from 

both congregations led prayers 

and served; and preaching Ministers 

Jason Clark and Courtney 

Jones even shared the pulpit, 

delivering a unique back-andforth, 

dialogue-style sermon. 

The sermon began with a 

visual illustration showing how 

the other but then helped each 

other to see it both ways. Similarly, 

Clark and Jones pointed 

out, those of differing races and 

cultures must communicate and 

learn from one another if we 

want to see the whole picture. 

Jones then reminded the 

church that struggle and triumph, 

coming together for 

a greater purpose, are facets 

of American history that have 

made this a great nation. “Americans 

have come together and 

overcome adversity before, and 

this is no different. It is true, at 

times it might be a struggle 

to educate ourselves about 

one another, about how to get 

along, and how best to serve 

each other. While racial unity 

among Christians is a lofty goal, 

it is bound to be a humbling process,” 

he said. Jones even asked, 

“Is it possible for us to unite and 

be one church in this city?” and 

was met with resounding affirmation 

from the assembly. 

Clark then challenged the 

assembly to consider John 17, in 

which Jesus prays to the Father, 

“that they may all be one.” He 

noted that Christ himself came 

that we would be one expressly 

so that the world would know 

that Jesus really had been sent 

from the Father (John 17:23). If 

the unity of His children is an inherent 

part of His incarnational 

mission, Clark noted, then we 

are certainly called to make it a 

part of our incarnational ministry 

as well. 

Clark then challenged those 

present to really begin getting 

to know one another, to continue 

forming friendships, interacting 

personally as well as through 

social media, so that more of our 

ideas will rub off on one another. 

He said to take this day, August 

30 of 2015, and consider it 

a kind of Ebenezer, or stone of 

promise, to bear witness to the 

hope that unity in our churches 

is possible. 

Finally, everyone enjoyed a 

fellowship meal together with 

food provided by both churches. 

Lake Charles Mayor, Randy 

Roach, was also in attendance 

and expressed his deep admiration 

for what the two congregations 

were trying to do. He encouraged 

them to continue and 

that it is their sincere desire that 

this is only the beginning of the 

unification efforts for these two 

congregations. Let’s hope so. 

Cecely Clark is a freelance 

writer for The Voice of SWLA, 

upcoming author of 

Christian Fiction with TEAM 

PUBLICATIONS and the wife of 

Minister Jason Clark at 

Enterprise Blvd. church of Christ. 


By Joyce R. Kebodeaux 

Visiting in Jeff Davis with the 

Jennings Council on Aging [COA] 

is great fun but being a member 

there is even better. The building 

is neat and orderly and the folks 

are friendly and do their own 

thing without help or supervision. 

It is a rare day, I ‘m told, that 

both Helen Langley, executive director 

and Kim Benoit, activities 

director are out at the same time. 

This happened the day I showed 

up to learn about their place. Ms. 

Langley was in Baton Rouge in a 

meeting to make Governor Jindal 

aware of the concerns of senior 

citizens and no one could remember 

Kim ever calling in sick 

before that day. 

Helen and Kim have inspired 

their group to be self -confident 

and so informed and reliable that 

they manage the facility just as if 

their leaders were present. What 

surprised me most in the facility 

was the amount of activity on the 

exercise equipment. Everybody 

was having a good time working 

out. Out of curiosity I asked 

how they came about getting all 

their machines. “We have special 

Jennings Council on Aging 

Karen Noe, a diabetic, watches her grandchildren and finds that working 

her legs and back every morning have helped her get fit and lose weight. 

Jennings COA 

Left to right: Jerry Segura, Margaret Gerard, Inez Henry, Doucet, Beverly Gott, Cora Alfred 

Linda Lloyd, retired surgical nurse at 

Memorial Hospital, on the toning table 

Raysha Rivers, Hearing Specialist 

cake bingos,” they said. “And Ms. 

Langley put an ad in the newspaper 

asking for donations of good 

equipment not being used. The 

community came through and 

we’re still getting more.” 

I got there just as the Zumba 

class finished. It is refreshing to 

see men and women over sixty 

making exercise their main focus. 

That is not to say that exercise is 

all that goes on here. Driver Wilbur 

Esthay takes them on trips 

to Baton Rouge to speak to legislators 

or they all enjoy a day out 

at a casino. The seniors tour city 

hall, and go out to lunch. They 

visit schools and nursing homes 

where they entertain the residents 

with their dancing and conversation. 

“We are doing so many 

things we didn’t have time to do 

while we were working,” one said. 

Mr. Esthay is also available to take 

clients to doctor’s appointments. 

“The ladies working in the office 

make these arrangements ahead 

of time,” he said. “That way there 

are no mix-ups and I can get folks 

where they need to go.” 

Billy Navarre, not the automobile 

dealer, said “I was born 

in Louisiana but lived 50 years in 

California. “After I retired I came 

back home to be near my family 

in Jennings.” He quickly made 

new friends at the center and 

renewed some old friendships 

too. He smiles and adds “This is 

the best place to come and meet 

people and make friends.” 

Kim plans different activities to 

attract the many interests of her 

group. There is a weekly Tops 

[Take Off Pounds Sensibly] meeting 

for weight problems. Hearing 

Specialist, Raysha Rivers 

comes in as needed for hearing 

tests. There is no charge 

for her services. Aerobics, belly-dancing, 

Hula and Zumba 

are some of the group’s 

favorite activities. Another 

is the lunch bunch meeting 

where everyone takes time 

for lively conversation while 

having lunch together. 

Jefferson Davis Council On 

Aging, Inc. under the direction of 

Helen Langley has much to offer 

the parish. There are too many 

services to list in this publication 

so Ms. Langley invites citizens 

over sixty to call or visit her office 

to find out what is available in the 

program for them. Potential clients 

should ask for Janie. 

Their office works with other 

programs such as on site meals 

and Home Delivered Meals, along 

with Commodities, like Second 

Harvest, Homemaker and Sitter 

Services, Respite and Project Care, 

Emergency Food and Shelter and 

Experience 

• Member of the Louisiana House of Representatives for eight years 

• Senior member of the Transportation, Highway and Public Works Committee 

• Senior member of Natural Resources and Environment Committee 

• Senior member of Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Development Committee 

• Past member of Jefferson Davis Parish Police Jury for 8 years 

• Past member of Louisiana Police Jury Association 

• Former Vice-Chairman of Jennings Airport Authority Board of Commissioners 

• Former member Board of Directors, Jeff Davis Parish Council on Aging 

• Former Executive Committee Board Member of Southwest 

Louisiana Partnership for Economic Development (5 parishes) 

• Former Chairman of LA Auctioneers Licensing Board 

Community Service 

• Donated service as auctioneer for numerous charity 

fundraisers to benefit individuals, religious 

organizations, and civic groups 

• Coached various leagues for summer youth 

baseball program 

• Member of Our Lady Help of Christians Catholic Church 

Family 

• Married 37 years to Rosalie Conner 

• Father of 10 Children and Grandfather of 12 

Wellness Programs. Discounts to 

those over 60 are available for 

medical alert equipment, legal 

assistance and equipment such as 

walkers, wheel-chairs, fans or personal 

hygiene items. 

COA is located at 

210 South State Street 

in Jennings 

Contact them at: 

337 824 5504 

(So as not to confuse those needing help 

COA doesn’t have all the things I mentioned 

on hand but they will gladly supply 

information to connect seniors to the 

places where that assistance is given. JRK) 

Paid for by Johnny 

Guinn Campaign Fund 

Recognition 

• “You Made The Grade” Award, Louisiana 

Association of Educators 

• Seven time “Outstanding/Family Advocate” 

Award, Louisiana Family Forum 

• “Legislator of the Year” Award, Louisiana 

Council on Aging Directors Association 

• Life Advocate Award, Louisiana Right to Life 

• “Legis-Gator Business Champion 

Award”, Chamber Southwest Louisiana 

• Louisiana 4-H Foundation Champion 


The Best Way To Take Your Power Back, America 

“Come from a space 

of peace and you’ll 

find you can deal 

with anything.” 

– Michael Singer 

scious confident, even courageous 

choices reflective of selflove 

and self-respect. 

Self-love is not selfish, 

it is soul-love. 

The best way to reclaim your 

personal power is to ask yourself, 

when you are faced with a 

decision, “What would someone 

who loves herself/himself do?” 

For example, if you are offered 

a new career position and 

you do not know if you should 

accept the offer or not, ask yourself, 

“What would someone who 

loves himself do?” If you are in 

a relationship and you do not 

know if it is time to move on 

or work it out, ask yourself, 

“What would someone who 

loves herself do?” 

If you are a business 

owner faced with a business 

related decision, the same 

question applies, “What 

would a business owner 

who loves herself do?” 

Play around with this process 

by asking yourself this 

question with any decision you 

have to make, big or small. You 

will begin to feel more empowered 

as you begin treat yourself 

like someone who loves herself/ 

himself. Go ahead, show yourself 

some self-love and take 

your power back, America! 

LeNae Goolsby, JD is a Personal Empowerment 

Life Coach and the Practice Administrator for 

Infinite Health Integrative Medicine Center. 

She is also an adored wife, blessed mother 

of three awesome and amazing kids, and an 

infinite being in a body working on counting her 

blessings at every stoplight. 

Expert Deer Processing 

REGULAR and SMOKED BOUDIN 

JALAPENO BOUDIN 

SMOKED SAUSAGE and a VARIETY 

CUTS OF PORK AND BEEF 

SPEEDY SERVICE WITH A SMILE 

6am to 6pm, M-F • 730am to 230pm, Sat 

1217 Mill St. (one block off enterprise blvd) 

Lake Charles, La. 

By LeNae Goolsby, JD 

I’ve regretted every single 

personal and business decision 

that I have ever made from a 

place of desperation, stress, 

overwhelm and fear. 

I’m staring at a hot mess of 

piled up business related folders 

and papers that are screaming 

for my attention on a Saturday 

afternoon, but they overwhelm 

me, and it’s Saturday, So, I ignore 

the pile and turn up the volume 

to the television and shift my focus 

to Food Network’s Chopped 

Challenge instead. 

The problem is that the 

more I put that hot mess off, 

the louder the nagging gets, 

like a screeching monkey on my 

back that will not go away until I 

deal with it. 

I recall an H&R Block television 

commercial that says, “Get 

your money back, America!” Every 

time I heard that commercial 

I mimicked, “Take your power 

back, America!” In this particular 

moment, however, what I hear 

in my head is, “Take your power 

back, LeNae!” 

Procrastination and turning 

a blind eye is serving no one 

here; it is not what someone 

who loves herself does, and I 

know it. So, I turn down the television 

volume, roll my sleeves 

up, and one by one I sift through 

each and every folder and paper. 

Eventually, the last paper 

is reviewed. I have a clearer picture 

of the “looming disaster,” 

and am in a better position to 

put a strategy together going 

forward. I have information, I 

reclaimed my power in the process, 

and the screeching monkey 

is placated. 

Even I am guilty of allowing 

the tumultuous ebb and flow of 

the tides of life to give and take 

my personal power to me and 

from me every once in a while. 

And every single time I do, misery 

and chaos ensues. 

Many of us hand over our 

power multiple times a day, every 

day. For example, we hand 

over our power to employers, 

co-workers, clients, teachers, 

parents, spouses, and our partners. 

We also hand over our power 

to anyone we allow to make 

our decisions for us, to anyone 

we allow to make us feel less 

than treasured, less than intelligent, 

less than beautiful, less 

than whole, and any event or 

circumstance that we allow to 

compromise our joy. 

Being self-empowered does 

not mean being a control freak, 

resistant, unyielding and unable 

to receive assistance or advice. 

Nor does it mean lording power 

and authority over others. Being 

self-empowered means being 

open, aware and making con- 

Infinite Health 

Integrative Medicine Center 

Infinite Heath Integrative Medicine 

Center practices a new approach to 

medical care that is designed to bring 

the patient together with the 

practitioner in a dynamic partnership 

that is dedicated to optimizing the 

patient’s health and healing. 

This approach focuses on the whole 

person, recognizing that the subtle 

interactions of body, mind, spirit and 

community have a direct impact on 

vitality and well being. 

www.YourInfiniteHealth.com 

www.DrTripStrikingly.com

2015 Oct layout

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