The Voice of Southwest Louisiana

editor’s
June 2016
LOCAL NEWS, EVENTS, STORIES & PEOPLE
James. D. McArthur, Sr.
1924 – 1995
By Brenda Hill
My dad’s presence was very influential in my upbringing. I can’t imagine what my life
would be like today without him. Though he is no longer with me in flesh, my children,
grandchildren, great grandchildren, siblings and their children and grandchildren bare his
spirit, every day.
He advised me on very important matters in my life. Some advice I heeded to, and some
I did not. I have no regrets about any of them because he demonstrated to me how to be
accountable and responsible for all decisions. With sincere focus, he looked me in the eye
and said, “I made that decision and I will live with it, and so will you.” I felt intelligent and
confident with that statement, understanding that decision making is not a difficult or
devastating thing to do. Consider your options. Make a decision. Move on it.
He was a business man in Cameron LA. He had a huge boat and he took advantage of all
seasons, fish, crab, shrimp, oyster, etc. When he arrived home from the waters, we gathered
and cleaned fish or crabs, de-headed shrimp or shucked oysters. We placed fish in bags with
ice, crabs or shrimp in coolers and oysters in pint, quart or gallon sized jars, then off to sell to
old & new customers. He was confident in his product and always sold all he had. I observed
him as I helped, and I enjoyed how he dealt with opposition, especially in the sixties. We did
not meet any race or status of people that did not have respect for his courage, strength
or bravery, and he did not meet an individual to whom he felt like he could not provide a
product or a service. “The market has one language, and it is easier and better to run with one
that wanna than twenty-five that don’t,” he would tell me as he counted his daily income. This
income provided finances for him to sponsor and support all of my family’s daily activities;
food, shelter, clothing, education, training, vacations, etc. So I grew up feeling secure and
important to him and to each one of my family members. I was fascinated by him because he
was so brave. He knew how to make cash flow during every season of the year from the earth,
the atmosphere and the gulf.
He was a sharecropper’s son from the fields of Alabama.
2 EDITOR’S PEN
4 TODD MCARTHUR: THE IMPACT OF MENTORSHIP
POSITIVE IS ME
9 CHRIS ARCHINAUD
SWLA NON-PROFIT
12 ALPHA GAMMA
14 SWLA CENTER FOR HEALTH: YOU MAY QUALIFY FOR MEDICAID
SUMMER FUN
16 GIRL SCOUT SUMMER CAMPS
18 AREA EVENTS
21 IMPERIAL CALCASIEU MUSEUM
23 ASK MR. CARL
24 MY SENIOR MOMENT
SWLA BUSINESS
26 SUDDUTH & ASSOCIATES
SWLA FOOD
27 FRYING FISH AND HUSHPUPPIES WAS HIS SPECIALTY
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF | Brenda Hill
brenda@thevoiceofsouthwestla.com
GENERAL MANAGER | Tracy Clark
tracy@thevoiceofsouthwestla.com
OFFICE MANAGER | Kay Andrews
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GRAPHIC LAYOUT | Kyra Labrie
voiceofswlagraphics@gmail.com
www.thevoiceofsouthwestla.com
EVENTS COORDINATOR | Carl Hubert
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CONSULTANTS
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CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Marilyn Monroe, Crystal Leday,
Trina Morgan, Joyce R. Kebodeaux,
Diana Ross, Kris Welcome
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SWLA. The views expressed in articles of The Voice of SWLA are not necessarily the views of the
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omissions. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of all content.
JUNE 2016 WWW.THEVOICEOFSOUTHWESTLA.COM Volume 3 • Number 11 Volume 3 • Number 11 WWW.THEVOICEOFSOUTHWESTLA.COM JUNE 2016