The Voice of Southwest Louisiana August 2019 Issue

August 2019 

Vol 7 No 1 

Change… 

Hope…Love 

"The Dragonfly symbolizes 

thought of change, hope, love, 

and it sees the world in COLORS..." 

p3 Editor's Pen 

FEATURES: 

WOMEN in BUSINESS 

p14 

p18 

Jacqueline 

White 

African American 

Art & More 

Rita Fields 

Rita's Creole Family Kitchen 

in Big Lake 

Vu Tran 

Benefits of Homeownership 

& Benefits as a Renter 

p20 SWLA Business 

J. Walker & Co APC 

ACCOUNTANTS AND ADVISORS 

Acknowledging Special 

Education Teachers 

Lela Gholar Tizeno 

p22 ADVENTURES of the Lake 

p5 

SWLA News 

Community Connection 

One-Hour Workshop 

p10 SWLA Health Center 

SWLA Center for Health Services 

Celebrates National Health 

Centers Week 

p24 Q&A w/ Cynthia 

Coffey Daigle 

About Cerebral Vascular 

Accident or CVA/STROKE 

p26 SWLA Non-Profit 

Tournament of the Stars 

Annual Scholarship Banquet

SUNDAY 

9:30 A.M. BIBLE CLASS 

10:45 A.M. WORSHIP 

6:30 P.M. WORSHIP 

WEDNESDAY 

6:00 P.M. BIBLE CLASS 

MINISTER 

JERRY ARDOIN 

dacrewof6@yahoo.com 

Minister: 337.249.1719 

Church: 337.419.1911 

COME ON OVER 

& let's get Started! 

BOAT & 

VEHICLE LOANS 

From cars, trucks and SUVs, to 

RVs, motorcycles and boats, 

we have loans designed to fit 

your needs. Come on over to 

First Federal Bank and we’ll 

get you in the driver’s seat. 

www.ffbla.bank 

2 

August 2019 WWW.THEVOICEOFSOUTHWESTLA.COM Volume 7 • Number 1

editor’s 

By Brenda Hill 

Change…Hope…Love 

The Dragonfly symbolizes thought of 

change, hope, love, and it sees the 

world in colors. 

The Voice of Southwest Louisiana’s mission 

is to present information that educates, 

informs and empowers our readers, viewers 

and followers. Our hope is that it promotes 

deeper informed decision making for you, guided by acceptance 

and love for our diverse and multicultural environment. 

The Dragonfly has super sensitive sight and uninhibited vision of the mind 

that bypasses deceptive illusion. Its accurate timing to change its mind 

on a moment to moment basis, permits transformation and adaptation to 

grow and change slowly in its immature state. It has existed for over 300 

million years. It lives life to the fullest, beyond limitations, during its 6-week 

life span. 

Like the Dragonfly, The Voice of Southwest Louisiana has utilized super 

sensitive vision of mental and emotional maturity to endure, transform, 

adapt and understand the deeper meaning of life. From our beginning, 

trials, errors and circumstances of moving in the moment have been many; 

however, we understood where we were; with skilled individuals that 

believed in our vision and mission; able to help, guide and support us to 

make informed choices, and without self-condemnation. 

God’s Divine favor and abundance of Grace, supersedes 300 million years, 

predestined us to live beyond the illusion of limitations. We know who ‘we 

are,’ what ‘we can’ do, what ‘we want’ and what ‘we don’t want.’ 

Our gift continues to make room for us in community and we are very 

grateful and thankful to Him for each trial and circumstance which enabled 

us to ‘slowly grow and change,’ during our 6-year span. 

We accept the slow growth and change and anticipate new beginnings for 

The Voice of Southwest Louisiana. We hope you enjoy upcoming Issues, as 

you experience the absence of some of your favorite columnists, and as we 

present other columns on a bi-monthly fashion. 

Pick up your copy or subscribe for your E-News, and enjoy more thoughtprovoking 

information about the Holidays, Women’s Health, Healthy Aging, 

Investments and more. 

The Voice of Southwest Louisiana August 2019, Volume 7, Issue 1, is now 

available in print and E-News. We are happy to share this one with you and 

we hope you continue with us as we unfold into new beginnings. 

Pick up your 

copy of 

The Voice of 

SWLA while 

you’re out 

and about. 

SULPHUR 

• West Cal-Cam Hospital 

• Stines 

• Pitt Grill 

• SPAR 

• Goodwill 

• Hollier's 

• Dairy Barn 

LAKE CHARLES 

• Pujo St. Cafe 

• Chase (Downtown) 

• Steamboat Bill's 

• Civic Center 

• Carnegie Library 

• Luna Bar & Grill 

MOSS BLUFF 

• Peto's 

• Market Basket 

• Southern Spice 

VINTON 

• Post Office 

• Market Basket 

• Love's Truck Stop 

DERIDDER 

• Brookshires Bros. 

• City Hall 

• DeRidder Hospital 

• Post Office 

• Steamboat Bill's 

Volume 7 • Number 1 WWW.THEVOICEOFSOUTHWESTLA.COM August 2019 3

Aug 2019 

The Voice's Choice 

The Voice's Choice will spotlight groups, individuals or topics 

that spread love, joy and peace throughout SWLA. 

Vu Tran, Accounting, BS 

"Treat people the way you want 

to be treated." 

Vu Tran is a resident of 

Lake Charles, Louisiana, 

for six years, and 

originally from Vietnam. 

She graduated from 

McNeese State 

University and is a 

Staff Accountant at J. 

Walker & Company, 

APC. Her roles at J. 

Walker & Company, 

APC are preparing 

Corporation, Non-profit 

Organization, Individual 

Tax Returns, and 

preparing Medicare 

Cost Report. She 

previously worked at 

Office of Disabilities 

Services, McNeese State 

University, assisting 

students with disabilities for services jobs. Her hobbies 

and interests are photographing, traveling and hanging 

out with friends.. 

See more on page 20… 

3 Change... 

Hope...Love 

8 Healthy 

Recipes 

Editor-In-Chief 

Brenda Hill 

brenda@thevoiceofsouthwestla.com 

General Manager 

Tracy Clark 

tracy@thevoiceofsouthwestla.com 

Creative Director 

Vinh Alexander 

tvswlart@gmail.com 

Community Coordinator 

Ken Williamson /Sales 

sales@thevoiceofsouthwestla.com 

Acquisition Editor 

Braylin Jenkins 

Copy Editors 

Jason Clark 

Cecely Clark 

Ann Champagne 

Consultants 

Gene R. Hill, Sr. 

Reginald Clark 

3 EDITOR'S PEN 

CHANGE…HOPE…LOVE 

5 SWLA NEWS 

COMMUNITY CONNECTION ONE-HOUR WORKSHOP 

8 HEALTHY RECIPES 

SWLA HEALTH CENTER 

10 SWLA HEALTH CENTER 

SWLA CENTER FOR HEALTH SERVICES CELEBRATES NATIONAL 

HEALTH CENTERS WEEK 

14 JACQUELINE WHITE 

AFRICAN AMERICAN ART & MORE 

CONTENTS 

18 RITA FIELDS 

WOMAN IN BUSINESS ON THE LAKE 

20 SWLA BUSINESS 

BENEFITS OF HOMEOWNERSHIP AND BENEFITS AS RENTERS 

22 A SPECIAL EDUCATION 

ADVENTURES OF THE LAKE 

24 Q&A WITH CYNTHIA COFFEY 

DAIGLE 

ABOUT CEREBRAL VASCULAR ACCIDENT OR CVA/STROKE 

26 SWLA NON-PROFIT 

TOURNAMENT OF THE STARS ANNUAL SCHOLARSHIP BANQUET 

DISCLOSURE: All materials contained in the publication are copyrighted and not to be reproduced or reprinted in part or in their entirety without the expressed written 

permission of The Voice of SWLA. The views expressed in the articles of The Voice of SWLA are not necessarily the views of the ownership or sponsors in this publication. The Voice of 

SWLA assumes no liability for errors or omissions. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of all content. 

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS 

Brenda Hill 

Dianna Ross 

Judith Washington 

Kris Welcome 

Vu Tran 

Lela Gholar Tizano 

FRONT COVER: 

Photo of "Dragonfly" by 

VINH PHOTOGRAPHY 

PUBLISHED AND 

DISTRIBUTED BY 

Team Publications LLC. 

4310 Ryan St. Ste. 123 

Lake Charles, LA. 70605 

In the McNeese SEED Center 

337.474.2210 

4 


SWLA news 


SWLA news 

6 



SWLA Health Center 

Healthy Recipes 

CARROT 

CUPCAKES 

Carrots add a natural sweetness to cake so you 

need less sugar. Try them with delicious maple 

cream cheese icing! 

INGREDIENTS 

1⁄2 cup canola oil (or any vegetable oil) 

3⁄4 cup sugar, honey, agave or maple syrup 

2 tablespoons large eggs 

1⁄2 pound carrots (scrubbed and grated* (about 2 cups)) 

1⁄2 cup chopped lightly toasted pecans, walnuts or hazelnuts 

(if you’re allergic to nuts, leave this out) 

1⁄2 cup all-purpose flour 

1 teaspoon baking soda 

1⁄2 teaspoon salt 

HANDS-ON TIME: 30 MINUTES | TOTAL TIME: 30 MINUTES | MAKES 12 SERVINGS 

KITCHEN GEAR 

Measuring spoon 

Mixer or large bowl 

2 ounce scoop or tablespoon 

Small bowl 

Table knife 

Measuring cups 

Box grater 

Cupcake liners 

12-cup muffin tin 

INSTRUCTIONS 

Wash your hands with soap and water, then gather all your equipment and ingredients and 

put them on a counter. 

1. Turn the oven on and set it to 350 degrees. 

2. Put cupcake liners in 12 cupcake or muffin tins. 

3. Put the oil, sugar, and eggs in a large bowl or in a 

stand mixer with paddles attached. 

4. Beat the mixture until everything is evenly 

blended. 

5. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix until just 

combined. 

6. Using the scoop, fill each of the prepared muffin 

tins 2/3 of the way to the top. 

7. Once the oven temperature has reached 350 

degrees, put the muffin tins in the oven and 

bake 22-25 minutes or until the tops are slightly 

browned and rounded. (When they’re done, a 

toothpick should come out clean.) 

8. Let sit until cool (10-15 minutes). Then remove the 

cupcakes from the tins. 

8 


See more at https://www.chopchopfamily.org/learn-to-cook/recipe 

RAINBOW KABOBS 

HANDS-ON TIME: 20 MINUTES | 

INGREDIENTS 

purple grapes 

blueberries 

kiwis, peeled and cut into chunks 

pineapple chunks 

cantaloupe chunks 

raspberries 

TOTAL TIME: 1 HOUR | MAKES 6 SERVINGS 

KITCHEN GEAR 

Cutting board 

Sharp knife (adult needed) 

Bamboo skewers 

“Eating the rainbow” helps get you in the habit of eating a full 

spectrum of fruits and vegetables — and, because different 

colors are associated with different nutrients, it’s a great way 

to keep you healthy. 

INSTRUCTIONS 

Wash your hands with soap and water, then gather all your equipment 

and ingredients and put them on a counter. 

1. For each kabob, thread the fruit onto a skewer in rainbow order. Eat 

right away. 

ROSITA'S HONEY 

PEAR CRISP 

This is one of many delicious recipes you can find in the Sesame Street book C is for Cooking. 

It's a yummy way to cook pears, which are a good winter fruit because they store well. 

INSTRUCTIONS 

Wash your hands with soap and water, then 

gather all your equipment and ingredients 

and put them on a counter. 

HANDS-ON TIME: 20 MINUTES | 

KITCHEN GEAR 

Cutting board 

Sharp knife (adult needed) 

Measuring cup 

Measuring spoons 

Medium-sized bowl 

Fork 

9-inch pie plate 

TOTAL TIME: 1 HOUR | MAKES 6 SERVINGS 

INGREDIENTS 

Cooking spray or vegetable oil 

1⁄2 cup old-fashioned oats 

1⁄4 cup whole-wheat flour 

1⁄3 cup brown sugar 

1⁄4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

1⁄4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 

1⁄8 teaspoon salt 

1⁄2 stick (4 tablespoons) 

unsalted butter, softened 

4 ripe Bosc or Anjou pear, 

peeled, halved, and cored 

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 

2 tablespoons honey 

1. Turn the oven on and set the 

heat to 375 degrees. Spray the pie 

plate with cooking spray (or grease 

it with oil). 

2. Put the oats, flour, brown sugar, 

cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in the 

medium bowl, and use the fork to 

stir it all together. Mash and stir in 

the butter until a crumbly mixture 

forms. 

3. Put the pears in the pie plate, cut 

side up, and sprinkle the pears with 

lemon juice, then drizzle them with 

honey. 

4. Crumble the oat topping all 

over the pears. Once the oven 

temperature has reached 375 

degrees, put the pie plate in the 

oven and bake until the pears are 

softened and the toping is crisp 

– about 25 minutes. Remove the 

crisp from the oven and let it cool 

15 minutes before serving. 


SWLA Health Center 


Celebrates National Health Centers Week 

By Dianna Ross 

“America’s Health Centers Rooted 

in Communities” 

SWLA Center for Health Services will 

hold several events to mark National 

Health Center Week (NHCW) 2019 from 

August 4th-10th. The event is part of a 

national campaign to increase awareness 

of the ways health centers are providing 

affordable health care in communities. A 

host of NHCW events that celebrate the 

ways that health centers are “Rooted in 

Communities” are scheduled across the 

country, including health fairs, visits by 

Members of Congress and state officials 

to local health centers, press conferences, 

back-to-school drives, community 

breakfasts, patient appreciation events, 

free health screenings and much more. 

SWLA Center for Health Services is part 

of a nationwide network of locally run 

health centers that serve more than 28 

million people nationwide. They are 

on the front lines of national public 

health challenges – whether caring for 

veterans, providing opioid treatment, or 

responding to natural disasters. They are 

also a lifeline in remote and underserved 

communities where the nearest doctor or 

hospital can be as far as 50 miles or more 

away. Nearly half of health centers (44 

percent) are located in rural communities. 

Highlights of health center 

accomplishments include: 

• Reducing unnecessary 

hospitalizations and unnecessary 

visits to the emergency room; 

• Treating patients for a fraction of the 

average cost of one emergency room 

visit; 

• Serving more than one in six 

Medicaid beneficiaries for less than 

two percent of the national Medicaid 

budget; 

• Lowering the cost of children’s 

primary care by approximately 35 

percent; 

• Treating 65,000 patients with 

Medication Assisted Therapy for 

opioid use disorder in 2017; 

• Serving over 355,000 veterans 

throughout the country. 

This year’s NHCW 2019 will highlight 

how health centers are at the forefront 

of a nationwide shift in addressing 

environmental and social factors as an 

integral part of primary care, reaching 

beyond the walls of conventional 

medicine to address the factors that 

may cause sickness, such as lack of 

nutrition, mental illness, homelessness 

and substance use disorders. Community 

Health Centers’ success in managing 

chronic disease in medically vulnerable 

communities has helped reduce health 

care costs for American taxpayers. 

SWLA Center for Health Services, 

located in 4 local communities 

in Southwest Louisiana, not only 

prevents illnesses and fosters wellness, 

they produce innovative solutions to 

the most pressing healthcare issues 

in the communities they serve. They 

reach beyond the walls of conventional 

medicine to address the factors that may 

cause sickness, such as lack of nutrition, 

mental illness, homelessness and 

addiction. 

Because of their long record of success in 

innovation, managing healthcare costs, 

and reducing chronic disease, leaders in 

Congress have declared health centers 

like SWLA Center for Health Services, a 

model of care that offers a “bipartisan 

solution to the primary care access 

problems” facing our nation. 


will begin their celebration of 

National Health Centers Week, 

Monday, August 4, 2019 and end 

Friday, August 9, 2019. 

All SWLA Centers for Health Services 

sites located in Lake Charles, Lafayette, 

Crowley and Oberlin will host several 

events throughout the week including 

a Voter’s Registration Drive, healthy 

cooking demonstrations, client 

appreciation day, facility tours and 

more. Check the website calendar for 

information in your area. 


programs are available to the entire 

family. Services offered at SWLA Center 

10 


for Health Services include Family Medicine, 

Obstetrics & Gynecology, Pediatrics (KidMed), 

Oral Health (Dentistry), Podiatry, Behavioral 

Health (Psychiatry), Pharmacy, Laboratory, Case 

Management, WIC, insurance enrollment, and 

a state-of-the-art Fitness Center. Medicare, 

Medicaid, Veterans Choice, and private insurances 

are accepted. Sliding Fee is available to those who 

qualify. 

SWLA Center for Health Services is a 501(c) (3) 

not for profit community-based organization. 

The mission is to provide quality, cost-effective 

and comprehensive primary health care and 

support services in an environment that embraces 

respect and dignity. The vision is to eliminate all 

disparities in access to health care 

For more information about SWLA Center for 

Health Services contact your local center or visit 

our website at www.swlahealth.org and follow us 

on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. SWLA Center 

for Health Services “Caring for the Community!” 

Locations: Lafayette, 500 Patterson Street, 337-769-9451. 

Lake Charles – 2000 Opelousas Street, 337- 439-9983. 

Crowley – 526 Crowley Rayne Hwy, 337-783-5519 

Oberlin – 112 N. 6th Street, 337-639-2281. 

For more details about National Health Centers 

Week activities call (337) 312-2014 for more 

information. To learn more and view a listing of 

events please visit: www.healthcenterweek.org. 

Lake Charles Check website at www.swlahealth. 

org for more information. 

• Voters Registration- MONDAY- FRIDAY 

(AUGUST 5- AUGUST 9) 

• MONDAY- Healthy Cooking Demonstration” 

Fruit Salad Kabobs” 

• TUESDAY- FITNESS DAY - BICYCLE RIDING/ 

Fitness Center MEMBERSHIP DRIVE 

• WEDNESDAY- Client Appreciation Day -Fresh 

Fruit provided for clients 

• Library Day with Peds (Library staff will read to 

children) 

• THURSDAY- Stakeholders and Elected Officials 

Tour (5:00PM to 7:00pm) 

• FRIDAY- FINAL VOTERS REGISTRATION DAY 

Ju’Elles Catering 

536 Alamo Street 

Raymond 

Fondel 

Insurance 

Agency 

'GO.. 

Vote.. 

GROW!! 

 

Auto 

Home 

Commercial 

Renters 

Life 

Let Me Help Insure 

What’s Important To You! 

Call for a Free Quote!!! 

(337) 

433-6363 

raymondfondel@gmail.com 

15% 

OFF 

(337) 513-6866 or (337) 707-4460 


In Season Fresh 

Vegetables 

Pies and Cobblers 

Sweet & Regular Crust 

Paul’s Urban Gardening 

and Sweet Treats 

Catering Available 

$1,100 00 

Paul Charles 

(337) 707-1896 

714 King Street 

Lake Charles, LA 70601 

Committed to the highest level 

3116 Ryan St. 

of customer service possible! 

Lake Charles, LA 70601 

Phone: (337) 564-6009 

www.lakecharles-la.minutemanpress.com 

Home Care Services 

Collision, Complete Paint Jobs, 

Towing Assistance, Limited lifetime 

Warranty on all Repairs 

We Hire Sitters 

www.blessedcare.biz 

12 


Serving the Lake Area for over 50 years! 

WWW.PUMPELLYTIRE.COM 

New Product Innovations! 

Jonald J. Walker III, CPA, CGMA 

Kelly Love, CPA 

Ming Yang, CPA 

VIVIX® 

ANTI AGING FORMULA TO SLOW AGING AT CELLULAR LEVEL 

A triple-patented, all • Protects and repairs DNA 

natural blend of powerful • 40% lower rate of telomere shortning 

poyphenols based on the 

rare muscadine grape, • 13% more powerful than resveratrol alone 

designed to help slow • Now available in Liquigels, no 

aging at the cellular level. refrigeration needed. 

VITALIZED IMMUNITY® 

Ideal for everyday immune support when facing stress, pollution, poor 

nutrition or busy schedules. 

Call or Visit 

our Website for 

More Details! 

ONLINE PAYMENT at www.tournamentofstars.com 

Contact info: 337.274.1489 | email hmcreyn@yahoo.com | Mail payment to Tournament of Stars, 

P.O. BOX 1385 Lake Charles, LA 70602 

DEADLINE AUGUST 5, 2019 


SWLA feature story 

African American Art & More is based in Greensboro, NC. African American Art & More 202-D Four Seasons Town Center, Greensboro, NC 27407, 

336.292.3209 www.GreekStuff.com & www.parkerdanielle.com. Order for all seasons; Fall Fashion, Bridal Showers, Bachelor Parties, etc. 

Jacqueline White is an integral part of Southwest Louisiana with a stepdad whose hometown is Rayne, LA. He lived in Baton Rouge for many years 

as well. “My mother, brother and I all fell in love with Southwest Louisiana after meeting my wonderful stepfather.” 

Jacqueline White 

African 

American 

Art & More 

By Judith Washington 

Who has a style 

of her own? 

Who has been 

successful as a top business 

owner in South Carolina, 

and taken control of 

the Internet with her 

successful Online business? 

In the land of Top Ladies of Distinction 

Inc, she is known as Lady Jackie, 

however, there are many layers to this 

Phenomenal woman. Allow me to 

introduce you to my Sister, Lady Jackie. 

14 


Jacqueline White, MBA is the Co- 

Owner of African American Art & More, 

a lifestyle gift boutique founded in 

1989 by her mother Eresterine P. Guidry. 

African American Art & More is in Four 

Seasons Town Center. Lady Jackie is the 

ONLY African American retailer in the 

WORLD with the following brands in a 

gift store: John Wind, Lenny & Eva, Tyler 

Candle Co., Spartina 449, Bella Ryann and 

Gingersnaps to name a few. 

In 2007, she was the FIRST retailer in the 

state of NC to bring ‘ALL’ the major natural 

hair product brands into one retail 

location. 

Jackie is passionate about encouraging 

shoppers to ‘buy local and shop small,’ 

a phrase well known to residence of 

Southwest LA. She is even more driven 

to get consumers to understand the 

importance of supporting minority 

owned businesses. Her group the 

"GreensboroBLACK Cash Mob Crew/ 

We buy Black Triad" is an actual group 

that she created on Facebook and it has 

almost 15,000 members (of all races) to 

date. 

Lady Jackie and her group members 

find local minority owned businesses 

and share them within the confines of 

the group as well as on the public page 

GreensboroBLACK. 

Lady Jackie is the founder of UNPLUG 

Greensboro which is her initiative to get 

more local people to shop locally with 

brick and mortar retailers instead of 

Online so that dollars can stay in the Triad 

longer. 

She understands, ‘to whom much is given 

much is require.’ 

Lady Jackie leads a group of fellow 

entrepreneurs in an Online social media 

group; giving them FREE tips on how 

to move their businesses forward, and 

teaches them how to be a sustainable 

force in business with an emphasis on 

strategy, marketing, financial, product 

development, and offering excellence in 

customer service. 

August 2017, Lady Jackie was awarded 

the National Honor of the “40 under 40” 

Award by the Gift & Stationery Magazine 

for being a trend-setter in those 

industries! 

October 2017, Lady Jackie was 

recognized by Greensboro News & 

Record as a Greensboro Rising Star 

Finalist for becoming a rising young 

CONTINUE ON NEXT PAGE ---> 



CONTINUED FROM PAGE 14-15 

leader in the Greensboro community! 

April 2018 Lady Jackie was awarded 

by the National Association of Negro 

Business & Professional Women’s Club 

(NANBPW)-Greensboro Club Business 

Award for her business achievements in 

the Greensboro community. 

August 2018, Lady Jackie was recognized 

by the Triad Minority Business Expo and 

won their Pioneer Award for representing 

Greensboro. 

April 2019, Lady Jackie was recognized 

by the Triad Business Journal as an 

Outstanding Woman in Business, 

featuring her in the 2019 Leadership 

Class of Outstanding Women in Business 

within the Triad Community. 

Jackie earned her master’s in business 

administration from High Point University 

in 2009, and a bachelor’s in business 

management from Guilford College in 

Greensboro, NC. 

Upon completing her master’s degree, 

she earned the "Governor's Student 

Excellence Award" from Governor Beverly 

Purdue as well as a "Capitol Citation" from 

North Carolina’s Secretary of State Elaine 

Marshall for Excellence in Education. 

While attending Guilford College she 

was named Who's Who Among American 

College Students and she served as 

Student Government President. 

Jackie is a member of the Greensboro 

Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta 

Sorority, Inc. She is a charter member of 

the Metropolitan Section of the National 

Council of Negro Women and a member 

of Top Ladies of Distinction, Inc., where 

she serves as current Financial Secretary 

of the Guilford County Chapter. She's 

also a member of Providence Baptist 

Church in Greensboro, NC where she 

serves as a church Teller. 

If you are hosting a conference Jackie will 

gladly travel to your area and serve as a 

vendor for your event If you are ever in 

the Greensboro South Carolina area stop 

by and make this a shopping experience 

that you will always remember. Can’t get 

into the store, don’t worry it’s as simple as 

grabbing a cup of coffee and visiting her 

websites 

ParkerDanielle.com or her Sorority/ 

Fraternity site GreekStuff.com These sites 

allow her base of social media followers 

(which is over 80K people) to view her 

complete line of products. 

Judith Washington 

Executive Director 

Black Heritage Festival LA 

337-304-0620 

www.bhflc.org 

16 




Rita's Creole Family Kitchen 

Rita Fields 

Woman in Business on the Lake By 

Kris Welcome 

Entrepreneurship is a desire 

of many people who want to 

take control of their lives while 

contributing to the world in their own 

special way. It takes a lot of energy, 

focus, time, patience, and resilience, 

which is why not all who attempt 

entrepreneurship are successful. 

As for female entrepreneurs, the road can 

be more tumultuous when the weight of 

others’ doubts, limitations, and societal 

expectations can become roadblocks to 

one’s greatness. 

Rita Fields, owner and operator of Rita’s 

Creole Family Kitchen did not allow any 

of these barriers to stop her desire to feed 

and serve those in her community. Since 

2014 she has diligently been a source of 

good eats and better vibes for the area. 

Rita’s road to restaurant ownership 

started when she saw a void in the area 

where her desire and dedication to feed 

those around her was needed. 

“I was in the nursing field for 

a couple of decades and then 

decided to do something 

new,” Fields divulged. 

Rita’s husband, Joseph Fields, Sr., pushed 

her to start setting up at his construction 

site to feed the guys that worked there. 

“I had no idea this is where God was 

leading me!” She testified. 

18 


Rita’s first memories of feeding and 

serving go back to her roots in Elton, 

LA at her family’s church where feeding 

the hungry and less fortunate were 

part of their Christian walk. “My parents 

fed the community for years and I took 

that passion with me into adulthood. 

Everyone knows that they can count on 

me for a meal,” she explained. 

There are so many things that come 

into play when starting a restaurant 

aside from the food. Of the greatest 

challenges that came about, Rita found 

that getting her flavorful recipes to taste 

the same among the various cooks was 

the hardest. “People noticed that things 

weren’t done the Rita way,” she laughed. 

Now that things are uniform, and people 

know what to expect every time, her 

clientele continues to grow consistently. 

In 2014, Rita started the food truck. She 

had no idea that her business would 

blossom into a full restaurant with 

faithful clientele and a demand that 

would bring her to the Food Network. 

Her infamous pecan candy was featured, 

and it is still making its rounds on the 

network! It’s part of the testimony of how 

her business took off. 

Although Rita finds herself busier 

managing and operating the restaurant, 

she still plans time to give back. She 

selflessly donates her time and resources 

to causes that helps those in need. 

Rita loves the Big Lake area and the 

support she has received, so she feels it 

is only right to give back. It’s amazing to 

know that local business owners from 

the area are working diligently to provide 

quality service and protect and serve the 

forefront for the sake of community. 

The fruits of her labor are paying off 

more and more as time progresses. Rita 

is considering franchising the business 

but is concerned about keeping the 

customer service people have come to 

know her for as a main staple. “Nearly 

all of our reviews mention the excellent 

customer service. That’s because 

everyone is like family,” Rita boasted. The 

hospitality that Southwest Louisiana is 

known for is replicated daily on the lake 

at Rita’s. 

Rita is thankful for her husband and coowner, 

Joseph Fields, Sr., and their three 

children, Joseph, Jr., LaTasha and Shanice 

for keeping her inspired to continue 

forward. Rita has no plans on slowing 

down as she is building something to last 

for generations. Working closely with her 

family has been very rewarding for her. 

Shanice wears many hats and serves 

as the bartender to ensure you have a 

good time. Joseph Jr. and LaTasha are 

great helpers that bring much relief to a 

busy woman spearheading a restaurant 

business on a lake. 

She wants others who have a dream 

to know, “Keep it in plain sight and 

work towards your goals every day.” 

Rita knows this is what kept her going 

forward and led her to the point of where 

she is now. Even when others didn’t see 

her vision, she still pursued it with God 

on her side, and now reaps the harvest 

sown. 

It is encouraging to see a new business 

flourish so quickly in the Big Lake area. 

Rita is a true testament of how faith, 

endurance and encouragement work 

together to bring about the desires of the 

heart. 

Rita’s beautiful giving spirit and daily 

walk is an inspiration and a true gem to 

the Big Lake area. 

Stop by Rita’s Creole Family Kitchen 

located at 620 Big Lake St where her 

shrimp quesadillas, fried ribs, and famous 

Rita’s stuffed burgers will keep you 

coming back time and time again. Don’t 

hesitate to tell her I sent you! 

Joseph Fields, Sr., & Rita Fields, Owners of Rita's 

Creole Family Kitchen 

Shanice, CEO 

Catering truck 

available for all events 

& ocassions. 

JOE Anderson 

Bartender 

Red room dining 

area on main floor & 

host showers, events 

& meetings in Blue 

Room 


SWLA business 

Benefits of 

Homeownership and 

Benefits as Renters 

By Vu Tran 

When people consider 

between choosing to 

own a home or rent a 

home or an apartment, what is best 

for people may depend on their 

current financial condition, income, 

credit score and other factors. 

Many people always keep in mind, 

buying a house also means not only 

for their future but also for the next 

generation. No one wants to depend 

on a lease in which they will have to 

pay a significant amount of money 

for something not in their ownership, 

and there is a risk of revocation at 

any time. When owning a house, it 

is more likely that people will spend 

more time caring for it. They will be 

able to freely change their home and 

arrange repairs without waiting or 

obtaining permission from a landlord. 

They can do everything they want 

to design the house according to 

their wishes. They can drill walls to 

hang paintings, replace carpets with 

wooden floors, repaint room colors 

to their liking, and decorate their 

furniture in style. For animal lovers, 

owning a home is great when they 

can be allowed to take care of their 

pets. The house is like a family's 

own world, they can create their 

own rules. They can have their own 

activities and don't have to worry 

about the disturbance of others. 

When living in an apartment, noise 

is very sensitive when the apartments 

are close together. Homeowners 

will often have a long-term, more 

connected relationship with their 

neighbors. If people settle down and 

have a decent home to live in, it will 

help them feel more comfortable 

and confident when working, 

communicating and doing business. 

The home is a place that makes them 

feel comfortable, safe and free. There 

are many people who are afraid of 

change, so buying a house will be 

considered a fixture in their lives 

and work. Having a home will be a 

guarantee for homeowners future 

when they retire. Owning a home can 

also be considered a short-term or 

long-term investment. When owning 

a home, the owner can see the 

added value of the house and it can 

bring a return on their investment. 

Owning a home may help you reduce 

the amount of money you pay in 

income tax. The mortgage interest 

and property tax payments can be 

included in itemized deductions on 

tax return. When buying a home, it 

can help homeowners build strong 

credit history by making their 

mortgage payments timely. 

Most people see owning a home 

as one of the major goals and 

criteria for evaluating success. 

However, this trend is changing as 

many people realize that renting 

a home or an apartment is also a 

wise choice. If the finances do not 

guarantee the conditions to buy a 

house, renting a house will help to 

avoid pressure on debt repayment. 

Also, the personal financial situation 

is also more flexible. If renting a 

house, people can enjoy good 

facilities without spending money 

on construction and equipment. 

20 


The tenant’s job is to find the homes 

that meet the needs for a reasonable 

price, consistent with their budget. 

Usually, in a lease, if the electrical 

system has a problem or the house's 

plumbing system leaks, the landlord 

has responsibility for their repairs. 

The landlord will be responsible for 

all repairs and maintenance. These 

costs are paid by the property owner 

to maintain the house. 

When a tenant has a job needs 

requiring them move a lot, there 

is nothing more suitable than 

short-term rent of a house or 

apartment. If owning a house, they 

will have to worry about selling 

the house. Renting will give people 

more opportunities for work. It may 

seem irrelevant, but the fact is, if 

owning a house, people often have a 

psychological desire to have a stable 

job close to home and often fear 

about being fired. This inadvertently 

causes them to lose better job 

opportunities in a remote area. 

While if renting, they can fully take 

the initiative in choosing a job and 

then choose housing accordingly. 

However, in any case, home 

ownership is always encouraged if 

you have a solid financial foundation 

as well as a long-term stable job. 

About Vu Tran 

Vu is from Vietnam and holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting 

Major from McNeese State University. She has been living in Lake 

Charles, LA for 6 years. Vu is a Staff Accountant at J. Walker & 

Company, APC. Her roles at J. Walker & Company, APC are preparing 

Corporation, Non-profit Organization, and Individual Tax Returns, 

and also preparing Medicare Cost Report. 

Vu Tran 

Staff Accountant 

J. Walker & Company, APC | www.jwalkerco.com 

2740 Rue de Jardin, Ste. 100 | Lake Charles, LA 70605 

P.O. Box 6592 | Lake Charles, LA 70605 

P: 337-478-7902 

F: 337-478-3345 


ADVENTURES of the Lake 

By Lela Gholar Tizano 

A Special 

Education 

If you asked Willa what her least 

favorite month of the year 

was, she would tell you it was 

August – without a doubt. After 

twenty-two years of teaching she 

could never shake the feeling that 

settled in the pit of her stomach 

when her summer vacation came to 

an end. 

To make matters worse, according 

to her roster, one of the most 

challenging students in the whole 

school would be placed in her class 

this year. His name was Tommy 

and he was one of a pair. The Fyte 

twins, Tommy and Tammy were 

a force to be reckoned with. 

Fyte was both their name and 

their game. Their behavior was 

unacceptable, they never had 

school supplies, they were 

always late, and it seemed like 

they had only one uniform 

to wear all year and it was 

hardly ever clean. 

Willa prayed for the 

strength to make it 

through what she was 

sure would be her 

most difficult year. She stood at the 

door, planted a smile on her face and 

greeted each child as they walked 

in – even Tommy. She almost didn’t 

recognize him. He was neat, clean, 

and unnervingly quiet. There was 

pain behind the crooked smile that 

he returned. His eyes were empty and 

void of emotion, like a part of him 

was missing. 

“What’s going on with Tommy?” 

Willa asked Ms. Haynes, the teacher 

next to her. 

Didn’t you hear? He and Tammy were 

placed in foster care – two separate 

homes from what I hear. She’s not even 

at this school, so we only have one of 

them to deal with this year,” she stated 

with enthusiasm. 

“So, tell the class how you spent your 

summer vacation,” Willa instructed. 

The children were so excited to share 

stories about their trips to the zoo, 

amusement parks, water parks and 

family outings. She had to bring 

order to the class a few times to calm 

them down. 

They all seemed to have fun this 

summer, all except Tommy. His story 

was not about happy times. “I had to 

move to a foster home, and I miss my 

sister,” his voice cracked, and his eyes 

filled with tears. 

“I’m so sorry to hear that, Tommy. We’ll 

talk about it after recess if you’d like.” 

He nodded his head and slumped 

down in his desk while the others drew 

pictures of their summer vacation. 

Willa heard as much as her heart could 

take when Tommy shared stories of 

what led to his and Tammy’s removal 

from their home. She was thankful 

that Tommy was not rambunctious 

like he had been in the past but seeing 

the heartbroken shell of a boy was 

hardly a consolation. 

Willa searched the parish database 

and discovered that Tammy was 

enrolled in a school less than five miles 

away. The next day she pulled some 

strings and arranged transportation 

for Tammy to attend school with 

Tommy. Willa hoped she wouldn’t live 

to regret it when she requested that 

Tammy be placed in her class. 

A few days later, Tammy surprised 

22 


LaKeisha Winters 

Combre Fondel 3rd 

grade resource teacher 

Carla Mormon Southwest 

Louisana Charter Academy 

Special Education Middle 

School grades 6-8 

her brother when she walked into the classroom. 

Tommy laid eyes on her and covering his face was 

the brightest smile that Willa had ever seen on a 

little boy. Seeing the two of them embrace one 

another brought tears to Willa’s eyes. 

That year turned out to be Willa’s best year 

ever - not because her class was well-behaved 

or because they scored well on standardized 

testing. It was because she was able to 

reunite Tommy and Tammy and provide 

them with a special education. 

Ms. Anita Dejean 

Autism Educational 

Paraprofessional 


Q&A 

By 

Brenda Hill 

Although STROKE can occur 

at any age, based on my 

professional experience and 

observations, STROKE is 

becoming increasingly more 

prevalent with the Geriatric, 

Aging and Elderly populations. 

STROKE is not just an 

occurrence, or something 

that just happened to an 

individual. The symptoms and 

physical effects of STROKE are 

broad and varied, says Daigle. 

Q&A with Cynthia Coffey Daigle About 

Cerebral Vascular Accident or CVA/STROKE 

When your dearly beloved 

family member has suffered 

a STROKE, the effects from it 

can be very profound for them and life 

changing for you. 

African American men are at greater risk 

of having a stroke than any other group 

of men in the United States. Learn more 

at https://www.cdc.gov/stroke/docs/ 

aa_men_stroke_factsheet.pdf 

The Voice of Southwest Louisiana calls 

upon Cynthia Coffey Daigle, Speech- 

Language Pathologist, “Princess Speech,” 

consultant and provider of healthcare 

services since 1989, to discuss and 

explain the recovery rehabilitation 

process of individuals who have 

encountered Cerebrovascular Accident, 

Cerebral Vascular Accident or CVA, most 

commonly known as “STROKE.” 

See B. Hill. “Q&A Back to School K thru 12” 

The Voice of Southwest Louisiana. 1 June 

2019 2 pgs. 

QWhat is the recovery rehabilitation 

process of individuals who have 

encountered “STROKE?” 

AFirst, STROKE is a 911 medical 

emergency and requires immediate 

and direct attention from a qualified 

physician and medical team. A person 

exhibiting signs and symptoms of STROKE, 

may present slow/slurred and unintelligible 

speech, difficulty talking and expressing 

thoughts, difficulty with memory and 

following instructions, tingling or numbness 

to hands, legs, fingers or toes, entire left or 

24 


ight side muscle weakness and not limited 

to difficulty (choking/coughing) swallowing 

food and beverages. The person may also 

complain of severe, ongoing headaches. 

You may possibly notice swelling to the 

face, lips or tongue and even the inability to 

control the tongue accompanied with saliva 

drooling. 

The onset of STROKE can occur suddenly 

or gradually and is diagnosed medically, 

treated and managed by a physician. The 

affects can be temporary or permanent. 

The impairment scale ranges: Minimal, 

Mild, Moderate, Severe and Profound. 

Physician, Internists, Neurologists, 

Neuro-Surgeons initiate direct or third 

party referral to a Speech-Language 

Pathologist to conduct an evaluation 

to see if the patient shows a decline or 

significant loss of function immediately 

after the stroke, also known as “POST 

STROKE.” 

A physician referral requests a speech 

screen or evaluation for a patient. When 

the Speech Pathologists conducts 

a screen or evaluation according to 

physicians’ script/orders, the results 

of that assessment give rise to 

communications between the Speech 

Pathologist and other relative disciplines 

about the status with respect to HIPPA 

regulations. 

There are several components assessed 

by the Speech Pathologist and include, 

Orientation, Speech/Voice, Swallowing, 

Language Reception, Language Expression, 

Reading and Writing; realizing the 

characteristics of decline in areas of 

speaking, thinking, listening, reading and 

writing. 

The patient recovery process can last in 

duration – short - only a few days, extensive 

- for weeks, several months and years. 

Daigle is licensed in the state of Louisiana and is known as a professional 

“Speech and Swallow” Therapist, “Speech and Dysphagia Specialist.” She is a 

friend to the medical community and provides consultative services to physicians, 

hospitals, nursing homes, home health agencies, assistant living communities, 

clinics, families/caregivers and other speech therapists. She is an active provider 

of services as an interactive therapist and team member for Physical Therapy (PT), 

Occupational Therapy (OT), Respiratory Therapy and other multiple disciplines. 

(When a patient has a STROKE and is experiencing ‘swallowing” difficulties, that 

difficulty is known as DYSPHAGIA.) 

Daigle has attended many certifying courses and training conferences to acquire 

more in-depth skills toward learning symptoms, characteristics and remediation 

strategies. She studied in Atlanta with one of the nation’s leading experts, Jerri 

Logemann, world renowned author in Speech and Dysphagia and researcher in 

Communicative Disorders and Dysphagia. 

Daigle has continued training with Speech Team, Inc., to become registered 

for DPNS (Dysphagia technique) and E-Stim (oral-facial technique, which) are 

innovative therapeutic techniques specifically utilized by trained Speech-Language 

Pathologists for the remediation of swallowing disorders and oral facial deficits. 

Daigle is also a member of the American Speech-Hearing Language Association 

Dysphagia Special Interest Group. 


SWLA non-profit 

Contributed Article 

Tournament 

of the Stars 

Annual 

Scholarship 

Banquet 

Keynote Speaker - James Rix, Turlington 

Head Boys's Basketball Coach 

Tournament of the Stars (TOS) 

hosted their annual scholarship 

banquet on Friday-July 19, 

2019 at the downtown historic 

Charleston Ballroom. 

Students, parents and supporters were 

greeted and served dinner by local 

"Celebrity Servers," as words of wisdom 

and encouragement captured the 

attention of the students. 

Rev. Desmond Wallace, CPSB member, 

McNeese University Upward Bounds 

employee, and recipient of the TOS 

scholarship (20 years), stated that the 

scholarship financially assisted him 

toward enrollment in Theology College 

and facilitated his rewarding career path. 

Nora Popillion, Director Public Relations, 

Delta Downs, amused the crowd with 

quotes of famous people. He advised the 

students to be goal driven and to know, 

"you can do all things with Jesus..." 

James Rix, Keynote Speaker admitted 

to the students that he made several 

mistakes in his college days and along 

his career path. He emphasized to them 

that he had to go forward in a success 

mode because his parents reminded him, 

“failure is not an option." 

Rix is an inductee to ...Emmanuel College 

Hall of Fame for his sportsmanship, 

athleticism and endurance pursuit of his 

dreams. 

A slide show announced 23 recipients 

(area high school seniors and stated their 

high schools) as TOS presented over 

$25,000 cash awards to them. Scholarship 

recipients were represented from Barbe 

High, LaGrange High, Sam Houston High, 

St. Louis High, Washington-Marion High 

and Sulphur High. 

The scholarship awards were based 

upon student in need, academic 

achievement and/or students' overall 

accomplishments. Students can use the 

scholarship to attend a 4-year college 

or university, a community college or 

a vocational institution. Students also 

received a goody bag filled with a TOS 

specially ordered and McReynolds 

designed t-shirt that displayed the logo, 

“If I can reach just one." 

"Celebrity Servers" included, Todd 

Areno, Chris Archinard, Jayla Carrier, 

Mike Brahumarm, Julian Corder, 

Halen Courtney, Denise Durel, A B 

Franklin, Tony Guillory, Fred Hardy, 

Derrick Kee, Henry Mancuso, Vanessa 

McKinstry, Stuart Moss, Michael Ned, 

Nora Popillion, Jimmie Richard, Harold 

Robinson and Desmond Wallace. 

Other participants were Keith Bell, Prayer 

and Entertainment, Marcus Davis, Jazz 

Saxophonist. 

For more information about TOS, visit 

website: 

www.tournamentofthestars.com 

26 


Photo Credits: Levert Blount 

Nora Popillion Recipient of Humanitarian of the Year Award also 

recognized by TOS President Harold McReynolds 

Stella Miller, a community leader with other attendants showing support. 

L-R.: Harold McReynolds, Eric Fry, Chester J. Daigle l l l, Zelda Fry, Karen Hardy, Craig Ryan, Vanessa 

McKinstry, Linda Carrier, Linda Darlene Myles and not pictured Cynthia Coffey Daigle. 


Our Community Is 

Talking, And We’re 

Still Listening… 

Advertise With Us! 

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Tracy Clark GENERAL MANAGER 

tracy@thevoiceofsouthwestla.com 

Brenda Hill EDITOR-IN-CHIEF 

brenda@thevoiceofsouthwestla.com 

In the McNeese SEED Center 

TEAM PUBLICATIONS LLC• 4310 Ryan St. Ste. 123 • Lake Charles, LA. 70605

The Voice of Southwest Louisiana August 2019 Issue

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