The Voice of Southwest Louisiana September 2019 Issue

September 2019 

Vol 7 No 2 

FEATURE STORY: 

Achieve Healthy 

Aging at SWLA 

Center for Health 

Services; 

Bike Library, Healthy 

Recipes, Community 

Garden and More… 

Pg 14 

p12 Blac and Blu 

Who Watches the Watchers 

Hope for Families Affected by Homicide 

and Violent Crimes 

p18 Lake Charles Imperials 

Semi-Pro League 

Where Professional Sports' Dreams Come True 

p24 Q&A with Caleb & Eden 

Riding the Big Yellow School Bus

editor’s 

By Brenda Hill 

THINK YOU CAN’T AFFORD 

TRAINING FOR A BETTER JOB? 

WE CAN HELP. 

Want a better future? 

Get the training or certification you need for a better job. 

We can help you afford to take that step. 

Tuition Loan 

We offer an easy way to finance a specialty 

training program or certification.* 

Student Consolidation Loan 

Take the stress off your budget: We can consolidate 

current debts and monthly payments into one lower 

monthly payment.* 

* Each of these programs has certain qualifications, restrictions and limitations. 

Get complete information at any Southwest Louisiana Credit Union location. 

Reduced Auto Payment Loan 

Save money each month: We can refinance an existing 

auto loan to reduce the monthly payment.* 

Daycare Vouchers 

When you get our Tuition Loan, vouchers 

are available to help pay for daycare.* 

Calcasieu Parish 

Republican 

Executive 

Committee 

State & Municipal 

Election Dates 

GENERAL ELECTION: 

ELECTION DAY 

Saturday, October 12, 2019 

DEADLINE TO REGISTER TO VOTE IN 

PERSON 

Wednesday, September 11, 2019 

DEADLINE TO REGISTER TO VOTE ONLINE 

WWW.GEAUXVOTE.COM 

Saturday, Spetember 21, 2019 

EARLY VOTING DATES FOR THE 

NEXT ELECTION 

Saturday, September 28, 2019 - 

Saturday, October 5, 2019 (Closed 

Sunday) 

Registrar of Voters 

www.geauxvote.com 

(337) 721-4000 

Registrar of Voter Information 

To view and print your sample 

ballot go to geauxvote.com 

What's On the Ballot... 

• Governor * 

• Lt. Governor* 

• Secretary of State* 

• State Treasurer* 

• Commissioner of Agriculture* 

• Commissioner of Insurance* 

• Board of Elementary and Secondary 

Education* 

• State Senator Districts 25, 27, 30 

• State Representatives Districts 32 - 

37, 47 

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 

$ 

4056 RYAN STREET 

LAKE CHARLES, LA 70605 

519 KIRBY STREET 


101 N. CITIES SERVICE HWY. 

SULPHUR, LA 70663 

SWLACU.COM • 337-477-9190 

2255 E. MCNEESE STREET 


(Opening late 2019) 

EARLY VOTING LOCATIONS: 

Lake Charle - Calcasieu Parish 

Courthouse 2nd Floor 

Address: 1000 Ryan St # 5 

Lake Charles, LA 70601 

Phone: (337) 437-3550 

Sulphur - Sulphur City Annex 

Address: 101 N Huntington St 

Sulphur, LA 70663 

Phone:(337) 527-4500 

Moss Bluff - Calcasieu Parish Library 

Address: 261 Parish Rd 


Phone: (337) 721-7128 

• Calcasieu Parish Sheriff 

• Calcasieu Parish Clerk of Court 

• Calcasieu Parish Assessor 

• Calcasieu Parish Coroner 

• Calcasieu Parish Police Jury (All 

Districts) 

• Special Election: Justice of the 

Peace Ward 7 

• Special Election: Councilman Town 

of Vinton 

• Special Election: Councilman City of 

Westlake, Division C 

• (No other items for this Election Day 

have been submitted at this time) 

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 

2 September 2019 WWW.THEVOICEOFSOUTHWESTLA.COM Volume 7 • Number 2 Volume 7 • Number 2 WWW.THEVOICEOFSOUTHWESTLA.COM September 2019 3

Sept 2019 

The Voice's Choice 

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

that spread love, joy and peace throughout SWLA. 

Vanessa Silas 

McKinstry is a 

single mom with 

two children, Ian 

(19) and Kennedi 

(9). Her hometown 

is DeRidder, 

La., and she is a 

Victim Advocate 

(Contractor) at Ft. 

Polk, La 

The Lake Charles 

Imperials is a minor league men’s basketball team 

(Minor League Basketball Association-MLBA) that seeks 

to provide exposure for athletes who have a desire to 

play basketball at the next level, either domestically or 

internationally. Vanessa shares Co-Ownership of the 

Lake Charles Imperials with Trayvon Amir. 

12 Blac & Blu 

Who Watches 

the Watchers? 

DaShondra Guillory 

6 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 

Copy Editors 

Jason Clark 

Cecely Clark 

Consultants 

Gene R. Hill, Sr. 

Reginald Clark 

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 

Vanessa and Trayvon desire is to showcase these 

athletes as professionals associated with their brand in 

a way that breaks stereotypes or assumptions that may 

be held. 

See more on page 18… 

3 EDITOR'S PEN 

CALCASIEU PARISH REPBULICAN EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE - STATE 

& MUNICIPAL ELECTION DATES 

6 HEALTHY RECIPES 

SWLA HEALTH CENTER 

8 SWLA HEALTH CENTER 

SUICIDE AWARENESS AND PREVENTION 

12 BLAC & BLU 

WHO WATCHES THE WATCHERS? 

14 SWLA FEATURE STORY 

HEALTHY AGING IS AT SWLA CENTER FOR HEALTH SERVICES 

CONTENTS 

18 LAKE CHARLES IMPERIALS 

SEMI-PRO LEAGUE -- WHERE PROFESSIONAL SPORTS DREAMS 

COME TRUE 

22 READY OR NOT 

ADVENTURES OF THE LAKE 

24 Q&A WITH CALEB & EDEN 

BACK TO SCHOOL ON THE YELLOW SCHOOL BUS 

25 SWLA NEWS 

YOU CAN HAVE A BETTER FUTURE 

26 SWLA NON-PROFIT 

SICKLE CELL AWARENESS IN SOUTHWEST LOUISIAN 

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 

Consuela Colston, LCSW 

Jessica Duhon 

Dianna Ross 

Kristopher Welcome 

Lela Gholar Tizano 

FRONT COVER: 

SWLA Health Center 

PUBLISHED AND 

DISTRIBUTED BY 

Team Publications LLC. 

4310 Ryan St. Ste. 123 

Lake Charles, LA. 70605 

In the McNeese SEED Center 

337.474.2210 

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Healthy Recipes 

ALPHABET 

SOUP 

Carrots add a natural sweetness to cake so you 

need less sugar. Try them with delicious maple 

cream cheese icing! 

INGREDIENTS 

1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil 

1 yellow onion, peeled and chopped 

2 celery stalks, sliced 

2 carrots, scrubbed and sliced 

1 teaspoon dried thyme 

8 cups low-sodium chicken broth 

1⁄2 cup alphabet-shaped pasta 

2 cups cooked, shredded chicken, from a home-cooked or 

rotisserie chicken (if you like) pinch kosher salt 

HANDS-ON TIME: 30 MINUTES | TOTAL TIME: 30 MINUTES | MAKES 6 SERVINGS 

INSTRUCTIONS 

Wash your hands with soap and water, 

then gather all your equipment and 

ingredients and put them on a counter. 

1. Crack the eggs into the bowl. 

2. Add the milk, vanilla extract, and 

cinnamon and beat with the fork 

until combined. 

3. Put the skillet on the stove, add the 

oil or butter, and turn the heat to 

medium. 

4. Dip the bread, one slice at a time, 

into the egg mixture, coating both 

sides of each slice. If there is too 

much egg mixture on the bread, let 

it drip back into the bowl. 

5. When the skillet is hot, carefully 

add 2 slices of the egg-coated 

bread, and cook until golden 

brown on both sides, about 3 

minutes. 

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

CLASSIC FRENCH TOAST 

INGREDIENTS 

2 large eggs 

3⁄4 cup milk 

1⁄4 teaspoon vanilla extract 

1⁄8 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

2 tablespoons vegetable oil or 

unsalted butter 

6 slices day-old whole-wheat, 

oatmeal, or cinnamon-raisin 

bread 

maple syrup 

KITCHEN GEAR 

Large mixing bowl 

Measuring cup 

Measuring spoons 

Fork, for mixing 

Large skillet 

Spatula 

Pot holders 

6. Repeat with the remaining bread. 

Serve right away drizzled with 

maple syrup. 

7. OR ELSE - For a savory version, skip 

the vanilla, cinnamon, and maple 

syrup, and serve the French toast 

with salt, pepper, and a drizzle of 

olive oil. You can also try adding 

herbs and/or grated Parmesan to 

the egg mixture! 

HANDS-ON TIME: 45 MINUTES 

| TOTAL TIME: 1 HOUR | MAKES10-12 CUPS 

KITCHEN GEAR 

Cutting board 

Sharp knife (adult needed) 

Measuring spoons 

Measuring cup 

Large heavy-bottomed pot 

Large spoon 

INSTRUCTIONS 

Wash your hands with soap and water, then gather all your equipment and ingredients and put them on a counter. 

1. Put the pot on the stove and turn 

the heat to medium. When it is 

hot, carefully add the oil. 

2. Add the onion, celery, carrots, 

and thyme, and cook until the 

vegetables are starting to soften, 

stirring occasionally, 10-15 

minutes. 

3. Add the chicken broth, turn the 

heat up to high and bring to a 

boil. Turn the heat down to low, 

and cook, uncovered, until the 

vegetables are tender and no 

longer float on the top, about 30 

minutes. 

4. Add the alphabet-shaped pasta 

and cook until tender, about 8 

minutes (or follow the cooking 

time on the package directions). 

5. Add the chicken, if using, and stir 

until heated throughout, about 1 

minute. Taste the soup and add a 

pinch of salt if you think it needs 

it. Serve right away or cover and 

refrigerate up to 3 days. 

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

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 

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)) 

CARROT CUPCAKES 

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 

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. 

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 

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. 



Suicide Awareness and Prevention 

(NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION) 

By Consuela Colston, LCSW 

Life and living has a special 

significance for each of us. We 

move, breathe and go about 

each day searching for our happiness, 

purpose, niche, or destiny. Along that 

daily journey many of us are faced with 

challenges, struggles and stressors that 

become overwhelming, devastating 

and paralyzing. Individuals view these 

circumstances daunting and consider or 

choose to end their life. 

According to the Center for Disease 

Control (CDC) 2018, Suicide is a leading 

cause of death in the US. Suicide 

rates increased in nearly every state 

from 1999 through 2016. The highest 

suicide rates in the US are among Whites, 

American Indians and Alaska Natives. 

Suicide among males is 4x’s higher than 

among females. Male deaths represent 

79% of all US suicides. (CDC) Females 

are more likely than males to have had 

suicidal thoughts. (CDC) 1 in 100,000 

children ages 10 to 14 die by suicide each 

year. (NIMH) 7 in 100,000 youth ages 15 

to 19 die by suicide each year. (NIMH) 

12.7 in 100,000 young adults ages 20-24 

die by suicide each year. (NIMH) suicide is 

the third leading cause of death among 

African-American young people. (CDC) 

Suicide rates among the elderly are 

highest for those who are divorced or 

widowed. (CDC) 

Suicide is complicated and does not 

discriminate. People of all genders, 

ages, and ethnicities can be at risk. 

Suicide is complex and there is no 

single cause. In fact, many people who 

die by suicide are not known to have a 

diagnosed mental health condition at 

the time of death. Other problems often 

contribute to suicide, such as those 

related to relationships, substance use, 

physical health, and job, money, legal, or 

housing stress. (CDC) 

Often, family and friends are the 

first to recognize the warning signs 

of suicide and can be the first step 

toward helping an at-risk individual 

find professional help. Please read 

the characteristics that people at risk 

tend to share: depression, other mental 

disorder, or substance abuse disorder; 

certain medical conditions; chronic 

pain; a prior suicide attempt; family 

history of mental disorder or substance 

abuse; family history of suicide; family 

violence, including physical or sexual 

abuse; having guns or other firearms in 

the home; having recently been released 

from prison or jail; being exposed to 

others’ suicidal behavior, such as that of 

family members, peers, or celebrities. 

(NIMH) 

Knowing the warning signs for suicide 

and how to get help can help save 

lives. The behaviors listed below may 

be signs that someone is thinking about 

suicide: talking about wanting to die 

or wanting to kill themselves; talking 

about feeling empty, hopeless, or 

having no reason to live; making a plan 

or looking for a way to kill themselves, 

such as searching for lethal methods 

online, stockpiling pills, or buying a 

gun; talking about great guilt or shame; 

talking about feeling trapped or feeling 

that there are no solutions; feeling 

unbearable pain (emotional pain or 

physical pain); talking about being a 

burden to others; using alcohol or drugs 

more often; acting anxious or agitated; 

withdrawing from family and friends; 

changing eating and/or sleeping habits; 

showing rage or talking about seeking 

revenge; taking great risks that could 

lead to death, such as driving extremely 

fast; talking or thinking about death 

often; displaying extreme mood swings, 

suddenly changing from very sad to very 

calm or happy; giving away important 

possessions; saying goodbye to friends 

and family; putting affairs in order, 

making a will. (NIMH) 

If warning signs apply to you or someone 

you know, get help as soon as possible, 

particularly the behavior is new or has 

increased recently. One resource is the 

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 

1-800-273-TALK (8255). 

Resources: 

National Institute of Mental Health. 

Suicide Prevention, www.nimh.nih.gov 

Center of Disease Control and Prevention. 

Vital Signs/Suicide, 6/2018, www.cdc.gov. 

vital signs 

Events|Seniors|Glamour 

337.842.7202 

WWW.VINHPHOTOGRAPHY.COM 

The Bassman Presents: The Listening Room with Courtney “Courthouse” Barrett (L), 

DeAndre “Beatdocta” Hamilton (R) and The Bassman (M), is a weekly web series on facebook 

live, provides “local artists” from around the country, a platform for their music to be heard, 

critiqued by veteran producers, engineers, and a radio personality, voted on by the online 

audience, and various special guests like ‘Runnin Up Tha Check Challenge’ (RUTCC) creator, 

Mr CHRIS, winner of ‘RUTCC’ Dezzy Dukes, local artists DonDairy Nelson, and legendary DJ and 

radio personality DJ Big Tymer. 

Whomever receives the most likes at the end of the show gets their (CLEAN) music sent to 

Program Directors across the country and hopefully they’ll play it on their respective stations. 

99.5 theVERT, an online radio station ( https://live365.com/station/99-5-theVERT-a32159 ), 

plays the winners regularly. 

The Listening Room also facilitates networking opportunities for artists, beat makers, etc. 

So check us out every Thursday evening around 8pm on facebook live for The Bassman 

Presents: The Listening Room and let’s help get these young/new artists in the right hands. 

If you or someone you know would like their music featured on The Listening Room, send it to 

us at: vertthebassman@gmail.com 

Send a CLEAN version along with your ‘vulgar’ music, because no program director is going to 

play ‘vulgar’ on their station. 

https://live365.com/station/99-5-theVert-a32159 


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Catering Available 

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Let Us Help You 

Committed to the highest level 

3116 Ryan St. 

of customer service possible! 


Phone: (337) 564-6009 

www.lakecharles-la.minutemanpress.com 

Jonald J. Walker III, CPA, CGMA 

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


Blac & Blu 

“Who watches the watchers?” --Juvenal, Roman poet 

“Surviving Parents of SETX (Southeast Texas) was 

founded by two mothers who were strangers and 

sadly shared only one thing in common: they had 

lost a child through a violent act” 

Demetricia “Ann” Pryor-Holloway, of Beaumont, 

TX, was one of those mothers. 

March 18, 2012 between 12:30am and 2:00am, 

DaShondra Guillory, who was four months 

pregnant with her unborn child, and her 

boyfriend Israel Manning were killed in a 

premeditated act of gun violence. 

“Mom, I’m fixing to go home and unpack,” 

DaShondra told her mother. Demetricia Pryor- 

Holloway, is still emotional as she speaks about 

what happened 

Demetricia, known by her friends as “Dee,” was 

26 years old and had just returned home with 

her boyfriend Israel, 25. Prior to that, she lived at 

home with her mother and two children, Jamiah, 

two year old daughter, and Dei’Sean, five year old 

son. She had borrowed her mother’s car to go to 

work in home health care. 

Demetricia had been working with her church’s 

praise dance group and returned home around 

10:00pm. She talked with her daughter later that 

day on the phone, as they usually did. She told 

her goodnight and that she would leave the keys 

to her Avalanche, with her. Settling in for the 

night with all 14 praise dancers, her husband and 

younger daughter, she went to sleep. 

The next morning, she waited for the call from her 

daughter that never came. 

“Suddenly, cars pulled up at 10:38,” said 

Demetricia. Surprised, she opened the door. 

“Hey, I’m looking for Dee’s mom.” 

With tears in her eyes, a friend of her 

daughter’s said, “Damn! You look really 

good to say she was murdered last 

night!” 

Demetricia didn’t understand. “I’m waiting for her 

ONE COMMUNITY, ONGOING CONVERSATIONS 

By Jessica Duhon 

Who Watches 

the Watchers? 

to come home and then we’re going to church.” 

“Ma’am,” said the friend, “I’ve been at the hospital 

since it happened. We watched him [Israel] die. 

He is dead.” 

Still in disbelief, she went by the house 

DaShondra and Israel had just moved into and 

nothing looked out of place, and all the police 

tape had already been taken down. 

When Demetricia arrived to meet her family 

at the hospital, it was confirmed. DaShondra, 

her daughter was gone. The lead detective on 

the case, Aaron Lewallen, was contacted later. 

He apologized saying, “I dropped the ball,” in 

response to why he had not contacted Demetricia 

about her daughter’s death. He explained that 

he was staked out trying to catch the perpetrator 

and had neglected to contact her in his efforts. It 

was a debt that he paid back later by becoming 

the chairman of the non-profit organization. 

As the story goes, Israel had gotten into a fight, 

earlier, with the perpetrator, who was someone 

with a name on the street and couldn’t say he 

lost a fight. He rode around with his brother, 

looking for Israel, finally found the house he had 

just moved into with Dee. He pulled up, high 

and angry. There was a window where an AC unit 

was supposed to go, but only had a screen inside 

temporarily. The perpetrator saw his chance. 

He shot right through the window, hitting Dee 

with so much force it knocked her up against 

the wall, splattering brain matter everywhere. 

Israel jumped up, moved through the house past 

unopened moving boxes, and down the hall 

until he faced a man with a gun aimed at him. 

The perpetrator shot him 17 times, kicked him 

over and finished unloading. But he left two key 

witnesses behind: two friends who came to help 

them move were still in the house. 

To make matters worse, each time the trial was set 

it was postponed. Holloway cried for months and 

months. “I couldn’t sit in the courtroom the whole 

time,” she said. The perpetrator said he didn’t 

know Dee was inside, but that he felt justified in 

killing Israel. Because of this, he was not charged 

for the killing of DaShondra’ unborn child. 

After the verdict, but before sentencing, 

Demetricia was able to take the stand. The judge 

DaShondra Guillory 

asked her what she wanted. She said she didn’t 

want him to die, that she didn’t believe in the 

death penalty, and that he should spend the rest 

of his life in prison. 

The perpetrator then asked to take the stand, 

against his attorney’s wishes. Cruelly, he said, 

“Haha, I fooled y’all. I made y’all think I didn’t 

know she was there, but I knew she was there.” He 

then began to set the story straight. On the night 

of the murders, he walked up to the door, greeted 

by Dee. “Who are you here for?” asked Dee. “I’m 

here to settle the score,” said the perpetrator. 

“What are you talking about?” asked Dee. The 

perpetrator went on to say, that if he couldn’t get 

to Israel, he would get to her because although 

he didn’t know who she was, he knew she was 

someone important to Israel. But when Israel 

heard the gunshots and came running, he ended 

up murdering all of them. 

The courtroom was shocked. The jurors asked if 

they could change the verdict, but it was too late. 

So, they made up for it as much as they could 

with the sentencing: 20 years for a manslaughter 

charge for Dee and 50 years for a murder charge 

for Israel, for a total of 70 years. 

Hurt and angry, the tears continued to flow for 

Demetricia, a grief-stricken mother. “Detective 

Lewallen had so much compassion,” she said. 

He took time off work to see about her. When 

she waited outside the courtroom, his shirt was 

covered in her tears and make-up as he tried 

to comfort her. Soon, she was to become the 

comforter. 

L-R: Aaron Lewallen, lead detective in DeShondra's homicide and Chairman of 

Surviving Parents of SETX, and Demetricia Pryor-Holloway, Co-Founder. 

2012 was a year with back to back murders in 

that area. This time, Detective Lewallen called 

on Demetricia for help. “I need you to talk to this 

mother who lost a child, Lewallen said. I think you 

can do this. I think it will be good for her to hear 

you have been through the same thing.” 

Demetricia gave the mother everything she 

needed to cope and guided her through the 

system. Everything Detective Lewallen had 

given her, she poured back into that mother, 

Ann Medina. The three of them went on to 

create Surviving Parents of SETX, which is for 

parents who have lost children to a variety of 

circumstances. The mission is to be the voice, 

face, mouthpiece of survival after the tragic loss 

of loved ones; compassionately providing support 

to meet the emotional, spiritual, physical along 

with financial needs of the survivors. 

Remarkably, Demetricia had been working as a 

mental health professional since December of 

2006 and said she has lived in crisis since this 

all happened. She did not know she was being 

prepared for what she would face. 

“I have a lot of anxiety,” said Demetricia. One of 

her clients was recently murdered. “It brought me 

back,” she said. 

“By the Grace of God, I got to keep my 

grandchildren,” Demetricia said. Everyday she is 

reminded of her daughter through them. “Jamiah 

looks like her and Dei’Sean acts like her,” reflects 

Demetricia. Their last name is Hope, which is 

particularly meaningful for her. 

Still in pain from the murder of her daughter, 

DeShondra, she was not prepared for the lack 

of resources when 

it came to assist 

in the care of her 

grandchildren. 

People stepped 

up, paid her fees, 

recommended an 

attorney so she 

could gain custody. 

For children in 

foster care, there 

are a variety of 

resources; food, 

clothing, housing 

and tuition. “For 

surviving children 

there is…nothing,” 

said Demetricia. 

Mind-blown and 

overwhelmed by 

everything, it took 

her over a year to 

go back to work. 

It was hard on her 

whole family, and 

her daughter, Jalynn, 

who was 12 at the 

time said, “You forgot about me.” 

“It is the deepest hurt I ever felt in my life,” said 

Demetricia. “Just keep surviving, make a day, 

make a minute. I share my experiences, strength 

and hope….and that’s what keeps me going. 

I don’t want to be in this predicament, said 

Holloway.” Admittedly, she never would have 

been involved in this type work if it had not 

happened to her. 

“We are the voice for people hurting, says 

Demetricia. “Our motto is moving from grief to 

hope together.” We are the face of survivors,” she 

said. 

Surviving Parents of SETX takes a holistic 

approach to helping families heal. They provide 

counseling, a food pantry, clothes and other 

resources. “We have a lot of volunteers, but 

funding has been an issue.” Bob Wortham, 

the Criminal District Attorney of the City of 

Beaumont, along with his wife Karen, generously 

helped them. After her home was damaged by 

Hurricane Harvey, she spent most of the money 

to buy a building for her organization. When they 

start to work with someone, they get a footprint 

on the wall. Grief is on the bottom and hope is on 

the top, and gradually they move from grief to 

hope. They provide childcare and what she calls, 

‘grief activities,” for children to help them cope. 

“Art is very soothing,” says Demetricia. They paint 

pictures of their pain. They are asked, “What does 

pain look like today?” 

Demetricia has developed a strong relationship 

with law enforcement. Her organization has 

received two letters of recommendations, 

one from the Commander of the Criminal 

Investigations Division of the Beaumont Police 

Department, and one from the program director 

for the Jefferson County Victim’s Assistance 

Center, through the office of the District Attorney. 

Demetricia’s organization is expected to contact 

victims in the first 48 hours of a homicide. She 

goes to court and is available to assist families 

through the trial. She sits on the outside, like she 

always did, and consoles family members. “It’s 

hard to wait outside,” she said, “you don’t know 

what’s going on inside.” 

Her organization is centered around 

accountability. “Who is responsible?” said 

Demetricia. “I am my brother’s keeper. People 

don’t realize until it happens that it can happen to 

them.” 

Demetricia speaks about the importance of 

being connected to law enforcement, to keep 

each other accountable, find witnesses and help 

families find closure. 

“He was not wisely monitored,” Demetricia said 

of the perpetrator, who was released December 

2011 and committed the murders in March 2012. 

He violated parole in multiple ways: he had no 

GPS, was out late, in possession of a gun, and was 

high. “When you talk to the parents, the stories 

are the same.” She says if the rules were enforced, 

if someone had done something before the 

murders were committed, these homicidal acts 

might not have happened. 

“If you see something, say something,” 

says Demetricia. 

It’s starting to make a difference. Currently, 

news channels are reporting mass shootings 

approximately every two weeks and spreading 

nationwide. More people are being affected by 

violent crimes and homicides, and more people 

are starting to contact law enforcement with 

information. “My struggle is not uncommon. 

No one is exempt,” Demetricia continues, “It 

is affecting the rich as well as the poor. It is 

becoming more common, but people are not 

talking about it.” A man similarly affected sought 

guidance from the organization. He found he 

was unable to express himself before. “I’m too 

rich to talk about it,” he said. No one wanted to 

hear it could happen to him. He said the best 

thing that ever happened to him was Demetricia’s 

organization. “I can talk, and cry, and you won’t 

make fun of me because I am a man.” 

Speaking on gun rules and regulations, she 

said, “I don’t have the key to it, but I know God 

does. Someone needs to be monitoring the 

perpetrators, and it needs to be done until they 

get it,” said Demetricia. 


SWLA feature story 

By Dianna Ross 

Achieve Healthy Aging 

at SWLA Center for 

Health Services 

There are more than 1,400 

community health centers across 

America that operate more 

than 10,000 health care delivery sites, 

providing care to more than 25 million 

Americans every year. That’s 1 in 10 

American kids, 1 in 6 Americans living in 

rural areas and 1 in 3 Americans living in 

poverty. 

Community Health Centers are 

required to meet four basic standards: 

•• 

They must be in or serve a highneeds 

community. These medically 

underserved areas are defined as 

having a high percentage of people 

living in poverty, areas with few 

primary care physicians, higher than 

average infant mortality rates and high 

percentages of the elderly. 

•• 

They must provide health care to 

all, regardless of ability to pay. All 

community health centers must 

commit to providing services for 

everyone, with fees based on a 

standard sliding fee schedule that 

adjusts charges for care according to 

income. 

•• 

They must provide comprehensive 

health care services. All community 

health centers must offer a broad 

range of “enabling” services to support 

the delivery of consistent, affordable 

health care. 

•• 

They must be governed by a 

community board. All community 

health center boards must be 

comprised of a majority (at least 51 

percent) of health center patients 

who have the authority to oversee 

the operations of the center. These 

powers include approving budgets, 

hiring and firing chief executives, and 

establishing general policies. 

These mandated links to the 

communities in which these health 

centers are located ensures they serve 

their neighborhoods efficiently and 

effectively. 

SWLA Center for Health Services has 

served Calcasieu Parish community for 

more than 40 years. Their value to the 

community is obvious with more than 

100,000 visits a year at its four locations. 

Much of what happens at SWLA Center 

for Health Services can’t be measured in 

numbers. 

Each day the doors open and it’s a new 

beginning. A new opportunity to help 

an uninsured, underinsured, or insured 

patient navigate through this maze 

known as healthcare. Our mission will 

remain the same, but we are changing! 

We have a new look, a new vision and a 

new focus. 

Patients are more engaged today in their 

healthcare, and they are more conscious 

of the role they play in their healthcare 

outcomes. 

The Center took a different approach to 

National Health Centers Week this year. 

The week was kicked off by highlighting 

a different healthy recipe for clients each 

day. A food demonstration day with fresh 

fruit kabobs, Epps library was invited to 

read to the pediatric patients, breakfast 

was served for staff appreciation, the 

Secretary of State was invited to bring the 

new voting machine for patients to try 

and voter registration for the community 

was in place all week. The week ended 

with local officials and stakeholders 

touring the Lake Charles facility. 

JayVon Muhammad, CEO and Jessica 

Jolly, COO are determined and 

committed to implementing new 

programs, improving health outcomes 

and improving the efficiency of the 

center. Access to new services and 

strengthening the position of the center 

in all four parishes is the primary goal of 

these two ladies and the SWLA team. 

What’s new for SWLA Center for Health 

Services you ask? Well, Helen Keller said 

“the only thing worse than being blind is 

having no vision.” SWLA Center for Health 

Services is determined to take heed to 

her words. 

Bike Library 

The logo – The new logo was the first 

step to a new vision for the Center. It 

represents the multiple facets of medical 

disciplines the center offers. 

A new more organized approach to 

services has done away with waiting 

in line for dental services. Now, the 

dental department offers same day 

appointments. Just call the center 

and you can schedule for a same day 

appointment. 

The new vision includes a new Green 

Space which will be located directly 

across from the Center. The green space 

is a community garden that will actually 

have a garden, fruit trees and a sitting 

area. It’ll just be an all-around great place 

to be. It will engage and support interest 

in the art of gardening, healthy eating 

and education. 

The New Bicycle Library 

Louisiana is currently ranked 50th in 

health rankings in the United States and 

Calcasieu Parish is ranked 20th in the 

state for health outcomes and those are 

numbers the center is looking to change, 

L-R: Monette Kilburn, Healthy Blue, Jayvon Muhammad, CEO-SWLA and Patricia 

Prudhomme, Dir. of Dev.-SWLA, is proud of SWLA’s Bike Library. 

L-R: Dr. Karnelius Duhon, Collins Jarvis, Mitch Guy, and Kermit Nero 

CONTINUE ON NEXT PAGE ---> 


SWLA feature story 

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 14-15 

starting with a new bike library. 

Using funding from Healthy Blue, the 

SWLA Center for Health Services has built 

a Bike Library. The new bike library fleet 

consists of 20 bikes and safety helmets. 

Groups and individuals have been riding 

daily. The goal is for individuals and 

groups to be able to go to the center any 

day of the week, check out a bike for free, 

then return it after their ride. 

“Our hope is that by making these bikes 

available for short-term usage by the 

public, many riders will get hooked when 

they realize how fun and healthy biking 

can be. It opens up a whole new world 

of active living opportunities,” said Aaron 

Lambert, president, Healthy Blue. 

The bikes are for both adult and youth 

cyclists. Community members can visit 

the Fitness Center at the SWLA Center 

for Health Services-Lake Charles at 2000 

Opelousas St. to check out a bike. 

In addition to that, Jayvon Muhammad, 

chief executive officer for the center, 

said bike riding also has very real health 

benefits, like reducing stress, heart 

disease and blood pressure. “We are here 

to improve the health of our community, 

and we have some real challenges when 

it comes to health,” Muhammad said. “We 

need to be a little bit more physically 

active.” Muhammad said that the health 

of the community is one of the biggest 

obstacles that the center faces. She said 

the bike library is a proactive way to 

address the issue. 

“We need to build unity in the 

community,” Muhammad said. “We 

need to get out and re-meet our 

neighbors and do things that will 

foster community, so that we can as a 

community be well, instead of just as 

an individual.” 

•• 

Other ideas include a YouTube channel 

that will focus on a large variety of 

topics for patients ranging from 

diabetes to breasting feeding and 

everything in between. A patient 

resource center where patients 

can have access to the information 

and videos created for the YouTube 

channel is being planned. The patient 

resource center will also give access 

to a computer for basic computer 

needs including job applications and 

information. 

•• 

Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) 

combines behavioral therapy and 

medications to treat substance use 

disorders is also in the pipeline for 

SWLA Center for Health Services. 

•• 

In early 2020 SWLA Center for Health 

Services will put a site on the Sowela 

Campus. 

Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated 

from September 15 – October 15, 2019. 

SWLA will celebrate Hispanic Heritage 

from September 30 - October 4. The 

week will be filled with different activities 

including, immigration services on site 

to answer questions, a recipe of the day 

will be given out daily, the library will 

be there on Wednesday to read books 

on Hispanic Heritage, a cooking demo 

will be held on Thursday and on Friday, 

October 4, for the finale, there will be 

Salsa dancing by Steven from the Boogie 

Woogie Dance Studio, the movie CoCo 

will be playing, and traditional Mexican 

cuisine will be available. This will be the 

first time that Hispanic Heritage will be 

celebrated at the Center. The public is 

invited. 

The annual community health and 

wellness resource fair will be held 

Saturday, October 5, 2019 from 8am 

to 12 noon. The theme is “Know your 

Numbers.” Your 4 health numbers — 

blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar 

and body mass index — are key to 

understanding your physical well‐being. 

You should always ask for them at 

your annual check-up, but this is an 

opportunity to get them free of charge. 

The Health Fair will include the Opelousas 

Fitness Connect – We’ll kick the day off 

with Zumba and Yoga. In addition to a 

great start with low and high impact 

exercise, SWLA Pharmacist, Kerry Andrus 

and Pediatrician, Dr. Danielle Dixon will 

be hosting conversations on a series of 

information topics. Vendors from local 

organizations will be on site to share 

information and answer questions. A 

healthy breakfast and lunch will be 

served. 

It is important, to keep up with the 

ever-changing landscape of healthcare. 

As the needs of people change so 

should the focus of the center. It is 

both advantageous and beneficial to 

the center to evolve with the constant 

changes in healthcare. Delivering quality 

access to healthcare is the sole reason 

that Community Health Centers exist, and 

we intend to keep up with the changes 

that affect the communities we serve. 

SWLA Center for Health Services is 

committed to moving forward, changing 

with the times and keeping access to 

quality healthcare in local communities. 

“Caring for our Community” 

Lake Charles, Crowley, Lafayette and 

Oberlin. For an appointment call 337-439- 

9983 or visit us at www.swlahealth.org. 

Follow us on Facebook. 

L-R: Fitzgerald Darbone, Dianna Ross, Kimberly Delafosse, and Mayor Nic Hunter 

L-R: Crystal Dugar, Brenda Thibodeaux, Tracy and Dan from the State of Louisiana, Misty Bertrand, Kristina 

Beitzel and Barbara Grigsby 

L-R: Katherine Thompson and Debra Guillory 

Registrration and Voiting 

L-R: Patricia Prudhomme, and Velika Trahan 

L-R: staff Becky Harlene and Tish Enjoy the breakfast 

provided for staff appreciation during National Health 

Centers Week 


SWLA business 

Lake Charles 

Imperials 

Semi-Pro League -- Where 

Professional Sports Dreams 

Come True 

By Kristopher Welcome 

Vanessa Silas Mckinstry, Co-Owner 

Pres. Of Business Operations 

America sets the 

standard for so many 

industries; from TV/ 

Film, to tech, and fashion 

alike we seem to spearhead 

a lot of the influence that 

is present in each field. 

Sports is no different with the 

NBA being an internationally 

acclaimed entity that brings in 

billions of dollars of revenue 

each year. It seems that having 

a sports team represent your 

city is the premier way to gain 

notoriety, tourism, and profit. 

Around the world basketball 

is a beloved past-time for 

millions of people, but we get 

so wrapped in the glitz and 

glam of American professional 

sporting associations that 

we don’t recognize the 

opportunities near and far for 

athletes. 

Lake Charles is the home to 

the Lake Charles Imperials, a 

semi-pro league that is giving 

a new avenue of opportunity 

to athletes in the area whose 

professional sports dreams 

were once believed to be 

over. Vanessa McKinstry and 

her business partner, Trayvon 

Amir, saw the chance to be coowners 

of a semi-pro sports 

franchise as an equitable 

approach to expand their 

business portfolios. 

In the midst of the craziness 

was the coordination of a 

flag football tournament 

in 2016 by McKinstry and 

Amir. Trayvon suggested 

they start a semi-pro team. “I 

thought he was crazy, or just 

talking,” Vanessa reminisced. 

However, he was very serious 

and wanted to continue his 

business relationship with 

McKinstry. McKinstry began to 

research the vital components 

of team ownership: cost, rules, 

team building, overhead, 

and margins of profit. As a 

businesswoman, McKinstry 

knew how to “make it make 

sense.” Once she found there 

was indeed a market in Lake 

Charles for such an endeavor 

and a clear route to ownership 

was paved, the two began 

what is now the Imperials. 

The journey was not easy, or 

cheap, but the two knew the 

risks involved and still pushed 

forward. They paid the fees 

associated with membership 

into the North American 

Basketball League out of 

Texas. For a year the partners 

shadowed other owners to 

gain introspect of the world 

they’d signed up for. 

In 2017, a year later and a 

year wiser, the owners held 

tryouts to gather a roster for 

the 2018 season. “It was a 

demanding process, but we 

ended up with just enough 

players to compete,” McKinstry 

stated. Ft. Polk seemingly 

proved to be their saving 

grace as a resource for talent 

as most of the players are 

retired military. The goal was 

to bring out talent from the 

area who wanted a chance 

to play internationally and 

be perceived as a reputable 

professional athlete. 

With any endeavor where 

there is money and status on 

the line, there are predatory 

practices to be on the lookout 

for. Vanessa wanted to make 

sure she and Trayvon moved 

smart enough to avoid 

these threats to ensure their 

players were always cared for. 

McKinstry and Amir’s efforts 

were not in vain as two of 

their players were recruited 

to play in Lithuania in the 

summer of 2018. 

Though it seems the success 

is great, and their credibility 

is boosted, there is still a 

void in their plan-- support. 

The duo wants their endeavor 

to boost the economy and 

lives of the people in the 

area. The partners quietly 

started their team and did 

not ask for anything from 

anyone; independence is a 

major factor for McKinstry-- 

especially as a woman in a 

male dominated industry. 

“$300 referee fees, uniform 

costs, gym rentals, incidentals, 

league fees, and other 

miscellaneous travel costs 

are all covered by Trayvon 

and I,” Vanessa explained. 

“Sometimes I go into my 

retirement to cover the 

Front Row - Jean Potier, Jaylond Jackson, Bradley Reed, Derus Gilcrease, Michael McKneely, Coach Cameron Reed 

Back Row- Trever Matthews, Melvin Davis, Crosby Jackson, Torrey Simeon, Lee LeBlanc 

Not pictured: Paul Whitfield, Lance Howard, Darrius Perrodin 

expenses of the team.” Not 

only does she pull from 

her own resources, she is 

determined to network in 

a way that money is not 

the foundation of those 

relationships-- even if she 

must work two jobs. 

“I went in to meet 

with the mayor, nonprofit 

execs, radio 

personalities, coaches, 

and clergymen who I 

never asked for anything 

from other than to open 

communication and 

establish rapport. I just 

wanted them to know I 

was in the city and ready 

to do business,” Vanessa 

stated. 

The support of a community 

for any sports team, big or 

small, is key to the success of 

the franchise. “People seem 

to want you to succeed, but 

not do better than them. 

It’s disheartening at times 

because we want nothing but 

to make moves that translate 

into revenue and opportunity 

for the city,” Vanessa said of 

her overall plans. 

Vanessa finds it most shocking 

because the men who play on 

the team are from the area. 

“These are men who went to 

the local high schools, and 

now raise families here. We are 

true to home and want others 

to support their own,” she 

explained. 

Vanessa has thought of 

the community the whole 

way through. As a victim’s 

advocate who spends her 

time looking for ways to help 

Trayvon A. Amir, Co-Owner 

Pres. Of Basketball Operations 

CONTINUE ON NEXT PAGE ---> 


SWLA business 

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 18-19 

decorum. For Vanessa, it 

is all about being the best 

representation for the area. 

“We represent the best of 

Southwest Louisiana, on and 

off the court.” It’s a principal 

that is important to her. 

The Imperials games can be 

enjoyed by the entire family. 

Giving the entire family 

something to do is very 

important for the co-owners. 

Vanessa is the mother of two 

(Ian, 19 and Kennedi, 9) and 

her partner, Trayvon, is the 

father of three (Camrin, 18, 

A’Zharia, 7, and Raine, 2) so 

family is a priority for both of 

the entrepreneurs. 

Trayvon Amir adds, “I 

have always been a sports 

enthusiast; with that same 

enthusiasm, I was driven to 

start a sports event business. 

Which in terms, lead to the 

partnership with co-owner 

Vanessa McKinstry and thus 

the birth of the Imperials. We 

pride ourselves on providing 

exposure to any aspect of 

sports and entertainment in 

general, not just basketball 

players, but anyone looking 

for a platform to promote 

positivity in the area.” 

Supporting the Imperials 

is a chance to elevate 

members of the local 

community. Two 

entrepreneurs have set 

the groundwork for an 

entity that can feed local 

businesses and communities 

for years to come. It is 

going to be truly splendid 

to watch what becomes 

of this fresh team. The 

strides they have made are 

already putting eyes on the 

area, and with Southwest 

Louisiana anticipating 

much growth in coming 

years, this may be the boom 

of something immense. 

Catch a game during the 

upcoming season and make 

sure you get some of the 

concessions that fans rave 

about year-round. Vanessa 

McKinstry and Trayvon Amir 

represent the best the area 

has to offer-- hope, faith, and 

perseverance. 

'GO.. 

Vote.. 

GROW!! 

 

2019 Game Schedule 

whoever needs her, she is 

constantly seeking how she 

can create opportunity. As 

a single mother, she knows 

the value of a father figure 

in the home, but when that 

isn’t present, you must find 

it. “These men are great 

examples for those in the 

area seeking great male 

representation for their 

children. They are fathers 

first and in our community 

this representation is crucial,” 

Vanessa speaks in relation to 

the upstanding men on her 

team. She also accredits this to 

her low pricing for tickets. 

“I want the struggling 

mother with four kids to be 

able to bring her children to 

Imperials’ games and show 

her sons and daughters 

what positivity looks like 

on the black man. That’s not 

often the rhetoric or narrative 

that they are given. We have 

something different and $10 

can get that experience for 

them all,” Vanessa stated about 

her $5 adult and $1 children 

tickets. Plus, it’s not bad they 

get to see a black woman 

conduct business in an arena 

dominated by white men. 

What makes the Imperials 

more special is that their 

co-owner is not a reflection 

of the usual sports team 

owner. As a black woman, 

team ownership is not the 

norm. Her partner Trayvon is 

the basketball guy who knows 

what makes sense for the 

team, but Vanessa is all about 

the business and operations. 

When asked about her 

journey she exalts her roster 

as being full of respectful 

men who respond well to her 

leadership. “It’s not the same 

for other female owners I’ve 

come across,” she explained. 

“I’ve seen players make 

demeaning and derogatory 

comments about their owner’s 

anatomy and we cringe. I lead 

in a way that my guys know 

this is not how we interact or 

do business.” 

Athletes get such a bad rep 

for their overly masculine 

personas and the detriment 

their arrogance can have 

on others, but the Imperials 

bring something new to the 

table. “Miss Vanessa ain’t 

having it!” McKinstry chuckled 

about the expectations she 

has for the team. “There’s 

no sagging on my court. 

No fighting, no vulgarity, 

or causing a commotion. 

Yes, I allow them to be men, 

but respect is a must for us,” 

Vanessa enlisted of the team’s 

https://www.facebook.com/325462391185463/ 

posts/777804825951215/?sfnsn=mo 

https://www.facebook.com/325462391185463/ 

posts/651003935297972/?sfnsn=mo 

Free Open Tryouts 

Date: September 21, 2019 

Where: Purple Heart (city gym) 


ADVENTURES of the Lake 

By Lela Gholar Tizano 

Ready 

or Not 

Donna stood in the doorway watching her son, 

Malcolm, in adoration as he stuffed items into 

his suitcase. “He has no idea how to pack,” she 

whispered to herself as she watched him struggle to 

fit his shoes in with his clothes. It suddenly occurred 

to her that there was a ton of other things he probably 

didn’t know. She wondered if he was ready. Had 

they prepared him for this? she questioned. Just the 

thought of him being so far away from home made her 

heart full. 

Sending him off to college was a blessing. She and her 

husband, Dennis had been expecting this day since 

Malcolm was born but Donna didn’t expect the time 

to fly by so quickly. It seemed like it was just yesterday 

that he was learning to walk. Today, it felt like he was 

walking right out of her life. 

Ashton Williams Freshman LSU 

“Let’s start loading the car,” his dad instructed. Malcolm 

was so excited he could jump up and touch the sky. He 

had been told that he would have a blast at college. 

There would be no more chores, no curfew, and no 

one telling him what he could and could not do every 

second of the day. 

“Take a picture with me so I can remember this day,” 

she requested. He put his arm around her and smiled 

for the camera. 

As they made the college road trip Donna and Dennis 

tried to remind him of all the things and people he 

needed to look out for. “Remember everything we’ve 

taught you, go to church and be careful who you trust,” 

she told him. 

“And remember what we told you about how to 

handle yourself if you ever get stopped by the police,” 

his dad added. 

“Yes, I know,” he answered them back rather 

impatiently. 

The remainder of the four-hour drive was spent in 

silence as Malcolm bobbed his head to the rhythm 

of the music in his headphones. As they got closer 

to the university Donna could see uncertainty in his 

eyes. He was her son and she knew how to read him. 

Outwardly, he was brave, but something was softening 

on the inside. She wondered if he was ready. 

“Well, we’re here,” Dennis confirmed as he pulled into 

the vacant spot. Donna and Dennis exchanged looks 

of concern with other parents as they trudged up 

and down the stairs with refrigerators, microwaves, 

suitcases, and boxes filled with other essentials. 

Tre' Fontenot Freshman Grambling State University 

Donna put fresh linen on his bed and added finishing 

touches to make his room comfortable. “This is going 

to be your home away from home for a while,” she 

said as her voice cracked a little. 

Malcolm sat at his desk and looked around the room. 

His side of the dorm was only a fraction of the size of 

his room at home, yet it gave him a sense of pride just 

being there. “Mom don’t worry about me, I am going 

to be just fine,” he responded to the worried look 

covering her face. 

She hugged him tightly and buried her face in his 

chest, “Son, do you think you’re ready?” she finally 

asked. 

“Yes, Mom. You and Dad have been preparing me for 

this day for years.” 

They said their good-byes and drove off. With tears 

in her eyes, she realized he may have been ready, but 

she definitely was not. 


Q&A By 

Brenda Hill 

SWLA news 

Back to School 

on the Yellow 

School Bus 

You Can 

Have a 

Better 

Future 

Q&A with Caleb & Eden 

Summer break has ended, 

and school has welcomed 

back its staff and millions of 

bright and creative minds to come 

and explore themselves with new 

learning opportunities. Caleb has 

finished Kindergarten and is in 1st 

Grade. His sister, Eden, finished 

Head Start and is in Kindergarten. 

The Voice of Southwest Louisiana 

reached out to ask them about 

their experience of riding the “Big 

Yellow School Bus” for the very first 

time and hear their early on and 

fresh perspective of ‘Back to School.” 

Maybe they can come back to share 

end of school year details. 

QWhat does it feel like to ride the 

“Big Yellow School Bus” to school 

for the very first time? 

Caleb: It feels good to ride the bus 

to school. 

AEden: I wasn’t nervous. 

QWhat seems different to you 

between Kindergarten and First 

Grade? 

Caleb: I don’t know. There are 

big kids. 

QWhat seems different to you 

between Head Start and 

Kindergarten? 

Eden: Head Start had a different 

lunch, and…my old friends do not 

go to this school with me…and 

there are no centers with kitchen, 

cafeteria, family, etc., to learn 

through play. 

QDo you enjoy the school cafeteria 

food or prefer to bring your 

lunch as before? 

Caleb: I like bringing my lunch 

to school so I can show off my 

superheroes on my lunch bag. 

Eden: I like bringing my lunch 

because I don’t like the school food. 

QWhat is your favorite school 

activity in the day? 

Caleb: Reading books. 

Eden: I like reading books too. 

QHave you gone to recess? 

Caleb & Eden: We don’t go to 

recess. We do library instead. 

QWhat is the most favorite fun 

activity your teacher introduced 

you to so far? 

Caleb: The promethean board on 

the wall. 

Eden: Time on the iPad is my 

favorite activity. 

QWhat is your favorite activity to 

do? 

Caleb: I like caring for my dog and 

playing with him. 

Eden: I like painting and artwork. 

New Southwest Louisiana 

Credit Union Program 

Helps People 

Afford Training for Better Jobs 

Want training for a better job, 

but think you can’t afford it? 

Southwest Louisiana Credit 

Union has a program that can help. 

The credit union’s “Better Future: 

Southwest Louisiana” program can help 

you afford short-term training from a 

local technical school—a step that could 

double your monthly income. 

The program is made possible by a 

federal community development grant, 

which allows the credit union to offer 

rates and terms that other financial 

institutions could not. 

“We are so excited that Southwest 

Louisiana Credit Union can now offer this 

unique program that can help people 

in our community obtain higher skilled 

jobs that will improve their future,” said 

Jessica LaRocca, Chief Strategy Officer at 

Southwest Louisiana Credit Union. 

The “Better Future: Southwest Louisiana” 

program features include the following: 

Tuition Loan* 

This Tuition Loan is uniquely designed 

for tight budgets. It’s a flat-rate loan with 

flexible terms catered to you. 

•• 

Loans up to $5,000 

•• 

Competitive flat rate— 12% APR** 

•• 

Flexible terms—up to 5 years 

•• 

3 options for deferment to give you 

time to find employment 

•• 

Convenience—members can apply 

online, by phone or in person 

Plus—since Southwest Louisiana 

Credit Union specializes in serving the 

unbanked and underbanked—your 

financial history shouldn’t hold you back. 

Student Retention Loan 

So… what about my debt? There’s help 

for that, too. You can get a loan that 

consolidates your debts and monthly bills 

into one, lower monthly payment that’s 

easier on your budget. 

•• 

Not based on your credit score. 

•• 

Terms up to 5 years. 

The purpose of the Student Retention 

Loan is to get your debt under control, so 

you can focus on training for a better job. 

Reduced Auto Payment Loans 

Car notes can be a massive drain on your 

monthly budget and a source of stress 

when returning to school. This product 

can help lower your monthly auto 

payment by refinancing your auto loan. 

•• 

Quick loan approval process. 

•• 

Affordable monthly auto payment to 

fit your budget. 

•• 

Competitive low rates. 

Daycare Vouchers*** 

For parents, the program offers daycare 

vouchers for up to 12 weeks, and up 

to 100% cost assistance to those with 

an active Tuition Loan at Southwest 

Louisiana Credit Union. The amount of 

assistance is determined by income—the 

lower the income, the more the voucher 

covers. 

For more information about the Better 

Future: Southwest Louisiana program, 

call the credit union at 337-477-9190 

today or visit one of its three branches in 

Lake Charles or Sulphur. 

*APR = Annual Percentage Rate 

** This loan program is not meant for 

financing 4-year accredited college courses. 

Excludes refinancing of existing Southwest 

Louisiana Credit Union personal loans. 

Restrictions may apply. 

***Voucher availability will be distributed 

on a “first come, first served” basis until 

designated funds are exhausted. Conditions 

and restrictions apply. See the credit union 

for details. The Calcasieu Parish Police Jury 

also offers a Child Home Daycare Program. 

For information, visit cppj.net or call 

Department of Human Services at 337-721- 

4030 ext. 5102. 


SWLA nonprofit 

Contributed Article 

Sickle Cell Awareness 

in Southwest Louisiana 

The month of September is filled 

with activities recognizing National 

Sickle Cell Awareness Month in the 

United States, all aimed at an ultimate cure 

for sickle cell disease (SCD). 

Clinical trials to accelerate development of 

new gene and cell-based therapies within 

the next decade have already begun 

as part of the newly launched National 

Institutes of Health’s Cure Sickle Cell 

Initiative. 

Other goals of the initiative include 

engaging academic researchers, the 

biotech industry, and patients and their 

caregivers to develop strategies for cures; 

determining the safest, most effective, 

and readily adoptable genetic therapies; 

and moving newly developed genetic 

therapies into clinical research, according 

to the NIH’s initiative website. 

To raise awareness about the serious 

health problems associated with sickle 

cell disease, which is characterized by 

debilitating pain and life-threatening 

complications, Southwest Louisiana 

Sickle Cell Agency will present “SICKLE 

CELL WARRIOR”. This is a documentary 

screening of a sickle cell patient’s journey 

directed by Eman Boyd, Semi-finalist 

Louisiana international Film Festival, 2019. 

The event will be on September 23, 2019 

at Epps Library, 1320 Simmons St. Lake 

Charles, La, 6:00 pm. 


“We Mentor You For Greatness” 

Class A and B Training 

OFFICE HOURS: 

Monday - Friday 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. 

CLASS HOURS: 

Monday - Thursday 6:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. 

and 5:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. 

Saturday & Sunday 6:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. 

4310 Ryan Street 


CALL (337) 602-8223 

truckingschool.cdlmentors.com

The Voice of Southwest Louisiana September 2019 Issue

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