Podcast – Discover Lafayette: Recent Episodes

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Jessica Moroux, owner of Acadiana Hyperbarics in Lafayette, joins Discover Lafayette to discuss mild hyperbaric oxygen therapy, the personal experiences that led her to the field, and her belief in giving the body the conditions it needs to heal and function at its best.

A Lafayette native, Jessica earned her nursing degree from UL-Lafayette and began her career at Lafayette General, working on several different floors as she searched for the area of nursing that felt like the right fit. Her professional path eventually moved beyond traditional hospital care and into Rolfing, movement therapy, and integrative wellness.

Jessica credits some of that outlook to her mother, whom she describes as an early adopter of ideas that today would fall under the umbrella of integrative wellness. Long before probiotics became commonplace, Jessica remembers her mother sprinkling acidophilus on the family’s breakfast and taking an unconventional but thoughtful approach to health.

As a nurse, Jessica valued traditional medicine and its importance, but found herself increasingly drawn to prevention and helping people maintain their health before they reached the point of hospitalization.

“I really wanted to get more into preventative and optimization of health,” Jessica says. “I really wanted to help people stay out of the hospital and feel their best.”

Today, Jessica brings together those different disciplines at Acadiana Hyperbarics. A registered nurse and Certified Rolfer, she has an extensive background helping clients address musculoskeletal and sports injuries and chronic pain.

A Back Injury, a Child’s Concussion, and a New DirectionJessica’s interest in hyperbarics was not initially driven by a business plan. It became personal.

In 2019, at age 38, she reached for her youngest daughter at an awkward angle and felt a pop and excruciating pain in her back. Imaging revealed a torn disc and two bulging discs. She saw an orthopedist, underwent physical therapy and worked to rehabilitate the injury, but eventually reached a plateau.

“I went back to my doctor and said, there’s got to be more.”

About a year later, the question of what else might be available became even more urgent when Jessica’s four-year-old son suffered a serious concussion.

Running on a neighbor’s all-purpose court, he forgot a tennis net was up, ran into it and was knocked unconscious. Jessica says he experienced short-term amnesia, headaches, irritability and problems with impulse control after the injury.

One moment in particular changed the trajectory of her work. “He came in and he had big fat tears rolling down his face and said, ‘Mom, I don’t want to have anger issues.’”

Jessica remembers thinking, “Okay, we’re gonna fix this.”

She began researching brain recovery and became interested in hyperbaric therapy. That research eventually grew into a professional focus, particularly around traumatic brain injuries and concussions.

Her son, now 12 at the time of our interview, is doing well. “He is doing phenomenally. He’s the most charming, intelligent kiddo.”

And because, as Jessica laughingly puts it, he remains “wild, all out,” hyperbarics has remained part of the family’s approach to recovery from his various sports injuries, including breaking his ankle twice in one year.

What Is Mild Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy?For people familiar with hospital-based hyperbaric chambers, particularly their longtime use for decompression sickness and certain serious wounds, the chamber at Acadiana Hyperbarics looks different.

Jessica uses a Vitaeris 320 soft-sided monoplace chamber. According to the clinic, the chamber operates at 1.3 ATA and is 32 inches in diameter and 92 inches long. Acadiana Hyperbarics offers filtered room air as well as an oxygen concentrator option.

Jessica describes the experience as similar to the pressure changes you feel on an airplane. During pressurization and depressurization, clients may notice their ears popping or experience sinus pressure. Once the chamber reaches pressure, she says most people largely stop noticing it.

Sessions at Acadiana Hyperbarics are offered in 60- and 90-minute increments. Jessica says she screens clients before treatment, asks about their health history and discusses whether the therapy is an appropriate fit for what they hope to accomplish.

While people often think hyperbarics is simply about getting a large amount of oxygen, Jessica says pressure is central to the process. Under increased pressure, more oxygen can dissolve into blood plasma, providing an additional route for oxygen delivery beyond oxygen carried by red blood cells.

She describes hyperbarics as having several “mechanisms of action,” including angiogenesis, the formation of new blood vessels, as well as effects involving inflammation, collagen, stem cells, mitochondrial function and cellular signaling.

For Jessica, the distinction between supporting healing and promising a cure is important. “We are just sending signals and changing some of the physics within the body to let the body do what it does best and to remove some of the barriers.”

“Hyperbarics is a fantastic therapy for helping the brains heal and major NFL athletes and teams are now turning to it to help with CTE and concussions.”

Why Repetition MattersJessica explains that some of the effects people experience may be relatively immediate, while tissue repair and other biological processes take time. That is why, depending upon a client’s circumstances, hyperbaric therapy may involve a series of sessions rather than a single visit.

She also emphasizes the period after a session. Her explanation is that repeated transitions between the higher-oxygen environment associated with treatment and normal atmospheric conditions can stimulate biological responses involved in repair.

“If you have multiple exposures, then your body says, okay, this is a real deal. We’re going to spend that energy and turn on all those processes.”

Jessica’s own back injury helped her think about hyperbarics through what she calls “reverse engineering.” She wanted to understand why disc injuries can become chronic and then ask what processes might support healing.

Her personal experience with that injury ultimately helped move hyperbarics from something that was “somewhat on my radar” into the focus of a new business.

The “Mighty Mitochondria”Our conversation also gets down to the cellular level as Jessica explains mitochondria, the structures within cells responsible for producing ATP, the energy cells use to perform their work.

She calls them the “mighty mitochondria.”

“For any function within the body, you have to pay for it, right? You have to have a currency. For a car to drive, you’ve got to have fuel. Same thing with your cells.”

That cellular energy is one reason oxygen is so important. Jessica also points to exercise as a way to support mitochondrial function and discusses red and infrared light therapy, another modality offered at Acadiana Hyperbarics.

The clinic uses red and infrared light pads that can be placed around targeted areas of the body. Jessica says she likes the flexibility of pads because they can conform around an injured shoulder, back or other area rather than requiring the client to lie on a rigid light bed. Acadiana Hyperbarics describes its low-level light therapy as a complementary modality that can be used alongside hyperbaric sessions.

The Vagus Nerve, Stress, and the Need to RecoverOne of the most relatable parts of our conversation concerns something many of us experience every day: living in a near-constant state of stimulation.

Jessica explains the role of the vagus nerve and the balance between the sympathetic “fight or flight” response and the parasympathetic “rest and digest” state.

“When you’re in fight or flight mode, you’re not repairing well,” Jessica says. “Most of us are running around constantly stimulated, answering emails, in traffic, fussing at your kid.”

The problem, she says, is that we may never adequately switch into recovery mode. “You can’t heal if you’re not getting into that mode of recovery.”

Supporting the vagus nerve doesn’t necessarily require sophisticated technology. Jessica points to simple practices including humming and breathwork as ways people can encourage the body to shift toward a calmer state.

Training and Knowing What You’re GettingJessica completed training through the International Hyperbarics Association and is a member of the organization. She says she attends its conference and continuing education programs each year.

That training is particularly important to her as hyperbarics and other wellness therapies become more popular. “As the wellness industry is growing and booming and this therapy is catching on, there’s a lot of providers who are wanting to throw it in as an afterthought.”

Jessica describes the therapy as generally safe when appropriately used, but stresses that providers need to understand screening, protocols and how to apply the therapy appropriately for an individual client. “More than causing further damage, you could just not apply the therapy correctly and the patient may not get what they’re looking for when paying for the treatment.”

Acadiana Hyperbarics’ own guidance also stresses client screening and identifies medical circumstances that require particular attention.. Anyone considering hyperbaric therapy for a medical condition should discuss it with an appropriate healthcare professional.

From Hospital Medicine to WellnessHyperbaric medicine has long been associated with conditions such as decompression sickness, the “bends” experienced by divers who surface too quickly, as well as certain serious wounds and other medical conditions. Those original hospital chambers looked much different from today’s soft-sided mild hyperbaric chamber utililzed at Jessica’s practice.

Our conversation explores the difference between those hospital applications and the wellness-oriented, largely off-label uses Jessica works with today.

She is careful to characterize hyperbarics as an adjunct rather than a replacement for appropriate medical treatment. She also acknowledges that timing matters and that not every condition or individual is a good candidate.

“For some people, if the injury is too far gone, it may not be a good fit.” That is why her process begins with a conversation rather than simply putting someone into a chamber.

Life Beyond the ChamberWhen she isn’t working, Jessica’s life revolves around her family, music and travel. She and her husband are both musicians and enjoy Lafayette’s local music scene. Jessica has played violin since childhood, thanks to a mother who essentially told her quitting wasn’t an option.

“My mom started me when I was little and she kind of was like, ‘You’re not quitting, so get used to it.’”

She performed in orchestra during college and played events, although these days, between running a business and raising three children, performances are more likely to happen at home.

“Right now with the business and the kiddos, it’s mostly in the living room with the family.”

Jessica’s journey from nursing to Rolfing and ultimately Acadiana Hyperbarics has been driven by curiosity, personal experience and a desire to help people think about wellness before something is seriously wrong.

Her message is not simply about addressing an injury. It is about recovery, maintaining function and giving the body the support it needs while you are still feeling well.

Acadiana Hyperbarics is located at 708 E. University Avenue in Lafayette. Learn more about Jessica, mild hyperbaric oxygen therapy, Rolfing and the other services she offers at https://acadianahyperbarics.com/.

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Sylvia Turner, affectionately known to generations of Lafayette families as “Ms. T,” joins Discover Lafayette to reflect upon a remarkable life of teaching, music, faith, and service to others.

For more than five decades, beginning in 1972, Sylvia taught children and adults to swim in the backyard pool of her Lafayette home. But anyone fortunate enough to have taken lessons from Ms. T knows she taught much more than swimming.

She taught safety. She taught respect. She taught children to encourage one another, to follow rules, to appreciate their parents, and perhaps most importantly, to believe they could do things that initially frightened them.

“One of my greatest compliments was when people would say, ‘You don’t just teach swimming, do you?’” Sylvia recalls. “I said, ‘No, I don’t. I teach everything I can while I can.’”

Two Lives: Ms. T and Sylvia the SingerMany Lafayette residents knew Sylvia exclusively as Ms. T, the swim teacher who could spend long summer days in the pool working with one class after another. Others knew an entirely different Sylvia Turner, a classically trained singer whose musical life was intertwined with that of her late husband, John Turner.

Sylvia grew up in Fort Worth, Texas, and came to Lafayette with John, who taught voice at UL for 34 years. Sylvia later received an opera scholarship, and the couple performed opera together as well as singing at university commencement ceremonies.

She also became a fixture at the Order of Troubadours ball, serving as the opening soloist for “Make Believe” for 40 years.

The separation between her two worlds occasionally created funny moments. Sylvia remembers singing at a commencement ceremony when a family approached her afterward, looking puzzled. “Ms. T, is that you? Did you sing?” “Yes,” she answered.

“In the singing world, a lot of people didn’t know that I taught swimming,” Sylvia says. “And then in the swimming world, a lot of people didn’t know that I sang.”

Sylvia Turner is an active member of Chorale Acadienne. She is pictured fourth from left in the photo. A Fear of Water Leads to a Lifetime in the PoolIt is fitting that Sylvia ultimately devoted so much of her life to teaching people to be comfortable in the water, because she did not learn to swim herself until she was 11 years old.

Her mother, Lucille, had nearly drowned at age 18. The experience was so traumatic that Sylvia grew up repeatedly hearing, “Don’t go near the water.”

Eventually, her mother enrolled her in Red Cross swimming lessons at a park pool. Sylvia loved the water immediately.

At the end of the lessons, the instructor announced a swim meet. Sylvia entered, won a red ribbon for second place, and, as she puts it, “I was hooked.”

Her mother began allowing her to spend time at the pool, where Sylvia became fascinated by a group of young men who were accomplished divers. She simply asked them if they would teach her.

They did. Before long, Sylvia was diving from the three-meter board and later competed as a diver when she was 13 and 14 years old. Eventually, voice training began competing with diving for her attention, but her love of the water never disappeared.

The Pool That Started It AllSylvia’s path to becoming one of Lafayette’s best-known swim instructors began with a frustrating afternoon at Riverside pool.

Sylvia and her husband, John, were living in River’s Bend with their three children when, on a beautiful sunny day, the lifeguard announced everyone had to leave the pool because he needed to take a test and there was no one qualified to substitute for him.

Sylvia was not pleased. “I went home and I said to my husband, ‘You know, if I had a lifesaving badge, I could have gotten up on the stand and we could have kept the pool open.’”

John’s response was simple: go get it. Sylvia and a friend took a lifesaving class at Girard Park. At the conclusion of the course, the instructor assigned Sylvia two women from a mothers’ swimming program to teach. “My ladies did beautifully,” she remembers. “And so I was further hooked.”

As Sylvia and John prepared to build their new home, she began thinking about adding a swimming pool. The price gave her pause, particularly when they realized it would effectively double their house payment.

Sylvia had an answer. “Oh, John, if I paid for it, could we do it?”

How would she pay for it? “I could teach.” And that is exactly what she did.

Sylvia began teaching swimming lessons in 1972.

Her first student was a young man she met through the grocery store who was preparing to get married. His future wife could swim, he could not, and he did not want to be the person sitting on the beach while everyone else enjoyed the water. Sylvia taught him to swim. Years later, he returned with his children.

It was the beginning of generations of Lafayette families learning from Ms, T.

Safety Came FirstBefore any child entered Sylvia’s pool, there were rules.

“Children like to know boundaries,” she says. Students first sat on the deck while Sylvia sat at their eye level and talked about safety. Then she walked them around the pool.

Nothing was taken for granted.

She showed them the skimmers. She explained the drain. She taught them what the various parts of the pool did and addressed fears children might be reluctant to express.

That lesson came partly from the children themselves. One little boy looked across the pool at the dark opening of a skimmer and asked Sylvia, “Is that where you keep Jaws?”

From that point forward, Sylvia opened the skimmers so the children could look inside.

“I learned the children are great teachers,” she says. “I learned a lot from children.”

Only after the rules and pool orientation were complete did everyone get into the water.

Teaching Children to Respect One AnotherMs. T in a photo taken by Jan Swift when she taught Kelly Swift, Jan’s daughter, to swim and dive….circa 2009. Sylvia’s lessons were intentionally positive.

“I had the children applaud each other all the time,” she says. “We applauded for everything. We didn’t just applaud for excellence. We applauded for effort.”

Criticism was not allowed unless it was constructive. Older swimmers were taught how to watch one another perform a stroke and offer feedback, beginning with something the swimmer had done well.

Sylvia traces much of that philosophy to her mother, who was an exceptionally positive person, and to the instructor who taught Sylvia lifesaving at Girard Park.

“She made you feel like you were the most special person in the world.”

Sylvia wanted children in her pool to feel the same way.

One experience still moves her. A little girl had missed the first day of lessons and joined the class on the second day. When it was her turn to get onto the diving board, she hesitated.

Finally, she turned to Sylvia and asked, “Do they have to watch?” Before Sylvia could say anything, every child waiting nearby turned his or her back. “I can’t tell that story without getting emotional,” Sylvia says.

The children understood that their classmate needed to try something difficult without an audience. “A lot of times we have to do things without people watching.”

“Are You the Boss of This Pool?”Boundaries mattered because safety mattered.

During one family swim, a visiting child began running around the pool and jumping too close to other swimmers. Sylvia called him over and explained that the pool had rules.

The boy looked at her and asked, “Are you the boss of this pool?” “Yes, I am.” “Oh.” That was the end of the problem.

“Children want to know who’s in charge,” Sylvia says. “And they want somebody to be in charge.”

Those lessons stayed with her students long after class ended.

One mother called Sylvia after taking her children to another pool. Her four-year-old son Nicholas noticed another little boy breaking pool safety rules and corrected him.

The boy replied that his daddy owned the pool and he could do anything he wanted. He added that he took swimming lessons.

Nicholas had an answer: “Well, obviously you don’t take from Ms. T because you don’t know the rules.”

Relaxation and RhythmFor Sylvia, learning to swim rested on two fundamental principles.

“The two most important things in swimming are relaxation and rhythm.”

Relaxation came first. A tense body does not float well. Students learned to float before progressing incrementally through kicking, strokes, diving and more advanced skills.

“You do it by stages,” Sylvia says. “And that’s how you learn anything really, by little increments.”

The same principle applied to diving. Sylvia never forced a frightened child from the diving board. Students progressed from a knee dive close to the water, to a falling dive, then standing, springing, and eventually diving from the board.

Her goal was not simply for a child to acquire a skill. The child needed confidence in that skill. “If you have a skill without confidence, it’s not really productive.”

Teaching Adults and Overcoming FearAlthough Ms, T is best remembered for teaching children, Sylvia loved teaching adults, particularly because, as she says, “They always have baggage.”

Some carried a fear of water for decades. She taught men, women and couples, including two women who were 71 years old. But no adult student meant more to Sylvia than her own mother.

Lucille’s near drowning at age 18 had shaped Sylvia’s childhood and her mother’s lifelong relationship with water. Then, on her 70th birthday, Lucille surprised Sylvia by announcing a goal for the coming year. “I’ve decided I’m going to learn to swim.”

Sylvia was stunned. Her mother continued: “I’ve decided that if anybody can teach me, it’s you.” Sylvia responded, “Well, you’ll never have to give me another compliment in your whole life.”

Lucille was unable to make the trip to Lafayette that year, but the following year she came and took lessons from her daughter. By the end of the week, she could swim across the pool without assistance.

Sylvia later asked whether she had finally lost her fear. Her mother answered, “I don’t know, but I loved being in the water.” Sylvia thought that was enough.

Of all the adults she taught, she describes teaching her mother as perhaps the most gratifying experience of all.

Generations of Lafayette FamiliesSylvia never kept count of how many people she taught during her decades in the pool, particularly because so many students returned year after year and eventually brought another generation back with them.

Her classes grew largely through word of mouth.

Her youngest daughter attended Broadmoor Elementary, where Sylvia was heavily involved in the PTA. The principal, himself the father of seven children whom Sylvia eventually taught along with his wife, allowed her to distribute information about her lessons through the school. “And then word spread.”

For younger children, particularly three and four year olds, Sylvia limited classes to six students and had another adult in the water with her. Older, accomplished swimmers could be taught in somewhat larger groups.

Sylvia also encouraged parents to observe lessons so they understood what their children were learning and could reinforce those lessons away from the pool.

The lessons often carried into everyday family life: respect your parents, appreciate what they do for you, respect other people, encourage others, follow the rules, and understand that safety is never something to take casually.

The Teacher Who Never Taught SchoolWhen asked how she defines herself after a lifetime encompassing swimming, opera, church music, family and community, Sylvia returns to teaching. “Every teacher I ever had told me that I was destined to be a teacher.”

Yet she never became a traditional classroom teacher. “I taught Sunday school. I taught junior choir. I taught swimming. I’m an inveterate teacher.”

She also remains a singer, grounded in the classical and religious music that has been part of her life since childhood.

Sylvia grew up in the church. Her mother sang in the choir, her father was a deacon, and Sylvia herself began singing in choir at age 12. Faith remained a constant through the joyful times and the difficult ones.

And that may help explain the extraordinary positivity so many people associate with Ms. T.

Asked how she manages to remain positive, Sylvia acknowledges that it requires intention. “You have to work at it, I think, because it’s easy to be negative.”

Even in the hardest times, she says, there is something to hold onto. “Even in those darkest days, you have to find something. And gratitude is part of it.”

Sylvia looks back on her life with gratitude for the people, experiences and opportunities she has been given, while acknowledging that her life has included hardship like anyone else’s.

“I’ve had some hard knocks, as everybody does during my life. I’m here to say that I overcame them.”

Then she adds the foundation beneath it all: “With the help of my Lord.”

For generations of Lafayette families, Ms. T will always be the woman who taught their children to swim. But her legacy reaches well beyond the pool.

She taught children to be safe without being afraid, to respect rules and one another, to applaud effort rather than simply excellence, and to gain confidence one small step at a time. And she taught it all while making each child feel that, at that moment, they mattered.

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Discover Lafayette welcomes Katie Ferguson, whose remarkable story is one of resilience, advocacy, and choosing purpose in the face of life’s most unexpected challenges.

A Lafayette native, communications professional, and passionate community advocate, Katie has lived through two extraordinary journeys. First, she became the long term caregiver for an Army veteran whose life changed forever after a catastrophic spinal cord injury. Years later, while feeling completely healthy, a free heart screening uncovered a life threatening ascending aortic aneurysm caused by an undiagnosed congenital heart defect, leading to open heart surgery that ultimately saved her life.

Katie approaches both experiences with remarkable clarity and compassion. As she explains, “Nothing happens without having purpose. When something happens to me, chances are it’s happening to someone else. And if I can shine a light on what they’re going through, if I’m able to help ease anyone’s journey, it’s worth it.”

That philosophy has shaped her work as an Elizabeth Dole Foundation Fellow, where she advocates for military and veteran caregivers across the country, and as a spokesperson for heart health awareness through the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women initiative.

Katie’s caregiving journey began in 2010 under circumstances she never could have imagined. She and Army officer Barry were casually dating and, by her own admission, were “kind of looking like we were going to break up” as he prepared to retire from military service and move overseas to launch a business. The day after signing his retirement paperwork, Barry suffered a devastating spinal cord injury after slipping from a rope swing into a sandbank, shattering his cervical spine and becoming immediately quadriplegic. Katie recalls receiving a call from a mutual friend before joining his family in the intensive care unit, beginning what she describes as “many, many waits in ICU rooms and hospital rooms and not knowing.”

Rather than walking away from an uncertain future, Katie leaned in. “I loved him,” she says simply. As Barry progressed through months of rehabilitation in New Orleans, Lafayette, and Atlanta, the two began dating in earnest while he was still hospitalized. They eventually married, allowing Katie to become his full time paid caregiver after leaving her successful public relations career. “I gave up my career because this was much more important. This was all encompassing.”

Her description of caregiving offers a rare, honest glimpse into the invisible work performed by millions of family caregivers every day. “You are literally trying to plan two steps ahead,” she explains, describing everything from helping with showers and medications to waking every three or four hours throughout the night to reposition Barry and prevent pressure sores. While the physical demands were immense, Katie says the mental burden proved even greater. “You don’t think about it when you’re going through it. You’re trying to survive. This is the hand you’re dealt, and you don’t have a choice in the matter. You put your head down and you make it work.”

One of the most compelling parts of Katie’s story is that caregiving did not end when her marriage did. Although she and Barry divorced after twelve years, she remains his primary caregiver outside of the hours covered by home health services. She still helps several times each week and is often the first call when emergencies arise at night or on weekends. As she explains, “Whenever his breathing changes, I know what that means. Whenever his eye movement starts moving around, I know what those eye movements mean. Why would I not help somebody if I have the tools to make someone’s life a little bit better?”

Katie also shares invaluable advice for caregivers navigating military systems and government bureaucracy. Persistence, she says, is essential. After spending two and a half years successfully appealing a Department of Defense financial decision, she learned that “everything has steps and you just have to go through the steps.” Perhaps more importantly, “You have to know the right question to ask… nobody will just volunteer the information to you. But if you go in and you say, ‘I need this particular form,’ or ‘I need help with this thing,’ they open up doors.”

Her work with the Elizabeth Dole Foundation has given Katie an even broader perspective on military caregiving. She notes that seventy five percent of caregivers are not spouses, reminding us that caregiving is defined not by legal status but by love, compassion, and responsibility. She also highlights the foundation’s Hidden Heroes initiative, which recognizes caregivers serving behind the scenes, and the Hidden Helpers program, which acknowledges children who quietly shoulder caregiving responsibilities within military families.

Katie’s second life changing chapter began almost by accident. Feeling “100% healthy” and completely without symptoms, she attended a free cardiovascular screening during Women’s Health Month because heart disease ran in her family. A routine calcium score CT scan revealed no plaque buildup, but it did reveal something far more dangerous: an enlarged ascending aorta. “I felt fine. I went to the surgeon, to my open heart surgery, completely asymptomatic.”

Initially, like many people would, Katie delayed following up. Three months later, additional imaging confirmed a life threatening ascending aortic aneurysm. Doctors monitored it for nearly a year before recommending surgery. During the operation in January 2023, surgeons discovered an undiagnosed congenital bicuspid aortic valve, a birth defect in which the heart valve has only two leaflets instead of three. They replaced it with a mechanical valve while repairing the aneurysm. Today, Katie says the gentle clicking of that valve, once unsettling, has become reassuring. “It’s more calming to me now… I kind of use it to lull me to sleep.”

Throughout the conversation, Katie passionately advocates for preventive health care. She emphasizes that heart disease remains the leading killer of women, noting that one in three women will die from cardiovascular disease, compared with one in twelve from cancer. Her own experience illustrates why proactive screening matters. Had she ignored that free test, doctors estimated she likely would not have survived another five years. Looking back, she reflects, “Had I not been proactive, I’d be gone.”

Katie also discusses how women’s heart attack symptoms often differ dramatically from men’s, frequently resembling flu symptoms, indigestion, jaw pain, reflux, or unexplained fatigue rather than the classic crushing chest pain. She praises the work of Go Red for Women, not only for raising awareness but also for funding research and local initiatives such as CPR education, blood pressure screening stations, and food security programs throughout Acadiana.

Perhaps the most meaningful takeaway from this conversation is Katie’s conviction that advocacy begins with caring for yourself. Years spent advocating for someone else taught her to ask questions, seek second and third opinions, and never hesitate to pursue answers. “I’m no good if I’m not here,” she says. “I have to advocate for myself so I can be here physically present to help.”

When asked what she would tell caregivers, Katie offers wisdom born from experience. Learn to ask for help. Accept support when it comes. And if someone you know is caregiving, do not wait for them to ask. Simple gestures, whether bringing a meal or rolling a neighbor’s trash cans to the curb, can lighten an overwhelming mental load.

Katie Ferguson’s story reminds us that resilience is not simply surviving hardship. It is choosing, again and again, to use our experiences to lift others. Whether advocating for military caregivers, encouraging women to take charge of their heart health, or simply sharing practical advice with someone facing an uncertain diagnosis, Katie continues to transform personal adversity into hope for others.

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Leadership isn’t about managing time. It’s about making better choices.

That is the central message from Christina Olivier, co-founder and Managing Partner of Excelerant, whose thoughtful conversation on Discover Lafayette challenges many of the assumptions we make about work, productivity, and success.

Christina co-founded Excelerant in 2003 with business partner Elise Bouchner after realizing that growing companies needed more than legal advice or technical expertise, they needed leaders who knew how to develop people. What began as The Training Source evolved into Excelerant, an award-winning, woman-owned leadership development and organizational consulting firm serving organizations throughout Louisiana and beyond through executive coaching, leadership development, succession planning, team building, and organizational effectiveness. Excelerant quickly grew to include partners Jennifer Adcock, Phyllis Arceneaux, and Jill Meaux.

Our conversation moves well beyond business coaching. Christina offers practical wisdom for anyone feeling overwhelmed by competing priorities, struggling to say no, or wondering why there never seems to be enough time.

One of the first ideas she reframes is the phrase “time management.”

Referencing Stephen Covey’s The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Christina explains that she prefers the term “time effectiveness.”

“We all have the same 24 hours in our day. It’s how we spend that time, and if we spend it as effectively as possible, that makes the difference.” Rather than trying to squeeze more activity into every hour, she encourages people to become intentional about where their energy is invested.

“What I’ve noticed is that most people don’t stop to think about how they are spending their time,” she says. “You wonder why you’re tired, or you wonder why you’re burnt out, or you wonder why you’re not getting to those things that you want to do.”

Throughout our discussion, Christina repeatedly returns to the importance of self-awareness. Before any planner, productivity system, or coaching exercise can help, people must honestly examine whether they’re spending time on what matters most—and whether those choices actually bring them joy.

As an executive coach credentialed through the International Coaching Federation, Christina works with successful professionals who want to become even more effective. She explains that coaching isn’t about giving answers.

“In coaching, we hold that our clients are whole and resourceful. We’re just helping them find their own answers.”

That process begins by helping clients identify what success would actually look like six or twelve months into the future and then removing the obstacles standing in their way.

Christina shares one of her favorite coaching analogies involving a small airplane that is too heavy to stay safely in the air. Every passenger must throw one “role” overboard to survive. Those roles might include committee chair, volunteer, employee, spouse, parent, or community leader.

The exercise forces people to identify which commitments truly deserve their limited time and which have simply accumulated over the years. The lesson naturally leads to one of the most powerful themes of our conversation: learning to say no.

Drawing again from Stephen Covey, Christina introduces the concept she and her team use regularly: “Integrity in the moment of choice.” “Every no you’re saying is because there’s a bigger yes inside.”

That “yes” may be spending more time with children or grandchildren, caring for aging parents, protecting personal health, or simply creating space to think. The challenge is recognizing that every commitment carries an opportunity cost.

Christina also speaks candidly about perfectionism, particularly among professional women. She questions the belief that “if it has to be done right, it has to be done by me.”

Instead, she encourages leaders to lower unrealistic standards where appropriate, delegate more intentionally, and invest the time necessary to develop others.

Her advice to leaders is straightforward: “You can’t be too busy doing the work to train and develop others.” Otherwise, organizations become dependent on one individual while employees never have the opportunity to grow.

Another recurring theme is presence. In today’s distracted world, Christina believes one of the greatest gifts leaders can give employees, colleagues, friends, and family members is their complete attention.

“Putting down the device when someone walks in… there’s also a great benefit and maybe a stillness that you receive by not multitasking.”She distinguishes between efficiency and effectiveness with a memorable observation: “With people, you can’t be efficient. You can only be effective.”

That perspective extends into how organizations communicate across generations. Rather than criticizing younger employees for preferring text messages, Christina recommends “co-designing” communication expectations—meeting people where they are while establishing mutually beneficial ways of connecting.

The discussion also explores practical ways to slow down in a fast-paced world.

Although Christina once believed meditation wasn’t for her, she now incorporates grounding, centering, and intentional breathing into her daily routine. She emphasizes that meditation doesn’t have to be complicated. Sometimes it is simply placing both feet on the floor, taking several intentional breaths, and allowing yourself to become present before moving into the next activity. She also recommends what she calls a “transition pause”:

Finish what you’re doing. Put down the device. Take three intentional breaths. Then arrive fully present for whatever comes next. That simple practice, she believes, helps leaders become more thoughtful, more connected, and ultimately more effective.

Our conversation also explores succession planning, an increasingly important issue for Louisiana businesses. Christina describes Excelerant’s work helping family-owned companies, financial institutions, and publicly traded organizations identify future leaders through assessments, coaching, mentoring, and leadership development. Rather than assuming who should lead next, Excelerant helps organizations objectively evaluate strengths and prepare the next generation for success.

Toward the close of our interview, Christina shares one final reminder that resonates long after the microphones are turned off.

Sometimes the greatest productivity tool isn’t another app, another meeting, or another committee. It’s simply becoming aware.

As Christina says, “The first step…is to be self-aware.”

Whether you’re leading a Fortune 500 company, managing a small business, serving on nonprofit boards, or simply trying to create more balance in your own life, Christina Olivier offers practical insights that remind us success isn’t measured by how busy we are, but by how intentionally we choose to spend the time we’ve been given.

To learn more about Christina Olivier and Excelerant, visit https://exexp.com/ or connect through their LinkedIn and Facebook pages.

Discover Lafayette would like to thank Christina Olivier and Excelerant team members for all of their support throughout the years! You continually give back when requested!

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For many of us, reading to a child feels like a cherished bedtime ritual. But what if the benefits begin long before birth?

In this fascinating episode of Discover Lafayette, we visit with Dr. Joe Abraham, physician, research biologist, award-winning author, former president of the Lafayette Parish Library Foundation, and president of the Acadiana Educational Endowment, about the life-changing impact of reading with children beginning in the prenatal period.

The Acadiana Educational Endowment, founded in 1989 to support public education across Acadiana, has invested more than $650,000 in educational initiatives over the years. Today, its primary focus is Reading With Kids, an initiative encouraging parents to read to children from pregnancy through the preschool years because, as Dr. Abraham believes, “children are the most precious thing in life.”

Dr. Abraham’s passion for the project grew from decades practicing emergency medicine. After observing thousands of children, he began noticing a pattern.

“I kept coming back to the ones who are cooperative. The ones who are inquisitive. The ones who are engaged, are read to.”

He says he can often recognize these children before they can even speak. “I got to the point that I can spot a child at six months of age or earlier. The child is tracking. They’re listening.”

“There’s this idea of fetal education. It’s well known in China and Korea. There’s recent research that if you read and talk to your child in the womb, particularly in the third trimester, they can show when they’re born that their brains are advanced. I will meet children who are just spooky smart at two, and they’ve been read to in the womb. Socioeconomic level is totally irrelevant.”

That observation led him to explore decades of research connecting early language exposure with lifelong educational and social outcomes. Dr. Abraham explains that research indicates “60% of kids who are not prepared to read by the first grade will end up in jail or on welfare.”

While many people have heard that reading proficiency by third grade predicts later success, Dr. Abraham argues that the foundation is laid much earlier, even before birth. He points to emerging research showing that babies exposed to language during pregnancy, particularly in the third trimester, demonstrate measurable neurological differences after birth. “They can show when they’re born that their brains are advanced.”

One French study cited on the Reading With Kids website found that newborns whose mothers regularly read and spoke to them during pregnancy exhibited more advanced neural centers for language acquisition. Another ultrasound study observed babies moving their mouths in response to familiar spoken sounds spoken by the mother before birth.

Yet Dr. Abraham repeatedly emphasizes that the science is only part of the story. “The child is not interested in the book. The child is interested in the warm body, the human that will protect them.”

He believes reading creates a powerful emotional bond. “The bond between parent and child extends to the book.” This relationship, he explains, becomes what ultimately motivates children to learn.

“Changing the world one child at a time“

Throughout our conversation, Dr. Abraham returns to one central theme: reading is about much more than literacy. When children are read to, they begin developing empathy, imagination, curiosity, and the ability to understand perspectives different from their own. “When you read, you slowly come to understand other people’s perspectives.”

Reading, he says, becomes “the laboratory of the mind.”

That perspective also shapes his concerns about modern society. “We live in a time in which people can’t talk anymore.”

Dr. Abraham believes that reading helps people hold thoughtful conversations because it teaches them that disagreement does not necessarily mean someone is wrong; it often simply reflects a different perspective.

Our conversation also explored what Dr. Abraham calls “book deserts.” In some communities, he says, there may be only one book available for every 300 children living there.

To address that problem, Reading With Kids has collected more than 15,000 books that are distributed throughout Acadiana. Volunteers hand out books at community events, stock Little Libraries, and work with organizations including Kiwanis of Acadiana to place free books where families naturally gather, including laundromats, where children often spend hours waiting with parents.

One story perfectly illustrates the demand.

After bringing 800 children’s books to an Upper Lafayette event, volunteers didn’t even reach the first stoplight before every single book had been claimed. “The kids just grabbed the books.”

The organization is also working with physicians and hospitals to make reading part of routine prenatal and pediatric care. Dr. Abraham hopes electronic medical records will soon prompt physicians and nurses to ask every expectant mother and every parent of a child under five a simple question: “Are you reading to your child?” If the answer is no, providers could immediately share research demonstrating that reading improves school readiness, lifetime earnings, and overall success.

As Dr. Abraham notes, physicians are often among the most trusted voices families encounter. “If we show interest in them, and their children, it’s been my experience they grab at it.”

Perhaps the most moving portion of our discussion centered on his advice for expectant parents. Rather than waiting until a baby arrives, he encourages parents to begin reading as soon as they begin thinking about starting a family.

“We recommend prenatal reading when you start thinking about being pregnant.” He offers several reasons: Reading helps strengthen the emotional bond between parent and child. It encourages calmness and emotional well-being during pregnancy. Most practically, it establishes a habit before, as he laughingly puts it, “all hell breaks loose” after the baby arrives.

Then he offered one of the most beautiful thoughts of our conversation. As Reading With Kids says on its website: “It is possible your child is already waiting for you. If so, it is never too early to reach out and begin connecting by reading.”

Our discussion eventually broadened into education itself.

Dr. Abraham worries that schools sometimes diminish children’s natural curiosity instead of nurturing it. “Every child starts off curious… We kill it.” He argues that reading helps preserve the questioning mindset that fuels creativity and innovation.

His upcoming book, On Being Einstein, explores that very idea. “What makes for an Einstein? Somebody with a tremendous memory… or somebody who’s willing to ask questions the rest of us won’t?”

Throughout our conversation, one message remained constant: reading is one of the simplest, least expensive, and most powerful investments any parent, grandparent, caregiver, or community member can make.

Whether reading begins during pregnancy, while rocking a newborn, or sharing stories with a curious preschooler, those moments become far more than story time. They become opportunities to build language, strengthen relationships, foster imagination, encourage empathy, and perhaps even change the trajectory of a child’s life.

To learn more, volunteer, donate books, or support the initiative, visit ReadingWithKids.org, the public outreach program of the Acadiana Educational Endowment.

In closing, just a few statistics from Reading With Kid’s website: https://www.readingwithkids.org/research/

75% of US adults read below the 6th grade level.
47% struggle to read basic sentences.
20% are functionally illiterate.
Magnet ABA Therapy. US Literacy Statistics. The State of Literacy in America: A Comprehensive Overview. February 28, 2025. Link.
The National Literacy Institute. Link.

In poor neighborhoods, there can be as few as 1 book for every 300 children.
(Book Deserts.) Neuman, Susan B. Changing the Odds for Children at Risk. 2008, Bloomsbury Publishing USA. Link.

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Our guest is Stacey Knight Mejia, an attorney by training but better known throughout Acadiana as “Sensei Stacey,” co-owner and chief instructor of Acadiana Karate.

A ten-time national forms and weapons champion, Stacey has spent decades teaching martial arts, confidence, and practical self-defense to children and adults. Her message is simple but powerful: “The goal isn’t to live in fear. The goal is to live with awareness, confidence, and the ability to trust yourself.”

As Stacey explains, avoiding violence begins long before physical self-defense becomes necessary.

“Ninety to ninety-five percent of all self-defense scenarios can be avoided by pre-planning.”

That single statement frames our entire discussion.

Stacey explains that every attack begins with three elements: a predator, a victim, and an opportunity. Predators are looking for easy targets and easy opportunities, which is why awareness matters so much.

“You are what you look like. How you stand, how you walk. Eye contact is huge because remember, the predator doesn’t want to get caught.”

She encourages women to walk with purpose, maintain awareness of their surroundings, know where exits are located within seconds of entering a building, lock vehicle doors immediately, and always have a response plan before something happens.

“Have a plan. What am I going to do? Where are the exits? How am I going to get out of here?”

Throughout the interview, Stacey returns repeatedly to the importance of using your voice.

“When I teach women physical self-defense classes, I sometimes have issues getting them to use their voice. They feel, ‘I’m silly,’ or they’re shy. I need you to become a tiger or a lion because the guy that’s coming at you has a criminal mindset.”

One of the strongest themes of our discussion is learning to trust intuition. Gavin de Becker’s landmark book The Gift of Fear, was discussed and he argues that our instincts often recognize danger before our conscious minds do. “Trust your instinct. Trust your gut. It’s so important.”

She tells parents to teach their children the same lesson. “No is a one-word sentence. No means no. Say no and run.”

Rather than encouraging people to become fearful, Stacey wants them to become intentional. “I don’t want you to live in fear. But you need to be aware.”

We discuss numerous real-world situations that women encounter every day, including shopping centers, grocery stores, parking lots, gas stations, DoorDash deliveries, ride-share services, parks, jogging alone, and even sitting in your own driveway scrolling through your phone. Stacey points out that today’s criminals are increasingly sophisticated, posing as delivery drivers, utility workers, or even leaving seemingly harmless items such as money dropped on the ground, windshield wipers moved out of place, or objects on door handles to create distractions.

Her advice remains remarkably practical: “Verify, verify. Do not open the front door of your house for a delivery person or a utility worker until you verify.”

She also recommends limiting distractions. “The cell phone can be very helpful but it’s a huge distraction.” Instead, she encourages using technology wisely by sharing locations with friends and family, calling 911 immediately if something feels wrong, and trusting that internal warning system. Another phone trick is to put your camera on if someone is stalking you. “Turn around and say, ‘Do I know you? Do you need anything? and take a picture. If they hurry away, you know they weren’t up to any good.”

One of Stacey’s most moving stories involves a woman who survived a brutal sexual assault and eventually found her way to Acadiana Karate. Initially unable to speak about what had happened, she slowly rebuilt both her confidence and her life through training. “She came out victorious. She got her life back.”

Stacey also offers reassurance to anyone who has survived an attack. “You survived. You shouldn’t feel shame about that.”

Although Stacey has earned national championships in martial arts competition and even performed stunt work on the television series Mortal Kombat: Conquest after being recruited from the national karate circuit, she emphasizes that most people will never need advanced martial arts techniques if they develop strong situational awareness.

Stacey recommends simple, easy-to-use personal safety devices such as Birdie or Hootie personal alarms that emit a piercing sound to attract attention and create an opportunity to escape. She is less enthusiastic about pepper spray, guns or knives. “I’m not an expert on those tools. I don’t advocate for it. I’ve heard so many horror stories about the attacker grabbing it and turning it on you.”

She also recommends an inexpensive glass breaker/seatbelt cutter device that can be used both in vehicle emergencies and, if necessary, to escape from a locked vehicle.

Her philosophy focuses on escape rather than confrontation. “The goal is to escape.”

Stacey also explains why a single two-hour self-defense seminar cannot replace consistent training. “Don’t think that you’re an expert after one seminar.”

Karate develops something much deeper than physical techniques. Through repetition, students build muscle memory so that, under the stress of an actual attack, simple defensive movements become automatic. “We just drill it, drill it, drill it.”

Every August I get calls about teaching safety classes to daughters right before they go iff to college. ‘Please, can you teach self-defense in a week?’ The best thing I tell my parents is to buy this book: Confidence in Conflict for Campus Life, by Jill Weisensel . It goes through all things addressing personal safety awareness like theft in the dorm, sorority parties, how to address hazing and sexual assault, just really great tips on how to address high-risk behaviors.”

Stacey also follows Dannah Eve who recently wrote a book called Street Smarts.Introduced to karate by her future husband, Pablo Mejia, while attending college, she earned her first-degree black belt before entering law school. She credits martial arts with helping her persevere through one of the most demanding periods of her life. “There are times in law school where we all just want to quit. Karate really helped me.” The discipline she learned on the mat carried directly into her legal career.

Today, Stacey continues serving the community through Acadiana Karate while also sharing health and wellness advice through her “Stacey’s Optimal Health” platform.

Whether discussing nutrition, exercise, parenting teenagers, or personal safety, her underlying message never changes: preparation creates confidence.

This episode is for every woman, every parent, every college student, and every family member who wants practical, thoughtful guidance on staying safe while living life with confidence instead of fear. “Don’t live in fear. Just be aware.”

For more information about Stacey Knight Mejia and Acadiana Karate, visit https://acadianakarate.com/

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Many people have never heard of Ryan Furby, yet they have likely experienced the impact of the work he does.

After an international career with some of the world’s largest corporations, including FedEx, Philip Morris International, and Biogen, Ryan returned to Louisiana and quietly built a consulting practice that helps organizations navigate complex business challenges through strategic communications, public affairs, and reputation management.

Today, as CEO of RAF Strategic Communications and Public Affairs, he advises companies while also giving generously of his time to Acadiana’s nonprofit and civic organizations.

In this episode of Discover Lafayette, Ryan demystifies a profession that often operates behind the scenes. He explains how organizations earn, and sometimes lose, the public’s trust, why communications belong at the executive table, and how thoughtful leadership can determine whether a company thrives during moments of opportunity or crisis.

As Ryan succinctly explains, “I’m in the trust business. I’m in the reputation business.“

Louisiana Roots, Global ExperienceRyan’s career has taken him around the world, but Louisiana has always remained home.

Born in Baton Rouge, raised in Mandeville, and educated at Loyola University New Orleans, Ryan grew up with deep family ties throughout South Louisiana. His mother’s family has roots in Lafayette stretching back generations, while his father’s family is from Alexandria.

After nearly twenty years of pursuing increasingly demanding international leadership roles, Ryan found himself burned out.

“I’d been chasing jobs and money and career all around the world for 20 years,” he recalls. “I was at a point where I was really burned out.”

Initially, moving to Lafayette was intended to be temporary, a place where he and his wife could regroup while raising their two young children closer to family.

“We’ll spend a year. See how it goes.” Eight years later, Lafayette has become home. That decision changed not only his family’s life, but the community that would eventually benefit from his leadership.

Learning Leadership at FedExRyan credits much of his professional development to his years at FedEx, where he describes the company as “my training ground” and “my MBA.”

Working inside one of the world’s largest transportation companies gave him unprecedented exposure to executive decision-making and corporate strategy.

Few people influenced him more than FedEx founder Fred Smith. “I thought of him as a professor,” Ryan says. “Every time he spoke, I just absorbed all of that.”

Smith’s military background shaped the culture of the company through a simple but powerful philosophy: “Shoot. Move. Communicate.”

Ryan explains that the phrase represented more than a slogan. It embodied how organizations must continually adapt, execute, and communicate internally to remain successful.

At FedEx, communications wasn’t an afterthought, it was part of executive leadership. Communications professionals sat alongside legal counsel, operations leaders, marketing executives, and division presidents, helping shape decisions before they became headlines.

As Ryan explains, their role was often to become “the conscience of the organization,” helping leaders ask difficult questions: “If you mess up, how do you own it? How do you fix it? How do you prevent it from happening again?”

Katrina: Helping New Orleans RecoverOne of Ryan’s defining professional experiences came in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

From FedEx’s corporate “war room,” he watched the devastation unfold while simultaneously helping coordinate logistics and charitable efforts to support New Orleans’ recovery.

The experience was deeply personal. “I felt like New Orleans was my home,” he says. “Watching that and then knowing what my friends and family were experiencing felt very personal.”

Among the recovery efforts he remains most proud of was helping the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas reopen.

After Katrina, nearly every animal inside the aquarium died when life-support systems failed. The surviving penguins and two sea otters had been relocated to California while the facility rebuilt.

When the aquarium asked FedEx for help bringing the animals home, Ryan immediately recognized the symbolic importance.

“This is going to be big. This is a story.”

FedEx ultimately chartered one of its own aircraft to transport the animals back to New Orleans, sponsored the exhibit, and helped organize a major reopening celebration nearly one year after the storm.

“It was symbolic of what New Orleans needed,” Ryan reflects.

The story became a powerful reminder that communications is about far more than publicity; it is about helping communities recover, celebrate milestones, and restore hope.

Reinvention on a Global StageRyan’s next chapter took him to Switzerland with Philip Morris International. To many, accepting a position with a tobacco company might seem surprising.

Ryan explains that by the time he joined, the company’s leadership was investing heavily in research and development to transition smokers toward reduced-risk alternatives. His responsibility was helping one of the world’s most heavily regulated companies navigate communications in an increasingly digital world.

Unlike traditional consumer brands, every communication had to operate within extraordinary legal constraints. “It was always trying to find a path through all of the barriers,” he says.

Living overseas also transformed his family’s perspective. Ryan and his wife immersed their children in French-speaking schools, traveled extensively throughout Europe, and developed friendships with colleagues from across the globe, including Ukraine, Russia, Turkey, and Eastern Europe.

Those experiences fundamentally changed how he views the world. “I tend to see things from both sides,” he says. “I give the other side the benefit of the doubt.”

That balanced perspective continues to shape both his consulting practice and his civic leadership today.

Choosing LafayetteWhen Ryan eventually returned to the United States through Biogen, he briefly considered relocating to Boston.

Instead, he chose Lafayette. His reason was remarkably simple. Family. “I wanted them to know their family,” he says of his children.

Equally important was his desire to become part of a genuine community. Living abroad had shown him what it meant to be welcomed professionally but never fully belong.

Louisiana offered something different. “I wanted to be part of the people, part of the community.”

Rather than simply living in Lafayette, Ryan intentionally sought opportunities to serve. That commitment eventually led him to board leadership with organizations including the Acadiana Symphony Orchestra and Ronald McDonald House Charities of South Louisiana, as well as service on the committee that selected the new president of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.

Building RAF Strategic CommunicationsRyan eventually founded RAF Strategic Communications and Public Affairs, naming the company after his initials, “RAF,” colleagues had called him throughout his FedEx career.

Today, he helps organizations clarify strategy, improve communications, strengthen relationships with government and stakeholders, and successfully compete for major contracts.

One example close to home involved Acadiana Waste Services. When the company prepared its proposal for Lafayette’s residential solid waste contract, Ryan brought years of experience responding to complex Request for Proposals.

His advice was practical: “Answer the question. Get the score you need.” But beyond simply answering technical requirements, Ryan helped the locally owned company present itself with the polish and professionalism expected of much larger national competitors. “If you want to know how the big ones operate,” he says, “this is how they do it.”

Today, he continues serving as a communications consultant for Acadiana Waste Services while helping the company build relationships throughout the community. And Ryan says, ” Just a side note, we have a monthly meeting with LCG and each month, it’s another month of no fines. To have no fines means you’ve collected every single route. If you miss something, you have 24 hours to fix it. No fines in this industry is unheard of. They are a great company and great people. I’m really fortunate to work with them.”

Reputation Can Take Decades to Build—and Minutes to LoseOne of the most fascinating portions of our conversation centered on reputation management.

Ryan discussed recent corporate case studies ranging from Fender Guitars to BP’s Deepwater Horizon response, illustrating how quickly public trust can disappear.

Quoting Warren Buffett, Ryan offered one of the interview’s most memorable observations: “It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it.”

His work often involves helping organizations ask difficult questions before problems become public crises. “The best examples of what I do,” he explains, “never hit the papers because the issues have been handled properly before they were out there to ruin the reputation of the company.”

It is a reminder that successful communication isn’t simply about responding well, it is about making wiser decisions from the beginning.

Giving Back to AcadianaDespite an international résumé, Ryan speaks most enthusiastically about community service.

His involvement with the Acadiana Symphony Orchestra reflects his belief that arts organizations help define the character of a community. He praises board chairman Robert Schacht for modernizing the organization while expanding educational programming, movie concerts, chamber performances, and outreach designed to welcome new audiences.

“We’re trying to bring in education and students and have fun,” Ryan says. “I just think performing arts is so important for community.”

That same philosophy guides his volunteer work across Acadiana. As he explains: “Work is just a piece of who I am.” “What I can give back is much more rewarding.”

Listen to the Full ConversationRyan Furby’s career has taken him from Louisiana to Switzerland, from global boardrooms to local nonprofit organizations, yet one lesson consistently emerges throughout our conversation:

Businesses succeed not simply because they have great products, but because they earn trust.

Whether advising Fortune 500 companies, helping a locally owned business compete for a transformational contract, or volunteering with organizations that enrich Acadiana, Ryan brings the same thoughtful approach to leadership: listening carefully, understanding multiple perspectives, and helping people achieve their best outcomes.

His story is ultimately not just about communications.

It’s about character, credibility, and the relationships that make communities and organizations stronger.

For more information about his services, visit https://rafmarketing.com/.

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For more than five decades, Trent Angers has dedicated his life to journalism, publishing, and preserving the stories that define Louisiana and its people. As founder, editor, and publisher of Acadian House Publishing, Trent has edited and published 126 books over a 45-year career while also authoring six books of his own. His work has ranged from Cajun history and Louisiana political figures to military ethics, faith, and inspirational storytelling.

A graduate of LSU’s School of Journalism, where he was named Outstanding Graduating Senior and received the Hodding Carter Award for Responsible Journalism, Trent followed in the footsteps of his father, Bob Angers, founder of Acadiana Profile magazine. Trent would eventually spend 36 years as editor and publisher of Acadiana Profile, helping build it into one of the longest-running regional magazines in America before selling the publication in 2010 to focus full-time on book publishing with Acadian House Publishing.

During our conversation, Trent reflects on a life immersed in words, ideas, and the people behind them.

“Born with printer’s ink in my blood”Trent jokes that journalism was his destiny. “You could say I was born with printer’s ink in the blood.”

His father purchased the Franklin Banner-Tribune in 1953, and Trent grew up watching the realities of community journalism firsthand. When Bob Angers launched Acadiana Profile in 1968, regional magazines were virtually unheard of.

“I thought he had lost his mind because there was almost no such thing as a city or regional magazine in this country at the time.”

Instead, Bob Angers proved to be a visionary. More than fifty years later, the publication remains an important voice for South Louisiana.

Acadian House Publishing: More Than BooksToday, Acadian House Publishing is one of Louisiana’s most respected independent publishers. Its catalog includes biographies, history, cookbooks, inspirational works, faith-based books, and regional classics.

Trent describes publishing as far more than simply printing books.

“Publishing involves careful acquisition of titles, careful editing, fact-checking, correcting, perfecting, marketing, warehousing, accounting, and distribution.”

Acadian House receives approximately 150 manuscript proposals each year but publishes only three or four books annually.

“No is the most powerful word in the English language.”

With limited capacity, Trent looks for books that move people, educate readers, and inspire meaningful reflection.

Dispelling Myths About Cajun CultureAt age 40, Trent wrote his first book, The Truth About the Cajuns, a work designed to challenge stereotypes and misconceptions about Acadian people.

“The first book I actually wrote is when I turned 40. The book was titled The Truth About the Cajuns. The book was designed to dispel the myths and stereotypes about the Acadian people. We’re very proud of our Acadian heritage. We’re not simple minded people who aren’t so bright. We don’t all dwell in the swamp. Our lives do not revolve around eating, drinking and dancing

Trent wanted readers to understand that Cajun identity extends far beyond the caricatures often portrayed in popular culture.

The book remains one of the most thoughtful examinations of Cajun identity and heritage.

Dudley LeBlanc: The Original Champion of Cajun PrideAnother of Trent’s works is Dudley LeBlanc: A Biography, which chronicles the life of the legendary founder of Hadacol and one of Louisiana’s most colorful political figures.

“Dudley LeBlanc, who founded Hadacol, was also known as the political and almost spiritual leader of the Acadian people. He had a French language radio show emanating from from Abbeville. The truth is, Dudley started the French Renaissance movement before Jimmy Domengeaux formalized it through CODIFIL. Dudley LeBlanc would bring it up and say, ‘Let’s stand up for our Acadian heritage and be proud and not ashamed of who we are, not ashamed of our heritage and culture.”

While many remember LeBlanc for his wildly successful patent medicine business, Trent argues that his greatest contribution was cultural. Long before organizations formalized the movement to preserve Cajun culture, LeBlanc encouraged Acadians to embrace their language, traditions, and identity.

According to Trent, both Dudley LeBlanc and James Domengeaux deserve tremendous credit for preserving and advancing Acadian culture in Louisiana.

The Forgotten Hero of the My Lai MassacrePerhaps no project has shaped Trent’s career more than The Forgotten Hero of My Lai: The Hugh Thompson Story.

The book tells the story of Hugh Thompson Jr., the American helicopter pilot credited with stopping the My Lai Massacre during the Vietnam War. “I became Thompson’s biographer and spent lots and lots of time with him in Vietnam, in Norway, and throughout the United States, in Washington, D.C., etc. I wrote his speech when he received the soldier’s medal in Washington at the Vietnam Wall, which is the highest award a soldier can earn for anything other than direct combat with the enemy,” Trent said.

Trent devoted more than 3,000 hours of research across three continents to tell Thompson’s story. “That book was my opus.”

The defining moment came when Thompson landed his helicopter between fleeing Vietnamese civilians and advancing American soldiers. “Not on my watch,” he said.

Thompson ordered his gunner to protect the civilians, even if it meant turning their weapons on fellow Americans. His actions saved lives and ultimately helped bring the massacre to an end.

Trent explains why Thompson’s story continues to resonate: “They were willing to give up their lives just because it was the right thing to do.” The book has since been placed on the reading list of the Joint Chiefs of Staff because of its lessons on leadership, battlefield ethics, and moral courage.

Publishing Louisiana’s Most Influential VoicesOver the years, Acadian House has published works by an extraordinary range of Louisiana authors and leaders.

Among them are books by:

• Dale Brown
• Lt. General Russel L. Honoré
• Marcelle Bienvenu
• Camille Pavy Claiborne
• Brian Sibley
• Chad Judice

Trent speaks admiringly of each, emphasizing not only their accomplishments but also their character, intellect, and ability to inspire others.

Dale Brown and Human DignityOne of Trent’s most meaningful publishing relationships has been with legendary LSU basketball coach Dale Brown.

Acadian House published Brown’s Getting Over the Four Hurdles of Life, and Trent later authored Dale Brown: Caught in the Battle for Human Dignity.

He also played a significant role, along with Lafayette attorney Glenn Armentor, in the effort to have LSU’s basketball court named in Brown’s honor.

“Every generation needs role models.”

For Trent, Brown represents integrity, courage, compassion, and leadership. “Dale Brown is a role model of integrity, courage, bravery, intelligence.”

Those qualities made him not only a successful coach but also one of America’s most sought-after motivational speakers.

The Secret Life of an EditorOne of the most fascinating parts of our conversation centered on the editor-author relationship.

After working closely with writers for months or years, Trent says editors often develop a deep understanding of how authors think.

“We call that mind meld.”

His philosophy is simple: “The job of an editor is to make the writer look like a genius.”

That requires more than correcting grammar. It involves improving structure, strengthening logic, checking facts, and helping authors communicate their ideas as clearly as possible.

Cookbooks Outsell Almost EverythingDespite publishing biographies, history, and inspirational works, Trent admits one category consistently surprises him: Cookbooks.

Acadian House’s most successful title is Marcelle Bienvenu’s iconic cookbook Who’s Your Mama, Are You Catholic, and Can You Make a Roux? The book has sold approximately 200,000 copies.

“That book is in the top one percentile of books ever published in America.”

For Trent, the success is both gratifying and humbling. “You do a cookbook and you sell the heck out of it.”

The enduring popularity of Louisiana food culture continues to introduce readers around the world to Acadiana traditions.

Freedom of the PressAs a lifelong journalist, Trent remains deeply passionate about the First Amendment. “Freedom of the press is the hill I would die on. This country is free, in part because of the free press. Because of the free flow of information. It’s the press’s job to educate, to inform, to entertain. We serve the public, not the government. The press exists to serve the public.”

He argues that a free society depends upon the free flow of information and a press willing to challenge power when necessary.

“The press exists to serve the public, not the government.”

Regardless of political affiliation, Trent believes journalism’s highest calling remains informing citizens and protecting democratic accountability.

What’s Next: Orphan Train to LouisianaAmong Acadian House’s upcoming projects is Orphan Train to Louisiana, a book examining the little-known story of thousands of orphaned children transported from New York City to families across America.

The project was inspired by a staggering historical reality.

“At one point in New York City there were 30,000 babies and children on the street, homeless.”

The book explores the efforts of religious organizations and charitable groups that worked to place children with loving families, including many in Louisiana.

For Trent, it is exactly the kind of story Acadian House loves to tell: forgotten history that reveals the best of humanity.

Faith, Service, and GratitudeOutside of publishing, Trent is active in the Secular Franciscan Order, whose members seek to live according to the spirit of Saint Francis of Assisi through service, humility, and care for others.

Reflecting on his blessings, he says: “We’re among the luckiest people in the world, in the history of civilization.”

That perspective of gratitude, combined with a lifelong commitment to storytelling, continues to shape his work today.

Whether preserving Cajun history, documenting battlefield courage, promoting faith-filled voices, or introducing readers to remarkable Louisianans, Trent Angers remains one of Acadiana’s most important cultural storytellers.

To learn more about Trent Angers and Acadian House Publishing, visit their website and explore a catalog that reflects the rich history, culture, faith, and character of Louisiana.

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Few people have shaped environmental policy and conservation efforts in Acadiana as persistently as Harold Schoeffler.

Known to many as part of the family behind Schoeffler Cadillac, Harold’s legacy extends far beyond the automobile business. For more than six decades, he has been a tireless advocate for protecting Louisiana’s natural resources, improving public policy, mentoring young people through Scouting, and encouraging citizens to become active stewards of their communities.

In this wide-ranging conversation, Harold reflects on a lifetime of work that has touched everything from oil recycling and waste reduction to flood control, wildlife preservation, and public access to Louisiana’s waterways.

“The Gifts of the Earth Are Public Gifts”Harold’s philosophy is rooted in a simple belief:

“We have private gifts, our health and our intelligence, that we will be held accountable for. But the gifts of the earth are public gifts, and we’ll be just as accountable for that.”

That conviction has guided his work for decades. Rather than simply criticizing problems, Harold has focused on finding practical solutions.

One of his earliest environmental victories came in the 1970s, when he discovered that used motor oil from most Lafayette service stations was being dumped into storm drains that ultimately emptied into local waterways.

At the time, 52 of Lafayette’s 54 filling stations were disposing of waste oil this way. Harold located a New Orleans recycling company willing to install storage tanks at no cost and purchase the used oil from station owners. After identifying a city fire code violation related to dumping petroleum products into storm drains, he worked with local officials to implement a citywide solution.

The result?

According to Harold, Lafayette became the first community in Louisiana to fully recycle used motor oil, selling it at 50 cents per gallon. “This was just money from heaven, you know.”

Transforming Waste into ResourcesHarold’s efforts extended beyond oil recycling.

He became deeply involved in helping Lafayette address mounting waste disposal challenges, particularly yard waste and sewage sludge.

At a time when yard waste occupied enormous amounts of landfill space, Harold helped promote the use of tub grinders that could reduce volume by approximately 90 percent. The resulting mulch and compost products created value instead of waste.

Similarly, he worked on legislation and policy changes that allowed treated sewage sludge to be safely recycled for agricultural use rather than being hauled to landfills at significant public expense. These initiatives not only reduced environmental impacts but also saved taxpayers money and created new economic opportunities.

Today, Harold notes that many residents have little idea how much waste is already being recycled through these systems.

Saving the Louisiana Black BearPerhaps Harold’s most touching conservation achievement is his role in protecting the Louisiana Black Bear.

In 1987, he petitioned the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to place the Louisiana Black Bear on the endangered species list. After years of advocacy and litigation, the bear was officially listed as threatened in 1992. His efforts later contributed to the protection of more than one million acres of critical habitat for the species.

Harold explains that at the time he began his quest to protect the species, there may have been fewer than 300 to 400 Louisiana Black Bears remaining; yet Louisiana was continung to grant 165,000 big game hunting tags yearly before his efforts to save the black bear.

His concern was never opposition to hunting itself. As an avid outdoorsman, hunter, and fisherman, he viewed conservation as ensuring that wildlife populations remain healthy enough for future generations.

As he notes in our conversation, preservation of the species, not opposition to sportsmen, was always the goal. (Note: Due to recovery, the Louisiana Black Bear was officially removed from the List of Endangered and Threatened Species on March 11, 2016; however, it remains protected under Louisiana state law, and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries continues to actively manage this subspecies.)

The Atchafalaya Basin and Public AccessAnother major chapter in Harold’s work involves the Atchafalaya Basin.

Over the years he has fought against practices he believed threatened the basin’s ecological health and public accessibility, including shell dredging operations and legal disputes involving public waterways.

He recounts the landmark Larry Daigle case, in which a commercial fisherman faced criminal trespassing charges while fishing in waters Harold believed were public. The case ultimately became a significant legal battle involving questions of public access, navigable waterways, and property rights within the basin. Harold views the outcome as a victory not only for one fisherman but for the public’s rights throughout Louisiana’s waterways.

His extensive firsthand knowledge of Louisiana’s waterways comes from decades spent hunting, fishing, scouting, and paddling through some of the state’s most remote landscapes.

A Lifetime in ScoutingAsk Harold what accomplishment makes him most proud, and his answer isn’t environmental litigation.

It’s Scouting. For 42 years Harold was involved in the Scouts and helped guide 125 young men to the rank of Eagle Scout.

Throughout our conversation, he repeatedly returns to the importance of believing in young people.

“If you think they can, they can. If you think they can’t, you can’t. And that’s a lesson for parents. You know, if you’re going to have a negative attitude towards your kids, you’re going to get negative results. But if you think they can, you know, they can sense that also.”

Harold shares lessons learned from serving on a military school board, where early special education programs demonstrated how expectations can profoundly affect a child’s success.

Those same lessons shaped his approach to mentoring Scouts, many of whom achieved far more than others expected of them.

His philosophy also extended to environmental stewardship.

He often taught Scouts that if boys are taught not to litter before the age ten, they are unlikely to become litterers later in life. Changing behavior early, he argues, is one of the most effective ways to improve communities.

The Power of Citizen InvolvementOne recurring theme throughout this conversation is Harold’s belief that ordinary citizens can solve extraordinary problems.

Whether discussing flood control, environmental policy, waste management, or economic development, Harold consistently points to the value of public participation.

He shares stories of public meetings where solutions emerged not from experts or consultants but from local residents willing to speak up and share ideas.

For Harold, conservation has never been about politics. It’s about facts, integrity, and doing what is right for the long-term health of the community.

“If they catch you in a lie one time, you’re dead.” Integrity, he says, must remain at the center of every public effort.

Looking AheadAt a time when environmental issues often become politically polarized, Harold offers a refreshingly practical perspective. His message is simple: “If you pick up one piece of litter a day and all the people in town do it, you’d have no litter.”

The lesson applies far beyond trash.

Positive change often begins with small actions, sustained over time by people willing to care.

Harold Schoeffler’s life demonstrates what can happen when one citizen decides that stewardship is not someone else’s responsibility. It’s ours.

Topics Discussed* Growing up in Lafayette and the Schoeffler family business * Boy Scouts and mentoring 125 Eagle Scouts * Recycling used motor oil in Lafayette during the 1970s * Protecting the Vermilion River and local waterways * Yard waste recycling and composting programs * Sewage sludge recycling initiatives * Flood control and watershed management * The Atchafalaya Basin and public access rights * The Larry Daigle case * Shell dredging litigation * The Louisiana Black Bear and endangered species protection * Public engagement and environmental stewardship * Why integrity matters in public advocacy

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For many people across Acadiana, Allen & Gooch attorney Troy Broussard is known as a respected litigator and senior partner who has practiced law in Lafayette for more than three decades. But in this episode of Discover Lafayette, listeners meet another side of Troy: novelist, storyteller, songwriter, painter, observer of South Louisiana culture, and thoughtful chronicler of the complicated racial history woven into life in Acadiana.

Troy joins us to discuss his recently published novel, Where Lies the Truth, a Southern coming-of-age crime story set against the bayous and backroads of St. Landry Parish. The novel opens in the summer of 1976, when 12-year-old Ezra Brasseaux embarks on what should have been an ordinary hunting trip in the swamps near his hometown. Instead, Ezra stumbles into a world shaped by violence, racial tension, buried secrets, and murder — experiences that haunt him well into adulthood.

What unfolds during our conversation is far more than a discussion about writing fiction. Troy reflects candidly on growing up in Eunice during the earliest years of racial integration in St. Landry Parish schools. He describes himself and his classmates as “the guinea pigs,” among the first children thrown together as long-segregated cultures suddenly collided in classrooms and communities.

“As I grew older,” Troy explains, “my views of it changed looking at it retrospectively.” He discusses the slow and deeply personal evolution away from what he calls “southern small-town indoctrination,” and how exposure to new people, ideas, and experiences gradually reshaped his understanding of race, prejudice, and human complexity.

That emotional and intellectual evolution forms the backbone of Where Lies the Truth. Troy emphasizes that while the novel is entirely fictional, it is heavily inspired by real people, real conversations, and real tensions that shaped South Louisiana life in the 1970s and beyond. “This is not a true story,” he says. “But yes, it is inspired by actual events and actual people.”

The story follows Ezra Brasseaux and his closest friends, Giles Poirier and Vance Doiron, as they navigate adolescence in a culturally divided Acadiana landscape. Years later, they are pulled back into the mystery of an unsolved crime involving two young Black victims, forcing them to confront painful truths hidden beneath decades of assumptions and silence. Troy says the novel ultimately explores “the idea of learning, trying to unlearn things you believed had been true your whole life, and realizing that there’s another side to the story.”

One of the most compelling aspects of our conversation is Troy’s nuanced discussion of race in South Louisiana. He argues that Acadiana’s cultural history cannot simply be reduced to Black-and-white narratives. Instead, he describes a far more layered social reality involving Cajun Catholics, white Protestants, Creoles, and African Americans — all with their own tensions, identities, and historical wounds.

In researching the novel, Troy interviewed people from a wide range of backgrounds and heard stories that profoundly affected him, including accounts of colorism and exclusion that persisted even within Black communities themselves. He shares one striking example involving the “brown paper bag test” still being informally referenced in certain university social circles as recently as a decade ago.

The conversation also dives deeply into the creative process itself. Troy spent nearly 15 years writing the novel, beginning the project in his early 40s and finally completing it in his mid-50s. What began as a sprawling 1,200-page manuscript eventually had to be painfully condensed into a publishable form.

“The difficult part of the editing was not so much the technology,” Troy explains, “but when you write something and you really immerse yourself in the creative process, what you write kind of becomes like your children.” He jokingly compares the process to “Sophie’s Choice of editing,” where every deleted scene altered timelines, relationships, and emotional continuity throughout the story.

Troy credits several influential teachers with shaping his ability to write. He speaks with tremendous affection about Elaine Dumais, his teacher in the gifted program in St. Landry Parish, who first introduced him to creativity and artistic thinking. He also honors his demanding high school English teacher Carol Fuselier, whose relentless standards prepared him not only for law school but ultimately for writing fiction. “I knew how to write because she gave that to me,” Troy says. “She pushed me.”

Listeners will especially enjoy hearing Troy describe how characters begin to “write themselves” once a novelist becomes immersed in a story. He explains that dialogue became his favorite part of the process because it allowed him to fully inhabit personalities vastly different from his own — from successful professionals to deeply flawed, struggling characters such as Uncle Nedrick, one of the novel’s most memorable voices.

The discussion also touches on literary influences, including To Kill a Mockingbird and A Time to Kill. Troy shares how Atticus Finch profoundly shaped his image of what a lawyer should be: someone who works with integrity and seeks justice regardless of public pressure or cultural norms.

Beyond writing and law, Troy reveals a rich creative life filled with music, painting, travel, mountain biking, and songwriting. He has written more than 75 songs over the years and remains an avid guitarist with a collection ranging from Martin acoustics to smaller travel guitars perfect for early morning songwriting sessions. He and his wife Beth also share a love for the outdoors and for their energetic Hungarian Vizsla, who frequently joins them on hikes and bike trails.

Toward the end of the interview, producer Jason Sikora asks the obvious modern question: could Where Lies the Truth someday become a film or streaming series? Troy laughs at the idea but admits he would welcome the opportunity, even suggesting Paul Rudd as his dream casting choice for Ezra Brasseaux because of his ability to balance seriousness with humor.

This episode of Discover Lafayette is ultimately a conversation about memory, identity, truth, and the stories we inherit about ourselves and our communities. Through Where Lies the Truth, Troy Broussard invites readers to confront uncomfortable realities while also recognizing the possibility of growth, empathy, and personal evolution.

Listeners can find Where Lies the Truth through Amazon and Barnes & Noble, and follow Troy through his personal Facebook page as he continues sharing news about the book and future projects.

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On this episode of Discover Lafayette, we welcome Sarah Mary Toce Donlon, a speaker and consultant whose work bridges faith, wellness, leadership, human dignity, and the deeper questions that shape how we live.

Sarah Mary is a Lafayette native from a third-generation Lebanese family, rooted in the Mahtook family. She describes growing up surrounded by cousins, food, and family, swimming at her grandmother’s pool, and a deep sense of belonging. “I always just wanted to leave the world better than I found it,” she shares. “My family was so great and always supported my dreams and my big goals. I would say that they always dreamed bigger for me than I did for myself.”

Sarah Mary first studied Disaster Science and Management at LSU, a path she jokingly calls “basically a superhero degree.” Theology had always interested her, but she saw disaster response as a way to live out her faith in practical service: “I could do the work of Christianity in helping people in their most vulnerable times, caring for the hurt, the sick, and those in need.” As a young intern at the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness during the BP oil spill, she witnessed the gravity of public service in real time. “The FBI is on the phone and the helicopters are coming in. It was something to see. I could be a part of a crew that had a hand in helping people recover.”

Her path later turned toward advocacy, communications, and the dignity of women and children. Through spiritual direction, she began asking deeper questions about faith and theology. Her spiritual director eventually asked whether she had considered pursuing a degree in the subject. Sarah Mary remembered that as a child, she had written about that very dream in a journal. “I applied, I interviewed, I got in, I got a full scholarship,” she recalls of pursuing studies at Boston College. “It was unbelievable how it lined up. So I knew the path was made clear and I knew I was supposed to be there.”

At Boston College, Sarah Mary earned her Master of Divinity, a three-year program with a pastoral component. But she is quick to say that theological study did not give her neat answers. “I always say that I was seeking answers, but I didn’t get answers because I find in, at least the Christian tradition, when you get answers, you get more questions. The more you know, the more you know that you don’t know.” What she received instead was a deeper understanding: “My whole worldview was reshaped. As a person, the way I engage with people and with life and with thoughts was made so much deeper and more impactful.”

Part of her faith formation took her to Rwanda, where she completed her practicum teaching English and religion. Rwanda was then implementing English as a primary language, and Sarah Mary often used French to teach English to her students. She describes living on a school compound where “cows were roaming the grounds,” beginning mornings with dances with the children, and sharing meals with teachers. “It was such a spectacular experience,” she says. “It’s a beautiful country, more beautiful than people realize.”

A central theme of Sarah Mary’s work is that faith does not require a rejection of reason. She says, “The awakened brain is wired for spirituality. Faith elevates reason, and science can prove it.” In our conversation, she explains that this idea has shaped a retreat she calls Sacred Sight, influenced in part by Dr. Lisa Miller’s work in The Awakened Brain. Sarah Mary describes the human mind as needing both sides of the “picnic table”: logic, science, and facts on one side, and spirituality, philosophy, intuition, and the arts on the other. “In our world, we tend to think the only true way to know anything is through logic and science and facts, period,” she says. “So what Dr. Miller argues is that you’re only using half of your brain when you think that way.”

Sarah Mary’s Catholic faith informs how she understands the relationship between reason and transcendence. “Faith never contradicts reason. It just elevates it,” she explains. “Reason has a ceiling. You can reason things all the way as high as reason will let you. But then it has a ceiling. And that’s where faith comes in to elevate that ceiling.” This spiritual lens allows her to speak about suffering, meaning, and human purpose without reducing life to easy explanations. “Our suffering isn’t meaningless,” she says. “It has a larger meaning in the wider world.”

That belief also shapes her view of the human person. “As Catholics, we say we’re built in the image of God,” Sarah Mary says. “We have God’s fingerprints on our soul.” But she does not present faith as anti-intellectual or dismissive of science. Instead, she calls people to “expand the logic” and “dive into the faith.” For Sarah Mary, faith is not an escape from reality; it is a deeper engagement with it. “God’s footprints are all over the created order,” she says. “If you go into nature and you look with sacred sight, using that fully awakened brain, you can see reflections of God.”

Sarah Mary is especially compelling when she speaks about human dignity. Her theological education, she says, broke her out of “very black and white rigid notions of truth and not truth, right and wrong, and clear and not clear.” She learned to become more comfortable in “the gray,” where opposing truths can coexist in tension. She uses the example of Jesus being fully human and fully divine: “You have to hold two opposing ideas in tension, and they actually create the whole truth.” That same understanding applies to daily human relationships, leadership, communication, and conflict.

For Sarah Mary, dignity becomes practical when we ask who we have quietly decided is “other.” Reflecting on a psalm that says God prepares a banquet before one’s enemies, she observes: “What God doesn’t say is that your enemies are not invited to that banquet.” She challenges listeners to consider not only who they identify as enemies, but who they value less than themselves. “Where can we challenge ourselves to grow an understanding of that person and inevitably grow in empathy and understand that they are dignified, just like you and I, no matter their circumstance, no matter what they look like?”

That insight leads to one of the most grounded moments in the interview: how we see people experiencing homelessness. “Nobody grows up saying, I can’t wait to have to beg for food,” Sarah Mary says. “That wasn’t their dream.” She offers a simple but powerful phrase: “curiosity before judgment.” Rather than assuming we know someone’s story, she asks us to become curious first. “What if we just got curious about people’s lives before we made some all-knowing judgment when we don’t even know who they are?”

Through Sarah Mary, LLC, she now offers retreats, speaking engagements, leadership formation, corporate workshops, and spiritual conversations. Her work has included a teachers’ retreat at Cathedral Carmel, a diaconate retreat for the current deacons at the Diocese of Lafayette, a five-part Easter mission at St. Pius X Church, and corporate retreats focused on leadership and morale. She does not believe in offering canned answers. “I never like to treat symptoms,” she says. “I like to treat root causes and help people think more deeply so that they can understand. Because when we understand, then we own knowledge and knowledge can transform us.”

In corporate spaces, Sarah Mary often focuses on human flourishing, empathy, and communication. When morale is low or an organization is struggling through change, she helps people step back and see the larger picture. “Sometimes people just need to be heard and told that they’re understood,” she says. Her approach is rooted in servant leadership and the belief that people thrive when their dignity is recognized.

Sarah Mary also brings wellness into her work, not as a trendy add-on, but as part of the whole human person. Having worked as a trainer and in the health industry, she sees physical wellness as another form of healing. She has taught clients about movement, nutrition, and “adding more color in their life,” especially through fruits, vegetables, and micronutrition. In her view, faith and wellness are not separate: “God made it,” she says of the natural world. “It’s his pharmacy.”

The interview closes with practical wisdom about stillness, balance, and self-awareness. Sarah Mary says balance is often misunderstood. “I don’t think it’s giving everything equal amounts of yourself,” she explains. “Balance is knowing what your values are and making sure those are aligned with your daily priorities.” She encourages people to identify their values and then examine whether their actual days reflect those values. “We can go through a day and do 500 things and be incredibly efficient and accomplished, and then go to bed feeling like we did nothing because nothing that we did aligned with who we were and who we’re called to be.”

Sarah Mary offers a beautiful reminder about contemplation and prayer. Reflecting on silence, she references Pseudo-Dionysius and describes “a silence where you don’t quiet yourself, but the mystery and the awe of God silences you.” In that space, words fall short. “It forces you to stop saying anything and just receive.” She also reminds us that faith requires space and invitation: “God’s not going to force Himself into your life. He’s waiting for your invitation.”

This conversation with Sarah Mary Toce Donlon is ultimately about depth: deeper faith, deeper listening, deeper leadership, deeper dignity, and deeper awareness of the human being. She invites us to move beyond quick fixes, rigid categories, and surface-level solutions, and instead to ask better questions, hold mystery with humility, and see ourselves and others as created in love.

For more information, visit https://www.sarahmary.org/

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Independent films and film festivals are thriving in Louisiana, and on this episode of Discover Lafayette, we welcome three passionate advocates helping shape the future of filmmaking across the state: Southern Screen Festival Founder and Executive Director Julie Bordelon; filmmaker and Director of Public Relations for the Baton Rouge Underground Film Festival, Jenika Kolacz; and Lafayette native Kelly Swift, Film Programming Director for Manship Theatre and Events Director for the Baton Rouge Underground Film Festival.

The conversation explores Louisiana’s growing independent film ecosystem, the importance of film festivals in building creative communities, and the realities filmmakers face trying to sustain careers in the state. Julie Bordelon, founder of Southern Screen Festival, reflects on how she entered the industry without formal film school training, learning production hands-on while working in Lafayette during the height of Louisiana’s film production boom. “I had no clue what I was doing,” she says of her early days in production. “By the middle of the first film, I was a department head.”

Bordelon later served as an entertainment liaison for the City of Lafayette, helping support Louisiana’s tax incentive initiatives for film, music, and digital media before launching Southern Screen Festival nearly sixteen years ago.

Southern Screen Festival was born out of a desire to create opportunities for local artists and filmmakers in Acadiana. “I pulled them all on to the board and started the Southern Screen Festival without knowing at all what I was doing,” Bordelon recalls. “Just trying to make a scene for us and for other artists and creatives.” In its 16th year, the festival will be held November 19-22, 2026. Learn more at Southern Screen.

Today, Southern Screen Festival has evolved into a year-round, multidisciplinary arts organization that extends far beyond its annual November festival. The organization now presents film screenings, workshops, networking mixers, writing programs, pop-up events, live podcasts, and music showcases designed to strengthen Louisiana’s creative economy and connect local artists with national industry professionals.

Southern Screen Festival has become one of Louisiana’s most respected independent arts festivals, attracting filmmakers, musicians, producers, writers, editors, and storytellers from around the world to downtown Lafayette every November. The four-day festival features international screenings, panels, workshops, live performances, parties, and filmmaker networking events designed to create what Bordelon calls “a festival for filmmakers and for artists.” The festival remains intentionally non-competitive, allowing filmmakers at every level to feel equally supported and accessible to one another.

Over the years, Southern Screen Festival has welcomed an impressive lineup of industry guests, including Tom Kenny, editor Javier Marcheselli of “Blade Runner 2049” and “Dune,” “Family Guy” writer and actor Alex Borstein, and producer Monty Ross of “Malcolm X.” Bordelon explains that Southern Screen Festival intentionally creates opportunities for festival attendees to interact directly with accomplished industry professionals in workshops and conversations without barriers or gatekeepers.

One of the festival’s newest expansions is particularly exciting for Acadiana’s growing animation community. Southern Screen Festival recently announced plans to partner with UL-Lafayette on a brand-new animation festival launching in April 2027. The event will feature curated animation screenings, educational panels, artist talks, and hands-on learning opportunities aimed at students, emerging creators, and animation fans of all ages. During the interview, Bordelon explains that the idea grew directly out of audience demand for more animation programming at Southern Screen Festival.

Southern Screen’s commitment to education also includes its expanding student film initiatives. The organization hosts student workshops and showcases for Acadiana students in grades six through twelve, encouraging young creatives to experiment with filmmaking while gaining exposure to professional industry environments. Bordelon also discussed her work through Create Louisiana, which provides grants, mentorship, and creative support to Louisiana filmmakers and artists statewide.

The episode also shines a spotlight on the rapid rise of the Baton Rouge Underground Film Festival, known as BRUFF. Launched in 2025 at Manship Theatre in downtown Baton Rouge, the festival sold out its inaugural year and immediately established itself as a major gathering point for Louisiana’s independent film community. The festival celebrates indie and genre-focused filmmaking while creating opportunities for networking, collaboration, and hands-on education.

Kelly Swift describes BRUFF as “a film festival for filmmakers by filmmakers,” with programming that intentionally supports student filmmakers, first-time directors, emerging artists, and seasoned professionals equally. Last year’s inaugural festival featured more than 50 independent films, educational panels, networking opportunities, workshops, and afterparties throughout downtown Baton Rouge. Organizers say one of the most rewarding aspects was watching filmmakers from Louisiana connect organically with artists visiting from Florida, Texas, Georgia, New York, California, and beyond.

This year, the Baton Rouge Underground Film Festival will be held from August 27 – 30, 2026. Festival passes start at $30, with full access available for $75. Visit BRUFF for more information.

Jenika Kolacz notes that BRUFF’s mission goes beyond screenings. “We really want to celebrate independent filmmaking as a whole,” she explains, emphasizing the importance of creating spaces where filmmakers can collaborate, share resources, and build careers together. The festival’s organizers also experimented this year with a free FilmFreeway submission day to eliminate financial barriers for filmmakers who might otherwise be unable to afford festival fees.

The guests also discuss the broader challenges facing Louisiana’s film industry, including fluctuating production levels, workforce sustainability, and the need to better support local filmmakers, not just outside productions utilizing Louisiana tax credits. “Those local filmmakers, those are the people we need to be supporting,” Bordelon says.

Despite the challenges, the episode is ultimately an optimistic look at Louisiana’s creative future. Whether through Southern Screen Festival’s expansion into animation and year-round programming, or BRUFF’s fast-growing grassroots momentum in Baton Rouge, all three guests emphasize the same goal: creating spaces where Louisiana filmmakers can collaborate, learn, experiment, and build sustainable creative careers right here at home.

Learn more about Southern Screen, Baton Rouge Underground Film Festival, Manship Theatre, and Create Louisiana.

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We welcome Lafayette’s own master of illusion, Devon Faul, one of Acadiana’s most captivating magicians. Devon is known for blending sleight of hand with a deep sense of showmanship to create experiences that leave audiences spellbound. From close-up moments to full stage performances, Devon brings a unique blend of creativity, humor, and heart to his craft.

We explore his journey into magic, the discipline required to master illusion, and the universal connection he creates through wonder and surprise.

The Universal Language of WonderDevon says that people of all ages speak the universal language of wonder and awe. In today’s world, he believes many people don’t get that feeling as often as they used to because everyone’s kind of in survival mode. Magic, for him, is a way to reach out to people in a universal way and give them a feeling that they haven’t had before, one that reaches you on a deeper level. Magic for Devon is “the human condition, psychology, philosophy, struggles, triumph.”

Day Job at StullerDevon’s day job is work at Stuller, the largest jewelry manufacturer and distributor in North America headquartered in Lafayette. He calls it “kind of a dream,” explaining that they take people seriously and foster an environment where employees “feel like you can be a person. I’m super lucky to be working with them.”

How Magic Began: “A Place of Vulnerability”Devon began devoloping his magic craft at age ten years of age, but not in the traditional way. He didn’t get hooked by a magic kit or a grandparent pulling a coin from behind his ear. Instead, he says “it actually started because my dad was in the oil field, so we moved a lot”—Wyoming, Louisiana, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Texas.”

“I was always the weird, quiet, out-of-state kid. You know, Wyoming people are very different than Louisiana people, who are very different from Virginia people. It’s like their own countries. Each state is its own territory.” Frequent moves and feeling out of place led to bullying: “People want to tear down that which they do not understand.”

As a ten-year-old, he imagined that maybe people wouldn’t bully him “if I had superpowers, if I could become Superman.” Magic became “the closest thing to superpowers,” a way to bridge gaps, build confidence, and connect.

Early Magic: Cards, Psychology, and PossibilitiesDevon started with card tricks, “kind of everyone’s entry point.” He explained that card magic involves numbers, memory, psychology, and timing. “It’s getting used to handling a deck of cards just like any tool.”

He shares one of the mathematical realities that inspired him: If you shuffle a 52-card deck, “no deck has ever been in that exact order, and statistically, no deck in the future ever will be.” The concept mesmerized him: “It’s math, science and statistics and psychology.”

“You get into, like, this weird area of random knowledge. For example, if you have a deck of 52 cards, figure out numerically how many possibilities are on a deck of cards. It is mathematically 52 factorial, which is 52 times 51 times 50, all the way down to one. Which means if you shuffle a deck of cards in the history of a deck of cards, no deck has ever been in that exact order. And statistically, no deck in the future ever will be in that exact order. It is a deck of cards and magic, but it’s also math, science and statistics. So, you start off with card tricks and then you branch into anything and everything from there.”

Rejecting Gimmicks: “I Pride Myself on My Sleight of Hand”While some magicians use trick decks, Devon says, “I pride myself on my sleight of hand. I don’t ever want to be reliant on any kind of apparatus. That’s not magic.” He wants spectators to be able to inspect anything he uses.

“Magic will come for those who seek it. I’ve always told people I don’t have any special capabilities that anyone else can’t develop. I just put in the time, the energy and the effort. Everyone wants the view from the top of the mountain, but very few people want to actually climb the mountain. And so it’s the destination, but it’s also more so the journey. So once you get the knack for cards and you develop that dexterity, then you see other things that are maybe more visual.”

Learning Through YouTube and PersistenceDevon began learning magic through YouTube “when I was like 9 or 10.” Some tricks came easily; others took relentless practice. “The cool thing about magic is that it kind of compounds a little bit… it builds the dexterity in your hand to then be able to do something totally different.”

Beyond Cards: Ropes, Coins, Rings, and MentalismDevon performs with cards, coins, rings, ropes, and also does mentalism—“reading minds.” He studied reading systems and even tarot, not spiritually, but “as a way to understand it for what it is.”

He notes that ancient magicians, including shamans and the oracle at Delphi, used magic to bring people spiritual well-being and peace of mind, much like the psychological effects we recognize today.

Magic as a Fine ArtDevon believes magic belongs alongside poetry, storytelling, and painting. “Magic is so pervasive through human history,” he says, describing innovators like Jean Eugene Robert-Houdin and the famed Light and Heavy Chest illusion. “The effect would be that the magician might be able to lift the box. But when the box is set back down, no other spectator could lift it. Or maybe a child could lift it, but no adult could.“ This magician has been rumored to have stopped a violent revolt in Algeria that threatened to erupt into a full-scale war with France. In 1856, the French government commissioned him to perform his magic for Algerian tribal chiefs, who were being incited to rebellion by religious leaders claiming magical powers. Houdin’s show of superior illusion, including catching a bullet and the light and heavy chest trick, demoralized the rival magicians and quelled the uprising.

Defining Magic: “Perception Is Reality”Devon sees magic as the art of altering perception: “Magic is about perception… because perception is reality.”

While science says matter cannot be created or destroyed, “a magician pulls a coin out of thin air.” The illusion forces us to confront the gap between what is real and what seems real.

Close-Up, Parlor, Stage, and SpecializationDevon explains that magicians often specialize in:

• Close-Up — his specialty
• Parlor
• Stage magic (Criss Angel, David Copperfield)
• Escapism
• Mentalism

He prefers close-up and parlor for the “intimacy” they create.

Silent Magic: Lessons from TellerDevon admires Penn & Teller. Teller doesn’t speak because “he found that the magic would speak for itself.” Devon notes that magicians unconsciously build misdirection into speech patterns, but Teller proves that “you could say absolutely nothing and let the magic speak for itself.”

At 28: “Overwhelming, but in the Best Way”Devon loves connecting with people: “We all have stories… we’re like screaming, this is me, this is who I am.”

Magic allows him to meet people and share meaningful experiences, because “none of us make it out alive… we’re all in the same playing field.”

His signature maroon velvet suit and handlebar mustache? It’s intentional: “I love the vaudeville style of magic.”

And yes—he wears velvet suit to work: “Oh, absolutely.”

“Being a Magician Is a Mindset”Devon says: “Being a magician is not necessarily just a career choice… It’s a mindset.”

A magician is “someone who creates their universe,” seeks knowledge, solves problems from new angles, and explores what is “possible versus impossible.”

Magic teaches him to “tear open the fabric of reality for just a split second.”

Magic in the Workplace: Connecting PeopleDevon explains that magic at corporate events can make “two people who have been working together for ten years and just never seen each other” suddenly bond. Magic creates conversations that lead to genuine connection. “Magic speaks to everyone… it’s arguably unmatched in that regard.”

Hypnosis: A Surprising First AttemptDevon once hypnotized his cousin after practicing from YouTube tutorials. Her hand stuck to the wall—so convincingly that “the genuine look of concern in her eyes told me, oh wait, this might be real.”

When he released her, “you could hear the sound of her hand coming off the wall.” She told him, “my brain was telling my hand to move and it wouldn’t respond.”

He explains that hypnosis is misunderstood but real, sharing examples like highway hypnosis while driving and gut-level decisions.

Magic’s Origins in Misdirection and ThieveryDevon discusses how the same psychological tools magicians use were once used by pickpockets and con artists. He references a historic painting depicting the cups and balls trick—“the oldest trick in the book”—where someone is performing magic while a thief steals a nearby spectator’s purse.”
“In the ancient times of the Pharaoh, slaves would do magic tricks to distract the Pharaoh while others would sneak in and steal food. Some of the oldest magic tricks were removing the head of a goose and then reattaching it. And then the goose would walk or fly away.”

Devon also discussed a modern day master of deception, Apollo Robbins, who is one of the world’s leading experts on pickpockets and confidence crimes. Robbins made national news as the man who pick-pocketed the Secret Service while entertaining former U.S. president Jimmy Carter. He uses pick-pocketing and sleight-of-hand to demonstrate proximity manipulation, diversion techniques and attention control. Devon explained the science behind misdirection used by magicians: “There’s this little guy in your head and he’s running the security cameras and he sees everything, but he still has blind spots. You can only take in so much information at one time, and you don’t know what you don’t know. You can’t see what you can’t see. So there are times where if you’re looking here, something is happening elsewhere, or I’m setting something up in ten minutes, but because you don’t know what’s happening, you don’t know that me rubbing my nose is going to be something that helps me in like ten minutes. So there is like a core tool set, psychology.”

Visit https://devonfaul.com/ or call 337-366-2014 to contact Devon Faul.

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Our guest is Teri Dupuy-Gore, Executive Director of Hub Lafayette Urban Ministries, a Christ-centered outreach serving our neighbors experiencing homelessness, chronic poverty, hunger, and difficult life transitions.

Teri shares how The Hub and its Lovewell Center at 1515 W. University Avenue in Lafayette, create a place to be present in our community and love people right where they are, offering not only practical resources but dignity, relationship, and restored hope.

The Lovewell Center: Eat Well, Dress Well, Style Well, Smell WellTeri explains that Hub Lafayette Urban Ministries “actually unifies two separate ministries,” and that this conversation focuses on The Lovewell Center at 1515 W. University

Within the Lovewell, members access four resource “stores”:

• Eat Well – “kind of like a Walmart where you can get toothpaste, toilet paper, nonperishable canned goods, things of that nature… like a mini Walmart.”
• Dress Well – gently-used men’s and women’s clothing: “belts, shoes, pants, coats… new socks and new underwear… gently used backpacks.”
• Style Well – “where you get your hair cut by a licensed beautician or barber.”
• Smell Well – “our six stackable commercial washers and dryers so you can wash your clothes.”

All of these resources are available to members of the Lovewell Center.

Membership & the Points System: “A hand up, not a hand out”Becoming a member is intentionally simple: “To be a member, you simply have to walk in and say, hey, I want to be a member. There’s no criteria.”

When someone joins, the team takes basic information: name, phone number (if they have one), address (or notes if they’re living on the streets), and next of kin — “because we want to become your family… we want to be your family anyway.” New members “automatically get 20 points for just joining us.”

The Lovewell uses a points system instead of cash so people can actively participate in their own progress: “You earn points by taking classes because we believe in healing and helping yourself… or you’d bring us your check stub from a job that you have now.”

Teri explains that this model is particularly powerful “for people who are struggling in chronic poverty, because we can help you offset the cost of everyday life without using money, but using points… you get to make decisions.” Members can choose to “earn points and store them up, or earn points and spend them,” and that freedom is central to their approach:

“We instill dignity and value in you… it’s a beautiful, beautiful opportunity for us to be able to be present in our community and love people right where they are.”

Classes that Heal Broken RelationshipsAt the heart of Lovewell are the classes that help people earn points and, more importantly, work toward inner healing:

“Our classes are geared around broken relationships that we feel everyone has or will have — a broken relationship with God, a broken relationship with yourself, a broken relationship with others, or a broken relationship with creation. So our classes are all geared around healing in those areas.”

Classes typically run for eight weeks and meet for one hour, once a week. Facilitators are often people who have personally wrestled with the same issues they’re teaching about:

“I may overcome something and say, I would love to teach this class… using the experiences that I have and the healing that I’ve received… and share that with others. Giving them hope.”

Communication classes are a key example: “For some of our members… it’s very natural to have a confrontational conversation. It’s not natural to scale that down to where it is speaking truth with grace. It’s usually just truth in your face.”

The goal is to help everyone “have a voice and be heard” in “a polite and generous way.” Teri calls these classes “really the heart of the Lovewell Center” and “the heart of the mission of The Hub.”

She sums up their mission this way: “Our mission statement is, “We’re on a mission to offer everyone in our city access to restored life. And we believe in what we call the four R’s: Rescue, Relationships, Resources and Recovery.”

Community Meals & Daily PresenceThe Lovewell Center is open Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday from 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., with the yard open from 9:00 a.m. to 4:35 p.m.

For neighbors experiencing homelessness, it’s a safe place simply to belong: “If our friends experiencing homelessness need a place to go, they come and hang out with us, because they are wanted and belong.”

Every Tuesday night a community meal is offerred “Every Tuesday night we have community meal, which means we all get together and eat dinner together. Anyone in the community is invited… We start at 6:00 and we’re usually finished by 7:15–7:30 p.m.”

From 6:00–6:25 p.m., there are large-group activities — bingo, class time, or worship — and if you participate in those events as big group events, you earn ten points for that.”

Teri shares that on Tuesday nights they see 125–150 people, and during the day they have “90 to 100 people every day” coming through for services, community, and support.

Philosophy: “A hand up, not a hand out”Teri is deeply intentional about not harming the people they serve: “The core of the program is about empowering people through relationships to see themselves the way Christ sees them and to empower them to be all that God has called them to be.”

She speaks candidly about common pitfalls in helping: “In a world of ministry where we all feel called to give, at some point giving hurts. We then take from the person and we steal their dignity and their value because we want to do for them what they can do for themselves.” That’s why she describes The Hub’s posture as, “We are a hand up, not a hand out. We are not there to be sympathetic, we are there to be empathetic. We want to sit in it with you and encourage you and remind you that you’re not alone.”

How You Can HelpHub Lafayette Urban Ministries is 100% funded by donations by individuals, churches, grants, and in-kind gifts. Teri says: “Money is always welcome. It keeps the lights on. It keeps the coffee in the pots. It allows us to keep food on the shelves.”

They also always need physical donations, especially:

• Canned soups and “top-protein” items
• Easy-open foods like beanie-weenies, tuna, pocket snacks
• Toilet paper and full-size toothpaste
• New men’s and women’s underwear (“men’s underwear… tagless colored brief boxers or they don’t leave the shelf”)

Meals for Tuesday night community dinners and Wednesday morning breakfasts are donated and served by volunteers, including local partners and cooks like Kent Zerangue, who prepares “the most fabulous meal ever from homemade ice cream… and shrimp stew.”

Teri emphasizes that everyone can do something: “Not everyone has the capacity to donate money. Not everyone has the capacity to donate their time… But everyone has the capacity to pray. Everyone has the capacity to pass on the word.”

For more information on donating, volunteering, providing meals, or inviting Teri to speak, listeners can visit Hub Lafayette Urban Ministries at https://www.hublafayette.org/or connect via Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/thehuburbanministrieslafayette or their Instagram page at https://www.instagram.com/thehublafayette/?hl=en

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Discover Lafayette welcomes Kent Zerangue, the founder of Food With Love, “a heart centered ministry of Hospice of Acadiana” that he first began in July 2017 when he offered to cook for a former classmate whose son had been diagnosed with a brain bleed.

Kent had retired in March of 2017 with plans to open a catering business, but he experienced an epiphany that overshadowed any need to make money. He shares in our interview how his parents were devout followers of Jesus Christ and consistently demonstrated love to their family, neighbors, and community through their actions in helping and praying for others.

Kent’s culinary journey with Hospice of Acadiana was jumpstarted by a simple meal of shrimp and okra gumbo. When he was 18, a neighbor’s daughter was diagnosed with leukemia. The young woman loved the delicious shrimp and okra gumbo Kent’s mom would make, and he said, “I can still see my mom walking through the thick St. Augustine grass to bring Debra her shrimp and okra gumbo, and more importantly, to be present for a family in need.” Fast forward years later when Kent’s dad was in hospice care and a family friend came over with “shrimp and okra gumbo. The comfort that meal delivered was indescribable. This gumbo filled my stomach, but more importantly, this meal—this simple act of bringing food—placed unspeakable joy in my heart during a most difficult time.” Kent knew his retirement plans had to change. He decided to put aside notions of making a profit and begin cooking for families in need.

Since then, Food with Love has grown dramatically in its outreach, mobilizing volunteers to prepare and deliver “delicious, comforting, home cooked meals to patients and their families,” providing nourishment, dignity, and what Kent describes as “a tangible that our community cares about.”

Kent Zerangue assisted a longtime friend, Claire from his school days, when her 34-year old son was diagnosed with a brain bleed. He provided meals for the family while her son was in treatment in Houston. Kent shared that afterward, he began cooking for other families in need. By the end of his first year in cooking service, several other families were added to the food chain. When he saw Claire in person for the first time in 40 years she said “Kent, you are providing food with love!” Thus the name of the ministry was born.

From One Family to 135 FamiliesKent began by cooking for one family, and within months, support and demand grew:

• “Over the first six months, we ended up with ten families.”
• His early recipients included “ALS patients… terminally ill, long term Parkinson’s.”
• “None of them were in hospice care. They just knew that I was cooking.”

By February 2018, Kent approached Hospice of Acadiana to officially offer meals:
“I kind of got my sea legs under me a little bit. And then they started giving me families.” By the end of 2018, he served about 60 families.

Today, Food With Love serves about 135 families, preparing approximately 800 meals a week. The simple, profound message is “Jesus loves you. Jesus has always loved you. Jesus will never abandon you.“

The Move From His Backyard to a Commercial KitchenFor over 7 years, Kent cooked from his backyard commercial kitchen. Volunteers arrived naturally—
“I had this lady call me one day…‘I’ve been watching you for about a year… Can I come volunteer?’ I didn’t even know I needed a volunteer.”

Eventually he approached then-CEO Kacee Thompson of Hospice of Acadiana: “Do we want food with love to be something that continues for the long term? Her response was, “Absolutely.” She later called him saying, “Are you ready to start fundraising?” A space had become available on the side of Hospice of Acadiana, on the corner of Johnston and Christopher Street. Kent shared: “In less than 11 weeks, we had raised $1 million.”

The kitchen is now fully paid for, USDA-approved, and equipped with the finest of equipment.

On the day we recorded our podcast, Kent shared: “Today we cooked loaded baked potato soup. 40 gallons of it. And we will put it in individual meals tomorrow. We had 18 volunteers in the kitchen this morning helping cook bacon. We cooked 25 pounds of bacon and potatoes just to get the soup ready.

We’re going to bag it, put it in bags, vacuum seal it, label it, freeze it. And then what a family does when they receive it, when they’re ready to eat it, put it in hot water, boil it for about five minutes and it’s ready to eat.

Volunteer-Powered MinistryFood With Love has about 115 volunteers:

• “Half of those volunteers work in the kitchen.”
• “The other half, our delivery angels… visit, they pray with… They build this relationship with families.”

Volunteers handle everything from chopping and baking to making ice cream.

Kent emphasized the spiritual dimension: “No one thinks that they own it because it doesn’t belong to any of us. It’s his. It’s God’s.”

What They CookKent cooks the foods he loves:

• “We make a lot of soups.”
• “Spaghetti and meat sauce.”
• “Lasagna.”
• “All of the stews.”
• “Fish courtbouillon.”
• Seasonal desserts like “fig cakes” (or “apple cakes” when figs are scarce).

For Christmas:
“We make them a full plate lunch… rice dressing, the pork and all the sides.”

Food with Love’s beloved spaghetti is named Sadie Spaghetti and Meat Sauce, honoring Sadie, a teen whose hospice story is included in his book. Sadie loved Kent’s spaghetti sauce and insisted on eating only Kent’s version. (He did admit to adding brown sugar to the concoction!) Now, Kent says, “When I visit new families, I bring then Sadie’s spaghetti….I share her life, her purpose, and her journey home. Sadie’s mom insists: “Kent, never stop telling Sadie’s story. It keeps her alive.”

Funding Food With LoveKent said, “For the first four years, my wife and I paid for the food costs.” As the ministry grew, Hospice of Acadiana began supporting food expenses. Community donors and partners like David Puckett of Café Sydnie Mae have also played a major role. Food costs now total $50,000 to $60,000 per year. Kent explained, “It’s important to me that the community backs what we do monetarily, because it helps Hospice of Acadiana to be able to supply this God driven mission.” And of course, beyond food, there are costs for bags, equipment repairs, utilities, insurance, and more.

Becoming a Volunteer or DonorTo volunteer:

• “First of all, I point people to our Food With Love Facebook page.”
• Contact Hospice of Acadiana volunteer services.
• Kent also invites people to call him directly: (425) 894-2723

To donate:

• “You can donate online at Hospice of Acadiana… there’s a pull down menu where you can direct the funds to Food with Love.”

Father Howard Blessing is an active participant in Food with Love, and offers last rites for Hospice of Acadiana patients.Kent Zerangue wrote and published Holy Moments on the Journey Home: Food With Love Stories, a book that honors hospice families and highlights “insights about holiness at the end of life while emphasizing the importance of being present to the sick and dying.” All profits benefit Food With Love. You can purchase a copy for $20 at Hospice of Acadiana, Cafe Sydnie Mae in Breaux Bridge, or on Amazon here.

Kent’s Life, Faith, and InfluencesKent wakes daily at 3:30 a.m., spending two hours in prayer before starting his day:
“My own relationship with Jesus and my prayer time.” He cherishes his grandchildren, loves sports, and is always thinking about food.

Kent also shared deep admiration for his cousin, Father Floyd Calais, saying, “He was just the holiest of priests. The people’s priest. He was there for all of us.” There is a full chapter about him in Kent’s book.

What Food With Love Needs MostKent was clear about the ministry’s greatest need: “I need more delivery angels.”Not every one is a cook, but you can still help. He also explained the importance of prayer during visits: “Because when you pray with people, your relationship changes.” And he encourages volunteers not to fear the prayer aspect: “Don’t let that stop you. God has a plan for you. And it might be being a delivery angel. And we will help you with the prayer.”

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Chanda Rubin – From Carencro to World Tennis StardomThis special episode of Discover Lafayette features an archival interview with Lafayette’s own Chanda Rubin, one of the greatest athletes to emerge from our community. Originally recorded in 2014 for Upper Lafayette on the Move, this conversation revisits Chanda’s remarkable journey—from a young girl learning to hit tennis balls against a chain-link fence in her family’s backyard to becoming a top-ten player in the world.

Growing up in Carencro, Chanda was inspired by her parents, Judge Ed Rubin and Bernadette Rubin, who built a tennis court behind their home. What began as family recreation soon revealed Chanda’s natural talent and determination. By age seven, she was competing in tournaments; by her early teens, she was winning national titles. Her first tournament at Thomas Park may have ended in defeat, but it lit the fire that propelled her forward.

Balancing her education at Episcopal School of Acadiana (ESA) with a burgeoning professional tennis career, Chanda turned pro at just fifteen. Despite traveling the world, she remained committed to academics—so much so that she skipped the French Open to graduate from high school with her class. Later, after retiring from professional tennis, Chanda earned her degree from Harvard University, embodying her lifelong belief in perseverance and education.

Rubin is a member of the Louisiana Tennis Hall of Fame and USTA’s Southern Tennis Hall of Fame, and is a respected spokesperson for her sport locally and globally.

Ranked as high as No. 6 in the world in singles in 1996, Chanda competed on the biggest stages, Wimbledon, the U.S. Open, the French Open, and the Australian Open, facing tennis legends such as Serena Williams, Steffi Graf, Monica Seles, and Martina Hingis. She is one of the few Louisiana natives to have made it on the pro tennis circuit. Her career was defined not just by victories, but by the resilience and focus that continue to shape her success today.

Chanda Rubin is a member of the Louisiana Tennis Hall of Fame and USTA’s Southern Tennis Hall of Fame. She captured a Grand Slam win in doubles at the Australian Open, as well as a Wimbledon Juniors singles crown at the age of 16. Chanda compiled a career singles record of 399-254 and was ranked as high as No. 6 in the world in April 1996. She ended her pro career in 2006, finishing with seven WTA singles titles and 10 doubles crowns.

Chanda also served three terms on the USTA Board of Directors as an elite athlete representative and is a familiar face in tennis broadcasting, providing commentary at Grand Slam events.

Chanda remains passionate about education, mentorship, and giving back to the community through motivational speaking and youth outreach. Her story reflects discipline, balance, and a deep appreciation for the lessons that sports and education impart.

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Today we shine a spotlight on Louisiana Grass Roots, a compelling new documentary produced by Dr. Phyllis Baudoin Griffard and directed by Jillian Godshall. This film captures the voices of everyday Louisianians working to preserve our state’s environmental and cultural heritage, highlighting powerful grassroots movements shaping our future.

Jillian and Phyllis join us to share the inspiration behind the documentary, the stories that moved them most, and why community-driven action matters now more than ever.

This episode is also special on a personal note—Jan Swift’s daughter, Kelly, who works in the film industry at the Manship Theater, made this introduction. Even though we all live and work in the same region, this documentary brought us together in a way that highlights what community truly means in South Louisiana.

About the Filmmakers – In Their Own Words

Director Jillian Godshall began by expressing gratitude for the local connection that made this collaboration possible.

“I am a filmmaker. I’m also an educator. I’ve been doing both for over 15 years at this point. It’s taken me all over the world. I’m really glad to be here in Lafayette doing that work as well.”

Her background is deeply rooted in documentary storytelling: “My background in filmmaking is mostly in documentary filmmaking. I’ve worked on big budget, large scale reality TV show stuff—don’t tell anyone—and all the way down to where I feel most comfortable now, which is working on smaller-scale independent projects, having more of the creative leadership role, directing and being super involved in every aspect of production.”

Jillian also teaches video editing to incarcerated students through an organization called The Last Mile: “I currently teach video editing to incarcerated students… and work with Phyllis, hang out with Phyllis, plant plants with Phyllis.”

Producer Dr. Phyllis Baudoin Griffard shared her deep Louisiana roots and her global experience in science education: “I’m from Lafayette originally, grew up all over the South… I got a degree from USL in zoology and then went off to graduate school in biochemistry. I came back to Louisiana and started teaching at Xavier University, and I knew then that’s what I wanted to do.”

Phyllis’ work has always focused on connecting people to the land and ecology around them:

“Even as a biologist and teaching university students, I always was looking for local examples and to reconnect students outside the textbook to the biology that’s in their own backyard.”

She emphasized the importance of place in identity: “When I came home, I heard French, I heard the music—you can really connect to this place.”

The Origin of Louisiana Grass Roots: A Story Rooted in Place, Memory, and Rediscovery

Jillian and Phyllis did not come together through a traditional film industry channel; they were united through a local experience that awakened something deeper. Phyllis explains that after returning to Lafayette and connecting with the Acadiana Master Naturalist Program, she began to understand the importance of the Cajun Prairie through firsthand fieldwork.

“One of the topics is about the Cajun prairie… I had learned about the prairie, and I knew about it more from when we lived in Texas, because the people in and around Houston just ooh and ah about the prairie scientists we have over here: Larry Allen, Charles Allen and Malcolm Vidrine, who discovered what they have since called the Cajun Prairie. 2.5 million acres. Most of Southwest Louisiana was part of this prairie, which only less than 1% exists today.”

It was during a field trip with the Master Naturalists that she crossed paths with Jillian:

“I led one of the field trips and found out that Jill was a filmmaker, and I happened to say, ‘Oh, I just finished doing a film, The Quiet Cajuns, with Conni Castille.’ And her ears perked up and she said, ‘Well, I think we should make a film about the prairie.’”

Within two days, Jillian reached out to move the idea forward. It wasn’t a casual suggestion—it became a movement.

Funding the Vision: Community as Catalyst

Unlike many documentaries dependent on outside institutions, Louisiana Grassroots was made possible by local belief in the story.

Jillian said: “We were filming this project for over two years and had such incredible support from people along the way to make it possible. It’s one of the better-funded small projects I’ve worked on, in large part because of the support of the community, because of Phyllis’ know-how and ability to communicate these ideas to the average person.”

Phyllis detailed those early grant efforts: “The first grant we got was from the Acadiana Center for the Arts. We convinced them that we have this natural heritage around us that most of us, just because of modern life, are very disconnected from. We don’t really know what the land was like, what the people did there… and yet the reason our music and food are the way they are is because of the characteristics of the prairie and the bayous.”

A still from Louisiana Grass Roots, shared by Director Jillian GodshallShe emphasized the artistic power needed to reach people:“You need powerful art to communicate big ideas. The visual.”

Additional support came from Atchafalaya National Heritage Area, Louisiana Native Plant Society, UL-Lafayette Foundation, and Cajun Prairie Habitat Preservation Society. “The Cajun Prairie Habitat Preservation Society got us to the finish line to finish production.”

Revealing a Vanishing Landscape: The Cajun Prairie as Cultural Ancestry

The film explores a truth many Louisianians are completely unaware of: our Cajun and Creole identity—our music, food, language, even the way our ancestors lived—is rooted in the prairie ecosystem that once covered southwest Louisiana.

Phyllis explains: “We are so proud of the music and the food that really make us who we are here. And yet the reason that they’re the way they are is because of the characteristics of the prairie and the bayous, the history of the people is the way it is because of the way the land is.”

Photo of a goldenrod in a still from Louisiana Grass Roots, courtesy of Director Jillian GodshallThe prairie is largely invisible now; not because it disappeared naturally, but because it was converted to agriculture due to its incredibly fertile soil.

“That’s why we’ve lost the prairies, because it was such good agricultural land.” Jillian reflected on the challenge of visually capturing something that is mostly gone: “In many ways it’s invisible to the eye… a lot of what makes the plants in the prairie so ecologically beneficial is also invisible because it’s happening under the soil.”

Jillian spent extensive time in the field not just filming, but learning: “I spent a tremendous amount of time with a camera, but more as a way to research and understand what was happening.”

Capturing What Was Lost – And What Can Be Reclaimed

One of the greatest challenges in producing Louisiana Grassroots was visualizing something that no longer exists in its original form. The Cajun Prairie, once 2.5 million acres spanning southwest Louisiana, is now less than 1% intact.

To bring this hidden world to life, the filmmakers employed creativity and collaboration.

“We were able to use animation to depict some of those invisible scientific processes, and we used a lot of archival footage to paint a picture of what the land was like and what the culture was like.”

They also incorporated footage from the 1990s documentary Wildflowers of the Cajun Prairie by filmmaker Pat Muir: “It features many of the scientists who now, 30 years later, are in our film. To be able to include his footage from the original film was really special.”

Phyllis points to these scientists, such as Dr. Malcolm Vidrine and Dr. Charles Allen, as the original visionaries: “They were really the ones who were able to communicate why it’s important, why it’s a significant part of our local cultural heritage, and they’re still doing that to this day.”

Hope Instead of Doom: Telling an Environmental Story Differently

Rather than present an environmental crisis narrative rooted in despair, Louisiana Grass Roots uplifts viewers by highlighting those actively restoring the land.

Phyllis said of Jillian: “When you see that something is disappearing, there’s that sense of doom, and Jill’s work is about environmental commitment and stewardship. How do you convey the seriousness and urgency without a sense of doom? She does that by saying, yes, these are important things, and look at the people who are doing something about it.”

Jillian affirmed the intention behind this filmmaking approach: “Filmmaking is the pinnacle of art mediums because it’s so immersive… you’re seeing and hearing and feeling and going along on a journey. It can be used for both good and bad. It’s always been really important to me to use it as a tool for positive change.”

Jillian emphasized her goal: “I don’t want to contribute to this feeling of doom and gloom… I would hope that all of us are able to appreciate the landscapes that surround us enough to want to be inspired to be involved in saving them and protecting them and celebrating them.”

Film as Education, Film as Transformation

The impact of Louisiana Grass Roots is not merely informational—it is transformational. Phyllis shared a definition that guided her vision: “The definition of learning is that the quality of your experience of the world changes. If the world doesn’t look different after you studied, then you probably haven’t really learned anything.”

That transformation begins with awareness. “When you drive down the road, you see fields or pasture and almost no one calls that prairie. But that’s what it is. My goal was that when you drive down the road, your eyes now see prairie.”

Jillian shared her personal transformation in making the film: “Making this film helped me feel really grounded here. I’ve installed a 20 by 20 little pocket prairie in my yard. My children help me take care of those plants. It’s become part of my life.”

Phyllis took it even further, restoring 30 acres of family land: “Steve Nevitt said, ‘I can tell this wants to be prairie again.’ When you become an expert in something, your world looks different.”

The Cajun Prairie is not only an ecological treasure; it shaped the culture, music, and identity of Acadiana. This documentary honors the people who carry those traditions forward.

Jillian shared how meaningful it was to include musicians and culture bearers whose artistry springs from the land itself: “We filmed with Geno Delafose and that was really special. His family members have been cattle ranchers for generations, and he is the first in his family to have been able to buy the land that he’s working cattle on. His music is in large part shaped by the land that his family has been working for generations.

The film also features Grammy-nominated musician Blake Miller of The Revelers: “He is the son of the prairie himself. It felt very special to be able to include him in the project, as well as Megan Constantin.”

Phyllis reflected on the deep connection between land, heritage, and identity in South Louisiana:

The prairie is also a story of many peoples, not just one label: “We’ve lumped everything together as Cajun, but we have Indigenous heritage, African American heritage, Creole heritage, Irish, Scottish, German — we’re a blend. Most of us are mutts. And the land shaped all of us.”

Indigenous Knowledge & The Power of Fire

One of the most powerful lessons from Louisiana Grass Roots comes from Indigenous stewardship practices, shared by Dr. Jeffrey Darensbourg: “The land, when it was being managed by Indigenous practices, was actively being managed. We think of wilderness, but they were very aware of how to manage the land in a way that was sustainable.” This includes fire — a natural and necessary part of prairie ecology. One of the big drivers of prairie health and restoration were prescribed burns. When you burn, you bring up fresh growth which brings in more bison. We grew up with Smokey the Bear, but those burns have been critical.”

The documentary reframes our understanding of “wild land,” showing that nature thrives when people work with it, not against it.

Where the Prairie Lives Today

Phyllis shares where remnants of the Cajun Prairie can still be found: “The biggest tracts are south of Lake Charles. Some are on railroad rights-of-way, because mowing and burning for maintenance accidentally mimicked natural prairie processes.” And on private family lands: “There are lots of families who have acreage. Maybe the land is no longer farmed, and they can get federal support to restore prairie ecosystems. It builds soil and has benefits for farmers.”

How the Film Was Made

Jillian described the painstaking work of capturing a lost landscape: “Lists and lists and sleepless nights… I like to have a good plan, but you need to be flexible because you’re documenting real life.”

The film took more than two years, with over 30 hours of footage edited down to 28 minutes:

“We worked with a wonderful local editor, R. J. Comeaux… he did an amazing job.” Louisina Grass Roots was filmed locally with an all local crew.

• Directed by Jillian Godshall
• Produced by Dr. Phyllis Baudoin Griffard
• Featuring Geno Delafose, Megan Constantin, Dr. Jeffery Darensbourg, Dr. Charles Allen, Dr. Malcolm Vidrine, Larry Allain, and Steve Nevitt.
• Director of Photography Rush Jagoe
• Additional Camera Drake LeBlanc and Jillian Godshall
• Drone André Daugereaux
• Sound Jillian Godshall and Rachel Nederveld
• Swing/G&E Drake LeBlanc
• Associate Producer Rachel Nederveld
• Production Assistant Maggie Russo
• Editor and Colorist RJ Comeaux
• Post Production Supervisor Allison Bohl Dehart
• Animation Camille Broussard
• Archival Footage Pat Mire
• Score Blake Miller
• Additional Music Geno Delafose
• Supported by Acadiana Center for the Arts, Cajun Prairie Habitat Preservation Society, Atchafalaya National Heritage Area, Louisiana Native Plant Society, University of Louisiana at Lafayette Foundation, Acadiana Native Plant Project

Screenings & How to Watch

The documentary has already been shown to enthusiastic audiences across Acadiana — from Vermilionville to Moncus Park — often alongside seed-collecting and restoration events:

“By the end of the year, we will have screened the film 20 times.”

Upcoming screenings include:

• NUNU Collective, Arnaudville — November 14
• Southern Screen Film Festival — Mid-November
• Crowley Forum —

The film is currently touring community screenings, with future plans to stream online and enter schools and libraries. There are also plans for curriculum pieces and educational video modules. . If you are interested in having the 30-min film screened in your area, please contact Dr. Griffard at ourlouisianabio@gmail.com. Follow the project for updates: Instagram & Facebook: Louisiana Grass Roots

Final Reflections

This documentary is not simply about plants — it is about place, identity, and stewardship.

Phyllis said it beautifully: “The definition of learning is that the quality of your experience of the world changes.” Jillian added: “I hope all of us are able to appreciate the landscapes that surround us enough to be inspired to protect them and celebrate them.”

Dr. Phyllis Baudoin Griffard and Jillian Godshall

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Heidi McDonald and Jason Stoner, the passionate duo behind Foodies of Lafayette and the Lafayette Community Fridge Program, join Discover Lafayette. Their mission blends a love for local restaurants with compassion for those facing food insecurity — all while promoting dignity, kindness, and connection within the Lafayette community.

The Origin of Foodies of LafayetteHeidi McDonald founded Foodies of Lafayette as a Facebook group to celebrate good restaurants and people in the region, with one caveat — no negativity allowed. “I basically have two careers at this point,” she shared. “I don’t think that I fully comprehended in the beginning what it could be, what that impact could be. Jason came on board early on and made me see some things that I didn’t — just how it could grow, the organicness of the friendships that were happening and the power behind that.”

With over 112,000 followers at the time of recording this interview (and 113,700 a week later), Foodies of Lafayette has become a true culinary movement that uplifts both local restaurants and the people who enjoy them.

The Birth of the Lafayette Community FridgeThe Lafayette Community Fridge Program came under Foodies’ umbrella in late 2024. Jason explained, “The Lafayette Community Fridge was started in 2021 by another group of individuals. By the end of last year, only a couple of people were left, and Erinn Quinn, reached out to us and said, ‘Hey, would you like to take this over as a Foodies thing?’”

Jason admitted he felt an instant calling: “I really wanted to take this on. Heidi let me have it. I said, ‘I’ll handle most of the work, but I really want this.’ So she allowed me to have this baby, and it’s dear to me.”

Through Foodies’ reputation and community reach, people came forward to help. Jason said, “One of our first needs was to collect $30 a month for the electricity at McMillan’s Pub to run the utilities for the fridge. We don’t want Robin to come out of her pocket. We need to provide that. We had so many people donating that $30 and they’re like, how much do you need? Some would say, here’s six months. That paid us through 2026.“

How the Fridge WorksThe Lafayette Community Fridge has two locations — at McMillan’s Pub (2905 East Simcoe) in Lafayette and T-Boy’s in Abbeville. It is open 24/7 to anyone who needs food or wishes to contribute. And it is not just food that is needed; the sites also need power, regular maintenance, and clean outs.

Jason described how restaurants donate fresh, ready-to-eat meals rather than just shelf-stable goods. “There’s so much waste,” he said. “Why can’t we just be a little more efficient with organizing where it goes instead of the trash can?”

He praised Toby and Joey Lagneaux, owners of Lagneaux’s, for stepping up early: “We’ve got a lot of food coming off the buffet daily. Toby said, ‘Absolutely. We’ve been throwing it away. I would rather it go somewhere.’”

To keep meals safe, Taylor’s International donated 6,000 three-compartment Styrofoam containers, and Seth Randall of Logic Refrigeration provided a double commercial fridge. “No one touches the food between Lagneaux’s and the fridge,” Jason emphasized. “It’s picked up and taken directly to the fridge.”

Community Participation and DignityFor Heidi, the heart of the program is dignity. “It’s not less dignified to need something,” she said. “We just don’t know people’s stories. What if they’re getting it for their entire family? Or for a whole neighborhood because there’s only one vehicle? We all have the ability to give back. It’s not going to hurt us.”

She continued, “Just because someone is coming and picking up a meal from the fridge doesn’t necessarily mean that they don’t have anything to offer, because we can all help each other. It’s been really beautiful watching people come to pick up dinner and then realizing, ‘Oh, I have an extra can of something at home that I haven’t been using. I can come and put that and help somebody else.’ There’s strength in that. That’s the resiliency of our people — our ability to come together and love each other.”

Volunteer Infrastructure and SustainabilityRunning the program requires daily dedication. “Getting volunteers organized is the big uphill battle,” Heidi noted. “People want to help, but they get busy.”

Jason keeps operations running smoothly with “Sign Me Up Genius,” an online volunteer scheduler. “We’ve got close to 40 people that have volunteered,” he said. “They volunteer their own vehicle, their gas… it takes 45 minutes, maybe an hour. The volunteers collectively drive about 650 miles a month, and are estimated to deliver approximately 9,000 meals in this first year.

Impact StoriesCommunity generosity comes in all forms. “One of the gentlemen I work with, Craig Stelly, when he’s got a couple of extra hours on the weekend, he’ll cook 20 or 30 plate lunches — a gumbo or lasagna — and just go drop it off,” Heidi said. “We’ve got grannies that make a couple extra batches of cookies. Everybody thinks to donate canned goods, but not very many people donate all the good stuff.”

The Nonprofit and Its BoardWhen Foodies took over the fridge, they also inherited its nonprofit status. “It was already a 501(c)(3), and Heidi and I moved the ownership over to our board,” Jason explained. “We do have a board for the community fridge. It’s a great board of people, and we thank them for sitting on it.”

Community Potluck and FundraisingThe group’s Foodies Potluck at Lagneaux’s is an upcoming fundraiser for the Lafayette Community Fridge being held on November 2, 2025. “We invite members to bring a dish, a way to serve that dish, and a nonperishable for the fridge,” Jason said. “There were about 150 attendees last year — that’s 150 dishes. This year, it booked 200 people in under two weeks.”

Heidi added, “This is a fundraiser for the fridge now. There’ll be door prizes, an auction, and great items donated by local businesses. It’s truly a community effort.”

Vision for the FutureHeidi and Jason hope to continue expanding their reach, and when asked what a dream wish would be, Jason shared, “We would really love, love, love to bring Lafayette a food festival. With music, food, chefs — because in our area, food is equal to music in terms of importance.”

They also are looking to expand their Culinary Excellence Awards beyond Lafayette Parish. “There are great restaurants outside Lafayette that deserve recognition too.”

How to Get InvolvedWhile the original Lafayette Community Fridge Facebook page remains inactive due to lost credentials of its previous managers, most updates and volunteer opportunities are shared through the Foodies of Lafayette Facebook group.

“The best way is still through Foodies of Lafayette,” Jason said. “You’ll see posts with a ‘Sign Me Up Genius’ link. It’s highlighted on the page and connects you to everything — volunteer, donate, or just get involved.”

A Community of Giving“It’s nice to be able to use the Foodies of Lafayette voice for good,” Heidi said. “It’s nice to know that if I’m really in need and I throw out, ‘I need drivers now,’ people will step up and say, ‘We got you.’”

Jason summed it up perfectly: “This is a community fridge. It’s your fridge. It’s all of our fridge — to put food in or take food out. It takes a village.”

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Our guest, Dr. Caroline Jurisich, joins Discover Lafayette to discuss her inspiring work with The Quad, a Lafayette-based program helping adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities continue learning, building independence, and forming meaningful social connections after leaving school.

A Lifelong Passion for Education and InclusionOriginally from North Louisiana, Caroline earned her bachelor’s degree in communications from LSU and initially worked in that field. But her career path changed after she began working with students who had emotional and behavioral challenges. She went on to earn her Master’s at UL Lafayette and taught in the Lafayette Parish School System before being recruited to help develop and teach in UL LIFE, an inclusive post-secondary education program for students with intellectual disabilities.

“When I started with UL LIFE in 2014, there were about 200 programs like it in the country,” she recalled. “Now, there are 364.” The program, which began as a small pilot with local students, has since expanded to 35 students from across the U.S. who live on campus, participate in university classes, and are fully integrated into campus life.

As the program grew, Caroline noticed a troubling pattern: “Once these students graduated, they secured employment, but there was still a gap in opportunities for continued learning and in maintaining the skills they’d developed.”

That realization led her to found The Quad in 2023.

Filling the Gap After GraduationLocated in the Oil Center at 1021 E St Mary Blvd., Suite A, The Quad serves adults aged 18 to 62 who have completed high school or college-based programs and are seeking continued education, social engagement, and life skills training.

“I’m a big believer in building a strong foundation before branching out,” Caroline said. “We’re focused on what we call learning sessions—structured, engaging opportunities to develop practical skills without feeling like school.”

The Quad offers 26 sessions a week, each about real-world abilities:

• Money Smarts: budgeting, banking, and financial literacy.
• Vocational Training: preparing for, securing, and maintaining employment.
• Social and Relationship Skills: navigating family, friendship, and workplace dynamics.
• Independent Living Skills: cooking, meal planning, grocery budgeting, and household management in their full kitchen lab.

Each session is small and tailored. “We want to make sure it’s meaningful for every individual,” she said. “Independence doesn’t necessarily mean doing it all by yourself—it means knowing when to ask for help, knowing your strengths, and building on both.”

The Quad also emphasizes community engagement. Members participate in service projects such as filling the Lafayette Community Fridge, supporting Second Harvest, and organizing toy drives. “We remind our members that to be an active, engaged part of your community, you also have to give back,” Caroline said.

Creating Belonging and ConnectionSocial isolation after leaving school is a major challenge for adults with disabilities. Caroline has seen firsthand how The Quad helps bridge that gap.

“There’s so much research on the impact of isolation—higher rates of depression and anxiety once individuals leave school,” she explained. “At The Quad, they have a space for connection, shared experiences, and casual practice of social skills.”

Each Friday, The Quad hosts Happy Hour—a relaxed afternoon where members gather for games, conversation, and community. “Some play air hockey, some just hang out. For many, weekends can be isolating, so this helps fill that gap with friendship and laughter.”

Members often form their own social groups. “We’ve had young men who didn’t know each other before The Quad but now meet regularly to play cards or go out to lunch together. That’s huge.”

A Member-Focused CommunityCaroline insists on calling participants members, not clients. “They’re adults. This isn’t a sterile environment—it’s their space. Just like being a member of the Junior League or City Club, they belong here.”

The Quad currently serves just over 30 members but has capacity for three times that number within its 3,600-square-foot facility. “We’ve been intentional about growth,” she said. “After two years, we know what works and what doesn’t. Now we’re looking to expand services like occupational therapy, counseling, and business partnerships for employment training.”

Funding and the Fight for Modern SupportThe Quad is currently a private pay organization, but Caroline is working toward broader funding options. “We’d love to be a Medicaid provider. The process is complex, but we’re partnering with Louisiana Rehabilitation Services to support members focused on vocational skills.”

She noted that current federal and state funding systems often don’t fit modern models like The Quad. “We’re not an adult daycare. We’re supplemental to a well-rounded life that includes work and community involvement. But because we don’t fit old categories, our members can’t use certain funding. That’s something we’re working hard to change.”

The Meaning Behind the NameThe name The Quad is both personal and symbolic. “I kept drawing four boxes—body, mind, heart, spirit—when I was brainstorming about what to name this endeavor. My mom saw it and said, ‘What about The Quad?’ It just clicked.”

The name also nods to college life. “On every campus, the Quad is where people gather. I wanted our members to say, ‘I’m a member of The Quad,’ just like anyone else says they belong somewhere.”

Looking AheadCaroline envisions The Quad as a model for lifelong inclusion. “We want to grow thoughtfully—add more members, expand our services, and deepen our partnerships with local businesses,” she said. “It’s about helping people live their best, most connected, and independent lives.”

When asked about what she’s learned most through this journey, she smiled: “Patience. And the importance of admitting when something doesn’t work. It’s not failure if you learn from it.”

Outside of work, Caroline enjoys Lafayette’s festivals and community life with her two children. “Anything Lafayette offers—we’re there.”

Learn MoreTo learn more about The Quad, visit thequadusa.com, call 337-999-QUAD (7823), email thequadusa@outlook.com, or follow @thequadlouisiana on social media.

Caroline also welcomes collaborations with local businesses, organizations, and individuals who share her mission: “Even if you don’t know exactly how we could work together—reach out. We’ll find a way.”

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Fabian Patin, a Lafayette architect whose name has become synonymous with the preservation and beautification of Rotary Point, a peaceful sanctuary on the Bayou Vermilion, joins Discover Lafayette to discuss his decades-long dedication to Lafayette’s waterways and the enduring spirit of civic service that drives the Rotary Club of Lafayette. He has been a loyal member of the club for decades.

Origins of Rotary Point and the Bayou Vermilion RevivalRotary Point came to life in the 1980sthrough a partnership among the Rotary Clubs of Lafayette, the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce, and the creation of Bayou Vermilion District. At the time, Lafayette was in the throes of the oil bust, and the once-vibrant bayou had fallen into neglect and pollution. Patin recalled how his colleague, attorney, Bob Cole, then Lafayette Chamber president, looked beyond the downturn: “Rather than worrying about it, Bob said, let’s do some things to improve it. We’ve got a bayou; it’s not the best one now, but it can be.”

Cole’s optimism led to the creation of a master plan for the Vermilion River. Half the funding came from private citizens and companies, the other half from the City of Lafayette. That plan inspired state legislation to create the Bayou Vermilion District, a nine-member commission—of which Fabian was an original commissioner—charged with implementing restoration and access projects.

To secure federal funding under the Dingell-Johnson Act, Lafayette needed a 20 percent local match. Fabian and local leaders convinced the Parish Council to contribute the unused 400-foot right-of-way from West Bayou Parkway to the Vermilion as the local match. The federal funds, championed by then U.S. Senator John Breaux, completed the financing. Fabian recalled, “If you give us the right to use that land for our 20 percent match, that can be our 20 percent—and it worked.”

How Rotary Point Got Its NameInitially conceived as a simple boat launch, the site evolved when Fabian—active in both the Bayou Vermilion District and Rotary—saw an opportunity:

“If I can go to our Rotary Clubs and say, look, if we call it Rotary Point, I think I can get our clubs to pay for the overlook.”

That promise birthed Rotary Point, with local Rotary Clubs funding the overlook while the Bayou Vermilion District handled access improvements. It became one of the first public boat launches on the Vermilion and a shared symbol of civic collaboration.

Stewardship and BeautificationThrough the years, the Bayou Vermilion District has continued major maintenance—most notably replacing the aging wooden bulkhead with steel reinforcements—while the Rotary Club of Lafayette maintains and beautifies the grounds. Fabian, now 81 years of age, can still be found there almost every day: mowing, planting, spreading mulch, or supervising upgrades.

The site now features benches, picnic tables, irrigation, flowering azaleas, and majestic live oaks—many planted to honor international Rotary presidents. Fabian explained how community partnerships brought the space to life:

• Azalea Trail volunteers donated 35 azaleas.
• Trees Acadiana, led by Sarah Schoeffler, provided and planted dozens of plants and live oaks.
• Compost from Lafayette Parish enriched the soil, coordinated by Rotarian Stan Messenger, who negotiated increased deliveries of mulch and soil for the park.
• Dr. Jim Rees established a Peace Pole inscribed in eight languages reading “May peace prevail on Earth.”

Centennial Monument and the Sugar Mill GearsIn 2020, to commemorate the Rotary Club of Lafayette’s 100th anniversary, Fabian spearheaded the construction of a striking centennial monument. The centerpiece: enormous gears salvaged from historic sugar mills, a visual echo of Rotary’s gear-wheel emblem.

“We poured concrete on site. Rotarians learned how to pour concrete.”

Despite an initial $100,000 goal reduced by COVID-era constraints to $18,000, local Rotarians secured, transported, and refurbished the multi-ton gears, some weighing up to 12,000 pounds. The result is one of Lafayette’s most unique landmarks. And it was definitely a hands-on project, as Fabian explained: “One of the smallest gears, and that is seven foot four, was around 12,000 pounds. And Stan Messenger had to go pick it up in his truck and man, it was dragging. The mud flaps were flopping on the concrete.”

Technology Meets TraditionRecent additions at Rotary Point include Wi-Fi-enabled irrigation and lighting systems, allowing Fabian and contractors to control water and lighting remotely from their phones. “It doesn’t irrigate when you don’t need to because it’s smart enough to know if it’s going to rain.”

Rotary Point even provides free Wi-Fi to visitors—a small example of how the park bridges heritage and modern convenience.

Rotary’s Global Mission of Peace and HealthFabian reflected proudly on Rotary International’s broader legacy in eradicating polio worldwide.

He explained how Rotary’s global network—trusted across political and cultural lines—enabled vaccination programs even where governments could not reach, aided by Bill Gates’ two-for-one matching grants.

Rotary worldwide has contributed more than $2.6 billion to fight polio, including matching funds from the Gates Foundation, and countless volunteer hours since launching its polio eradication program, PolioPlus, in 1985. In 1988, Rotary joined in partnership with the World Health Organization, UNICEF, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to form the Global Polio Eradication Initiative. The Gates Foundation and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance later joined. When the initiative launched, there were 350,000 cases of polio every year. Today the incidence of polio has plummeted by more than 99.9 percent.

World Polio Day is on October 24, 2025.

The Peace Pole, installed in 2023 and dedicated to Fabian, reinforces Rotary’s worldwide pursuit of peace. “Jim Rees (a fellow Rotarian) has believed in the peace pole, which actually was created in the 50s in Japan because of the problems they had in World War II. The concept was to have peace throughout the world. This is Jim’s fourth Peace Pole. It’s a four inch by four inch by various heights. Ours is tall enough to have in eight languages. Basically it says, “May peace prevail on Earth.”

A Life in Architecture and ServiceBeyond Rotary, Fabian built a respected career in architecture. His firm handled diverse work—residential, public, and forensic. After the 1980s oil and gas business downturn, he specialized in forensic architecture, analyzing structural failures and materials, and taught at both UL Lafayette and the University of Illinois. He even chaired the committee that developed North America’s architectural licensing exam.

Still keeping current his architect license current, about “99.9% of my work is forensic. Older buildings that are failing or have problems—I like solving them. I’d do it for entertainment.”

Looking Ahead: A Foundation for the FutureNow 81, Fabian’s focus is ensuring Rotary Point’s long-term survival.

“My dream right now is to create a foundation for its long-term survival. That’s my current problem-solving.” He hopes to establish a structure that sustains maintenance and beautification without burdening taxpayers—a “win-win for everyone.”

A Passion for Nature and SailingA master gardener and lifelong sailor who enjoys competitive sailing, Fabian’s hobbies intertwine with his stewardship of Rotary Point. From a family of master gardeners, Fabian figured, “If I’m going to really do some stuff at Rotary Point, I better start learning.”

His love of native plants—like the red buckeye, donated by Al Rees—reflects the same thoughtful, hands-on care that defines his civic legacy.

Visiting Rotary PointRotary Point is located at 245 West Bayou Parkway, near South College Road. The park offers boat access, walking trails, and tranquil views of Bayou Vermilion. More information is available through the Bayou Vermilion District and Rotary Club of Lafayette websites.

Fabian Patin’s decades of devotion remind us that community improvement begins with stewardship—one tree, one bench, and one problem solved at a time. Rotary Point stands as both a local treasure and a living testament to what vision and persistence can build.

We can all live better lives if we ask ourselves the same four questions all Rotarians follow:

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Amanda (“Mandy”) Osgood and Tracy Lindberg of Graze Acadiana join Discover Lafayette to discuss their love of creating beautiful food presentations and what it is like to open your own small business.

A mother–daughter team who have brought the art of grazing to Lafayette since 2019, this episode is presented in partnership with Lafayette Travel and Eat Lafayette as we spotlight locally owned restaurants and eateries.

Located at 113 Arnould Boulevard in Lafayette, Graze Acadiana was built upon the Australian concept of gather and graze, which connects people with beautiful, high-quality food and creating shared experiences around the table.

Building a Business TogetherMandy reflected on what it means to run a business with her mom:

“We spend every single day together and call each other a million times. Building this business together brought us closer. And we just have a really close friendship. So it’s been great. And being business partners, I know a lot of people can’t manage that with family, but it’s been really good for us.”

The two are originally from the Mississippi Gulf Coast. “We’re both actually from the Gulf Coast in Mississippi, the Biloxi/Ocean Springs area. And we moved here… Mom moved here about 15 years ago, and I moved here about 13 years ago,” Mandy explained. “I had my first child and she needed to be closer to her grandson. So here we are.”

Mandy Osgood and Tracy Lindberg, owners of Graze AcadianaThey quickly felt at home. “We fell in love with Lafayette. It’s just so family oriented. Family friendly. Of course, the food’s wonderful and the people are wonderful. And so it was really a place that I wanted to raise my family and wanted to be closer to.”

Mandy describes herself as “the creative one” while Tracy brings her restaurant management background and entrepreneurial mindset. “We both love entertaining. We love gathering people together and just making beauty out of simple things,” Mandy added.

The Early Days of GrazingBefore “charcuterie” was a household word, Tracy and Mandy were already creating lavish spreads.

“Back in the day, friends and family would have us do weddings and birthdays and stuff like that. We used to make these massive grazing spreads. We didn’t even know they were called that at the time. We put gorgeous food on the table.”

In 2018, they saw the grazing trend explode in Australia. “There were about five places in the entire United States that were doing the grazing thing at that time. Like big cities—Austin, New York. My mom was like, let’s do it.”

From the start, they chose to run things professionally. “So from day one, we started in a commercial kitchen. We didn’t do it out of our house,” Mandy explained. But that came with hurdles.

Tracy recalled: “What really surprised me… was when we went down to the health department and found out that we had to have the commercial kitchen, and then we had to have a grease trap. Normally people make things at home, but incorporating this in the way we wanted to do it—right or not do it at all—cost tens of thousands of dollars.”

Mandy added: “I don’t think any of us knew that we were going to know this much about a grease trap at this point in our lives. My mom scoured plumbing department rules and laws… because grazing was such a new concept. There were no set standards for that. We had to figure all that out.”

Surviving COVIDBy 2019, Graze Acadiana had opened its first storefront off Kaliste Saloom Road. “Things were booming and going and we were growing… educating people what the charcuterie world was about because it just wasn’t that popular here,” Amanda recalled.

Then the pandemic hit. Their tagline had been “Gathering Grapes.” Amanda laughed:

“And Covid said, no, you don’t. So we had to start changing our concept and work with that.”

They shifted from large spreads to individual options. “We started doing petite boxes, little individual charcuterie portions and jars,” Mandy said.

With only a handful of staff, it was mainly mother and daughter running things. “In those first two years, I think we had two employees, maybe three… but it was pretty much me and Mom,” Mandy explained. They also leaned on curbside pickup: “No one could really have a lot of people in the shop. So we would run out and do curbside delivery with charcuterie.”

Expanding to Arnould Boulevard in Lafayette LABy 2021, the demand outgrew their small kitchen. “In January 2021, we actually signed a lease for the building that we’re in now, on Arnold Boulevard, in the Jason’s Deli parking lot off of Johnson Street. And we love that location. Our kitchen quadrupled in size, which made us so happy,” Mandy said.

The central location made a difference. “When you’re working the kind of work that we do, you’re spending so much time in the kitchen. So it made a huge difference for us,” she added.

What Goes on a Board?Graze Acadiana has built a reputation for abundant, well-paired boards.

Mandy explained: “Our boards have at least five cheeses, two different charcuterie meats, fresh fruits, dried fruits, nuts, cornichons, olives, jams, and pickles. We say there’s a little bit of something for everyone on those boards.”

She added a key philosophy: “Cheese needs a friend. If you went and bought a block of goat cheese at the store and shoved that in your mouth, that’s not going to be that great. But when it’s paired with those other items that complement it well, it is enjoyable.”

Popular meats include salami, chorizo, and prosciutto, paired with cheeses like Brie, aged cheddar, cranberry Wensleydale, and blue cheese.

The duo takes pride in sourcing locally. “From day one we’ve always used Noni’s Kitchen jams and pepper jellies… and we’ll visit the farmers market every few months and see if there’s any new people we can have in our shop,” Mandy said.

Tracy noted how supportive Lafayette’s food community is:

“It doesn’t matter if you’re an attorney or a doctor or what. Everybody’s just so friendly, and they all just want to help each other. It’s not really a competition either. It’s everyone supporting each other.”

Who They ServeTheir boards serve every occasion—from weddings and showers to everyday lunches. “Every moment is worth celebrating,” Mandy emphasized. “We make pre-made options every single day, you can just walk in… everything from a little $8 box to an $89 box.”

Clients range from pharmaceutical reps ordering for doctors to schools rewarding staff, to families grabbing platters for weekend parties. “I’ve had people pick up one for their doctor after going through a medical journey,” Mandy said.

Even kids love it. “Adults sometimes see that beautiful thing and no one wants to touch it yet because it’s too pretty to eat. And the kids, they just dig in,” Mandy shared.

Beyond Charcuterie: Olive Oil & Vinegar BarGraze Acadiana also offers an olive oil tasting bar with more than 60 premium oils and vinegars. “They are super healthy, super high in antioxidants, anti-inflammatory properties,” Mandy explained. Nutritionists and doctors send clients who are making lifestyle changes.

Some even use vinegars as wine substitutes. “You can actually put balsamic vinegar in sparkling water and you have like a little tasty refresher. A mocktail,” Mandy shared.

Community EventsGraze Acadiana hosts monthly and seasonal gatherings:

• Build-a-Board Nights (teaching guests how to assemble charcuterie boards)
• Sip and Sample Nights featuring oils and vinegars in food and drinks
• Evoo & You Recipe Club every last Thursday of the month (“It’s like an elevated potluck… I have been blown away. There are amazing cooks in Lafayette.”)

Mandy described Evoo & You as “such a comfortable, fun night… more so a learning experience, a community, just get people together, spend time together, and enjoy some good food.”

Looking AheadWhile Tracy and Mandy don’t plan to expand beyond their current location, they’re always adding products and new ideas. “We’re content where we are, but we’re always changing things,” Mandy said. “Right now, especially since we have a great team at Graze, we’re able to try new things and add new products. Of course, with the olive oil, we have shipping kicking off really well.”

Tracyy summed it up: “I would love the public to know you can come in any day that we’re open. At our olive oil tasting bar, we have fresh bread, you can taste everything, you can try everything. The health benefits are phenomenal… It really changed my life in the kitchen.”

Visit Graze AcadianaGraze Acadiana is open Tuesday–Friday 9:30 AM–5:00 PM, and Saturday 9:30 AM–3:00 PM at 113 Arnould Boulevard in Lafayette.

Sign up for their newsletter and find out more at grazeacadiana.com to be the first to hear about ticketed events.

What a wonderful affirmation of the creative spirits in Acadiana! Thanks to Mandy, Tracy, and our sponsors for making this interview possible!

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We welcome Broussard Mayor Ray Bourque, a lifelong resident of Broussard who has dedicated his career to public service and business. Before being elected mayor in 2018, he served eight years as a city councilman for District 3 and has co-owned Touche Printing and Signs for more than three decades. He also served as board president of the Broussard Chamber of Commerce. Most importantly, he has supported community projects that enhance quality of life for his city’s residents, such as expanded recreational facilities and infrastructure improvements that keep up with Broussard’s rapid growth.

A Growing City with Deep RootsMayor Bourque highlighted Broussard’s rapid growth:

“Our recent census estimate from LSU in the state puts Broussard at 17,300 people, roughly. And back in the 2020 census, we were 13,400 people. So we are growing rapidly, exponentially.”

Despite the growth, the mayor emphasizes community values: “I always say to people in Broussard that we’re all neighbors. I’ve grown up there. I have so many lifelong friends that knew me since I was a child that are in Broussard. But we also have so many new residents because we’re a growing community.”

The Three Pillars of LeadershipWhen making decisions for the city, Mayor Bourque and the City Council focus on “Public safety, quality of life and economic development. When we’re making decisions on a project or an initiative, we try to make sure it checks at least two of those boxes.

“Those three things are very relatable, that one cannot wholly exist without the other. If you’re doing a quality of life initiative, it is generally good for economic development and vice versa. And public safety is just an umbrella that captures it all. If we don’t have a safe community, then all the other things are held back. We can’t invite people to move, or to spend time, or to come spend money in our community without providing a safe community. But it starts with a culture of our employees in Broussard, really focusing on hospitality. If you call city government, do you feel like that person is trying to help you on the other end of the phone? Or if you have a question or a problem and we come out and meet with you, sometimes the answer is no, but you can say no in a professional way. The goal is to try to help people, because everyone deserves to be valued, especially by their city government, because we’re really serving those people. We have to do intentional work, and that intentional work is to grow our community, to invest in our own economy, to control that economy if we can, because it’s the driver to help us fund police departments and fire departments and all the initiatives that we want to do in Broussard. So getting new customers in our city for our businesses to be able to work with is important.”

Business-Friendly PoliciesBroussard has long attracted businesses by not levying a city property tax or inventory tax: “It’s worked for us. Sales tax is our driver, which means we have to have people working in our city. We have to have commerce in our city. That’s how we drive our tax revenues and can fund police, fire, etc.”

He sees the city’s role as being a partner to business owners: “Our job is to cultivate an environment where people can be successful and businesses can be successful. Ultimately we win or lose together.”

Infrastructure and Economic DevelopmentPreparedness is key:

“If a business wants to place a facility in your city…and I have to say no, but in two years I can be ready, they’re going somewhere else. We’re not waiting on that. We’re building it now.”

Broussard has master plan underway for water, drainage, and downtown redevelopment. The city recently secured a $3,710,000 grant from the State of Louisiana, Office of Community Development – Water Sector Commission for water system improvements. The Water Sector Program – Phase 2 grant award will be used to help fund the city’s water system improvement master plan. The $10 million, five-part water system master plan was developed in July 2024 and is a blueprint to expand and enhance the city’s water supply system by upgrading storage, capacity, water system modeling, system rehabilitation, and interconnectivity.

To keep up with its growth, a master plan called Envision Broussard has been in the works to refresh and revitalize Broussard’s Main Street and its historic downtown. The plan includes new additions designed to make the city more walkable and bikeable. The oaks along Main Street have been trimmed.
“You couldn’t buy a 300 year old oak tree to put on Main Street and put a light on it. When we were doing all this planning, we saw these oak trees overgrown, full of poison ivy.. And we said, why aren’t we doing something this with? We probably have 15 or 20 of them on that drive into Main Street. Let’s light them up at night. Let’s clean them up. Let’s make it look better. And the result was phenomenal.”

Collaboration Across the Parish

“We have some very strong mayors in our parish right now, some of which I’ve worked for with for a long time. There is an attitude of cooperation. You go through a couple of hard times like hurricanes, floods, or Covid, and you see relationships where you can lean on each other. The people that jump up and help each other are the other cities. That is good for the people of this parish. We need to spend our time raising the bar on what’s possible in our area, not worrying about local politics. The level of Broussard’s success is raised higher by the success of the other communities around us. When they’re doing well, we can do better, and that’s an important thing to focus on.”

Quality of Life InitiativesBroussard continues to be recognized statewide:

• Second Cleanest City in Louisiana (Louisiana Garden Club)
• Ranked among the Best Suburbs to Live in Louisiana
• One of the Top Ten Safest Cities in Louisiana

The city hosts family-friendly events such as the upcoming inaugural Monsters on Main family event coming up on October 10, 2025. “You can be a walking group, a bicycle group, or a golf cart group, going down Main Street. We’re going to give out some trophies for Spookiness and so on.”

Mayor Bourque also praised the Broussard Sports Complex at St. Julien Park:

“When we first built that park, we wanted it to be as clean as Disney World. And that park stays clean. The staff took that very seriously, and they have a lot of pride in their work.”

“Our city council recently funded a $9 million expansion of St. Julien Park, so we’re adding pickleball courts, 16 of which will be under a giant pavilion. We’re adding an observation deck and a pro shop. It’s an expansion of the tennis facility into pickleball. New parking lot and a Veterans Memorial. That is something we’ve been working on for a while. And the council supported it heavily and we just funded it. Phase one is out for bid right now. For more info on St. Julien Park, visit https://www.broussardsportscomplex.com/

“Zoosiana (which is privately owned) is within the city limits of Broussard. What an asset they are. I mean, how many cities can say they have a zoo in their city?”

Looking AheadMayor Bourque hopes his legacy is simple:

“I’d like people to think that I cared about it genuinely, and I did a good job, and I was doing the right things for the community… I would like to leave it better than I found it.”

On advice for future leaders thinking of seeking an elected office: “If you want to help people, it’s a good place to be. But there’s a lot to learn. So listen more than you talk. Respect the ones that are there before you and try to learn something before you get in there. And then go in there and lead with love.”

“I love talking about Broussard. Our city is evolving. People evolve as the years go by. Cities are the same way. They have personalities like people, and it’s the same as our families. What are we? What are we spending time on? What are we investing in? You know, intentional work, right. Those things are very important. So I’m blessed to be here. I’m happy to be here. I’m going do the best I can for as long as I can.”

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Our guest today is Chad Sonnier, Director of the Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (OHSEP) for Lafayette Parish.

With over four decades of service in fire protection and emergency response, Chad Sonnier brings unmatched experience to the role of coordinating disaster preparedness, response, and recovery efforts across federal, state, and local agencies, nonprofits, and the private sector.

“I was 18 years old, hired to be in the fire service and helping people in their time of need. It is something I’ve really become accustomed to, and I couldn’t imagine doing anything else. I mean, people call 911 at their worst time of day or worst time in their life, and, we’re there to help them, that’s what we’re there for.”

Chad served as City of Scott’s Fire Chief before being named to his current post. He had served with the Lafayette Fire Department for years before his appointment with the City of Scott.

Over the course of his career, Chad has worked as a hazmat technician, fire engineer, fire coordinator, and hazmat chief. In 2020, he was inducted into the Louisiana Fire Chiefs Hall of Fame—a testament to his lifelong passion for public safety.

“Helping people is my passion. I couldn’t imagine doing anything else,” Chad Sonnier shares.

A Newly Formed Office

The department was officially created in 2024 by Lafayette Mayor-President Monique Boulet, who recognized the growing federal and state mandates in emergency management and the need to keep her community safe. It now operates independently of 911 services, with a broader scope that includes emergency responses to events such as hurricanes, mass gatherings like Mardi Gras, hazardous material accidents, and unexpected “no-notice” events such as train derailments.

This year in 2025, for the first time, Lafayette’s Emergency Operations Center partially activated its services during Mardi Gras. Agencies including fire, police, Acadian Ambulance, local hospitals, and even federal partners like the FBI and ATF, worked side by side to ensure public safety. “When you’re face to face in the same room, communications are so much better,” Chad explains.

Beyond Hurricanes: Preparedness in Action

While hurricanes are top of mind for many residents, Chad addressed the wide range of emergencies his office addresses to help those most in need:

• Warming and cooling centers – Established for residents without reliable heating or air conditioning, with help from partners such as Catholic Charities, Red Cross, and even private companies like Stines, which donated large cooling fans.
• Volunteer organizations – Hundreds of volunteers with local nonprofits and faith-based groups (VOADs) play an essential role in long-term recovery. These groups often provide building supplies, roof repairs, and mold remediation for families still suffering from past storms.
• College partnerships – Student-athletes contribute required service hours by assisting disaster victims, creating meaningful community connections.

Chad reflects, “I was taken aback by how many people are willing to help, especially in Lafayette Parish. If it wasn’t for these nonprofits, I don’t know where a lot of people would be today.”

Planning Ahead and Responding Fast

Chad contrasts his years as a firefighter—where speed and immediate action are critical—with the long-term strategic planning required in his current role.

Chad Sonnier served as Fire Chief of the City of Scott for 23 yearsHis office scripts hurricane responses a week in advance of landfall, but also prepares in advance for sudden emergencies that occur without warning.

“No-notice events” like hazardous material spills require rapid mobilization of shelters, water, food, and safe housing, often within an hour to ninety minutes. Recreation centers, the Cajundome, and other facilities are pre-designated as shelters or reunification centers, ensuring displaced residents can quickly reconnect with loved ones.

A new IT-driven reunification system allows families to upload identifying details and photos of missing loved ones, giving hospitals and responders immediate access to information during a disaster. “Pictures make all the difference,” Chad emphasizes, noting lessons learned from past Louisiana crises.

Before Mayor-President Monique Boulet’s administration, LCG did not have designated reunification centers. In the event of a large-scale or no-notice disasters, such as major flooding, families had no single point of contact to locate or receive information about loved ones.

Today, through the leadership of OHSEP, and Mayor-President Boulet, reunification plans are in place. Multiple recreational centers throughout the parish have been pre-identified to serve as reunification centers. Within 30 minutes of an event, a site can be activated and ready to receive families.

The reunification process is supported by a new IT platform developed by Lafayette Parish. Family members can enter identifying information about missing loved ones, including distinguishing features such as tattoos. Area hospitals are connected to the system, allowing staff to search for patients using those details. This coordinated effort makes it possible to quickly identify and reunite families, with responders able to say, “Your loved one is at this location,” and ensure a safe handoff.

Tools, Technology, and Preparedness Tips

OHSEP has adopted cutting-edge technology such as geofencing, which enables targeted emergency alerts to people in specific areas.

Chad encourages all residents to plan ahead for unexpected events by doing the following:

• Sign up for “Lafayette Now” alerts to receive real-time emergency notifications. Visit https://www.lafayettela.gov/communications-media/lafayette-now to sign up.
• Maintain a 3- to 4-day “go bag” with essentials such as food, water, medications, cash, charged power banks, pet supplies, and important documents (protected in waterproof storage).
• Remember critical medical needs like insulin storage and access to dialysis centers, which are prioritized in disaster planning.

Chad also underscored the importance of taking care of pets in family safety plans: “We’ve learned that pets are just as important as children or spouses. Our shelters provide space, food, and water for pets so families can stay together.” Shelters are equipped with spaces for your beloved pets and food to sustain them (Look up quote from download)

Volunteers and Community Resilience

Lafayette Parish’s ability to recover depends on volunteers, but Chad points out that many leave with their families during evacuations, cutting the available workforce in half. He encourages listeners to get involved through Acadiana VOAD, choosing from opportunities to assist with sheltering, food distribution, or recovery efforts.

A Personal Note

Outside of emergency management, Chad and his wife enjoy traveling in their motorhome in their free time. He recalled the rare peace of being disconnected during a cruise they took, joking that his phone “sounded like a slot machine” once it reconnected to a signal as they approached land. He jumped back in to the fray, happy to help those who reached out. Listening to this podcast, you will understand the commitment that Chad Sonnier has to public safety and his job.

Final Thoughts

Chad Sonnier’s commitment to public safety is unwavering. From planning large-scale emergency responses to ensuring Lafayette’s most vulnerable residents have access to shelter and support, his leadership ensures that the parish is prepared for both the expected and the unexpected.

For more information, visit https://www.lafayettela.gov/ohsep/home

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Today we welcome Warren Abadie, Director of Traffic, Roads and Bridges for Lafayette Consolidated Government (LCG). A Lafayette native, Warren has spent his entire career with LCG, steadily rising through the ranks after graduating from UL Lafayette in 2003 with a degree in electrical engineering (computer option). He started as an engineer aide, moved on to traffic maintenance supervisor, traffic signal/system engineer, and city-parish transportation engineer before being appointed director in 2020.

“I affectionately refer to myself as the director of misery and unhappiness,” Warren joked, but his love for his job is clear. He explained that a professor once told him, “Your first job will determine your whole career,” and in his case, that proved true. His engineering background in coding and electrical systems naturally aligned with his first promotion into traffic signals.

Managing 190 Traffic Signals Across the CityWarren oversees a vast system of about 190 traffic signals, many of which LCG maintains through agreements with the state.

He explained how the signal network functions:

“If you’re on a minor street at a major street, it’s going to feel like the signal is taking forever. A minute in your car feels more like five minutes. But we run the system as a network. All the signals on Pinhook have to have the same cycle length… so there’s some inefficiencies there. But the main street always takes precedence.”

With a central server syncing up internal clocks, Warren and his team can monitor complaints in real time, using traffic cameras and logs to identify problems, often adjusting signals remotely:

“We’re always tinkering. We’re always changing. We’re always trying to make 10 pounds of fluff fit in a 5-pound bag.”

Balancing Capacity, Convenience, and SafetyWarren described the essence of traffic engineering as a balancing act:

“Traffic engineering is a balance of three things. Capacity. Convenience. And safety. If safety was first, your car wouldn’t go more than five miles an hour… If it was all about convenience, there’d be no pavement markings on the road. And if it was all about capacity, I wouldn’t allow left turns on signals.”

This balance is one reason he strongly supports roundabouts, which check all three boxes by being safer, more efficient, and accommodating U-turns. He acknowledged, however, that roundabouts are more difficult to design and build, and some—like the Ridge Road and Rue de Belier roundabout—are already over capacity, with plans in place for upgrades.

Traffic Growth and New Projects“Traffic is a sign of economic activity and growth,” Warren noted, pointing out Lafayette is one of the few parishes in Louisiana still growing. He listed several new roundabout projects in the works, including:

• Broussard and Robley
• West Broussard and Duhon (near Acadian Village)
• Ridge and Domingue Road
• Rue de Belier and Ridge (expansion to multi-lane)
• Vincent Road at E. Broussard
• LA 92 and East Broussard (toward Milton)

Safety, Motorcycles, and Crash DataAs a father, Warren is deeply concerned about motorcycles:

“Don’t let anybody you love drive a motorcycle because your target value is just too small and the margin for error is just way too small. It’s exciting, but the reality is there’s just not any room for error.”

His department continually analyzes crash data and works to balance safety with traffic flow, noting that signals reduce deadly right-angle crashes but often lead to an increase in rear-end crashes—generally less severe.

Road Repairs and Infrastructure ChallengesRoad work is another part of Warren’s responsibility, and he was candid about the frustrations drivers feel:

“Everything we do day to day requires the use of that system. Generally, the roads are already congested. Now I got to fix it and make them more congested. It’s not something we take lightly.”

He explained the complexity of concrete street repairs and the overlapping roles of utilities, drainage, and road crews: “It’s a monumental task, maintaining all the infrastructure that makes life life. It’s not intentional. We do the best to get out of there. It’s not fun being there… a bulletproof vest won’t stop a car.”

Public Transit: Challenges and InnovationsWarren also oversees transit services, managing ten buses that must cover the entire city. With more than 600 bus stops, many located on open-ditch roadways without sidewalks, he emphasized the pressing need for bus shelters.

He shared his excitement about a new pilot program being considered in the LCG budget:

“Instead of having big buses run everywhere, have more of a micro-transit system, more like an Uber level. A lot more stops could pick you up closer to your house and drop you off closer to the destination. For a suburban city like Lafayette, that has the potential to be a game changer.”

The fare structure would remain affordable, he added: $1 per ride or $25 for an annual pass.

Artificial Intelligence and Smarter SignalsAI is already reshaping Lafayette’s traffic management. Warren explained the evolution from wire loops to video detection, to wireless magnetometers, and now back to advanced AI-powered video systems:

“The AI engines they have now can actually identify if it’s a car, a truck, a motorcycle, a pedestrian. There’s also AI intelligence about near misses. There are a lot of exciting traffic operational advancements going to an AI-based camera system. We are currently in the process of installing those.”

Bikes, Pedestrians, and Complete StreetsLCG is also working on bike lanes and multi-use paths built to a higher grade and separated from vehicles. Warren said these will serve both serious cyclists and those who rely on bicycles for transportation:

“No matter what level of user you are, you would feel comfortable—whether you’re the people I call spandex warriors, or the people that ride their bikes everywhere.”

A Life of Service and Family“Not everybody gets to come into work and say what I do affects hundreds of thousands of people. One of the inspiring things about what I do is I never have to explain to anybody why we do what we do at LCG. They just know. We live here too.”

Outside of work, Warren and his wife are raising four children. He admitted he hasn’t yet figured out his hobbies now that his kids are getting older, though he’s excited for football season and enjoys “nerding out” on technical projects.

For anyone with transportation-related issues such as road hazards or concerns, Warren emphasized that 311 is the best place to start. “Whatever issue you have, you’ll get to the right person. For non-emergencies, 311 is the place to go.”

Warren Abadie’s career shows how one person’s dedication to public service can touch the daily lives of hundreds of thousands of Lafayette residents. From roads to signals, buses to bike paths, his work blends engineering, innovation, and a genuine love for his community.

Visit https://www.lafayettela.gov/trb on the various aspects of LCG’s Department of Traffic, Roads and Bridges.

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Russ Hosmer, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, certified life coach, former national-champion bodybuilder, and founder of Constant Progression, an online life coaching and personal development platform serving clients worldwide, joins Discover Lafayette to discuss his mission to help others reach their full potential.

Russ grew up in New Jersey, just outside of New York City. At 17, his parents retired and moved to Alabama. He studied at Jacksonville State University and worked in health club turnarounds: “We found the gyms and the health clubs that were in the red, and we brought them into the black. We got the management together, the business side of it, and got them better and rolling.”

Russ was a bodybuilder alongside business: “I was a state champion when I was a teenager… top five in the national championship. I was a national champion twice. Two times. Two years in a row as the first one to ever do that.” That era cemented discipline: “I was blessed. I was doing what I love… when you do that, you don’t ever work a day in your life.”

Choosing the Marines, Special Operations, and What Service Really Looked Like“My family is Marine Corps. My grandfather was a WWII veteran and my brother was a Marine… it was almost like, well, I have to do that.” He enlisted on a whim, calling it “probably the greatest decision of my life.”

Boot camp at Parris Island: “They start drilling leadership principles into you the day you get there… It’s a transformation process. It’s the title,, being a Marine. So you have to earn it.” After graduating top of his class in the School of Infantry, he went to amphibious reconnaissance / special operations: “We’re like 1% of the Marine Corps.”

Operational reality: “Less than 1% of the Marine Corps see combat. We do more hospitable missions than we do combat missions. It’s urban warfare, small unit tactics. We don’t actually fight other countries like uniform military. it’s a different world we live in.” He traveled extensively: “I was in 37 countries in three years. I was deployed a lot. But I volunteered because that’s what I wanted to do.”

PTSD, Loss, and a Five-Year Turning PointRuss is candid: “I do have severe PTSD… I didn’t know I had it for years. Then all of a sudden, it was really bad.” Compounding events:“I lost my corporate job during COVID. I had been a senior executive of a Fortune 500 company for twenty years. Then my dad died, and my mom died, then my older brother died.” It left him “in a very dark place, kind of lost.”

“I decided, you know what? I need to help people overcome the PTSD, get the resilience and the mindset, and learn how the mind works and how the body works. And why is this happening?”On the rate of veterans committing suicide, Russ says, “They say it’s 22 a day. There’s a lot more than that. They don’t have help, they think it’s a sign of weakness. But you admitting it and talking about it, that’s a sure sign of strength.” From a five-year journey, he created Constant Progression: “We’re always looking to be our best self. We’re all on that journey of constant progression.”

Training the Marines & A Vanderbilt Recovery Study That “Changed Everything”After instructing at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, Russ became a Physical Training Advisor for the Eastern Recruiting Region—“anything east of the Mississippi River… the whole East Coast.” His remedial programs “went before Congress and they actually enacted those into standard operating procedures… now a part of the Marine Corps training standards.”

Russ helped run a muscle recovery study with Vanderbilt University to reduce injuries and attrition: “We had a lot of lower body extremities’ injuries, especially with the female recruits… hip fractures and femur fractures, tibia fractures… kids nowadays… they don’t eat well.” Findings touched hydration, chow hall practices, food quantity by body weight, and training tweaks (including pull-up progression): “The best way to get better at pull ups is… do pull ups.” The study’s impact: “It changed everything… there’s a lot of moving parts.”

He also outlines cost-intensive reassignments that were utilized for rehabilitation: Medical Rehab Platoon, Physical Conditioning Platoon, and retrain—and why prevention mattered: “That costs a lot of money… so that’s what spiced out the whole muscle recovery study to help keep troops healthy.”

Private Sector: Biomechanics Lab, Pixar-Style Motion Capture, and Human-Centered EquipmentRecruiters pulled him to Life Fitness/Hammer Strength: “We were the largest. We set the standard for how fitness was developed.” Their $2M biomechanics lab used the “same technology as Pixar” to map motion with reflective markers: “We would mimic their movements… make the equipment… in alignment with how people move.”

Design philosophy: “Hammer Strength is built from the center outward… built around you.” On anthropometrics and building the best fitness equipment: “Fit a machine to work between someone who’s five foot one and six foot nine.” He notes Shaquille O’Neal contributed to hamstring designs. Elliptical geometry matched natural gait to avoid hip shift and back issues.

Russ advised Nature Made Vitamins and Otsuka Pharmaceutical: “They were interested in my muscle recovery study… looking at a new vitamin line… in line with muscle recovery… and better hydration.” He references Pocari Sweat—“a hydration drink that mimics sweat”—and presenting in Japan: “You have to talk slow and you have to pause… nobody spoke English… they bring you gifts… I learned more about culture.” A memorable attendee: “She was a gold medalist in archery… an incredible athlete.”

Constant Progression: How Russ Coaches Adults & Professionals Worldwide“I’ve been doing it since 2023. The constant progression name says it all because we’re always looking to be better. We’re always looking to be our best self some kind of way. The constant progression term was a term that I had back before the Marine Corps. I had constant progression. When I was training in the Marine Corps, writing programs and training programs and standard operating procedures for the Marine Corps, I always used the term constant progression because it was so powerful to me. We’re all on that journey of constant progression.

Russ focuses on “mastering the mindset, building resilience, and achieving lasting transformation.” He focuses on structure: “One of the biggest pillars… without structure and clarity, you have chaos.” Clients commit to a morning routine, midday anchor, and evening routine—“non-negotiable.” Rule one: “Don’t reach for your phone” on waking: “You’re reacting to everybody else’s agenda.”

“You have to control the day when you get up in the morning and not let the day control you. One of the biggest pillars I have in my program is structure, because structure gives you clarity. Wwithout structure and clarity, you have chaos. If you don’t have that in business, you’ve got chaos. You need to look at yourself as if you’re running a business. If you’re running a business, you want to run it efficient as possible. Why would you run yourself any differently? With all my clients, I drill them with structure. We have a morning routine, a midday anchor, and an evening routine. That’s non-negotiable.”

He prescribes solitude: “Sit outside with no phone. Around the 30 minute mark, your brain starts to go into a different brain; watch how clear you get.” On habit formation: “They say it’s 90 days… you chip at it… five, ten minutes at a time.”

“We do neuroscience backed habit change. That’s what transforms you. The biggest thing to do is to learn about yourself and create new habits. And when you create new habits, it makes new neural pathways in your brain. We have a lot of neural pathways that are already there from from our life, from our grown up life, but we can change it. It’s called neuroplasticity. You’re able to change your thoughts and become more intentional and more aware of who you are.”

Four Pillars (in his words)* Structure → Discipline → Focus → Clarity.
“Discipline is the biggest bridge… When you get to clarity, you become very powerful… Clients have ‘aha’ moments; ‘who they’ve always wanted to be. We give them the tools to build that person.”

Anxiety, Depression, and the Present“Anxiety is you anticipating the future… trying to control things that you can’t control.”
“Depression is living in your past… letting your past dictate today.”
So he “bring[s] them back into center… how to be present today.”

PTSD Program & Nervous System BalancePTSD coaching targets the autonomic nervous system: “You’re in your sympathetic [fight/flight]… we teach… how to stimulate the parasympathetic… through vagus nerve stimulation.” On the vagus nerve: “It’s in your neck… goes down to your gut… stimulating it calms you down.” Education itself sparks “aha” moments as clients learn triggers and counter-switches.

Grounding tools:

• Contrast shower (to help sleep): “Hot 1 minute, cold 1 minute… you’ll be out within three minutes. It’s a nervous system reset.”
• Sun/grounding: “15 minutes [sun] every day for mitochondrial function… walking the grass in your bare feet.”

Mindset, Accountability, and Emotional Intelligence“Happiness is a choice. Stop external validating everything. 99.9% of the problems that we have, we are the cause. If you change your mind, you change your life.”
He keeps clients accountable with weekly one-hour sessions and touchpoints throughout the week.

Russ explained how emotions, not logic, drive decisions, using an interior design example. “If an interior designer has four different shades of yellow paint laid out, he’s not going to close the sale if he asks, ‘What do you think about these colors?’ But if he asks, ‘How do you feel about these shades of yellow? How would your guests feel when they come over to your house for brunch in this room?’—that changes the whole dynamic of the question.”

Russ’s larger coaching philosophy is as follows: “Shift from thought-based to emotion-based communication.” As Russ teaches, “Everybody buys on emotion; we’re emotional beings, not human doings.” By reframing questions around feelings, professionals, whether in sales, leadership, or relationship, can unlock clarity, connection, and more effective outcomes.

Gratitude & Journaling“Don’t be grateful for things you don’t have. Be grateful for the things that you do have. Because we’re all rich. We’re all blessed beyond belief. Write that down. Be in that state of gratitude because that changes everything right there. That changes your whole mindset. Because if you’re in a state of gratitude, anger and fear cannot exist. It’s impossible. They cannot be in the same room together. So if you’re in a state of gratitude, you’re not going to be an angry person and you’re not going to be fearful.”“The first thing to journal each morning is the three things that you’re grateful for… If you’re in a state of gratitude, anger and fear cannot exist.” Journaling is a brain dump that “10x” increases focus and clarity.

Nutrition & the Gut–Brain Axis“Gut health is super important… there’s a whole lot of neurons in your gut.” Practical guardrails: “Read the labels. Shop the perimeter. Be careful about bioengineered food: even rice has fillers.”

Clients, Ages, and Regret vs. DisciplineHis clients range from CEOs/entrepreneurs to professionals in their 20s and 60s: “The dynamic and the contrast is cool.” He shares: “Discipline really weighs ounces… regret weighs tons.”

He pushes the question “Who are you? But, not your job title. “What sets your soul on fire?” On faith and love: “Everything we do is out of love. The biggest thing is self love. If you don’t love yourself, you cannot love anybody or anything.”

Spouses & Caregivers Track“We do PTSD training for the spouses and the caregivers… ‘What do you need?’… ‘I just need to feel like I’m safe.’… just put your hand on my shoulder… tell me I’m safe… That brings them down about 30 notches.”

Personal: Training, Cooking, and Music as Therapy“I work out a lot. I like to cook. I have played piano since I was seven; I compose music.” He links music to neuroscience: “Pattern recognition. You play someone else’s music and your brain figures out the pattern, then you can write your own.”

Practical Takeaways (From Russ’s Playbook) Morning: “Don’t reach for your phone… take some time for yourself.” * Solitude: “30 minutes changes your brain state… clarity follows.” * Better Sleep Conditions: “Take a Contrast shower: hot 1 min, cold 1 min; afterward, you’ll be asleep within 3 minutes.” * Daily grounding: “Sun for 15 minutes, and bare feet in the grass.” * Journal: “Start with 3 gratitudes; focus on what you already have; gratitude and fear can’t coexist.” * Mindset: “Structure → Discipline → Focus → Clarity.” * Ownership: “Stop externalizing and looking for other’s support. Once you change your mind, you change your life.*”

“Everybody has so much potential inside them… It’s there. And it’s you need to find it and get there.” Through Constant Progression, Russ helps clients build the structure and nervous-system tools to walk into being that person in the future.

We want to thank Russ Hosmer for his message in how we can all become our best self. For more information, check out Russ Hosmer at https://www.facebook.com/russ.hosmer.7/

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Today we welcome Tim Metcalf, a Lafayette entrepreneur whose name is tied to some of Acadiana’s most beloved establishments. Owner of Deano’s Pizza, Prejean’s Restaurant, and Marcello Wine Market, along with ventures in real estate, storage, and assisted living, Tim has built his life around preserving local traditions while bringing fresh ideas to our community.

A Family Legacy in RestaurantsTim’s entrepreneurial roots trace back to his father, who left behind a thriving restaurant career in California where his pizzeria drew in celebrities and locals alike. Fess Parker and Steve McQueen were regulars as they could hang out in the days before paparazzi. “He left very successful restaurants in California just because he didn’t like the political, sociological climate. He was a country boy, an Idaho potato farmer, and the fast lifestyle of California didn’t sit well with him.” A Korean War veteran, his father moved the family to Lafayette in 1970, opening Deano’s in 1971.

“Lafayette was booming. Oilfield, oil and gas. You know, he just didn’t come to Lafayette on a whim. He read entrepreneurial magazines saying how it was one of the fastest growing cities in the country at the time,” says Tim Metcalf.

The original Deano’s on Bertrand Drive was a simple pizzeria: counter service only, draft beer, pizza, a little green salad, and fountain drinks. “You wouldn’t recognize it at all today… when Dad first started, there was no waitress. It was counter service. That didn’t work in Lafayette. He soon changed it.”

Deano’s menu from the 1970s. Posted by Mona Bernhard on Lafayette Memories’s Facebook Page.Tim, then ten years old, adapted quickly to Louisiana life after growing up in Santa Barbara. “They said, well, you can trade your surfboard for maybe a horse or a mini bike. I’m like, I’m okay. That sounds good to me.” He helped his dad around their rural property on Ridge Road and learned the value of hard work.

““We had pigs, sheep, rabbits, chickens… and a pretty big garden. Dad had a rototiller — an old Sears knuckle buster — and it was a lot of work, and it all fell on me.”

As the youngest of four, Tim shouldered much of the responsibility for cutting grass, working the compost pit, and tending to the garden. “The older ones were in high school and had jobs. So from cutting the grass to road tilling, to manure, to compost, it all fell on me.” Looking back, he credits that hard work with shaping his character. “It taught me some really solid work ethic. I was never afraid of work, and still I’m not.”

By the 1980s, Tim had taken over the reins of Deano’s. Recognizing the need to adapt, Tim expanded both the hours and the menu. “When I got aboard, we started lunches and then we started other food and expanding the menu. 1983–84 — we had to do something else.” His biggest shift was weaving Acadiana’s food culture into the pizza kitchen. “That was an awakening — to start taking the Cajun food, the great food that we have in this area, and incorporating it into our pizzas and our menu. Sausages, boudin, shrimp.”

Photo by Paul Kieu for the AdvertiserExpansion and AdaptationTim later partnered with his son to open a South Lafayette Deano’s, which quickly became a success. “My son and I have this great working relationship.” When COVID hit, they pivoted to selling pizzas and ranch dressing in grocery stores, personally delivering orders across Acadiana. “We kept our whole staff busy. We didn’t have to lay anybody off.”

That resilience fueled further growth. When the Guilbeau family approached him about Prejean’s, Tim stepped in. “I wanted to keep it as pure and original as possible… I wanted to make it the spot in Carencro for the locals to hang out.”

Prejean’s: Preserving a Cajun LandmarkThe opportunity to purchase Prejean’s came unexpectedly. “I had a good customer that goes, hey, you know Bob Guilbeau? He wants to talk to you about Prejean’s. Next thing I know, I talk myself into a deal.”

The iconic restaurant located at 3480 NE Evangeline Thruway, in Lafayette, long associated with Cajun culture and music, was sold by the Guilbeau family. “I wanted to keep it as pure and original as possible. I see a picture of his grandfather in the lobby — he’s the original Bob Guilbeau. I wanted Prejean’s to stay a deep place in Carencro for the locals. Cajuns open our doors and let you in, and I wanted Prejean’s to continue that.”

He also redesigned the space to make it a welcoming community hub. “A really cool lounge area, not heavy on the music — three days a week if you want it, but also a place where you can have a conversation, network, and meet your neighbors.”

Even as Prejean’s was finding new life, Tim was eyeing another opportunity. He purchased the former Trapp’s Restaurant building at 209 S. Morgan Street in Broussard, along with Greg Metcalf and business partner Ken Boudreaux, in September of 2022

“It couldn’t be a Deano’s because pizza kitchens are very different. This one was set up for seafood, so we made it work. And it’s been good — we started doing really well.”

He saw Broussard’s growth as key: “A lot of people in Broussard are working on Highway 90, so they’re there for lunch. That’s the big difference — businesses create lunches; rooftops create dinners. Youngsville is more of a bedroom community, but Broussard has both.”

Tim’s path to owning Marcello’s Wine Market at 2800 Johnston Street in Lafayette started with a casual visit. “I went into the store and Gene Todaro was there looking tired. He says, hey, you should buy this from me. I’m like, oh, Gene, I’m a restaurant guy. He goes, but this has real estate. I like real estate.”

The location on Johnston Street included a large piece of property, making it a natural fit for Tim’s broader business interests. He partnered with Kyle Kellner and UFC fighter Dustin Poirier to acquire the store.

While Tim jokes he isn’t a wine expert, he’s far from intimidated. “I took Dick Dowty’s wine course at UL. We’ve been in Napa a few times. I know what I like. I can read a wine list, and I’m never intimidated by it.”Tim also purchased Marcello’s Wine Market with partners Kyle Kellner and UFC fighter Dustin Poirier, adding wine and real estate to his portfolio. Beyond restaurants, Tim has developed storage facilities, assisted living, and commercial strip centers.

Building “Rock Stars” in BusinessTim is clear about what makes his businesses thrive: culture and people. “Rock stars like to work with rock stars. If you get a rock star and every time you get a rock star to develop, when they leave, it’s on you. You have to develop other rock stars and be that place that rock stars want to work.”

He places a high value on attitude over experience: “Hostesses — I don’t care how many places you’ve hosted before. If you can’t smile, I probably don’t want you on my property. Your first and last impression matters.” Staff loyalty runs deep, with employees returning to Deano’s with their children, creating a multi-generational family culture.

At Jazz Fest, his team sees the payoff. “To be involved in Jazz Fest, you’ve got to be a rock star. Even if you did last year, you have to apply every year… and people fight over it. They love it.”

A Life Beyond the RestaurantsTim also finds renewal in adventure bow hunting, which has taken him from Africa to the Arctic. “It resets my batteries, and it gives me confidence coming back home. If you can sleep with wolves and grizzly bears in freezing temperatures, you can handle anything here.”

With four generations now working in his restaurants, Tim is thinking about the future. “I think I have one Deano’s left in me — for my son and for my grandson.”

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Discover Lafayette welcomes Paul Eason, founder of Eason Advertising, a marketing and public relations firm based in Lafayette, to share his family history as a member of the Billeaud family. He serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Billeaud Companies.

A native of Lafayette, Paul graduated from Cathedral-Carmel High School and USL. He has built a successful career in advertising and PR since launching his firm in 1999, representing clients across industries ranging from banks to automotive dealerships.

Paul’s story, however, is deeply intertwined with the legacy of the Billeaud family. As a descendant of this influential family, Paul has served on the board of Billeaud Companies since 2013 and has chaired the board since 2021. He is the first chairman in the company’s history who does not carry the Billeaud name, a point of pride and responsibility.

The Billeaud Family LegacyThe company’s origins began when Pierre Jean Billeaud (1806-1877) and his wife, Rosalie Felicite Grizeau, immigrated to Louisiana with their son, Martial Francois, from Bourgneuf, France in 1840. Pierre made his living as a wheelwright (blacksmith). When Martial was 16 in 1852, he followed in his father’s footsteps and established a blacksmith shop near the Vermilion River, on the site presently occupied by the DoubleTree Hotel.

In 1872, Martial brought new stalks of sugar cane to the area, purchased a mule driven-cane crushing machine, built a mill and began buying land to start a sugar cane business. The endeavor evolved into Billeaud buying more land and building up the sugar company. Martial Billeaud was the first in his family to begin the history of the Billeaud family’s commitment to responsible use of land resources and active involvement in the community.

Billeaud Companies can be traced back to 1914, when Martial F. Billeaud, Sr. sold the business to his children. who originally incorporated it into the Billeaud Sugar Factory, Inc. Built upon earlier cane-crushing operations started in the late 19th century, the enterprise grew into a powerhouse of sugar production. Over time, multiple plantations—including Comeaux and Broussard—were consolidated under the umbrella of the company, reflecting its family-driven nature.

Martial F. Billeaud, Sr. (1836 – 1916) was the driving force behind the current family-owned Billeaud Companies. The family is proud to have facilitated the building of Martial F. Billeaud Elementary School at500 E Fairfield Dr, Broussard, LA, on property formerly owned by the company.

Paul recalls childhood visits to the factory in Broussard, where the machinery left lasting impressions. The sugar factory had been part of the daily life of his family for generations.

“Popie Billeaud jokes that I’m the first chairman of Billeaud Companies that doesn’t carry the Billeaud name. As a child, I went to the sugar factory a bunch. In those days, my uncle was running the sugar factory, and as I remember we’d go there to see the them crushing the cane and bringing the cane in and the smokestacks. It was a big operation, located about where Mike’s Marine is in Broussard. I knew that I was always going to be involved with Billeaud Companies. We have a swing set in my backyard that was made at the sugar factory and syrup bowl in the front yard. It was always a part of my life.”

As time went on, and Lafayette and Broussard expanded, economic realities, environmental issues, and federal policy shifts made sugar production less sustainable. In 1979, the sugar factory closed. The company pivoted to land development, real estate, and commercial property investment. This strategic shift—guided in part by longtime CEO James L. “Tex” Plumley—allowed the company to prosper through oil discoveries, building acquisitions, and commercial development.

Growth Into Real Estate DevelopmentToday, the Billeaud Companies own and manage more than 800,000 square feet of developed property, along with hundreds of acres of significant undeveloped land. Their portfolio includes shopping centers in Broussard, office complexes such as 900 South College Road and 218 Rue Beauregard in Lafayette, and other key commercial properties throughout Lafayette Parish.

As Chief Executive Officer of Billeaud Companies, Steven Hebert plays an integral role in the company’s operations, growth and overall success.The company has also been instrumental in community growth. From donating the road to our locally beloved zoo, Zoosiana, to facilitating the land deal for Martial F. Billeaud Elementary School, the family has consistently invested in projects that benefit the public while preserving long-term value for shareholders.

Family and Community ConnectionsWith more than 200 stockholders—spread across Louisiana and beyond—the Billeaud Companies remains a true family enterprise. Annual stockholders’ meetings are as much a reunion and celebration as they are business affairs, often featuring crawfish boils, live music, and fellowship under the oak trees of the historic family headquarters, once the Paul Billeaud home and later Chez Marcelle Restaurant.

The Billeaud Foundation, which Paul previously chaired, reflects the family’s commitment to philanthropy. Scholarships in music, science, French, nursing, and in honor of fallen family members continue to impact UL students and the wider Acadiana community. The foundation also supports local churches and civic projects. The Martial F. Billeaud, Sr. Foundation provides funds to be used exclusively for charitable, educational and scientific purposes, with grants being provided to deserving organizations within these criteria. Any organization that fits the criteria stated above may apply for funds by filling out our online grant application. Visit https://billeaudcompanies.com/about/martial-f-billeaud-sr-foundation/ for more information.

Carrying the TorchFor Paul, being chairman means balancing tradition with innovation. He oversees a diverse board that includes lawyers, bankers, IT specialists, and construction experts, all working toward the goal of preserving the Billeaud legacy while preparing for Lafayette’s future.

As he reflects on both his personal career and his family’s 111-year history in business, Paul emphasizes stewardship, adaptability, and optimism about the opportunities ahead in Lafayette and Broussard.

To learn more about the company, visit https://billeaudcompanies.com/.

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Discover Lafayette welcomes Marcelle Bienvenu, cookbook author and food writer who has been preparing Cajun and Creole dishes since the 1960s. A St. Martinville native, she still lives there with her husband, Rock Lasserre.

Marcelle has written about Creole and Cajun cooking for The Times-Picayune, Time-Life Books, and has been featured in Garden & Gun, Food & Wine, Saveur, Southern Living, Redbook, The New York Times, Louisiana Life, and Acadiana Profile. She authored Who’s Your Mama? Are You Catholic and Can You Make a Roux?, as well as Who’s Your Mama? The Sequel, and Cajun Cooking for Beginners.

She co-edited Cooking Up a Storm: Recipes Lost and Found from The Times-Picayune of New Orleans, which was nominated for a James Beard Award in 2009.

Marcelle worked with Emeril Lagasse for 15 years and coauthored several cookbooks with him, including Louisiana Real & Rustic, Emeril’s Creole Christmas, Emeril’s TV Dinners, and Every Day’s a Party. She also owned and operated the beloved restaurant Chez Marcelle in Broussard, at the former Billeaud Family Plantation site.

She has worked at legendary restaurants including Commander’s Palace and K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen in New Orleans, and taught for 11 years at the Chef John Folse Culinary Institute at Nicholls State University.

Growing Up in St. Martinville

“When I was a youngster, it was idyllic. You could ride your bike anywhere. Nobody cared where you were going. We could go around the block and ask all the ladies, ‘What do you have for supper tonight?’ If I liked hers better than mine, I could stay with her. Everybody on our block was related.”

Her father’s family owned The Teche News, and she grew up folding papers and helping with printing: “Besides the newspaper, Daddy did wedding invitations, football programs. I used to hate it because my hands were always full of ink… Mama would fix the sandwiches at the newspaper office because we never went home on paper day until late. The ink was all over your bread.”

She credits her early love of cooking to meals at family camps on Vermilion Bay: “My father was a Boy Scout leader, and we had a camp at Granddad’s on Vermilion Bay, at Sycamore Point, and we had one in the Basin. A lot of our meals were cooked on an open fire wood bar. And I thought that was absolutely fabulous. So I would sit at my daddy’s elbow with his beer. I was beer holder. I would say, shouldn’t you go medium low? You don’t have a dial, you’d have to move it. I became infatuated with that. I thought that was just marvelous. “We were laughing the other day about when we were little, nobody said, oh, we’re going to have Cajun food. Are we going to New Orleans? Can we have Creole food? We never would. Nobody ever said that.”

An interesting side note: Marcelle is the aunt of Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry. His mother and Marcelle’s sister, Edna Bienvenu Landry, died in 2019. Our governor also unfortunately recently lost his father, architect and business owner, Al James Landry, on July 30, 2025.

The Start of a Culinary Career

In 1971, while working at The Times-Picayune, Marcelle met the Time-Life Books crew.

“They were thinking of doing a book on Acadian Creole cooking… We were supposed to be only a chapter in the Southern book, but we ended up with a whole book.”

Working with the Brennans and legendary chef Paul Prudhomme shaped her approach:

“He really brought Cajun cooking up to another level… It was absolutely wonderful to see them marrying those two cuisines to see what they came up with.” Before Prudhomme joined Commander’s Palace, no one in New Orleans was serving chicken and andouille sausage gumbo.

Chez Marcelle

Marcelle’s uncle offered to finance a restaurant in Broussard, and they transformed the old Billeaud Plantation home: “We did fabulously for almost four years and then the whole business… the oil industry crashed. It happened so fast my CPA called to ask if we had closed.”

Food Writing & Cookbooks

Ella Brennan encouraged Marcelle to write about food for The Times-Picayune. This led to her first book, a collection of her columns: “Mama said, ‘Why don’t you just write a book, just get all your columns and put them together?’ And that’s how Who’s Your Mama? Are You Catholic and Can You Make a Roux? happened.”

Her more recent re-release of Who’s Your Mama is a delightful treat with beautiful colors and a celebration of pink, was sparked by a friend and a publisher’s chance conversation.

Teaching at Nicholls State

After Hurricane Katrina, Marcelle began teaching at the Chef John Folse Culinary Institute:

“I stayed almost 12 years… I never thought I would like to teach. But as the generation gap got bigger and bigger, it was time for me to go.”

With Emeril Lagasse

“When we did the first book, Louisiana Real & Rustic, he was very good about keeping to our roots… He was true to keeping the book honest.”

She watched his transformation on TV: He was shy. But when they turned that camera on, he lit up. It was amazing to see him do that.”

Food Philosophy

“Learn to make three good dishes… You go sit with your mama or grandma in the kitchen and watch what they do.” Her favorite dish? “Spaghetti.”

“I’m really not a big fan of making gumbo… it has to be cold outside.”

Where to Find Her Book

Marcelle’s latest release is available at Renaissance Market, The Pink Paisley, Barnes & Noble, Caroline & Company, and Amazon. “It is a great wedding gift.”

Final Parting Words….

“Gumbo became a food because of having to have something to eat. They had to use whatever they had… Who do you think ate the first oyster? Somebody who was damn hungry.”

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Lafayette Fire Chief Robert Benoit, a man who has devoted 46 years to protecting our community, recently announced his retirement. A Lafayette native, Chief Benoit joined the department in May 1979 and made history in August 1993 when he became the first Black fire chief in Lafayette’s history. Under his leadership, the department expanded from seven to fourteen fire stations, modernized equipment and training, and earned improved fire ratings, saving money and lives.

Chief Benoit has been inducted into the Louisiana Fire Chiefs Hall of Fame and served as President of the Southwestern Division of the International Association of Fire Chiefs.

As he prepares to retire on August 15, 2025, Chief Benoit reflected on the calling he discovered as a child, the trials and triumphs of leading during economic downturns and political shifts, and the deeper sense of purpose that led him to seminary and prison ministry.

“I think it was a gift that God placed in me, probably from birth… getting to how I got there was looking at a firefighter in a book at school at seven years old… and I said, ‘I want to be a firefighter.’”

From Stockboy to ChiefChief Benoit’s journey began with humble jobs—first at Lafayette Drug Company, then Martin Mills in St. Martinville—while waiting to meet the age requirement to become a firefighter. When the age was lowered to 18, he took the civil service exam, passed, and began training at the fire academy. His first assignment was the Central Fire Station, where he spent 99% of his career.

“The first thing you get is an interview with the fire chief. The fire chief at that time was Wayne Prejean. He told me he was going to give me a shot. I remember walking out the fire station realizing that I was going to get a job. Even though I had to go through the physical process. And then from there, once I cleared the physical, I went to the academy which lasted three months. It was exciting. I did everything I needed to do.”

My first station was at Central Downtown, which is where I work today. At that time, we had a pumper truck and a ladder truck and a rescue truck in the station. That’s where I started to learn the business of firefighting. Learning that business, reading on my own time, a lot of time in the fire station. We were very short on firefighters.”

“They called it ‘The Rock’… because everything comes through the Central Fire Station. That was administration, firefighters, and the communications center.”

A Rapid Rise Through the RanksBenoit was known for his drive and initiative. He became a truck driver within three years (something that on average takes about eight years), communications officer, arson investigator, and captain—a rank he reached in just six years.

“I wanted to learn every section of the fire department… Didn’t realize I was going to be chief. I just wanted to understand how this organization worked.”

In the 1980, the local economy tanked. “I used to hear people make the comment. Last one out. Turn the lights out. They had a lot of vacant buildings and having a lot of fires that was arson.
Kids were setting buildings on fire. And of course, unfortunately, some businesses were setting their businesses on fire. The fire chief at that time was Jack Massey who needed some help in the fire prevention bureau in the arson section. He asked me to go work in there just for a couple of months, just to help him out. I wound up going in there and found a home in fire prevention. So this is seven years later. I’m in fire prevention. I started learning the business of investigations. I started getting trained by ATF agents, FBI agents, insurance agents and going to school. That’s where my educational level really skyrocketed. I started getting degrees and learning this business of investigating fires. The fire chief put me in charge of internal affairs for the fire department. So I pretty much did everything, became the go to person behind the scenes. If anything was going on in the city within the fire department, I would get the call to go see what’s going on and figure out how to resolve it.”

“The first one I purchased for the City of Lafayette, back in 1994, after a year of being fire chief, cost $125,000. Now those trucks are averaging 1.5 million for the small ones. And, almost 1.8 to 2 million, for a ladder truck.”Becoming Fire ChiefIn 1993, Benoit competed for the chief’s position under Mayor Kenny Bowen, whom he had known since being hired.

“We went round and round and round… He was testing me… He said, ‘Relax. I’m sending your name to the media right now.’”

Benoit emphasized transparency, professionalism, and integrity:

“I wasn’t going to be a yes person… but I’m going to do the business of trying to do the right thing and bring this fire department to another level.”

“Everything that went on in the fire department, [the mayors] knew about it… Good, bad, and indifferent.”

When you look at the stats in the fire department of the of the 13 stations that actually have fire trucks operating out of them, Station Two on Mudd Avenue is the busiest company in the city because it’s an older neighborhood, with more wear and tear on houses. You’ll see more fires. One of the things that we’re very, very happy about is that the public education component of the fire department and fire prevention helps the elderly because we install smoke alarms. We install fire extinguishers. That’s the way for us getting into your home to give you fire safety pamphlets and to show you how to be fire safe.”Creating a Culture of Service and SafetyChief Benoit led with discipline and grace. He instituted educational reforms, boosted morale, and changed the perception of firefighters in the community.

“We became a public relations type organization…to help people, to get involved in nonprofit organizations.”

His department offered community fire prevention programs, smoke alarm installations, fire safety education, and support for victims after fires.

“Nobody stays in the street after a fire… We partnered with hotels. We even refurbished homes—what I called the ‘burn houses.’”

“One of the things I share with people is that we have a tendency to leave our appliances running when we leave. Washer and dryer. Turn those things off. You know, if you’re going to wash your clothes, then wait for to finish washing. If you’re going to dry, stay there until the dryer goes off because something could happen. Any mechanical part that’s moving like that, it’s producing heat. If you have a situation, then nobody’s there to put the fire out. If there is a fire, close your doors, let it be contained in that one room instead of spreading throughout the whole house.”

“We always tell people, just get out. Get out and stay out. Don’t go back in. 99% of the time, if you go back in, you’re not going to get back out.”

Parish Partnerships and Public SafetyBenoit was instrumental in creating strategic partnerships between Lafayette City and Parish fire departments, ensuring fast, seamless service across the region.

“All you know is that somebody is going to show up… If it’s in the city, within 3 to 5 minutes. If it’s in the parish, between 5 and 10 minutes.”

He also explained the complex elements of Lafayette’s fire insurance rating system, involving fire, water, and communications.

“It’s a three-part process… 50% is fire, 40% is the water department, 10% is communications.”

“Every station is located within a mile and a half… That goes back to the horse and buggy days.”

On Leadership, Grace, and LegacyChief Benoit has brought a pastoral approach to leadership. He graduated from the Ever Increasing Word Training Center in Barrow LA where he received a diploma of Ministerial Training. In May 2020, he earned a Graduate Certificate in Theology with honors from Grand Canyon University in Phoenix Arizona, and graduated with a masters in Divinity in April of this year. He is also active in the ministry providing bible studies at Lafayette Parish Correctional Center.

“God has blessed me with that. He showed me how to give grace… when you’ve got things going on in your world and you don’t know how to fix it.”

“By the time you get to me, you’re about to lose your job… Give me an opportunity to help you fix that. If we can fix those things, that fire department problem is going to go away.”

His ability to balance discipline with empathy changed lives and careers:“There were some mayors who would tell me, ‘I’d fire him.’ And I’d look at them and say, ‘Well, you can’t fire everybody.’”

What’s Next?After retiring, Chief Benoit will serve as Fire Liaison Supervisor for Acadian Ambulance, continuing to lead and connect communities. “One of the things with this job of Acadian, it will have me traveling across the state. Not a problem for me. I’ll be able to network with other people and just enjoy God’s green earth.”

“The transition still keeps me connected to government… but it shows me that I’ve done my time here. It’s time to give this leadership over to a younger person.”

In his free time, Benoit enjoys walking, traveling, and time with his grandchildren.

“I’m a walker. I love to walk. I try to do that at least four days a week. At least three three miles a day minimum.“I walk throughout the city… at least three miles a day… and I love my Netflix.”

“I’ve got eight grandkids… a set of twins. I still can’t tell the twins apart.”

Final Reflections

“Here I am, 67, and I still feel like that little kid… that was excited at 20 years old to walk into that fire station and hear, ‘You’re getting a job.’ Today I can tell you, that little kid is excited to be leaving at 67 years old on August the 15th.”

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Shelley Delahoussaye, Supervisor of the Lafayette Animal Shelter & Care Center, joins Discover Lafayette to share her passion and love of animals and how the animal shelter works to save as any animals as possible while searching for loving and safe environments for them.

A graduate of UL – Lafayette, Shelley earned a bachelor’s degree in Animal Science. After working in private vet clinics, she was hired in 2017 by the Lafayette Animal Shelter as an Adoption, Foster, and Rescue Coordinator. One year later, she was promoted to Shelter Supervisor. She has always had a passion for animals.

Prior to Shelley’s leadership, the save rate for dogs was 47% and cats a low 9%. In 2016 when former Mayor-President Joel Robideaux ran for office, he campaigned on the idea of NO-Kill 2020, an initiative to which he dedicated focus and support to make it happen. Through changes made under Shelley’s supervision, the shelter achieved a 90.3% save rate by 2020, and has maintained that rate ever since. Even with this success, there is still a continuing glut of stray animals in our community and the work of Lafayette Animal Shelter is critical.

Pictured above is the beautiful Lafayette Animal Shelter and Care Facility. Designed by Architects Beasley Moliere, the front entrance is separated into two wings: the surrender side and the adoption side. While Shelley originally questioned this decision, she quickly realized how important it is to keep the interactions separate. “The Surrender side is sad, with frantic owners looking for their pets. The Adoption side is happy, with people looking for a pet to love and care for.”

Prior to COVID, other states around the country would take many of our stray animals as there was a shortage of pets. Nationally, there is a trend of more responsible pet ownership and laws enforcing spay/neuter, as well as restrictions on breeders as to how many animals can be bred and how often, thus reducing the overpopulation. But now post-COVID, the shelters around the U. S. are also full and can’t take our strays.

“It’s important to get to the root of the stray population, which is access to low-cost spay and neuter. Wild Cat SpayNation for dogs and cats is the only nonprofit low-cost spay/neuter provider that services all of Acadiana. They can only do so much. Many people want to do better by their pets but can’t afford it. Please donate to them!”

Lafayette Animal Shelter takes in approximately 5000 animals each year. And they get in not only dogs and cats, but potbellied pigs, goats, horses, cattle, bunnies and chickens. Shelley joked that recently her team nicknamed the facility “Old MacDonald’s Farm” because of the variety of barnyard animals they took in. Luckily that week they found homes for 10 chickens, 3 potbellied pigs, 3 goats, and a horse!

Shelley Delahoussaye on how to prepare adequately for your pet’s safety as a storm or hurricane approaches.Adopted animals are neutered, fully vaccinated and microchipped before you take them home. “It’s a great deal,” Shelley says, and “The animals receive about $600 worth of vet treatment before they go to their new home.” Adoption fees are $35 for dogs and $25 for cats. Seniors and military vets can adopt at no charge. Any pets who have been at the Animal Shelter over 30 days can be adopted for free and when the shelter gets full, adoption fees are waived. “We want them in good homes without financial barriers.” Thanks to BISSELL Pet Foundation and Cathy Bissell– all adoption fees are WAIVED until Oct, 2024.

The ratio of cats and dogs is approximately 50% each. About 800 of the 5000 animals are owner-surrendered each year. For some, the owner tried to rehome them with no success, and some owners find themselves in a situation where they have to get rid of the pet immediately and turn to the Shelter.

Shelley encourages owners who may be struggling with their pet’s behavior to take advantage of Good Pup, an app that teaches your how to effectively manage your pet. The Shelter partners with Good Pup and you can take advantage of the live video training for free. It is difficult for the Shelter’s staff to see animals returned when perhaps a bit of training and patience can make all the difference in a successful outcome.

The Trap/Neuter/Release (“TNR”) program for community cats was an important key to reducing the kill rate for cats. Just a few short years ago the kill rate was 9% for cats; they were almost certain to be put down once they arrived at the facility. Kittens that came in without a mom almost always faced the “death sentence” according to Shelley. There was no foster program until recently and the community cat population was out of control. In 2017, Robert Benoit, who worked for Joel Robideaux, presented an Ordinance that allowed the TNR program. Today, the Shelter is seeing the results of this successful program and there are much fewer rescued kittens being brought to the facility. If you see a cat with a clipped ear, this is a universal sign that it has been neutered.

Another fun initiative to place cats into useful settings is the “Cats Clocking In” program. An idea of former Mayor-President Robideaux, cats can be ‘hired’ and work to reduce pesky rodents in shops and barns. These cats may not fit into your home, but they definitely earn their keep by providing pest control services! Sometimes just the smell of a cat will keep rodents away. Working cats will arrive neutered, vaccinated, and microchipped. They will need about two to three weeks in an enclosed space to get acclimated to their new environment and adjust to the new sounds and smells. Employers must provide food, water, and future medical care. The Shelter staff recommends that you adopt cats in pairs as they stick together beautifully.

A ‘No-Kill’ facility means that at least 90% of the animals are saved from euthanasia. Some animals must be put down; if the animal is suffering after being severely injured, extremely old, or has a condition that can’t be address, they will be a candidate for euthanasia. If a $15,000 surgery is required to attempt to save an animal, Shelley says that animal would be put down. “We try so hard to avoid euthanasia. But I’d rather take care of 20 animals for that amount of money. We have to watch our funds.” Also, some animals with severe behavioral issues that are too aggressive to be suitable for adoption will be put down. Shelley says, “I wouldn’t put an aggressive animal in someone’s home.

When animals are picked up off the streets, their are varying Stray/Hold times. If an animal is untagged or chipped, it will be held for 3 days before being released for adoption; it will be held 5 days if they do have identification in order to give the owner a chance to retrieve their pet. Many pets are reclaimed within one to three days. Once the stray/hold period ends, the pet becomes the property of LCG and it can be adopted or transferred.

Volunteers enable the Lafayette Animal Shelter to provide the animals the love and attention they deserve. The Shelter is always in need of animal lovers who can volunteer their time bathing, grooming, walking, and socializing the animals. They need the help of volunteers at off-site events, photography, laundry, cleaning, and even some administrative duties. Volunteers must be 18 years and youth 12-15 years of age must have a parent volunteer with them. Volunteers 16-18 years of age can volunteer on their own with a parental consent. Contact LASCC@lafayettela.gov for more information.

Shelley studied Animal Sciences at UL – Lafayette and had plans to become a veterinarian. But family responsibilities, namely a pregnancy, changed her plans. She worked at the New Iberia Research Center and as a vet tech before joining Lafayette Animal Shelter and Care Facility. She is married with four children and has four dogs, a cat and chickens. “Its a circus but I love it!”

The Lafayette Animal Shelter is open Monday – Friday from 8 AM to 5 PM, and Saturday from 12 to 2PM for adoptions only. Located at 410 N. Dugas Road off of University Avenue, it is a beautiful and clean facility filled with dedicated staff, many of whom have worked there for years.

We thank Shelley Delahoussaye, along with her staff, for their dedicated service to our community of humans and animals!

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Hollie Girouard, proprietor of Ton’s Drive-In and Ton’s Downtown joins Discover Lafayette in partnership with Eat Lafayette to discuss her family’s multigenerational success in the restaurant business.

While Hollie is known for her dedication to Ton’s, she is also well-known for her athletic prowess, having been a volleyball player for teams at ESA and UL – Lafayette, the latter of which she graduated from with a degree in Graphic Design. She is a third-generation proprietor of Ton’s, following in the footsteps of her hardworking grandparents and parents. Hollie knows the restaurant business inside and out, having grown up in it and working from a young age, as soon as her grandmother gave her permission to clean tables and help out doing whatever was needed.

Ton’s in Broussard is beloved for its classic American and Cajun comfort food, including fried chicken, hamburgers, and regional favorites. Hollie’s grandparents, Rosemary and Alton Girouard, originally opened Ton’s in May of 1963. At that time, Rosemary left her job at a downtown Lafayette dress shop to run the restaurant full time. Alton stayed on working for the Lafayette Hardware Store (located then at the corner of Vermilion and Buchanan in downtown Lafayette) during the day, joining Rosemary in the evenings at the restaurant. Their children, Karl and Yvette Girouard, also worked at Ton’s, and when Karl married Hollie’s mom, Juanita, in 1973, she became an integral part of the family business.

Rosemary and Alton Girouard. Hollie Girouard describes her grandmother as “a business woman. She was the heart and soul driving the restaurant. It was her dream.”As Ton’s attracted more business in the decade after its founding, the restaurant expanded in 1973 to a new location across the street in Broussard in what had originally been Bonin’s Bar. Hollie shared that when her grandparents were remodeling the space to accommodate their new restaruant, they paid for the demolition work by giving the beautiful oak bar in Bonin’s to the contractor as a payment for services. “The original oak bar is somewhere in New Orleans,” says Hollie. The new Ton’s restaurant was equipped with a drive-thru window, the first in Lafayette Parish, and also offered indoor dining and outdoor seating.

Ton’s has maintained many of its original menu items offered from its first day of operation. The chili, seasoning blend, and hamburgers which attracted avid fans still taste the same to someone visiting after forty years away. Hollie says the original pizza pans are now used as pot lids. And many of the employees’ families have worked at Ton’s over the years; Danielle, the general manager and head cook at the Broussard location, is a third generation employee as her grandmother, Edna, worked with Hollie’s grandmother in the early days. Regina, Danielle’s mother, worked with Hollie’s mother, Juanita, in Ton’s second generation of operations.

Yvette, Alton, Rosemary, Juanita (holding Hollie) and Karl Girouard.Eat Lafayette honored Ton’s Drive-In as it celebrated its 60th anniversary of successful business operations. Pictured are Hollie Girouard along with her parents, Karl and Juanita Girouard. Hollie calls herself “a glorified errand girl, running back and forth between the restaurants. I take my cues from the general managers!”

Both restaurants source their food as local as possible, and Hollie says, “The crawfish are always being within 10 miles of the restaurant. We grow things in the garden.” The top seller is the burger and plate lunches at the Broussard location have the same rotation each week as people expect the continuity. So on Tuesday, you can expect to see calf liver and onions as a plate lunch option, with the usual classic comfort foods offered each day.

Catering is offered and Ton’s provides food for sports tournaments, as well individuals looking for great comfort food. “Miss Laura,” who has worked at Ton’s since before Hollie was born, works the grill and stuffs all the baked, deboned turkeys, pork roasts and brisket for special occasions

After 60 years of successful operations, Ton’s recently opened a second location in downtown Lafayette at 500 Jefferson Street, Suite C, known as Ton’s Downtown. Hollie said, “It was a special time for us opening our second location in downtown Lafayette because it was the 60th anniversary of our grandparents opening Ton’s while working in downtown Lafayette!” Ton’s Downtown has an evolving menu, a bit different from Broussard at this point in time, offering fresh pressed juices every day and Straw Cove bagels and yogurts.

“We try to serve food as close as we can to how our grandparents would. When they first opened, they would have a calf butchered every week, with some going to burgers and some to smothered plate lunches. We want to serve people as if they were our own family members. We would never sell an item we wouldn’t give to our grandmother or our child. We are mindful of how we source our foods.”

Hollie loves being in downtown Lafayette as she is friends with many other owners of the restaurants surrounding Ton’s. They share resources with each other as needed. “Whatever success we have is only made better by other restauranteurs’ success. We love supporting each other. It’s a special thing to be a part of.”

Ton’s Downtown has a full bar, which makes sense given its hours of operation extend from 5 to 12 PM Thursday through Saturday. Interestingly, at this year’s Festival International, the frozen coffee was the surprising #1 seller. “People would spike it with Tito’s or Kahlúa.

When asked about the incredible longevity of many employees’ tenure with the restaurant, Hollie stated, “Restaurants are typically high turnover endeavors. We want to ask what our employees would be comfortable doing. When interviewing someone, I ask our current employees if they know the person. Would you feel comfortable working with them? I want my employees to feel work is a safe space. And we don’t micromanage.” And Hollie will do any task needed, including custodial work. “On any given day, I am the custodian. I would never ask my employees to do anything I wouldn’t do.”

Ton’s food is consistent at both locations. “Someone can go away for 40 years and come back and taste the same burger. You see the joy and happiness in their face, with nostalgic memories. It tastes the same! Old Corelle dishes are used to serve food, pictures of her grandparents are on the walls. Nostalgia is built into your dining experience.A part of the experience is thinking of your childhood and family. The food we are feeding you is something we do care about. We want you to tast that and experience that,” Hollie says.

While Hollie loves the restaurant business, she also enjoys the artistic side of life. In her spare time, which is limited, she throws pottery and makes wedding dresses and functional wear.

According to Ton’s Facebook page, “Alton “Ton” was a scout in WW2, sneaking around France, clearing a safe way for troops. Toward the end of the war he had the pleasure of being General Patton’s private driver. We can’t imagine what that time was like and the true courage he and his fellow servicemen and women had to muster at such young ages.” A true American hero!

Ton’s Downtown is open Monday – Wednesday, 7AM – 2PM. Thursday – Saturday, 7AM – 2PM & 5PM – 12 AM. Sunday, 8AM – 3PM. Visit https://tonsdowntown.com/ for more information.

Ton’s Drive-In at 101 W. Main Street in Broussard is open Monday – Friday, 6 AM to 2 PM, and Saturday 7 AM to 2 PM. For more information, visit https://www.tonsdrivein.com/

Thank you for a fun interview Hollie, and best wishes on another sixty years of success!

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Peggy Feehan, Executive Director of CODOFIL (Council for the Development of French in Louisiana), an organization dedicated to promoting and preserving the French language and culture in Louisiana, joins Discover Lafayette to discuss the agency’s mission and work.

Born and raised in the New Brunswick province of Canada, Peggy grew up speaking French, enjoying the outdoors with deer and moose in her backyard. Fishing and hunting activities were prevalent, just like in Louisiana. While her region of Canada was predominantly Francophone, she learned English in school; some of her family spoke English, but it was not her first language. Peggy admits that she still thinks and dreams in French. And interestingly, she remembers watching American television and enjoying English-speaking shows such as Growing Pains and Family Ties which helped her in learning the English language.

While Louisiana, and South Louisiana in particular, had many French-speaking citizens, the language was looked upon as uneducated and backward by some sectors of society. In 1921, a new Louisiana Constitution was adopted that mandated English as the official language of instruction in public schools. This effectively banned the use of French in classrooms. Many old-timers and their descendants clearly remember the shame felt when being ridiculed by teachers for using their native French language in school. The number of French-speaking people in Louisiana began to dwindle drastically as the decades passed.

James “Jimmy” Domengeaux, a prominent Lafayette attorney and former U.S. Congressman, was instrumental in founding CODOFIL as a means to stop the loss of French-speaking Louisianians. CODOFIL was established in 1968 with the goal of preserving and promoting the French language and culture in the state. The council played a key role in advocating for French education and cultural programs, particularly in the Acadiana region of Louisiana. CODOFIL was empowered to “do any and all things necessary to accomplish the development, utilization, and preservation of the French language as found in Louisiana for the cultural, economic and touristic benefit of the state”.

Appointed by then Louisiana Governor John McKeithen, Domengeaux served as CODOFIL’s first president from its creation until his death in 1988. Domengeaux was passionate about revitalizing French language education, and under his leadership, CODOFIL helped reintroduce French into Louisiana public schools. His work faced challenges, such as a lack of qualified teachers and resistance from some English-only advocates, but Domengeaux’s efforts laid the foundation for a French cultural renaissance in the state.

CODOFIL is an agency of the Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism, under the direction of Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser. It is the only agency physically situated outside of Baton Rouge and is housed in the former Lafayette City Hall across the street from our Lafayette Parish Court House. COD)FIL has been housed there since the mid-1980s except for a period (2014 – 2019) when extensive renovations were undertaken. It is a bright, beautiful space which delights visitors and employees alike.

The hiring of international French teachers began in 1972. The recruitees from France and Belgium were flown to Louisiana in chartered planes and landed in Baton Rouge where they were met by yellow school buses and driven to their respective parishes. Approximately 100 teachers would be hired each year.

One teacher from Belgium was Phillippe Gustin, who moved here in 1974 from Belgium. He ended up staying and went on to lead the Lafayette International Center for 28 years, serving as an outstanding ambassador for Lafayette and Acadiana in promoting business and cultural opportunities.

Peggy moved to Louisiana 25 years ago to teach French in the St. Martin school system for CODOFIL. At the time, CODOFIL advertised in Canada to recruit French teachers, just as they do today. She knew someone in Lafayette and was aware of the huge superstar, Zachary Richard, and got on the waitlist to be a teacher in Acadiana. Her goal was to be here in the States for one year, out of what could be a potential three-year U. S. Visa work permit.

Peggy taught in Cecilia Junior High and High School for six years, and also worked for the Louisiana Department of Education as a consultant in French education to recruit other French teachers. “I loved it! I knew what it meant to move from another country. It’s a culture shock to move overseas to Louisiana. It can be hard to get used to.” And may we add…..Peggy ended up staying for much longer than ever originally planned due to meeting her now husband, Scott Feehan, at Festival International de Louisiane.

“Immersion is certainly one of the best ways to teach French. Only one hour once a week makes it tough to learn. In immersion, the children think in French and research shows that one disruption in English take a kid up to 20 minutes to come back to the language. Once they hear English, they start talking English to their friends before they switch back to French. If you have long hours of French, that’s when development occurs and the kids learn. It works!”

Peggy’s role as Executive Director of CODOFIL involves overseeing efforts to support French immersion programs in schools, maintain cultural ties with Francophone regions, and advocate for French-speaking communities in the state. Today there are 144 internationally recruited French teachers statewide who work in French immersion programs in 17 school districts. Peggy spoke of the challenges in recruiting as there is a shortage of teachers worldwide. This year was a banner year for CODOFIL’s recruiting with approximately 62 new French teachers from France, Belgium, Canada, Cameroon, Senegal and the Ivory Coast of Africa.

For the teachers recruited from France, their retirement benefit is paid by France. The teachers are considered to be on sabbatical and their time spent teaching in the U. S. counts toward their retirement. They progress in their profession as if they were working in France. And of course, then France has to hire replacement teachers to do the job in their local schools. Peggy noted that French President Emmanuel Macron is proud to have French teachers in the U. S. to shine the light on the French culture internationally.

When asked about the benefits of studying and becoming fluent in French in lieu of Spanish, Peggy stated, “There will always be enough jobs for Spanish speakers. But if you speak French, you have something that not a lot of people have. There are many jobs out there that require French. It’s a tool in your tool belt that gives your more opportunities and less competition to be hired for a position. Come over to the French side!”

Festivals are a great attraction for French-speaking individuals and they come here by the thousands and spend tens of millions of dollars in South Louisiana. Peggy said, “We could double our employees and we still wouldn’t have enough to meet the potential demand for Francophone speakers. We could do so much more.” While exact numbers for Francophone visitor spending specifically tied to festivals are not readily available for this interview’s purpose, it is clear that their economic contribution plays a vital role in supporting the local economy, particularly in the Acadiana region where French culture is celebrated.

CODOFIL also works to emphasize the importance of maintaining Louisiana’s unique French heritage and culture, which has deep historical roots in the state due to its colonial past. CODOFIL puts on exhibits across the state from time to time, and recently finished “Louisiana French: Preserve and Evolve” in Jennings. The exhibition was held to demystify Louisiana French and Louisiana Creole and the way these languages have shaped the state. The exhibit will be held next in Abbeville.

Another initiative of CODOFIL is French Tables or “Tables Françaises,” a grass roots effort to encourage camaraderie among French speaking individuals. There are dozens of French Tables across Louisiana and the organizers are private individals who are interested in promoting the French language and culture. They decide when, where, and how often they will meet at gatherings where only French is spoken at the table and can call upon CODOFIL for guidance if needed.

Peggy Feehan’s leadership has contributed to the growth of French language initiatives, fostering stronger cultural connections between Louisiana and other French-speaking regions globally. She loves her job and says, “It is truly an honor to be a part of CODOFIL. As long as they will keep me, I am so happy to be here!”

We thank Peggy Feehan and her entire team at CODOFIL for their work and outstanding commitment to preserving Louisiana’s unique cultural heritage.

For more information, visit https://www.crt.state.la.us/cultural-development/codofil/. And please note that the website is being improved and the new site will be launched in approximately six months. You can also call CODOFIL at (337)262-5810 or visit their office at 217 W. Main Street, Lafayette LA 70501.

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Seth Ransonet joins Discover Lafayette to discuss the third annual NOMAD Music Festival to be held on September 21, 2024 at Warehouse 535.

NOMAD is a wholesome music event emphasizing family-friendly values and aiming to promote truth, goodness, and beauty through music. It’s mission is to glorify God and inspire people to find their true home, spiritually and emotionally, through the power of music and community. The name “NOMAD” was selected because the event strives to inspire all wanderers to find their true home.

A graduate of UL-Lafayette and a theology teacher at Teurlings Catholic High School, Seth Ransonet co-founded the NOMAD Music Festival with Jude Lecompte. The two were roommates when they attended a performance in Houston by Caamp, an American folk band from Ohio, which Seth calls a “top 10” band. They had so much fun it inspired them to start their own music festival here in Lafayette LA. Seth recalled Jude saying, “We need to start an event that’s wholesome, family-friendly, and a nice hang out.” The young men were 22 and 23 years old at the time of NOMAD’s inception.

The third annual NOMAD Music Festival will be held on September 21, 11:00 a.m to 9 p.m. at Warehouse 535 in Lafayette, and features a variety of local and visiting artists, providing them with a platform to grow and reach a wider audience. Working to create a vibrant community experience, the event kicks off with a Catholic mass which is open to the people of all faiths. Games for the kids will be provided and anyone who loves dancing is sure to enjoy NOMAD.

The headliner band is Happy Landing, and NOMAD 2024 also includes artists such as Zach Edwards and the Medicine, Kaleb Oliver, Swampland Stringband, Amis Du Teche, Mia Montero, Crosby & Ellender, Gabe Parsons, and Eden.

General admission tickets are $39.99 (with family discounts provided to families attending with their children) and food trucks will be onsite offering meals for purchase. Parking is available onsite. To find out more, visit https://www.nomadmusicfest.com/.

Discover Lafayette would like to thank Seth Ransonet, as well as NOMAD co-founder Jude LeCompte, for endeavoring to bring wholesome family entertainment to Acadiana. Seth is now only 24 years old and has taken on not only full-time teaching at Teurlings Catholic High School, but learning entrepreneurship as a festival organizer trying to break even, if not make a profit. An eagle scout who grew up singing Irish folk songs around the campfire, Seth has always been a person of faith who wanted to serve his Catholic church. Best wishes on a successful 2024 NOMAD Music Festival!

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Michael Soileau, Director of LUS Fiber, joins us to discuss his vision for the organization. A native of Mamou, Michael graduated from Mamou High, and then earned a degree in International Business from UT in Austin and an MBA from LSU – Shreveport.

He took over the reins at LUS Fiber in May 2024. Before this appointment, Michael had worked exclusively in private enterprise. His past employers include Comcast NBCUniversal, specializing in the broadband and cable television business, as well as Toffler Associates, O3, Viya, Comcast Cable, AT&T Broadband, and Optel. He’s a proven business leader in sales, business development, and strategic planning in the telecommunication and fiber-optic industry.

Michael’s first work experiences in broadband came about through his work with Optel. The company was first acquired by AT&T Broadband, which was then acquired by Comcast Corporation, making it the largest broadband and cable subscription business provider in the U. S. Then, Comcast purchased 49% ownership of NBC, and several years later bought the remaining ownership in the broadcast network. These mergers resulted in Michael moving into the entertainment and distribution side of the business.

“I worked with Comcast NBC Universal for twenty years, in every operational role you can imagine….sales, marketing, finance, strategic planning on how to grow the business. With the Time Warner acquisition, affordabiIity came up. We started off offering programs for low-income households, and expanded it to sectors such as seniors, Veterans, students…different sectors of the community that can find broadband expensive. I learned so much.” Advocate staff photo by Leslie Westbrook.

Michael retired from Comcast and then dedicated his life to studies, earning an MBA from LSU. “I admit to being a lifelong learner. When I retired from Comcast, I went to school to get my Master’s degree. I had considered working in academia as I had guest lectured at UT for a while. I earned the degree to gain the needed credibility to lecture on international business. But I was reinvigorated by school to get back into the ‘business of the business.'”

He then spent a year and a half as CEO of O3, a digital experience consultancy based in Philadelphia. At O3, he focused on digital customer experience, strategy, and innovation, bringing the organization a fresh set of eyes on how to position it to tap into new markets and create innovative solutions.

Michael had maintained a residence in Lafayette in order to be close to his parents who still reside in Mamou. One day, his neighbor was visiting and they started talking about the open position at LUS Fiber. Rachel Godeaux, LCG’s Chief Administrative Officer, met with him and Michael then met with Lafayette Mayor Monique Boulet, who inspired him with her vision for Lafayette and the role fiber could play in attracting companies and driving economic development. “Her overarching belief in the importance of transparency in government was compelling.” He wasn’t looking for a position, but couldn’t say no.

“I love the business of broadband. I’ve seen the power of broadband and what it does to change communities across the country, so I was excited about the opportunity to come back.”Familiar with the history of LUS Fiber, having watched it from its inception back in 2005 when the citizens of Lafayette voted to make it a reality, he remembers having a conversation with the President of Comcast’s cable division, saying at the time, “This is a model that will hurt us because it drives community engagement and loyalty with in the community.” He further added during our interview, “Those are the values that we are all a part of by living here in Lafayette.”

“LUS Fiber has had 17 years of operations. We have the opportunity to rethink our marketing and ask what do we stand for, what is our brand, what is our promise to the community, how to reintroduce LUS Fiber to the the citizens who voted it in. They are my boss. I work for everyone in Lafayette and I want to make sure we are doing what they need us to do. Twenty years ago LUS Fiber made the promise that we would provide the best, most reliable, fastest speeds to the most homes possible.” Advocate staff photo by Leslie Westbrook.

There are still a few pockets in the city of Lafayette where LUS Fiber hasn’t built out. Multi-dwelling units (MDUs) have presented a challenge in adding the technology as building infrastructure limitations (lack of conduits and limited space to accomodate new lines), older electrical systems, and having to drill through walls and ceilings present hurdles to overcome. Michael says, “New construction is always easier. You don’t have to rip out walls to get to the wires. We haven’t had the best technology to provide our service to all. This is one of my biggest priorities, to find the technology solution that is scalable. I want something that is standardized and scalable. We hope to roll that out sometime next year.”

LUS Fiber has expanded its services outside the parish of Lafayette as a participant in the GUMBO Grant Program (Granting Unserved Municipalities Broadband Opportunities), a Louisiana initiative funded by federally- funded grants, designed to expand broadband access to underserved and unserved areas in the state. Its goal is to help bridge the digital divide by providing high-speed internet access, particularly in rural and economically disadvantaged areas in Acadiana. Towns such as Ville Platte, Mamou, Pine Prairie, and Reddell now have operational services, with Church Point next on the list of towns to have access to true broadband services. Acadia, Vermilion, and Iberia Parishes are also included in the grant funding that LUS Fiber will participate in to build out its broadband network. Michael says, “This doesn’t mean our eye isn’t on the ball in Lafayette. It absolutely is. We can do both things at one time,” referencing the priority of building out its fiber network to unserved areas in Lafayette.

“I want to retake the mantle of the most innovative provider in the country within the next three to five years. We will do that by pushing more innovative products, such as with Connected TV. More in-home innovation is another area that can be improved, to help ensure that customers experience the same level of service at one end of the house as the other. We also want to provide innovative services to people at all income levels. There are ways to offer a good broadband choice at an affordable level, so people don’t have to make a choice about paying their utility bill or their broadband bill. I want us to stay above the curve as the future evolves.”

LUS Fiber still offers cable tv services, and as well as a streaming product. They are currently testing a new application that will organize programming across multiple apps for easy search and discovery, which Michael projects will come out in the next 90 to 120 days.

In closing, Michael shared his love for our area and for LUS Fiber. “I love championing LUS Fiber. I want to remind people that we actually have the most reliable broadband in the area every time I can and educate people on our upcoming products, along with our team who will do the same thing. We are homegrown and employ people that live here and spend their dollars here. I’ve never seen a more impassioned group of employees than I have seen at LUS Fiber. There’s nothing but good stuff coming.”

We thank Michael Soileau for taking the time to share his experience and vision for our community through his role at LUS Fiber. For more information on services offered, visit https://www.lusfiber.com/.

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Frank Randol of Randol’s Restaurant in Breaux Bridge, joins Discover Lafayette in partnership with Eat Lafayette, a yearlong celebration of our locally owned restaurants, to share news of the revival of his unique Cajun restaurant and dancehall concept, a longtime staple in Lafayette. Breaux Bridge is only 15 minutes from Lafayette and is part of a corridor surrounding Lafayette Parish that is ripe for growth. And Frank is a young 78 years old, an Army veteran of the Vietnam War who still exudes energy and a passion for being a changemaker. Frank is a force of nature who works nonstop to promote the beauty of our local culture.

Frank has been in the seafood business for 53 years, and is renowned for his contribution to sustaining and promoting our Cajun culture. As part of that dedication, Frank currently serves as Secretary of the Gulf Seafood Foundation and has always been an avid supporter of Eat Lafayette. He focuses on wild-caught seafood with no additives, only South Louisiana seafood, with a bent toward crawfish, softshell crab, and other seasonal specialties. Hamburger steak is also a popular dish craved by Randol’s longtime patrons.

His experience in the seafood business defines Frank Randol. In 1971, he opened a seafood processing facility in Henderson and operated it for nine years before opening the original Randol’s Restaurant in 1980 when he moved operations to his family property on Kaliste Saloom Road. Over the years, he welcomed thousands of visitors from around the world to his restaurant and dancehall who were looking to experience authentic Cajun culture. To learn more about Frank’s historic career, please listen to our original interview on Discover Lafayette here.

In 2021, the owners of Superior Grill offered Frank a price for his Kaliste Saloom property that he couldn’t refuse. The money afforded him the opportunity to take off two years to consider his future, and he kept his general manager, Jimmy LaGrange, employed alongside him as they contemplated their next move. “It takes two people to do nothing well for two years,” Frank jokes. But in reality, Frank had not only wealth in money, but also wealth in ideas, creativity, love of Cajun food and culture, and a desire to continue in the restaurant business.

“When you throw yourself into something for so many decades, you can’t just go cold turkey. People need to embrace the Cajun Culture. It’s already branded and known worldwide.” Randol’s menu is patterned after the former Randol’s choices, repurposed and retested to ensure perfection for today’s market. A mini-market for fresh seafood purchases is in the works and will be open soon. Today, the restaurant’s success is Frank’s main priority.

Not one to stay retired, Frank envisioned a revival of his original Randol’s concept, and purchased the land where the former Mulate’s Restaurant was located at 325 W. Mills Avenue, Breaux Bridge, Louisiana, resurrecting his successful Cajun food/Dance Hall concept enjoyed by people for so many decades. Frank says, “Mulate’s was the perfect spot. It needed work, but it polished up well! The building is 80 years old on high ground and survived the storms in May of this year. We patterned the bathrooms after the high end facilities at Superior Grill, with glass walls that you can’t see through, with 400 square feet of space.” Many of acclaimed mural artist Robert Dafford’s works are on the walls at Randol’s, and Frank says “It’s a historical setting where you can feel the spirit of our culture. It’s alive.”

Frank Randol is just as passionate about sharing his love of Cajun food and culture as he when he took his “Cajun Fest” on the road across the U. S. so many years ago. The World’s Fair held in New Orleans in 1984 ignited an interest in all things Cajun and Frank Randol ensured that accurate information on its heritage was shared. Frank was glowingly written up by the Chicago Tribune on October 25, 1989, where he joked he had earned his “masters in crabology.”

Today, trucks still deliver fresh produce and seafood from all over South Louisiana to Randol’s in Breaux Bridge each day, ensuring that every meal starts with the best ingredients available.

Our area’s finest Cajun and zydeco musicians play on Friday and Saturday nights at Randol’s, and keep the spirit of our culture alive and flourishing. One such musician that the crowds still enjoy is Terry Huval, who was a mainstay at Mulate’s and later, at the original Randol’s. You can still find Terry Huval and his Jambalaya Cajun Trio performing each Friday night at Randol’s in Breaux Bridge!

As part of the celebration of Eat Lafayette, you can receive a free bread pudding at Randol’s until September 8, 2024 when you mention Eat Lafayette’s celebration of locally-owned restaurants.

For more information and to view the menu and events, please visit randols.com. Randol’s also offers catering and can assist in making your events memorable. We thank Eat Lafayette for making this podcast possible and for all they do in promoting our locally owned restaurants.

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Julie Rabalais, founder and Director of For the Birds of Acadiana, joins Discover Lafayette to share her love of birds and commitment to rehabilitating wild songbirds, waterbirds and waterfowl.

For the Birds of Acadiana is Louisiana’s only State and Federally permitted facility dedicated to the rehabilitation of federally protected songbirds, Waterfowl, and Waterbirds. Located in Lafayette, the 501(c)(3) non-profit organization cares for nearly 1,000 wild birds annually, working to ensure the eventual safe return of the birds to the wild. The organization also raises awareness and inspire others to join in safeguarding our precious avian species. The work is truly a labor of love for Julie Rabalais and the volunteers who assist her with transporting birds and keeping the facility clean. People who find injured wild birds can bring them in to For the Birds of Acadiana at no charge.

For years, local fashionistas knew Julie as the proprietor of Jewelie’s Boutique, located on Rena Drive. Educated as a graphic designer, Julie is creative and brings a touch of beauty to all the things she touches. When she sold the shop after 14 years in business, she wanted to do something that would keep her home where she could enjoy nature. First, she became a Master Gardener. She says “Then, I figured, why not do something that has a purpose and I can stay busy at the same time?” Hence the creation of For the Birds of Acadiana.

“Birds have always been a love of mine, since my childhood days in Michigan. I’ve always enjoyed birds as a hobby. I’m just a bird lover, not trained in ornithology (the scientific study of birds), but I’ve always had a knack for caring for birds. But just because I’m a bird lover by no means made me qualified to do what I do today. A colleague in Youngsville who rehabilitates avian raptors, Letitia Labbie, took me under her wing in 2019 and mentored me. It took a great deal of time to learn nutrition, how to care for the wild birds, how often to feed them, how to triage, how to properly cage them. In order to even apply for a license, you have to have adequate shelter space that meets the requirements of the National Wildlife Federation.”

In order to become a certified avian rehabilatator, you have to mentor under another licensed rehabilitator and complete the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Rehabilitation Basic Skills Course, have a letter of support from a veterinarian, pass a facility inspection, and much more. Veterinarian partners prescribe needed medications for the birds being rehabilitated.

Under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, it is illegal for individuals who are not certified to care for wild birds that they find, something most of us are not aware of. Julie says, “It is illegal to possess the birds, their nests, their eggs, or even breed them, because they are a federally protected species. Most people, when they see a little baby bird with its beak open, want to feed it and give it water. Unfortunately, that is not advisable.

Julie says, “Water can kill a bird, as it can aspirate a stressed bird very easily. An injured bird can not metabolize food and liquids when it it stressed. Feeding is the last thing you want to do. We encourage people not to “Google” what to do as there is a plethora of misinformation online.”

If you find an injured wild bird, please call Julie Rabalais/For the Birds of Acadiana at (337)501-4523, and you will be asked to take a photo of the bird and send it in with a description of the bird’s condition. This information will provide guidance to Julie as to whether or not the bird requires assistance or may be able to survive on its own.

“I live For the Birds of Acadiana 24/7. Little did I realize how big a step it was going to be. I really thought it would be a part-time thing. But I go all in. There’s no sense doing something halfway.” For the Birds of Acadiana is a total non-profit endeavor, with no state or federal funding. Getting a grant is few and far between. Julie relies on donations from the public and pays for many expenses with personal resources. “We rely on donations from people. It costs between $100 to $300 to rehabilitate one wild bird. We couldn’t do what we do without them.” Julie takes in birds from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., but you must call first and send a photo so that the true situation of the injured bird may first be assessed.

People bringing in injured wild birds are advised to drape a towel over the bird to protect it, and place it in a shoebox or other such receptable with holes poked in the lid. “It’s a myth that the parent will reject the baby bird if a human touches it. Warmth is the key. Avoid cold air conditioning, and put the bird in a space away from kids and pets. The more stress the bird experiences, the greater chance it will not make it.”

Once Julie has possession of the injured bird, she says, “Our goal is not to cuddle with them so as not to imprint on them, because we want them to remain wild, especially water birdss. Many times we put a cover over our face when feeding them so that they don’t associate their food source with humans. We even have puppets so that the birds will associate food with adult birds.”

“Our part of the country is considered the Gateway of the Mississippi Flyway, one of four major corridors where birds migrate from South America. our coastal area is considered the Welcome Center, the birds’ first resting place. They travel through our area as they migrate.”

The three greatest causes of bird mortality in the U. S. and Canada are attacks by domestic, free-roaming cats, collisions, and habitat loss.

Up to 1 billion birds are killed annually in the United States by collisions with
vehicles, buildings, windows, power lines, communication towers, and wind turbines. Most will die at night, as that is when birds migrate in the Spring and Fall, staying at low altitudes, at the height of a 4-floor building. Just last October during migratory season, this crisis was vividly displayed when thousands of birds were killed in a 24-hour period after colliding with Chicago’s McCormick Place skyscraper, when the building’s lights were left on at night. Lights disorient the birds, and tragically, 54 to 76% of window collisions are fatal to birds. The building’s owners have taken steps to avoid further tragedy by installing window film to reduce bird collisions. Julie says, “The pattern deters birds, but is virtually nondetectable to humans.” Similar decals may be purchased for installation on the outside of your home or office building windows. For more information, visit https://abcbirds.org/blog/truth-about-birds-and-glass-collisions/?fbclid=IwY2xjawE1qr5leHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHV4eF2JLgSI_MODPtuIY31QTpY7NQi9_OsJs7GEVVykIxMt2yEk0DI_pVg_aem_0e8gqYbzbAfOHPSJN18rCg.

To learn more and to donate, please visit https://www.forthebirdsofacadiana.com/donate.

Thank you, Julie Rabalais and For the Birds of Acadiana, for your selfless, lifesaving work!

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Rob has 31 years of experience in forecasting Acadiana’s weather and has tracked hundreds of tropical storms and hurricanes during his career.

He celebrated 20 years at KATC this January and is one of the most beloved meteorologists in the country, particularly well-known for his expertise in covering hurricanes and severe weather events.

Last year, Rob Perillo extended his contract with KATC for another five years. He’s pictured here in November 2023 celebrating the occasion. Rob has enjoyed Lafayette since moving here 36 years ago when he was recruited by KLFY. Married with two children, he enjoys exercising every day for an hour, either riding his bike (on Lafayette’s roads!) or swimming. His children are both artists and live in Lafayette; he expressed his joy in being able to be present while supporting Joe and Olivia in their endeavors. He has been with KATC since 2004.

A native of New York, Rob Perillo became interested in thunderstorm activity as a young boy, four or five years old. His family had just moved out of the Bronx into the suburbs and a severe thunderstorm rolled through. He remembers how scary it was, but it triggered his interest in learning more about the weather.

“Fear grew less, and curiosity grew more. By the time I was in third grade, I knew I wanted to be a meteorologist”, says Rob. During that third grade year, Rob built a kite for a project and while he called the endeavor a ‘big flop,’ he wanted to know more about what creates the wind and how we can use it. He started buying weather books written for school-age children and they are still with him in the KATC weather room today.

When he was in sixth grade, there was a snowstorm forecastedfor the Northeastern U. S. Meteorologists were projecting the snow would turn into rain, but Rob had a different feeling about it. He told his friends….”No, we’ll just have snow. 1 1/2 feet.” Well, the storm produced two feet of snow and school was cancelled for the rest of the week. Rob said, “I was the school hero when we returned to school on Monday.” His intuition had been right on.

Always interested in science, since his days of watching Jacques Cousteau on television, Rob earned a degree in Meteorology (with an emphasis on Math) from the State University of New York in Oswego in 1983. He selected that school not only for its meteorology program, but because it had the highest amount of snow in New York averaging 144 inches of snow per year.

Rob began his career managing research at the State University of New York Research Foundation, while also serving as an Emergency Planning Meteorologist for several nuclear power plants in Upstate New York. He developed emergency procedures in case of nuclear leakage. He then moved to Houston and served as an Aviation Forecaster for Air Routing International, and a Marine and Industrial Meteorologist for Wilkens Weather Technologies, in Houston, Texas.

Rob Perillo had never thought about television as a career but a friend at Wilkins Weather Technologies encouraged him to make a tape and apply for positions. A year later, in 1988, KLFY reached out to him. He had the opportunity to work with greats such as Maria Placer, Dick Faurot, and Jim Baronet. Rob joined KATC in 2004, when he was offered a fifteen-year contract, a feat unheard of in television circles.

Becoming a tv meteorologist was a reach for Rob, as he was “confident in my forecasting skills, a bit anxious about talking in front of other people. But you learn if you’re a master of your information, it will be okay.” One thing he did have to work on was conquering his New York accent to deliver the news in a way that was more readily accepted locally.

Rob is passionate about meteorology and studies trends in climate and weather. About 16 to 17 years ago, he became aware that warming trends were coming upon us worldwide and he wanted to know how that impacted hurricanes. While we used to have five days per year that averaged 95 degrees, now there are 40 to 50.

Rob Perillo explaining what ‘heat index’ is. It’s all about your body’s ability to cool itself. You don’t want to go outside when the heat index is 115.Over the past ten years, summer days can average in the upper 90 degrees, with an average low in the lower 80 degrees. “The trends of warming are increasing exponentially. Warmer atmospheres hold more moisture, so when it rains, it’s a larger event with more rainfall. Rainfall intensity has increased by 405, and the frequency of heavy rain has increased by 30 to 40% over the past few years. A typical summer thunderstorm will push 2 inches easily in one hour. Now more systems push 3 to 4 inches per hour. While there is no net change in the number of systems, hurricanes are going through rapid intensification cycles more frequently. Look at Harvey, Michael, Barry, Laura, Delta, Ida, Zeta, and Sally in the last several years.

“The number of 95 degree days has gone off the charts. This year we are more prone to hurricane activity.”

Tropical systems also move more slowly, leading to heavier rainfall in areas. “2016 was one of the wettest years on record. It was definitely a climate footprint. In the Northeast, theyre going to see much more activity than in the past. The average return period (for hurricanes) was once every 75 years for a Category 3 hurricane; now it is down to once every 25 to 30 years. Increased heat causes hurricanes to travel farther.”

Rob would get up in the middle of the night to film Space Shuttles coming in: “I’ve never seen anything more beautiful.” Unfortunately, on February 1, 2003, he was filiming the Columbia Space Shuttle as it was re-entering the earth’s orbit. He say parts flying off, disintegrating mid-air. He shot the film, then called NASA as a trained spotter to report the disaster. He ended up being interviewed by CNN, CBS, and others.

For people who choose to stay home and ride out a Category 3 hurricane, Rob says, “You want to get the heck out of Dodge” for these events. Sustained winds of up to 111 to 129 mile per hour winds are not to be taken lightly. Wind damage and tornadic activity are just as deadly as rising waters.

Rob Perillo’s days are long. Appearing each day on the 5, 6, and 10 pm KATC newscast, he doesn’t get home until after 11:30 pm. and during hurricane season he takes the time before bed to look at computer models. He is devoted to keeping up with his industry, and listens to weather-related podcasts while exercising, recommending Dr. Hal Needham’s Geotrek podcast and Weather Geeks. He keeps up with the latest research on climatology and meteorology.

Closing words from Rob Perillo: “Follow your passion. Don’t follow the money, follow the passion. Be good at it, be enthralled with it. If it gives you joy, do something with it. Be a master of it. If you can put food on the table doing it, you are truly a rich person.”

We thank Rob Perillo for his dedication to meteorology and for his engaging and informative broadcasts! Check him out at https://www.katc.com/ and on air each weeknight at 5, 6 and 10 p.m, or on special weather coverage events.

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Tammy Theriot and Bryant DeLoach of Home Bank, Member FDIC, join Discover Lafayette to discuss how banks can assist business owners achieve their financial goals, along with treasury management solutions.

Bryant Deloach serves Home Bank as a Senior Commercial Relationship Manager. He has lived in Lafayette his entire life, graduating from Lafayette High and USL, and raising his family here. Starting out 23 years ago in financial services Bryant has spent 12 years in commercial lending. Tammy Theriot started out with Home Bank in 1985 when she was 21 and has stayed her entire professional career with the bank, starting out as a teller at the Oil Center branch, moving into IRA administrative services, and currently serves as Treasury Management Officer. She joked that she’s been married to her husband for the same length of time: 39 years!

Both bankers stressed the importance of building a relationship with their clients. Bryant shared that “as a commercial relationship manager, our #1 priority is to provide service to our client. We have to understand their borrowing needs, if any. You meet a lot of great people and help businesses grow. You’re involved in decision making, helping a client take their business to the next level. It’s important for the client to be matched with a banker that understands their specific needs. At the end of the day, you want your client to feel comfortable with you.”

“It’s important to know your customers and their needs. We can make the collection and payment of funds easier and more efficient,” says Tammy Theriot. Her role in Treasury Management starts on the front end of the banking relationship, putting systems in place to optimize financial management and planning. Managing payables through Direct Deposit and ACH payments, handling receivables via Remote Deposit Capture, optimizing liquidity via account management services for optimal cash positions and maximal returns, and safeguarding against fraud and risk by employing tools such as Positive Pay and account monitoring, are all services offered by Home Bank.

With check fraud running rampant, Positive Pay is an important risk-management tool to consider for your business. How does it work? The client submits a daily file to the bank that includes details about each check issued, such as the check number, date, payee, and amount. When a check is presented for payment, the bank compares the details of the presented check against the check file provided by the client. If the check details match what is in the file, the bank processes the check for payment. If it doesn’t, the bank will flag the check and notify the company to determine if the check will be approved or rejected.

Home Bank is the last bank, headquartered in Lafayette LA. Originally chartered as a savings and loan association known as Home Building and Loan in 1908, Home Bank has experienced incredible growth over the years, currently having assets of $3.34 billion dollars, 43 locations across Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas, and 476 employees. Bryant DeLoach assists business owners get working capital needed to fuel their business. Small businesses and startups can apply for a Home Bank loan guaranteed by the U. S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) 7(a) loan program. The 7(a) loan can be used for various purposes, including Working capital, equipment, real estate, refinancing existing debt, expansion or renovation, starting a new business, or inventory purchases. He also advices his clients to ask for advice from their banker to avoid exposure to unnecessary loss. “Customers don’t always realize the importance of getting advice from the bank. An example given was one client who had provided debit cards to all employees; the safer route was to issue credit cards so that the client’s bank account would be better protected.

Tammy advises clients to always look at their bank account and monitor activity. “The sooner the bank can address issues, the better. Use your online banking to keep up to speed. You can also sign up to get alerts from the bank if suspicious activity is detected. Dual controls are also an effective way to prevent fraud. Set limits on the amount of money that can be expended at any one time to reduce exposure.

Tammy Theriot and her husband have a commercial cattle farm which keeps her busy in her spare time. Married for 39 years, Tammy has been with Home Bank her entire professional life and loves her career. Pictured is Tammy celebrating her 30th anniversary with Home Bank in 2015.

If you are interested in moving to a new bank, there are several steps involved. First, the bank will request a government issued I.D. to verify personal identification for anyone using the account; the Articles of Organization/Incorporation/Partnership, etc. that the business operates under; the business’ Employer Identification Number; any Operating Agreement or Bylaws; and an initial deposit. Tammy assists her clients in getting all paper work gathered, ordering checks, setting up online banking, direct deposit and remote deposit services, and discusses risk-management recommendations. “In every conversation, we talk about fraud and how to prevent it.” It will be necessary to keep the old account open for a few weeks, while checks and scheduled payments from the prior account clear. Home Bank works closely with its clients to ensure a smooth transition.

We thank the team at Home Bank for its commitment to excellence in customer service, as well as its involvement in our community. Discover Lafayette is also grateful for Home Bank’s loyal support of our podcast, allowing us to shine the light on our region’s people and rich culture.

For more information, visit https://www.home24bank.com/ or call 337-237-1960. Home Bank’s headquarters are located at 503 Kaliste Saloom Road, Lafayette LA 70508.

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Discover Lafayette’s sound engineer, Jason Sikora, has a voice many of you are familiar with, as he’s participated in our interviews over the past seven years, ensuring a finely-tuned, professional podcast.

Jason Sikora pictured with Butch Roussel during a recording of Discover Lafayette Podcast.But many of you may not know his interesting back story, or how he came to live and work in Lafayette LA. A native of Detroit, Michigan and graduate of the Musicians Institute in Hollywood, Jason has a rich collection of memories to share and insights into how rock concerts are orchestrated.

Jason’s dad worked for Ford Motor Company in Detroit, but when Jason and his two brothers were young, the family moved to Heartland, Michigan to be able to escape the city life and its accompanying declining socio-economic factors in the 1980s. Describing Heartland as “basically a truck stop,” it was much more. Jason graduated from Heartland High School, playing drums in its marching band and eventually serving as the Heartland Eagles’ mascot.

Sadly, Jason’s younger brother, Chris, died when he was 11 years old, from a blood disorder. Chris’ life and death had great meaning, however, as researchers were able to study his condition. Jason stated that today, people with Chris’ condition would survive.

Upon graduation from high school, Jason hightailed it to Hollywood, California to attend the Musicians Institute (“MI”), a college that was known as a ‘player’s school,’ meaning that students were taught the skills to make a sustainable career in the music industry. While many young people could qualify to be a guitar tech based upon their self-taught abilities, Jason creditd MI for a valuable education and teaching him guitar repair and cable management.

” I started playing guitar in 6th grade, so I had six to seven years of experience with signal flow, how to solder microphones back together. I learned a lot in high school with my band, messing with pedals and guitars and amplifiers. I did learn guitar repair, cable management and how to get tone while in college at MI.”

Andy Brauer hired Jason right after graduation from MI, to work at his shop that specialized in instrument and musical gear rentals. Jason had the good fortune to work with Faith Hill in his very first gig, being hired to work at Sky Walker Ranch to assist in recording track sessions. “I got to hang out with the best musicians in the world for a week: Mike Landau, Dean Parks, Paul Bushnell, and Vinnie Calaiuta are monster players!” Jason also got to witness the regular lives of performers such as Faith Hill, her husband, Tim McGraw, and their children, and realized how fortunate he was to be a part of this experience in the ordinary lives of superstars as the album was being cut.

Jason then met Michael Lockwood, a guitarist who hired him to be a touring guitar tech for Amiee Mann, who he worked for as a touring guitar tech. He performed sound checks and restrung guitars, ensuring that all would go well during concerts. Jason would continue this type of work for several years, working with greats such as Lisa Marie Presley, Brittany Spears, and the Goo Goo Dolls, as well as other acts during what he calls his ‘lost years from 2004 to 2006, for acts such as Hanson, Gerard McMahon, Puddle of Mudd, and the recording of “A Mighty Wind,” an album accompanying a movie of the same name, featuring Christopher Guest, Harry Shearer, Michael McKean, Eugene Levy, Catherine O’Hara, Jennifer Coolidge and many other staples of comedy culture of the time.

“The work ethic is very difficult when you’re on the road. You’re not allowed to be sick. The show must go on. If there is a half million dollar guarantee and there are 10,000 people out there, your rig has to work. There was always a doctor out there with water, vitamins, and oxygen. You have to do the show. There’s no back-up. No one else knows my rig,” says Jason Sikora.

As for the work ethic required for traveling on the road for months as a time as a guitar tech, Jason says, “It is not so much about the job but the people you get to work with. I do miss putting on a show, but not all the other things such as pushing heavy equipment, the long days, or the stress.”

Jason reminisces about the time in 2004 when he worked with Britney Spears and her band. “She was super nice, as was her band.”Jason Sikora remembers with fondness the time he worked with the principals behind “A Mighty Wind,” a mockumentary comedy film starring Christopher Guest who according to Wikipedia, “co-stars and reunites many of Guest’s company of actors from This is Spinal Tap, Waiting for Guffman, and Best in Show, including Eugene Levy, Catherine O’Hara, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer, Fred Willard, Bob Balaban, Ed Begley, Jr., Jennifer Coolidge, John Michael Higgins, Jane Lynch, and Parker Posey. “The album accompanied the movie of the same name,

Jason moved to Lafayette in 2010 after meeting Lafayette native Scott Olivier, another music technician, who had been working for Michael Jackson before the musician’s untimely death. Jason had been working for the Goo Goo Dolls, and worked in a warehouse where other musicians such as Scott Olivier, as well as Credence Clearwater Revival, Van Halen, and others had space. “Touring was so far behind technology with no technical date backup, no security, no central management of data.” So Scott and Jason saw the opportunity to create Lap Top Roadies, and they headquartered in Lafayette where Scott hailed from. Jason says, “I knew I didn’t want to live in a forty foot bus at that point in my life. And I knew I didn’t want to live in a big town like New Orleans.”

While Lap Top Roadies didn’t survive as a company, many good things came from the endeavor. Jason met Chris Rader, through Chris’ banker, Craig Duplechin. Chris ended up hiring Jason, along with others who had been a part of Lap Top Roadies. Jason says, “I was the number 6 employee of RADER, along with numbers 7 and 8, John and Joseph (who came along with Lap Top).”

“I certainly don’t miss unloading a 53’ truck every morning at 7 a.m. or loading it back up at 11 that night. I do miss the amazing people. After 10 years of working with artists like Faith Hill and Britney Spears, I swapped my job, music, with my hobby — computers. I moved to Lafayette with my girlfriend, jumped into the computer business and ended up at Rader. It’s tough and it’s full of great people, who like me, played with computers as a hobby and liked it enough to make it their job of choice.” Pictured is Jason Sikora with Chubby Carrier, at a recording of Discover Lafayette podcast.

Jason is now a Technology Specialist with RADER’s project team. “I take on inboarding, offboarding, special projects. I work with domain names and email integration, as in merging info from one platform to another. You have to know how to trouble shoot. Things change daily so you have to keep up. Just as when I was on the road handling things daily.” Jason is a valued member of the RADER team, and takes his profession seriously, while thanking Chris Rader for the opportunity he provided him.

“I always wanted to do something in music. I’ve always enjoyed music and wanted to be surrounded by music somehow. Whether its working in a studio, working for an artist, or playing. I knew I would always play. I always have a guitar here in the podcast room. Anywhere I go there is always my guitar and gear around. But only one in a million make a living playing music. It wasn’t in the cards for me. I basically switched my hobby and my job in working at RADER. On the road, I was the guy who could fix computers. Now my job is fixing computers and my hobby is music. I still play guitar. Here at RADER, Brandon Daigle and I got together in 2014 to write music. Two hours per week, every Thursday night. After five years, we finally had 10 songs!

Happily, Jason is still pursuing his love of music, and has published a double EP with his band, “Cancel the Sun.” His coworker, Brandon Daigle, and Jason, can be listened to on Spotify, where you can enjoy beautiful extended play music as “Zero Point” and “Neutrality.”

Enjoy music by Jason Sikora’ Cancel the Sun band at Spotify, which he created with RADER team member Brandon Daigle.

In closing, we’d like to include Jason Sikora’s comments about his boss, Chris Rader. “Chris is very smart in his mindset. He asks, ‘What does the user need to get their job done and make their life less of a headache? Let’s do that thing.’ We are as proactive as possible. If your internet goes out or if you get hacked, we probably know it before you do.”

We cannot thank Jason Sikora enough….for his professionalism, his commitment to Discover Lafayette, or the joy he brings to each podcast interview. Thank you, Jason!

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Jason Redmond, proprietor of the iconic Hub City Diner at 1412 S. College Road in Lafayette, joins Discover Lafayette to celebrate Hub City Diner’s longevity and popularity, as well as his support of Lafayette Travel and Eat Lafayette, a yearlong celebration of Lafayette’s locally owned restaurants.

Hub City Diner’s ambiance is akin to the famous tv show, “Cheers,” where everyone knows your name. It is a real ‘”Hub” of activity in Lafayette, where locals meet, greet, and share their lives while enjoying their favorite comfort foods.

The diner was established originally as Stansbury’s Café in 1965, in the early days of the Oil Center, the commercial neighborhood that surrounds Hub City Diner. Thereafter, Lafayette restaurateur Charles Goodson, Chef Pat Mould and advertising executive and local foodie George Graham, opened Hub City Diner in the space.

Their intial concept was a 1950s diner, but with more of a Louisiana twist. Jimmy Guidry, who has years of food and bar experience throughout Lafayette, purchased the restaurant in 1998.

Jason is 46 years old and has worked at Hub City Diner for more than half of his life. This is only the 4th job he has held in his life. A Bunkie native, his first job was working for his uncle on his sweet potato farm in Evergreen where he “caught the skips,” making sure that the sweet potato roots were properly placed in the ground. Jason recalls his uncle saying to him, “You hot boy? You got to get hot with it!!” Jason still thinks about the lessons he learned from his uncle about having true grit and has maintained that strong work ethic to this day. “You’ve got to have grit and push through to get to the other side.”

Jason worked at McDonald’s and Subway in Bunkie before he moved to Lafayette in the late 1998 to study Hospitality Managment at USL. His boss at Bunkie’s Subway, Al Mahfouz, encouraged him to call upon the Hub City Diner manager at the time, Danny Fontenot, who hired Jason to serve as host and waiter. Jason first met Jimmy Guidry a few months after he started working at Hub City Diner, and the two became fast friends and colleagues.

“People think that Jimmy Guidry and I are father and son. We have a synergistic relationship. We’re not related by blood, but I guess we are now related through all of our time together. He’s been a tremendous mentor and I’m very fortunate to have him in my life. I’ve been blessed with two dads. Jimmy told me, “If there is anything you’ve learned from me, I hope it is to be generous,” Jason Redmon shared. And Jason did learn from Jimmy, still putting community first when he is asked to support local causes. He asks before he gives, “Will this help our community?”

On January 1, 2022, Jason Redmond, Hub City Diner’s longtime manager, took over ownership from Jimmy Guidry. The ambiance in the diner remains the same, with vinyl booths and chairs, checkered floors, nostalgic photos on the wall, and even a ceramic Pelican that’s dressed like Elvis.

Hub City Diner offers All-American comfort food, where there is something on the menu for everyone; people of all ages enjoy the diner’s fare, from tiny tots enjoying meals offered in paper containers resembling classic cars to adults enjoying Mimosa’s for $5 anytime of day. There is truly something for everyone who walks in and is greeted kindly. Meatloaf, salads, and eggs rule the offerings, while there are also specials on weekends which include smoked salmon, avocado toast, and fried green tomato spinach florentine meals. The hamburger steak is the most popular item on the menu.

The feeling of community at Hub City Diner is palpable, as its staff cordially welcomes first-time visitors along with long-time regulars who frequent the diner after church in the early morning hours each weekday or who are always seen sitting in their favorite booth each weekend. With a staff that experiences very little turnover, Hub City Diner’s employees know their clientele, which makes for a feeling of home when you enter the door.

“This is the beauty of the diner. It’s not me anymore. My staff acknowledges the community of patrons and meets their needs. One customer loved Peeps and shared that with us, so we went out and bought Peeps, and later that week when his pancakes came out, we piled all the Peeps on top of his pancakes and sent it out to him without a word. We also are prepared for Mother’s Day and hand out about 275 fresh Carnations (supplied by Champagne’s in the Oil Center) to all women spending this special day with us. Those kinds of things make the diner special.”

“I don’t look at other locally owned restaurants as competition. I’m excited that they’re here, and opening in the Oil Center. I love to see everyone have success and am always willing to help others, and sometimes it is vice versa, where I’ll be short on something and they help,” says Jason Redmon. Photo by Leslie Westbrook of the Acadiana Advocate.

Approximately 600 people are served each day, and the mainstay favorite menu items such as Hamburger steak or the “2 x 2 x 2 of eggs, bacon, grits and pancakes” are delivered to patrons.

Hub City Diner is open seven days a week, Monday through Saturday from 6:30 a.m to 9 p.m., and Sundays from 6:30 a.m to 3 p.m. For more information, visit https://www.hubcitydiner.com/.

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Edie Couvillon Aymond, Executive Director of 232-HELP, joins Discover Lafayette to discuss her organization’s mission “to help those in crisis return to being healthy and productive members of the community and to empower and strengthen individuals and families by connecting those in need with community and social services that address their needs.”

Edie joined 232-HELP on June 5, 2024, bringing rich experience and the ability to make community connections from her five years working on behalf of Maddie’s Footprints, a nonprofit dedicated to helping families cope with miscarriages, stillbirths, or the loss of an infant.

It was through her prior experience with Maddie’s Footprints that Edie realized that while our area has many nonprofits organized to help people in need, most of us don’t know who they are or what they do. “I attended every nonprofit meeting in the sector helping young families. If I hadn’t attended, I wouldn’t have known what they did, what services they provided.”

When Edie was contacted by a recruiter looking to hire her to run 232-HELP, she was intrigued by the scope of the help the organization provided and also realized that she was not fully aware that they still existed as she remembered. “I remember seeing Marie Placer on television pitching for them when I was younger. I was excited to be able to help more people in Acadiana.”

Pictured above is Edie Couvillon Aymond, in June 2024. Photo by Alena Maschke of the Acadiana Advocate.

Since 1965, 232-HELP has assisted more than 10 million people and has had an estimated economic impact of more than $170 million throughout Acadiana, and reaches over 800,000 people in ten South Louisiana parishes.

With over 1400 nonprofits in 232-HELP’s database, the organization’s service areas range from Terrebonne to Acadia to Avoyelles parishes. Headquartered in Lafayette LA at 1005 Jefferson St. across from Keller’s Bakery, Edie oversees a staff of twelve. Her team operates 24/7, rendering aid to those who walk in during daytime hours and who call in at all hours. Accommodating persons of all backgrounds, there is a bilingual staff member who can help people who don’t speak English. Many don’t realize the scope of services offered by this small, yet dedicated staff.

Many of those in need will call 211 before they reach out to 911 or other resources, not wanting to get law enforcement involved in their troubles or have sirens coming to their house announcing a problem. Everyone is offered assistance, from those suffering from elder abuse, domestic violence, suicidal thoughts, or needing help with utilities, housing, or transportation. 232-HELP averages 1400 phone calls per month on average, but has exceeded 12,000 calls per month during crises such as hurricanes or COVID. Edie credits the “dedicated, solid staff for stepping up at all times to handle the situation, no matter how difficult.” And for the record, 211 works nationwide; you can call it from anywhere, even from your car, and the operator will route you to the nearest organization available to offer relief.

232-HELP was the first organization in Louisiana to offer a statewide call-in number for those in need. A national call-in number, you can call it from anywhere in the U. S. and you will be routed to the nearest available resource, even from your car.

Jewell Lowe’s life was devoted to charity, leadership, influence, and advocacy, improving the lives of the people of Acadiana. In 1965 Jewell, her husband Bob Lowe, and other community leaders, founded the Southwest Louisiana Education and Referral Center (SLERC) – now 232-HELP. Jewell served as Executive Director of 232-HELP for over 40 years. Each year, 232-HELP selects a humanitarian who exemplifies the example that Jewell set for service and generosity. Outstanding leaders such as Richard Zuschlag, Dr. Mary Neiheisel, Bo and Jerry Ramsay, Richard D’Aquin, and many more pillars of our community have been selected.

Edie spoke of Jewell Lowe’s commitment to address issues that were previously taboo, such as mental illness or treatment of STDs. “Jewell was a champion of mental issues in the 1960s when no one spoke about it. today people are comfortable saying they have a therapist, but not then. In 1972 she created a program to treat sexually transmitted infections. There was a surge but no one would speak about it. Volunteers from USL were trained to meet with people and take calls, and then encourage them to see their doctor. They received 144 calls in the first week. Jewell would broach taboo subjects and people went along with her,” says Edie Aymond.

“There are a lot of unmet needs in Acadiana. While there are a lot of great nonprofits here, if people don’t know what they’re doing, they are not able to assist them. That’s where 232-HELP fills the gap, to get the resources to people needing to be assisted.” Edie Aymond speaking on the critical importance of 232-HELP’s mission to get aid to those most in need.

232-HELP’s annual fundraiser has been rebranded as the “Diamond Gala” in honor of Jewell who would have been 100 years old on December 4, 2024. The organization is working to raise awareness of its 59-year commitment to connecting those in need with services needed. The fundraiser will be held on October 9, 2024, at La Pavillon in River Ranch. 232-HELP’s biggest fundraiser; the proceeds pay for call center operations as well as a small budget to help in cases when no other relief is available. Sponsorships and tables are available and may be obtained by visiting https://e.givesmart.com/events/DKw/

Edie is dedicated to bringing fresh, young voices into the fold of volunteers and donors. An example of such a need is for its Donated Dental program. Currently, 232-HELP is down to nine dentists on its volunteer list; there used to be thirty. Organized to assist the elderly or disabled with their dental health, the demand is huge. Dentists who volunteer can pick and choose their cases while helping improve the dental health of our most vulnerable.

On a personal note, Edie Couvillon Aymond loves Acadiana, grew up in Scott, and graduated from Carencro High School and LSU. She loves festivals and says she and her husband attend all local festivals from start to finish. Of particular interest is her love of running, having completed ultra-marathons of 130 miles. One such race, known as the “Fat Ass” group, is a race that started at the USS Kidd in Baton Rouge and completed at Audubon Park in New Orleans, for a total of 36 hours with no rest. Edie brings that same ‘can-do’ spirit to her new role as Executive Director of 232-HELP. We wish her and her organization the best of success as they forge new paths in helping our community.

On December 4, 2024, 232-HELP will host an open house at their headquarters at 1005 Jefferson Street to celebrate Jewell Lowe’s 100th birthday with a ribbon cutting and meet and greet. It will celebrate its 59th year of operation on December 14, 2024. We hope you will join them to learn more about their mission and sign up to support 232-HELP’s efforts. Donations may be made online at https://232-help.org/donate.

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Our guests are Priscilla and Floyd LeBleu, Lafayette residents and owners of the world’s largest collection of artwork by the renowned Edna Hibel. Priscilla and Floyd are looking for a permanent home to publicly display their beloved Hibel collection, hopefully in Lafayette LA.

Edna Hibel, an American artist, was revered for her paintings of people expressing emotion or contemplation, which were painted on ceramic, canvas, or etched on Bavarian limestone. She created over 6000 works during her lifetime, including 600 different lithographs. Born as a native of Massachusetts in 1917, she had a fulfilling career promoting peace through her exhibitions and artwork all around the world. Using her artistry, Hibel was able to raise money for charity across the globe. She passed away in her home at the age of 97 in December 2014, right before her 98th birthday.

Her work was inspired by Mary Cassatt and Pierre-Auguste Renoir and sought by royalty, collected by museums, commissioned by the United Nations and National Archives, and awarded the Medal of Honor and Citation by Pope John Paul II.

The World Cultural Council presented the 2001 Leonardo da Vinci World Award of Arts to Edna Hibel, who is often referred to as the USA’s most versatile artist, as well as its best colorist. The Award acknowledges those who endeavour to create different expressions of art and whose work constitutes a significant contribution to the artistic legacy of the world.

Priscilla and Floyd became close friends with Ms. Hibel, after Priscilla won a trip to the Edna Hibel Museum of Art in Florida in 1992. She was accompanied by Floyd, who went along just expecting to hang out on the beach. While Floyd had never been a person that was bent to studying art, he immediately became enamored with Ms. Hibel and her captivating art, especially “Russian Mother and Two Children,” an oil painting Ms. Hibel had painted in 1990. Floyd bought the piece, his first of some 500 Hibels, and was hooked thereafter. Floyd says, “It was almost like a religious experience when you met her. She captured me….the artist herself and her art. She captured people’s dignity.”

The LeBleu family befriended Ms. Hibel and would visit her in Florida and she would travel to Lafayette to see them. Hibel enjoyed Lafayette and attended a benefit for the Acadiana Center for the Arts, and Floyd recalled her saying, “There is just a feeling of comraderie in Lafayette. I think this is my favorite place.”

While traveling on a Hibel Society cruise with Priscilla, Floyd asked Ms. Hibel why she never painted men. She replied, women wear pretty hats and dresses that give them a lot of color and flair and make them more interesting subjects.” As a joke, Floyd dressed up in a straw hat and toga as he headed to a demonstration Hibel was giving. She laughed and told Floyd he would be the subject of her demonstration that day and she turned him into an Arabian prince in a painting aptly called, “Floyd in a Turban.”

The LeBleus became owners of a great deal of her works which had previously been displayed at the Hibel Museum of Art on the campus of Florida Atlantic University in Jupiter, Florida. “

Floyd and Priscilla LeBleu own the Myrtles Plantation in St. Francisville and have 127 pieces of Edna Hibel art displayed throughout for visitors to enjoy. They call it their “Hibel addiction” when describing their huge collection

Lafayette is now home to the world’s largest collection of Edna Hibel’s artwork, some of which is on exhibit at Lafayette Consolidated Government’s Building at 705 W. University Avenue for the remainder of 2024.

Pictured above are Priscilla and Floyd LeBleu, in current times, and the original pose that Edna Hibel utilized to depict the LeBleu family in her own special way.

Priscilla and Floyd are reaching out to our community, public officials, and art lovers in the quest to find a permanent home for Hibel’s works so that everyone may have the chance to view her art. The Lafayette Art Association has volunteered to manage the collection once a site is selected. The LeBleu will donate the Hibel pieces at no charge, which are valued in the millions of dollars.

Hibel, The Life and Art of Edna Hibel explains the beautiful journey of this beloved artist as she grew in her talent, and shares photos of her works. It also documents the many people who followed her career, including Priscilla and Floyd LeBleu. This book is available for purchase locally at Lafayette Art Association, Auburn Avenue (behind Abacus), Lafayette, LA, 70503. (The cover photo of the book is Kristina and Child, oil, circa 1970.

For more information on Edna Hibel, visit https://ednahibelstudio.com/

Floyd and Priscilla have lived in Lafayette their entire adult lives, except for a brief stint in Baton Rouge when Floyd was in law school. Floyd was an assistant coach at Lafayette High and Priscilla was a speech therapist. Married for 59 years, they love Lafayette. “There is no better place than Lafayette LA to live!”

To contact Priscilla and Floyd LeBleu if you would like more information on their efforts to locate a permanent location for Edna Hibel’s works of art, email priscillalebleu@gmail.com.

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Eric Willese Wowoh of Change Agent Network joins Discover Lafayette to share his special bond with Lafayette, Louisiana and his mission to transform the entire nation of Liberia through improving educational outcomes.

Eric is a humanitarian and social entrepreneur known for his efforts in education, community development, and social change, particularly in Liberia. He is the founder of Change Agent Network, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving education and providing opportunities for underprivileged communities. Eric’s work has been instrumental in building schools, promoting educational programs, and fostering economic development in Liberia and other parts of Africa. His inspiring journey from a refugee to a change-maker has garnered recognition and support from various international organizations and individuals.

A native of Liberia, West Africa, Eric grew up in a non-Christian home where African religion practices (Juju and Vodou) were followed. He lived alongside his seven siblings and his parents in a 15′ x 20′ hut with no running water or electricity; the kids slept on bamboo mats on a dirt floor. He never knew his birthdate as a midwife assisted his mother in his birth outside of a hospital setting, and as he says, “In Africa, birthdates were not important.”

Liberia (“Land of the Free”) was established in 1822 as a home for freed African American slaves. Land was purchased by the American Colonization Society for the resettlement. It is a small country on the West coast of Africa and today approximately 5 million people inhabit it. The capitol is Monrovia, named after President James Monroe. For a short history on the country, see the PBS video below.

One meal a day was eaten in Eric’s childhood, typically at 8 p.m., and centered on crops such as peppers, sweet potatoes, okra and rice. The kids would walk for 2 to 3 hours a day each way to tend their parents’ farm. “We never knew about breakfast, lunch or dinner!” Eric’s job, as early as 7 years old) was to hunt squirrels, ground hogs, deer and snakes for food, using a bow and arrow. His mom used lots of spicy pepper to get the kids to drink lots of water (gathered from a local creek) and stretch the food being offered. Supper was served late so that the children wouldn’t awaken hungry during the night.

Life was beautiful for Eric and his family, and he thought that was how the whole world was. He never thought about whether he would be a doctor or a lawyer, as he says that Liberians didn’t dream about a profession; they just lived their lives simply without a formal education as we Americans know it.

However, Eric’s peaceful childhood was caught up in the ravages of Liberia’s Civil War which began in 1989. He says, “At first, no one took it seriously. But they were wrong not to worry. In six months, the rebels took over the whole country of Liberia and there was no one in charge except for the young fighters. “We were under curfew from dusk to dawn or you would be killed. The rebels wore no uniforms so it was difficult to determine who would put you in danger.” People began to starve as there were no rescue efforts and they couldn’t tend their farms as they were told to stay home.

Eric Wowoh’s inspiring story of survival and overcoming years spent as an international refuge in exile may be read in more detail in his book, “Return of a Refugee”, available for purchase on Amazon. Eric went on to create Change Agent Network, an international nonprofit dedicated to transforming Liberia through education.

Eric’s mom sent him off with friends on a two-day fishing trip. He was young and strong, and she thought he could survive. On the way home, he was captured and beaten by rebel fighters and told he needed to join the freedom fighters who would save the country. When he declined, he was declared an enemy and then tortured with electric cables, beaten, and left to die. Both of his arms were broken and left useless. The leader in charge saw that Eric couldn’t hold a gun and was unable to fight, so they released him but didn’t allow him to go back home. He joined thousands of other refugees and headed to the Ivory Coast. He then spent years in 12 different refugee camps in 11 nations throughout West Africa, and was ultimately separated from his family for over 20 years.

“God designed everything for a purpose. I didn’t choose where I was born or who my mom, dad or siblings would be. But it was all put together wonderfully by Him. We all have a story to tell. These stories are not ours. We are just the characters within the story.”

In 1992, Eric was exposed to the principles of Christianity for the first time by a preacher who challenged the refugees to understand that God loved them enough to save them from the fighting in the Civil War. God had big plans for them.

On December 23, 1992, Eric heard a minister preaching, saying, “God loved you and brought you out of civil war. He has big plans for you….God saved you to prepare you and bring you back to make the change your people need.” When the minister started praying, Eric closed his eyes and contemplated the words, “God will take care of you and bring you places you never dreamed.”

Eric ended up in refuge camp in Nigeria and remembers being told that the youth were the hope for the future. Yet, he understood the stark reality that very few of them could read or write, so how could they lead? But, Eric had learned to read through education at a refugee camp.

Eric stepped up to lead and taught other refugees how to use a computer, which had been donated. Eric reached out to have other computers donated to the camp so that more people could learn. The refugees were eager to sit in on his classes as he brought them a glimpse of how the outside world functioned.

In 2006, Eric was selected to relocate to Lafayette, Louisiana through a refugee resettlement program administered by the US Government and the Catholic Diocese of Acadiana, by meeting two criteria: He had been a refugee for over ten years, and he had survived abuse, torture and violence.

He arrived in Lafayette LA on August 27, 2006, at 10 p.m. with his wife and child, with no ID, no luggage, money, phone, or friends. With the help of the Catholic Diocese, Eric was able to live for six months at the University Place Apartments near UL, with the rent being paid to allow him time to obtain employment and get settled.

The culture shock of how Americans lived, i.e., electricity, temperature-controlled air-conditioning, microwaves, cars, and all the food you could eat was overwhelming. In fact, Eric thought that the amount of food stocked in the refrigerator provided by the Diocese was more than enough to have lived on for a year back home. He also wondered why so few people were in the street; where he grew up, people walked everywhere. Here, everyone is in a car, in what Eric again saw as overwhelming abundance.

One day, Eric saw three computers in a dumpster, along with couches and televisions. It was explained to him that most UL students bring in new stuff and then trash the no-longer needed items when they leave. Eric realized that there were boundless “Leftovers from the American Dream.” He wanted to give back to other countrymen who couldn’t get out of Liberia. Eric prayed to God that if this was His will, to open doors that only He could open. In the meantime, he kept on collecting ‘leftovers’ and stored them in his apartment.

On Thanksgiving 2006, Eric was walking to the laundry mat to wash his clothes when a KATC reporter stopped him to interview him on how he was celebrating the holiday. When he asked her, “What is Thanksgiving?” the reporter was taken aback and they discussed Eric’s background and recent arrival to the U. S. She wanted to see how he lived and she noticed all of the used equipment he was storing with the hope of sending the items back to Liberia. Upon deciding to run a story on Eric and his mission, she told him she needed his phone number to air so that people could call in with their donations; he learned the hard way that he was unable to obtain a phone because he had no Social Security Number or driver’s license to provide the carrier: they said he didn’t exist. Luckily, his next door neighbor, a UL student from Tennessee, allowed him to use her phone number for callers who had items to donate. And the calls flooded in once the story aired.

Eric was advised to set up a non-profit so that he could accept the donations legally. Looking up attorneys in the phone book, he started with “A” and called several times for locally, well-respected attorney Ed Abell. Once Ed heard Eric’s story, he volunteered to set up the non-profit organization and took care of all fees incurred. By the grace of God, the help of Ed Abell, and many, many others, Eric established the Change Agent Network.

Eric met Lou Meinerz, executive assistant to Matt Stuller, when he was visiting to ask for a donation. His story touched her heart and she brought him to meet her congregation at Trinity Bible Church. Once hearing his story, two parishioners, Heather Lecky and Marti Thomas, traveled to Liberia to check out Eric’s mission to build schools as the path to transforming the country’s future. They immediately jumped in headfirst to be of assistance, and are still involved to this day.

Change Agent Network is a registered 501 (c) 3 nonprofit organization with the goal to transform the entire nation of Liberia through Education, mentorship, and Sustainable Development fueled by the power of prayer. His organization has built 28 faith-based public schools schools in Liberia, educating over 4,000 underserved and vulnerable children. It has employed people as teachers, nurses, and other professionals.

“None of this would have been possible without Lafayette. I believe God handpicked this place. There is something special about Acadiana, its culture, its people, their faith and family values, and respect for people. People just love you. None of this would have been possible if I had ended up somewhere else other than here. Lafayette is my home. I tell people I am an “African Cajun.” We only moved to Dallas for logistics (easier flights out to Liberia) and to be able to expand the platform of Change Agent Network.”

Today Liberia is the 8th poorest country in the world. Due to the civil war that ravaged the country and scattered its citizens throughout Africa and beyond, the average age of a Liberian is 18. Only one out of four children can read. The average salary of a worker such as a teacher or nurse is $100 per month. Outside of Monrovia, there is still no running water or electricity for most people.

Change Agent Network gathers American’s “leftovers” to send to Liberia for those who are grateful to have access to our surplus. Through partnerships with businesses, schools, churches, and individuals, surplus items such as laptops, cell phones, I-pads, clothing, musical instruments, shoes, etc., are redirected from a future life in a landfill. What is out of style, wrong size, or slightly broken can be put to good use by less fortunate children and their families. This program is much more than just distributing resources, it’s about dignity, hope and a new opportunity for individuals facing severe hardships.

For more information, visit https://www.canintl.org/ Your resources and financial support are needed to continue this effort to transform Liberia and its future.

We thank Eric Wowoh for sharing his life story, his resilience, and his steadfast belief that through God all things truly are possible.

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Holly and Eli Cure, owners of Antoni’s Italian Café, join Discover Lafayette as part of Eat Lafayette’s yearlong celebration of locally owned restaurants. They share their captivating journey that had them working as employees of other restauranters before becoming dedicated proprietors of their own establishment.

Holly is a Lafayette native who always enjoyed the dynamics of the restaurant environment, having worked at Posado’s and Blue Dog Cafe before working at Antoni’s. Eli grew up in Covington where he first worked at B. J.’s Pizza at 14 years of age, starting out as a dishwasher and moving up to pizza making. He moved around the country, settling in Lafayette in 1993, buildng his hospitality career while gaining invaluable experience working at such restaurants as Canton City Inn, Chinese Buffet, Charley G’s, Prejeans, and Don’s Seafood, Coyote Blues, and Chili’s.

Antoni’s opened in 1996 and has been locally owned and operated since inception, celebrating its 28th year in business this month. Holly and Eli worked at Antoni’s before taking over the reins from its original owners, Bruce and Lynda Cart, on August 5, 2013.

The Carts trusted Holly and Eli’s knowledge of their business, its mission, and the dining preferences of Antoni’s existing clientele. They generously facilitated the purchase of the restaurant with a ten-year owner-financing plan that the Carts paid off early. Even though the restaurant had been around for years, the Cures had to start the permitting process anew in order to keep the doors open. And the inevitable repairs needed to be done. With Eli’s adeptness with carpentry and finishing work, the couple worked on Sundays to clean up and make the needed enhancements for their official opening. Holly says, “Each ceiling tile was taken down individually and we cleaned each and every one ourselves.”

“Opening a restaurant is a step by step process, where one thing can’t happen before the other. First you set up your LLC, then you get the operating, Fire, Health, Alcohol permits. Each stage has different requirements. You have to ensure that all is working: ‘Are all the exit sign batteries operational?’ The Board of Health will inspect and require a level of cleanliness as if the restaurant kitchen had never been used before. Antoni’s was 17 years old when we purchased it, but it was if it was a new endeavor as we worked to get the permits.”

Lynda handed over all her original recipes to the Carts and long-time staple dishes such as the basil chicken salad and house-made pizzas have remained crowd favorites. Eli is the culinary expert in this family-owned endeavor and has created new recipes over the years and added twists to the traditional Antoni’s fare.

Holly shared that one of her favorite foods on the menu is the plain cheese pizza, which is based upon the original dough recipe from Lynda Cart, their house-made Marinara sauce, and the part-skim Buffalo milk mozzarella which is a staple at Antoni’s. Cheese in the shakers is five-month aged sheep’s milk Romano.

With their loving, hands-on management and innovative twists to the original menu, Antoni’s is a popular destination for lovers of Italian food. From classic pizzas and calzones to exquisite offerings like Quail, Salmon, Shrimp, and Filet Mignon, there is truly something for everyone.

The Carts both spoke of a surge in the restaurant’s popularity, and attributed it to their dedicated staff, many of whom have worked at Antoni’s for several years. In the aftermath of COVID’s effects on the industry and changing expectation of workers, Holly and Eli have also endeavored to raise pay and be more flexible while upholding high standards of service. While it can still be difficult to recruit and retain in the hospitality business, Holly and Eli work to keep the staff’s mood light and happy by sharing laughter.

Holly and Eli Cure are a united front in their quest to provide great service and delicious Italian food at Antoni’s. They are hands-on owners, and Holly says, “There is no rest for your mind. You don’t leave work and not think about it. There is always something that could have been done. Each day is an adventure.” Luckily, Holly can rely on Eli for any repairs that need to be done: “He is the MacGyver at Antoni’s. He can fix anything.”

For the 2024 kickoff of Eat Lafayette, Antoni’s offered its famous house-made meatballs.

As part of Antoni’s celebration and participation in Eat Lafayette, any customer who mentions Eat Lafayette now through Sept. 8, 2024 can receive a free order of Garlic Focaccia with melted cheese.

We’d like to congratulate Holly and Eli Cure, as well as their whole team, for winning the 2024 Culinary Excellence Award bestowed by Foodies of Lafayette. Antoni’s exemplifies what it means to be an outstanding restaurant known for its service, great food, and warm ambiance!

Antoni’s is located at 1118 Coolidge Blvd., Suite A, Lafayette LA 70503. It is open Tuesday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Saturday 5 p.m to 9 p.m. For more information, visit https://www.antonisitaliancafe.com/

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Ken Simeral, a prominent figure in the real estate community in Acadiana, joins Discover Lafayette to discuss his thoughts on investing in real estate when the numbers work in your favor, the importance of offering high-quality, targeted service to his clients, and his lifetime involvement in bettering our community.

Ken is President-Elect of the REALTOR® Association of Acadiana (RAA). A devoted family man, he has been married to his wife, Deborah, since 1977 and they are the parents of two sons, Kyle and Jeffrey. Ken brings a seasoned voice to the industry: when he joined the former Lafayette Association of Realtors, there were 320 realtors; today there are more than 1850 members of the Realtor Association of Acadiana.

Ken is owner of Magnolia Real Estate & Construction. He and his son, Kyle, operate Scott Quick Lube and Thermal Insulation Contractors. Ken, his wife, Deborah, and his sons own Simeral Properties, a company with multiple real estate holdings. And Ken enjoys the outdoors; he keeps horses and cattle on his 40-acre farm in Arnaudville where he and Deborah reside, and if you drop in, you may see him navigating his backhoe on the property.

Pictured is La Maison Chatrian, a bed and breakfast home that Ken and Deborah Simeral offer to travelers visiting lovely Grand Coteau. Built circa 1835, the home sleeps 12 and is one of the oldest homes in Grand Coteau. Ken and Deborah spent seven years restoring the home. Restoration of historic properties is a passion of Ken’s. Ken took his first real estate class in 1972, at a time when interest rates were 18%. By the early 80s, they had lowered a bit to 12%. With his decades of experience in residential and commercial real estate, Ken has witnessed firsthand the cyclical nature of real estate and interest rates, and he counsels homebuyers not to let the current interest rates be a controlling factor in their decision to buy.

A 1969 high school graduate, Ken started college that fall. Unfortunately, his timing put him in the first draft lottery to determine military service since WWII in 1942. When he pulled #64 (based upon his birthday), he decided to enlist in the Air National Guard, and thereafter spent some time in Korea during the Vietnam War. Ken never returned to college studies, but began his lifelong journey of work, where he learned from others, benefitted from his own hard work, and the art of making smart investments.

Always good with numbers, Ken bought his first home in 1972 on Garfield St. in Lafayette while in his early 20s. While managing an 18-unit apartment complex in Lafayette, he bought his second property in the McComb Veazey neighborhood, and then used equity from the first two homes to roll financing into three rentals. He soon married Deborah and started working with the Grand Paper Company, a national outfit where he was hired to be only the third salesman in the territory after 150 years in business. When he was offered a national rep position with the company, he realized he didn’t want to be on the road each and every week; he wanted to be home with his family.

Ken Simeral says, looking back on his rich life, “I was taught by older mentors. Everything I know I’ve learned from other people I could trust. The WWII generational ethics, how to do things right. Randolph Trappey was a mentor to me and I watched him build great houses. I just followed what he and others did.” Ken ended up teaching the Realtor Code of Ethics (“Code of Conduct”), and served as the Chair of Professional Standards for Realtors.

Ken looks back at this early period of his life with gratitude about what he learned from others. He also has advice for young homebuyers who are looking from guidance from seasoned real estate owners such as himself. “It has to be a good investment before you worry about pretty colors on the wall. Before buying, determine whether the cost of the house purchase plus the cost of repairs equals the value of the home when it is all said and done. Anything I’ve ever done, I have calculated what the value is when finished. Get an independent inspection done.”

Ken also shared that in the ‘old days,’ a realtor marketing package would include an independent inspector report that pointed out flaws and repairs a house may need. Sellers would pay for needed repairs as well as the cost of the first year home warranty for things that went awry; but in those days, homes were sold with a warranty, unlike today, when “As Is” is always the norm. Never rely upon a seller’s inspection, Ken advises: “Always get your own inspection done.”

First time homebuyers used to stay in their home an average of seven years. After kids were born and life changed, an upgraded, enlarged home would be pursued. Today, people stay in their homes for less time. Yet, while today’s conditions seem to be evolving, many things never change, according to Ken Simeral.

Ken Simeral says, “Interest rates are cyclical yet human behavior is predictable. Know what you can afford. Shop the banks and get quotes on the cost of a loan. It’s important to get pre-qualified. Don’t buy more than you can afford, which many people do. It is also critical to have a good banker on your team. They need vision to help you get what you need. The trust has to come from both sides and it can take years to build. And lastly, real estate is local. You need a good, local real estate agent that understands our market. They need to ask, ‘Where do you work? What school do you want your children to attend? What is important to you?”

Ken has worked in the Lafayette area exclusively, except for a brief foray to Columbia, South Carolina from 1985 to 1990 when the market crashed locally due to the oil bust. His focus is on the commercial real estate sector.

Ken shared that the real estate brokerage business has changed dramatically in Lafayette and around the U. S. There are very few of the old time brokerage companies such as the former “Van Eaton & Romero” in Lafayette. He said that, “Van Eaton was a full-service brokerage firm, as was the former Coldwell Banker, who brought in agents to train them and do everything that they needed to be prepared to represent their clients adequately. The commission split between broker and agent was calculated on the level of service the brokerage firm provided its agents.”

Today, very few of our local real estate brokerage firms have any direct ownership connection to our community. Yet Ken says, “Real estate is local. There are many really good real estate agents here, locally. Your agent needs to know your preferences for school districts, convenience in your every day life, what you want in your home, what you can afford. They need to be attuned to local issues to offer you the best advice.”

Ken Simeral’s service in the real estate professional industry has not gone unnoticed. He was awarded the Lloyd G. Smith Lifetime Achievement Award in December 2015. He is also especially proud of earning the National Association of Realtors’ Emeritus Award which recognizes members who have forty years of membership and who have completed at least one year of service at the national association level.

Late last fall, a federal law suit filed in Missouri was settled (“Burnett et al v. National Association of Realtors et al”), challenged the NAR’s rule requiring sellers to pay commissions for both the listing agent and the buyer’s agent. Plaintiffs argued that this practice artificially maintained high commission rates, harming sellers financially. While this wasn’t the practice in every state, including Louisiana, the settlement has caused an upheavel in how buyer brokerage agreements are handled. So now, buyer agency agreements must be negotiated between a realtor and the buyer(s). Ken explained that the outcome has solidified that licensed real estate agents must now use a buyer agency agreement that sets forth the real estate commission rate which has been negotiated between the homebuyer and his agent, before being shown homes. Details are still being worked out locally.

As for the arts, Ken and his wife, Deborah, are huge supporters. He loves the Acadiana Center for the Arts with “its bar, cushy seats, and the variety of musicians he has heard over the years, especially Louisiana Crossroads. He is also an active supporter of the Nunu Arts and Culture Collective (“NUNU”), which features not only local and national performers, but offers a place for artists to show and sell their wares.

We thank Ken Simeral for his service to our community and for sharing his experiences. Besides his real estate involvement, he has been actively involved with economic development in St. Landry Parish. To contact Ken, please reach out to him via email at ksimeral84@gmail.com.

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With June being National Homeowner Month, it seems like a good time to welcome a seasoned Mortgage Loan Officer to Discover Lafayette. Home Bank’s Sandy Cormier, NMLS# 493798, Member FDIC/Equal Housing Lender, joins us to discuss the types of loans available to consumers who are looking to build or buy their dream home, as well as what you need to do to qualify for a loan.

Sandy has been with Home Bank for 25 years and with that time comes a depth of experience that is hard to beat. Whether its helping first-time homebuyers, people seeking construction loans, or individuals wanting to upsize/downsize their current home, Sandy along with her peers in the Home Bank Mortgage Lending Department are available to assist in providing your best option.

Sandy Cormier, Mortage Loan Officer with Home Bank, loves what she does. “You get to help people with the biggest purchase of their lives. And, she says “It is better to buy than rent. Your home is an asset and the current interest rates shouldn’t be a deterrent. If you are renting and have to pay the first and last month’s rent plus the deposit, you’ve probably gotten together your 3% needed for a downpayment on owning your home. Having a mortgage is one of the best ways to build your credit.”

When you begin shopping for a home, it is advantageous to get guidance from an experienced mortgage lending professional, such as Sandy, to determine what you can afford and what you will be ultimately be qualified to borrow. People frequently get two things confused: “prequalified” vs. “preapproved” for a loan.

When you prequalify, the mortgage lender does a basic credit check to see where you stand on the ability to repay a mortgage. You get an idea of where your credit score ranks, but this does not certify to third parties that you are actually ready to get approved for a mortgage loan.

When you get pre-approved, a more extensive background check occurs that unveils your true ability to repay a mortgage loan. A letter can be issued to show realtors and sellers that you are ready to purchase, and the letter is good for six months. The lender will first pull your credit scores from the trifecta of credit reporting companies (Transunion, Equifax, and Experian) to obtain your average credit score based upon the information the three companies provide. These credit agencies pick up on any recent delinquencies (within the past 24 months) you may have experienced in paying your bills. Note that older delinquencies don’t affect your credit score in the same way that recent ones in the past two years do. Also interestingly, the credit agencies don’t report on utility payments, and more recently, don’t report on deliquencies in medical bill payments. The lender also obtains your W-2’s for the past two years, conducts asset verifications (your bank statements and reserve savings).

If you are thinking about opening your own business after being an employee of a company, note that the lender will verify what you earned the past two years while being self-employed, so opening your own company may delay your ability to be pre-approved or pre-qualified for a mortgage loan.

When you are looking to qualify for a home mortgage loan, lenders look at three major categories of information:

First, lenders work up your “debt to income analysis” by looking at your gross monthly income (before taxes) and your current debt commitments (car loans, revolving credit, etc.) so that you can come up with a projected mortgage payment that will cover the cost of owning a home in your price range. Sandy says that 43% debt to income ratio is what you want to achieve, i.e., when you total up your current debt, and include your projected mortgage payment, your debt should be just 43% of your gross income. If you have a high credit score, this percentage may be adjusted a bit, but it is a good frame of reference.

Sandy also recommends that if you know you are looking to be approved for a home mortgage loan, it is not a good idea to go out and buy a car or get into other debt that weighs you down. If you own a car and have less than 10 payments left on your loan, this information is not filtered into your ability to repay a loan. But if you go out and buy a new car, you have drastically increased your debt to income ratio. It is also not a good idea to go out and open up several new revolving credit accounts such as at TJ Maxx (and all other retailers), furniture stores, or other credit cards.

Second, lenders pull your credit scores from the three major credit reporting agencies. You will need a minimum score of 620 to qualify for most loans, and the lower the score, the higher your interest rate may be. The earlier you talk to a lender on this issue, the better. You and your spouse/partner may need to improve your credit score to be approved for a mortgage loan and your lender can assist with tactics to make this happen. Note that many consumers get their credit score from Discover, but Sandy says that this is not the same as what the three major credit reporting agencies may reflect on your credit history. Also note: too many credit inquires may adversely affect your credit score. If you go out and apply for several credit cards at various retailers, this damages your score each time you apply. It is best, according to Sandy, to have one major credit card for use at all retailers. Sandy did note one exception: if you are shopping for a car, you can look at several dealers and their credit inquiries are collectively contained within a period of time as “one,” thereby not adversely affecting your credit history.

Third, lenders want to see what ‘reserves’ you have. Do you have savings? A 401K or IRA account? You don’t need liquid savings, Sandy says, but you do need to show that you have equity to fall back upon if you hit hard times and have the capacity to make your payments.

Most people are nervous when considering the prospect of borrowing money for a home loan. Sandy puts them at ease by first telling them about the various type of mortgage loans available at Home Bank.

Types of Mortgage Loans:

• Conventional Loan: You don’t need 20% down payment to qualify. From Freddie Mac or Fannie Mae, a 3% down payment and 620 minimum credit score is needed. Private Mortgage Insurance is paid until you reach 20% home equity on your payments.
• FHA Loan: Backed by the Federal Housing Administration. 3.5% down and a 580 minimum credit score. But you’re on the hook for mortgage insurance premiums (MIP) until you refinance to a different type of mortgage, move, or pay off your loan.
• VA Loan : This is only available for for veterans and service members, and there is no down payment required. Minimum credit score varies by lender but is often 620. No ongoing mortgage insurance after closing. These are arguably the best mortgages available.
• First Time Homebuyer Loans: The City of Lafayette has a First Time Homebuyer Program for middle to low-income buyers. You can get closing costs covered with these programs, and there are grants available for qualified buyers who meet requirements.
• USDA (Rural Development) Loan: For those on low-to-moderate incomes buying in designated rural areas (which in Lafayette Parish includes the towns of Broussard, Scott, Youngsville, etc.) Zero down payment is required. Credit score requirements vary by lender but often 640.
• CRA loans: Community Reinvestment Act loans which help persons of low to middle income levels (less than 50% of area median income) purchase homes. 100% financing is afforded to these income-restricted individuals.
• Construction Loans (1 time closing): Helps reduce closing costs by signing only one set of documents. Upon completion, you may have the option to reduce your interest rate if lower. You know your interest rate going in to construction and can lock in your loan rate at beginning of construction.

First time homebuyers have a multitude of grants/second mortgage programs available to help cover closing costs and meeting their downpayment needs. Sandy recommends that young buyers as well as those of all ages who have never owned a home to visit with her to determine available resources.

While you may be able to calculate your mortgage note insofar as your principal and interest are concerned for the life of your loan, there are several other costs to factor in when determining what your mortgage payment will ultimately be. Mortgagors (home buyers) will also have to pay into escrow along with their monthly payment costs such as their homeowner and flood insurance, property taxes, and potentially Homeowner Association Dues. Sandy recommends that all applicants shop their home/flood insurance rates prior to being approved so that a true assessment of what their monthly note will be.

There are a couple of other obligatory professionals that assist in your home closing experience alongside your mortgage lender. First, an attorney is needed under Louisiana law (and best practices) to conduct a real estate title search and confirm that you are receiving clear title to your home. Appraisers are also required by the bank to confirm that the value of the home equals what you have agreed to pay. Additionally, some people use surveyors (at their discretion) to get a flood elevation certificate to determine how susceptible the home will be to flooding. This information may help you lower your flood insurance premium.

Home mortgages may be taken out in periods of repayment over 15, 20 or 30 years. The interest rate for each type of loan is not substantially different in the long run; with a shorter term loan, you are just paying back the principal balance over a lesser period of time thus saving overall interest payments over the course of your loan. Sandy recommends that first-time homebuyers go for 30 year loans; once they confirm there is no prepayment penalty, they can always pay off the principal balance before the final due date and save substantially on interest costs. If you start out with a smaller monthly payment with a 30 year note, you have the flexibility to make larger payments over the course of the loan to reduce your principal balance. Sandy does advise that you tell your lender that the extra payments you are making are to go directly to principal balance reduction. As an example, if your note is $1,000 and you send in $1,500, alert your lender that the extra $500 payment is to go directly to principal balance reduction; otherwise, some of the payment will be attributed to interest payments.

What if you don’t have a credit history, i.e., you are young or just have never borrowed money or bought a house? Home Bank offers a Credit Builder Loan, where you can borrow just $500 which you can put into a savings accoutn and repay the note over one year. Credit reporting agencies pick up on this activity and it helps you build your credit score. Sandy also recommends opening up one credit card and pay your balance in full each month. Even if you just charge small amounts, say for gas fillups in your car, your positive payment activity is reported to the three major credit agencies. It is never too soon to start building your credit score, as well as learn ways to improve your score so that you are ready to buy your dream home.

Sandy is a mom and wife, and understands the challenges every family faces. We thank Sandy Cormier, NMLS# 493798, Member FDIC/Equal Housing Lender, for joining us to share her insights on building your future.

It’s always best to think ahead about big purchases such as your home. For more information on your ability to qualify and get pre-approved on a loan, please visit https://www.home24bank.com/personal/home-loans.

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South Louisiana Community College’s (“SoLAcc”) Anne Falgout, Director of Strategic Communications, and Lana Fontenot, Vice Chancellor for Institutional Advancement and External Relations and Executive Director of the College’s Foundation, join Discover Lafayette to discuss the latest developments at SoLAcc and its recent rebranding.

SoLAcc currently offers more than 50 programs, leading to associate degrees, technical diplomas, and certificates, to almost 12,000 students annually, at its campuses in Abbeville, Crowley, Franklin, Lafayette, Morgan City, New Iberia, Opelousas, St. Martinville, and Ville Platte. The College also offers a wide range of non-credit instruction and training, for careers that need certification training such as power linemen, industrial scaffolding, and commercial driving, which students can complete in under six months. Following an Academic Blueprint prepared five years in advance, SoLAcc endeavors to build educational programs that fit the needs of each community they serve.

Many people in our region don’t have high school diplomas, and SoLAcc steps up to offer Adult Basic Education Services, assisting individuals in passing the High School Equivalency Exam (“HiSET”) which replaced the former GED exam. Students of all ages come to SoLAcc for this program, sometimes after their own children graduate from high school, and are guided by the college counselors to figure out the best way to obtain an appropriate degree while qualifying for grants, loans, and other institutional aid resources to help cover the cost of their education.

SoLAcc was awarded the Hunger-Free Campus Award by the Louisiana Board of Regents in 2024.

The typical age of a SoLAcc student has declined in recent years, from 27 years of age to 24 years of age today. This is a huge shift in demographics, due to the college’s effective outreach program. Additionally, SoLAcc’s tuition is on average about 40% less than a tradtional four-year colleges and institutions. Anne Falgout says, “The top issues that come up when we speak with prospective students is affordability and flexibility in classes as they choose which institution to attend. Affordability plus Quality equals Value!”

Student Success Live is an in-person new-student orientation that all students take before registering. Guidance on resources and expectations help SoLAcc’s retention rate of students. About 3/4 of the college’s students are first generation college students and have no frame of reference about what to expect. Many know no one who has gone to college. SoLAcc works to help each student holistically and offers free tutoring at every campus.

More than one-half of SoLAcc’s students are university bound and find that first obtaining a two-year Associate’s degree at the college is the most economical method to earn their credits. SoLAcc partners not only with UL-Lafayette, but also McNeese, Holy Cross, and Nicholls State to offer a 2 + 2 agreement that allows students to seamlessly transfer their credits from the community college to the universities. Lana pointed out that SoLAcc is the largest feeder of students to UL-Lafayette and its graduates start the university ready to excel.

The Early College Academy, which is ‘baked into SoLAcc’s Devalcourt location in Lafayette,” is rated in the top 1% of public high schools in Louisiana, and is particularly well-known for its students’ math and reading proficiencies. The high school shares faculty with SoLAcc and the benefit of of this dual enrollment program is that students can earn their two-year Associate’s Degree while earning their high school diploma. This enables the students to start at a university as a Junior.

Many people attend SoLAcc after having graduated from a traditional four-year college and established in a career. As an example close to home, Lana’s husband, educated to be a teacher and experienced as a fifteen-year veteran of teaching middle and high school students, became an Emergency Medical Technician after enrolling in SoLAcc during COVID. He graduated after a short-term training program, and was immediately hired by Acadian Ambulance. He worked there for six months driving an ambulance, and then in January of 2021, entered the paramedic program at SoLAcc, and graduated in December of 2021, being presented his diploma by his wife, Lana Fontenot!

A partnership between the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office Community Corrections division and South Louisiana Community College offers inmates a technical diploma track in Welding. Working with inmates who are nearing their date of release, mobile welding units are deployed to teach the skills necessary for employment. At the conclusion of the yearlong program, a graduation ceremony is held with SoLAcc supplying the caps and gowns for the students. LPSO sets up apprenticeships and any monies earned are kept secure until the prisoner is released. SoLAcc hopes to add HVAC and culinary to this program.

South Louisiana Community College recently completed its rebranding. Anne Falgout says, “We call it a transformation; we came of age. We didn’t change so much as we evolved into ourselves. While we do compete with traditional 4-year educational institutions, our biggest competitor is LIFE.” So many of SoLAcc’s students choose between the college or getting no education. Their top issues are affordibility and flexibility, as they grapple with childcare and transportation challenges.

Lana Fontenot has been employed by the college for twelve years, after time spent working at UL-Lafayette and an early stint as a radio host known as “Lana Banana.” Hired by former SLCC Chancellor Natalie Harder, Lana came on during a time of transition when Acadiana Technical College was being merged into SLCC, creating a comprehensive community college. Under her leadership as Executive Director of the South Louisiana Community College Foundation, scholarship monies available to students have experienced a 20-fold growth.

Anne Falgout worked in economic development for over two decades before joining SoLAcc as Director of Strategic Communications. She served as executive director of Vermilion Economic Development Alliance, and worked at Lafayette Economic Development Authority prior to that. “‘We train our students for life. We ask what does that student need to be successful and how do we meet their needs? Working at SoLAcc is the most economic development I’ve ever done. It is unreal how many lives we touch by just giving one student an opportunity. It impacts their family, their employer, and their community.”

In closing, Discover Lafayette would like to thank Lana Fontenot, Anne Falgout, and the entire team at SoLAcc for their commitment to helping people reach their full potential by providing them with an education that readies them for their desired career.

For more information about South Louisiana Community College educational offerings and its campuses throughout Acadiana, please visit https://www.solacc.edu/.

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Tracy Tullier, a Breaux Bridge resident and Supervising Guide of Tours at the Louisiana State Capitol, joins Discover Lafayette to discuss her beloved work in guiding people through our state’s majestic Capitol, as well as sharing Louisiana’s rich history with visitors who hail from all parts of the U. S. and countries around the world.

Tracy Tullier at the Louisiana State Capitol, photo credit to Jan Risher, the Advocate.While many Louisiana residents have never experienced the tour of our State Capitol, in 2023 visitors from 115 different countries made the trip, and over 65,000 registered signed in. Tracy explained that in addition to these registered guests, many people don’t sign in for a tour but still show up to wander around the beautiful building and make the trip up to the top floor Observation Deck to take in the sights of the Mississippi River, LSU’s campus, and surrounding buildings of downtown Baton Rouge and beyond.

Tracy came to our attention over the past couple of years when Lafayette Junior Leadership Class students traveled to Baton Rouge to learn about state government, the legislative sessions held at the State Capitol, and have the opportunity to meet elected officials from Acadiana. She makes the day, her smile captures your heart, and you know you are in good hands.

Tracy is professional, enthusiastic, and well-informed, ready to shape your understanding about Louisiana, weaving in facts and tidbits of historical events such as when Huey Long was shot inside the Capitol building, how the current State Capitol came to be built, and how the House of Representatives and Senate work. On her tours, Louisiana really comes to life! Pictures below were taken by Jan Risher of the Advocate and depict the chandeliers on the Capitol’s first floor (which weigh two tons), and photos of the Senate and House Chambers.

The Louisiana State Capitol was built in 14 months, and cost $5 million to construct. It was the brainchild of Governor and U. S. Senator Huey Long. It is the tallest capitol in the United States. And as Tracy Tullier states, “Our capitol has more questions than it does answers” when she recounts the many interesting events that have taken place in the building, including Huey Long’s death, the bombing that took place in the Senate Chamber in 1970, and how thereafter, a pencil (or something) got stuck in the Senate Chamber’s ceiling.

Ironically, Senator Long died before he could dedicate the Capitol, so that honor was fulfilled by his successor, Louisiana Governor Oscar K. (“OK”) Allen. Pictured below is a photo of the early Capitol Building.

If you haven’t made this trip to Baton Rouge to visit the Capitol, this tour should be added to your bucket list of things to do in your lifetime, as it is truly a lifetime adventure and one that will awaken your interest in Louisiana culture.

Tracy Tullier and her fellow tour guides are employed by Louisiana’s Department of Culture, Recreation, and Tourism, under the office of Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser. Tracy worked at the Slidell Welcome Center before being employed at the Capitol several years ago, and encourages people to check out all of our state’s Welcome Centers to learn more about Louisiana. During the interview, she thanked her boss, Jason Miller, for his support, and complimented her peers throughout the state who are employed at our regional welcome centers who encourage people to check out local attractions, dining, lodging, and events as they pass through Louisiana.

Before you travel to the Capitol, you may want to visit online at https://house.louisiana.gov/pubinfo/VirtualTour/lacaphistory.htm to gain more information about the experience.

The State Capitol is free and open daily for tours, from 8 till 4:30 p.m. If you want to make a reservation for the tour, call 225-342-7317. The tour guides will confirm your appointment via email. You can also walk in without an appointment and request to be included on the next tour. Plan to spend about an hour of your time engulfed in beauty and history.

When you visit Louisiana State Capitol, you can also visit the many nearby attractions which include the Old State Capitol, the Old Governor’s Mansion, the Capitol Park Museum, the USS Kidd, the Louisiana Art and Science Museum, the Native American Mound, Magnolia Mound, Burden Museum and Gardens, LSU Museum of Art, and much more.

We thank Tracy Tullier and her co-workers who do so much to promote Louisiana. This was a heartwarming interview that we are proud to share.

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Pastor Jay Miller of The Family Church and Lafayette Christian Academy (LCA) joins Discover Lafayette to discuss his latest venture, the launch of KVNTV 19.2 (available on over-the air tv antennas which pick up local broadcasts) and its accompanying app for enjoyment on digital devices. (Pictured above are Chris Rader, Jan Swift, and Pastor Jay Miller at taping of our podcast).

KVNTV is scheduled to launch on September 1, 2024, and is based in Lafayette on the campus of Lafayette Christian Academy and The Family Church. The network will deliver free high-definition broadcasts of high school sports throughout Acadiana. With the app, you’ll be able to watch for free from anywhere and enjoy your friends’ or families’ sporting events.

The goal is to bring full coverage of sports events to the masses while showcasing the talent of Acadiana high school athletes, coaches, and athletic programs. Every high school team is invited to participate for free, whether it is football, basketball, baseball, softball, track, volleyball, tennis, dance, cheerleading, etc. Football games will be broadcast live on Friday nights, and Pastor Jay envisions adding Thursday night football games as the network grows in capacity. Video on demand will also be available so that fans can go back and watch their favorite games.

An introductory Meet and Greet is scheduled on June 13, 2024, 10 a.m. on the campus of Lafayette Christian Academy, 223 Stone Avenue, Lafayette LA 70507, to discuss KVNTV and how local schools and coaches can participate while earning money for their schools. Attendees will learn “all things media” including how to livestream your event in partnership with KVNTV, how to host an interview or podcast show, what equipment to buy, best media practices, and much more. Incentives to attend the Meet and Greet include door prizes of ipads and iphones.

There is no fee imposed upon the schools for uploading sports content. Further, KVNTV will provide videographers, media technicians, and photographers to assist schools in recording their events and shows, with the assistance being made possible through monies generated from advertising dollars. Businesses will find the cost of advertising on KVNTV not only affordable, but also rewarding as their financial support will allow all local high schools to upload their sports content for free.

Another perk of advertising on KVNTV is the fundraising capabililty it lends to local schools. 20% of the advertising revenue generated through your business’s ads will be returned back to the school that you designate, if that school is a partner with KVNTV. As an example, if Lafayette High Baseball wants to stream their games live or produce an interview show at KVNTV, a business owner that supports the program can sponsor the show and 20% of the advertising revenue is returned to the school’s baseball program to use in the manner it sees fit.

An even better fundraising opportunity is available for schools who produce and record their own sports shows to broadcast on the network. Advertisers who are connected with that school’s programs (i.e., parents, grandparents, or alums) can buy ads on KVNTV and all monies generated stay with the school. It’s a built-in moneymaker for the sports program. The school can sell its own commercials and keep the revenue. The bonus is that the business gets their commercial aired and the school keeps 100% of the advertising revenue. If the business wants to advertise on KVNTV outside of their favorite school’s programs, they will contract directly with KVNTV and 20% of that advertising revenue will be returned to their designated school.

The network will offer content 24/7, seven days a week. As for new content, the goal is to start by offering new content, Monday through Friday, from 6 to 10 p.m., which programs will then replay six times each throughout the week. The Louisiana High School Sports Association (LHSSA) will also be offering content to KVNTV for broadcast, such as great championship games of the past.

KVNTV 19.2 will offer free high-definition video, available on over-the-air antennas, with a range of approximately 250,000 people in the Acadiana area. Pastor Jay’s goal is to eventually expand the station’s reach by making the station available to viewers statewide.

LCA will offer a broadcast elective for Juniors and Seniors to learn how to be an on-air talent, as well as how to edit video, procure advertising, and succeed in the industry. Jay sees great possibilities for the project to grow and help all schools showcase their talent.

Lafayette Christian Academy and The Family Church has been televising its sports and church services for several years, with a current staff of about ten. They produce content daily on social media sites and through their own app. Experienced in editing its own productions and ads, Pastor Jay’s team come to the table with extensive experience, with the network being handled by people who know what they’re doing.

On a side note, LCA began streaming their football games seven years ago. The school has highly successful, competitive teams and has been in seven consecutive state football championships in the Super Bowl, winning four of them. Over time, their audience grew from 200 to 15,000 viewers per game. This success in broadcasting, as well as the lucrative advertising dollars generated for LCA’s benefit, was the catalyst for Pastor Jay launching KVNTV.

Visit https://www.kvntv.com/ for more information. You can check out opportunities to partner with KVNTV, beginning at levels as low as $250 per month for twelve months, to received a professionally produced 15 second commercial aired 12 times per week for 52 weeks.

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Jamie Harson, owner and chef of Scratch Farm Kitchen, joins Discover Lafayette to share her commitment to serving the highest quality, fresh, locally sourced ingredients, in delicious combinations which fit the needs of any patron’s dietary preferences or restrictions.

Located at 2918 Johnston Street in the Winnwood Shopping Center, Scratch Farm Kitchen has a growing legion of followers who flock in to see the daily menu, set forth on a board next to the cash register, showcasing the meals of the day. Crowd favorites such as hash-based bowls, grit-based bowls, hamburgers, and a special dish known as Boudini, a biscuit topped with boudin, cheese, egg, pesto, kimchi and Jamie’s homemade mayonnaise, are always in high demand.

Jamie and her dedicated staff prepare from scratch all of the condiments accompanying meals, including their own ketchup, mustard, mayonaise, cheese, jams, and broths. They cure their own meats, and ferment products such as sauerkraut, kimchi, and sodas. The meals are colorful, delightful in their simplicity, and a testament to the virtues of eating fresh, local, wholesome foods prepared by loving hands. There is no online menu. Fresh ingredients steer the meals of the day….which is how things always used to be.

“The best way to describe my food is to say it’s street food inspired. It started on grills outside. It’s American food, farm to table. I like to say my food is transparent and honest. We can answer questions about what is in our food. It is clean and simple food. Like Julia Child said, ‘Food doesn’t have to be great masterpieces, it just has to be simple and have good ingredients,'” says Jamie Harson, who relies upon local vendors to source items she does not make herself.

Jamie is responsible for all the menu choices, creates the dishes offered, and prepares the soups herself. She speaks highly of her talented staff, who support her vision, saying, “They’re the best. I have a dedicated and devoted team that I can trust. I walk in everyday and that’s where I want to be. And, our clientele inspire me.”

“Scratch Farm Kitchen operates only on grills, no fryers and no ovens. Everything is fresh, assembled on the line in the front of the restaurant, with all the prep activity being conducted in the back kitchen. The menu changes seasonally, in keeping what can be sourced locally. And the menu has been a learning process, from experience through the years. “If things don’t sell, they’re off the menu”, says Jamie.

Jamie’s journey in the food business began as a young child, helping out at her grandfather’s farm in Duson. Picking blackberries and figs, as well as pecans on her hands and knees, or shucking corn, typically for eight hours a day. These weren’t really her favorite activities. But that’s what led her to appreciate the seasonal aspect of local food.

After Jamie’s grandfather died when she was eight, she lost contact with the idea of farming until she had dream at 18 years of age. Jamie says, “I was in Portland, Oregon, and had all these pictures of a farm in my head, and called my dad (former District Attorney Mike Harson) about it and he said, ‘You’re dreaming of the family farm.'” Jamie knew she’d be back there one day.

Jamie didn’t return to our area until she was 30, when she called her dad and said she was ready to go out to the family farm in Duson again. At the farm, which she called “Bon Temps Family Farms,” she began raising her family (she now has four children), along with hundreds of pigs, chickens, ducks, goats, and other livestock. Jamie had no experience in farming or ranching, and says she “learned everything on Google!”

Her passion from the beginning was starting from ‘scratch.’ Jamie says, “If I was going to raise chickens, I started when they were little.”

Jamie jokingly recalled one day when she drove home to the farm on Ridgefield in Duson and saw many state troopers outside of her property; all of her 300 plus pigs had gotten loose and were delighting in their freedom, jumping for joy! She had just started Scratch, and was still breeding, raising, and roasting the pigs herself. “The pigs got out everyday.” When the State Police asked what to do to gather the pigs up, Jamie knew she could herd them back into their stalls with food…..imagine hundreds of pigs running, jumping, and celebrating going back home! As a side note, raising, breeding, and roasting the pigs took a toll on Jamie, and she realized one day that it was too much to continue raising pigs alongside building her restaurant business. Once she let go of that part of her business, Scratch Farm Kitchen really took off.

Jamie had always “envisioned having a small drive-thru breakfast by her farm in Duson where she could offer egg biscuits and coffee. That was the genesis of how the dream of Scratch started.”

A former partner of Jamie’s, Kelsey Leger, helped that dream come to fruition, as she wanted to help. She had experience in the restaurant business, and wanted more hands on experience in the farm to table movement. And Jamie wanted to put the farm to table food on people’s plates.

Scratch started out doing private dinners for 40 people, which were successful. “We would take large seasonal abundance like the old days. What do you do with three sacks of corn when it comes in? You can pickle it, make corn maque choux, corn soup, freeze it, etc. That’s essentially how Scratch was built. What do you do with 30 pounds of cucumbers? You basically build a pantry as if you were living off the land. Trade with your neighbors. I love that interaction between community, growers and family!”

Next came humble beginnings as a pop up vendor at Moncus Park’s Farmers Market, to operating from a food truck (which was bought from Collin Cormier of Viva La Waffle). Jamie credits Pat Mould, the renowned local chef, who had been a steady customer of her food truck, to help her get the Scratch truck permission to locate on UL-Lafayette’s campus. She was ready to move on to have access to increased foot traffic and bring her business to the next level. For about a year, Scratch Farm Kitchen meals served hungry college kids where curry bowls and burritos were popular. And the bonus was the kids posted about Scratch Farm Kitchen on social media, sharing photos. People would show up with the photos, saying “What’s this? I want it!”

Running a small restaurant business isn’t conducive to obtaining loans from bankers, and Jamie had to pay cash for needed expenditures as the business grew. One year at Festival International, Scratch “blew up,” experiencing long lines and happy customers. In 2019, Scratch moved into its initial brick and mortar restaurant at 402 Garfield Street in downtown Lafayette, staying successful strictly through word of mouth advertising and loyal clientele.

While COVID presented challenges, Jamie was determined not to shut down, not to return to a food truck. They would post menus on Instagram and every night, people would text their orders in for the next day. The menu was kept simple, such as only burgers on Thursdays. Jamie remembers serving 200 – 300 burgers in three hours. The team of Jamie, her partner, and her 14-year old daughter kept the business afloat and Scratch actually did better business than they might have without the COVID shutdown. And the good part was there were no supply chain issues as they made all their condiments from scratch.

By mid-June, Jamie plans to open Scratch Farm Kitchen at night, another important milestone in her business. Business is flourishing and she has the right staff in place to step up her offerings. “I love where I’m at. Especially moving into our new location. It’s like moving a castle. It was the next right move.”

One dream that Jamie still has is to blend her farm with the restaurant, to enable her employees to work at both, to work outside, and to know more about where the food is coming from. Jamie says, “The farm to table is happening already around the country. Lafayette is hungry for this. I follow my intuition and that’s what helps me grow my business.

We thank Jamie Harson for her incredible mission to serve our community only the best, freshest, locally sourced foods.

Check out @scratch_that_midcity for more information on Scratch Farm Kitchen, 2918 Johnston St., Lafayette or call 337-295-4769.

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Dr. Amanda Logue, Chief Medical Officer for Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center, joined Discover Lafayette to discuss Ochsner’s new General Surgery Residency Program.

Accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), the surgical residency program received nearly 600 applications for three coveted spots. The 5-year surgery program is expected to grow, training a new class of three residents per academic year, wth the inaugural class beginning July 1, 2024. Ochsner is also pursuing accreditation of Internal Medicine, Emergency Medicine, and Transitional Year Programs.

On April 16, 2024, Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center, the region’s only Level 2 Trauma Center, celebrated the launch of its new General Surgery Residency Program, which will begin July 1, 2024.Located inside the new, recently constructed tower at Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center, the completed Graduate Medical Education space will be 17,115 square feet. Phase 1 includes eight resident sleep rooms, a resident lounge, classrooms, rounding rooms and lactation rooms. Phase 2 will house numerous simulation labs and additional classroom space.

Ziad Ashkar, MD, will serve as the Designated Institutional Official (DIO), ensuring the program meets the rigorous accreditation standards set by the ACGME. Dr. Dennis Eschete will serve as the Program Director for General Surgery. About 25 surgeons will be rotating, with the core group of teaching physicians being Dr. Willard Mosier, Ochsner Lafayette General’s head of trauma, Dr. Jason Breaux, Dr. Michael Horaist and Dr. Racheed “Joe” Ghanami.

The new residency program is both a strategic response to the escalating physician shortage and a model for innovative care solutions leading to increased patient access. In a 2024 report, the Association of American Medical Colleges projected that physician demand will grow faster than supply, leading to a projected total shortage of up to 86,000 physicians by 2036. Moreover, Louisiana is projected to rank third nationally for a shortage of physicians by 2030, according to a Human Resources for Health analysis.

Speaking of the physician shortage being experience here and nationwide, Dr. Amanda Logue shared that 140,000 patients came through Ochsner University Clinics in 2023. “It’s a huge volume, there’s a huge need for more physicians.”

Ochsner Lafayette General’s new surgery residency program doesn’t replace its ongoing partnership with LSU School of Medicine’s at University Hospital & Cinics; it complements it. Dr. Logue stated, “The reality is there’s a critical need for more physicians, which is why we started our own program in addition to the existing one. This program also signifies our deep commitment to advancing medical education and addressing the dire need for surgeons in our healthcare system.” Importantly, data shows that most physicians practice within 70 miles of where they trained, so Ochsner hopes that Lafayette will be a compelling place for their residents to start their medical careers.

The goal of the program is not only to provide top-tier educational opportunities, such as training at the region’s only Level 2 Trauma Center, but also to inspire innovation and compassion among the residents. The residents will learn to navigate the complexities of healthcare delivery with a patient-first approach, having the opportunity to take part in cutting-edge research and be at the forefront of developing new surgical techniques.

Ochsner Health is Louisiana’s top healthcare educator of physicians. Annually Ochsner and its partners educate thousands of healthcare professionals. It currently offers 33 Acreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education programs, training over 330 residents and fellows each year.

Dr. Logue is board certified in both Internal Medicine and Clinical Informatics, having completed her undergraduate training at LSU in microbiology, and medical training at LSU Health Sciences Center in Shreveport. She completed her residency training and chief resident year at University of Tennessee in Memphis in internal medicine. Married with three children, ages 16, 14, and 10, Dr. Logue grew up in Baton Rouge. She has worked with Ocshner Lafayette General for 15 years, and as Chief Medical Officer since October 2019, having previously served as Medical Director of the Hospitalist team, on the Information Systems team, and Chief Information Medical Officer.

Dr. Amanda Logue loves Lafayette’s culture, university, and family-friendly environment. When she was hired by then-Lafayette General’s CEO, David Callecod, she says, “I knew at the time that Lafayette General had an intention to make it a good place to work, to receive care. I wanted to be a part of that. So I came on as a Hospitalist.” As Ochsner Lafayette General’s Chief Medical Officer fifteen years later, she still makes rounds as a way to keep her clinical skills sharp, and to stay connected with the nurses, techs, housekeeping, and other staff.

We thank Dr. Amanda Logue for her medical service to our community and wish Ochsner Lafayette General and its incoming residents the best of success in transforming our region’s medical education landscape.

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Kevin Blanchard, CEO of Downtown Development Authority (“DDA”) and Downtown Lafayette Unlimited (“DLU”), and Jessica Hauerwas, Executive Director of DLU, join Discover Lafayette to discuss their organizations’ missions, focus and programming.

The two organizations work together to preserve and enhance Downtown Lafayette’s place as the heart of Acadiana, providing resources for businesses, developers, and community members to keep Downtown Lafayette thriving and successful. DLU was formed in the November 1983 as a 501(c)(6) nonprofit organization as the oil bust was causing people to relocate, as a mechanism to reinvigorate downtown; DDA was created in 1992 by Louisiana legislation not long after and is supported by a dedicated tax of 15 mills paid by downtown property owners.

Kevin was hired to take over the helm of the two organizations earlier this year upon the departure of Anita Begnaud, who served as Downtown Lafayette’s CEO for the past several years. He brings rich experience to the table, having served as Executive Director of the Lafayette Public Trust Financing Authority, COO for Southern Lifestyle and Development, and Chief Development Officer and Public Works Director at Lafayette Consolidated Government under the Joey Durel Administration. He practiced as an attorney with the Onebane Law Firm, was Editor-in-Chief of the Louisiana Law Review and covered government and politics as a reporter for The Acadiana Advocate newspaper.

Jessica was hired in November 2023 to oversee DLU’s day-to-day operations and promote downtown as an economic driver, cultural epicenter and key element of the region’s quality of life. She leads its fundraising strategies, nurtures relationships with the organization’s members, donors, and partners, and works on programming DLU’s events (such as Bach Lunch, Downtown Alive, and Lunch and Learn) and helps downtown businesses promote their own events. Jessica previously worked in marketing and operations with Acadiana Center for the Arts and had served as president of the DLU board.

Family friendly programming is a key focus of Downtown Lafayette, as it not only provides wonderful entertainment for our community, but it serves to drive people downtown who may not have experienced its growing attractions. DDA and DLU are working to have people see downtown as a safe neighborhood, “as a great place to feel free to play, get entertained, work and live,” says Kevin. Downtown Alive is celebrating its 40th year

Longtime goals of Downtown Lafayette have focused on the construction of residential spaces to attract permanent residents and achieve infrastructure improvements supporting the needs of a vibrant downtown. A residential market study commissioned by DDA shows a demand for 1,000 residential housing units in the downtown area over the next five years. New properties recently completed downtown include the Vermilion Lofts, The Lofts at the Municipal Apartments, and the Monroe Apartments.

Building downtown brings its own unique challenges as the streets were built in the late 1800s and properties were placed on postage-size spaces. Kevin explained that there is a higher cost to the developer in repurposing these existing older sites, but the benefit to the community is great as existing infrastructure is utilized and the increased density creates a bigger tax base.

“I am so optimistic about where we are in Downtown Lafayette. In 2016, we had a 5,400 person capacity in our downtown bars. Today, that number is 3,000. In 2017, the moratorium on bars was lifted and a conditional use process was put in place. It has promoted a health, active nighlife situation. Six or seven years ago, there were 19 restaurants downtown; now, there are 29.” says Kevin Blanchard.

Private individuals are seeing the benefits of donating dollars to downtown, and one shining example is the new 6,000 square foot, $1 million state-of-the-art Playground at Parc Sans Souci, which was financed totally with private donations. The playground was designed for accessibility to people of all ages and abilities, and officially opened to the public on April 19, 2024. It’s a great place to meet for play dates and Kevin says people are driving in from surrounding towns to enjoy this new addition to downtown, causing foot traffic to spread.

Festival International was held the weekend of April 24, 2024, and Kevin stated that 150,000 people were in attendance on the Saturday of festival. The event was safely coordinated, mostly by hundreds of volunteers working under the direction of Executive Director Scott Feehan, and the festival’s dedicated board of directors and staff.

A new event called Farm to Table(aux) benefiting DLU is scheduled for November 10, 2024, and will be held at the AcA. It will celebrate all the things people love about downtown: the food, art and culture. General Admission tickets are $175, and VIP tickets are $225.

A new initiative to convene property owners, residents, tenants, and stakeholders together to take action for a cleaner, safer Downtown will be kicked off on May 7, 2024, 11:30 to 1:30 at Rock “N” Bowl de Lafayette. Kevin Blanchard will discuss DDA and DLU’s vision on how Neighbor to Neighbor will bring the community together to align on rules and regulations, ways to hold people accountable, and steps that can be taken to continue efforts into making Downtown a welcoming environment for all. Discussion points will include: Residential living, Nightlife, Zoning and ordinances, Trash and litter maintenance, and Rules and regulations for transparency and accountability. The event is open to the public and registration may be made here.

The #1 issue Kevin receives feedback on is the perception that nightlife is out of control. In DDA and DLU’s efforts to attract people downtown to reside, play and work, this is a critical issue to address. Post 10:00 p.m., there is still a chaotic atmosphere as many youth under the age of 21 head downtown to enjoy the nightlife scene. Kevin wants to see an ordinance enacted that will crackdown on underage drinking, and recounted actions taken in Baton Rouge after the tragic death of a female LSU student, who, with a blood alcohol level of .319, was raped, dropped off on the street by her assailants, then fatally hit by a car. In Baton Rouge’s Tigerland, the bar owners now self-regulate on monitoring the drinking age of its patrons as it is not worth it to be shut down and lose business. “We need to get to this point as a community. Residents don’t want to live around the chaos.”

“Early adopters” of living downtown are either young, married couples with no children, or unmarried individuals. Empty nesters are a growing market but are still not in the early adopter audience, which DDA wants to target as they continue to work to showcase downtown as a neighborhood.

“Downtown is the new mall. You park once and you’re able to eat, shop, and have unique experiences. We’re working to encourage people who haven’t been downtown in a while to come down and experience it. You can now see people on sidewalks 24/7 and it feels right as there are more residential spaces,” says Jessica Hauerwas, Executive Director of DLU.

It helps to remember history, to put the significance of a vital downtown core into perspective. Before the 1950s, before the interstate was built, downtown was “the town of Lafayette.” People lived there, worked there, shopped there, and ate there. It is still a place to be regarded as a neighborhood, and is thriving. Kevin says, “While there are issues with affordable housing, homelessness, and adjudicated properties in areas that abut Downtown Lafayette, DDA and DLU’s new mindset is to lead conversations and work with neighborhood coteries to solve common problems.” What helps the core of Lafayette ultimately benefits our whole region. As Kevin eloquently said, “I think Lafayette is best when it’s betting on itself. We can do this….we can figure it out.”

For more information on DDA and DLU, as well as upcoming events, visit https://downtownlafayette.org/ or https://www.facebook.com/downtownlafayette.

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Jeannie DelGreco, a Lafayette realtor with eXp Realty, joins Discover Lafayette to share her rich and storied entrepreneurial journey in sales.

While Jeannie’s current career today as a mom and realtor with eXp Realty is fulfilling and successful, in this interview, Jeannie looks back at the various lessons learned and experiences she survived that made her the person she is today. And to put it into perspective, Jeannie is a highly successful real estate agent with eXp Realty, being ranked in 2023 by the firm as the #4 sales agent in Lousiana and #2 in Acadiana with $14 million in sales volume.

While Jeannie has never thought of herself as a sales person, she remembers as a child launching a small business selling Mother of Thousands (Kalanchoe laetivirens) plants door to door all on her own. She says, “It was a brave thing to do, knocking on doors to sell the baby plants I had placed in small egg cartons, asking people to buy one for 25 cents or 4 for $1.00! At LSU as a student, she similarly worked with a friend, painting t-shirts or party cups for sorority events to earn extra spending money.

One summer changed Jeannie’s life trajectory when she was asked to spend the summer with her mother’s close friend from New Iberia, Sandra DeBlanc, who lived in Columbus, Ohio and was employed as Director of Sales for Victoria’s Secret Catalog. Sandy had served in the Air Force Intelligence during the Vietnam War, and was a wonderful role model for this young girl who needed a bit of direction. Sandy hired Jeannie to join the sales force team for Victoria’s Secret Catalog for the summer and she was on her way to learning customer relations.

During the time Jeannie worked for Victoria’s Secret Catalog, it was before the internet became a dominant method way to make sales, and people had to phone in their orders. Catalogs were mailed out weekly and the sales force in Columbus were mainly college girls such as Jeannie. She loved the work and learned how build rapport with customers. She learned how to deal with people who were calling in angry about an order that had gone awry, as well as those who were just shopping, asking for assistance. Jeannie found it natural and easy to describe the garments, get the customers to envison themselves in an outift, and suggest ways to finish a look, encouraging customers to buy more, thereby increasing average order volume. She remained in Columbus, and attended The Ohio State University studying business, marketing, and human resources.

“I loved the sales work at Victoria’s Secret Catalog, and I also learned key lessons from my mom’s friend, Sandy, who taught me that you have to pay your dues in the work place. Don’t expect to come in and be promoted right away. You have to earn your position.”

On the day of Jeannie’s graduation from The Ohio State University, her parents were in town and attended a festival with her. While enjoying the festival, she met a milliner named Patricia Shypertt who made custom hats and holding a raffle to give away a flat travel hat to the lucky winner. Lo and behold, Jeannie won the hat and started a conversation with the milliner inquiring about her practice of designing hats. This serendipitous event led Jeannie down another path, where she decided to become a milliner. She quit her job at Victoria’s Secret Catalog, became a waitress to support herself, and started making custom hats in Columbus, Ohio.

Jeannie on graduation day with mentor Sandra DeBlanc“I had always had this idea that to be artistic, it had to begin when you were very young. You couldn’t change course in your 20’s. Patricia Shypertt (the milliner who mentored Jeannie) was in her 40’s and she said, ‘Oh no, I just learned how to do this two or three years ago. I’ll help you in any way I can.”

After Jeannie began garnering clients, her parents wanted to invest in her company, and took her on a buying trip to New York City. While there, her dad suggested that they explore the real estate rental options. They found a loft in Nolita (North of Little Italy) in lower Manhatten at 212 Bowery Street, just a few doors down from the famous Bowery Mission. Her dad asked her if she wanted to move to the city, and he covered the initial rental costs of securing the loft space. The loft would take about two months to be ready and Jeannie moved to NYC to open her millinery business there.

Hats on display in Henri Bendel store in Columbus OHHats in J. Peterman StoreJeannie in the Bowery LoftA small wholesale rep company, Meridian, signed Jeannie on to market her custom hats, along with other entrepreneurial artists making custom jewelry, pottery, etc for display and sale. All the supplies she needed were right there in the Garment District in NYC and her loft conveniently included an outdoor space where she could spray the toxic chemicals needed to shape and set the hat’s form. Jeannie quickly garnered a great following of Orthodox Jewish customers who wore hats every day, and before she knew it, she had a large contract to supply hats for the renowned J. Peterman company. She was careful to be professional in her business dealings, having formed an LLC to protect herself personally from liability or monetary claims.

But, unfortunately, J. Peterman never completely paid Jeannie’s company for the hats she sent them as the company went into bankruptcy. Initially, they had sent her $8,000 of the $24,000 they owed, which she deposited into her LLC bank account. After bugging them daily to find out when she could expect the balance she finally learned the heartbreaking news that J. Peterman had filed for bankruptcy and there would be no further payments. She asked to have her hats back, so she could sell them, but she learned the hard way about Rule # 1 in bankruptcy: when a company or individual goes into bankruptcy, all assets are frozen and unpaid merchandise is not returned. She was left holding the bag for the remainder of the invoice.

She decided to shut down her hat business, realizing that a 9 to 5 job wasn’t so bad after all, with a lot less stress. She took a job at Delia’s, one of the first factory direct sales outlets focusing on young teen consumers, which sparked a fashion revolution.

All was well until the day she remembers her then-boyfriend/now-husband, Anthony, was visiting her apartment and noticed she had gotten mail from J. Peterman. Jeannie didn’t want to open it, as she was done with the retailer unless they gave her back her hats so she could recoup her losses. So Anthony opened the letter and informed her that she was being sued by J. Peterman, demanding that she send back the $8,000.00 An unbelievable outcome, until you realize Rule # 2 of bankruptcy: the bankruptcy trustee goes back 60 to 90 days from the time the debtor files for bankruptcy to retrieve any and all payments the bankrupt made to third parties during that time! While she was operating business under her LLC, the $8,000.00 check had been made payable to her personally, and she had deposited it into her LLC bank account not thinking anything of it. She was found to be personally liable and responsible for paying back the money she was paid.

Pictured is the actor, John O’Hurley, who played J. Peterman on the NBC Seinfeld show, along with the actual John Peterman, founder of J. Peterman. At the 11th hour of bankruptcy proceedings of the J. Peterman company in 1999, O’Hurley bailed out the company, becoming an investor and co-owner of the company, and is a co-owner to this day. Photo attributed to today.com/video.Jeannie was never made whole for her $24,000 invoice for custom hats, and had to file for personal bankruptcy on the advice of legal counsel. “I felt like a truck hit me. J. Peterman still had my hats, and I thought, please just give them back, I can sell them and pay my expenses incurred while creating them. I got legal advice to file for personal bankruptcy, which went against my grain and upbringing.” She had to go to bankruptcy court in NYC and today looks back and feels as though she earned an MBA with all she went through as a small business owner. “Most laws are not skewed in favor of small business people. Such is life. You can either be resilient, pick up and move on, or you can be a victim. That is not me to be a victim.”

In the meantime, while working at Delia’s running the sales force, Jeannie realized the company wasn’t hitting their marks on sales. She was interviewed by a consultant, who ironically had come from Victoria’s Secret Catalog where Jeannie had previously worked, who was brought in to troubleshoot for Delia’s. After a long day of him listening to Jeannie coach the sales team, the consultant asked what he could do to help and she responded, “Get me the sales people from Columbus.” The realization of the employee pool and the ever-rising costs of prime real estate in NYC led the management team at Delia’s to shut down and move the entire business to Columbus, Ohio.

Jeannie, along with the 250 former employees of Delia’s sales team, received a nice severance package. Jeannie decided to get certified in yoga, and studied under the world-renowned Cyndi Lee, in Union Square, New York City.

Jeannie Derouen DelGreco studied for ten months under the tutelage of the world-renowned Cyndi Lee, the first female Western yoga teacher to fully integrate yoga asana and Tibetan Buddhism. Lee founded and ran the OM yoga enter, and is one of the most influential teachers of yoga in the U. S. and abroad, having trained thousands of yogis.

When it was time to get back to a day job, Jeannie joined Kiehl’s, a high-quality skin care company in New York City, which at the time was located solely at Third Avenue and East 13th Street, which is now its flagship store. The company had originally opened in 1851, and had remained a small family-owned store until being purchased by L’Oreal in 2000. Jeannie was brought on as a part of the team to help transfer operations from a family owned business to the world of corporate America. Kiehl’s wanted to maintain its focus on extreme customer service and Jeannie brought just the right skills to the table.

Time went on, and she and her husband, Anthony, were living in Queens, NY, with two small children, and he was an IT Director with New York Life. Anthony was tired of commuting long distances to get to work and missed seeing his young children as he left early and returned late from work each day. Plus, Anthony had always wanted to live in the South, and Lafayette was the perfect place to relocate with Jeannie’s family ties. He looked for a job and found one with a local bank in Lafayette. When Anthony informed his New York Life employer of his decision to move, they countered the next day to allow him to keep his position and work remotely from Lafayette, which was a much better fit given his years of experience with the company. This was in the early days after 9/11 when people were just realizing that you didn’t have to be onsite for a job to effectively work, but not many people were actually taking advantage of this. Off to Lafayette the DelGreco family moved.

In the early days of their move, Jeannie taught yoga at Red’s and City Club, and got into the volunteer lifestyle. But she was soon ready for another business challenge, and met two friends, Jana Hickey and her mother, Charlotte Ducote, who encouraged her to get her license to become a realtor. Jeannie quickly realized she had to hustle to get clients as no one just calls you up asking for help.

Jeannie jumped into the work world, learning how to service clients effectively by shadowing successful realtors and took classes. She originally started at Keller Willliams, for which she credits great training. Her first sale involved a son of someone she met at Red’s, who wanted to buy a mobile home. Her first sale involved “Wheel Estate!”

Jeannie has used all the skills gained throughout her sales career to break down barriers to success in the real estate business. Her journey has helped her weather the inevitable ups and downs in the real estate business. She will cold call potential clients, and identifies opportunities which others may overlook. Jeannie generously shared her tactics during our interview, which include calling neighbors of a house which recently sold to see if they might want to sell their home as the home has the right address, the right neigborhood to successful sell. She will also call people whose listing agreement recently expired, to see if they might want to partner with her, and even reaches out to people who live in a desirable neighborhood that a client wants to live in, to see if they have considered selling.

Jeannie DelGreco says about cold calling potential sellers, “I’m not trying to sell, I’m just asking if they any interest in selling. Lo and behold, people will say they really do want to sell, how did I know? That it is a sign from God that she called.” She believes in being honest with people who are looking at homes and points out issues before they become a problem, such as a perceived defect in a property. That way, all involved are informed and able to make an educated decision. A true professional.

Discover Lafayette wants to thank Jeannie DelGreco for being such a gracious guest on our show. For more information or to get in touch with Jeannie, visit https://jeanniedelgreco.exprealty.com/.

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Dale Clark and Ursula Quoyeser join us today to discuss the third annual Fin Feather Fur Food Festival benefiting the Team Gleason Foundation for people living with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (“ALS”).

Team Gleason Foundation was founded by Steve Gleason, a former New Orleans Saints safety who was diagnosed with ALS in 2011. Since its inception that same year, Team Gleason has provided over $40 million to people living with ALS, supplying critically needed mobility equipment such as shower chairs, wheelchair accessories, and power seat elevators, as well as speech generating devices for those who have lost the ability to speak.

Dale Clark is a Lafayette native who works as an engineer for Badger Oil. He was diagnosed with ALS in October of 2020. Ursula Quoyeser is also a Lafayette native and was an educator and coach at ESA and other schools before being diagnosed with ALS in July of 2023.

The Festival, known as F5, is a cooking competition where teams compete in the Fin, Feather, Fur or Dessert divisions, along with an auction featuring items such as season tickets to UL-Lafayette’s four major sports, framed jerseys of Drew Brees and Jake Delhomme, a pellet grill with wifi, and much more. Tickets are $45 each and entitle you to taste all 45 teams’ food entries along with beer and wine included.

F5 was started by Dale and his good friend, Joe Bernard, as a way to help people living with ALS. “Team Gleason was the obvious choice,” says Dale, and Joe had experience hosting other F5 events for oil and gas industry charitable fundraisers. Last year F5 raised $170,000 and in the previous inaugural year, $168,000. This year, F5 will be held at Blackham Coliseum on Thursday, April 25, from 4 to 8 pm. That day also features Festival International and Dale encourages people to drop by Blackham Coliseum first before heading out to a night of musical entertainment.

You can purchase tickets to F5 by visiting https://www.facebook.com/events/787195629932250

About 5,000 people in the U. S. are diagnosed with ALS each year. It is difficult to diagnose and is often diagnosed by ruling out other diseases, which can take months or years. There is no cure for ALS, which is a fatal neurodegenerative disease in which a person’s brain loses connection with the muscles. Symptoms start with a progressive loss of muscle control. ALS kills motor neurons, causing muscles to weaken and eventually paralyze. People with ALS lose their ability to walk, talk, eat and in time, breathe. The average life expectancy is 2 to 5 years once diagnosed. 10% of cases are inherited through a mutated gene; the remaining 90% of cases occur without a family history of ALS. Military veterans are more likely to get ALS. For more information, visit https://www.als.org/

Baseball great Lou Gehrig is one of the iconic heroes who was famously diagnosed with ALS in 1938. He went on to play baseball for a full year before retiring on July 4, 1939, giving his “Luckiest Man” speech. Each year, Lou Gehrig Day is celebrated on June 2 by Major League Baseball, marking the day he became the starting first baseman for the New York Yankees.

Here at home, Dale and Ursula are bravely facing ALS and doing all they can to help others with the disease, as well as working to keep up their strength. Dale is relatively lucky, having only lost the use of his right arm and developing hoaresness. Ursula exercises daily by going to Red’s Health Club and riding her incumbent bike alongside her Aussie Doodle, who wears goggles in sun to protect its eyes. They both have incredible attitudes and want to do all they can to raise awareness of ALS among us here in Acadiana. They are also both patients of Dr. Stanley H. Appel, a world-renowned neurologist at Houston Methodist, who has been at the forefront of ALS research for decades. In his 90’s, Dr. Appel is still working to find a cure for ALS.

To all of my awesome family and all my amazing friends, I will be participating in the Crescent City Classic this coming Saturday! I am excited to help raise $ for Team Gleason’s ALS Foundation by participating in this event. This is a 10k run but I will have the opportunity to use my recumbent trike, (yes, I feel so lucky)! If you would like to make a donation that will go to Team Gleason please use the link below.Thank you all for the support you have shown me throughout my life in all I have done and most importantly since I have been diagnosed with ALS.https://runsignup.com/Race/65952/Donate/ganDgAvPo90t9EO5

Posted by Ursula Quoyeser on Tuesday, March 26, 2024

Advice from Dale and Ursula for persons afflicted with ALS: First, inform your nearest fire station. In the event you have a power outage, the fireman can help by bringing a generator to your house to assist in keeping your electronics running. Also, Waffle House always has electricity, so if you need a place to plug in your equipment, that is a reliable place to go. Ursula also shared that all people with ALS carry a card identifying their condition; in the event they are stopped while driving, the police officer will know their slurred speech or weakness is not a symptom of impaired driving, but of ALS.

Discover Lafayette thanks Dale Clark and Ursula Quoyeser for a heartwarming discussion of ALS. We can all make a difference by donating AND supporting the upcoming F5 festival on April 25, 2024!

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Ross Murphree, President of Olde Tyme Grocery Group, joins us today to discuss his family-owned restaurants, which include Olde Tyme Grocery, Sandra’s Café and Health Food Store, and BJ’s in Broussard.

The patriarch behind this conglomerate of eateries is Ross’s father, Glenn Murphree, who originally purchased Olde Tyme Grocery in 1982. It has become one of Lafayette’s most iconic spots known for its classic poor boy sandwiches made on fresh Langlinais Bakery bread every day.

Olde Tyme Grocery has been recognized for its excellence by national publications, being voted #1 Budget Dining in the Nation on Trip Advisor Travelors’ Choice Awards and ranked #2 in USA Today’s Best Po’Boys in Louisiana.

Olde Tyme Grocery’s Glenn Murphree in the early days.Ross recounted the story of Glenn’s foray into the poor boy business. A native of Chalmette, Glenn attended USL in the late 1970’s, and enjoyed his time in college, driving a Budweiser truck for Schilling Distributing and managing the Keg.

In May of 1982, Glenn bought a little grocery store at 218 W. St. Mary Blvd. near USL’s campus, named Olde Tyme Grocery. At that time, it had aisles of groceries and a small delicatessan space, which was frequented by the neighbors on small grocery runs. Short on cash, Glenn borrowed $8,000 from his dad and $8,000 from the bank, and he was on his way. Interestingly, Glenn had little to no experience in the food business at the time, having worked for only two weeks at a poor boy shop while in high school and swearing he would never do it again! Now, 42 years later, things seemed to have worked out for this highly successful endeavor.

Olde Tyme Grocery’s menu is simple and hasn’t changed much in the past 42 years. Sixty per cent of its sales revolve around the highly popular shrimp poboy. “It keeps us in business,” Ross says. Besides offering deli meats and gourmet specials, Olde Tyme is known for its catering, and the restaurant feeds UL’s teams when they travel out of town. During UL’s summer football camp, Olde Tyme will prepare up to 1500 bag lunches in one day. There are different nightly specials where you can order a full-size poboy for $7.00 including tax. Monday’s special is a whole meatball poboy; Tuesday is ham; Wednesday is sausage, and Thursday is turkey. If you are looking for a filling meal or great leftovers, there is no better deal. The snowball stand, located right behind Old Tyme, is open from April 1 through September 30 each year.

Olde Tyme Grocery operates at a high volume of sandwiches, averaging 700 on Monday through Thursday, and up to 1000 on any given Friday. During Fridays in Lent, business doubles, and up to 2000 sandwiches will be served. Ross says that they can go through 600 pounds of shrimp on Fridays in Lent, which are always Gulf white shrimp.

Ross Murphree says, “Olde Tyme Grocery was my dad’s first child. Today, Ross serves as President, and three other Murphree children, Becca, Brad, and Greg are involved in various aspects of the business. For more information on Olde Tyme Grocery’s menu, visit https://www.oldetymegrocery.com/#/BJ’s in Broussard is another popular lunch spot owned by the Murphrees. In the mid-1990’s, Glenn was interested in expanding Olde Tyme Grocery and came across the site of BJ’s. He and his wife, Cherie, only had three children and the timing seemed good. But plans changed when a fourth and then fifth child came along quickly and the decision was made to leave BJ’s as is. Ross gave a big shout out to “Ms. Jenny” who was employed by BJ’s several years before the Murphrees purchased the restaurant and is still there 27 years later.

BJ’s food is “in the Old Tyme tradition,” and you can get the same poboys as you can at Olde Tyme. Plus, they offer two plate lunch items daily. BJ’s is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. every day except Sunday. Located at 107 N. Morgan Avenue, Broussard LA 70518, you can find more information about daily menu choices on facebook.

The acquisition of Sandra’s Café and Health Food Store at 111 Rena Drive in Lafayette came about when Glenn went to buy used kitchen equipment from the owner of Sandra’s in 2007. Ross says, “In typical Glenn Murphree style, he owned the building and business two weeks later, not knowing anything about health food!” Glenn brought Chrystal, a longtime cook at BJ’s in Broussard, to run the kitchen and she is still cooking for Sandra’s after all these years.

Sandra’s menu has evolved from its early days, and offers three to four different plate lunches every day, plus soup and salad at affordable prices, averaging $11.95. All produce is organic, and free range chicken/grass fed beef are offered. There are daily lunch specials such as hamburger steaks, chicken shwarma, shrimp, rotisserie chicken, and salmon, and breakfast is also offered daily. The health food section still offers groceries and health supplements, and Ross describes it as a “small Whole Foods.” Visit https://www.sandrascafeandhealthfood.com/ or https://www.facebook.com/sandrashealthfood for more information.

In 2015, Glenn Murphree branched out from the restaurant business and began selling antiques he purchases at estate sales and auctions. He opened MLC Antiques & Gifts at 112 Rena Drive, across the street from Sandra’s. Humorously, MLC stands for “Mid Life Crisis.” Open from Wednesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Glenn offers a plethora of furniture, glassware, and antique items. The location is perfect as he can run back and forth from Sandra’s to MLC throughout the day.

Jan Swift and Glenn Murphree at MLC Antiques & GiftsGlenn Murphree’s 1923 Ford Model TFamily business stories such as the Murphree’s are heartwarming and inspirational. Ross shared how hard his dad worked for so many years to be able to build his businesses and provide a good life for his family. He shared a nostalgic look back in time when Glenn first purchased Olde Tyme; with little cash, he ran all aspects of the business himself, relying upon the help of his college Theta XI fraternity brothers who would pitch in when needed. Pictured below is an iconic photo from 1980, which hangs on the wall in Olde Tyme Grocery, with Glenn and his close buddies memoralized as the “Panama City Studs.”

The concept and success of Olde Tyme Grocery lends itself to expansion and Ross shared that he would like to see the business branch out. Perhaps first to the southside of Lafayette and then, the “big dream would be to stretch down I-10, east and west. Even beyond. We have the brand that can get us there.”

Murphree childrenCheri and Glenn MurphreeThe success of any family business is attributable to support and encouragement. Ross spoke with pride about his family, including his mother, Cheri, who worked at Olde Tyme in the early days. He also spoke lovingly of his siblings, Becca, Brad, Greg and Lauren. And of course, his dad, Glenn, who exemplifies hard work and strong character.

Discover Lafayette thanks Ross Murphree for sharing his story of dedication to his family business and his commitment to Lafayette. A graduate of UL in business, he began working at Old Tyme when a freshman in high school, helping with the snowball trailer events. He worked at BJ’s his senior year, and then back at Olde Tyme in college. In 2010, he says his dad, “rooked me into working full-time at Olde Tyme, and ten years later started running the show.” He and his sister, Becca, have been active in the business for the past 14 years. Ross Murphree, pictured with his wife, Brenna.

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Carencro Mayor Charlotte Stemmans Clavier joins Discover Lafayette to share her journey in business and politics.

A life long resident of Carencro, Charlotte grew up in a political family. Both of her grandfathers served as police jurors for Lafayette Parish. Back in the day when political business was handled a bit more informally, and before open meeting laws, one of her granddads, Eddie Stemmans, would include her in political outings. Charlotte remembers “being the little girl sitting on an ice chest, that would go get them a beer. After watching it a little bit, I realized I wanted to do this! I’ve seen all sides of politics, the good, the bad, and the ugly. I always enjoyed it and knew I would run for public office.”

Pictured from left: Carencro Police Chief David Anderson, Mayor Charlotte Stemmans Clavier, along with City Council members Alfred Sinegal, Jordan Arceneaux, Danielle Caprito, Antoine Babineaux, Jr., and Taylor James.Charlotte graduated from Carencro High and three years later from Tulane University. While in college, she worked as an intern for Jim Gelpi, the founder of The Alliance for Good Government. She loved the experience and it shaped her attitude in serving others at the highest level of integrity and fiscal responsibility. Studying at Tulane also shaped her and Charlotte recalled the challenging studies offered by the university with a demanding expectation that students master educational materials. With her experience of working in the family business, Stemmans, Inc. – The Horse Supply Specialists, Charlotte was used to hard work and says, “I went to work at 11, ran my first store at 12, so my idea of college was different.”

Today, Charlotte is President of Stemmans, located on Gloria Switch Road, and responsible for the day to day operations of this iconic, family-owned store, originally opened in 1968 as a tack shop by her parents, Don and Janet Stemmans. She has worked in the business for 35 years.

Growing up in the horse industry has shaped Charlotte’s life; she gives back to the industry by currently serving as Vice President of Louisiana Horsemen’s Benevolent & Protective Association, which represents all racehorse owners and riders in the state. While Charlotte hasn’t ridden a horse in years, she is the proud owner of racehorses and at our interview was looking forward to Evangeline Downs opening night on April 5, 2024.

Charlotte served as mayor pro tempore of Carencro from 1999 until 2003, during the tenure of former Mayor Tommy Angelle. She was elected mayor in November 2022.

“I love, love, love what I do. It’s the perfect job for me. I have a great group of people that work with me. Carencro is a community on the grow. We’re a blessed town. Many people are moving in, moving north, due to high insurance rates. There are 1400 homes in active development in the City of Carencro.”

With its rapid growth, there are many infrastructure needs to be addressed such as sewer plants, replacing old gas and water lines. Charlotte is also advocating for a new light to be installed by DOTD at the busy intersection of Ira and University Avenue.

"I am proud to announce that we are beginning the next phase of replacing our old water lines and moving one step closer to Carencro's occasional brown water issues becoming a thing of the past. Thank you to our fantastic Water and Sewer Department and Fenstermaker and Associates for moving our city forward with top-tier water infrastructure." – Mayor Charlotte Clavier

Posted by City of Carencro Government on Tuesday, April 2, 2024

News of the $8.9 million Louisiana Avenue extension from Butcher Switch Road to Gloria Switch Road, is exciting news for Carencro. Not only will this open up opportunities for development, but it will greatly assist commuter traffic. The project is expected to take a year or so to complete.

The City of Carencro offers lots of fun activities for residents and visitors alike. It’s highly popular, Mercredi Show recently started back up its Spring schedule of seven weekly concerts held at Pelican Park. A free event with food offered by a different sponsor each week, Mercredi Show is a family friendly event open to all. For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/MercrediShow/This November, the Carencro C’est Bon Seasoning Festival will be held at Pelican Park. Contestants can enter their seasoning blend to be judged by attendees, as well as sell their blend onsite. Visit https://cestbonseasoningfest.com/ for more information.

2024 C’est Bon Seasoning Festival Print designed by Sarah Clostio.Charlotte Stemmans Clavier is only the eighth person to serve as mayor of Carencro. Founded in 1905, Carencro has historically seen very little turnover in its public servants and has also enjoyed a history of diversity in its elected officials, going back to the 1970’s when African Americans were elected to the city council. Carencro also had the first female police chief in the 1970’s.

Charlotte is the proud mother of three children, Derek, Anna Camille, and Eva.

A delightful person and friend to all, we want to thank Charlotte for beautiful joie de vivre she brings to every occasion, as well as for her public service.

If you haven’t checked out Carencro lately, we encourage you to drive over and enjoy its culture and magnificent scenery.

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The beautiful Louisiana Swamp Base, a national conservation and high adventure recreation program created by the Evangeline Area Council, Boy Scouts of America in 2010, is our focus this episode.

Swamp Base aims to immerse thousands of young people in the environment and culture of the 1.4 million acre Atchafalaya Swamp each year. It is open to the general public for all kinds of activities, including ecotourism events for travelers, and the program also partners with universities across the U. S. to expand curriculum offerings.

Jason Sikora, of RADER studios, recorded this interview with host, Jan Swift, along with Swamp Base Executive Director Ben Pierce, and Gina Beckman, Program Director.

The Atchafalaya is home to hundreds of species of birds, mammals and reptiles. People who visit from across the U. S have many preconceived notions about what it means to live in Louisiana, and Ben Pierce and his team savor the opportunity to change minds and hearts.

Each summer, Swamp Base’s high adventure treks offer 6 day/6 night paddling trips through the Atchafalaya Swamp, covering 61.6 miles. Modeled from the Boy Scouts of America’s four National High Adventure camps and bases (Philmont Scout Ranch, Northern Tier, the Florida Sea Base, and the Summit Bechtel Reserve), Swamp Base offers a premier camping and paddling adventure opportunity for youth serving organizations from across America.

A group of Scouts and registered adult leaders attending Swamp Base are called a “Trek Crew.” Each Trek Crew consists of registered Scouts in the Boy Scouts of America or other accepted youth serving organization, including a minimum of two registered adult leaders. Swamp Base daily starts two Trek Crews on their high adventure journey from June 6 – July 15. Each Trek Crew consists of 8 to 11 people, which includes a minimum of 2 adult leaders. With two crews starting daily, a Scout unit can bring 16 to 22 people on a high adventure trek. The cost are $795 per person, or with a larger group. $745 per person. Hotel stays for the first night and last night are provided (in Lafayette) and all meals are covered. Visit https://www.swampbasebsa.org/trek-1-itinerary for more information.

Ben Pierce is a founding member and co-creator of Louisiana Swamp Base and originally established the program as a conservation-based activity during the Evangeline Area Council’s Centennial of Scouting celebrations in 2010. He has led the development and growth of the program as an accredited and official BSA high adventure base since 2013. Passionate about his work, Ben enjoys paddling whenever he can and finds refuge in the beautiful Cypress-filled Atchafalaya Basin. He graduated from LSU in landscape architecture and left Louisiana afterward. “I fell in love with Louisiana after I left. You don’t know what you’re missing until you’re gone. When I had a chance to return in 2009-10 and have a chance to learn how to celebrate our local landscape and culture, it had become important to me. When I came back, I knew I had to leave a lasting legacy.”

Gina Beckman was introduced to Swamp Base in 2016 when she served as a summer trek guide, and returned to the program in 2022 as the organization’s Program Director. In this role, she develops and implements trek activities that align with the mission of the organization while also making sure learning and having fun are at their cores. Gina is the recipient of the Girl Scout Gold Award, Venturing Silver Award, and Sea Scout Quartermaster Award. She brings inspirational enthusiasm and know-how as she educates others on this national treasure, the Louisiana Swamp Base. One of her favorite experiences occurs on day three of Trek 1 and is known as “Forgotten Cove” by Lake Dauterive.

The Evangeline Area Council, BSA, is celebrating its 100 year anniversary this year and has made a lasting commitment to the Atchafalaya Swamp as its service project for the next 100 years. What began as a simple tree planting to commemorate Scouting’s Centennial in 2010 has quickly transformed into a comprehensive plan to engage Scouts, schools, and the public in a meaningful effort to preserve, protect and promote the Atchafalaya Swamp. We congratulate the Evangeline Area Council for its continued commitment to enriching the lives of young people throughout Acadiana.

The crown jewel of the Atchafalaya Swamp is Lake Fausse Pointe. This 12,000 acre lake is home to the oldest cypress trees in the entire swamp and are some of the oldest in the entire state.. One of Ben Pierce’s favorite sites in which to paddle is located on the North rim of Lake Fausse Pointe.Louisiana Swamp Base bought McGee’s Landing, a longtime swamp tour outfit, in 2016. McGee’s offers swamp boat tours, airboat rides, and sunset tours of the Atchalafaya. Canoe rentals and guided photography excursions are also offered. Visit https://www.mcgeesswamptours.com/ for more information.

For more information on Louisiana Swamp Base, visit https://www.swampbasebsa.org/ 2024 registration is now open and offers a once in a lifetime opportunity to learn more about the Atchalafaya Swamp Base, a true national treasure.

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Randy Daniel joins Discover Lafayette to discuss his career in the restaurant business, an endeavor he has loved since his first gig at 14 years old working in catering services.

Randy is a principal partner in OMW Restaurant Holdings, the owner and operator of La Pizzeria, as well as Kat Daddy wings, a delivery-only restaurant. OMW is the operating partner of Mercy Kitchen, Palmyre, and BJ’s Pizza House. Each restaurant offers a unique culture and cuisine.

Service as a board member for the Louisiana Restaurant Association, as well as being President of its local Acadiana Chapter the past four years, has given Randy greater insight to the common struggles restaurant owners face. He says, “It is a daily struggle to make money throughout the state of Louisiana. The average restaurant makes about one cent on each dollar of sales, although of course there are some who do much better.”

Prices have skyrocketed with inflation and post-COVID market forces. The industry has seen a 20% increase in food costs, a 30% increase in labor costs, and insurance premiums have gone through the roof. Even if a restaurant’s sales increase, the business may not see a profit. Also, Randy says, “We’ve gone from a cash society to a credit card society, which increases the cost of doing business. I’m personally dead set against the customer having to cover that. You bake it into the cake. There are restaurant owners trying to figure out how to pass it on. If you have a restaurant with $1 million in sales, you’re paying about $40,000 in processing fees a year.”

“I always used to have a mathematical formula to figure out how much to charge for a dish. That multiplier doesn’t work anymore. Not because the math is off, but because customers aren’t willing to pay what it costs to cover the actual cost of the dish. A restaurant’s number one competitor is grocery stores, because customers aren’t willing to spend.” Photo by Scott Clause of the Advertiser.

Randy brings years of experience to OMW Restaurant Holdings, having served as director of operations for Double R Restaurant Group (former owners of Romacelli, POUR and Another Broken Egg locations), as well as 18 years with the Outback Steakhouse group. Through his work with Double R Restaurant group, he worked closely with Stuart Ottinger. When Double R decided to dissolve, Randy and Stuart first operated their own restaurants before joining forces to bring unique concepts to Lafayette. Today, Stuart Ottinger, through his company, OPG, is the controlling owner of Mercy Kitchen and Palmyre restaurants; OMW is the Operating Partner. Randy credited Colleen Ottinger, Stuart Ottinger’s wife, for her incredible sense of style in creating the beautiful interiors of Mercy Kitchen and Palmyre.

Recounting his much-anticipated opening of La Pizzeria in February 2020: “I was in D. C. meeting with U. S. Rep. Mike Johnson in March 2020 and learned that the government would be shutting down on March 13. That was the most fortunate I’ve ever been in a meeting. I was able to fly home, sit down with my managers, and come up with a plan. I had to say, ‘We all have two choices; we can work seven days a week, stay open and keep as many hourly staff as we can, or we can close our doors.’ We didn’t know yet about PPE. To their credit, our managers said, ‘Let’s do it!” And, the restaurant survived.

La Pizzeria baked Apple Brie The Acadian Pizza at La PizzeriaKat Daddy Wings, a “ghost kitchen,” was a result of COVID. Kat Daddy Wings sells prepared food for delivery only. It was one of the first ghost kitchens in Lafayette. With a mainly fried food menu, it was developed initially as a way for OMW to stay profitable during COVID. Randy hopes one day to see Kat Daddy Wings in a brick and mortar location.

Randy shared valuable lessons he learned after purchasing popular long-time restaurants La Pizzeria and BJ’s Pizza House, the latter of which was reopened by BOG Investments, and OMW as Operating Partner, about 2 1/2 months ago. “People don’t like change. At La Pizzeria, the most popular salad is the grilled pesto pasta salad. I came in and changed the chicken to a fresh chicken breast. The past chicken breast was heavily injected with hormones to make it tender. When a customer complained about it, I said, ‘If I wouldn’t serve this to my daughter, I wouldn’t serve it to you. She understood. But the mistake I made was to change the penne pasta to a cavitappi pasta. That lasted five days and I went back to penne pasta. When you buy a restaurant, make changes subtly. When we opened BJ’s Pizza House, I didn’t change one recipe! We worked hard to keep it the same.”

Mercy Kitchen was the ‘child’ of Stuart and Colleen Ottinger. “Colleen is one of the most innovative people ever. I don’t know where she gets her ideas but she is amazing! Mercy Kitchen matches high quality foods with high quality cocktails, and offers primarily shared items for groups, such as charcuterie boards, steak and frites. A new menu will be released in the near future. Mercy Kitchen is located at 1312 Verot School Road. Visit https://www.mercy-kitchen.com/menu for more information.

Bao Tacos at Mercy KitchenFried Grouper Sandwich at Mercy KitchenThe Goat salad at Mercy KitchenPalmyre, located in River Ranch at 201 Settlers Trace # 3011, is as “decadent as decadent gets! Colleen Ottinger was once again the brains behind it. We wanted you to walk in and feel as though you were walking into a bar in France.” Palmyre is lovingly named after Palmyre Billeaud, Colleen’s great-great grandmother. For more information visit https://www.thepalmyre.com/

OMW also caterers and just recently provided the food and beverages for Patty in the Park for over 4000 attendees. Each restaurant also offers catering for special events.

In closing, we want to thank Randy Daniel for sharing his knowledge of the restaurant business in Lafayette and Louisiana. Locally-owned restaurants are what makes Lafayette so special and are an important component of our tourism industry. We also thank Eat Lafayette and Lafayette Travel for partnering with us to produce this inspiring episode.

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Chad Landreneau, developer of the app, AnimalFindr, joined Discover Lafayette to discuss his mission to connect breeders, buyers, and sellers of livestock such as cattle and horses, as well as family pets. Animal Findr is available on the Apple App store and Google Play.

Animal Findr connects buyers and sellers across the nation for any and every pet enthusiast. As Chad’s website says, “Whether you are looking for a Catahoula, a calico, a cobra or a cockatiel,” you can search on the go as you travel. Buyers and sellers can communicate about a potential sale in real time.

The app uses GPS geolocation, geofencing, and real-time motion tracking technology, which allows you to find the animal of your dreams within a 500-mile radius of your location, across the U.S. The app is free, unless you want to subscribe so as to have access to breeding records, registration papers, or the extended family tree of the animal. Subscriptions run from $19.99 monthly to $97.99 for a six-month period.

Chad grew up in Mamou, part of a third-generation farming family. He had a couple of horses while growing up, as well as farm animals, so he was always comfortable around animals. A graduate of McNeese State University, Chad worked on a Western Pleasure Horse farm while in college and enjoyed the experience.

When he moved back to Lafayette after a stint working in Dallas, he came across a horse trainer who convinced him to buy a horse and give racing a whirl. Chad says, “I got bit by the bug. First we traveled to races in South Louisiana, then across Louisiana.”

It was during that time that he spent many weekends in the stands waiting for a race with his horse to occur and he had plenty of time to notice the behavior of other people sitting around him. “You only compete for a couple of minutes when your horse races. The rest of the time you just sit in the stands. I noticed that everyone’s heads were down. I walked through the venue and saw that everyone was scrolling on their phone or an IPad. They were looking for their ‘winner’. I wondered how I could effectively connect people who want to buy animals with those who want to sell.”

When he searched online for horses, he found sites that sell the animals by discipline, such as Barrel Racers, Race Horses, or Western Pleasure. But no sites just listing horses of all backgrounds. “I wanted a one-stop shop where all horses, as well as cattle, dogs, cats, sheep, birds, or exotic animals could be bought and sold.

So, Chad created an app where users can post in real time and find their desired animal. “If I get in a truck and drive down the road for 3,000 miles, I wanted something that had the GPS technology that would reload other opportunities to buy or sell animals depending on where I was located in the country. I wanted people to find animals for sale outside of their usual territory of where they lived, as they might be traveling for horse shows or vacations. And I wanted instant messaging so if you see something you like, you can connect with the owner. It’s a way to truly connect buyers and sellers in real time, on the go.”

In October 2023, Chad launched Animal Findr and the app was recently updated in February 2024. “I wanted to make sure the app works, and is rock solid in all capacities, in Android and Apple before we did the hard push. Now we have hundreds of users….buyers and sellers.”

Animal Findr connects the buyer and seller, but is not involved in the actual exchange of the animal or the payment. The customers handle the actual purchase and no money is made by Animal Findr off the sale.

Josh Richard of Burning Stick Creative has helped Chad market this new app. Chad recounts how he’s had to learn about Tik Tok, Instagram, FaceBook, and the ins and outs of working a website. He also shared how starting a business is not always easy. His first website programmer took his money and then hit the road. Chad eventually partnered with Accolades IT, located in downtown Lafayette, to build Animal Findr’s website, with whom he is very pleased.

As with any business endeavor, Chad is learning about people’s preferences as his app is catching on. While he initially created Animal Findr to help people buy and sell horses and cattle, today the majority of transactions involve cats and dogs. “I’d really love the app to go more on the horse and cattle side!”

Advice to aspiring business owners: “Get credible references to make sure that your providers are qualified. Also, I’ve learned the importance of self-funding and saving your money.”

For more information on how to utilize Animal Findr, visit https://animalfindr.com/.

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Lafayette native Brennan Robideaux. recently made big news with the release of his film, Born to Fly, a feature documentary about another Lafayette native, pole vaulter Armand “Mondo” Duplantis.

Born to Fly is a coming-of-age tale about one of the greatest athletes of our generation. Mondo Duplantis is the best pole vaulter in history; he currently holds the world record indoor and outdoor pole vault titles, and won a Gold Medal at the 2020 Summer Olympics.

This story is about love of craft and the determination of Brennan Robideaux, a young filmmaker who risked everything to capture an evolving story. He traveled on his own dime for much of the filming of Born to Fly, was taken under the wing of the Duplantis family as they allowed him to travel with them to Europe to capture their son’s pole vaulting competitions, and only came to acquire financial assistance after several years of filming, directing, and editing the footage that would become an historical documentary, Born to Fly.

Brennan Robideaux says, “I’m very passionate about telling Louisiana stories. My main one I’m working on now is the 1991 gubernatorial election with Edwin Edwards and David Duke. That historical story hasn’t been delved into and my generation, frankly, was born after it. We have no idea about this election. I want to make a film that tells how we got to that point. Louisiana loves emperesque dictators. We love eccentricities in Louisiana.“

Brennan started getting jobs while in high school at STM by filming local athletics. He realized he could make a living in film, and enjoyed taping live events for television. He moved up, becoming a camera operator, filming football games from a perch 40 feet high in the end zone for hours at a time. Brennan loved working with adults while still a youngster and joked that he earned the nickname “Two Cents,” probably due to sharing his opinion on how things should be done a few too many times!

He counts his blessings that by the time he became serious about cinematography, the quality of digital cameras mimicked what you would expect to see from a true film camera. The cost barriers were lower. Traditional film such as used by director Quentin Tarantino are cost-prohibitive for emerging filmmakers operating on a budget.

A short film, “A Riehl Blacksmith,” featuring Sam Riehl, another STM student who was the youngest professional operating as a blacksmith in Louisiana and America, was a breakthrough accomplishment for Brennan. He says, “This short film really taught me how to tell a story in a short period of time.” The short won a few awards: Filmconvert (a New Zealand filmmaker software company) awarded Brennan an honor for filming, editing, and directing, and Soul Pancake, a company founded by Rainn Wilson (of “The Office” fame) licensed the short and put it on its YouTube channel. It was enough to excite Brennan to look at this avocation as a career. And, he was only a Senior in high school.

Brennan was invited to attend NFFTY (National Film Festival for Talented Youth) in Seattle due to the success of A Riehl Blacksmith. While he wasn’t able to attend, it was the only film festival he made it into until Born To Fly.

Brennan attended UNO for a short time but dropped out to pursue his passion of filmmaking. By the time he was 21, he was back in Lafayette living with his parents and looking for a project to energize him once more.

That motivational project came to life in 2017 after Brennan read a story in the Daily Advertiser about a Lafayette High student named Mondo Duplantis, the world junior record holder in pole vaulting. Brennan was familiar with the Duplantis family as the parents were both incredible athletes (Greg Duplantis was one of the best pole vaulters of his time and Helena represented Sweden in the heptathlon at international championships), and both participated at LSU in track and field events at the same time as Brennan’s own parents, Joel and Bobette Robideaux.

Brennan got Greg Duplantis’s number from his dad and called to get permission to film Mondo as he practiced and competed in events. Greg said he needed to talk to Mondo himself to see what he thought, and Brennan sent a very long, “novella-length” text with a message basically saying, “It would be good to capture this for history.” In typical teen talk, Mondo replied, “I mean, sure, I guess.”

Brennan’s family lived across the street from Lafayette High, so he would walk over every day after school to document Mondo’s training. But things developed real fast as Mondo was set to compete in the Senior Men’s World Championship as a 17-year old. Three months into filming, Brennan took his first trip to Europe.

Brennan had never been to Europe, but that is where he was headed as major track and field events are almost exclusively conducted overseas. (The sole facility in the U. S. of any importance is located at the University of Oregan’s Hayward Field in Eugene, OR, known as TrackTown USA, the place of the U. S. Olympic Team Trials.)

“Mondo came in 7th in that competition, but the fact that he made the finals was incredible. The heights he jumped in high school were good enough for him to win, but you have to deliver on that day. It doesn’t matter that you’re a prodigy.”

“It was undeniable that I never met anyone like Mondo. He was so serious. There was nothing else that mattered other than pole vaulting. Pole vaulting was everything to him and had always been everything to him.”

The Duplantis family took Brennan in as the filming continued, and allowed him to stay with them as they traveled with Mondo to European competitions. Brennan lived on peanut butter, slept on the floor, or took the couch or chair if that was available. Helena Duplantis’ family had a place in Sweden they would let Brennan stay during the summers. “The Duplantis family gave me every resource possible. And, they never said, ‘Turn off the camera’.”

Track and field events (as well as other sports) do not allow recording of the action for commercial purposes, unless you have a license from the appropriate sports league. So Brennan had to tell the story of what happened around the competitions, the leadup to the event, and the aftermath. Brennan caught the action that happened on the bus or in the hotel room before the events. And then had to pay hefty license fees to gain access to the film that depicted Mondo winning competitions.

Brennan looks back on the years-long filming of what became Born to Fly and sums it up, “It was a coming of age story that simultaneously documented this incredible athlete. How he became this world-renowned, greatest athlete in the world, while also growing up. These were his most formative years. There were so many mental hurdles he had to grow through. Mondo competes against himself. While pole vaulting is very competitive, when you’re out there, it’s just you. Mondo had a bunch of ups and downs, and I heard a well-known track and field star say, ‘The road to greatness is littered with the bodies of prodigies. But Mondo had a “Rocky” story. In the film you get to see how he handled intense competition.”

In 2020, Mondo broke the world record in pole vaulting. Then Mondo won the Gold in the 2020 Olympics. Brennan thought that equity investments in the film would come in at that point, but that did not happen. He then turned to Kickstarter to raise $100,000 but came up way short, raising about $30,000 from local sources. A producer counseled him that accepting the Kickstarter money was a no-win for independent filmmakers and could make his life more difficult down the line, so he canceled Kickstarter and returned all the money.

Brennan eventually sold the film as a presale to Sveriges Television (“SVT”), Sweden’s #1 broadcast platform and national public television broadcaster, to assist in costs to complete the project. He had been working making commercials and also for DoorDash to make some cash, and his wife was working double shifts at the hospital to keep them afloat. With SVT’s support, he was able to bring on an editor and producer in Sweden, as well as a U. S. producer and entertainment attorney Bill Ramsey in New Orleans for guidance. He got to work with a music composer for the first time.

Brennan had filmed over 500 hours of video, and had to edit down the final cut to 90 minutes. “I don’t like watcing my films,” says Brennan. “I know a lot of incredible moments that didn’t make it.” Editing took two years. Brennan spent time going back and forth to Sweden to get the film ready and brought on Red Bull Studios as the production partner.

Born to Fly will be out in the U. S. before the Summer Olympics this year. It is available to watch in Europe and selling well. Attendees of Lafayette’s Southern Screen Film Festival as well as patrons of the Manship Theatre in Baton Rouge were privileged to watch local screenings of Born to Fly in the past few months.

Discover Lafayette would like to congratulate Brennan Robideaux for his love of craft and sheer determination to see this important documentary through to the finish. We look forward to watching Born to Fly as well as watching Brennan’s career soar!

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Travis Schugg, Vice President of Staffing Services at VieMed Healthcare Staffing (“VHS”), joins Discover Lafayette to share how VHS utilizes technology to meet the burgeoning staffing needs across all healthcare specialties in the U. S. He is responsibile for steering the company’s long-term strategic direction and day-to-day operations.

Travis moved to Lafayette in 2021 to join VHS after a meeting in Phoenix with VieMed founder, Casey Hoyt. The challenges of recruiting and retaining staff during COVID were issues everyone was trying to figure out, when all of a sudden you couldn’t go into people’s homes to care for their medical needs. Travis says that respiratory therapists and ICU nurses were the hottest commodities out there at that time. The two men picked each other’s brains on this topic: Travis had fifteen years experience in recruiting, and Casey, along with Michael Moore and the VieMed team, were building the best in class respiratory therapy in the U. S. “Over the course of our thirty minute meeting, it became a chess match as to who could pick each other’s brain best!”

A few weeks after that initial encounter, Travis reached out to Casey Hoyt and jokingly said, “I think I can do some damage with you!” Casey asked him to create a business plan for VieMed to get into the medical healthcare staffing arena. Travis came up with a 50-page business plan and they were off to creating VHS.

VHS is a complementary service for VieMed. Historically, healthcare systems, government agencies, and organizations like VieMed would recruit through their Human Resource departments, posting a job and hoping people would apply. “We flipped the script. Recruitment should be more on the offensive, it should be outbound. We promote our brand….we don’t just sit and wait for people to apply.”

VHS started out by visiting every hospital in Louisiana and telling their story. Then they spread across the Gulf Region. Today, just a bit over two short years after inception, VHS recruits for positions open in Massachusetts, Ohio, Vermont, Washington, Colorado, Arizona, North Carolina, and other places across the U. S. VHS has staff in 15 states, and is building organically. Travis believes that VHS offers the best recruitment and workforce team anywhere between Dallas and Atlanta, South of Nashville, being based right here in Lafayette LA.

The main specialties in which VHS currently recruits are in nursing, social workers (public and private sector), respiratory therapy, and physicians. VHS also recruits in the allied care fields for workers in pharmacy, imaging and lab techs. They serve employers needing assistance with locum tenens and correctional health positions.There are currently 2400 jobs and when you visit https://jobs.viemedstaffing.com/, you will see an incredible listing of jobs available.

Staffing is a $170 billion industry and healthcare staffing accounts for $44-45 billion of that number. It is a unique niche that has been waiting to be met. VHS is growing as it helps their clients, both practitioners and health facilities, by getting to understand their clients’ needs. The “why” behind a hiring allows VHS to recruit more successfully and meet the individual needs of each client.

Travis explained that the health industry has changed dramatically regarding outside contract help. Fifteen years ago, people wanted a hospital with very few contract workers. The barrier has broken down and this mindset has flipped. Studies show that institutions with a more diverse workforce have better health outcomes for their patients. The contract workers have experienced more, worked in different settings across the country, and bring a plethora of skills to the job setting. Today, facilities are keeping 20- 30% of their workforce as contract labor, and thes health contractors fill in as needed, on weekends, nights, or other, which benefits everyone involved.

A new dynamic is that many professionals want to travel as they work. It is a more acceptable career path and they can build their resumes up as they see the country. Providers are more selective as to where they want to go. Travis says, “In the past people would want to know what you were running from or were you in trouble? Today, people ask what hospitals can I work at to build my resume and experience up? That way, when they do settle down, the can be the cream of the crop in their community.”

Once VHS places an employee, they become the employer of record for W-2 staff. Based upon the employee specialty, such as nursing or allied staff, “It’s W-2. We do payroll weekly for all of our staff. It is a differentiator in the market paying weekly. Per diem and lodging may also be provided based upon the locale the employee chooses. VHS pays the taxes and has hundreds of people out on assignment processing payroll and managing benefits.” VSH’s internal staff is at 28 right now.

VHS utilizes AI technology to scan resumes. In real time once an application is submitted, “We can tell you where you would most likely work next, what states would be a good fit with someone of your experience level. We can tell a nurse his or her top five jobs automatically. There is no need for a human to try to catch you between shifts to discuss possibilities. Historically, this was all done by an HR person.”

VHS places a big value on maintaining a nurturing and fun workplace. They created bingo cards for fun to keep things light, and also to keep staff members up when feeling bad about issues that inevitably come up at work, to loosen up the environment. Travis Schugg says, “You have to put in a process to develop your team. Then put in a culture to make them want to stay with you. There is no such thing as perfection. It’s about facilitation. At the end of the day, they need to know that you trust them.”Travis Schugg has been married to his wife, Ashley, for 19 years and they are the proud parents of an 8th grader and Junior in high school. Recounting how the family moved from Arizona to Lafayette in the middle of the school year, Travis says, “God opened the door so wide it was easy to walk through. We knew nothing about Lafayette or Louisiana but love it here.” Travis is also active with One Acadiana, serving on its Executive Board, saying “I’ve been mentored on how to be a better leader.”

We thank Travis Schugg and VieMed Healthcare Staffing for sharing this incredible story of growth in the healthcare industry, and for being based right here in Lafayette! For more information, visit https://www.viemed.com/staffing-services/.

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Melinda Taylor, Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity, joins Discover Lafayette to share the work of her organization.

A native of Wichita, Kansas, Melinda has served as ED of Habitat since 2000, the year she moved to Lafayette, after serving in a similar position in Hattiesburg, MS. Interestingly, her realtor at the time of her move here in 2000 served on the board of Habitat and encouraged Melinda to apply for the first ED position to be filled here in Lafayette. Now, 24 years later, Melinda is still exemplifying what it means not only to lead, but to inspire others to volunteer and make meaningful change in our community.

Habitat serves as both a building contractor and the lender for qualified clients, and helps individuals acheive homeownership who can’t otherwise access the commercial lending market.

Qualified Habitat clients must make less than 80% of the median income in our region. Although they are individuals with low to moderate income, they are steady in life and willing to partner and work with Habitat toward their goal of homeownership. Some may have no credit or negative credit scores, so they are unable to qualify for a conventional mortgage.

Melinda points out that Habitat’s clients have the capacity to make the payments of their monthly rent, which unfortunately is sometimes up to 1/3 to 1/2 of their income. It can be more expensive to rent a home in Lafayette than it is to pay for a Habitat mortgage payment. Lower rents are usually tied to substandard housing options, so applicants are eager to get into a Habitat home and enjoy an affordable, well-built, and energy efficient home.

Many more applicants apply for the program than can be helped, and some people have a lot of work to do before they qualify. Habitat will send these individuals to other organizations who can help them work on their credit so that they can successfully re-apply. LCG’s Community, Development & Planning Department offers a Neighborhood Counseling Service that brings in professionals to teach how to work on getting credit in better shape and stabilizing income in preparation for homeownership. Also, First Horizon’s Congress St. branch offers “Hope Inside,” a class that helps people work on their credit and learn about home ownership. The Louisiana Housing Corporation offers online training and financial literacy program, and assists low to moderate income individuals prepare for homeownership. Individuals who have judgments or liens against them are precluded from qualifying until these issues are cleared.

It can take 18 months to two years for a successful applicant to get into their new home. Patience is needed. The journey to home ownership includes completing an educational process, volunteering time to build other Habitat homes as well as the one they will move into, and of course, the actual build time to construct the house.

Funding is derived from a variety of sources and Melinda says “We never get enough funds to build the whole house. HOME grants from HUD are earmarked locally for building affordable housing, and Habitat also leverages these funds with other resources, such as in-kind and monetary donations of all sizes. In 2022, Lafayette Habitat received an unsolicited $2.5 million donation from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott. Also, as Habitat homeowners pay their mortgage, the payments go back into the process, so as they make their payments, they are paying it forward because it’s reinvested back into the program.”

Pictured is a Women Build Team from Catalyst Bank in February 2024. Melinda Taylor says, “Volunteers really drive our work. They are the engine that keeps things going. Not just on our construction site but also at our ReStore. We have regular volunteers from the University as well as future homeowners themselves who work alongside our crew. We work with volunteers at all levels. Our crew is patient and teaches our volunteers whatever they need to know. Our quality control is outstanding!”

Houses built with HOME funds are mandated to maintain a 15-year affordability period, and the public is given notice of this by a Deed Restriction filed in the parish conveyance records. This prevents the homeowner from flipping the home or selling it quickly to someone not otherwise qualified as low-income. If the home is sold on the open market to someone who doesn’t qualify under the guidelines, a predetermined amount of the HOME funds (based upon length of ownership within the 15 year period) must be paid back upon the resale.

Lafayette Habitat partners with LCG in utilizing HUD HOME monies to build affordable homes. Habitat’s aim is to build ten homes per year and has built over 40 homes in the McComb-Veazey neighborhood over the past few years. They have also gotten into performing owner-occupied home repairs in focused areas of revitalization so as to improve the quality of life across the board for a neighborhood. Melinda says, “We support the efforts of residents to improve their neighborhoods, to return to a majority of homeowner occupancy rather than rental properties.”

Neighborhoods such as McComb-Veazey and LaPlace in Lafayette’s downtown urban core area have experienced game-changing revitalization through the dedicated focus of Habitat for Humanity. Most adjudicated properties are in Lafayette’s downtown core neighborhoods and are predominantly African-American.

In addressing efforts to utilize adjudicated properties that are predominantly found in older African-American neighborhoods in Lafayette’s core, Melinda Taylor says,“People were worried that developers would come in and change everything, not in keeping with what they wanted to see in their neighborhood. So the local ordinance that we have now enables us to use a Louisiana state law that is now informally called the “Habitat For Humanity Statute.” It enables donations of adjudicated properties to a nonprofit for the purpose of building affordable housing. It keeps affordable housing in the neighborhood for those who may already live there or want to come back. We take guidance from local residents as to what they want to see. They want livable outdoor spaces, front porches, the look that is already going on in their neighborhood.”

When asked how we can develop a larger pool of affordable housing in our market, Melinda pointed out that as a nonprofit, Habitat can utilize a different business model than a for-profit builder as they get their funding from a variety of sources. “We are subject to the same market forces as everyone else. We sell our homes at appraised value but that isn’t often what it costs us to build. We are sometimes upside down. We do that because its part of our mission to focus on creating wealth and creating a better space in the neighborhoods that we serve. But not all for-profit builders can do that, as that is not an acceptable business model that is sustainable. Even we struggle with that.”

Across the country, affordable housing options, as well as the decline of many neighborhoods, is a major problem with low homeownership rates and many homes needing substantial rehabilitation or replacement. Dilapidated homes have been abandoned, undermining neighborhood stability and the local tax base. Melinda mentioned a bipartisan act being contemplated in Congress, the Neighborhood Homes Investment Act, that would provide funding incentives for market rate developers to build homes that may not appraise at what it cost to build. The funding mechanism would recapture the builder’s loss and the hope would be to incentivize enough building of affordable homes to turn a neighborhood around, and then let market forces take over. Visit https://neighborhoodhomesinvestmentact.org/proposal for more information.

Lafayette Habitat for Humanity is celebrating the merging of its two Lafayette stores into one, which is located at 3124 NE Evangeline Thruway, Lafayette LA 70507. Special sales and discounts will be offered March 2, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. ReStore is a 30,000 square foot facility stocked with building materials, home furnishings, lighting fixtures, and home decor items donated by local residents. Contractors performing remodels or small repair jobs can do their work for less by using low cost building supplies and you can spruce up your home with slightly used furniture such as sofas, chairs, bedroom furniture, etc.Volunteers are always needed for not only building homes but working at ReStore. Habitat offers an online portal to sign up for volunteer shifts, which are Tuesday through Saturday. Visit https://habitatlafayette.org/give-time/ to learn more and sign up.

With the help of Habitat for Humanity and many volunteers, Habitat homeowners achieve the strength, stability, and independence they need to build a better life for themselves and their families. They can build generational wealth and turn around their fate. We thank Melinda Taylor and her entire team at Habitat for Humanity for their ongoing work to improve Lafayette’s housing market.

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Chris Granger, owner of Seven Oaks Grand Coteau LLC, and Maison Title, joined Discover Lafayette to discuss his growing real estate empire. He is an attorney, a married father of five young boys, and a force to be reckoned with!

While Chris worked with an established law firm for 2 1/2 years after graduating from law school, he knew he was never going to work for someone else very long. In 2018 he opened up his own law practice with his wife’s cousin, Benjamin Trant, and then Justin Leger became the third business partner.Business took off.

The logo/painting of Maison Title was derived from an old painting found in a rental home. Leah Graeff, Maison Title’s Marketing and Brand Strategist, redesigned the painting and the logo’s font is based upon one found on an old sweet potato label, the significance of which Chris explains, “Grand Coteau is the sweet potato capital of the world. Justin, Ben and I found an artist who came up with the font.Only 35 years old, Chris bought his first property, at $70 thousand with 10% down through a bank closing, as his family residence in Grand Coteau while in his third year of law school. It was a perfect starter home for his wife, Meghan, and their young family to live in. When they needed a larger home for their growing family, Chris decided to rent out the Grand Coteau property, which reappraised at $105K after the improvements they had done.

Chris and Meghan Granger pictured with their young family. Photo from Facebook.“The light bulb went off about leveraging the $35K equity in the home. Let’s leverage what we already have. What if I scale this thing? I could own 25 rental homes. My initial goal was to have 40 by 40! That was my mantra. But it happened quicker than that.” Chris’s whole portfolio is based upon leveraging. “You can’t put down 10 – 20% equity in each house you buy.”

Chris’s portfolio grew to 25 properties quickly. “I’m a big believer in community banks. Being able to walk in and talk to your local baker and explain a deal is invaluable. But they tend to have a tendency to pause you if you grow too fast. When I got to 25 houses I remember being paused. It’s a small circle. The first 25 loans were with two local banks. That lasted two years where I was stalled. So I went head in with my practice with Maison Title.”

Today, Chris Granger owns several hundred residential and commercial properties, which include the former Jefferson Street Pub, now known as The Jefferson, Abacus, the historic site location of Straw Cove Baking Company at 111 Monroe Street, and 160 units in two apartment complexes in Leesville LA. Chris’s thriving real estate title closing agency, Maison Title, is also located in Freetown in the old Petro House on Jefferson Street as well as another branch in Grand Coteau LA.

Chris defines himself as a “pedal to the medal guy,” doing 90% of the work. He admits, “I need help with the last 10%.” He relies on his manager of Seven Oaks Grand Coteau, Casey, to run the property management duties full-time.

“Everything in my mind is about rentable doors. We have a few over 425 doors. 140 single family units.”When asked about scaling his projects, Chris has learned from experience. “You always need the extra employee before you can afford them. Learning to navigate the cash flow conundrum where you have enough work, but you also have to take a leap of faith to hire them. You always need the help before you can afford them.”

We discussed the current housing market and the affordability issue. “There is a lack of housing in the $150-250K range in our housing market. Anything above $300K we don’t see a lot of in our practice. $200-300K is what we see. There’s a national, local, regional housing shortage in real estate.”

Flood insurance costs are a real issue for rentals. ‘You do well when you have quantity. The goal is to net $200 to $250 per month per unit. Throw on a $1,000 flood insurance policy, which may add $75 per month to your costs for rental units, it eats at your profit. You want to dodge flood zones.”

The vast majority of Chris’s tenants are females with small families. Some tenants have been with him for seven to eight years. Some he ‘inherited’ when he purchased properties, and they have been in the same rental for 25 years. “If you treat them well, they will treat you and your property well.”

Rental assistance programs helped Chris get through the difficulties of COVID. He researched options and helped his tenants. Yet he admits, “I’ve evicted hundreds of people over my career. We’re typically lenient, you have to push me hard.” Chris advises tenants who hit difficulties in coming up with the rent money to communicate with their landlord. “Avoid court fees!”

Chris Granger says, “The Jefferson is the coolest building downtown in my opinion. Located in the 500 block of Jefferson Street, smack downtown, with 5 apartments upstairs and the parking lot next door, it has 15,000 square feet. You can bring in any caterer, floral designer, or DJ. We provide the bar because of the liquor license issue.”Chris Granger pictured at The Jefferson. Photo by Leslie Westbrook of The Acadiana Advocate. “I’ve always been confident in my ability to make money tomorrow. I’m not money motivated. I’m more motivated in giving my boys a better start than I had. Not saying anything bad about my parents. I’m just motivated to leave more for my boys. There’s enough for all of us to eat. We’ll all do well. Why can’t we just have fun while we’re doing this?”Chris purchased the historic site of the old Pabst Beer Distributorship at 111 Monroe built in the 1940’s in the La Place neighborhood by downtown Lafayette, which was already renovated to qualify as a health department commercial kitchen. He invested to get Straw Cove Baking Company, owned by partners Dené Carroll and her wife, Morgan Angelle, off the ground in their venture to provide high-quality breads to the Acadiana market. Chris noted that soon Straw Cove will be offering baking classes to the public.

Last year as Discover Lafayette conducted its yearly business recap with the Acadiana Advocate’s Business Editor, Adam Daigle, we both agreed that Chris Granger deserved to be recognized as 2023 Business Catalyst of the Year. Tellling his story is inspirational and we hope a catalyst for other business people to jump in to creating their own destiny.

Chris Granger’s closing remarks to entrepreneurs looking for guidance: “Come up with a plan you believe in. Stick to it. And jump! You won’t get anywhere until you jump. I joke that a lot of what I do is jump out of the airplane and learn to fly on the way down and hope I can fly before I hit the ground. They’re educated jumps. I think that is what holds back 90% of people, they won’t jump.”

Thank you, Chris Granger, for your sharing your entrepreneurial spirit and business acumen. Discover Lafayette wishes all the best to you, your family, and your circle of colleagues!

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Dr. Nichole Stanford, English professor at UL – Lafayette and Director of the Writing Center on campus, joins Discover Lafayette to discuss her work on teaching kids to learn how to dissent productively. By learning respectful negotiation, children can learn how to participate in society in a way that is a win-win for all. What a great way to grow our next crop of leaders!

Dr. Nichole Stanford earned a Ph.D. in composition from the City University of New York, with a focus on pedagogy and power theory and published a book in 2015 called Good God but You Smart: Language Prejudice and Upwardly Mobile Cajuns.

She is currently writing a book called Teaching Kids Productive Dissentgeared toward parents and educators.When Jan Swift met Nichole, she was fascinated with her theory of teaching children skills on respectful negotiation so that they can learn to participate in society productively. It is a pleasure to share her beautiful voice as she speaks of the skills needed to create a better and kinder future for us all.

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Lafayette Parish Clerk of Court, Louis J. Perret, has served our community for 23 years, having been elected to serve on November 20, 1999.

The clerk of court oversees the central repository of official records ranging from real estate sales and mortgage deeds, civil lawsuits, successions, adoptions, felony criminal charges, and much more. They help you get certified copies of birth and death certificates. The Elections Department oversees every facet of all elections that take place in Lafayette Parish. With the elections coming up on October 14, 2023, it seems very timely to hear from Louis Perret on all that’s involved in the process.

Prior to his election as Clerk of Court, Perret served as District Director of the 7th Congressional District for Congressmen Jimmy Hayes and Chris John. (1986-1999)

Perret served as co-chair of the Lafayette Bush/Cheney campaign in 2000. He served as an alternate delegate for George W. Bush at the 2000 Republican National Convention in Philadelphia.

Louis Perret was selected in 1997 by the American Council of Young Political Leaders as a delegate to the People’s Republic of China. He is a Lifetime Member of the ACYPL Alumni Council. Perret serves on the Board of Directors of Louisiana Capital (Small Business Lender) and has served since 2011 as Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Regional Health System of Acadiana, which includes Women’s & Children’s Hospital and the Regional Medical Center Hospital. He formerly served as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Women’s & Children’s Hospital from 2003 to 2008. He has been a board member since 1994. He is a partner in Golfballs.com and he is a founding member of NOBL (Network of Business Leaders). In 2002, Perret was elected to serve a three-year term on the Our Lady of Fatima Church Pastoral Council. He served on the Finance Council, as Vice President and President during his tenure on the Pastoral Council. Perret has served since 2003 as a Cub Leader, Adult Leader, Assistant Scoutmaster, and Scoutmaster for Boy Scout Troop 446. In 2012, Perret was appointed to the Executive Board of the Evangeline Area Boy Scouts of America. Louis Perret is a NRA Certified Pistol, Rifle, and Shotgun Shooting Instructor, as well as a Range Safety Officer. A partial list of organizations he has raised money on behalf of include The United Way, Games of Acadiana, Children’s Shelter, American Cancer Society, Duck’s Unlimited and The Acadiana Outreach Center.

Perret graduated from Our Lady of Fatima High School and The University of Southwestern Louisiana, (B.S.). He became a Certified Clerk of Court in 2000 by the Louisiana Clerks of Court Institute. In 2002, Louis Perret was the first Clerk of Court in the State of Louisiana to receive the Chancellor’s Certificate in Public Administration from the University of Missouri offered through IACREOT. He was awarded the Advanced Chancellor’s Certificate in 2008.

He is married to the former Cheryl Broussard and is the father of two children, Ann E. and Max.

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Brett Bayard of the Kiwanis Club of Lafayette joins Discover Lafayette to discuss the Rewards for Reading Program. Since 2021, the Kiwanis Club of Lafayette has partnered with the Lafayette Parish Public School System and 24 of our parish Elementary Schools to offer the Reading for Rewards Program. This year, the program has expanded to […]

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Kade Turner, Executive Director of CASA, joins Discover Lafayette to discuss his passion for serving children. He first became involved with CASA in 2017 through the encouragement of former Lafayette City-Parish Councilman Kenneth Boudreaux who was serving as Executive Director of CASA at that time. CASA stands for Court Appointed Special Advocate. CASA advocates are […]

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Reverend John Cannon, Senior Pastor of Asbury United Methodist Church,  is our guest on Discover Lafayette. This is a special rebroadcast of an interview we did in March 2020, right before COVID shut down life as we knew it. We’ll always treasure this inspirational message! A native of Shreveport, John Cannon graduated from the University […]

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Chubby Carrier joined Discover Lafayette to share his life journey in the Zydeco music world and how he learned the business from his father, Roy Carrier. In a world where artists can be taken advantage of, Chubby is an astute businessman who realized early on that he had to control his own destiny. Chubby Carrier […]

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Our guest is Brenda DesOrmeaux, President and founder of the DesOrmeaux Foundation. The Desormeaux Foundation is dedicated to defending human life at all stages of development, born and unborn. This includes the infant in the womb, the elderly, the handicapped, the homeless, and all who are threatened by our present culture of death.  To fulfill its […]

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Traci Pécot, owner of Paws and Paw Paws, and Paws MidCity, joins Discover Lafayette to share her love for all things related to dogs. Paws and Paw Paws is a dog daycare that opened in 2017 with a mission to combine Traci’s passion for dogs with her love for members of our senior community. Traci […]

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Brenda Andrus joined Discover Lafayette to discuss the importance of protecting our local senior citizens and providing outlets for socialization and enriching activities.  Employed by Home Healthcare 2000, Brenda is engaged in providing resources and enriching activities to elders and also keeps up with what is offered locally by civic and government agencies. She partners […]

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The founders of C’est La Joie Academy, Charlotte Cobb and Mamie Perkins, join Discover Lafayette to share their drive to offer three-year-olds a safe place to have fun while they develop a lifelong quest for learning and exploration. C’est La Joie Academy offers a play-based, nurturing, French Immersion environment where three-year-olds are surrounded by the […]

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Heidi McDonald of Foodies of Lafayette joins Discover Lafayette to discuss her passion for sharing positive news about all things related to good food. Foodies of Lafayette is a local group that supports local restaurants while cultivating a positive experience for its members.  It is promoted via its Facebook page where local restaurants can post […]

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Notre Dame Football Coach Lewis Cook, Jr. and Gaylon White, the author of the soon-to-be-released book, Coach of a Lifetime: The Story of Lewis Cook Jr., Legendary High School Football Coach, join Discover Lafayette to discuss Louie’s incredible and historical journey in coaching over the past 50 years. Coach Louie Cook is renowned for being […]

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Erica Melancon Fox, Executive Director of the Maison Freetown African American History Museum, joins us today to share her incredible journey. A musician, a historian, and a lover of a good story, Erica shares stories that are golden. Her parents always supported her journey in music, dance, and all things that allowed her to share […]

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Roy Devillier, founder of Roy’s Fresh Lemonade, and his daughter, Cynthia Devillier Thompson, join Discover Lafayette to discuss the family-run business Roy started almost 30 years ago. They truly represent the American way of working hard and having a good time in the process as they make a living. Roy is a retired pharmacist who […]

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This replay of our interview with Wade Berzas is the most popular interview we have aired over the past six years. Wade was the sole survivor of the horrific plane crash that occurred 48 seconds after departing the Lafayette airport on December 28, 2019, en route to the Peach Bowl in Atlanta. He joined Discover Lafayette to discuss how the incident changed his life forever. He now lives his life “48 seconds at a time.” Wade Berzas is a man of faith and lives life to the fullest.

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Our guest is Sandi Chalmers, co-owner of the Acadiana Cane Cutters Baseball team.

Sandi and her husband, Richard, acquired a franchise from the Texas Collegiate League in September 2010 to start the Acadiana Cane Cutters. Play officially began in the 2011 season.

The Acadiana Cane Cutters are the primary tenant of Fabacher Field where Lafayette, Broussard, and Youngsville meet. Before the first pitch was thrown, the Chalmers made many capital improvements to the entire facility, including adding over one thousand stadium seats and nearly two hundred premium seating locations, giving Fabacher Field its current 1,400-seat capacity.

Richard and Sandi Chalmers work tirelessly to ensure a top-notch experience for players and fans alike. The Chalmers find host homes for the players as they provide the opportunity for the young men to showcase their talents and perhaps make it to the major leagues. Home games at Fabacher Field always include entertainment for the fans, and you can enjoy delicious food and adult beverages at an affordable price.The TCL is a collegiate, summer baseball league designed to give the top professional prospects a chance to play in a minor-league baseball atmosphere while maintaining their amateur status. College players who aspire to make it to the big leagues can showcase their skills in front of fans and baseball scouts.

The 2022 season was historic for the Acadiana Cane Cutters as they won their first Texas Collegiate League Championship.

The Texas Collegiate League opens play on Tuesday, May 30, 2023, as the Cane Cutters travel down I-10 to face off against the rival Baton Rouge Rougarou. The home opener for Acadiana Cane Cutters is Thursday, June 1st against the Victoria Generals, at Fabacher Field in Youngsville, with Cutter fans hoping for the same outcome that won the championship for the Cutters in 2022.

Sandi and Richard have a love of baseball that runs deep, and they would center their family vacations with their twin sons around watching Major League Baseball across the U. S. Their love for the game still runs true, and Sandi shared that their deepest desire is to be a part of the fabric of our community and to offer safe and affordable family fun. For Richard, it is about player development and helping the players’ game; Sandi reminisced about one of their players being drafted by the Astros. The Chalmers also offer internships with the Acadiana Cane Cutters which have afforded their young assistants opportunities and skills to move on to rewarding careers in baseball management and other industries.

For more information, visit https://www.canecuttersbaseball.com/ If you are interested in sponsoring a game or supporting the Acadiana Cane Cutters, call Richard Nunnally at (337)295-5677.

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Greg Gautreaux joins Discover Lafayette to discuss his career as a public servant in Lafayette’s Parks and Recreation Department and acclaimed NFL referee.

Greg dedicated his career in service to Lafayette’s Parks and Recreation department managing its athletic programs, therapeutic recreation, pools, and parks. He got his start as a referee as a student at Teurlings High School, class of 1972, which was the genesis of his lifelong love of officiating; he recently retired with 50 years of service in officiating and still serves as assignments secretary for the Lafayette Area Football Officials Association.

For sixteen years, he officiated high school football; Nelson Stokley and Gerald Broussard helped him break into college officiating. Greg served for 32 years as a college official and was an active NFL football official serving as a field judge. In 1998, he met an NFL scout who attended a Tulane-Rutgers game that Greg was officiating. Not long after, he got a letter inviting him to work NFL Europe games which he enjoyed for four years before being called up to serve for the NFL.

Greg’s career highlight was officiating at Super Bowl XLIII in the matchup between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Arizona Cardinals. This is the pinnacle of achievement as referees earn the honor of working the Super Bowl by being the highest-rated official (in Greg’s situation, as a field judge) throughout the season. As Greg says, “You are expected to start out perfect and improve from there!” To qualify as an official at the conclusion of that season, Greg handled 2400 plays and only had two misses! Think about that!!

Greg Gautreaux officiating at Pittsburgh’s Super Bowl win over the Arizona Cardinals in 2009You have to stay in good health to have the privilege to work with the NFL. There can be many challenges when serving as an official. “I’d run four or five miles per day to stay in good shape. You usually run and walk up to six miles per game. The NFL makes sure the referees pass fitness tests before they are cleared for their year contract of service. 119 NFL referees work per season, rotating the crew as needed.

Greg Gautreaux at the taping of Discover Lafayette in the RADER studio displaying his ring from Super Bowl XLIII.Greg’s home study holds a plethora of football memorabilia he has collected over his lifetime, as well as the memories he cherishes.

The official NFL Super Bowl XLIII jersey worn by Greg Gautreaux as a field judge. State Sen. Gerald Boudreaux and Greg Gautreaux as young referees. The two worked together for Lafayette’s Parks and Recreation Department for many years.Greg is still an active proponent of a strong parks and recreation department in Lafayette. Our Parks and Recreation Department, which encompasses 28 city parks, is woefully underfunded, still being covered by a 1.92-mill recreation tax that was enacted in 1961 when Lafayette only had four parks. The millage brings in about $2 million per year. Compare this to Youngsville’s per capita collections for parks which is nearly 10 times Lafayette’s; Broussard collects more than 7 times on a per capita basis.

One of Greg’s favorite memories is being a key part of the genesis of disc golf in Lafayette. Five parks offer the program, which allows people to spend time having fun with very little investment in equipment. According to the Professional Disc Golf Association, “Disc golf is played much like golf except, instead of a ball and clubs, players use a flying disc. The sport was formalized in the 1970s and shares with golf the object of completing each hole in the fewest strokes (or, in the case of disc golf, fewest throws).”

We thank Greg Gautreaux for his lifelong dedication to making our park’s system the best it could be. And in closing, Greg noted there is a shortage of high school referees. Anyone interested in learning more should check out https://www.becomeareferee.com/louisiana/

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Robert Jarred and David Begneaud, board members of Scenic Lafayette, joined Discover Lafayette to discuss their mission to keep Lafayette beautiful and free of clutter and trash. They are both active and engaged volunteers.

Scenic Lafayette is a citizen-based advocacy group committed to preserving and enhancing the natural and built environment of our community. through: Policy, Partnerships, Public education, and Projects.

Founded in 2014, Scenic Lafayette promotes beauty as a valuable asset for those who live, visit, and conduct business in Lafayette. Its vision is to embrace calm, cleanliness, and the natural landscape of public and private spaces.

Scenic Lafayette is one of 49 state and local affiliates of Scenic America, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving and enhancing the visual character of our country’s roadways, countryside, and communities, and inspired by the Lady Bird Johnson and the Highway Beautification Act.

One big recurring problem we discussed was the proliferation of illegal signs that are posted in public spaces. Our guests jokingly recounted that “I buy golf carts” is the newest offender in our community as you see the signs posted throughout the area. The signs are typically posted in the middle of the night so David and Robert spoke of regularly getting up at 3 a.m. to start taking down the illegal signs. You can help by calling 311 to report litter and illegal signage.

Let’s clean up our neighborhoods! If you see a broken utility/phone post be sure to report it by calling 311 or 337.291.8800. AT&T will soon be digging up, fixing or replacing broken telephone cable boxes throughout Lafayette Parish. Lafayette City Councilwoman Liz Webb Hebert took it upon herself to address this issue….it has blown up across the state as other communities say they have the same problem. David Begneaud says, “The issue is being fixed and is coming around! This is important, as our visitors enter Lafayette they see this blight. Visitors who are considering moving here pay attention to these things.”

The issue of blighted green utility provider boxes found in public spaces throughout the community was also discussed and our guests reported the communication provider was responsive to requests for help in addressing the problem.

David Begneaud with his wife, Alice, volunteering at the Southern Garden Festival bringing awareness and educating the public on blight, litter and illegal signage in our city. You can now report litter and illegal signs by calling 311 or go to www.311.Lafayette.servicesA few of the initiatives of Scenic Lafayette: The Azalea Trail Revitalization Project; Signage Policy Improvement and Enforcement; Landscape and Tree Policy Improvement and Enforcement; Art and Architecture Guide; Streetscape Improvement; Utility Infrastructure Visual Enhancement; Billboard Control; and Litter Abatement.

Lafayette experiences a high level of trash being strewn on its streets and our interstate interchanges. Trash flies out of the back of citizens’ pickup trucks as well as municipally-contracted trash pickup trucks. David Begneaud said he has heard Matt Stuller quote statistics several times, saying,”South Louisiana has the highest per capita of open-bed pickup trucks in the nation.” David said further, “When you go down the interstate, whenever you are the contracted person to cut the grass, you have to pick up the litter first, and you see litter bags full of trash every 25 to 50 yards filled with trash for miles as they prepare to cut the grass on interstate medians.”

Municipalities can actively control the amount of blight that is tolerated. As David Begneaud said in a shout-out to Youngsville LA after discussing his awareness of how U. S communities control blight: “Go to Youngsville, LA. Youngsville has zero tolerance for non-compliant signs. Zero. Drive through the City of Youngsville and you’re not going to see vinyl banners strapped between the utility pole and a temporary pole hammered into the ditch. Word gets around.”

This interview with Robert and David is an excellent opportunity to hear the passion of local volunteers who dedicate their free time to help all of us better enjoy our community. We thank both for their tireless efforts on behalf of Scenic Lafayette!

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Dr. E. Joseph Savoie, president of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, joins Discover Lafayette to share his life story and dedication to improving our state’s educational climate.

Dr. Savoie has served as president of UL-Lafayette since 2008. Before serving at UL, Dr. Savoie served as Louisiana’s commissioner of higher education for 12 years.

He earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education from UL Lafayette, and thereafter earned a doctor of education degree in educational leadership and administration from Columbia University’s Teachers College in New York City.

He has served in leadership positions for Louisiana governors Mike Foster, Kathleen Blanco, Bobby Jindal and John Bel Edwards.

Under Dr. Savoie’s leadership, the university has made incredible strides, significantly of note in 2021 when it achieved its designation as a Carnegie R1 university. This is the highest designation bestowed by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, The Carnegie Classification’s 2021 update includes nearly 3,900 institutions. Only 137 of them, or 3%, attained R1 status. Colleges and universities are reviewed after three years to maintain this prestigious ranking.

This is a heartwarming interview of Dr. Savoie as he shares growing up in Sulphur, LA, meeting his late wife, Gail, while still in high school, and his memories of his own college days at USL.

We thank Dr. Savoie for taking the time to visit and for his service to our community. UL-Lafayette is a bedrock of our community, having been founded in 1898, and is our best asset for culturing upcoming leaders who can stay in Lafayette and build their own success stories.

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Butch Roussel, the founder of the 24-Hour Citizen Project, joins Discover Lafayette to discuss his passion for empowering others to make our community spaces great. He opened the show by speaking of his most important passion ever, his family: his lovely wife, his two children, and a third on the way!

The 24-Hour Citizen Project connects citizens with expertise and financial backers to make community-focused ideas a reality. The organization is responsible for nearly $130,000 in private funds toward almost 30 public projects including Downtown’s Lafayette sign, Krewe de Canailles, the Musical Instrument Library, the Eyes of the Sun poetry mural installation, and more.

The project was a dream of Butch Roussel’s and the inspiration occurred when he was traveling too much for work, on the road in Cincinnati, Ohio, and realized he wanted to make a difference in his own community of Lafayette, Louisiana. He was asked to make a pitch at TedX and came up with an original concept he called the “48 Hour Citizen Project” which was inspired by the 48 Hour Film Project where friends and colleagues work creatively to make a movie in a weekend. Of course, the project evolved and was renamed The 24 Hour Citizen Project which has been empowering our locals to make a difference in our quality of life for the past seven years.

This year, applications for citizen-driven projects will be accepted beginning in June 2023. All ideas of worthy of consideration.

Butch Roussel, founder of the 24 Hour Citizen Project, and Kate Durio, co-founder of ReCover Acadiana, merged their two organizations in Civicside.com as a more effective way to engage citizens to enact change. The two are good friends and longtime civic activists.

“I always think about the impact of our work. We’ve been doing this for seven years and it can be difficult to do the same thing over and over and maintain your love of the work. The thing that keeps us going is the idea that we rely on citizens to do the work on their own ideas. It is a very people-powered concept. All we’re doing is project management and putting people in touch with folks that we know and watching people do the work.”Butch is a graduate of UL-Lafayette and Johns Hopkins University where he finished in Biotechnology Business. Since 2011, Butch has managed clinical trials for government, pharmaceutical and small biotechnology companies through his company, Vivo Research, LLC. He has worked through the Best Pharmaceutical Children’s Act to help expand drug labels for pediatric populations and worked on numerous epilepsy, opioid abuse potential, cardiovascular stroke, and gene therapy trials.

For more information, email info@24hourcitizenproject.com or visit https://24hourcitizenproject.com/ or https://civicside.com/projects

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Rusty Cloutier joins Discover Lafayette to talk about the current state of the banking Industry. Many know Rusty as the founding President and CEO of MidSouth Bank which was organized in 1984 and has since been acquired by Hancock Whitney.  He has consistently been one of the leading and vocal advocates of community banking in the U. S.

Rusty is a past chair of the National Advisory Committee of Fannie Mae, as well as past chair of the Independent Community Bankers of America. He served as a member of the Securities and Exchange Commission Advisory Committee on Smaller Public Companies and is a former Director of the New Orleans Branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. 

Rusty is also the author of Big Bad Banks, How Greed and Ego among the big shots in banking and government created the crisis that wrecked our economy.

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In 2015, Don Bacque released “A Walk in the Park: A Vietnam Comedy”, a comedic book about his experiences in the Vietnam War, in which he served in the Army’s 5th Special Forces, popularly known as the Green Berets because of their distinctive service headgear. H

He stated that at least two God-inspired occurrences facilitated the completion of this book: First, he found that his memories of the war were fading but when he was packing to move to his new house he came across wartime letters he had written to his wife, Cookie, that served as the basis of his manuscript; and, second: Don was encouraged by his close friend, Carl Bauer, to join Carl’s writing class where he had to submit a chapter of his life story for each class, which eventually kept him on track to finish the project. Carl Bauer didn’t live to read the outcome of Don’s story about his feelings on the war, but Carl’s life lives on through his magnetic energy which ignited Don and so many others of us to follow our path and make a difference in life.

Don details the adventure that led him to Vietnam and it is one to which we can all relate as it was “never supposed to happen.” He had mistakenly believed that his poor eyesight would spare him from combat: Why would the Army send a man who was legally blind into combat if he might lose his glasses and mistakenly shoot the wrong side?? How could a man who was afraid of heights be made to jump from planes and into war zone conflicts??

As Don recounts the many close friends he made, the lessons learned, and the gradual disillusionment he experienced as the futility of the Vietnam War became apparent, “A Walk in the Park” is an important read for all generations. To purchase the book, please visit Amazon here.

The resulting work is one you will enjoy as you also learn about the foibles of military service and the true grit required of our men and women who serve and protect the United States of America and our allies! The adventure that began for Don Bacque on February 11, 1968 changed his life and led him to be the well-grounded man he is today. Inspirationally, Don is well aware that God’s grace is real and that heroes, while not necessarily recognized, walk among us every day.

We thank Don Bacque also for his service to our community, as he served as a Louisiana State Representative from 1988 to 1992, and was the founding chair of Leadership Lafayette. He also organized a Vietnam Veterans group in Lafayette and served as the state co-chairman of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Committee that built a monument in New Orleans to honor the 881 veterans from Louisiana who did not return from the war.

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Master Baker Patrick Poupart, proprietor of Poupart’s Bakery, joined Discover Lafayette to discuss the rich history of his bakery. Located at 1902 W. Pinhook in Lafayette, Poupart’s is the only authentic French bakery in Acadiana, opened by his parents Francois and Louise Poupart in 1967. The bakery currently employs 23 people to keep up with the demand for its services.

The elder Poupart studied at Compagnon Du Devoir, an apprentice guild in France where he and his twin brother trained professionally in the culinary arts. After serving in the military and working in Paris, Francois received an offer to work as a pastry chef in Louisiana in 1962 and brought his wife, Louise, with him.

Francois soon discovered that his strong French accent was not a barrier here, and was in fact appreciated and complimented by locals The baked goods offered by the Poupart family have enticed their loyal following ever since Francois opened Poupart’s in 1967.

Patrick followed in the footsteps of his father, and literally grew up at the bakery, as the family lived upstairs. Baking was always a part of his life from his youngest memories and all bakery chores had to be completed before he could engage in other activities. Patrick went to bakery school in France for one year after graduating from St. Thomas More High School and found the education to be a confirmation of the basic baking principals his father had taught him through the years.

A visit to Poupart’s is like taking a walk through heaven. Fresh breads, sweet treats, French pastries, cookies, dobash cakes, fruit tarts, there is something for everyone. Patrick explained that French baking techniques are more delicate and the pastries are more delicate and prettier confections than heavier American desserts such as pies and cookies.

Dobash cakes are the best-selling cakes and are available year round for various occasions. Poupart’s has bread routes in Lafayette and Baton Rouge and sells its pistolettes, ciabatta, french, sourdough, focaccia, and various breads to stores throughout the region.

Poupart’s offers breakfast and lunch options onsite, and caters events. All foods are made fresh in house. As for their confections, you can special order a dessert that is not typically on their menu; provide direction and they will deliver delicious results!

We thank Patrick Poupart for joining us and sharing his story. Congratulations to the Poupart family for enjoying a successful 56 years in business!

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Wade Berzas and Jeff Benton, professional implementers with the Entrepreneurial Operating System, known as EOS Worldwide, are our guests. EOS focuses on Vision (everyone on the same page), Traction (focus and discipline), and Healthy (Leadership.)

Wade was originally a guest on Discover Lafayette in December 2021. To this day, he has been our most popular guest for all who have been inspired by his faith and journey. Wade survived a horrific plane crash in a flight that lasted just 48 seconds as it descended on the travelers’ journey to watch LSU in the Peach Bowl in December 2019.

Wade Berzas and Jeff Benton both have coaching skills and life experiences that enable them to teach businesses about this proven EOS process to reach their fullest potential. There are six key components that EOS utilizes as it works with entrepreneurial leaders: Vision, People, Data, Issues, Process, and Traction. Rather than apply spot-treatment style consulting that only solves one piece of the growth puzzle – EOS is a proven holistic coaching approach that is simple to follow and transforms companies into total growth engines.

In this podcast, we hear humorous anecdotal evidence about how business leaders can hit a wall that prevents advancement to the next level of success. EOS Worldwide utilizes timeless techniques that enable entrepreneurs to reach previously unimaginable success.

To find out more about EOS Worldwide and our two guests, visit https://www.eosworldwide.com/what-is-eos. For more about Wade Berzas, visit eosworldwide and for Jeff Benton, visit https://www.eosworldwide.com/jeff-benton.

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Lauren Bercier, co-founder and CEO of Something Borrowed Blooms, a rent-and-return floral boutique in Lafayette, is our guest on this rebroadcast of a show originally taped in 2019.

Created with Lauren’s cousin and co-founder Laken Swan in 2015, Something Borrowed Blooms’ design team creates wedding floral collections using premium silk flowers.

Something Borrowed Blooms is a go-to source for any bride to be who wants to have a beautiful wedding while also being frugal with the budget. Discover Lafayette is proud to be watching Lauren Bercier and Laken Swan as they build this business right here in Lafayette LA meet the needs of brides across the U.S.!Since we originally spoke, Something Borrowed Blooms has experienced incredible growth and recently partnered with national bridal retailer David’s Bridal to reach more customers in the wedding market.

Laken Swan and Lauren Bercier, co-founders of Something Borrowed Blooms.Something Borrowed Blooms also has a line of Spring Inspired Home Decor, a collection of premium silk florals and greenery for your home which you can view here.

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The 16th annual Hopefest Music Festival and 5K is being hosted by the St. Thomas More Catholic High School junior class on Saturday, April 1st, 2023 at Moncus Park. Aylin Yigiter and Ellie Bond, Junior year students at STM, joined us to discuss the fun and festivities offered by Hopefest and why they are involved.

St. Thomas More High School juniors Aylin Yigiter and Ellie Bond joined Discover Lafayette to discuss Hopefest 2023.The day begins with a 5K race benefiting the STM Options program at 9 a.m. Participants may pre-register or make a donation here.

The music festival kicks off on the waterfront at Moncus Park with live entertainment from 11 a.m. until 9 p.m. Admission is free to the public. The Festival features the music of Dave Barnes, Brandon Heath, and Matt Wertz.

Hopefest is an outdoor festival with live music, fun family-friendly activities, and much more. All proceeds from Hopefest are directed to two recipients that care for people in need. One recipient is the STM Options Program, which enables special needs teens to receive a St. Thomas More education. The other recipient for 2023 is the RescYOU Group, whose mission is to provide financial aid for end-of-life expenses and offer emotional support for families who have suffered the loss of a child from one year of age to seventeen years old (or are currently enrolled in high school) in the Acadiana area.

Hopefest 2023 will be held at the beautiful Moncus Park. Please note that parking will be accommodated at Cajun Field and buses will be provided to assist Hopefest’s patrons. Please support this wonderful cause!Best wishes on a successful Hopefest 2023! Thanks to all involved for making a real difference in our community.

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Our guest is Marie Ducote, proprietor of Cajun Food Tours. Marie exemplifies the joie de vivre or joy of life that makes our culture so special.

Marie is probably one of our region’s most enthusiastic and compelling ambassadors of Cajun history, culture, and cuisine. Her faith is also a driving force in her life as she credits God’s persistent nudging to get her to finally take the leap and do what she loves.

We had the pleasure of going on a morning Cajun Food Tour as Marie’s guest and visited five local restaurants which included Ton’s in Broussard, Nunu’s Supermarket in Youngsville, Fezzo’s, T’Coons, and Poupart’s Bakery. We can all attest that this tour is something visitors and locals alike should not miss!

A former history teacher, Marie teaches her guests about how Lafayette grew and the many other cultures that influenced our current Acadian and Creole culture.

Besides the Cajun Food Tour, Marie offers the All-Day Cajun Experience, a Breaux Bridge WalkingFood Tour, and the Around the World in Acadiana Taste Tour.

To learn more about Marie Ducote and Cajun Food Tours, visit https://www.cajunfoodtours.com/tours/

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Warren Perrin, renowned historian of Acadian culture and a man who has dedicated his life to promoting the accurate history of the Acadians, is our guest on this special rebroadcast of Discover Lafayette.

Author of “Acadian Redemption,” a biography of Beausoleil Broussard, Perrin has worked tirelessly to reinvigorate the Acadian pride movement, most notably through his Petition for an Apology from Queen Elizabeth II for the Acadian deportation from Nova Scotia. The Queen signed a Proclamation granting such an apology on December 9, 2003. Perrin established the Acadian Museum in Erath, LA. He has been engaged in many activities on behalf of the Council for the Development of French in Louisiana, known as CODOFIL; he served as President of CODOFIL from 1994 to 2010.

Warren Perrin Holding Proclamation by Queen Elizabeth Apologizing for the Acadian Deportation from Nova ScotiaPerrin is a partner at Perrin, Landry & deLauney in Lafayette, Louisiana. He was a member of the UL – Lafayette (then known as Southwestern Louisiana Institute) weightlifting team which won eight national championships between 1957 and 1971, and established itself as one of the nation’s most-successful collegiate lifting programs. A documentary film tentatively entitled, The Ragin 13, by filmmaker Nicholas Campbell, is currently being filmed and traces the inspirational underdog story of this exceptional team and its achievements.

CODOFIL celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2018 and was featured in the Governor’s Office in the Old State Capitol in Baton Rouge.

For more information on the Acadian Museum, please visit http://www.acadianmuseum.com. Information on CODOFIL may be accessed at https://www.crt.state.la.us/cultural-development/codofil/index.

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Richard Zuschlag, Chairman of the Board & CEO of Acadian Companies, joins Discover Lafayette to discuss his incredible life journey. Still working full-time, Richard shares his love and admiration for Acadian’s loyal employees who have made the company’s success possible.

Richard came to Lafayette from Pennsylvania in 1970 as a communications engineer for Westinghouse. In 1971, when new federal regulations caused funeral homes to discontinue using their car-based chassis for emergency transport, Richard joined with two friends, Roland Dugas and Richard Sturlese, to form Acadian Ambulance Service in Lafayette Parish. They opened for business on September 1, 1971, at 12:01 a.m., with two ambulances and eight employees. Richard is the only employee left from the early days, yet many of Acadian’s team have been with the company their entire career; the employees and management team are loyal to Acadian’s mission of delivering the highest quality emergency medical support and care.

Over 50 years later, Acadian has grown to approximately 5,000 employees in Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, and Tennessee. Its six subsidiary companies include Acadian Air Med, Executive Aircraft Charter Service, Acadian Total Security, National EMS Academy, and Safety Management Systems. Last year, Acadian transported approximately 700,000 people across their four-state region.

Acadian Companies is privately owned and under Richard’s leadership, it became an Employee Stock Ownership Plan known as ESOP in 1993 to allow the employees to share in the company’s financial success.

Over the years, Richard has learned that the heart of Lafayette is one of giving, of faith, and of people helping one another. Listening to his words will inspire any young entrepreneur who is looking to help others by meeting their needs. We thank Richard for sharing his experiences of success, and also for sharing that he has made mistakes and is grateful to have learned what is important in life. It’s also interesting to hear his thoughts on being a young man moving to Lafayette from Pennsylvania in July during our typical 99-degree weather and 100% humidity, and how he quickly grew to love Lafayette, its people, and its culture, including the spicy food!

Richard’s civic work has included fundraising for worthy causes ranging from the Boy Scouts to UL-Lafayette, The World War II Museum, and local schools. Among many, many awards, he has been the recipient of the Lafayette Civic Cup, received the Distinguished Citizen Award, and has been named a “Louisiana Legend” by Louisiana Public Broadcasting. He was instrumental in setting up the first enhanced 911 system in the state which gave the operator both the address and the phone number for persons calling for emergency assistance.

For more information on Acadian Companies, please visit https://acadian.com/.

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Lafayette lives for Mardi Gras! This episode is a special repeat of our interview with Rick Chappuis and John Swift who joined Discover Lafayette to discuss the history of Mardi Gras in Lafayette LA.

The first recorded Mardi Gras festivity took place on Feb. 14, 1869, at the Court House downtown. Although it was a simple party with a band, and nothing like what we experience today, it was all the community needed to see how much fun Mardi Gras could be! Today, the Greater Southwest Louisiana Mardi Gras Association carries on the tradition and works to ensure that Mardi Gras remains a safe, family-friendly event.

Thank you for listening. This interview was the second interview Discover Lafayette recorded. We hope you have enjoyed our podcasts over the past six years; we have only scratched the surface of covering all the wonderful people and cultural activities which make Lafayette a very special place….the gateway to South Louisiana!

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Dr Jason Cormier, a Lafayette neurosurgeon, joins us for his second interview, this time to focus on traumatic brain injuries, in athletes of all ages who are engaged in high-impact sports.

Dr. Cormier actively assists the NCAA and the NFL in working to prevent brain injuries. We reached out to him after Damar Hamlin of the Buffalo Bills collapsed suddenly during a Monday Night football game after rising from a hit. And sadly, just two weeks after Hamlin’s injury, Russell Gage was injured late in the 4th quarter in the Tampa Bay/Dallas Cowboys game after a rough hit to the head rendered him unable to get up. After being transported off the field on a cart, Gage was diagnosed with a concussion and possible neck injuries. With high-profile NFL injuries making the news, some wonder if football will always be a part of our lives.

While NFL Football seems to be one of the roughest and toughest of all sports, Dr. Cormier provides insight into the dangers of all sports’ activities. Basketball players routinely suffer from concussive head injuries. Death rates in the NFL are 6 per million; in equestrian activities, the death rate is 20 per million, and in girls’ soccer, the death rate is 15 per million.

In the U. S., 1.6 to 3.8 million concussive injuries occur each and every year, and these are only the ones that are reported so the figure may be much higher. 300,000 of these injuries are from football and Dr. Cormier reports that 62,000 of these take place in high school-age players. All in all, there is a 19% likelihood that you will sustain a concussion or head injury if you participate in any high contact sports. And if you have had a concussion, it is likely that you also sustained some type of neck injury.

Gladiator sports have been appealing to spectators going back to the Roman Empire time period. It is unlikely that we will see a diminished interest in today’s exciting, but dangerous sporting activity. So, Dr. Cormier recommends that parents get as much information as they can for their children as to how to protect them with current technology and best practices. And above, emphasize a reliable and time-tested way to survive in the world: an education!

The Q-Collar is a device Dr. Cormier recommends for any athlete in high-impact situations. It is the only FDA-cleared sports equipment that helps protect athletes’ brains during head impacts. The technology is based upon the physiology of the woodpecker and the battle ram, two animals who live by striking their heads. (The woodpecker strikes its head 25,000 times per day or 85 million times in its lifetime, resulting in no brain injury; battle rams create a force of 780 pounds each time they hit each other, which is like being hit with a baseball bat at 80 miles per hour!) The Q Collar by Q30 provides 1.5 pounds of light pressure over the jugular veins at the neck which increases blood amount in the brain to prevent the slosh effect or movement of the brain upon impact. Dr. Cormier calls it an “airbag inside the skull” and says it decreases concussions up to 90% of the time. The collar costs about $200.00.
Dr. Cormier is an engaging guest and full of information on the latest protective technologies to protect our most precious commodity: our brain. We thank Jason Cormier for his contributions to the medical community here in Lafayette and across the U. S.!

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Our guest is Don Briggs, founder of the Louisiana Oil and Gas Association, who shares his incredible career journey in the oil and gas business.

A native of Miami, Florida, Don was an active young man who played football for Miami High School at their home field, the Orange Bowl! From his youngest years, he had a strong work ethic and was employed delivering newspapers, working at Top Value, and helping his father repair fiberglass boats or as a journeyman moving heavy equipment. Don also modeled and was featured in a few national publications with his brother and sister. He attended the University of Florida on a football scholarship.

Love was the catalyst that prompted Don to move to Lafayette in 1961 when he married Georgia Speights. He transferred his college credits to USL and he and his wife had two children, Brett and Tammy Dee. To make ends meet, he worked at Owen Drilling Company from 6:00 pm to midnight seven days a week, and worked his way up the ladder serving as safety director. After a few years, Don started Aztec Pipe and Supply where he sold refurbished pip reclaimed from old oil wells.

Don’s holdings grew as he started Aztec Well Head (sold refurbished well heads), Aztec Mud Chemical (mud company), and he purchased land off Hwy. 90 in Broussard and built three warehouses and offices to house his growing business. Don’s hard work had really paid off.

By 1978, Aztec was successful and was acquired by a publicly-traded company, Newpark Resources. The sale was highlighted in the Wall Street Journal and Don stayed on as President of Newpark Drilling Fluids. Don lived a flamboyant lifestyle during this heyday of the local oil and gas industry, flying around in a private jet, driving “my custom-made Excalibur Mercedes with a gold dashboard,” and serving as King of the Krewe of Troubadours. Don also recalled spending “a lot of unnecessary time at La Fonda, and of the hundreds of faces painted on the walls, mine was the first one.” He enjoyed skiing and bought homes in Beaver Creek, Colorado and Duck Key in Florida.

In 1986, the oil and gas industry crashed and the price of oil and gas nosedived. Don had invested heavily in local commercial real estate and the buildings were soon empty. People moved out in droves looking for work. Laid off from Newpark Resources and unable to keep everything afloat financially, Don was forced to declare bankruptcy along with so many other Lafayette entrepreneurs.

Surviving this tumultuous time, Don was able to see what was really important: his family. He also refocused his energies on bettering the oil and gas industry’s fortunes in Louisiana as he came to realize that “not all hurdles the industry faced were solely market-driven.”

Don garnered the support of oil and gas industry leaders and founded the Louisiana Independent Oil and Gas Association, now known as Louisiana Oil and Gas Association (“LOGA”). The group started “with 12 founding members and grew into an association representing more than 1,200 members.” He served as President of LOGA for over 25 years and was a highly effective spokesperson for the industry as he worked to fight tax increases and oppressive regulations. Don worked tirelessly to educate the public and government officials about how important the oil and gas industry is to Louisiana. His legacy of building and safeguarding oil and gas operations in the state of Louisiana can not be overstated and will never be forgotten.

Gifford Briggs, Don’s son, joined LOGA in 2007 as membership coordinator and in government relations. He moved up in the ranks, becoming LOGA’s vice president, and became LOGA’s President in 2018 when Don retired. Photo credit: Don Kadair.On September 30, 2016, Don suffered a horrible accident at a vacation home in North Carolina, falling down stairs and fracturing his skull. He was airlifted to Asheville and underwent surgery to remove a part of his skull. Airlifted back to Lafayette, Don contracted E. coli pneumonia and there was little hope for survival. But Don did survive, fought through physical therapy to regain his speech and mobility, and eventually made it to TIRR Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston, the acclaimed facility for traumatic brain injury patients.

The accident and its aftermath, however, left Don depressed and he felt hopeless. He faced another surgery to have a titanium plate implanted to close his skull and felt he was looking “death in the face.” But two friends, Patty Fournerat and Senator Ronnie Johns, encouraged him to have faith in God, his Father. Senator Johns actually texted Don immediately prior to his surgery that he was about to attend aa Mass at St. Peter’s in Rome on behalf of Don Briggs. Don recounted that “he was overwhelmed with such a peace that it’s hard to describe in words. I was suddenly fearless.”

Don recovered and soon dedicated his time to calling upon patients at Our Lady of Lourdes who were in rehabilitation, to tell his story and to give them faith that they too could recover.

In 2017, Don was named “LAGCOE Looey” and received the Meritorious Service Award by the Professional Landmen’s Association of New Orleans. in 2018, he officially retired as President of LOGA.

We’d like to acknowledge Olivia Savoie, of Raconteur Life Story Writing, who captured the full story of Don Briggs’ life and incredible accomplishments. The book was commissioned by his dear friends, Bryan Hanks and Bill Fenstermaker. The quotes utilized in this article are captured from “Isn’t it Beautiful” and are Don’s words. Photo credit: Brad Bowie of the Acadiana Advocate.Don Briggs has lived a full life and is proud of his family, his friends, and his body of work. Most importantly, “My life has been most enhanced by my relationship with and work for Jesus. He changed my values, my perspective, and my mission. After my fall, the renewal of my faith and my recovery gave me a platform to share my story as well as the good news of Jesus Christ. Although my accomplishments in my business and through LOGA are notable, I have discovered that my true purpose in life is to respond to a higher calling and that my greatest joy derives from helping and loving my fellow man.” (Quote from “Isn’t It Beautiful: The Story of Don Briggs.”

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Our guests are Mary Broussard Perrin and Beverly Constantine Fuselier, authors of Healing Traditions of South Louisiana.

Their book provides a fascinating history of South Louisiana’s traditional healing arts from the dawn of civilization to today. Part One is about traiteurs (male) and traiteuses (female), their prayers, and rituals. Part Two presents the native medicinal plants that grow wild in South Louisiana, their properties and their traditional uses.

Mary and Beverly are traiteurs who treat whatever is ailing you, such as back pain, wounds, warts, anxiety, sunstroke, etc. Traiteurs work with healing plants, occasionally “making medicine” when needed. And Mary and Beverly are dedicated….right before we began taping, they worked all morning at the Healing Garden at Vermilionville!

Pictured is La Maison du Traiteur (“The Healer’s House) at Vermilionville, surrounded by Le Jardin du Traiteur (The Healer’s Garden), sponsored by the Lafayette Parish Master Gardeners Association (LPMGA). The site is open for tourists to visit all year. Mary Perrin recommends the best time to visit is on one of the Culture Days held during the summertime where you will enjoy a guided tour. To view the complete garden guide, visit here. Healing Traditions is a beautiful testament to our Acadian culture and the traditions that have been carried down by one generation after another. It is also a beautiful testament to the Native Americans who first arrived in South Louisiana more than a thousand years before European settlers, who had discovered “a rich diversity of plant and animal life in its bayous, prairies, and marshes….they uncovered a multitude of powerful natural curatives, plants that could stop bleeding, cure infections, relieve pain, reduce fever, stop swelling, soothe troubled minds, and more. In short, Mother Nature’s medicine cabinet was well stocked.” These generous Native Americans shared their plant curative knowledge with the Acadians’ traiteurs as they settled into their new home in South Louisiana.

According to Healing Traditions of South Louisiana, Elderberry was “revered for its medical and reputed magical qualities” and the Acadians and Native Americans considered it vital to their medical needs. It is considered to be the “queen of the Healer’s Garden.”The book is a beautifully written account of local healing herbs and the healing touch and prayer of traiteurs. A beautiful gift to give, Discover Lafayette thanks Mary Perrin and Beverly Fuselier for the time and talent they invested to make Healing Traditions a reality!

Healing Traditions of South Louisiana is available for purchase at Beausoleil Books, Vermilionville, the Acadian Museum of Erath, Books Along the Teche, and Longfellow State Historic Site.

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Elizabeth Abdalla and Melissa Maeker, board members of Wild Cat Foundation, SpayNation, and Krewe des Chien, are here to discuss their mission to reduce dog and cat overpopulation in Acadiana through the operations of these 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations. Both women are passionate spokespersons about their involvement in treating our companion pet population, as well as the feral cat population, humanely and offering high-quality care to these vulnerable, innocent animals.

Wild Cat Foundation was created to support no-kill solutions to the stray cat overpopulation in Lafayette and the surrounding area. It is celebrating its 20th year of operation in 2023. Since 2010, Wild Cat has supported the operations of SpayNation which offers high-quality, lost-cost spay/neuter surgeries to the public and rescue organizations, and incredibly, over 70,000 animals have been neutered since the organization’s inception. While Wild Cat Foundation is not a rescue organization, they do have adoptable pets at all times. Visit https://wildcatfoundationla.org/ for more information.

In 2018, Wild Cat took over operations of Acadiana’s favorite dog and family parade, Krewe des Chien. All proceeds are dedicated to supporting local animal shelters’ funding for food and care of the rescues.

Krewe des Chien Parade is an annual Mardi Gras Parade celebration open to dogs and their loyal human family members. Please consider signing up for the 2023 parade to be held on February 11, 2023, in Downtown Lafayette! It only costs $25 to register and there are also spots available for dog royalty! And please, dogs only….no cats, pigs, goats, cows, or bunnies! For more information, email krewedeschien@gmail.com or visit https://www.facebook.com/KreweDesChienAcadiana’s favorite family & dog-friendly parade is back again this year with proceeds benefitting local rescue groups! Established in 1998, Krewe des Chien is a non-profit organization and has been fundraising and distributing funds to the many animal assistance organizations in the Acadiana area in need of financial support. Since the first parade for dogs, Krewe des Chien has raised more than $400,000 in support of its MISSION… to reduce the number of unwanted animals through public education about the benefits of spaying and neutering and to involve the community in an effort to achieve this mission.

Date: Saturday, February 11, 2023, 12 p.m. Registration 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Sponsorships & Royal Court Positions are available. Visit the website for PAST opportunities and general information – www.krewedeschiens.org. The website will be updated soon with 2023 information.

$25.00 fee to participate and join the Krewe – Includes two adult humans (children can walk with their parents for free) and one dog to walk in the 2023 parade. payable by cash or check on the day of the parade. Once the website is updated you may also register for the Krewe and pay via credit card online.

Membership is open to all pet lovers! Parade rules:

• No throwing edible treats
• No retractable leashes
• DOGS ONLY – No cats, cows, bunnies, goats, etc… please
• participants must sign the Liability Waiver “Participant Agreement Release”
• Individuals/groups must have a dog(s) to walk in the parade

In case of cancellation due to unforeseen circumstances or weather, your participation fee will be considered a donation by the Krewe des Chien to be distributed to local rescue organizations that are registered to participate in the parade.

Many people abandon their cats when they move or are unable to care for their pets. Then, these cat’s offspring are born feral. TNR (Trap, Neuter, and Return) has been proven to be the only humane method to reduce the population of unwanted felines who have never experienced contact with humans. While we may think of them as ‘homeless,’ in fact they exist in colonies and are self-sufficient. There can be anywhere between 10 and 200 cats living in a colony. Wild Cat Foundation trains and advises colony caregivers on how to humanely trap feral cats which are then transported to feral-friendly veterinarians for vetting, then returned to their colonies. It can be difficult to trap feral cats, so please reach out to Wild Cat/SpayNation for assistance.

Some feral cats will never be suitable for adoption but have much to offer our community. A few lucky cats that came into SpayNation’s community cat program are shown above. These fortunate community cats have caregivers that went the extra mile to make sure they were trapped, vaccinated, neutered and returned to their outdoor homes. Some of these community cats live in backyards while others live on the property of local businesses. During the month of November 2022, SpayNation spayed/neutered 272 community cats.

In conjunction with WildCat Foundation/SpayNation, the Lafayette Animal Shelter and Care Center introduces “Cats Clocking In,” Lafayette’s working cat program. A working cat is a domestic cat that is unsuitable for traditional adoption and instead “works” for its food, shelter and care by hunting and deterring rodents from its “employer’s” property. They are commonly employed where pest control is needed such as barns, farms, factories, warehouses, stores, and private property. A benefit of using a working cat is that they alleviate the need for harmful pesticides which can inadvertently harm pets and wildlife such as hawks and owls. https://www.lafayettela.gov/lascc/adopt/working-catsExecutive Director Paula Stude of SpayNation is credited for outstanding leadership of the organization’s outreach. Elizabeth and Melissa both spoke of her successful management of paid staff as well as crew of volunteers who make it all happen. One recent success was the receipt of a grant to pay for pet oxygen recovery masks needed when our fire department is saving dogs and pets trapped in a fire. Petco and PetSmart have been tremendous resources of grants for our region.

For more information, please visit https://spaynation.net/

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Our guest is Ryan Pécot, proprietor of Tchoup’s MidCity Smokehouse, a full-service BBQ restaurant and bar located at 117 S. College Road in Lafayette. Discover Lafayette is proud to partner with Eat Lafayette and Lafayette Travel to showcase this young entrepreneur whose creative concepts are redefining the ‘cool’ culture of Lafayette.

Ryan’s work ethic started early in life when he said he’d like a car and his dad, Kirby Pécot, told him to go get a job. He took an entry-level job at Outback Steakhouse dumping the trash cans and worked his way up to management and becoming a part of the training team for the chain. Today, Ryan’s typical workday is jam-packed as he also serves as Senior Retail Leasing and Development Advisor with Stirling Properties, a career he began after graduation from UL-Lafayette in 2001, and as the owner of Paws & Paw Paw’s boarding/daycare/grooming facilities with his wife, Traci. Another endeavor, Adopted Dog Brewing, is also anticipated to open soon at 329 Dulles Drive (near SLCC) which will be the only brewery within the city limits of Lafayette.

Ryan and Traci have always enjoyed traveling and looking for offbeat restaurants and breweries while on the road. Ryan calls himself a beer aficionado as well as a lover of good BBQ, so finding great local restaurants tucked away unexpectedly in the middle of a neighborhood while on the road always brings joy. These adventures are what inspired Ryan to open Tchoup’s in mid-city Lafayette as he didn’t see anyone in Lafayette offering the unique combo of BBQ, a full-service bar and outdoor seating, all tucked away in a 2600-square-foot structure that incorporates many of the homey elements of the original dwelling built decades ago.

As a seasoned commercial realtor, Ryan approached his restaurant’s location with the same special care he affords all of his retail clients. Tchoup’s venue was not chosen randomly; it was selected specifically for its geographic location in the core of Lafayette, the “Mid City,” and Ryan hopes this moniker will become a trend with many others following suit. He believes the side roads, what he calls “B” streets, off of Johnston Street have something very special to offer the residential neighborhoods that don’t typically have the option of a restaurant near their home. He knew immediately that Tchoup’s site was the perfect location for his original concept and did a lot of the carpentry work himself to maintain his vision. When you walk in, you feel instantly at ease; Tchoup’s has a lovely feel that evokes memories of family gatherings and festive occasions.

Tchoup’s opened in June 2020 in the midst of the pandemic. Even with the incredible challenges brought about by the shutdown, Tchoup’s has grown into a popular dining destination known for its comfortable ambiance and for being a friendly place to bring your dog. Tchoup’s even offers a complete menu for your dog to choose from, including selections such as dog beers (broth-based) and dog treats such as Crunchy Rabbit, Jones’ Whole Pig Ear, or Hawaiian Luau Bites!

Tchoupitoulas was the inspiration for Tchoup’s MidCity Smokehouse. Ryan and his wife, Traci, are both dog lovers and opened Paws & Paw Paw’s boarding/daycare/grooming facilityTchoup’s offerings are all ‘scratch,’ meaning everything is freshly prepared from start to finish and of the highest quality. There is no freezer or microwave on site. Food is brought in fresh and cooked fresh. Ryan spoke of how he enjoys doing business with local vendors and fills up a shopping cart of sausage each Tuesday at NuNu’s.

Ryan credits other local restauranteurs for the great support they have offered him. He partnered with Social Entertainment’s Gus Rezende and John Peterson who helped him draft his employee handbook and navigate other start-up issues.

The Burnt Bacon Ends are a huge hit and consist of pork belly with a homemade special rub, brown sugar and a sweet chili glaze. The “Whole Hog” is also a popular item for first timers who want to taste a bit of everything Tchoup’s has to offer. Ryan loves the salads, in particular the Tchoup’s Wedge salad with honey-lime vinaigrette dressing. Traci Pécot is said to love the smoked shrimp or turkey quesadillas!

In 2017, Ryan, alongside his wife, Traci, developed Paws & Paw Paw’s boarding/daycare/grooming facility as a full-time job entrepreneurship opportunity for her. The maturing business now has a second location and is recognized as a best-in-class company in the Acadiana area. For more information on Tchoup’s MidCity Smokehouse, please visit https://www.eatmidcitybbq.com/ or their Facebook page. Thanks to Ryan Pécot for enriching our options for delicious American BBQ, craft beers, fine whiskeys and joie de vivre!

Lafayette, Louisiana offers a variety of locally owned restaurants that serve a plethora of delicious cuisines, including the smoked BBQ of Tchoup’s MidCity Smokehouse! To get a flavor of all our region offers, visit https://www.lafayettetravel.com/eatlafayette/ to check out what may suit your palate!

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Adam Daigle, Business Editor of the Acadiana Advocate, joined Discover Lafayette to discuss the biggest news stories of 2022.

The top five stories give our community great hope for the future, even with inflation dampening the economy.

The #1 story of the year is the phenomenal growth in South Lafayette led by the developments in the second phase of the Ambassador Town Center near Costco in South Lafayette at the corner of Creek Farm Road and Ambassador Caffery Parkway. Expectations are that Dave & Busters and the popular Topgolf are on the way. Also in the works are Jet Coffee, luxury apartments, and a discount tire retailer.

The #2 story of the year is the opening of the Lofts at the Municipal in Downtown Lafayette. Offering 68 units, the site is at the former federal courthouse, police station, and library. Adam says, “The successful completion of this project showed everyone that Lafayette can do hard things.” The project required a new sewer lift station installed with the help of the Lafayette Public Trust Financing Authority and historic tax credits which made the numbers work for the developers.

The Lofts at the Municipal opened in April 2022. Located at 124 E. Main Street in downtown Lafayette, the Lofts offer 68 high-end rental units with a pool, workout facility and much more. It offers walkability to all things downtown, a much-needed amenity for the continued growth of downtown.The #3 story is the sale of LHG Group to UnitedHealth’s Optum health service business for $5.4 Billion. LHG was started by Ginger and Keith Myers who are originally from Palmetto. Ginger saw the dearth of options for home health care and the couple built LHC into a powerhouse in 37 states, with 700 employed here in Lafayette. Adam shared that UnitedHealth has plans to invest considerable resources into LHC to further prop up the company’s success in the home health arena.

The #4 story of 2022 is the local real estate market. For some time, interest rates were so low people could get a loan for next to nothing while sellers got top dollar for their listing. With interest rates being raised frequently by the Federal Reserve as a means to tamp inflation, there has been a dramatic cool down in home sales. We’re now seeing fewer buyers and fewer pending sales as we close out 2022. Adam reports that there are more and more single-family rentals coming onto the market, some in nice gated communities with their lawns being maintained.

The #5 story is the opening of the new Lafayette Regional Airport Terminal. This project is a shining example of how a community can come together to fund and build a much-needed facility as our new, modern and spacious terminal. Lafayette parish taxpayers passed an 8-month, 1 cent sales tax with helped the community match state and federal dollars. With no debt, the new airport terminal will serve our community’s need for years to come.

Stories to watch out for include the explosive growth of SafeSource Direct in Broussard. The pandemic brought to light the dependence of the U. S. on Chinese imports such as masks and other PPE items. SafeSource responded to the need to provide American-made products and in partnership with Ochsner Health and Trax Development has grown beyond expectations. With its newly FDA-approved gloves, up to 2200 employees are projected to be on board when the current expansion is underway, a huge jump from the originally estimated 1200 employees. The company’s success is tied to other industries such as chicken plants and others who have a need for masks, aprons, gloves, etc.

Another emerging story is the site selection for a new Performing Arts Center in Lafayette. Everyone knows the old Heymann Performing Arts Center needs to be replaced, but the question is where does it go? One study recently concluded that it be located across from the Cajundome next to the Hilton Garden Inn. A group of downtown civic leaders, including Sam Oliver and the Acadiana Center for the Arts, are pushing for an additional study to determine the best location based on return on investment. Other towns such as Greensboro, North Carolina, made the decision to relocate their PCA downtown and it has spurred immense economic activity.

Discover Lafayette is proud to name developer Ravi Daggula as the recipient of our second annual Business Catalyst of the Year award. Ravi has invested in restoring and bringing back properties such as The Nickerson House, the Charles Mouton Plantation, and Esprit de Coeur into commerce, offering beautiful venues for events and special occasions. He recently bought the old Dat Dog building downtown and is working on making the old Travelodge on Pinhook into the most unique place in Lafayette, with the look of an old Motor Inn and a place where people can hang out and have fun. Several other projects are in the works with a group of investors who want to inject life into Lafayette’s venues. While people might say the government can make some revitalization projects a reality, it’s the private energy and funding that provide the means to make it happen. Ravi Daggula, thank you for your unique eye. You see what should be done and continually serve as the driving force to make it happen.

Ravi Daggula and Jan Swift at taping of Discover Lafayette

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Dr. Jason Cormier of Lafayette Surgical Specialty Hospital joins Discover Lafayette to share his phenomenal story of success as well as overcoming trials and tribulations. He is not only a renowned neurosurgeon, but he is also a race car driver, accomplished musician, inventor, and author of the newly released “Driven” which he wrote to encourage others on ways to overcome seemingly impossible obstacles.

A native of Lafayette, Dr. Cormier is a graduate of St. Thomas More. At LSU, he played point guard alongside Shaquille O’Neal and Chris Jackson under the tutelage of Coach Dale Brown and played pro ball for a brief time in Europe. He went on to graduate from LSU Med School and was a neurosurgery resident at the University of Alabama at Birmingham for six years where he trained in complex spinal surgery.

Dr. Cormier has been named one of America’s top Surgeons in the field of neurosurgery by the Consumers Research Council and Guide to America’s Top Surgeons and has worked extensively with Traumatic Brain Injuries and assists NCAA Football, the NFL, NASCAR, the Jockey’s Guild, various rodeo organizations and other sports representing athletes in high-contact sports.

Since 2014, he has been listed in the “Leading Physicians of the World” for Neurosurgery, and recognized as an international expert in brain injury and concussion. He has been awarded the Castle Connolly Top Doctor in the field of Neurosurgery, and recently served as the 19th President of the Society of Brain Mapping and Therapeutics, an international organization working with experts to improve the diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of patients afflicted with neurological disorders.

Humble in the recounting of his story, Dr. Cormier says, “No one stressed education more than my mother” who taught science at UL-Lafayette and at Lafayette High for many years. He wanted to play in the NBA but when his career was cut short his mom pushed him to pursue higher education. Always being good in science, medicine was a natural fit.

Specializing in complex brain surgery which includes vascular neurosurgery and arteriovenous malformation (a tangle of blood vessels connecting arteries and veins, which disrupts normal blood flow and oxygen circulation), Dr. Cormier says he handles about 95% of the aneurisms that come into Lafayette. He also performs minimally invasive procedures to take out tumors in the brain and treats brain trauma.

Dr. Jason Cormier is proud of the team he works with at Lafayette Surgical Specialty Hospital and gives them much credit: “It’s a team effort. You can’t do it alone in a silo as one human being. You need a team. I tell every single patient I operate on that I have a good team backing me up and that I have the good Lord. I believe that from start to finish when you walk in the door. Buffy Domingue, CEO, and her administrative team are also a big part of that.”

Dr. Cormier credits Lafayette Surgical Specialty Hospital for being the first to bring in the MiRus IO Expandable Lumbar Interbody technology which allows him to perform less invasive spinal neurosurgery on people suffering from degenerative disc disease. Cleared for use by the FDA in August 2021, the MiRus IO allows the surgeon to enter collapsed disc space and expand it by inserting the device into the disc. This minimally invasive procedure calls for a 26 mm incision versus the traditional 26-inch incision. When operating in a small corridor such as allowed by the MiRus IO, outcomes are dramatically changed for spinal surgery patients. There is less blood loss, the patient can get up and walk on the same day as the procedure, and there is a reduced need for pain medications.

The MiRus IO Expandable Lumbar Interbody Technology utilizes MoRe® Rhenium-based Superalloy technology, a noncorrosive metal that is the strongest in the world. It is non-corrosive and far superior to nickel or iron inserts which can cause pain in patients. Dr. Cormier says, “I have to credit Lafayette Surgical for bringing in this technology and having the confidence that we can accomplish the goal of helping the patient with less invasive procedures. I can now do what I was trained to do through smaller corridors with the same or better outcomes than a few years ago.”

Dr. Cormier is not one to rush a patient into surgery. “If your x-rays are horrible but you are not in pain, don’t have surgery. Unfortunately, some do have the surgery, end up in pain, and need revision surgery.” He will perform a motion preservation surgery in lieu of a fusion to help people keep their mobility. “Get a second opinion if you are on the fence. If you are in pain, typically there is some kind of option. If you do need surgery, we’ve been blessed to have phenomenal specialists in this community. You don’t have to rush to Houston to have surgery.”

A new invention called the Q-Collar is a device Dr. Cormier recommends for any athlete in high-impact situations. It is the only FDA-cleared sports equipment that helps protect athletes’ brains during head impacts. Cormier actively serves on their medical advisory committee. The technology is based upon the physiology of the woodpecker and the battle ram, two animals who live by striking their heads. (The woodpecker strikes its head 25,000 times per day or 85 million times in its lifetime, resulting in no brain injury; battle rams create a force of 780 pounds each time they hit each other, which is like being hit with a baseball bat at 80 miles per hour!)

The Q Collar by Q30 provides 1.5 pounds of light pressure over the jugular veins at the neck which increases blood amount in the brain to prevent the slosh effect or movement of the brain upon impact. Dr. Cormier calls it an “airbag inside the skull” and says it decreases concussions up to 90% of the time. Dr. Cormier grew up in a competitive family and jokes that his older brother, John, and sister, Delores, would all race to brush their teeth. His goal was to be a team doctor for Formula One and eventually created a safety group for the racing industry alongside the renowned neurosurgeon Dr. Julian Bailes, Dr. Alan Appley, and Dr. Dani Bidros. They pulled together surgeons and doctors who had been athletes in the past and created the Motorsports Safety Group.

According to the Motorsports Safety Group website, “Dr. Jason Cormier crafted his strategic partnership with the ARCA racing series’ safety initiative Program to form a “Motorsports Healthcare Education Plan” Medical car- a high profile, interactive activation designed to reach millions of race fans throughout the country. utilizing the strength and demographic reach of NASCAR and the ARCA racing series, their mission is to provide a comprehensive, grassroots marketing campaign focused on preventative health care education and wellness training.”A race car driver himself, Dr. Cormier started out racing go-carts which he says can travel up to 130 miles per hour. He has also had the opportunity to test race cars at Talledega and has driven at speeds up to 187 miles per hour. When asked how safe that is, he joked, “Is it safer to be on a track with other professional drivers or on Johnston St. with people texting and dealing with their kids? I’d rather be on the track any day of the week with professionals because they know how to avoid you, they know how to take a hit. While you see accidents on tracks, they are nothing compared to day-to-day life.”

Music has also been an integral part of Dr. Cormier’s life since his younger days at STM when he was a DJ alongside his entertainer friends, Marcus Lyle Brown and Carl Martin, who both went on to fame as an actor and singer, respectively. In 2015, Dr. Cormier’s passion for music was reignited when he attended Hang Out Fest in Orange Beach, AL where Skrillex was on stage. He remembers it was a place of “young energy, people having fun. No one was concerned with politics, there was no violence, just together having a good time and it was safe. Dr. Cormier had met Hall of Fame Cajun Fiddler Hadley Castille, who had told him, “Doc, I don’t think I’m a good fiddler, I just make music that makes people feel good.” Jason Cormier now carries the inspiration that Castille gave him every time he creates an original track or a remix. His first album had over 2.5 million plays in Spotify, under the name “CORM!!”

Jason Cormier recently completed his autobiography entitled “Driven – Hip-Hop, Fast Cars, Basketball and Brain Surgery” where he shares the seven characteristics he has developed for overcoming challenges on his path to success. Surviving the death of a brother, as well as abuse and depression in his younger days, Dr. Cormier outlines ways we can all stay mentally strong and focus on success. Four tenets that Dr. Cormier recommends when dealing with diversity: (1) Invest in yourself; (2) Surround yourself with positive people; (3) Be accountable; and (4) Read or write something every day. His overriding message: “People need to know there are resources, whether it is a friend, coach or clinic; there are so many good things here in Lafayette!”

Shaquille O’Neal is a close friend of Dr. Jason Cormier from their days playing LSU basketball together. O’Neal’s quote from the back of “Driven: Hip-Hop, Fast Cars, Basketball and Brain Surgery:” “What’s up, Doc? Jason Cormier is definitely one guy who can say, ‘I got skillz on the basketball court, on the race track, behind the turntables, and in the operating room. He could say it but his actions say it for him. Now he shows you how you can do it too.”Dr. Jason Cormier wrote his autobiography, Driven, which will be released on 10, January 2023. It may be pre-ordered at Barnes and Noble and Amazon. Find out more at https://www.thedrivenbook.com/

We thank Dr. Jason Cormier for his many contributions to our community and the medical community in Lafayette and beyond! Discover Lafayette also thanks Lafayette Surgical Specialty Hospital for its support of our podcast and for introducing us to the cutting-edge technology available here in Lafayette.

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JP MacFadyen, Executive Director of Moncus Park since August 2021, joins Discover Lafayette to discuss the progress made during 2022 to open the park’s long-awaited amenities. Previous to serving as ED, JP served the park as Operations Director for two years overseeing construction and developing processes and procedures for daily operations.

JP is a native of Pittsburgh, PA, and has a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Notre Dame and an MBA with a concentration in Operations from the University of Houston.

After graduation from Notre Dame, he stumbled across a job opening at Rockwell International. He ended up being hired to work as a space shuttle flight operations specialist as Missions Operations Director at Johnson Space Center in Houston. He looks back and says in March of the year he was interviewed, “It was the best time of year visiting Houston coming down from Notre Dame. The weather was warm and wonderful.” And there he landed!

His specialty was onboard propulsion, which meant de-orbiting rockets and the thruster jets that changed the altitude of the space shuttles once they were in orbit. At that time, everything prior to computers was still worked out on paper and his first job was the configuration of checklists for safety procedures.

JP met his wife, Michelle, in Houston while they worked together at NASA. She was an electrical engineer, a Eunice native and a graduate of UL – Lafayette.

JP MacFadyen: “I always say, when you marry a Cajun, it’s not a question of if, but when that you’ll move back home.” In 2005, he moved to Lafayette with his wife Michelle and their four children. The family then opened Great Harvest Bread Co., the first green-certified restaurant in the state of Louisiana. They sold their interest in Great Harvest Bread Co. in 2018 and JP worked as a small business consultant before he joined Moncus Park in 2019 as operations director. He has served as Executive Director since August 2021.

We are thrilled to welcome JPto update us on the many improvements that have been added over the past year in 2022. With the support of major donors, community support, and quality staff, Moncus Park has truly become an outdoor paradise in the heart of Lafayette. More than 230,000 visitors have been to the park since January 1, 2022!

The wood from the original barn at the UL Horse Farm was saved and used for the construction of the treehouse.JP emphasized the importance of the leadership of the Co-Chair of Moncus Park’s Board of Directors, Lenny Lemoine, who encouraged the board to go ahead and open up the park to the public early in 2022, even though the construction was not yet complete. Without that leadership, many of the park’s great community events would not have occurred this year. Discover Lafayette sends kudos to JP MacFadyen, Lenny Lemoine, and the entire board of Moncus Park for the gift you have given our community!

Lafayette natives have played a large role in the unique attractions at Moncus. Park. The designer of the water feature which evokes the unique character of our region, Jim Garland, is a UL-Lafayette grad who also designed the unique water feature at the Hilliard Art Museum. Jim’s early works included the design of the water features at the Bellagio casino in Las Vegas.

JP and the team at Moncus have taken great strides to preserve cherished bits of the original Horse Farm. The original wood of the farm is incorporated into the Savoy Family treehouse which opened this year. It offers easy access for children of all ages to enjoy. The treehouse, designed by world-renowned designer Pete Nelson, is nestled within a Live Oak in the new Louisiana-swamped-themed play area.

Moncus Park’s Amphitheater seats 3000 plus people and was underwritten by First Horizon Bank.People always ask, “who owns the park, how was it purchased, and how is it maintained?” Moncus Park is a public/private park conservancy that operates in a manner similar to large parks in other urban cities such as Central Park in NYC or Audubon Park in New Orleans. The city of Lafayette owns the land which it purchased 10 years ago with the plan that Moncus park would run as a nonprofit supported by private donors, including people who are now joining as yearly members. Moncus Park has a 99-year lease but doesn’t get any tax dollars from the city of Lafayette. The State of Louisiana has contributed capital outlay dollars to build the restrooms and to upgrade the Farmers’ Market Pavillion.

Moncus Park officially opened in January 2022. Even though the construction wasn’t finalized, the board wanted to open the park for people, dogs, and kids…the best thing has been rolling down the big hill now known as “Orlando Mountain”….the highest place in Lafayette, 60 feet above sea level. People also love fishing in the ponds, bands playing at events, and quiet time during the day when you take a walk.

The amenities that have been underwritten by local families and corporations have made Moncus Park accessible to all of us. More than 42 free community programs are open to the public year-round, including yoga classes and Healthy Kids Acadiana, which focus on health and wellness, environment and nature, and arts and culture.

Orlando Mountain is the highest venue in Lafayette at sixty feet above sea level. The mountain is a popular attraction for all who want to get a birds-eye view of Lafayette overlooking the scenic Moncus Park grounds. MacFadyen says that “Moncus Park looks to create partnerships with other non-profits in three ways: (1) Educate in all things environmentally; (2) Use the park to teach best practices in health and wellness; and (3) Share the many arts and culture in our community.”

• Moncus Park is open seven days a week.
• The Park is open from 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
• The Play Area is open from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
• The Our Lady of Lourdes Interactive Water Adventure is open daily from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
• All unimproved & unlit areas are open from sunrise to sunset.

Today, citizens in Acadiana are well-served by Moncus Park on every day of the week. For upcoming Christmas events, please see the links below for the magical wonderland open to you and your family during December 2022!

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Jason P. Reed, founder of New Bayou Books and the author of two recent novels set in Acadiana joined Discover Lafayette to share his goal of sparking a renaissance of new, modern fiction that features South Louisiana.  A native of Eunice LA, Jason graduated from USL, served a stint with the Peace Corps, then joined […]

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Clarice Gallegos, Executive Director of Focus Clubhouse of Lafayette, joined Discover Lafayette to discuss her mission to help people with mental illness have a reason to get up in the morning, be around like-minded people, and have meaningful work to do. Focus Clubhouse is a free membership community for people 18 years of age and […]

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Sally Scott Creed, a Licensed Professional Counselor who recently released the book, “For Crying Out Loud, The Benefit of Emotional Tears and the Movies That Bring Them On” joins Discover Lafayette to talk about why tears are necessary for emotional health. Her book has been in the making since 1998 when she had an epiphany […]

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Lori and Richard Hurst, owners of Poor Boy’s Riverside Inn, join Discover Lafayette to discuss their family business celebrating its 90th year in operation. Richard Hurst is a third-generation family member who has worked in the restaurant since he was four years old when he started peeling potatoes and shrimp. Discover Lafayette is grateful for […]

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Chris Gondran, Senior Vice President and Director of Information Security for Home Bank, guides us on how to protect ourselves from internet identity thieves. Chris earned an MBA from UL – Lafayette and has earned several industry certifications in Information Systems Security. His career has been built on helping others keep their assets safe. We’re […]

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State Senator Fred Mills, chair of the Senate Health and Welfare Committee, joins Discover Lafayette to talk about recent news concerning the effectiveness of the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services (“DCFS”), in particular Child Protective Services, after recent news of the deaths of two toddlers, each two years of age. One died following […]

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Toby Aguillard, Roya Boustany, and Jules Edwards III met on October 13, 2022, at a forum sponsored by the Lafayette Parish Bar Association. Each had the opportunity to discuss their unique qualifications to serve as our newest Lafayette City Court Judge. The Bar Association did not endorse any candidate and Discover Lafayette does not either; […]

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This is a re-release of our interview originally conducted with Ceci Neustrom in May 2022. Since our first interview, Ceci celebrated her body of work by unveiling two new portraits representing the Bergeron and Trahan families at the Hilliard Art Museum on October 12, 2022. We thought it was fitting to once again share her […]

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Lafayette Parish Sheriff Mark Garber joins Discover Lafayette to discuss his career and the scope of responsibilities of his office. He is the 27th Sheriff to serve Lafayette and has served in that capacity since January 2016. A native of Iota, Sheriff Garber graduated from LSU-BR and SMU Law School in Dallas. While in undergrad […]

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Dr. Jeffrey Joseph, otolaryngologist and facial plastic surgeon of Acadian ENT joins Discover Lafayette to discuss his 29-year career in reconstructive and cosmetic surgery. Dr. Joseph works with a team of other ENT specialists and staff, including Drs. Bradley Chastant and Ryan Chastant.  Their practice recently merged with Camellia ENT, which has been in operation […]

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Our guest is Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser, the 54th person to serve the State of Louisiana in this capacity. Billy Nungesser’s drive to rebuild the tourism industry of Louisiana as we exit the pandemic is admirable, and we are well on the way to breaking the historic number of visitors we experienced in 2019 right […]

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We’re joined by Dr. Gary Wagner, Acadiana Business Economist and Endowed Chair at UL- Lafayette B.I. Moody III College of Business Administration. This is Dr. Wagner’s second interview, the first having been conducted in March of 2020, right before the pandemic shut down things for a while and threw the employment market a curve ball […]

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Dr. Malcolm Stubbs, an orthopedic surgeon who specializes in sports medicine, joins Discover Lafayette to discuss the latest technique to restore mobility to patients with degenerative hip issues. In particular, we discuss the ROSA (Robotic Surgical Assistant) robotic hip surgery procedure that Lafayette Surgical Specialty Hospital has recently added. Dr. Stubbs graduated from LSU and […]

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Donielle Watkins, Co-Director of the D.R.E.A.M.S. Foundation of Acadiana, joins us to discuss her passion for helping individuals with special needs have access to fun and enriching activities.   Donielle and her husband, Brian, founded D.R.E.A.M.S. in 2008, so that their son, Logan, who was born with spina bifida, could participate in activities and sports […]

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Dr. Rachel Pruchno, the author of Beyond Madness, joined Discover Lafayette to discuss how 11.2 million adults and 1.9 million children (statistics as of 2017) live with serious mental illness and how their families have a front-row seat to the ravages of serious mental illness as they try to make their way in the world. […]