Click this link to the March 2013 issue of Ascension

COMPLIMENTARY
MARCH 2013, VOL. 11 ISSUE 1
See Page 22
Publisher / Editor
Mike Strong
Table of Contents
Sales Manager
DREAMS COME TRUE ...........4
Dottie Godberry
ASCENSION HOUSEWISE .....10
Staff Photographer
SWEET EYES W/ TANYA.... ....12
Jimmy Dunkley
ASK YOUR REALTOR ............. 18
Contributing Writers
BOUARI COVER STORY....................22
Bill Delaune
JAMMIN’ WITH GOOSIE........ 25
Marilyn Bowman
BILL DELAUNE........................26
Linda Melancon
THOUGHTS FROM BULLY ....32
Calvin Bessonett
Ron Baratini
Bully
Goosie Guice
Orhan McMillan
Kellie Seymour
Tanya Stilley
Roland Doucet
Denise Smith
Karlin O’Neal
Jimmy Dunkley
For Advertising
Information Please call:
225-622-1324
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to [email protected]
www.ascensionmagazine.net
Note: Features in this
publication labeled
“advertorial”
are paid for editorials.
All Rights Reserved.
Opinions expressed are not
necessarily those of the
publisher, editor or staff of
18386 Little Prairie Rd.
Prairieville, LA 70769
Delicious
Veron’s
Green Onion
Sausage
has taken
the parish
by storm.
Taste the Best!
In a Store Near You • Ask for it by Name
Community Service Award – Single Effort
Dreams Come True Radiothon
In January of 2012, Guaranty
Broadcasting continued it’s
commitment to the community
by hosting its Third Annual
Dreams Come True Radiothon.
Guaranty utilized all five of its
stations to hold a two day
radiothon at Guaranty
Broadcasting in effort to raise
money for this wonderful
radiothon wouldn’t have been
so successful.
Through this radiothon,
Guaranty Broadcasting helped
Dreams Come True raise over
$20,000 to help grant dreams
to these local children with
organization.
Dreams Come True is a local
organization designed to grant
dreams to local children with
life-threatening illnesses.
Dreams Come True grants
upwards of seventy five dreams
per year to children and their
families in Louisiana.
Guaranty Broadcasting’s
Dreams Come True Radiothon
was held January 19th and
20th. As listeners tuned in to
the stations, they heard
heart-breaking stories of
children with life threatening
illnesses and their families’
struggles. These children have
either already had their come
true or were currently waiting
for their dream to be made.
Listeners were encouraged to
either call in or visit any of
Guaranty’s websites to make a
donation to help in efforts to
make these children’s dreams
come true.
The radiothon was supported
by many distinguished members
of the community
including Mayor
President Kip
Holden, LSU
Baseball Coach
Paul Maineiri,
Baton Rouge
Sheriff Sid
Gautreaux, Baton
Rouge’s Hilar
Moore, WAFB
and many more!
These guests came
and donated their
time on the radio
and answered the
phones at
Guaranty’s Phone
Bank! Without
their support, the
4
life-threatening illnesses! Not
only did Dreams Come True
receive a substantial sum, they
also received countless contacts
wanting to donate time,
resources, and services to help
grant dreams to these children.
Guaranty Broadcasting looks
forward to hosting this
radiothon for years to come.
Guaranty Broadcasting is so
happy to be a part of such an
amazing organization, granting
dreams to children with life
threatening illnesses in the area.
It’s events like this that keep
Guaranty live and local and
always willing to serve
the community.
5
The American Cancer Society
The Ascension Parish Relay for Life event will be held April 20, 2013
The American Cancer Society
is the nationwide, community
based, voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating
cancer as a major health
problem by preventing cancer,
saving lives, and diminishing
suffering from cancer, through
research, education, advocacy,
and service.
In Ascension Parish in 2012,
the American Cancer Society
provided 902 services to 273
families at no charge to them. If
you are a cancer patient that is
receiving treatment in New
Orleans and you do not live
within a 40 miles radius of New
Orleans you can stay at Hope
Lodge. This is free of charge
and is 100% funded by the
American Cancer Society. There
have been 48 families from
Ascension Parish that have
benefited from Hope Lodge
totaling 573 night. There is no
limit on how long you are able
to stay as long as you are in
treatment you are allowed to
stay at Hope Lodge.
Since 1991, there has been a
decrease in the mortality rate
due to clinical trials, treatment,
awareness, and research.
The Ascension Parish Relay
for Life event will be held April
20,2013, from 3:00 p.m. till
3:00 a.m. April 21, 2013, at
Lamar Dixon Expo Center. Our
goal is to have 30 teams signed
up and to raise $125,000.00. If
you have never experienced a
relay or not heard of this event
we invite you to come out and
see what it's all about, and if
you have been before we invite
you back. People that have
been touched by cancer of
6
every kind come together in
celebration to raise awareness
and raise money that will go to
the American Cancer Society in
Purpose, a beauty pageant, and
scrapbooking. Congratulations
to Lexie Breaux, and Tristyn
Laborde our 2013 Queens.
hopes that one day we may live
in a world with no Cancer and
we can celebrate more
birthdays. Each team sets up
and decorates their campsite
according to the theme. This
year's theme is " Crusin For A
Cause". During the event at
least one member from each
team must have someone walking. The way teams raise money
at relay are raffles , and lots of
good food . There will also be a
car show, 5k run/walk, balloon
launch, and luminaria ceremony. Many teams have already
been fundraising with activities
such as a golf tournament,
Jambalaya sale, raffles, selling
cookbooks, Painting with a
There are many activities
planned for Relay starting off
with the EA Jazz Band
performing at 5:00 p.m.
followed by the opening
ceremony at 6:00. Donna Britt
from Channel 9 and Parish
President Tommy Martinez will
be the guest speakers. There
will be the survivors lap and
caregivers lap . If you or anyone
you know is a cancer survivor
you may sign up to take part in
the laps by going to relayforlife.org/ascension. It is free and
you will receive a survivors
t-shirt. Center Stage
Performing Arts Academy will
be there as well as The
Gonzales Black Belt Academy
and EBBA and the Gatorettes
will perform. The Luminaria
ceremony is sponsored by Ms.
Sharon Saia and the Dutchtown
High School Allied Health.
They do such a great job in
allowing us to honor those who
have beaten cancer and to
remember those who have lost
their battle . We will have a DJ,
live music, line dancing and
zumba, a night full of fun and
excitement.
Kriste Haydel from Amanda's
Gang relays for her daughter
Amanda Haydel Sininan who
lost her life to Gliobastoma
"Brain Cancer" at the age of 28.
Family and friends of Brandi
Chaney became involved in
Relay for Life shortly after her
diagnosis of Ovarian Cancer at
the age of 29. Although she lost
her battle in March of 2012
they continue on in her honor.
Awareness, early
detection , and proper diagnosis
is a huge part of improving the
survival rate of this disease.
Together we can make a
difference. Noelle WaguespackFranz relays in memory of her
husband, Joel "TJ" Franz ll.
Relay for life hit home when her
husband was diagnosed with
cancer. This is her second year
having a team in memory of
him and it is a way of
healing. Many times we hear
people don't come out or
participate because they don't
know what Relay is all about.
Relay is not just for people
affected by cancer it's for
everyone to come out and
support the cause. There are too
many people affected by this
disease , but if we all come
together and raise money and
awareness , then one day the
survival rate will increase.
Noelle relays in memory of her
husband and all those who were
lost to cancer, who are still
fighting , and to those who are
survivors. Let's change the
world and find a cure .
There are so many stories of
cancer survivors and those lost
to the disease. Please come out
and celebrate, remember and
fight back.
If you would like to join a
team, start a team or even
donate to a team you may do so
by visiting
relayforlife.org/ascension or
contact Lindsay turner,
Ascension's ACS Community
Representative. at
225- 287-5177.
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7
Jambalaya Queen, Meredith Conger, Takes a Look Back
My year as the 2012 Gonzales
Jambalaya Queen is slowly winding
down - and though I am sad its
coming to an end - looking back, I
realize I have had an absolutely
amazing reign. I have traveled over
3,695 miles across the state of
Louisiana and to Washington, DC
representing the Jambalaya Festival
and City of Gonzales. I have
picked Oranges in the Orange
groves of Plaquemines Parish,
learned how to sew a bag of
harvested rice in Crowley, and
picked fresh Strawberries on the
farm of the Ponchatoula
Strawberry King - just to name
a few. During my travels I have
made many memories and friends
that will last a lifetime and for that,
I am forever grateful.
It has been a blessing to spend
my reign with my champ and
jambalaya King, Danny. We have
had so much fun this year serving
Jambalaya in our community at
the Senior Citizens sock hop, the
Gonzales Veteren's Day
Celebration, and multiple
fundraisers for St. Jude Children's
Hospital. He and his helper, Kurt,
are always such good sports about
the numerous pictures my wonderful "queen mother" insists on
taking and they always keep me
laughing! I am truly a lucky girl to
have had this year as queen and to
have forever gained a second
family in the Jambalaya Festival
Association.
With the 2013 pageant steadily
approaching I am excited to meet
all of the lucky ladies vying for the
chance to be Miss Gonzales
Jambalaya and to have the best
year of her life representing this
amazing organization. The
pageant will be May 4th at the
Gonzales Civic Center. Anyone
interested in competing please visit
www.jambalayafestival.org for
more information and forms!
Thank you to everyone for all of
the love and support this year,
Meredith Claire Conger
Miss Gonzales Jambalaya 2012
8
Tim Godso
Kari Godso
Kaylon Godso
Why go to the store,
when you can go to
the Market?
WE have
what you need...
Fixing The Bedtime Blues
By Dr. Dawn Zitman
Many parents struggle with the
bedtime blues, often doing anything possible to coax a child to
stay in his or her room. Whether
it is one last story, the remainder
of their favorite television show or
another sip of water, children find
ways to keep themselves from falling asleep. Parents, often exhausted themselves from the nightly ritual, sometimes feel forced to give
in and suggest a peace offering to
entice the child to go to sleep.
While no child is exactly the
same, all children generally
respond well to nightly routines.
This is particularly important from
1 to 3 years of age, when the child
is learning to put his or herself
asleep with little parent interaction. Consistent, planned bedtime
routines help minimize strain on
both parent and child.
Here are a few things when planning a routine:
· Give night time baths to help
calm and relax a child before bed.
· Turn off the television 30-45
minutes before bed. Television
causes the brain to become stimulated, making it difficult for a child
to fall or stay sleep.
· Offer a story before bed, and
read aloud in a soft calming tone.
· Have a defined bedtime and
stick to it. Though you may need to
deviate from this time every now
and then, this is an important step
in creating a routine.
· Minimize liquids 30-45 before
bed, and encourage the child to use
the bathroom before getting in bed.
· Learn to walk away. Reassure
the child that everything is alright,
but be firm and let him or her
know that it is time to go to sleep.
· Offer a nightlight if the child
seems uneasy in the dark, but remember that too much light can
cause stimulation. Consider using
a soft glow night light.
When beginning your routine, it is normal for your child
to wake during the night. If your
child is not calmed easily and
seems scared, he or she may be
suffering from night terrors. It is
important to discuss any problems
in your child’s sleep patterns with
his or her Pediatrician. The Pediatrician can help determine what
treatments are available.
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9
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Do's & Don’ts of
Furnniture Placement
Many mistakes in furniture
placement are made because
it’s difficult for many people to
visualize the three-dimensional
effect of furniture in advance.
A floor plan is a necessary
ingredient of furniture
placement pre-planning,
BUT you must also take into
consideration the dimensional
qualities of furniture as well!
This is where a professional
decorator’s expertise will save
you time and money!
DON’T block a view from a
picture window – especially if
it’s a good one! So placing tall
chairs and a lamp on a table
placed smack in the center of a
picture window is a big no-no.
Choice and placement of
furniture should complement,
not conflict with architectural
features.
DO plan a furniture grouping
that won’t conflict with your
window. A sofa might fit
below it, flanked by two end
tables with lamps – creating
symmetrical furniture grouping,
and allowing your picture window to take center stage.
Prairieville
225.673.2052
[email protected]
www.decdens.com/karlin
Karlin O’Neal
Gonzales
225.450.2512
[email protected]
www.decdens.com/denisesmith
Denise Smith
10
DON’T place only wooden
pieces of furniture along one
wall or at one end of a
room. Too many wooden
pieces in one cluster ten to
have a cold, inhospitable
look.
wall opposite a high wall in
a room with a vaulted
ceiling. Balance and
symmetry will immediately
fly out the window!
DO try angling your furniture. When your furniture
pieces – chairs, sofas, love
seats are all lined up flat
against a wall, you lose the
opportunity to create
interesting conversational
groupings.
DO mix wooden pieces with
upholstered furniture for
texture contrast and interest.
Rich, polished wood tones
look more so when contrasted by handsome fabric, and
vice versa.
When selecting furniture
to be placed in smaller
rooms follow these
simple rules:
DON’T use too many
matched pairs of tables,
lamps or chairs in one room.
Matching pieces help unify a
room, but too many pairs
will make your room
resemble a furniture store.
DO achieve variety by
choosing some similar but
not exactly matching pieces
to balance each other…two
non-matching lamps of
similar size and shape, for
instance, would be the
perfect solution.
1. Pieces with rounded
corners will work best
2. Don’t select large or
oversized pieces
3. Open shelving styles
will help your space seem
more expansive
DO place large furniture pieces
first. It’s definitely a mistake to
start with your smaller pieces.
I guarantee your frustration
level will definitely increase if
you try to start the process with
small tables and accent pieces.
4. Opt for a more tailored
look in upholstered furniture
pieces
DON’T place a large
entertainment center on a small
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11
eight to ten more pounds, and
I’m determined to get there.
Many Thanks to Liz at Ideal
Weight Loss in Gonzales for
her motivation and continued
support through this process.
It’s
Hypnotic!
I actually intended to talk
about something else in my
beauty bit for Sweet Eyes, but
I’ve had a change of plans. I
have a new favorite mascara.
It’s called Hypnose Star and it’s
Spanks
Anyone?
Um..No!
Every year around this time
I get a little anxious. Spring is
near and all the comfort food
from the holidays, and the king
cakes during Mardi Gras has
caught up with my waistline.
When Spanks don’t get you
into your tried and true jeans,
then it’s time to get refocused
on proper nutrition and
real exercise!
I know I’ve really got to kick
my sugar cravings. You ever
noticed how when you eat
something high in carbohydrates, or sugar, your body
tends to just want more? Well,
the cravings have been in full
effect in my body for the past
several months. I want this
monkey off my back!
So, I decided to try Ideal
Protein. A friend of mine that’s
a Nurse Practitioner that
opened an Ideal Protein clinic,
so I thought I’d visit her, find
out more about the program
and give it a try.
During my visit with Liz
Melancon, NP at Ideal Weight
Loss in Gonzales, I learned that
the Ideal Protein program was
developed in Canada by Dr.
Tran Tien. Dr. Tien realized
that most weight issues were
due to an insulin imbalance
from too many processed foods.
When your pancreas produces
an overabundance of insulin it
tells your body to store
energy…AKA fat. Not good!
So, in order to burn my
body’s fat reserves, I’ve got to
keep my insulin low and stay
away from high sugar and
processed foods. This is not a
new concept, but what I really
12
liked about this program is that
they offer low carb, high
protein, easy to fix foods and
snacks. I’ve been through low
carb diets before, but I like a
little variety. I get tired of just
eating tuna, chicken, egg whites
and protein powder.
So after hearing about the
ABC’s of Ideal Protein, my
measurements were taken and
my weight was recorded (oy
vay)! Then I went into a large
room to choose my weeks
reserves of completely
compliant foods and snacks.
I shouldn’t have started on a
Friday, because I had a few slip
ups during the first weekend of
my program. I really like the
taste and the flavor of the IP
foods I chose. I especially liked
the soups. The protein in these
products really helps you to feel
full; however, you may still
experience some cravings. It’s
not necessarily because you’re
hungry, but because your body
is craving those foods that are
high in carbs. I noticed I did
have a little headache the first
few days, but nothing some
Advil didn’t help.
It’s day four of the program
and I’ve lost three pounds. I
am staying completely
hydrated, so I know its pounds
and not just water weight. Best
of all, I feel lighter and better
about myself. I have a goal of
made by Lancome.
The unique brush is so easy
to use. One side of the wand is
a bit stubbier and is useful for
applying more mascara at the
base of the lash, while the flip
side of the wand creates long
and lush lashes. I am
HOOKED on this mascara. I
received a sample and already
purchased a full size. The mascara comes in one color only,
Noir Midnight, and runs about
$28.00. For more information
go to www.lancome-usa.com.
I’m
Springing
Forward
We spring forward this
weekend. I always feel so
conflicted every Saturday night
or Sunday morning I go
around the house to change all
the clocks. It always seems like
a good idea, but really, it’s
tough for me! When we spring
forward, it stays darker later in
the mornings and it’s much
tougher to get out of bed.
But enough complaining;
I’m going to focus on the
productive things I will do with
an extra hour of daylight in
the evenings. I will enjoy
barbequing and eating dinner
outside while the sun sets,
taking a swim, catching a
baseball game, working in my
garden, taking a walk AFTER
dinner, and spending more
time with family and friends
with an extra hour of daylight
in the evenings. I’d say that
certainly beats a little
grogginess in the mornings.
What will you do with an
extra hour of daylight?
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13
Cajun gal
does
Sundance
by Jennifer Rhea Cross
The Sundance Film Festival is an
American film festival that takes place
annually in January at Park City,
Utah. It is one of the largest independent film festivals in the United
States. It is a showcase for new documentary and dramatic films, from
American and international independent filmmakers..
Earlier this year, I discovered that my
parents would be going to Utah for
business during the same time that
the Sundance Film Festival was being
held. I knew that this would be a
chance of a lifetime, since I'm a film
enthusiast and writer. So the process
of getting my press credentials, or, as
I like to call it, "the golden ticket"
began. The best way to describe it is
that it's sort of like getting stadium
seats for an LSU game rather than
those nosebleed seats. The press cre-
dentials gave me admittance to theatres and public venues on a spaceavailable basis. It permitted me to
enter theatres to photograph film
introductions and Q&A sessions with
the actors and filmmakers, as well as
access to press conferences, media
areas, and press events.
Once I got my press credentials,
Operation Cajun Sundance began. I
had to prepare for the "freezing"
snow and therefore bought the proper
boots, pants, sweaters, and obnoxious
snow hats (I didn't wear any of
them). As a matter of fact, it was hot.
Not LSU-game hot, but more like
Mardi Gras hot. Four suitcases for my
parents and I, and we never wore half
the clothes, hats, gloves, cuddle duds,
thermal socks, and earmuffs that we
bought. It snowed, but it was a "dry"
cold. Even when it got down to the
teens, it was never as bone cold as we
get here in the 40's. However, the
dry cold did amazing things for my
hair. You don't need a blow-dryer
because your hair dries as soon as you
walk out of the shower. The cold does
make your nose hurt and you take a
million deep breaths because of the
altitude. Combine the two, and
you're a sight to see...or maybe just a
Cajun.
The first person that I met was
Harvey Weinstein, legendary execu-
tive producer of films such as Pulp
Fiction, The Aviator, and The Artist.
He was casually dressed sitting next to
us at the restaurant at dinner. He was
interesting, not at all what I expected.
I learned quickly that you have about
thirty seconds to choose what you
want, get a picture or an autograph.
One of the most interesting aspects of
the festival was the "gifting suites." I
had the opportunity as a press member to attend many, and discovered
the importance of them. As a non-
and we left with some goodies. We
walked down Main Street like celebrities until we got on the shuttle. Side
note: Salt Lake City has incredible
and clean shuttles.
Deb Durkin’s "Eco-Hideaway" at
The Chateaux in Deer Valley was an
honor to attend because everything
that was given, decorated, or presented was eco friendly. Durkin chooses a
non-profit organization to be highlighted at all her events. At Sundance,
it was “Save the One Campaign” with
celebrity (a.k.a Cajun), I just thought
of gifting suites as places for famous,
rich people to get free products that
most people could never afford or
even think about owning. Let me
explain what a "gifting suite" is really
all about. The premise of a "gifting
suite" is for a brand to get the opportunity to have a celebrity be photographed wearing their product, an
applied endorsement, if you will.
While some were only for the "important people," I was honored to attend
a couple as a press member. I'm still
trying to find out how to get a free
pair of Ugg boots to replace my
Cajun Reeboks; a Cajun gal can only
dream.
L'Oreal Sundance Gifting Suite was
fabulous because my mother and I
got to get our hair and makeup done,
Guard a Heart Foundation. I got the
chance to speak with one of the brand
owners Deb Miller President/CEO
Hugrz Boot Wraps™ and asked her
how gifting suites have benefited her
product. She said, "The company is
only 19 months old and I can't afford
the advertising in high- profile magazines. Festivals give me the opportunity to not only get my product out
there, but it allows me to interact on
a personal level with many different
people."
The Outdoor Retailer’s “Innovation
Gallery” at Sundance gives the public
a glimpse into brands that capture the
spirit of the outdoors, as well as its
role in independent film. Although
this Cajun gal doesn't get to use
much winter gear, I found the
"Outdoor Retailer" to be the Fashion
14
Week of Sundance! The Outdoor
Retailer assisted with promoting the
Louisiana International Film Festival
in Sundance, which will be held in
Baton Rouge on April 18- 21. The
Louisiana Film Festival staged a traditional "Second Line" up Main Street
led by Jonathan Batiste, as well as
people with Mardi Gras Beads,
umbrellas and some funky moves!
Throughout my trip the most memorable celebrity sightings were:
Amy Poehler from Saturday Night
Live, who was not only adorable, but
surprisingly petite. I introduced her to
my parents (they're not up to date on
celebrities) as "mom and dad, this is
Amy Poehler!" She shook their hands
and then kept re-introducing herself
to them, on purpose. I was so excited
to get a picture with her that I overlooked her Parks & Recreation co-star
Adam Scott. Sorry Adam, you're fabulous and thanks for photo bombing
my picture with my new BFF (Best
Friends Forever).
Catherine O'Hara was a delightful and
beautiful surprise to meet. It took
everything in me to not ask her to yell
"Kevin!" (Home Alone) or sing "Dayo" (Beetlejuice).
Must see Sundance Festival Films:
A.C.O.D. is a hilarious comedy film
directed by Stu Zicherman and starring Adam Scott, Amy Poehler, Jessica
Alba, Catherine O'Hara, and Jane
Lynch. The name of the film is an
abbreviation for Adult Children of
Divorce. I had the pleasure to meet
first-time director Zicherman and see
his film; it's definitely a must see, and
I promise that you'll cry from laugh-
ing with the stellar cast.
Sound City is a documentary about
the famed recording studio in Van
Nuys, California, which was the origin
of records by Fleetwood Mac,
Nirvana, Rick Springfield and Tom
Petty among many others. Rock musician Dave Grohl, of Nirvana and Foo
Fighters, sets out to tell the story of a
recording studio in his first film. The
studio became famous for a single
piece of recording equipment — a
Blood Brother is a documentary feature film directed by Steve Hoover. It
captured the grand jury prize and the
audience award for U.S. documentaries at the Sundance. Hoover traces
the journey of his best friend, Rocky,
who travels to India and changes his
life forever. Rocky establishes a bond
with children and their families with
AIDS, who face life and death situations on a daily basis. This documentary made me cry, smile, laugh, and
1970s era sound board — that
became a "hope diamond" for
musians. Sound City is a musical time
machine that allows film and music
enthusiasts to travel back through
time to when music was recorded with
raw, pure imperfections that led to
many remarkable careers. It made me
want to throw out my iPad and computer, and start typing on a type
writer while rocking out to the Sound
City soundtrack.
want to scream all at the same time.
Hoover captures the pure innocence
of AIDS as well as the horror with an
end result that will transform views on
AIDS. "The funding of this film is
quite unique. It was all supported
through donations. This means we
have no debt and no one to pay back
for the film, allowing any/all of the
proceeds from the film to be used to
help support the orphanage and the
children with HIV in India, as well as
supporting Rocky and his continuing
efforts," Hoover explained in his
humble interview. Hoover admitted
his ignorance towards AIDS at the
beginning of filming. By falling in
love with the children, his passion and
need to help transcended his own
thoughts on AIDS. When asked if
Hoover felt like an activist for AIDS,
he admitted “I’m not sure if I consider myself an activist because I don't
know what an activist feels." It was at
that moment that I knew that I was
interviewing not only an AIDS
activist, but a film director that will
change the world through his lens.
Operation Cajun Sundance was challenging with a few disappointing
moments. I may not have gotten to
meet the most famous celebrities or
watch every film at Sundance. I didn't
get to attend any of the premiers, or
cover the red carpet. But the experiences that I did have were unforgettable and unimaginable. Besides the
festival, I also took the time to visit
the Utah Olympic Park. It was a competition venue for the 2002 Olympic
Winter Games for Nordic jumping
and the sliding sports of bobsleigh,
luge and skeleton. I highly recommend taking the time to visit to see a
glimpse into the Olympics.
Sundance took a little piece of my
spicy Cajun heart. As I flew over the
mountains on my way home to
Louisiana, I smiled knowing that this
Cajun will be back next year!
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36501 MISSION ST. Suite A (Inside Fusion Fitness) •Prairieville, Louisiana 70769
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225.744-3631 • Fax 225.744.3647
Celebrating 5 Years of Commitment to Service in the Dutchtown Community
16
YOUR ESTATE MATTERS
By Linda Melancon
Estate Planning
Mistakes
Many think that estate planning
is only for the rich, but that
thinking is wrong. Estate
planning is life planning and it’s
for everyone. Whether you or
young or old, healthy or ill, you
never know what life holds and it
is best to be prepared. In this
article we discuss some of the
come mistakes that people make
or actions they fail to take with
regard to their planning.
The death rate from automobile
accidents is more than double for
someone 20 compared to
someone 60 years old; therefore,
planning is not just for older
people. An accident can occur at
any age that can leave you unable
to make financial or health care
decisions for yourself. Therefore,
it’s important to have financial
and health care powers of attorney in place to allow the person
you choose to make decisions for
you if you cannot make them for
yourselves. Further, you should
consider whether you want to be
kept alive artificially if doctors
have determined that you are
never going to recover. All of the
cases that have reached the U.S.
Supreme Court that dealt with
end of life decision making
involved young people. So, even
if you don’t believe you have
enough assets to warrant a will or
a trust, make sure you at least
have the proper decision making
documents in place in the event
you become incapacitated.
Another common mistake is
failing to coordinate beneficiary
designations with the remainder
of your plan. All too often,
people’s lives change and they
change their will or trust but do
not coordinate these changes with
their beneficiary designations. As
17
a result, the bulk of their assets,
such as insurance, retirement
plans, and IRAs, end up going in
ways that are no longer desired.
This mistake occurs because
assets controlled by beneficiary
designations are not controlled
by wills and trusts.
Many people leave assets outright
to their children or others
without consideration of other
options. This can often be a
mistake. Often, leaving assets in
trust provides advantages for the
beneficiaries. By leaving the
assets in trust, the assets can be
protected from the creditors or
ex-spouses of the beneficiary, as
well as from the beneficiary’s
own indiscretions.
Another common error is
forgetting to update you estate
planning documents when there is
a change in their circumstances.
Life is constantly changing. The
birth of a child or grandchild,
divorce, re-marriage, substantial
increase or decrease in assets,
change in health, and many other
circumstances can have significant
impact on your estate plan.
Periodic review of your estate
plan can keep it current and in
step with changing circumstances
as life goes on.
Of course, the greatest is estate
planning mistake is the failing to
plan at all. None of us like to
contemplate our own mortality
and everyone always thinks that
an accident that causes incapacity
will always happen to the other
guy. Therefore, we put off
planning – sometimes until it is
too late. One of the most
common comments I receive
from those who complete their
planning is what a relief it is to
know that their family and loved
ones will be taken care of if
something happens to them.
As you can see, estate planning is
not just for the wealthy. Estate
planning is life planning and it is
for all adults, regardless of age or
condition of health. To find out
what you need to do to protect
you and your family consult a
qualified estate planning attorney
can help you implement a plan
that fits your life and your wishes.
Ms. Melancon has engaged in the
practice of law in Louisiana for
the past 14 years. The primary focus
of her practice is estate planning,
special needs planning, elder law
and probate. She is also accredited
by the VA to give advice regarding
veterans’ benefits. For more
information, please contact her at
744-0027 or visit her website at
www.LegacyCenterLa.com or her
facebook page at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/PrairievilleLA/Legacy-Center-ofLouisiana/267942070212.
r
o
t
l
Rea
ASK
YOUR
with Marilyn Bowman
Starting from where I left off
last month, this article will
explain which option is better.
SHORT SALE vs.
FORECLOSURE:
It should be avoided at
all costs.
Which is the Better Option?
Almost any option is better
than foreclosure
Losing your home to
foreclosure due to inability to
keep up with your monthly
payment is one of life's most
unpleasant experiences. It is
also an event that keeps on
affecting you long after your
home is history by devastating
your credit score. People
cannot be 100% sure that
they will remain safe from
foreclosure because they can't
foresee the unexpected like
serious illness, divorce, job loss
and other hardships people
experience in life.
Of all available options,
FORECLOSURE
IS THE WORST
The inevitable result of a
foreclosure is the lender taking
your house. Not only will you
lose your house, but the
lender can get a judgment
against you for the arrearages
you owe plus his costs for the
foreclosure action. If that isn't
enough, your credit report will
be in terminal condition for
many years into the future,
worsening an already bad
financial situation and making
it very difficult to obtain any
other kind of credit.
18
THERE IS NO
UPSIDE TO
FORECLOSURE.
Simply stated, do everything
you can before foreclosure
occurs and do it as quickly as
humanly possible. Don't sit
back and keep thinking,
"What can I do?" Instead
consider that short sale and
call me before your options
become more limited.
The One Best Tip I can
Give You:
DON'T DO THIS
ALONE
Facing Foreclosure is a scary
thing. Having someone who
knows who to talk to, when to
talk to them and how to
handle all the paperwork is key
to getting the job done and
saving your credit. You need
my professional help so call me
today(225) 936-8534, don't
wait until it's too late. I am
free of charge to you and will
work to help you avoid
foreclosure. The lender pays
the commission at the
time of a sale.
Grinding Time
By Connie Braud Brock
In the late 1930’s and early
1940’s my grandfather, Joseph
Alexander Braud, had a
rendezvous with “Cora”; Cora
Texas that is. Cora Texas is a
sugar factory located on Hwy. 1
just down the road from
Donaldsonville in White Castle.
It is still a very lucrative and
productive business.
Each year in September,
Grandpa Braud would ride his
horse from Bluff Road in
Ascension Parish to Cora Texas.
There he would stay until
“Grinding Time” was over,
usually a period then of about
six weeks. There was no going
home during this
time. This was
Grandpa’s only cash
income for the year
with the exception
of the little money
coming in from
selling eggs.
Grandpa raised most
of his own food;
cows for milk,
butter, cream, calves
for meat, pigs for
bacon, pork, chickens , vegetables, etc.
Times were hard
and you didn’t pass
up a chance to make
some cash money.
As a young girl, I
had a chance to visit
the Cora Texas.
Living in Calcasieu Parish, we
19
didn’t get to visit my grandparents very often. One of our
visits was during the sugar cane
grinding season. I was scared
while riding the ferry across the
Mighty Mississippi and couldn’t
believe Grandpa did it on a
horse. If you had a horse with
four white stocking feet you
didn’t have to pay the nickel
that it cost to ride. For those
reading this that aren't familiar
with this term, four stocking
feet meant that your horse’s
legs were white from above the
ankles to the hooves. Grandpa
had one of these.
The men who worked during
sugar cane grinding during this
long-ago time, stayed in a tin
building somewhat like an old
Army barrack; very plain and
austere. The building that
serves as living quarters today is
known as the boarding house
and is equipped with all the
amenities of a hotel. The
migrant workers today come
from many different countries
and I am quite sure, none rode
a horse there!
I remember enjoying the
guided tour we were given of
the small sugar factory and
being terrified when the man
showing us around told us kids
that if we fell in to the boiling
vats of sugar we would
immediately be cooked until we
too became sugar and never
found again. That remark has
always stayed with me.
My photographer daughter,
Stacie Crawford, and I
thoroughly enjoyed our visit
and reminiscing about days
gone by. Mr. Robert Young
made us feel very welcome and
shared some interesting facts
and Ms. Barbi Hood gave us
some interesting information.
For more information about
this very lucrative and still
thriving factory go to their
website, CoraTexas.com. It is a
much larger operation now and
very interesting. I think my
Grandpa would be pleased that
I shared this little story about
“Grinding Time”
GUM
DISEASE
By Calvin Bessonet, DDS,FAGD
What is Gum Disease?
Gum disease, or periodontal
disease is a chronic inflammation
and infection of the gums and
surrounding tissue. It is the major
cause of about 70 percent of adult
tooth loss, affecting three out of
four persons at some point in their
life. Periodontal diseases include
gingivitis and periodontitis.
What causes gum
disease?
Bacterial plaque – a sticky,
colorless film that constantly forms
on the teeth – is recognized as the
primary cause of gum disease. If
plaque isn't removed each day by
brushing and flossing, it hardens
into a rough, porous substance
called calculus (also known as
tartar).Toxins produced and
released by bacteria in plaque
irritate the gums. These toxins
cause the breakdown of the fibers
that hold the gums tightly to the
teeth, creating periodontal pockets
that fill with even more toxins and
bacteria. As the disease progresses,
pockets extend deeper, and the
bacteria moves down until the
bone that holds the tooth in place
is destroyed. The tooth eventually
will fall out or require extraction.
Are there other factors?
Yes. Genetics is also a factor, as are
lifestyle choices. A diet low in
nutrients can diminish the body's
ability to fight infection. Smokers
and spit tobacco users have more
irritation to gum tissues than
non-tobacco users, while stress can
also affect the ability to ward off
disease. Diseases that interfere
with the body's immune system,
such as leukemia and AIDS, may
worsen the condition of the gums.
In patients with uncontrolled
diabetes, where the body is more
prone to infection, gum disease is
more severe or harder to control.
Pregnant women experience
elevated levels of hormones that
cause the gums to react differently
to the bacteria found in plaque,
and in many cases can cause a
condition known as "pregnancy
gingivitis."
What are the warning
signs of gum disease?
Signs include red, swollen or
tender gums, bleeding while
brushing or flossing, gums that
pull away from teeth, loose or
separating teeth, pus between the
gum and tooth, persistent bad
breath, a change in the way teeth
fit together when the patient bites
and a change in the fit of dentures.
While patients are advised to check
for the warning signs, there might
not be any discomfort until the
disease has spread to a point where
the tooth is unsalvageable. That's
why patients are advised to get
frequent dental exams.
What does periodontal
treatment involve?
In the early stages of gum disease,
most treatment involves a special
cleaning called scaling and root
planning, which removes plaque
and tartar around the tooth and
smoothing the root surfaces.
Antibiotics or antimicrobials may
be used to supplement the effects
of scaling and root planing. In
most cases of early gum disease,
called gingivitis, scaling and root
planing and proper daily cleaning
achieve a satisfactory result. More
advanced cases may require
surgical treatment, which involves
cutting the gums – sometimes
with the assistance of a laser – and
removing the hardened plaque
build-up and recontouring the
damaged bone. The procedure is
also designed to smooth root
surfaces and reposition the gum
tissue so it will be easier to
keep clean.
How do you prevent
gum disease?
Removing plaque through daily
brushing, flossing and professional
cleaning is the best way to
minimize your risk. Your dentist
can design a personalized program
of home oral care to meet
your needs.
What is the role of the
general dentist?
early stages. Some general dentists
have acquired additional expertise
to treat more advanced conditions
of the disease. If the general dentist believes that the gum disease
requires treatment by a specialist,
the patient will be referred to a
periodontist. The dentist and periodontist will work together to formulate a treatment plan for the
patient.
How can I maintain
treatment at home?
Sticking to a regular oral hygiene
regimen is crucial for patients who
want to sustain the results of
periodontal therapy. Patients
should visit the dentist every
three to four months (or more,
depending on the patient) for spot
scaling and root planing and an
overall exam. In between visits,
they should brush at least twice a
day, floss daily and brush their
tongue. Manual soft nylon bristle
brushes are the most dependable
and least expensive. Electric
brushes are also a good option,
but don't reach any further into
the pocket than manual brushes.
Proxy brushes (small, narrow
brushes) and other interdental
cleaners are the best way to clean
between the recesses in the teeth
and should be used once a day.
Wooden toothpicks and rubber
tips should only be used if recommended by your dentist.
The general dentist usually detects
gum disease and treats it in the
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20
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866-933-2703 • www. AscensionDentist.com
21
“The Bouari Program will help you lose an
average of three to seven pounds a week.
Without surgery, prescription drugs,
packaged foods or the need to exercise.
Call for your FREE consultaion today.”
PRAIRIEVILLE
Maximizing your Weight - Health Journey to
Weigh less and Live longer with Bouari Clinic.
It was exactly one year ago that
this crazy, yet exciting new journey
in my life would begin. It all started
when a longtime friend asked Pat
and I to attend the grand opening
of a new weight loss clinic in our
area. As lifelong residents of the
parish and owners of several
businesses over the last 30 years,
Pat & Karen Sigur
he thought we might be able to
help the young couple just starting
out. I must admit I did not want to
go, but agreed after much persistence from Pat. When we arrived I
was very impressed with the
lay out of the clinic and the
professional atmosphere. As we
talked to the owners, they told us
all about this new and innovative
way to lose weight. I listened
half-heartedly, because they were
talking to someone who had
struggled with her own weight
issues and had battled with a
negative body image her entire life.
I had tried numerous diets and
programs, joined health clubs, and
even resorted to surgery, all to no
avail. So what could possibly be
so different about this program?
I was about to find out.
After meeting with this young
couple, I was asked if I would help
them to spread the word about
their business. They were not
from here and did not have any
business connections. I told them I
could not promote a business
unless I knew that it did in fact do
what they claimed it could do, so I
was offered a 30 day trial program
to see what I thought of it, which I
hesitantly accepted, but thought
what did I have to lose, except
weight. I agreed to follow the plan
to the letter because I wanted to
be able to tell them I had done
everything exactly as they told me
to but it just didn’t work – this
would be yet another program to
add to my list of failed attempts.
Or would it? Within the first two
You’ll be amazed
at how you can achieve
substantial weight
loss and feel
healthier and
happier with
little effort.
This is NOT an HCG program.
weeks of the program, I had lost
14.4 lbs. and over 7 inches. By
the end of the month I was at the
20 lb. mark and over 10 inches.
The Bouari
Difference
1.
A novel approach
to weight loss burning fat instead
of restricting
calories
2.
An all-natural,
FDA-registered,
proprietary formula
designed to support
your endocrine
system
3.
Activates your
body’s ability to
release stored fat
and use it as energy
to feed you
My trial period was over, but I
agreed to keep going, this was
actually working. I was not hungry,
I loved the food, and I loved the
results. I continued the program
for the next 5 months, taking
breaks in between because I also
wanted to test for myself that if I
stopped the program, would I
gain the weight back? (I do not
recommend this by the way,
because it is very hard to get back
into the routine. It’s better to tough
it out, so once you are on a roll
stay on it!!) But even on the
breaks, I was able to maintain my
weight. After all was said and
done, I was 40 lbs. lighter and had
lost 23.5 inches all over my body.
I could not have been happier and
I was ready to spread the word.
In August, I was asked if I would
consider working part time at the
clinic. I agreed. Within three
months of working there I would
be managing the clinic and this
year would become the owner.
Wow, how your life can change in
just a few short months! If you
would have told me at the
beginning of last year, that by the
end of the year I would not only
lose 40+ lbs., but keep it off; I
would become a weight loss
consultant - and would eventually
end up owning my own clinic, I
would have told you to lay off the
sauce for a little while because it
was beginning to affect your brain.
“But God”, is all I can say. It was
His plan all along. “For I know the
The Bouari
program consists
of three simple
steps:
All you have to do is:
•
Use our metabolismboosting products and
follow our scientifically
designed meal plan,
made up of fruits,
vegetables and
lean meats.
•
Benefit from weekly
sessions with our
nutritional counselors, to
make sure you are fully
accompanied on
your journey to
healthier living.
•
Let your body’s
metabolism do the hard
work in helping you
achieve your optimum
weight, and then rely on
the nutritional awareness you will have
achieved with Bouari to
help stay that way.
The Time to Plan for
a Hurricane is NOT after you
see it on Television.
Contact:
Patrick Sigur Jr.
LA Arborist Lic# 1070
Liscensed
and Insured
plans I have for you,” declares the
Lord, “plans to prosper you and
not to harm you, plans to give you
hope and a future.” Thank you
Lord, for renewed hope, a bright
future and the opportunity to
teach others how to “weigh less
and live longer”.
The Bouari Clinics were
founded by Dr. Carol Ann
Chaney, an RN, with a PhD in
nutrition, who has 17 years
of experience in the weight
loss indusdtry.
Bouari Clinic of Prairieville is a
part of a rapid expanding national
franchise. Currently, there are
5 locations in Louisiana. Check
us out at www.bclouisiana.com
• Dangerous Take
Downs
• Stump Grinding
PRAIRIEVILLE
17534 Old Jefferson Hwy, Ste. B2
Prairieville
(Next to Oak Grove Primary School)
225.819.3741
Specializing in:
Like Us on
• Live Oak Care
• Palm Tree Care
• Firewood
[email protected]
P. O. Box 1626 • Prairieville
225.622.6475
INTRODUCING THE OFFICIAL PROGRAM OF
THE JAMBALAYA FESTIVAL ASSOCIATION
Finally, there is an Official Program that
represents the Greatness of the Festival and
Showcases Our Community with photos,
schedules, pageants, events and history.
THE O
F
FICIAL
PROG
ATTENTION ADVERTISERS:
The Official Program will be the
RAM O
F
THE JA
MBAL
AYA F
ES
2 0
1 3
ONLY
TIVAL
ASSOC
I
publication distributed at the
Jambalaya Festival.
In addition to distribution at the Festival,
the program will be distributed at local
grocery stores and businesses.
Also, advertising revenues raised go to
The Jambalaya Festival Association
which, in turn, are used and put back
into our community.
D anny
R
2012 obert
Ja m b a
laya C
ha
To purchase
ad space contact:
Wally Tallion
225.806.6579
Mike Strong
225.622.1324
24
mpion
ATION
Fishing Line Ain't
Just Fishing Line Anymore
As far as I can remember, when
I first started fishing there was only
one type of fishing line. We called
it salt and pepper because it had
black and white colors on it. At
some point monofilament fishing
line was introduced and it became
a mainstay for years to come. Well,
not anymore. Types of fishing line
today has gone far beyond most of
our expectations to say the least.
I recently attended a seminar at
the Louisiana Outdoor Writers
conference where a representative
from Berkley fishing lines gave a
talk on the entire realm of the past,
present, and future of fishing line.
Some of the materials used in
certain types of line makeup were
actually invented for use in WWII.
Most of the components for
today's different types of lines are
produced from our chemical and
petroleum plants.
Some lines are optimized for
spinning reels such as Trilene XL.
Some are optimized for bait
casting such as XT. There are lines
that allow for stretch and shock
absorption and there are others
that do not. Some lines sink, which
is good for fishing baits that need
to sink, while other lines float or
sink slowly and are designed for
top water lures. Fluorocarbons are
resistant to UV light and will
disappear under water. This line is
sensitive to heat and friction.
Things such as clinching a knot too
fast or clinching the knot when the
line is too dry can cause knot
failure. Gel-spun polyethylene
super lines, more commonly called
braided line has made it's mark in
the fishing line industry. Again.
Although very tough line, they are
not for everyone or for all types of
fishing reels or fishing methods.
Berkley is now offering its newest
category offline to the market. It's
a unifiliment fishing line called
NaNo-fil. This line is not a mono,
braid,or fluorocarbon.
One may think that if you go out
WE ARE THE SEAFOOD SPECIALIST
Now Serving Boiled Crawfish
and buy the most expensive line on
the market you will have all the
bases covered. That's not the case
here by far. All these lines are
designed for certain types of reels,
rods baits, and methods of fishing.
Things such as lb. test, diameter
range, buoyancy in water, water
absorption, effect of UV light,
stretch, shock absorption,
sensitivity, abrasion resistance,
spool memory, and colors should
be taken into consideration before
purchasing fishing line. And by the
way, there's no one type knot
that's a cure all for for these
different types of line. Most of
them require different knots for
ultimate results. Some lines require
different types of eyes on the rod
for abrasion control.
Your line is a direct link from
you and what's on the end of the
line. It could be your fish of a
lifetime. It could be that one you
need to win a tournament. Maybe
it's your kids' or Grandkids'
biggest fish, whatever it is, you
don't want to lose it even if you
intend to release the fish after you
catch it. (But you want to catch it
don't you?). I DO. I would
suggest that you do a little
research before buying line these
days, because one thing is for
sure, fishing line ain't just fishing
line anymore.
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• Fresh Shrimp
• A Wide Variety
of Fish and Seafood
• Snow Crabs
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25
24 Hr. Emergency Roadside Service
The Fab Four Picks the Final
Four or We’ve Got a Ticket to Lie
by Bill Delaune
Nothing should surprise me
anymore concerning my annual
spring pilgrimage into the bowels
of the Bluff Swamp to find the
elusive, reclusive All-Seeing,
All-Knowing Sports Ninja.
But this year even the Great
One (his preferred titled) truly
outdid himself.
He was certainly easier to find
this March as high water in the
basin had forced him to relocate
at the old Alligator Hilton
Bar-but the props around him
were all different.
For starters there was a classic
cherry-red Mustang parked
outside the establishment
instead of his usual ’49 manure
truck with the whiskey dents in
the side.
Then, the costume he wore
looked like he should be playing
in the Golden Band from
Tigerland instead of predicting
the outcome of sporting events.
And then there was the music
blaring from within the Hilton
where cowboys, hippies, bikers
and LSU frat kids had once
danced across the warped floor
to Uncle Jim’s one-man show
on Sunday nights.
It was unmistakably the Beatles
bemoaning the inevitable fate of
the ageing process…
“If I’d been out till quarter to
three, would you lock the door?
“Will you still need me, will
you still feed me, when I’m
sixty-four?”
Even Ninja’s mood was more
jovial than his usual stoic manner
but his greeting hadn‘t changed.
“Hello, Fishwrap. You
dinosaur tree-killers haven’t been
put out of business by the
Internet yet? How do you like
the new digs? Frank and Jim are
letting me stay here a while until
these bureaucrats figure out how
to drain a swamp. The water at
my place is higher than a Keith
Richards post-concert party
right now.
I took a second look around
and measured my reply carefully.
“Is that your car?”
“An original ’64 Mustang
complete with the 289 cubic
inch V-8-best engine Ford ever
made,” he announced sounding
like a proud papa.
“And the outfit-the music?”
“Come one-you’re the
detective wannabe. Give some
investigative reporting,” Ninja
encouraged.
“Okay,” I ventured. “You’re
dressed like you belong on the
cover of the Sgt. Pepper album
and-if my fading memory
serves-‘When I’m 64’ was the
second song on Side 2.”
“Bingo!” he exclaimed.
“That calls for a beer. How
about a Miller 64?” he asked
almost gleefully.
“Say, all this wouldn’t have
anything to do with the fact that
I turned 64 on March 19, would
it?” I finally surmised.
26
“It’s the best surprise party I
could come up with under the
circumstances,” he admitted.
From inside the Alligator Bar
came the first song from Side 3
of the White Album…
“You say it’s your birthday…”
screamed Lennon and
McCartney.
“Well, I must say I’m
impressed,” I confessed. “How
on earth did you remember?’
“The Great One knows all and
sees all,” he preached majestically
before dropping the façade just
as quickly. “Besides, when you
came here four years ago in
March you were turning 60 and
you had a depressed face so long
I thought ‘Men in Black’ were
coming to pick you up. So I did
a little math and figured some
’64 references might cheer you
up for this landmark occasion.
“And if these rednecks down
here had passed a law like
Amendment 64 like they did in
Colorado, we could’ve had a
real party.”
“What’s Amendment 64?” I
asked innocently.
“Legalization of marijuana,
Birdcage Bottom,” he scolded.
“They regulate if just like
alcohol.”
The Beatles had now launched
into a satirical song-number six
from Side 1 of the White
Album…
“Hey, Bungalow Bill, what did
you kill…?”
“Well, the effort is appreciated,” I managed, “but…”
“But the reason you’re here is
to find a winner in the NCAA
basketball’s field of-dare I say
it-64,” he interrupted. “And
don’t give me that ‘field of 68’
nonsense with play- in games
between teams that sound like
they should be on Rocky and
Bullwinkle-Barely Normal, Tick
Tock Tech and Wossamotta U.,”
Ninja ranted.
“The car’s a ’64, the song’s a
64, the beer’s a 64, the Beatles
arrived here in ’64, you’re 64
and the March Madness teams
number 64 and that’s just the
way it is,” he concluded.
“We have no quarrel,” I
assured him. “But four years
ago, you pulled me out of my
doldrums-and also out of some
debt-with the advice to move a
Tom Izzo-coached team a couple
rounds farther then one would
have them in the brackets.
“I penciled longshot Michigan
State in all the way to the finals
and although they lost to North
Carolina, I still made a bundle,”
I recalled.
The Great Sports Ninja got a
pensive look on his face and
admitted honestly. “Look, Rag
Writer, this year’s tougher than
bear meat. The tournament’s
wide open and it’s a long and
winding road to…”
On cue the third song from
Side 2 of “Let It Be” began
from inside…
“The long and winding
road…”
“Dammit, I told them to sing
‘Delaune and winding road’ in
your honor, but I guess they forgot,” sighed Ninja.
For the umpteenth time that
day I was taken aback. “What do
you mean by that?” I asked.
“Look I appreciate the tape by
my all-time favorite band but…”
“Tape?” he shouted incredulously. “I go to all this trouble
to arrange a Beatles’ reunion for
your birthday and you think it’s a
tape?”
The Miller 64’s were starting
to take effect and I was not to be
intimidated.
“Listen, Ninja, I’ve seen you
do some amazing things-some
bordering on the miraculous-but
John Lennon and George
Harrison are dead.”
“So was Paul McCartney in
1969,” he countered.
“But all that ‘Paul is dead’
bullsquash was just a hoax to
resell old albums as was that
business about him having a
double,” I argued.
“Or maybe all four of them
had doubles,” stated the Ninja
calmly.
“But that would mean that the
guy Mark David Chapman killed
in New York and the quiet Beatle
who died of cancer were not
really John and George-is that
what you’re saying?”
At that moment a startlingly
exact replica of John Lennon
stuck his head outside the
Alligator Bar door and demanded, “Any chance of getting a
beer in here, mates. We’re all
the way through Side 6 of the
White Album and our throats are
bloody dry.”
Ninja smiled and nodded in
my direction, but I was reduced
to stammering.
“How-what-who? Oh please,
let me get you a 64.”
“Thanks, mate. You must be
the birthday boy. Hey guys,
come out and meet Bungalow
Bill,” John called.
One by one, they emerged
from inside the Hilton-Paul
McCartney, George Harrison and
Ringo Starr.
“But how?” I was still in
shock.
“It wasn’t easy,” said Ninja,
“but I have friends in low
places.”
Then a sudden brainstorm hit
him without any test of the
emergency warning system.
“Hey! Why don’t we let these
guys pick your Final Four? In a
tournament as unpredictable as
this year’s, their guess is as good
as any.”
He seemed very pleased with
his idea.
“Come on, Beatles. You’ve
been in the States long enough
to know something about this
March Madness. George, you
go first.”
“All right,” said the most
spiritual one of the group. “I
pick Georgetown.”
Wait a minute. The
deep-thinking, Hare Krishna,
sitar-playing disciple of the
Maharishi of India just chose a
team based solely on his name?
“I like to keep things simple,”
understated George noticing my
astonished look.
“That could be good advice
for a lot of people,” Ninja noted.
“Okay, Ringo, you’re next.”
The Cockney accent of the
drummer once known as Richard
Starkey was unmistakable.
“Well, since we were once
known as the ‘Fab Four’-or ‘Fab
Five’ if you include our producer
George Martin who was known
as the ‘Fifth Beatle’, I’ll take the
team who once had a ‘Fab Five’
in the 90’s-Michigan.”
“Sound reasoning that doesn’t
meet a beat,” agreed Ninja.
“John, you’re up.”
Now if this was really John
Lennon, the next response would
be clever, satirical, and perhaps a
bit crude and vulgar-depending
on your taste. After all, this was
the man who had proclaimed the
band “more popular than Jesus”
and had mocked repetitive blues
artists with the not so subtle
“Why Don’t We Do It in the
Road”.
He did not disappoint
“I’ll honor bonny Prince
Charles with my selection of
Indiana,” John pause for effect.
“After all, he was In-Diana more
than anyone else.”
The group roared with laughter but the merriment was shortlived when Paul made his choice.
“Speaking of royalty-and since
I am knighted-I’ll take a team
with a royal title-Duke,”
proclaimed the southpaw
bass player.
John was swift to react-as
perhaps some old wounds were
still festering.
“I figured you’d go with those
blue-bloods, you elitist pig. Sir
Paul, indeed.”
“Why don’t you mind your
own business, Mr. Power to the
People-or should I say your Ono
business,” shot back Paul.
Just when it seemed a brawl
would break out, another figure
emerged from the bar carrying a
Fender Stratocaster.
“What’s all the commotion
out here? Somebody shot the
sheriff?’
Arguably the greatest white
guitar player that ever lived
strolled out to join the
historic gathering.
“Eric Clapton?” I gasped.
“But you weren’t one of the
Beatles.”
“Eric played lead on ‘While
My Guitar Gently Weeps’,”
admitted George. “I was busy
on the production end and
thought we could use the help.”
Ninja was not ready to let go
of his selection process just yet.
“What about it Slow
Hand-you got a favorite in
the tourney?”
Clapton’s eyes began to twinkle and he began to strum the
Fender while launching into a
variation of one of his classics…
“Bay-la, you’ll bring them to
their knees, Bay-la…”
“Excuse me, Mr. Clapton-and
this is no reflection on your
clever parody-but I don’t even
know if Baylor made the
tournament,” I said sheepishly.
“Then give them to me in the
Women’s Tourney,” he replied.
“I’ve always liked women better
than men anyway.”
“I’ll say,” interjected George.
“You stole Patti Boyd away
from me.”
Before another argument
could ensue, the Great Ninja
intervened with still another
surprise.
“C’mon guys, let’s load up.
We’ll be late for our gig. Paul
and George, you ride with me.
John, you take Ringo and Eric
in the Mustang. The amps
and mikes…”
“Wait a minute,” I interrupted.
“You mean this band is going to
perform somewhere?”
“We’re playing at the old
Gonzales Country Club
tonight,” announced John.
“Going under the name of
‘Banana and the Bunch-the
group with appeal’ and we’ll see
who shows up. It’ll be like the
old Cavern days in Liverpool.
Have a great birthday mate-and I
hope we passed the audition.”
I watched them ride away with
three superstars in a ’64 Mustang
and two others in a ’49 Manure
truck with a crazed Ninja
screaming, “I always wanted to
be a roadie for a rock group,”
with equipment in the back.
That night when I went to
bed, I put on my “God forgive
Mark David Chapman-I don’t”
t-shirt, cued up “When I’m 64”
on my sound system and
dreamed of “Strawberry Fields
Forever.”
Oh, and I also made a small
wager on Georgetown,
Michigan, Indiana and Duke to
make the Final Four.
Give peace a chance.
Hey Dr. Rob,
I Love What You
Do for Me.
ASCENSION PA RISH
A N I M A L H O S P I TA L
225.7 44.4905
27
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28
•
A wolf pup’s eyes are blue at birth. Their eyes turn yellow by
the time they are eight months old.
•
Some cultures use urine mixed with coal dust to
make dye for their tattoos.
•
As businesses and farms closed during the Great Depression,
an alarming number of Americans began
turning to crime—such as Bruno Hauptmann, who
kidnapped and murdered Charles Lindbergh’s 20-month-old
son; John Dillinger; Lester M. Gillis (“Baby Face” Nelson);
Machine Gun Kelly; Pretty Boy Floyd; Ma Barker and her
Boys; and the famous Bonnie and Clyde, who were actually
despised by other Midwestern bandits who felt they lowered
the standard of the profession.
•
Iran controls 50% of the Caspian Sea caviar market. The eggs
of the Caspian beluga sturgeon can fetch up to $160 per
ounce. The beluga sturgeon was swimming in lakes at the
time of the dinosaurs but the sturgeon, which can live to be
100 years old, are rapidly disappearing. Environmentalists
argue that a full ban on caviar would help the ancient creature.
•
Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming sits on the
site of an ancient super voclano. It erupted around
2 million years ago, 1.3 million years ago, and 640,000 years
ago. If it follows the same pattern, another eruption is due
any time now.
•
Of the eight bear species, four live in the Southern
Hemisphere and four in the Northern Hemisphere.
•
At around 6 months old, a baby learns that each object is
unique. Before this time, whenever it sees a bird in a tree, it
always assumes it was the same bird.
•
The humpback whale breaches more often than any other
whale, sometimes leaving the water completely during a
leap. The whale leaps by swimming quickly for ward and then
turning its spout suddenly upward to send its for ward
momentum skyward. This is quite a feat considering that a
humpback whale can weigh as much as 30 tons.
•
Ultrasounds show that in the womb, 90% of babies appear to
favor the right thumb, which corresponds to population
breakdowns of right-handers and left-handers.
•
The inner ear is the only sense organ to develop
fully before birth. It reaches its adult size by the
middle of pregnancy.
•
August 13th is “Left-Hander’s Day.” Launched in 1992,
this yearly event celebrates left-handedness and
raises awareness of the difficulties and frustrations
left-handers experience ever y day in a world designed
for right-handers.
•
Those with Russian ancestr y have the highest concentration
of millionaire households in America. The Scottish rank
second and Hungarians rank third. English ancestr y groups
rank fourth. The Russian American millionaire group has
approximately $1.1 trillion, or nearly 5% of all the
personal wealth in America.
29
THE
GIVING
QUILT
2013
QUILT
EXHIBIT
WHERE:
Lamar Dixon Expo Center,
Trademart Bldg.,
9039 St. Landry Rd.,
Gonzales, La. 70737
WHEN: Sat., April 6, 2013
10AM - 4PM
INFO: Food and drinks will
be sold on the premises
2013 QUILT EXHIBIT
All displayed quilts are
donated by the quilter to the
charity of her/his choice.
Quilt submission is free.
Admission and parking are free.
Door prizes will be awarded
throughout the day. Must be
present to win. There will
be cash prizes and ribbons
for Viewer's Choice,
Challenge Choice and Judges'
Choice Quilts.
SPECIAL EXHIBITS
We are privileged to present a
heartwarming Quilts of Valor
documentary produced by Iowa
Public Television about The
Quilts of Valor Foundation.
Host and co-producer
Marianne Fons, of Fons &
Porter's Love of Quilting, tells
the story of the unique and
important work of this
foundation. Free QOV patterns
will be available.
A fidget apron for patients
with Alzheimer's Disease will
be displayed with free patterns
available.
The following Vendors will be
available with a wide variety of
fabric and accessories:
• Accurate Sewing
Machine LLC.,
• Bright Hopes Quilt Shop,
• Cottage Creation Quilt Shop,
• Mama's Quilt Shop,
• Martelli Enterprises,
• Mes Amis Quilt Shop,
• The Borne Quilter.
The Scissors Man, Dennis
Glass, will be here to sharpen
your scissors for a fee.
Enjoy ongoing demonstrations
of some of the newest quilting
tools and gadgets.
by National Quilting
Association, is a community
outreach project in which
school age children can help
make a quilt to be donated to a
child through Baton Rouge
Quilt for Kids.
Children will have the opportunity to stuff fabric bears which
will be donated to Our Lady of
the Lake Children's Hospital.
PRESENTATIONS
Blessing of Quilts will take
place at 11:00 A.M., by Father
W. Patrick Edwards, of St.
Margaret's Episcopal Church
Awards and Ribbons Ceremony
will begin at 2:00 P.M.
The winner of the 2013 Raffle
quilt will be announced at 3:45
P.M. The quilt, Blue Willow,
was made and quilted by Jessie
Comeaux. Winner need not
be present to win.
For directions and more
information please see
www.thegivingquiltinc.org
When You
Need Room
For Your
Stuff
•
•
•
•
•
Free Delivery
Free Setup
No Credit Checks
Lowest Price Guarantee
Low Monthly Payments
Contemporary Fabric Artist of
Louisiana Exhibit.
ACTIVITIES
Kits will be available, at no cost,
for sewing pillowcases on-site
for the children of GRACE
camp. GRACE camp is a 5-day
non-denominational camping
experience for children ages 1018 who have a parent incarcerated.
Kids Draw for Kids sponsored
225.644.0130 • cell 225.715.0977
www.cookportablewarehouses.com
12537 Airline Hwy. • Gonzales
BUGGIN’ OUT
Total Pest
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just a Phone
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fog your yard before an evening
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This program is designed to leave
behind a residual chemical that
will completely effect the life cycle
of all mosquitoes. It also kills or
repels other unwanted pests,
like spiders, flies, gnats and
no-see-ums.
Your home…It's your personal
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world. You've worked hard to
create an environment that your
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want to take in the pleasures of
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For a broader protection package,
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our quarterly visits when it’s
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because Mosquitos stay away
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you want everyday comfort from
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There has never been a more
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Thoughts from Bully
Ooweeee
Maui
I am a lucky man. I think?
This past month my Sister
invited to spend 10 days in
Hawaii. Maui to be exact.
First it takes an entire day to
get there. I flew from New
Orleans to Denver. Connected
with family, flew to San
Fransisco, picked up more
family and flew to Maui. I had
left my home at 5:30am central
and am in Hawaii 9 o’clock,
Hawaiian time. I don’t even
know what time zone. We
rented a car and found out we
had an hour drive to the resort.
Sure is tiring try to enjoy a trip
of a life time.
There was an entertaining
moment on the plane. A
passenger walked on the plane
at one of the connections. He
was dressed in Oklahoma red
and white. Some Texas
Longhorn fans immediately
starting razing him. He had
some good comes backs for the
Longhorn fans. Then a
Longhorn asked out loud,
“Hey Tiger fan? What’s your
thoughts?” My simple reply
was, “We love Oklahoma in the
Dome!”
We finally arrived at the
Kanapalli Alli resort. It was
dark, I was tired so I passed out
and when I woke, I was in
paradise.
Let the Vacay
Begin with a
Round of Golf.
I decided to purchase some
beer at the turn. I purchased a
few Buds in the alluminum
bottle shaped can. The catch
was these cans did not have
twist off tops. I inquired how I
was to open the beer. She
pointed to a small sign.
‘Bottle Openers for Sale, $1’.
What a jip.
Who said
Swimming with
the Turtles
is Fun?
The next day we woke early
again to take a boat trip to a
reef to snorkle. The boat ride
was fun. About an hour to our
destination and at this time of
year the Hawaiian waters are
perfect for whales to breed. All
around us you could see whales
breaching and blowing. I
learned these were males trying
Like most good vacations the
first morning should start with
a round of golf and our tee
time at 7:02, sunrise.
The course was magnicant.
The wind sucked. I chipped real
high one time and thought the
ball was going to land behind
me. As many of my golfing
Buddies know my putting
stroke has a lot to be desired. I
was 10 ft. from the hole when
my nephew spoke up and said,
“If you 2 putt from here he’d
wear the coconut bikini top on
the beach however if I missed, I
had to wear the top.”
You can see by the photo I
missed. After a razing from Tim
32
to impress the females to try
get close to her at just the right
moment. Reminds me of a few
guys I’ve seen at Park Place on
a Friday night. One whale lifted
his tail out of the water and
spanked it up and down
over-and-over. I couldn’t tell if
he was making an impression
or got lucky.
As we approched the
swimming area I must have
been distracted by the whales.
I looked around an 60% of the
people on the boat were sea
sick and hurling everywhere. I
put my flip flops back on and
faced up wind.
After swimming for an
hour we headed to the next
destination, Turtletown. During
the travel time the deck hands,
also known a Naturalist,
educated us on identifying the
fish we were about to see. I
learned that the fish munch and
survive off the coral reef and
after crunching and munching
the coral becomes fish waste
and up to 30% of the beaches in
the area is fish poo. A smile
came across my face. I remembered the nephew I had lost the
bet to was buried in the said by
his niece. He was like “Joe
Dirt’. “I got the POO on me!”.
Once we arrived to
Turtletown I jumped in the
water and looked for the docile
Sea Turtle. Before entering the
water it was explained that the
turtles were protected and
anyone violating the turtles
space can be fined up to
$10,000. With little success I
started to give up when this
giant turtle came up by me. His
head was bigger than a softball
and we were 2 ft. apart and I
can here him breathing. Docile
or not I’m getting a little
nervous because he is a distant
relative to a snapping turtle.
Then a turtle flipper or leg
scrapped across my inner thigh.
“Oh crap. He’s was violating
my territory.” I may need
Pegram to defend me from the
Turtle fondler. His flipper was
right where it shoudn’t be.
“Please don’t anyone startle this
turtle because flipper thrust
would be a bad thing. Once I
was back on board, the turtle
was identified as a female. I
didn’t feel so violated.
Let’s Hang Out
on the Beach.
After a few days into the
vacation it was a day for
hanging on the beach.
Wow. Palm trees, sailboats
and 7 shades of blue colored
water.
I sat down, took my shirt off
and everyone on the beach put
their sunglasses on. I was white
but didn’t care. Tide would
have been proud. Let’s get the
sunscreen out and hope that
it works.
Just think. I was on Little
Prairie Road just a few days ago
and now I am on the beach in
Maui. I’m feeling social and
walked the beach and tried to
meet a few people. I spoke to a
couple for a few minutes. They
then looked at each other and
shrugged and walked away.
Dang it! I hate when foreigners
look like Americans. They
didn’t understand a word I
said. Maybe? You never
know about those multilingual
foreigners. Their schools
systems must teach phonics.
During my walk I drifted into
a Sea Walk Mall. A booth just
off the beach had oysters on the
half shell. They were a little
brown and golden but I’ve
been away from home and
thought a taste home would be
nice. As I picked one up to eat
an attendant stopped me from
sucking down the delicacy
because it was a pearl oyster
and the booth was making
jewelry. The attendant pointed
out that my LSU hat was a
oyster warning sign because
some weeks earlier a group of
people from Louisiana had
eatten about $650 worth of
pearl oysters in no time.
Just teasing.
Don’t Judge a
Book by It’s
Cover at the Luau
It was a beautiful sunset
afternoon. Totem poles
everywhere. A pig was cooking
underground. It almost had a
feeling of the hunting camp but
not quit.
When we entered, we were
profiled immediatley. My
nephew from Colorado had a
camo hat on so the staff
thought he was from Louisiana.
As the night went on things
weren’t always as they seem.
First we received free drinks
with our table but not free
beer. I was givin my first FREE
Fruity Hawaiian drink. Dang!
This drink taste good. I had a
couple more when a skirt
wearing, grass halo kinda
Hawaiian fellow came to meet
me. He looked at me and said,
“SEC Number 1!” Are you kid-
were hitting up on me. Left and
right, everytime I stopped by
one of them, they would strike
a pose for the camera. I guess it
was their job but I was thinking
I might be sweet on the one in
the blue dress. The other
dancer, dressed in Saints colors,
had my attention also. She was
slim as my pantry back home
and was making some hip sign
with her hand. I later learned it
meant, ‘Hang Loose’. I was
down with that because the free
fruity drinks had me loose.
Pearl Harbor
What an experience. My
father was in the Army Air
Corp at Hickem Air Base. He
was there on December 7th.
He survived and I will not write
ding? He ad learned about our
table and his brother works on
the University of Arkansas
coaching staff.
The food, atmosphere and
people were great. The show
ended and as we walked out. I
thought Hawaiian Dancers
33
anything funny about this
heroic ground.
The Battle Ship Missouri
stands proud with my kind of
gun control.
Paradise Must
Come to an End.
I’ve spent many remarkable
days and I have seen many
remarkable sites but all good
things must come to an end.
I woke at 4:30 to pack for a
12 o’clock check out. Then we
had 9 hours to kill before we
boarded our plane for the flight
to Los Angelos. We arrived
around 4:30 California time. At
this point, I believe, I had been
awake for 20 hrs., at least.
My family left me for their
flight to Colorado at 6:30. I
tilted on my side in the airport
with no one around and fell
asleep for an hour or so. I woke
to to hundreds of people sitting
waiting on a flight. A young
girl said, “Look Dad. The
passed out LSU guy woke up!”
Thank God I woke up. I was
dreaming of the beautiful
Hawaiian girls and a mental
image of their mother came to
me and their future looks.
Also the young girls Dad had
an Auburn t-shirt on and I was
impressed he hadn’t drawn
a mustache on my
face while sleeping.
Or worse?
Spring is in the Air and Baseball is Everywhere ...
Photos By Jimmy Dunkley and Mike Strong
Cooking
Gourmet
at
Home
with SNO’S SEAFOOD & STEAKS
Louisiana
Crawfish Dressing
Prep Time:
20 minutes
Cook Time:
1 hour
Ingredients:
2 ½ lbs peeled
Louisiana
Crawfish Tails
(with fat)
- Rough chop approx. ¾ lbs
8 cups long grain rice (cooked)
3 cups green onions- thinly sliced
(do not cook)
2 Tbsp chopped parsley
3 cups diced onion
2 cups diced celery
1 cup diced green bell pepper
2 Tbsp minced garlic
6 cups bread crumbs
1 Tbsp salt
2 Tbsp
granulated garlic
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp onion powder
1 Tbsp Crab Boil (if desired)
3 eggs
Executive Chef
Ben Jarreau & Sous Chef
Brandon Kling
Method:
In a small pot cook all of the vegetables until tender. In a large
mixing bowl add all of your seasoning, bread crumbs, green onions,
eggs, and crawfish. Incorporate the cooked vegetables and rice then
mix thoroughly.
This is a great recipe to use as a stuffing for fish, chicken, or pork
chops. Cook stuffed chicken or pork for approx. 30 minutes at 375
degrees or until proper doneness has been reached. Stuffed fish will
only take approx. 10 to 15 minutes.
You can also form the stuffing into balls and fry them for a great
appetizer. First, heat your frying oil to 350 degrees in a cast iron
Dutch oven. Then, simply form into approx. 2 ounce balls and
roll them in Japanese Panko bread crumbs. Fry for approx
3 to 5 minutes or until golden brown.
37
GARON BEE COMPANY:
A LOUISIANA ODYSSEY
S u b m i t t e d b y J i m m y D u n k l e y, L o u i s i a n a B e e k e e p e r s A s s o c i a t i o n
In seeking information on Garon
Bee Company, I had the opportunity to meet Vallery “Val” Garon,
the last owner/operator of a family business started by his father,
Emile, in 1926. In my query on
the origin of the company, Val
produced a book written by one of
his older brothers, Henry Garon,
in 1978. The family history entitled, “A Louisiana Odyssey” was
all I needed to accurately relate the
story of a Louisiana beekeeping
pioneer but I found it to be much
more. It seems Henry had written
the book as a gift to his aging
mother and father shortly before
their deaths.
From the time I opened the
pages and started to read, I lost
sight of the beekeeping aspect of
the story, paying more attention to
the origins of his mother and
father, their family backgrounds,
introduction to each other, and
their love affair. It was in short, a
love story.
Jeanne Catherine Rodriguez was
born on April 29, 1889, the
eighth of fourteen children of
Prosper and Odalie Rodriguez.
Jeanne’s father was a friendly man
who loved the outdoors. He operated the Bayou Lafourche toll
bridge between Donalsonville and
the village of Port Barrow. Jeanne
attended St. Vincent’s Institute,
graduating in a class of three in
1903. After remaining home for
two years, she enrolled in a
summer session at Louisiana State
Normal School in Natchitoches
where she obtained a teaching
certificate. She taught at several
elementary schools in
Ascension and Iberville
parishes for the next couple of
years, resigning in 1912. By
1913 she started as a clerk
with Western Union in
Donaldsonville at a salary of
$10.00 a month.
Emile Louis Garon was
born on March 14, 1890 near
New Roads, the fifth of twelve
children of Louis and Eliska
Garon. Emile’s father was a
carpenter and farmer, a hard
working man, the son of a
blacksmith. The large family
lived in the country and
suffered through hard times,
living hand-to-mouth off the
land. While his father did
carpentry work, the children
worked the farm. From an
early age, Emile chopped
wood, cut grass, hoed the
fields, picked cotton and corn,
38
and, in the fall, picked pecans from
their trees on the farm. By the age
of ten he had learned the alphabet
but was unable to read or write. At
eleven he entered the first grade.
Although his small stature and
speech difficulties placed him at
further disadvantage, following
four years in a one room schoolhouse, he entered Poydras
Academy in New Roads and
completed grade six at age 17.
This was the extent of his formal
education and he went to work as
a messenger boy for Western
Union at 18. During the next
three years he learned telegraphy
on his own initiative. He left
Western Union and pursued
several opportunities with the
railroad, in farming, and as a
sawmill hand but by 1914, at age
24, he again joined Western
Union and was assigned to
Donaldsonville. It was there
that he met Jeanne.
On his first day of work at
Donaldsonville’s Western
Union office, Emile Garon
was introduced to Jeanne
Rodriguez as her new boss.
Emile was overburdened with
work in his new job and
Jeanne helped by phoning in
the messages to their recipients. Emile also provided her
instruction in Morse code.
They worked well together
and became good friends.
A year later, in 1915, Western
Union transferred Emile to
Plaquemine and the twenty
miles of Western Union lines
hummed with messages
between Emile and Jeanne.
They devised a secret code
between themselves consisting
of the letters “TI”; that is, T, the
letter following S which stood for
sweet and I, the letter following H
which stood for heart. There came
a day, however, when the code was
cracked and Emile was known for
the rest of his life by family and
friends by the nickname “Ti”.
Emile left Western Union and
took several jobs over the next few
years. He even returned to his
family home in New Roads for a
time. Jeanne, however, alerted him
to a one month opening for a
Texas and Pacific agent position at
the small railroad office at Belle
Alliance Plantation, three miles
down Bayou Lafourche from
Donaldsonville. No telephones
were available in this remote area
and communications with the outside were made entirely by
telegraphy, which Emile new well.
The one month assignment
developed into a seven year tour of
duty in Belle Alliance for Emile
and permanent employment with
Texas and Pacific Railroad.
Emile and Jeanne loved and
appreciated each other, and on
June 27, 1919 they were married
in Ascension Catholic Church.
They honeymooned in Colorado
for 2 weeks and, upon returning
to Donaldsonville, they moved in
with Jeanne’s aging father at his
home in Faubourg la Pipe.
They both resumed their jobs
but Jeanne was unable to continue
once their family started to grow.
For the next two years Emile rode
his bicycle daily from Faubourg la
Pipe into town where he swapped
over to a one man railroad handcar
for the remaining three mile
journey to Belle Alliance. It was
not until 1922 that he purchased
his first automobile.
In all they stayed with Jeanne’s
father, Prosper, for six years. It was
Prosper who introduced Emile to
honey bees. He had been given a
dozen or so hives in the 1890’s by
Father Ceuppens, an area priest,
upon his recall to New Orleans.
Prosper kept the bees with more
or less success but was unable to
take care of them by the time
Emile and Jeanne were married.
Emile helped Prosper with the
bees until he gave them up
entirely, and it was left to Emile
to care for them.
In 1925, Emile was transferred
to McCall, a community four miles
upriver from Donaldsonville.
There the Texas and Pacific
maintained a small railroad office
for the purpose of handling
shipments of farm produce.
Prosper joined them a month later.
Emile removed the trunk from his
Model T, converting the vehicle
into a truck, and moved the 50
colonies of bees to McCall.
In 1926, Emile acquired the
bees from Prosper and started
Garon Bee Company. He
increased his hive numbers to 100
at that time. No sooner had he
accomplished this task when more
bees became available. A 500
colony outfit went on the rocks
giving him the opportunity to buy
them cheaply. The company he
purchased was “Sherburne
Industries” and the bees were
managed by Mr. Etienne C.
Bessonet. This was the start of a
40+ year family business.
Emile established a bee shipping
firm at McCall, Louisiana, near
Donaldsonville in 1927.
Throughout the Great Depression,
Emile continued to work as a
Texas & Pacific railroad agent.
Etienne Bessonet was hired to
continue to manage bee operations
for “Garon Bee Company.” This
arrangement lasted until 1941. At
that time Emile resigned his
position with T & P Railroad to
assumed full operation of his bee
company and Mr. Bessonet
established his own bee company
at Donaldsonville. The picture
provided is from the mid to late
1930’s. It shows the collection of
packages of bees by weight, and
offered for sale to northern
beekeepers by Garon Bee
Company.
At the start of World War II,
Garon Bee Company was in prime
condition physically, but with little
cash in the bank. However, the
great demands and high prices for
honey and package bees, due to
the sugar shortage, came just in
time, and Emile profited during
the war years.
Emile continued making a living
with his bees after the war but he
was to find that it was a complicated business. Such businesses were
usually operated with one or more
of the following goals: 1. to market individual queen bees, 2. to
market bees in bulk quantities, or
3. to market honey in containers
ranging from small jars to barrels.
Garon Bee Company was engaged
in all three operations at one
time or another, sometimes
simultaneously.
The years ’43, ’44, and ’45 were
peak business years for Garon
Honey Company, however, at the
height of the 1943 shipping season
they discovered American Foul
Brood (AFB) in several bee yards.
This highly contagious bee disease
had been known to put thriving
bee companies out of business,
and Emile took it as a serious
threat to his livelihood. The
problem was compounded by the
fact that they had unknowingly
spread the disease in the process of
taking bees from a diseased yard to
established new colonies in several
healthy yards.
Disinfecting of hive tools and
other equipment was followed
from hive to hive using Clorox.
They also isolated the honey taken
from diseased hives and even
burned some colonies. The
burning was costly and a sad
sight to behold but was successful.
Within two years, and after
burning 10% of his colonies, Emile
finally overcame the AFB problem
in his apiaries. The condition was
not seen again in Garon’s bees.
Emile recalled that he was
fortunate to have many good men
working on the bee farm over the
years. During shipping seasons,
when a day’s work meant 10 or
more hours, they labored in the
high temperature and humidity.
Their heavy clothing, meant to
protect them from painful stings,
added to their discomfort. It was
not unusual for an employee to
receive two or three dozen stings
per day. It took a certain brand of
courage to ignore the pain and
keep going, but they endured. The
sketch shows Garon Bee Company
in 1942.
Garon Bee Company generally
offered three kinds of employment; permanent, seasonal, and
temporary. A manager and two
permanent employees formed the
core of the staff. Joseph Carbo and
Robert Hidalgo had long service
records with the company and
both became highly skilled
beekeepers. Mr. Carbo specialized
in the bee production and Mr.
Hidalgo in queen breeding.
Additional employees were hired
on a seasonal basis during the
spring and summer and teenagers
were often employed on a
temporary basis.
By 1954 Emile was in his mid
60’s. Val Garon, Emile’s youngest
son, returned home from the
Army that year with the intention
of continuing his college
education, previously interrupted
by the Korean Conflict. Val
enrolled at Louisiana State
University and attended classes
until he got married and started a
family. Emile offered the company
to Val at that time. Having worked
with his dad for years, Val pretty
well knew the bee business except
for the financial end. He was
successful for a while, but it slowly
became obvious that he had
inherited a dying business.
The price of queens and package
bees slowly decreased. Italian
queens that had sold for $1.25 to
$1.35 each in 1948 brought only
$1.05 to $1.15 in 1955. A 3 lb.
package with a queen sold for
39
between $5.25 and 5.55 each in
1948, but brought only $4.15 to
$4.35 in 1955. In addition, honey
prices were only 8 or 9 cents per
pound and the trend continued.
By the 1960’s industrial plants
became established in the area and
Val soon found out that labor
costs had gone up to a point that
he could no longer hire good
people for the salary he could
afford to pay. As older workers
retired, it was hard to find anyone
willing to do the hard work
required of good bee men.
Garon bees were often killed by
pesticide applications from crop
dusting companies. Finally, the
bees had come down with a
“dwindling disease” which added
to Val’s beekeeping burden.
Val gradually realized that he
could not support a family and he
began to look for other work.
Eventually he was hired and
trained by Honeywell to work in
industrial instrumentation at a
great salary, plus, a car and
benefits. At one time Garon Bee
Company had as many as 2,000
colonies and 4,500 mating nuclei.
But it was with little regret that
Val gave up the family bee company in 1967.
Emile (d. 1978) and Jeanne
(d. 1974) provided a great life for
their children and are fondly
remembered. Valery lives in the
Galvez area and contributed
greatly to this story. His brother
Henry lives in New Orleans.
Henry’s written memories of his
family and the bee business are a
loving tribute.
Footnote: Henry A. Garon was
one of seven children born to
Emile and Jeanne Garon. Henry
wrote, “they were ordinary people,
devout folks who took life seriously but who, in spite of its tribulations, giggled over the ridiculous
things they sometimes did; who
work hard, yet manifested little
aspiration for recognition by the
world; who grew old cheerfully
without for a moment hesitating
to reveal their ages; who
experienced joy over good in the
highest meaning of the concept;
and who found contentment in
the unsophisticated things of life.”
Ascension Parish
Beekeepers Association:
If you are interested in learning
more about honey bees and beekeeping you are invited to attend
the monthly meetings of the
Ascension Parish Beekeepers
Association. Meetings are held at
6:00 PM every second Tuesday of
each month at the Gonzales Public
Library located at 708 South Irma
Blvd., Gonzales, LA 70737.
Please contact Michael Bourgeois
at 225-647-7117 (H) or
225-323-3963 (C) for additional
information. Join us and please,
“Help Save the Honey Bee!”
with Yearly Lawn
Maintenance Contract
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E x h a u s t • B r a k e s • A u t o R e p a i r • Tu n e - U p D i a g n o s t i c s • A i r C o n d i t i o n i n g • T i r e s
"The Best Surprise is No Surprise"
Barter Fills Empty
Restaurant Tables
and Expands Small
Businesses
Jonathon Marino, owner of The Italian Bowl,
was having one of those days. He had just
received notice of a big price increase on his
meats, the air conditioning in his restaurant
went on the blink, and a waitress had just
dumped a tray of full wine glasses on the
carpet. All of this on top of a leak in the
ladies room.
Fortunately, Jonathon was a member of the
Jambalaya Trade Exchange, a professional
barter network. With a simple phone call to
his trade broker, Jonathon was able to get one
of the area’s best HVAC companies to service
his restaurant’s air conditioner, arrange for a
professional carpet cleaner to clean his carpet
and a plumber to fix the ladies room - all
without spending a dollar of his hard earned
cash. Jonathon even had new menus printed
to reflect the increase in his food prices . . .
on barter.
“We average about $25,000 of business
a year through our barter exchange
membership,” Jonathon said. “That equates to
more than $15,000 of additional gross profits
and about $5,000 a year in tips for our wait
staff. That’s a lot of business to pass up.”
Bartering is an idea as old as civilization itself.
By strict definition, bartering is the cashless,
item-for item trading of goods or services.
Where our ancestors might have been trading
chickens for cows, today’s savvy business
barter when I had been doing it on my own for
10 years,” says Jonathon owner of The Italian
Bowl. “But when I sat down and took a
serious look at all the accounts I was running
a tab on, and how many I never received
anything from, I saved a lot of money by
paying the barter company. We’ve even moved
most of our direct trades into the barter
exchange. It just makes good sense!”
people are bartering dental work for printing,
accounting for automotive repair or like
Jonathon, food for just about anything
- all this through the help of a professional
barter exchange like Jambalaya Trade
Exchange(JTEX).
Part accountant, part matchmaker, today’s
barter organizations exist to bring their
members NEW BUSINESS. According to Tim
Bergstresser, Executive Director of JTEX, there
are about 400 barter exchanges in
North America, with more than 350,000
business members doing in excess of
$4 billion annually.
“I’ve always disliked coupons and two-forones,” says Jacob Couvillion of Nooley’s Poboy
and Wing Shop - Sports Bar. “Trade works
much better for us than coupons, you shouldn’t
have to give away your food to attract
customers, and the people who use coupons
are usually one time customers, and not so
great tippers. With barter I get paid for
everything we serve and the trade members
are repeat business. And they tend to be better
than average tippers.”
Trade exchanges like JTEX, help cash-strapped
entrepreneurs stimulate sales, develop new
clients, convert excess capacity or inventory
into revenue, and acquire the goods and
services they need to conduct business. The
most important benefit of barter is that the
new business helps conserve cash. Businesses
can trade for things they need and keep their
cash for the expenses they can’t barter for.
“A new customer filling those empty tables is
the biggest benefit I get from barter,” shared
Jay Sadeq owner of Charlie Browns Family
Sports Grill and Bar. “Most of my barter busi
ness comes during the week when we really
need it. I suppose that’s because JTEX is made
up of business owners, and that’s when they
do business.”
Bartering also can be an ally to the small
business owner looking to expand. Normally a
business owner would have to go to the bank
for a loan or save enough from receipts to
finance an expansion project. Barter is a way
businesses can use the value of their own products and services to fund company growth,
interest free.
Sadeq goes on to say, “Another benefit is they
usually bring in associates who aren’t barter
members and those people come back and
pay cash.”
Bartering enabled Dr. Gray Bailey, a local dentist in Prairieville, to renovate and expand his
office, and lease the space out. Without
spending much cash, he added space for a
physician’s office. Through his affiliation with
JTEX, Dr. Bailey was able to acquire his ironwork, floors and landscaping, as well as the
painting and window treatments he needed. Dr.
Bailey also added a great new building sign.
“I use cash to pay the employees, my taxes
and my vendors,” Dr. Bailey says. “Everything
else is up for grabs. We don’t spend cash
unless something is not currently available
through barter.”
One-on-one bartering is common in many
businesses, but joining a trade exchange or
barter company (a group of businesses that
barter among themselves) can give you more
flexibility and opportunity. The barter company
also gives you a great record keeping system
so you’ll always know where you stand with
your barter account. There’s no additional
bookkeeping on your part.
When you join Jambalaya Trade Exchange,
your initial investment will be $300. Your
annual renewal fee will be $200 paid in trade
dollars. ($T200) You’ll pay a 10 percent
transaction fee on your trades. In return, the
exchange will provide you with constant
promotion of your business, ongoing account
maintenance, a monthly statement,
membership directory, a personal trade broker
to find what you’re looking for, and most
importantly, lots of NEW CUSTOMERS. “
I had a real hard time with paying fees to
“The most important part of bartering is getting
new business,” shares Tim Bergstresser
Executive Director of JTEX. “When someone
joins an exchange they’re exposed to hundreds
of NEW potential customers locally and
thousands around South Louisiana. With
competition so stiff today barter helps drive
those customers past your competition and
into your door.”
Always keep in mind that barter is still a
business deal. That means you should use the
same good sense in making barter decisions as
you would if you were paying cash. Check out
the Jambalaya Trade Exchange. Visit one of
their networking meetings. Meet the Executive
Director. Find out what other members have to
say about JTEX. View the website. These are
all important things you need to know before
you decide to join JTEX.
Lastly, remember that both parties are
customers in a transaction. You should expect
and extend courtesy, high standards and a
commitment to providing a great product.
With these guidelines in mind, restaurateurs
can take the ancient practice of barter and put
it to work in the modern world.
Here are a few restaurant
members of the
JAMBALAYA Trade Exchange
42
Jeremy Langlois,
Executive Chef
Houmas House Plantation & Gardens
Invites You to Experience
Latil’s Landing
R
E
S
T
A
U
R
A
N
T
OPEN DAILY
Daily Tours:
Monday, Tuesday 9AM - 5 PM
Wednesday-Sunday 9AM -7 PM
Cafe' Burnside:
11 AM- 2 PM daily
Latil's Landing:
Wednesday through Saturday 6 PM- 9 PM,
Sunday Brunch 11 AM - 3 PM;
Reservations Required
RIVER ROAD, BURNSIDE, LA • 225.473.9380 • [email protected]