Chez Hope to have 15th Trivia Night fundraiser

Chez Hope Family Violence Crisis Center will hold its 15th annual Trivia Night fundraiser on Saturday, March 17 at the Legion on the Bayou, located at 1330 Irish Bend Road in Franklin.

Doors open at 5 p.m. and trivia begins at 6 p.m. There will be contests for the best dressed team and table along with raffles, live auctions, door prizes and more.

The event is a fundraiser for Chez Hope, which serves victims of domestic violence in St. Mary, St. Martin, Assumption and Iberia parishes, according to its website. Chez Hope was founded in 1982.

The theme this year is superheroes and participants are encouraged to wear costumes.

“We feel like all of our volunteers are superheroes to us,” Chez Hope Community Advocate Tammy Rogers said at Tuesday’s Morgan City Council meeting.

Trivia Night is Chez Hope’s largest fundraiser, and last year’s event, which was held in Patterson, raised over $12,000, Rogers said.

“It’s been a way to make new friends and new supporters,” Rogers said.

Tickets are $120 for up to six team members of at least 18 years old. Eight teams have already signed up in addition to “lots of sponsors,” Rogers said.

Chez Hope is also partnering with the St. Mary Council on Aging to do concessions for the night.

For more information, to reserve your spot or to become a sponsor, call Chez Hope at 337-828-4200.

Also during the Morgan City Council meeting, Ryan Smith, who recently became St. Mary Parish nuisance alligator hunter, spoke to the council. He has a permit through the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries as a nuisance alligator hunter and a separate permit for all nuisance wildlife besides deer, bears, and migratory birds.

“For years, we’ve been struggling with an out-of-town nuisance abatement officer that has struggled to get here in a timely fashion,” Morgan City Mayor Frank “Boo” Grizzaffi said.

But Smith, who lives in Berwick, has taken over that role. Due to different problems in the past few years with trying to handle the nuisance alligator issue, “the need for St. Mary Parish just wasn’t being met,” Smith said.

Smith also owns St. Mary Wildlife Solutions, which deals with other nuisance animals but mainly coyotes, Smith said.

However, all complaints regarding nuisance alligators must be made through Wildlife and Fisheries by calling its New Iberia office, 337-373-0032.

In other business, the council

—Approved Morgan City Main Street’s request to host its second annual Basin Brew Fest & Restaurant Crawl on March 17 in downtown Morgan City. Organizers had planned to hold the event on the city’s riverfront wharf, but they may have to slightly alter the location because the Atchafalaya River is projected to crest March 18 at 4 inches above the wharf, Main Street Director Beth Portero said. A final decision hasn’t yet been made on the exact location.

—Approved Morgan City High School Project Graduation’s fundraiser, which raises money for graduation-related activities, said parent Kimberly Crappell. Project Graduation isn’t affiliated with the school, but is organized by parents. Organizers plan to hold a fundraiser to sell dinners and have a band play at Lawrence Park probably on a Sunday in April. Final plans for the fundraiser haven’t been made yet.

—Approved renewing the city’s health insurance administrative services agreement with Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Louisiana for the self-funded plan option for the year ending Dec. 31.

—Approved an ordinance to allow the city to issue up to $2 million in revenue anticipation notes for 2018. The measure would allow city government to borrow money through a line of credit, if necessary. The council first approved the issuance of revenue anticipation notes in 2017.

—Approved a resolution of support for the efforts of St. Mary Community Action Agency’s Head Start Program to ensure all school readiness components have been properly implemented.

—Approved liquor and beer permits for Clarion Inn and Rite Aid.

—Met in executive session to discuss litigation strategies.