Luncheon features Polidore, White, Center of Hope

Fit, Fun and Fabulous Serving St. Mary Parish had a big day Thursday.
There was the “Breakfast with the Beauties,” the walking tour/health fair, and finally, the luncheon held at The Lamp Post from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The luncheon was sponsored by Franklin Foundation Hospital, and lunch was a leafy salad with berries and grilled chicken, with a tangy dressing.
At noon, the panel of guest speakers took the stage, but not before Fit, Fun and Fabulous Co-President Ed “Tiger” Verdin announced that the previous evening’s festival kick-off party had raised $676 for this year’s Spotlight Organization—Arc of St. Mary/Center of Hope.
Center of Hope Executive Director Kristal Hebert came to the stage with Marci Francis, Center of Hope participant, and said a little bit about the center and their several functions.
“We are the only vocational organization in St. Mary Parish for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, once they get out of high school” Hebert said. “We are also starting a day habilitation program which teaches daily living skills such as money counting and social skills, along with community outings.
“I teach things as simple as name recognition. Everyone needs to learn how to recognize their own name, and they learn to write their own names.
“Every individual with us receives a paycheck. They pay taxes. They are registered voters, and they are very proud of that.
“So, they work very hard, just like everybody else does.”
Subsequent to Hebert’s address, was Healthier Air for All’s Renee Stansbury’s address. She said she believes that an important way to improve the health of the residents of St. Mary Parish is “to go smoke-free.”
“Smoke-free policies and ordinances create healthier environments and support smokers in their quit attempts. But, more importantly, what it does is it protects non-smokers from the dangers of second-hand smoke.”
She added that every time someone inhales second-hand smoke for thirty minutes, they can suffer the same health effects as having smoked the cigarette themselves.
This, she said, is why it is important to protect non-smokers.
“We need to protect all our workers,” she said in closing. “They all have a right to clean air.”
Then, it was time for the event’s speakers to take the stage. Of the three scheduled to speak, only Next Level Fitness personal trainer, University of Louisiana Lafayette instructor and author and motivational speaker Seanathan Polidore; and former Atlanta Falcon/LSU Tiger, and current Program Director with Professional Athletes Supporting Students (PASS) Lyman White were able to make it.
Both White and Polidore are alumni of Franklin Senior High School, and both went back there Thursday morning to address the student body.
Verdin asked White how it felt to go back to his alma mater.
“To go visit Franklin High 43 years after leaving there, was amazing. How time flies!” White said “The students were very welcoming and very receptive and it was wonderful just to be there and to share.”
He reminisced about his ties to the Franklin community, through his family, saying, “Everybody, this is history. Being here is a beautiful experience, a beautiful opportunity, and I’m just so glad you have me here.”
Verdin next asked Polidore to summarize the speech he had given earlier to the students at 'FSHS.
Polidore said, “I let the kids know that ‘I’m no different than you.’ I’m not some guy from Chicago who had to fly in. I’m not some guy from Florida.
“I went to the same school (as you). I had some of the same teachers. I went to Butlers and got a hot link with chili and cheese… and a jungle juice. I’m just like you. I am you. I just made a conscious choice to do be something greater and do something more with my life.
“I had expanded vision. So, I just wanted those kids to know, ‘I don’t care what your current grades in school are. What are you going to do? That is the question.’”
The microphone then went to White who told the story of his rise through FSHS, to LSU linebacker-stardom, to playing for the Atlanta Falcons, and the career-ending medical condition that took him out of his second season in the NFL.
Verdin brought up White’s yearly gift of hundreds of school supply-laden backpacks to Franklin’s schools, which lead to White discussing community, support, and the trauma of losing his father.
Next, both speakers were asked what they thought Franklin should focus on in order to become a better city.
Both of their answers were the same. They said they thought the youth in the city should be the city’s primary priority… that is, the fostering of opportunity and provisions for success for the youth of Franklin.
To conclude the luncheon, Franklin Mayor Eugene Foulcard thanked the speakers for their time, and acknowledged Franklin Police Chief Morris Beverly as “the greatest police chief that Franklin ever had.” To which White added, “And he married the most beautiful girl. He’s a dear friend, but I’ve been mad at him for years about that.” After which, the chief’s wife, Florence Beverly, chuckled and blushed.