A blood drive for former Port of West St. Mary director Gary LaGrange set for April 23, in Morgan City by the Port of Morgan City has been postponed. More information will be provided when available.
St. Mary Parish AARP Chapter 4435 held its monthly meeting on March 11 at the St. Mary Senior Citizens Center, home of St. Mary AARP, in Morgan City. Prior to the meeting, members and guests were entertained with dance music from 4-5:30 p.m. followed by bingo.
The meeting and meal sponsor was Urgent Care of Morgan City. Attendees were served a meal of white beans, smoked sausage, salad, bread and birthday cake. The meal was prepared by Pat Fryer and Mary Lee Gaudet.
Gabe Beadle, PA-C, MMS, from Urgent Care of Morgan City, discussed the special health precautions necessary during the current flu and virus season. He also thanked the community for its overwhelming support of Urgent Care of Morgan City, helping the business grow during the six years it has been in existence.
Emily Berry of M C Bank spoke to the membership about the upcoming “ABA Safe Banking for Seniors —Avoiding Scams” seminar, which is being conducted by the bank on March 25.
St. Mary AARP President Faye Smith introduced the 2019 St. Mary AARP Mardi Gras King and Queen XXXI, Harry “Put” Rebardie and Lillian Rebardie, who were crowned at the Feb. 23 Mardi Gras ball.
Birthday and anniversary celebrants were recognized at the meeting. The birthday cake was donated by M C Bank.
The next St. Mary AARP monthly meeting and meal will be held on April 1.
BATON ROUGE — Signature cocktails and cuisine from local chefs and mixologists using flavors of Louisiana will be featured during the sixth annual Gourmet in the Garden at the LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens at Burden from 6 to 9 p.m. on April 11.
The event is presented by the LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens and the Louisiana Culinary Institute Foundation, said Jeff Kuehny.
The evening will include food creations from local restaurants prepared with locally grown products along with samplings of beverages from Louisiana distilleries and local mixologists. The event will culminate with presentations of the People’s Choice food and cocktail awards.
Proceeds benefit educational programs at Burden and the Louisiana Culinary Institute Foundation.
Tickets include samplings of food and cocktails along with live music. Admission is limited to individuals 21 years old or older. The cost is $60 per person until March 31 and $70 thereafter. Tickets are available online at http://bit.ly/2WzzRui.
Information is available by calling Katie Guitreau at 225-763-3990, ext. 2.
The LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens at Burden is located at 4560 Essen Lane.
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Local officials will hold a class March 25 to provide weather information and safety tips to the public.
A SKYWARN class will be held at 9 a.m. at the Port of Morgan City Emergency Operations Center, 7327 La. 182 in Morgan City.
The Port of Morgan City, St. Mary Parish Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness and the National Weather Service’s Lake Charles Office are hosting the class.
Discussion topics include severe weather safety tips, local severe storm history, cloud formations, types of severe weather and how to report severe weather to the National Weather Service.
The Houma Region Division 2 All-District boys and girls bowling teams were announced Wednesday evening at Charlie’s Lanes in Morgan City.
The All-District girls team was headlined by Most Valuable Player Juliet Thibodeaux of Morgan City, who finished the season with a 183 average.
Other area bowlers making the girls’ first team were MacKenzie Amador (173 average) and Kameron Patureau (151), both of Morgan City High School; and Emily Price (160), Ashley Daigle (150) and Jolie Boudreaux (147), all of Central Catholic.
On the girls second team, Bewick’s Jaci Lynch made the squad with a 141 average. Other second-team selections were Sara Thibodaux (137), Julianna Hernandez (135) and Marina Duval (133), all of Central Catholic.
On the boys side Berwick’s Kyle Valdez made the first team with the highest average among Tri-City area bowlers with a 182. Other first-team selections from the local area were Devin Mayon (179) and Devin Hidalgo (166), both of Morgan City High School
Houma Christian’s Jace Adams was the boys’ Most Valuable Player with a 187 average.
Tri-City area representatives on the second team were Cameron Kelly (165), Scott Price (165) and Isaaiah Williams (165), all of Berwick; and Morgan City’s Ryan Armond (164).
Below are the complete all-district boys and girls teams:
Girls
First Team
—Juliet Thibodeaux, Morgan City, 183 average.
—MacKenzie Amador, Morgan City, 173.
—Emily Price, Central Catholic, 160.
—Kameron Patureau, Morgan City, 151.
—Ashley Daigle, Central Catholic, 150.
—Jolie Boudreaux, Central Catholic, 147.
Girls’ MVP: Juliet Thibodaux, Morgan City
Second Team
—Alexandria Himel, Houma Christian, 142.
—Jaci Lynch, Berwick, 141.
—Sara Thibodaux, Central Catholic, 137.
—Julianna Hernandez, Central Catholic, 135.
—Marina Duval, Central Catholic, 133.
—Gracie Rodrigue, E.D. White, 130.
Boys
First Team
—Jace Adams, Houma Christian, 187.
—Gage Gaddis, E.D. White, 184.
—Kyle Valdez, Berwick, 182.
—Devin Mayon, Morgan City, 179.
—Thomas Amador, Houma Christian, 177.
—Devin Hidalgo, Morgan City, 166.
Boys MVP: Jace Adams, Houma Christian.
Second Team
—Cameron Kelly, Berwick, 165.
—Scott Price, Berwick, 165.
—Isaaiah Williams, Berwick, 165.
—Ryan Armond, Morgan City, 164.
—Gage Martin, Houma Christian, 164.
—Bennett DiSalvo, Houma Christian, 163.
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Competition is where you find it, and for the past several months, Tri-City area high school students have found it on the water.
No, not swimming, diving or playing water polo. These kids compete in the Louisiana High School B.A.S.S. Trail, where the competition and challenge can be as tough as any sport and perhaps in some ways more difficult.
The Bass Anglers Sportsman Society program began five years ago with Patterson High School being the first school locally to field a team to participate during its second year of competition. Patterson High School fishing coach Hal Pinho says the program continues to grow across Louisiana.
“The first year Patterson was in, there was probably 80 boats entered in a tournament, then there was 100, then 200, and now there’s more than 300 statewide,” Pinho says. “It’s grown so much they had to split it up into east-west divisions, because they had so many kids.”
In 2018 Pinho’s sons Hayden and Hunter qualified for the 2018 B.A.S.S. National High School Championship when they finished seventh out of 252 teams in last year’s state tournament. Older brother Hayden now fishes for the University of Louisiana-Lafayette’s Ragin Cajun Bass Fishing Team.
High school anglers have six tournaments that they can compete in in the east and west regions in trying to qualify for the state tournament. And, though the number of qualifying tournaments doubled in 2018 from the previous year, it’s still not an easy task.
“To qualify for a state championship, you have to finish in the top 10 percent of at least one tournament,” Morgan City High School fishing coach Dean Grizzaffi said. “We average between 150 and 180 boats per tournament, so that means they have to finish in the top 15 or top 18 to qualify.”
Depending on whether it’s being held in the east or west region, tournaments take place in locations like the Atchafalaya Basin, Henderson Lake, Lake Pontchartrain, the Calcasieu River, Henderson Lake, Bayou Segnette and Toledo Bend.
Because of such diversity, tournaments include a Friday practice day for the competitors before the Saturday event.
“The enjoyment is just seeing these kids compete,” Grizzaffi said. “Their day starts out between 4:30 and 5:00 o’clock in the morning. It takes a special kid to sit out in a boat from 6:30 a.m. till 3:00 p.m. weigh-in while battling the weather. No matter if it’s 100 degrees or 30-something, 50-something, battling the rain — these kids don’t have dugouts. They don’t have locker rooms. You’re out on the water, where you might get a 10-minute break. And, these kids will probably cast over 2,000 times a day.”
The sport itself isn’t cheap. Besides the $40 entry fee per team, quite often, depending on the tournament’s location, there are hotels involved as well as boat fuel expense, vehicle fuel, food, drinks and even boat repairs if a mishap occurs — something Grizzaffi says occurred during an event.
Currently, high school tournament fishing isn’t sanctioned by the Louisiana High School Athletic Association. To help offset some of the cost, Grizzaffi says the Morgan City High School team sold sponsorships with advertisements on the team’s jerseys.
Central Catholic’s coach Beau Theriot says coaches can captain a boat for the students, give pointers and talk to them, but they can’t tie a knot, tie a bait, cast a line or net a fish. Coaches are only allowed to operate the boat.
“One thing about fishing is, you don’t have to be a certain size, color, weight, girl, boy — it doesn’t matter,” Theriot said. “You can compete on any level with this kind of sport if you want to. The thing I like about it is, it gets these kids outdoors and teaches them responsibility, safety-wise, while operating a boat and making decisions on their own.”
Tournament bass fishing is one of the fastest growing sports in the nation today. One of the goals of B.A.S.S. is to create and develop the next generation of anglers.
Currently, all qualifying tournaments are over for the year. Four teams from Morgan City, one from Patterson, and two teams from Central Catholic qualified for this year’s state tournament, which will be held out of the Berwick Boat Landing May 3 – 4.
Top finishers from the state tournament will get an opportunity to compete against the nation’s best high school anglers on Kentucky Lake this summer.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Flores is The Daily Review’s Outdoor Writer.
The St. Mary Parish Foundation has announced the 2019 St. Mary Parish Role Model honorees. They are Robert Allain, Javon Charles, Robert Dufrene, Monica Mancuso, Kellye Patterson and Travis Richard.
The honorees will be recognized during an awards dinner at 7 p.m. April 6 at the Petroleum Club of Morgan City. Tickets are $75 each. They can be purchased online at www.cfacadiana.org/rolemodels.
St. Mary Parish Role Models are outstanding business professionals who have made significant contributions of their time and resources to help nonprofit organizations, churches, and schools in St. Mary Parish.
Robert Allain III is a farmer in Franklin. He’s a graduate of LSU with a degree in agricultural businesses. He’s been a partner of the family farming operation since 2012.
In 2015, Allain graduated from the Leadership of St. Mary program through the St. Mary Parish Chamber of Commerce. In 2016, he was elected to the Republican State Central Committee, serving Senate District 21-A.
In 2018, he graduated from LSU’s Agriculture Leadership program through the LSU Ag Center. He is a founding member and first president of Bridge St. Mary, and the president of the Atchafalaya Chapter in Morgan City.
Annually, Allain and his family provide Christmas gifts and clothing to families in need. He is a member of Church of Assumption in Franklin where he supports many fundraisers for the church and Hanson Catholic High School. He can be seen working with community members to raise funds and collect items for different charities throughout St. Mary Parish.
Javon Charles is a resident of Bayou Vista. He’s had successful careers in the restaurant management business and law enforcement. At the age of 19, Charles became a restaurant manager and was promoted quickly to general manager and unit manager. He’s a certified food safety instructor and operates under J Charles Enterprise.
Since 2014, Charles has served as a member of law enforcement with the St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office and the Patterson Police Department. In 2018, he was appointed by the St. Mary Parish Council to the Board of Commissioners for Drainage.
Currently, he is campaigning for the Oct. 12 election, in which he’s running for the District 50 state House seat.
Charles serves as a community leader through an active membership of the local NAACP Chapter. In his spare time, Charles visits nursing homes to encourage the residents and lift their spirits. He’s an avid supporter of the free haircut program organized by T.J. Malveaux.
Robert “Bobby” Dufrene is a banking officer at First National Bank of Jeanerette. He’s a graduate of Nicholls State University and Central Catholic High School.
As the current president of the Louisiana Shrimp and Petroleum Festival, Dufrene dedicates his time and effort to organizing and overseeing the festival that celebrates hometown industries. He is a member of Morgan City Main Street, where his passion for downtown preservation and revitalization allows him to plan and organize local events and city improvement projects.
Dufrene is a founding member of the Basin Brew Fest which supports the renovation of Lawrence Park, also known as “Block 27." Through his participation in the Kiwanis Club of East St. Mary, he assisted in the planning of the Lawrence Park Porch Fest alongside Ryan Yager and Charlie Solar. Every year, Dufrene enjoys the holidays by decorating the gazebo in Lawrence Park for Christmas. Additionally, Bobby supports other local organizations including the Junior Auxiliary of East St. Mary and the St. Mary of Chamber of Commerce Bayou BBQ Bash. Since 2011, he’s received numerous civic and community leadership awards including the Houma-Thibodaux Diocesan Leadership Award, the Dr. Mario Lopez Service Award, and the Who’s Who Among Universities and Colleges Award. In 2016, he was named the Louisiana Association Fairs and Festivals Volunteer of the Year. In 2018, Dufrene became a founding member of the Atchafalaya Colonel Caravan. This organization raises funds and promotes Nicholls State University through alumni events.
Dr. Monica Mancuso is a native of Hobbs, New Mexico and raised in Morgan City. She’s a graduate of LSU and Nicholls State University. She is a retired educator, community advocate, and small business owner.
During her tenure with the St. Mary Parish School Board, Mancuso was instrumental in helping schools advance to an above average grade status. Annually, she provides school supplies and materials to teachers throughout St. Mary Parish.
Since 2015, she served as a board member and president of St. Mary Excel, a community advocacy group for economic development and educational advancement. In 2018, Mancuso and the St. Mary Excel committee raised more than $130,000 in donations from public and private supporters.
Last September, Mancuso led a group of panelists from the Urban Land Institute who performed an economic development study of Morgan City and the town of Berwick. The goal of the study is to bring diversified jobs to St. Mary Parish in hopes of encouraging the next generation to stay and build a successful career in the area.
Currently, Mancuso is working with the St. Mary Excel committee to draft business proposals to benefit St. Mary Parish residents through new economic development opportunities.
Kellye Patterson is a Berwick resident who has been a working mom for the past two decades. She’s the owner and operator of a promotional products business in the Tri City area.
Patterson has supported numerous organizations as a leader of Girl Scouts; a member of the Morgan City IMAGE commission; AYSO soccer coach; and a team leader for Morgan City Relay for Life. She sits on the Board of Directors for the Krewe of Nike in charge of set and scenery.
For the past 10 years, Patterson has served on the Board of Directors for Morgan City Children’s Theater where she is in her seventh year as president and corporate chairperson.
She is currently serving her sixth year as the director of the Drama Club at Central Catholic High School. Pattersone has a passion for helping youth embrace a love for the arts.
She is a member of the bereavement group at Sacred Heart Catholic Church and a CCD teacher at Holy Cross Catholic Church. Patterson is always actively involved in helping organize fundraising activities for Central Catholic Elementary and High Schools.
Travis Richard is a Berwick resident and the senior vice president of M C Bank where he serves as the bank’s security officer, CRA Officer, and the chief operating officer. After graduating from the Graduate School of Banking at LSU, Richard was selected by his colleagues for the Banking on Leaders of Tomorrow program with the Federal Reserve Bank. His extensive experience in banking has led him to assist many programs in banking and financial literacy.
Richard a member of the Kiwanis Club of East St. Mary where he was awarded the Distinguished President Award. Also, he manages the Terrific Kids and BUGS award programs for the Kiwanis Club. He attends Holy Cross Catholic Church where he has been a member of the pastoral council for the past three years.
In addition to honoring these individuals, Joy and Frank Guarisco will be presented the 2019 Leaders In Philanthropy Award for St. Mary Parish. Leaders in Philanthropy Awards are presented annually to outstanding individuals or couples who have made a philanthropic impact in their communities through substantial charitable contributions to or by attracting substantial contributions for nonprofits, churches or schools.
Tickets to the event are $75 per person and can be purchased online at www.cfacadiana.org/rolemodels. A check can be mailed to St. Mary Parish Foundation, memo: Role Models, P.O. Box 2000, Morgan City, LA 70381. For more information call, Community Foundation of Acadiana at 337-769-4843.
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