FOCUS FEATURE
Relay For Life

By Nick Mikulas

Spring is just around the corner. In a few weeks, we’ll trade those snow boots we’ve had to add to our collective Louisiana wardrobe for the tennis shoes that are more typical in this part of the country. What better way to break in those walking shoes than at the 2010 Rapides Parish Relay For Life!

The main event starts Friday, April 16th at 6:00pm, and ends Saturday morning at 6:00am at Holy Savior Menard High School. Why does Relay For Life last all night? Because cancer never sleeps! The American Cancer Center Relay For Life gives everyone in our community and communities around the globe a chance to celebrate the lives of those who have battled cancer, remember loved ones lost, and fight back against the disease.

Leading up to the main event on April 16th and 17th, there are plenty of fundraisers you can connect with. Visit www.relayforlife.org/rapides for a list of upcoming fundraisers. One fundraiser you can participate in the month of March is Daffodil Days. The daffodil emphasizes the spirit of renewed life and the hope that we will someday win the war against cancer. We are asking every business in Rapides Parish to participate by purchasing daffodils either in vases for $35 or by the case for $325. How wonderful it would be to see daffodils in every business and home? You may also send a vase of daffodils as a gift to a friend with a personalized gift card. American Cancer Society volunteers will deliver the flowers within Rapides Parish on Tuesday, March 23rd.

More than two-thirds of all cancer deaths are preventable. A critical part of our work is to teach people how to maintain healthy lifestyles and get regular check-ups. Up until a couple of months ago, cancer had never affected an immediate family member of mine. On January 13th, I got a call from my mom telling me that my seemingly healthy 39-year-old stepbrother had been diagnosed with leukemia. Due to the advanced state of his cancer, he passed away only two days later, leaving behind a wife and 3 wonderful children. We never know when or how cancer will slip into our lives. Now is the time to help raise awareness, help those afflicted with the disease, and help find a cure. I hope to see you all April 16th whether you’ve been affected directly, indirectly, or not at all. This fight against cancer needs every single one of you.

“Turn the Beat Around” with the American Heart Association

The American Heart Association invites you to “Spin Around” into the future at their annual fundraising event, “Turn the Beat Around”, on Friday, April 30th at 7:00pm at Bistro on the Bayou. Your heart will race with excitement at this event that’s sure to entertain with live music, plenty of delicious food and a live and silent auction! All proceeds from this event will benefit the American Heart Association whose mission is to build healthier lives free of cardiovascular disease and stroke.

The theme, “Turn the Beat Around”, is being used to promote hands-only CPR also known as CCR. Unfortunately, due to the fear of bystanders making things worse or doing something wrong, less than a third of those experiencing a cardiac arrest or stroke will be provided help. “We all have friends or family that may have been a victim of this fear to help. CCR changes that way of thinking,” said Glenda Stock, member of the American Heart Association’s 2010 Leadership Team.

Your support will help locally by increasing education and research on advances like hands-only CPR and passing smoke free air laws. Additionally, physical education programs and healthy vending options for our school aged children are supported. There are many ways to participate in this year’s event.

Table Supporter-(8 Reserved Seats) at $2,500
Gold Sponsorships-(4 Reserved Seats) at $1,200
Silver Sponsorships-(2 Reserved Seats) at $600
Individual Tickets at $100 each

Mrs. Laurie Thomasee Deselle, Regional Director (318) 573-2247, is the local contact for the American Heart Association and can elaborate on details regarding this event. Mrs. Glenda Stock, 2010 Leadership Team Member (318) 619-9567, may also be contacted for additional information.

Spring Brings Festival Fun to Natchitoches

By Latisha McDaniel

History is not the only thing that makes Natchitoches such a great place to live and visit. With year-round festivals and authentic Louisiana cuisine, Natchitoches has a lot to offer. Come and see why Oprah declared Natchitoches the “Best Little Town in the Whole USA!”

Downtown Natchitoches promotes “Boomer Days” every Tuesday. Boomers and beyond, or anyone else for that matter is invited to rediscover the Landmark Historic District every Tuesday. Wear your sneakers and park your car for a great walking experience. Stop by and visit with downtown merchants and check out the latest merchandise. Several new stores have opened in the downtown area and others have expanded selections.

Rocking Horse Toy Store offers a play day for adults from 10:00am – 12:00noon. Visit the store for group activities, games, dominos, puzzles, art projects and more. Enjoy free coffee and snacks and a chance meet your friends and have fun while the kids and grand kids are in school. Dickens and Company will treat Baby Boomers to a free homemade cookie, while the Book Merchant will offer free coffee. Make plans to enjoy lunch, a snack or dessert at one of our nine restaurants and coffee shops. Walking maps of the downtown historic district are available at the Visitor’s Center open 7 days a week from 9:00am to 5:00pm at 781 Front Street.

The Natchitoches Art Guild & Gallery celebrates artistic creativity each year with the Art Along the Bricks event on Saturday, March 13th. Visitors and art lovers can walk along Front Street to see the fine art and craft exhibition and sale that the 9th Annual Art Along the Bricks offers. The event will last from 10:00am to 5:00pm. Admission is free. For more information call (318) 352-1626 or visit www.natchitochesartguild.org.

Fort St. Jean Baptiste State Historic Site hosts Assemblee de la Marine, a spring living history program that will focus on the lives and daily activities of the French Marine garrison stationed at the Fort during the 1750's. Held from 9:00am to 5:00pm, on Saturday, March 13th, this event will feature ongoing activities, demonstrations and historical vignettes. The Fort is located at 155 rue Jefferson. Admission is $2.00 for ages 12-62. For more information, call (888) 677-7853 or (318) 357-3101.

The 2010 Jazz/R&B Festival will be a two-day long event beginning Friday, April 16th with live entertainment from local favorites. Saturday, April 17th will kick off at 12:00noon with entertainment on three stages. Food vendors will be available throughout the weekend offering festival food faire. The Festival schedule includes 70's Supergroup “The Atlanta Rhythm Section”; one of New Orleans' most successful funk bands “Papa Grows Funk”; and a hot trio that recreates the Texas boogie and hard rockin' blues sound of ZZ Top “Sharp Dressed Man”. Local favorites Johnny Earthquake and the Moondogs will also be performing at the Festival. Visit the Festival website at www.natchjazzfest.com.

For more information on these or other events in Natchitoches Parish, contact the Convention & Visitors Bureau at (800) 259-1714 or visit online at www.natchitoches.net.

Kent Plantation House in the Civil War

By Alice Scarborough

February 21, 1863: “Rain, Rain and Yankees. Nothing else.”

May 9, 1863: “Nothing doing on the plantation. Federal Army encamped on my plantation.”

The above are excerpts from a journal written by Robert C. Hynson, second owner of the historic Kent Plantation House. The Hynsons were living on the plantation at the time of the burning of Alexandria on May 13, 1864 by Union troops retreating from the battles of Mansfield and Pleasant Hill. Very few structures escaped being burned. Kent House was one of those exceptions. Robert Hynson also owned a townhouse in Alexandria. Fearing that his plantation home would be burned, he shipped all of his furnishings to town. His townhouse is specifically mentioned in several accounts of the burning, and of course, did not escape the flames of the fires.

As evidenced by the quotes above, for a period of time, Union troops were camped on the grounds of the plantation. All of the out-buildings on the plantation were burned when the Union army left the area, but the house itself was spared. There are several interpretations/speculations as to why it was saved, though none have been proven.

Even though the general interpretive period of Kent Plantation House is from 1795 through 1855, Ken House has a definitive Civil War connection. Having escaped the burning of Alexandria, a demolition plan of the 1960’s and the ravages of time itself, it is the oldest standing structure in the Alexandria area. It was built in 1800 by Pierre Baillio II on a 1795 Spanish land grant. For several years now, Kent House has hosted a Civil War Living History Event to commemorate the burning of the city and to celebrate its rebirth from those ashes. This year, we will continue this tradition. The 2010 event will showcase how the civilian population lived, worked and played on the plantation during the Union occupation. There will be living history demonstrations, open-hearth cooking, and costumed civilians showing how life was lived on a day-by-day basis. There will be speakers giving presentations on the Civil War and its effect on the local population.

Appropriately titled, the “Plantation Life During the Civil War” event, will be held May 1st from 9:00am to 3:00pm. Admission is free and the public is invited and encouraged to attend. This education program is sponsored by Kent House and is a gift to the community. For more information about Kent Plantation House, please call (318) 487-5660 or visit www.kenthouse.org.

Review Better Business Accreditation Before Buying

By Lawrence S. Searcy, Jr.

I received a letter the other day from our local Better Business Bureau congratulating the company on achieving an A+ rating and offering to license the BBB logo for use with our advertising. I have been involved with responding to BBB complaints as both a lawyer and professional and cannot emphasize enough how important it is for businesses to respond to a BBB or any other complaint in a timely manner. Likewise, consumers should use the BBB to investigate companies when shopping for high dollar items.

The BBB is a great resource for consumers. The national website www.bbb.org offers useful information on many topics, including avoiding internet scams to determine if their vehicle is one affected by Toyota’s latest recall. However, one of the most useful aspects of the BBB is assisting consumers with business investigation and issue resolution.

The BBB sanctions businesses that apply for the accreditation. The process requires that the business make a good faith commitment to resolve any customer complaint. In addition, a BBB company must ascribe to the BBB Code of Business Practices that encompasses such duties as advertising truthfully, safeguarding privacy, being responsive and honoring promises. Of course, some businesses do not seek BBB accreditation and failure to do so should not be a reflection of the company’s business practices. However, if a business does seek to be sanctioned by the BBB, the business receives a grade associated with its compliance to the BBB standards. These grades are a good indication about the experience the consumer can expect when shopping with an accredited business.

Just like in school, the BBB gives accredited businesses a grade ranging from “A+” to “F”. A grade of “A” does not necessarily mean there have been no complaints about the company. It only means that the company has made a good faith effort to resolve complaints in a timely manner. It also means that the company has abided by the BBB Code of Business Practices. On the other hand, a grade of “F” clearly demonstrates that the member business has failed to live up to its obligation to try to resolve disputes or to abide by the Code of Business Practices. A full copy of the Code of Business Practices can be found on the BBB web site.

The BBB website also allows consumers to search for particular businesses by name, state or zip code. Consumers of large items like electronics, automobiles or other equipment should research for BBB accreditation before making any purchase. If the business is not a member, then further investigation may be warranted. However, if a business is listed, the site will categorize the types of complaints, their resolutions and ultimately give the company a grade. A less than satisfactory rating or a failing grade should put any consumer on guard. Remember the old saying of “buyer beware” and always be wary of those companies with failing grades.

Easter in Avoyelles

By Marie Lemoine

The days of March are filled with winter: cloudy skies, cold winds and sometimes, snow flakes. The wise person will look past the March malaise to anticipate the beauties of the end of the month and Easter. Avoyelles will fill the cold days of March with anticipation of Easter dresses and beautiful baskets of Easter eggs. Marksville will host again the traditional Easter Egg Knocking Contest on the morning of Easter Sunday.

This “paque-paque”, which was established in 1957, is the oldest egg knocking contest in the state of Louisiana. The contest is timed to begin just a short time after Mass concludes at nearby St. Joseph’s Catholic Church. The participants gather on the Parish Courthouse Square, dressed in beautiful Easter outfits and hats. The contest is to “pock” the eggs until only one remains: the champion hard shelled egg. Lots of fun is enjoyed, and everyone looks splendid and happy to be out in the warm sunshine. For more information, call Marksville City Hall at (318) 253-0457.

Cottonport also offers an opportunity to knock eggs on the Saturday before Easter Sunday. Cottonport also offers An Easter Parade, followed by lots of contests: best decorated basket, prettiest Easter bonnet, and an Easter Egg spoon race. Cottonport will also offer a Cake Bake-Off and an Art Exhibit. Vendors will be available to offer all sorts of food. For more information, call Cottonport Town Hall at (318) 876-3485.

Effie and Vick will sponsor Easter on the Red, also on the Saturday before Easter, at beautiful Ben Routh Park on the Red River at Vick. The celebration features egg knocking contests, an egg decorating contest, and an Easter Bonnet/Hat Contest. There will also be an old fashioned egg hunt for the children. For more information, call Marsha Wiley at (318) 613-2274.

Come join us as we celebrate Easter in Avoyelles!

For more information on Avoyelles Parish, contact us at the Avoyelles Commission of Tourism. Write to us at 8592 Highway 1, Suite 3, Mansura LA. 71350. Call Mary, Sara, Earline, Marie or Wilbert Carmouche, Tourism Director, at (800) 833-4195, or call us locally at (318) 253-0585; or visit us at www.travelavoyelles.com. Or e-mail us at tourism@kricket.net.

Bloomin’ On the Bricks

By Mayor Wayne McCullen

Experience the beauty of springtime in downtown Natchitoches during the Tenth Annual Bloomin’ on the Bricks on Saturday, March 13th. The Tenth Annual Bloomin’ on the Bricks will take place from 9:00am to 3:00pm on Saturday, March 13th on the downtown riverbank in Natchitoches’ National Historic Landmark District. The event, which is being organized by the Natchitoches Main Street Program, is a celebration of spring in the City’s Historic District. Visitors will be able to see the beauty of springtime in downtown Natchitoches through its hanging flower baskets and thousands of daffodils and tulips planted along the riverbank and downtown area.

The spring garden festival will feature an exhibit area with lawn and garden vendors who will display and sell an assortment of items needed to transform your garden and yard this spring season. Nursery owners from around the area will sell specialized plants such as ferns, bromeliads, herbs, bedding plants and more. Other vendors will sell iron work, landscape materials, yard art and other decorative items.

A speaker’s series will address a variety of gardening and landscaping topics including “Native Louisiana Plants,” “Low Maintenance Gardening for Sun and Shade,” and “Upscale Landscaping.”

The day-long event will feature musical entertainment and a children's area. Other activities include the Natchitoches Parish Library Bookmobile and a butterfly release. Food booths will be located on the riverbank throughout the day.

Admission to Bloomin’ on the Bricks is $3.00 for adults and free for children under 12. For information about the show or to become a vendor, please call the Natchitoches Main Street Office at (318) 352-2746.

In addition to Bloomin’ on the Bricks, the Natchitoches Art Guild will sponsor Art Along the Bricks on Front Street. Dozens of artists will display their works along Front Street with featured demonstrations and children’s activities. For more information on Art Along the Bricks, call the Natchitoches Art Guild at (318) 352-1626.

Another event taking place that same weekend is Alive After 5. On Friday March 12th, Natchitoches Main Street will present a staged reading of “Love Letters” at the Natchitoches Arts Center, located at 716 Second St. in downtown Natchitoches. The staged reading will be performed by members of the Cane River Repertory Theatre. Doors open at 6:00pm and light refreshments will be available to those who attend.

Additional Alive After 5 events will be held April 9th, May 22nd, June 12th and July 4th. All events are free to the public. For information on any of these events, please call the Main Street Program at (866) 941-MAIN or visit the web site at www.downtownnatchitoches.com.