Loralei Gillian – Bayou Lafourche Area Convention and Visitors Bureau – September 23
The Rotary Club of Thibodaux was honored to have Loralei Gillian speak to us about tourism in Lafourche Parish. Loralei is the Executive Director of the Bayou Lafourche Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. Loralei has recently been named the Executive Director and wants everyone in the area to appreciate what tourism brings to our region.
Many visitors come to our region where we have so much to offer. Visitors have come to our area from as far as Asia. We have swamp tours, fishing, music and even whiskey. Her office does many things to promote tourism such advertising in print media, on television, radio, the internet and social media. Some of the magazines in which The Bureau has advertised are Audubon, Texas Monthly, Southern Life and even a French magazine.
Loralei encouraged all of us to be tourist in our own area. There are so many things to enjoy that many locals have never experienced.
She spoke about the importance of funding the efforts of the visitors; bureau citing what is called the “Colorado Effect.” In 1993, the state of Colorado eliminated the twelve million dollar budget of the visitors’ bureau. Over the next seven years, the state of Colorado lost an estimated two billion tourism dollars. The budget was reinstated in 2000, and in 2007, twenty-eight million people visited the state. The promotion and advertising that the visitors’ bureau does is extremely important.
The importance of tourism cannot be overstated. Tourism effects jobs, culture, business development and revenue. One major push by Gillian is in the film industry. So, the visitor’s bureau is trying to reach out more to the film industry. Louisiana has now passed the state of California in the number of film production companies. Louisiana is now known as the “Hollywood of the South.”
October is a big month in Lafourche because of the number of festivals that are held. Loralei asked that we all support and promote tourism in this area. We are Real Cajun, Real Close.
Christy Naquin – BCCM – September 16
Christy Naquin – Executive Director of Bayou Country Children’s Museum
By: Vera Holloway
Christy Naquin came to Rotary Club of Thibodaux to give an update on the Bayou Country Children’s Museum. On Sept. 28, 2014 the Museum celebrates its one year anniversary. She reported that they had a great first year. Before opening the board set a goal of 45,000 visitors to the Children’s Museum for the first year. As of this month they have had 43,890 visitors to date and they are expecting to meet the goal of 45,000 before the end of September.
Since the opening they have hosted 216 birthday parties and 72 field trips. St. Mary’s Parish residents has shown the greatest amount of support to the Children’s Museum over this last year.
The Museum has partnered with various organizations over the last year and will continue to expand partnerships in the future. They have recently partnered with CASA of Lafourche. This partnership will allow children who are in state custody and in the CASA program to be able to access the Museum at no charge. This will give children who otherwise would not have had access to the Museum an opportunity to experience it at no charge. The Museum has also began working with St. Joseph Manor residents and recently hosted a craft day at the Museum for the residents. In the future, Museum employees will begin visiting St. Joseph Manor and interact with the residents by engaging in crafts and activities with them. The Museum will also give the residents the opportunity to volunteer at the museum.
Over the Museum’s first year they have partnered with Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office to create Safety-Ville. Safety-Ville is a guided tour led by a uniformed deputy. The tour includes a severe weather simulation, fire stimulation, and other exhibits, simulations and demonstrations on safety in the home, biking, and cars. The Museum has also done Sensory Days for children with Sensory related problems and once every other month they open the museum early for these children and their families on Sundays. They have Mom and Me Programs and also have once a month they have Half Day school programs for children who are school aged. These Half Day programs are hosted on days that the children in Lafourche parish are out of school early.
Some upcoming events at the Museum is the 1 year Anniversary Celebration and the 6th Annual night at the Boo-seum. The 1 year anniversary Celebration – Coco’s Birthday will be held on Sunday, Sept. 28th 10am – 12noon for members only. General admission is from 12 noon – 4pm. This year the 6th Annual night at the Boo-seum will be held at the Thibodaux Fireman’s Fair Grounds on October 24th at 5:30pm – 8:30pm. Tickets are $6 per person in advance and can be purchased at the museum and $8 per person at the gate. The Thibodaux Rotary Club is going to partner with the museum for the Night at the Boo-seum by selling and collecting tickets at the event. More information will be coming forth, so stay tuned.
The Thibodaux Rotary Club also gave a check of $2,000 to the Bayou Country Children’s Museum to fulfill its commitment of support over the last few years.
Tim Robichaux – September 9, 2014
Tim Robichaux was the guest speaker on Tuesday, September 9, 2014. Tim is the current president of E. D. White Catholic High School. He is a former graduate of the school and a graduate of Nicholls State University. He lives in Thibodaux with his wife Michelle and has three children and one grandchild.
Tim spoke of the importance of faith and a positive attitude in our goal for success. He recalled his own journey from a “job” as an insurance adjuster to his “calling” and “true purpose”. A desire for a career change and a series of unforeseen events led him to become the band director at E.D. White. He returned to his college alma mater for an additional two years of school to get a second degree in Music.
He stressed again being open to change as he accepted the position of president in March 2014 – a job he previously had little interest in. He started the position in July and has been busy with many new things at the school.
In his update on the school, he reported the school has 789 students. The school has seen improvements with new faculty, new academic and athletic facilities, and new curriculum offerings. Next year will surely be a busy one for Tim as E. D. White celebrates its’ 50th Anniversary.
August 27 Program – Bayou Community Foundation
August 26, 2014
James J. Buquet III is President of Buquet Distributing Company located in Houma. He is the Chairman of the Bayou Community Foundation, Chairman of the Board of Coastal Commerce Bank, and past Chairman of the Houma-Terrebonne Chamber of Commerce.
After Hurricane Katrina, key investors discovered the need to have a local, non-profit foundation to compete for available recovery funding. The Bayou Community Foundation (BCF) was established as the entity to serve as an endowment recipient for the Lafourche, Terrebonne, and Grand Isle community. The BCF is a donor-advised fund of the Greater New Orleans Foundation, focused on strengthening the local capacity to create a compassionate and sustainable coastal community for generations to come.
The Bayou Community Foundation began by completing a needs assessment. Mental Health ranked as the most significant need expressed by service providers. BCF’s funding focus is in educational success for children and adults; protection and preservation of our coast; and human services.
The Gheens Foundation, granted the BCF $500,000, dispersing $100,000 annually for five years, with the stipulation of a grant match of a 2:1 ratio. BCF can assist in directing contributions to non-profit organizations; in turn, the donations will contribute towards satisfying the ratio. Contributions can be specific to organizations or the BCF can facilitate the decision making in awarding funding to grant applicants. Since 2013, BCF has awarded $225,000 in competitive grants to area non-profit service agencies and schools.
For more information or for more information contact Jennifer Armand (985-580-3901) at Armandj@bayoucf.org or visit www.bayoucf.org.
Dr. John Doucet on love bugs
August 19, 2014 Meeting
By: Justin Terrebonne
Dr. John Doucet is the Dean of the College of Sciences at Nicholls State University, where he is also Distinguished Service Professor of Biological Sciences, McIlhenny Professor of Human and Environmental Genetics, and Director of the University Honors Program. He is a Graduate of South Lafourche High School, Nicholls State University, and LSU Medical Center in New Orleans. He is the first Certified Public Health Geneticist in Louisiana. At Nicholls, he is a genetics researcher and educator, specializing in genetic diseases in Louisiana families and the co-editor of the website Genetics and Louisiana Families. With that, Dr. Doucet is well informed on the topic of “Lovebugs.”
Some interesting facts presented:
- Female Lovebugs are larger due to the ability to carry up to 1000 eggs and males have bigger eyes so they can find a female to mate to
- Once mated, the female is in charge and slowly consumes the male to feed the eggs
- Lovebugs are alive all year long and spend most of their time in caterpillar form eating the decaying layer of grass right below the sod in your yard. They only live as adults for three to four days until they lay eggs and the cycle starts again.
- Lovebugs are native to Costa Rica and have slowly migrated through the southeast with the emergence of highways
- They are attracted to more than cars. Factors such as temperature, rainfall, highways and homes influence their population as the emittance of chemical “aldehydes” and vibration are stimulus for these insects which they are drawn to.
- Their biological name is “plecia nearctica” and are also referred to as black marsh fly or hurricane fly
