Thibodaux Rotary Club
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
August 12 – Coach Charlie Stubbs Speaks to Thibodaux Rotary
Submitted by Justin Terrebonne
Coach Charlie
Stubbs was the guest speaker at Rotary who discussed the 2014 version of the Nicholls State University Fighting Colonels football team. Coach Stubbs enters his fifth season as head football coach, and thirty-fourth year overall in the coaching profession.
During his time as head football coach, Coach Stubbs has striven to build a program with a solid foundation the “right way.” With five recruiting classes under his leadership, Coach Stubbs’ 2014 team includes seventy one players from the State of Louisiana. He has guided the football program academically from being last in the Southland Conference in APR rankings to the top in both APR ranking and graduation rate. He has also instilled the importance of community, as many players routinely volunteer for community service as opportunities arise.
The theme for the 2014 football season is “Finish,” and starts with five of the first six games on the road. Opening with a trip to the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs and the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, this will be the first time the Nicholls State Football team plays a team from the SEC. The first home game is September 13 against Henderson State University and Southland Conference play starts on the road at the University of Central Arkansas on September 27.
In addition to helping fund the budget of the athletic department, Coach Stubbs feels that playing programs from the Football Bowl Subdivision helps in recruiting, as it provides opportunities to play against some of the marque programs in college football.
District Governor Dr. Ezora Proctor Visits Thibodaux Rotary Club
District 6200 Governor (second from left), Dr. Ezora Proctor visited the Thibodaux Rotary Club on Tuesday, August 7. During her presentation to the club, she recognized individuals for 40 or more years of service to Thibodaux Rotary. From left is club president, Sandy Holloway congratulating the service medal recipients: Cam Frost, Dr. Donald Ayo, Mike Gauthier, Harold Block, Bob Blair, Dr. James Peltier, Charles Shaver, Al Badeaux, Dr. Proctor, and her husband, the Reverend Dr. James Proctor, honored but not included in the photo was C. Lindy Hofman
Dr. Proctor discussed her goals for District 6200 during her term as Governor for 2014 – 2015:
- Each club increases its membership by 10% or more before March 5, 2015
- Each Rotarian donates $100 or more to the Rotary Foundation
- Each Club becomes an active participant in District 6200 Governor’s Spouse Literacy Nutrition Project for second graders in local community schools
- Each club strives to achieve the Presidential Citation by April 1, 2015
- Each Rotarian donates $13.00 or more to eradicate polio
- District 6200 publishes a monthly newsletter and a pictorial history book
- District 6200 uses social media as a means of communication, publicity, and enhancement of public image
- Every Rotarian attends and supports local club, district and zone activities to enhance quality growth an ddevelopment
- Rotarians who have been members for 4o or more years will be honored during the Governor’s official visit to local clubs
Camp RYLA – Tim McNabb
Tim McNabb was the guest speaker at Rotary on July 29. He has been the lead counselor for the District 6200 RYLA program for the past seven years. Tim is the owner of Pinnacle Computer Services, Inc., has been an active member of Rotary for fifteen years, and is a past president of the Houma Rotary Club and a past assistant District Governor for District 6200.
RYLA is an acronym for “Rotary Youth Leadership Awards” which is a leadership development program for Sophmores, Juniors and Seniors in high school that District 6200 hosts at Lake Fausse Point State Park in St Martinville. The four day camp includes presentations, activities, and workshops that cover a variety of topics such as leadership fundamentals and ethics, communication skills, problem solving and conflict management, and community and global citizenship.
Fifty eight campers from District 6200 attended the June 2014 RYLA camp, of which four participants were sponsored by our own club. Each participant completes a questionnaire to place them in one of four categories based on personality. With those results, each participant is assigned a primary and secondary personality type and assigned to a group. As a group, campers participate in team building excercises focusing on the ability of individuals with various personalities to interact together to achieve a common goal centering on the concept that team competition builds better leadership.
Camp RYLA program was June 12-15. Location was Lake Fosse Point State Park. District 6200 puts on the event. Our club sponsored four students. Two atte
nded our Tuesday meeting. Emma Bourgeois, daughter of club member Ron Bourgeois won the speak off competition at camp. She was able to deliver her talk to our club as well. She will be entering her junior year at EDW. Chloe Collins, a senior at EDW also attended the meeting. She commented on the value of attending the camp and how much she got from it. Her personality characteristic was Gold, which she felt was right up her comfort level. Both thanked the club for sending them. They both thought that a big part of the learning process was working together as a team. Other students who attended the camp were Molly Delatte, a senior at THS and Lauren Bergeron, a senior at EDW. They will carry this leadership training into their futures as role models for their generation. By Steve Landry
Thibodaux Rotary Youth Clubs
Thibodaux Rotary Club sponsors: two Earlyact Clubs, St. Charles Elementary School and Bayou Community Academy Charter School; one Youthact Club, East Thibodaux Elementary School; 
and one Interact Club, Thibodaux High School.
Through Earlyact, Youthact and Interact students learn to take responsibility for real-life problems and realize the significant impact of their involvement. Members are taught leadership and learn service responsibility in their community, state, country and internationally. Our Ladder of Service shows how a young individual can make a difference.
Steve & Addy Panzram – Crawfish Aquatics
Rotary 5/6/14
Presenter: Steve & Addy Panzram
Steve Panzram is a Marinette, Wisconsin native and has over 35 years of competitive swimming coaching experience and coached at all levels of swimming from beginning to national level. He has coached several #1 Nationally Ranked Age Group Swimmers along with both Junior National and Senior National Qualifiers. He has produced over 30 Top 16 Nationally Ranked Age Group swimmers and several Top Ten United States Masters Swimmers. Several of his swimmers were finalists at Junior Nationals. In 2012 his swimmer participated in the Olympic Trials in Omaha, Nebraska swimming in six events and placing among the Top 50 in each event. He has coached in Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, Tennessee, Pennsylvania and Nevada. He has won several coach of the year awards during his career and has visited the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs six times. In 2012 Steve was recognized as one of the top 100 coaches in competitive swimming in the country. Steve is a graduate of Auburn University. Steve serves as the 13 & Over coach of Crawfish Aquatics and is the Director of Crawfish Aquatics at Nicholls State.
Addy Panzram, born in Upland, California brings a wealth of experience at the highest levels of competitive swimming in our country. Graduating from the University of Washington in 1999, she was the first swimmer to earn a full scholarship to UW. Addy lettered all four years in addition to being named Most Valuable Freshman and Most Valuable Swimmer her remaining three years. She was a Senior National Qualifier and Top 16 finisher, Record Holder at UW, PAC-10 finalist, and Junior Nationals-West High Point Swimmer. She attended the Division I NCAA Championships all four years while at the University of Washington. In 2013 Addy won the 200 meter backstroke at the United States Master Nationals in Mission Viejo, CA. Addy works with the 12 & Unders at Crawfish Aquatics and serves as the program administrator.
Sam Irwin | Thibodaux Rotary Club
April 8, 2014
Sam Irwin is a freelance journalist and writer who lives in Baton Rouge. He is the former editor of the Louisiana Market Bulletin, a state agricultural journal, and served as the press secretary for the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry under Mike Strain. He is currently the public relations director of the American Sugar Cane League. In addition to writing numerous news articles and features for the Advocate, Country Roads, Louisiana Cookin’, Offbeat and other journals, Irwin’s fiction has been published in a number of online magazines. He invites you to read The Ransom of Red Goat, a comic crime novel of New Orleans, Jefferson Parish and the Barataria. It’s available on e-book.
A product of a mixed marriage (his mother is from South Louisiana, his father’s roots are north of Alexandria, Irwin has traveled the state in search of the story. He is the author of Louisiana Crawfish: A Succulent History of the Cajun Crustacean, a new book released by History Press of Charleston, South Carolina, which makes him the foremost historian of Louisiana crawfish lore.
Thibodaux Rotary Club – Australian Team Group Study Exchange
The Rotary GSE (Group Study Exchange) Australian Team visited the Thibodaux Rotary Club on Tuesday, March 18, 2014. The Vocational Training Team members were selected for a four week trip to study Agriculture and Aquaculture in Louisiana in the March-April 2014 timeframe.
Tamara Campbell (second from left) is a Senior Forester with the New South Wales (NSW) Department of Forestry from Wauchope, NSW in Australia. Tamara has been in forestry for 15 years. Her job is rewarding in that there is variety in her day to day activities. She can start the day working on a bridge installation in her district and end her day after getting called to help fight forest fires in another location. Tamara is very proud of the products which are made from her district’s timber which include lumber, furniture and flooring.
Paul Arnott (left) is Senior Farmer Manager from the University of New England (UNE) in Armidale NSW. Paul is part of the technical staff at UNE as the Manager of Armidale Rural Properties. Paul, his wife and two children like to go camping along the lakes and rivers in his area. It is common to see a platypus out swimming in the water during their camping trips. Paul’s daughter participates on the local swim team and enjoys shopping like any other teenager. Paul’s son is active in soccer and recently scored 4 goals in one game. Paul also enjoys do-it-yourself remodeling on his home. He recently completed remodeling his kitchen.
Michelle Webb (second from right) is an Agricultural High School Teacher who is also a farmer / grazer from Coonabarabran, NSW. Michelle grew up on a farm with cattle and sheep which is now managed by her brother. In her current role, Michelle teaches high school students in agriculture and raises open range pigs. Michelle enjoys teaching because most of her classes are held outdoors. Being outdoors enables her students to experience real world lessons in agriculture.
Cameron Wood (right) is a farmer/ grazer/ wool classer from Uralla, NSW. Cameron is active in charities ranging from head shaving to sponsor education for African children to paddling down lengths of local rivers to raise money. Cameron also likes to play sports including cricket, rugby and soccer. The main business for his farm raises sheep and sells the wool to clothiers in Italy for making high quality suits.
Lindsay Wilkin (center) who is the GSE Australian Team Leader is a farmer/grazer from Coonabarabran, NSW. Lindsay raises beef cattle and has been a Rotarian of many years with his wife and two daughters. Lindsay’s wife is active in district politics. As the GSE Team leader, Lindsay Wilkin, and the team will be looking at many different aspects of the agriculture and aquaculture industries in the Louisiana area.
GSE Australian Team – Thibodaux Rotary Club
Dear Rotary Members:
At next Tuesday’s meeting, we will welcome the GSE Australian Team. The team will make a presentation at our meeting. Please see attached picture of the team. On Monday, the Golden Meadow Club tours the team down the bayou and the Lockport Club has a dinner that evening for the hosts and team. On Tuesday, the team tours John Deer in the morning and has a historical presentation in the afternoon. On Wednesday morning, they depart for Houma.
Team Leader: Lindsay Wilkin: A farmer/grazier from Coonabarabran NSW….A Rotarian of many years….former GSE Team Leader.
Team Members:
Cameron Wood: Non Rotarian; farmer/grazier/wool classer…. from Uralla NSW
Michelle Webb: Non Rotarian; Agricultural High School Teacher also a farmer / grazier….. from Coonabarabran NSW
Tamara Campbell: Non Rotarian; Senior Forester with the NSW Department of Forestry….from Wauchope NSW
Paul Arnott: Non Rotarian: Senior Farmer Manager University of New England…..from Armidale NSW
Thanks to the host families: Bobby and Leslie Marcello, Vera and Seth Holloway, Hugh and Tonya Caffery and Skip and Sandy Holloway.
Thanks!
Sandy (District 6200 Area 4 GSE Coordinator)
Sandy Holloway
BCA Director
985.414.3131
sholloway@bcacharter.org
