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.
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
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.
Dr. Jim Barnidge – History Of The Catholic Papacy – Thibodaux Rotary Club
March 12, 2013
By: Jamie Gros
On March 12th, 2013 Dr. Jim Barnidge spoke to Thibodaux’s Rotary Club on the history of the Catholic Papacy.
Barnidge is a retired history professor from Nicholls State and has spoken to our Rotary club in the past. In fact he was voted speaker of the year for his wealth of knowledge of the crisis in the Middle East. He is also known for attending Europe trips with students and community members for 40 years now.
Given the Catholic Church is going through a change in the Papacy, Barnidge greeted the rotary club with a brief, but entertaining knowledge of the History of the Roman Catholic Church.
Jesus Christ, only taught his teachings, which the Catholic Church is based on for three years. The teachings of Christ were not put onto paper until 3o years after Christ was dead.
It was repeated by word of mouth at first. He set the foundation for his disciples to spread the Word, one of his main disciples Peter is known to have start the church. He actually started churches in several other areas before coming to the main city Rome, where his is ultimately crucified
Peter is not actually crucified in the coliseum, where most events went on in this day and age, he is crucified in what is known as the Circus, which is what Nero the Roman emperor of the time called it. The circuses were literally graveyards, which is what is known today as THE VATICAN, which was the Roman god of the dead.
During this time in the church, before converting to Christianity Peter wanted an individual to become Jewish, it was not until Paul, who was not a Jew, who changed this for the church.
The church slowly developed, its followers waited and waited for the second coming of Christ before they realized the Church needed some organization. There were no real priest at first, but to take care of the needs of their follows they appointed deacons, to take care of the sick and needy.
They also needed someone to take care of correspondence, which was the presbyter, and then someone need to see over them, which were the bishop, above them were the arch bishop and so on and so forth.
The real popularity of Christianity did not start until around the year 300 A.D. Constantine and Maxentius went to war over the Roman Empire. One group of follows was for Maxentius, were sun god worshippers and the other side were followers of Christ; even Constantine was not a Christian himself.
Constantine wins the war and makes December 25th the birth of Christ to deemphasize the sun gods because this was on the winter solstice, the darkest day for these people by also igniting the Birth of the SUN or SON. In many churches today the Saints are depicted with a ray of light behind them or a halo. This was taken from the sun god worshippers.
Constantine saw all the fighting going on and he came up with the Nicene Council to declare the beliefs of Christianity, which is the Nicene Creed, which Catholics still use today in mass. Constantine remained a pagan his whole life until his deathbed, which then he converted to Christianity.
The Catholic Church has been plagued by controversy for years and years. The voting will be done by a group of 115 cardinals, however it can be more but a cardinal cannot vote over the age of 80. There is however, global in balance.
The Latin Church makes up42% of the church population with only 16% of the cardinals; Europe is 24% of the church population and 53% of the population of cardinals, where Africa is 15% of the church population and only 9% of the population of the cardinals.
There is a language barrier located in this it is population. It is very unlikely for a cardinal from the United States become pope. There are many front runners to become the Pope of the Catholic Church; however any adult male who is baptized in the Catholic Church can become pope. But this is very unlikely.
On March 13, 2013 The Roman Catholic Church announced a new pope, First pope from the “New World”, a Jesuit priest, a man of the poor. Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, Pope Francis I! The new pope will replace Benedict XVI, whose surprise resignation last month prompted the 115 Roman Catholic cardinals to initiate a conclave, a Latin phrase meaning “with a key,” to pick a new leader for the world’s almost 2 billion Catholics.
Mandy and Shay Holloway-The Non-Profit Organization, Refuge 127
November 6, 2012
By: Amy Connor-Flores
Our guests on November 6th were Mandy and Shay Holloway, owners of Mandylens Photography and founders of the non-profit organization, Refuge 127.
Shay, the son of Skipper and Sandy Holloway, graduated from Thibodaux Christian Academy in 1996. He attended NSU and received an undergraduate degree from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette in Industrial Design in 2002.
Mandy is the daughter of Tom and Ann Buisson. She graduated from E.D. White in 1999 and received her undergraduate degree in Art from NSU in 2004. The two have received acknowledgements for their work including the Bobby Jindal
Community Support Award in 2011 and have been named the Best Photographers in Lafourche Parish in 2011 and 2012. Mandy and Shay have three children and two foster children. Mandy is an active community volunteer and Shay leads Dave Ramsey classes which assist families and finances.
They also volunteer photography services for children who are up for adoption in our area as well as those who have been diagnosed with cancer.
Mandy and Shay spoke to us about their organization, Refuge 127, on which they both serve as Board Members and Shay serves as Treasurer.
Refuge 127 Ministries is a Christian-based organization located in Thibodaux that reaches out to local orphans and foster children of the Lafourche Parish Juvenile Justice Facility since 2009. It’s name is inspired by the bible verse James 1:27 regarding visiting and helping to care for orphans.
They provide skills training, bible studies, visitation resources and foster care for children that have been removed from their homes due to abuse, neglect, or the death of parents or guardians. “127 Kids” is a program under Refuge 127 that links church families with children in the Juvenile Justice Facility and encourages them with notes, letters and treats that are delivered on Monday nights.
Prayers are said for each child and gifts are sent on birthdays and holidays to show the children that there is a family that loves and cares about them. “Michael’s Home” is another portion of Refuge 127 that provides an alternative for individuals to transition from foster care to a safe home rather than having to return to the harmful environment that they came from. Their goal is to break the generational cycle of poverty and help these individuals to become successful while allowing God to heal them.
Refuge 127 is also making an impact in improving the quality of life for the impoverished people of Mbale, Uganda in Africa. The city has over 1600 orphans. The organization is currently helping to build the HOPE REFUGE SCHOOL, which will ultimately include 25 buildings for the housing of orphans, medical facilities, and classrooms.
A water well was recently completed which provides clean water to over 5000 people. The first four buildings on the grounds have been completed thanks to recent donations by Refuge 127, which inspired the naming of the school.
Various fund raisers are organized to help with the expenses of Refuge 127 Ministries including the annual Tour of Homes, a semi-annual Zumba event called Zumba Love, and Grace Dolls, which Mandy is currently patenting. These adorable plush dolls will include a children’s book written to educate about orphans.
For more information on the programs above visit www.refuge127.org or find them on Facebook.
Thibodaux Rotary Club – Helen Terrebonne
September 25, 2012
By: Amy Connor-Flores
Helen Terrebonne, with Crossroads Crisis Pregnancy Center spoke to rotary on Tuesday to give an overview of the Center’s mission in the community. Helen grew up volunteering for many different organizations and has been helping to empower women through Crossroads since she was hired as an executive assistant in 2010.
Crossroads is located in downtown Thibodaux and is an education and counseling resource for women who are vulnerable to choosing abortion due to unplanned pregnancy. The organization is 10 years old and is the first of its type in the Bayou Region.
Founded in 2003 by a hotline volunteer, Crossroads has served over 1800 clients in our area and welcomed approximately 800 babies into its family. More than 3000 Crisis Pregnancy Centers of this type exist nationwide.
Dr Donald B. Kearns, MD – Part 1 | Thibodaux Rotary Club
As part of the ongoing Thibodaux Rotary Club series, “Meet My Cousin,” past Rotary Club president, and present Sargent-At-Arms, Craig Stanga presents Dr Donald B. Kearns, MD.
Dr Donald B. Kearns, MD is Clinical Professor of Surgery, Head and Neck Surgery Surgeon in Chief, Rady Children’s Specialists of San Diego. Dr Kearns also happens to be Craig’s first cousin.
In part 1, Craig shares some little known facts about Dr Kearns adolescent years.
Part 1 – Meet My Cousin – Dr Donald B. Kearns
Part 2 – Meet My Cousin – Dr Donald B. Kearns
Part 3 – Meet My Cousin – Dr Donald B. Kearns
Part 4 – Meet My Cousin – Dr Donald B. Kearns
Part 5 – Meet My Cousin – Dr Donald B. Kearns
Part 6 – Meet My Cousin – Dr Donald B. Kearns
