Mr. Pena talked about the medical problems during the War of the Rebellion: Five battles, fifteen skirmishes, and countless hit and run raids and affairs were staged in the Lafourche district during May 1862 to May 1865 – conservative casualties (killed, wounded, captured or missing) -3,500 – 3,700. Among the five battles only: 230 killed, 631 wounded. Confederates underreported their casualties – for example, Battle of Koch’s Plantation (July 13, 1863) (CSA) Gen. Tom Green listed only 3 killed, 30 wounded. Union reports listed 56 killed, 223 wounded. Chief cause of death was from hemorrhage, and infection from small arms. If wounded in the head, chest or abdomen almost always mortal. doctors used bromine.

Bromine was applied to  the  surface of the wound or injected into the wound while the patient was under general anesthesia)  and iodine (disinfectant) as treatment for wound infections – the problem was that the treatment was  started too late. Doctors believed that bacteria came as a result of infections. They didn’t believe that bacteria caused infections. Between 1821 and 1846 only 333 surgeries were performed in USA. Surgery was the last thing opted for because of the pain.

She is the author of four cookbooks: Who’s Your Mama, Are You Catholic and Can You Make a Roux? (Book 1), Who’s Your Mama… ? (Book 2), Cajun Cook­ing for Beginners, and No Baloney On My Boat. She co-authored four cookbooks with renowned chef Emeril Lagasse. She also co-authored Eula Mae’s Cajun Kitchen with Eula Mae Dore, a longtime cook for the McIlhenny family on Avery Island, and Stir the Pot: The History of Cajun Cuisine, with Carl A. Bras-seaux and Ryan A. Brasseaux. With Judy Walker, food editor for The Times-Picayune, Ms. Bienvenu co-authored Cooking Up A Storm: Recipes Lost and Found from The Times-Picayune of New Orleans, which was nominated for a James Beard Award in 2009.

She talked about her interest in cooking and her contributions by writing books and stated: I spoke to a group in New Orleans a couple of weeks ago, and one of the ladies in the audience asked me how “did you get into food?”  Well, I was born into it. My father’s family. – large family owned the newspaper, went home for lunch. My mother’s family – farmers – had pigs, chickens, cattle, garden, canned figs and pears, and made butter.

My experience in Washington, D.C. and my stint at the TP – living in New Orleans opened up a whole new world to me. I became infatuated with the history of why we eat what we eat – how did the cuisines of Cajun and Creole evolve? And now I’m somewhat of a culinary historian. I teach at  Nicholls – Culinary History of the American South. And now it appears that we’ll be having our own culinary building -33,000 square feet on a 6-acre site on Highway 1 on what used to be Acadiana Plantation.

History and objectives of Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) for Children. .

 In 1976, Superior Court Judge David Soukup of Seattle, WA, saw a recurring problem in his courtroom. To ensure he was getting all the facts and the long-term welfare of each child was being represented, the Seattle judge came up with an idea that would change America’s judicial procedure and the lives of over a million children. He obtained funding to recruit and train community volunteers to step into courtrooms on behalf of the children.

This unique concept was implemented in Seattle as a pilot program in January 1977. During that first year, the program provided 110 trained CASA volunteers for 498 children in 376 dependency cases.

In 1978 the National Center of State Courts selected the Seattle program as the “best national example of citizen participation in the juvenile justice system.” This recognition, 

neglected and/or abandoned; attempt to find safe and permanent homes for abused children as quickly as possible; are specially trained and appointed by a judge; help break the cycle of child abuse. Today the National CASA Association represents 930 CASA programs across the country. CASA provides support for starting programs, technical assistance, training, and fundraising, media, and public awareness services.

CASA Volunteers

No matter what your time, talents or interests, there is a place for you. All too often we don’t think about abused or neglect­ed children until we read about the death of a child in the news paper. Children in Lafourche Parish are in need of powerful voices in court to help them find a safe passage to permanent homes where they can thrive. Your support, either as a volunteer or through your tax deductible donation, is deeply appreciated.

Mr. Borne’ graduated from Thibodaux High School salutatorian and attended Nicholls where he was student body President and Mr. Nicholls and inducted to NSU Hall of Fame.

He attended LSU to work on his Masters in Mass Communications. Dan became the news anchorman for Channel 9.  Later, he worked on the staff of two senior U.S. senators, Allen Ellender, and Russell Long. 

Dan joined the Edwin Edwards administration as the governor’s chief assistant and executive secretary. He has served as Chairman of the Board of Baton Rouge General Hospital and General Health System, President of the Louisiana Arts and Science Center, and President of the Louisiana Council on Economic Education.

For the past 22 years, he has served as President of the Louisiana Chemical Association. Dan is an adjunct professor at L.S.U. and  he is also President of the Louisiana Chemical Industry Alliance, a group of over 500 businesses. 

He is a member of the board of directors of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana and the Blue Cross Blue Shield Foundation. Dan is the public address announcer in L.S.U.’s Tiger Stadium and also the courtside announcer in the P-Mac for basketball games.

Mr. Borne’ began by saying that we are in the Renaissance in manufacturing industries which will benefit our State tremendously.  He further stated that God did not give us mountains like in Colorado or the white beaches of Florida but He gave us dead dinosaurs, Jurassic Park of minerals, oil, natural gas, and the incredible Mississippi River that provides commerce and brings Louisiana to the world and the world to Louisiana.

Over the last five years, the availability of natural gas  has changed the manufacturing industry in the State, because now natural gas is plentiful and relatively inexpensive.      

This has and will result in billions of  dollars in investments along the river in several parishes and will reverberate into all the river parishes and those bordering the river parishes.  It will create good jobs  especially for young people who receive technical, manufacturing, and business degrees. He further added that  “Renaissance of Manufacturing” is coming and it is because of natural gas and shell gas drilling in North Louisiana and Texas.

As an adjunct instructor at LSU, one of the questions Mr. Borne’ is often asked  is “how did you get the job as PA announcer at LSU?”  He explains the reason was that he asked for it. The message of the story was “Don’t ever be afraid to ask.”  If at anytime there is ambiguity in life as to what we are suppose to be doing on the job, with the family, or at church or volunteer activities, ask what is the next thing that needs to be done and how can one help to do it.

Dan said that another life lesson is the power of one person. He further added that the power of knowing one’s role and playing it well and  understanding what the role is in an organization is important. A good friend of his went for an audition and did not get the role he wanted but got a smaller role  He asked for another role but was told that there were no small roles but there were small actors. Dan tells the students who are entering into an organization to understand their roles and the part they are suppose to play and not to be intimidated by people who have bigger roles because in the grand scheme of things there are no small parts/roles in any organization.

In addition to some very funny exchanges between cousins (Craig and Dan), Dan had some great stories about Tiger Stadium. And also spoke about one memorable encounter with LSU’s famed baseball coach and past AD, Skip Bertman. Skip Bertman and tubas???

Dan also offered some great insight into the promising future of manufacturing along the lower Mississippi river, which will greatly impact our bayou region.

The videos below are large, so be patient and give them a few moments to load.

This program is divided into 2 videos. One is Craig’s introduction. The other is Dan Borne’s presentation.

Craig’s introduction video (It’s a large file so give it a few moments to start loading):

Dan Borne’s Presentation

(It’s a large file so give it a few moments to start loading):

The tournament begins at 8:30 a.m. Entry fee is $300 per team. Team includes cart, green fee, lunch and 2 mulligans. Eighteen hole 3 man scramble, flight by blind draw. There will prizes for the flight finishers. Prizes will also be awarded for the longest drive and the shot closest to the hole.

If interested, please contact O. Kent Andrews, Tournament Chairman, 3751 Lauderdale Woodyard Road, Kinder, LA 70648 or phone 337-275-0334.

Mike Naquin - Fire Chief for the Thibodaux Volunteer Fire Department

Mr. Mike Naquin, Associate Vice President of Finance at Nicholls State University, was the guest speaker on September 27, 2011. Mike is the Fire Chief for the Thibodaux Volunteer  Fire Department. He provided a broad range of information about   the Thibodaux Volunteer  Fire Department. A summary of his talk is given below.

Mission Statement

To provide our citizens with the best Fire and Rescue services possible with a fire department that is well equipped and members that are properly trained.

Department Information

Fire Chief: Mike Naquin

Assistant Chiefs: Randy Pate;

Chad Mire; and Robert Riviere.

Board President: Joe Ayo

The Fire Department Maintains a total of 21fire

apparatus,  8 Pumpers and 1 Ladder truck. 11 specialty vehicles (Rescue, 3 Salvage, Command, Air, Hose Tender, Fire Prevention, 3 Chief’s Vehicles), and 1 Reserve Ladder Unit

Facilities

 9 Fire Stations, 1 Central Station, 1 Training Facility, and the Firemen’s Fair Grounds and Warehouse. In 2010, Responded to 322 calls  consisting of  275 Fire Calls and   47 Rescue Calls.

Thibodaux Volunteer Fire Department protects a population of about 17,500 citizens.

Rising Cost

In 1980 the price of a new fire truck was $65,000 and 20 years later in 2000 a new fire truck cost $177,529.  In 2011 a new fire truck cost approximately $300,000. A Rescue unit on order cost $334,572.  In 1983 a new ladder truck cost $261,450 and in 2009 our ladder truck cost $733,000. In 2011 a new ladder truck would cost approximately 800,000.

Types of Expenditures

Replace as needed and maintain current fleet of apparatus, rebuild and remodel fire stations. strategically relocate fire stations to meet City growth, maintain state of the art training facilities, acquire new and maintain current fire fighting equipment. Hose, Nozzles, Fittings, Electronic Equipment, and Personal Protective Clothing.

Cost of daily operations includes the cost of  fuel, insurance, vehicle and building maintenance, and high band Communications system, 700 MHz system. :Fair grounds: Maintain and improve with self generated funds.

Fire Prevention: To provide funding for materials and supplies used in the delivery of fire safety educational programs.

US Attorney - Jim Letten

Jim Letten, has served for over twenty-seven years as a federal prosecutor beginning with the U. S. Department of Justice Organized Crime and Racketeering Strike Force, and became Chief of the Strike Force in March of 1988 and remained Chief of the unit through that office’s merger into the United States Attorney’s Office in 1990, until being named First Assistant in August of 1994. While First Assistant, Jim served as a lead prosecutor in the investigation, prosecution, and successful conviction of former Louisiana Governor Edwin Edwards following a four-month jury trial in early 2000.

Jim was initially appointed by the U. S. Attorney General as the U. S. Attorney in April of 2001, until his Presidential appointment and subsequent Senate confirmation in July, 2005.

Jim was appointed in 2009 to serve as the Executive Director of the National Center for Disaster and Recovery Fraud, which has its National Command Center in Baton Rouge. Jim is a retired Commander in the U. S. Naval Reserve having served as NCIS Agent. Jim has been and remains active in the U. S. Department of Justice’s role in efforts to rebuild the New Orleans Police Department.

Jim has received numerous awards from federal, state and local enforcement agencies and civic institutions, including University of New Orleans Distinguished Alumnus of the Year in 2008.

He was awarded the United States Attorney General’s Medallion for Distinguished Service recognizing his leadership following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina.

Most recently, Jim received the Anti-Defamation League’s 2010 Torch of Liberty Award for his leadership and contributions to counteractive bigotry and advancing civil rights. He also received the Southeast Louisiana Boy Scouts of America 2010 Citizen of the Year award.

Letten’s talk included the structure of his office consisting of about 130 employees. The Civil Division in his office  brought back nine settlements last year including the 650 million dollars settlement from Merck. The Criminal Division is divided into different units. For example the Cyber Crime Unit is engaged with FBI and local law enforcements. He indicated that generally senior citizens and retirees are victims of cyber crimes. The heroin uses is way up in the city of New Orleans, and the City suffers from high capital rate of homicides.

Letten expressed his thanks to the local law-enforcements, Sheriff’s Office, Thibodaux Mayor’s Office, Police Department, and District Attorney’s Office. He thanked all those who help him behind the seen.

Applications are currently being accepted for the Class of 2011.  Parish residents and individuals who work in Lafourche are encouraged to consider participating in the eight month program.

Sponsored by the Chamber of Lafourche and the Thibodaux Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Lafourche began in 1993 and has trained hundreds of people from up and down the bayou.    

Leadership Lafourche is a tuition-based program, subsidized by private and corporate donations.  Individual tuition is $700, a very worthwhile investment.  Class size is approximately 25 participants per year.  Corporate sponsorship is also currently being accepted.

Topics of instruction include:   Leadership, Culture and History, Education, Community Service and Healthcare, Government, Law Enforcement and Judicial, Environment and Economic Development, and Visioning.  Sessions will be held on the second Wednesday of each month beginning in November, with an opening reception to be held on October 13.

The program has a strict attendance policy therefore applicants should have the full support of their families and employers before submitting the application.

The application deadline is quickly approaching.  Interested individuals should contact the Chamber of Lafourche at 985-693-6700 or the Thibodaux Chamber at 985-446-1187 for more information or for applications.  You can also download applications by Going to The Thibodaux Chamber website.

Thibodaux Rotary Club 2011-2012 Board of Directors

Badi swears in the officers and board: l-r Jennifer Ledet – President Elect, Maxine Minton – Secretary Treasurer and Board Members Gary Palmer, Sandy Holloway, Craig Hebert, John Shaver and Bryce Ledet.

Members of the Thibodaux Rotary Club Receive Gifts
From The Club and President John Shaver For Their Help With Club Projects

John Shaver & Thibodaux Mayor Tommy Eschete

John Shaver & Skip Holloway

John Shaver & Sandy Holloway

John Shaver & Maxine Minton

John Shaver & Jennifer Ledet

John Shaver & Bobby Marcello