Donielle Watkins, Co-Director of the D.R.E.A.M.S. Foundation of Acadiana, joins us to discuss her passion for helping individuals with special needs have access to fun and enriching activities.  

Donielle and her husband, Brian, founded D.R.E.A.M.S. in 2008, so that their son, Logan, who was born with spina bifida, could participate in activities and sports along with other kids with special needs. “DREAMS began when we were sitting at a baseball game one day and Logan looked over at us and asked, ‘When am I going to get to play?’ It stopped us in our tracks.”

Logan Watkins was the inspiration behind the DREAMS Foundation of Acadiana. His indomitable spirit is a source of joy for all who know him.

There were no organized sports activities of any kind for children with special needs. Donielle found a program that had had some success up North and established a Little League with fifty kids with special needs. After the ball game was over, Logan looked at his mom and asked, “When does basketball start?” Logan just wanted to be like every other kid.

The acronym, D.R.E.A.M.S., stands for Disability, Resources, Education, Activities, Management, and Services. DREAMS is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit serving 700 kids in Lafayette, Vermilion, Iberia, and St. Martin Parishes. Participants enjoy year-round activities such as basketball, softball, soccer, bowling, gardening, cheer, dance, music therapy, swimming, art, theater, and fitness classes.

It boggled Donielle’s mind how fast DREAMS grew. Many volunteers stepped up to offer arts, gardening, and sports activities. Individuals such as Damon Vincent of TrainUnique have even gone on to open a professional gym for people with special needs and provide for his family.

DREAMS welcomes all and has participants from five years of age to 60 years of age, with many having Downs syndrome, autism, or cerebral palsy.

“When you have a child with special needs, you accept certain things. He’ll never play football. You accept that it’s a new way of life. But who doesn’t accept it? Little Logan. When we were sitting at a baseball game one day and he looked over at us and asked, ‘When am I going to play?’ It stopped us in our tracks.”

With a small budget, Donielle works hard to spread the word of DREAMS’ work. Many people who would benefit don’t know DREAMS exists. The 2010 Census indicated that 12,000 individuals in Lafayette parish would benefit from this service. The need is great and there is much work to be done.

With a full-time job as an accountant, Donielle Watkins spends all of her spare time working to grow the reach of DREAMS. Her husband and Co-Director of DREAMS, Brian, is a special education teacher at St. Thomas More high school in the Options program; In 2014, Brian was awarded Teacher of the Year by the Louisiana Governor’s Office for Special Needs.

D.R.E.A.M.S. Manufacturing Company has recently been established to create jobs for individuals with special needs in the Lafayette community. This work was jump-started by a $25,000 grant from the La. Department of Revenue and a donation of $5,000 to pay for wrapping the food truck. Currently staffed by 21 employees with unique needs, they manufacture ten different types of Kane River Meat Pies that are baked and sold at 12 grocers across Acadiana. At special events where they bring the food truck, you can purchase 2 stuffed pies and chips for $10.00 Donielle loves to bring the meat pies to businesses and will pre-contract with businesses that have 50 or more employees to bring the truck for lunches. “Eventually we’ll be the Subway of meat pies,” Donielle says. With tempting offerings such as boudin & cheese, spicy Mediterranean beef, and chicken alfredo, she may just be right!

Donielle’s long-term goal is to build Unity Village Community, a safe, independent living space for people 18 years old and up with special needs. She has worked on this for years and of course, capital is needed to get it off the ground. Her hope is that a donor may step up to provide a nest egg needed to purchase land and put up a few homes to show what can be done.

DREAMS is always looking for volunteers and donations go a long way. For more information, visit www.dreamsfoundationaca.org or call (318)610-0707. You can also call Donielle at (337)962-1609.

Dr. Rachel Pruchno, the author of Beyond Madness, joined Discover Lafayette to discuss how 11.2 million adults and 1.9 million children (statistics as of 2017) live with serious mental illness and how their families have a front-row seat to the ravages of serious mental illness as they try to make their way in the world. Mental illness can manifest at all stages of life, from within the womb to much later in life.

Dr. Pruchno is a mental health professional with a doctorate in Human Development and Family Studies. Her book details her own experience with her mother, who suffered from mental illness and committed suicide, as well as her adopted daughter who was diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

Her mission is to help get rid of the stigma of mental illness and encourage people to speak up as they share resources and reach out to others for help. It is imperative to obtain early treatment as it helps the long-term results for the patient.

Beyond Madness is an urgent book addressing what Pruchno sees as a serious lack of information and resources for families as well as people in helping professions like teachers, clergy, and police.” I think that people need to be prepared for a long journey to find good care.” says Pruchno. “But I think what’s really important — and I wish I had known that at the time — is that you’re not alone. You’re not the only person going through this.”

Even though Dr. Pruchno is a psychologist, she didn’t readily know who to reach out to when her adopted daughter developed a serious mental illness. Sadly, there is a shortage of psychiatrists in the U. S. as many are retiring and they aren’t being replaced.

Pruchno is driven to share her knowledge and to encourage people to speak up with friends, family, neighbors, and health professionals as they endeavor to find treatment for their loved ones. Many people stay quiet due to fear of the stigma of mental illness and the thinking that their family is the only one suffering. Pruchno admits that she never spoke openly with her friends about the mental illness in her family, even her psychologist friends, and wonders now how her life might have been easier if she had done so.

“After all the work I’ve done, I believe it’s the odd family that doesn’t have mental illness in it. It may be a nephew or a cousin if not one of your close family members. It’s so prevalent and we’ve buried it for so long. I want people to learn from my own struggles. I’ve tried to make sense of it and Beyond Madness is written for lay people, for people who need it.”

In the United States, approximately half of all people with serious mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depressive disorders, do not get treatment. Many rely upon alcohol and illicit substances to deal with their symptoms.

Nearly a quarter of adults with a serious mental illness meet the criteria for substance use disorder. Relative to the general population, people with serious mental illnesses are 4.6 times more likely to be smokers, 4.0 times more likely to be heavy alcohol users, 3.5 times more likely to be heavy marijuana users, and 4.6 times more likely to use recreational drugs. Among adolescents who had experienced a major depressive episode within the past year, the proportion who used illicit drugs was more than twice as high (33.0%) as that for youth who had not had a depressive episode (15.2%). Adolescents with a past-year major depressive episode also were more likely than those without an episode to use marijuana, nonprescribed psychotherapeutics, inhalants, and hallucinogens.

Psychology Today has a website (https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/psychiatrists) to help you find a psychiatrist in your area. With many doctors not accepting new patients, it can take a while to get in and Dr. Pruchno recommends calling as many as you can to get on their waiting list and in line for an appointment. She recommends that you talk to everyone you know to get their advice….including your pharmacist, dentist, and other professionals who may have insight.

The book• presents real-world vignettes that vividly describe what it is like to experience some of the most troubling symptoms of a severe mental illness;
• offers practical advice for how individuals, family members, and communities can help people with a serious mental illness;
• explains how people with mental illness can find competent health care providers, identify treatment regimens, overcome obstacles to treatment, cope with stigma, and make decisions;
• provides insight into programs, such as Crisis Intervention Training, that can help people undergoing mental health crises avoid jail and get the treatment they need;
• takes aim at the popular concept of “rock bottom” and reveals why this is such a harmful and simplistic approach;
• advocates for evidence-based care;
• documents examples of communities that have embraced successful strategies for promoting recovery;
• shows that people with serious mental illnesses can live productive lives;

We thank Dr. Rachel Pruchno for sharing her heart, her own life experiences, and her indispensable knowledge of how to obtain help for those with serious mental illness.

Tracy Wirtz, Manager of Public/Media Relations for Cox, joined Discover Lafayette to talk about Cox’s participation in the Affordable Connectivity Program which can save money on eligible consumers’ internet bills.

In November 2021, Congress passed an infrastructure bill creating the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) which directed $14.2 billion to help low-income consumers connect to high-speed Internet. Eligible households with active internet service with Cox will receive up to $30 off their monthly bill for their internet service and equipment (or up to $75 if they live in a tribal area).

A household may qualify if they have Cox Connect2Compete Internet or Lifeline Phone plus Internet.

A household may also qualify if they are enrolled in other eligible government assistance programs, including:

To determine if you are eligible, visit https://www.cox.com/residential/internet/affordable-connectivity-program.html You may be asked to verify your identity using your mobile phone number and your date of birth or by uploading your driver’s license, state ID card, or passport. You may also need to provide documentation of income, unemployment status, or participation in one of the government assistance programs listed above.

Cox is also participating in PCs for People where eligible households which do not have a computer can receive a one-time discount of $100 on refurbished laptops or desktop computers (while supplies last). Cell phones are not included in this offer as the intent is to assist people in getting a keyboard for work or school activities and reach their full potential through digital technology.

Tracy joined Cox a year ago after spending more than three decades in radio and television broadcasting, most notably on KATC TV3 and KLFY TV10. She focuses on community relations, media relations, employee engagement, and charitable giving opportunities for Cox.

Tracy Wirtz is well-known in our community, having worked in television and radio for over 30 years. She started working for Cox on August 23, 2021, and the following weekend, Hurricane Ida hit. As a broadcaster experienced in crisis communication, she understands that people need information. “They’re asking, what now? Working on the other side, in this space, has been invigorating and eye-opening.”

Cox Enterprises is a fourth-generation family-owned company started in 1898 by James M. Cox. Through its major divisions, Cox Communications and Cox Automotive, they are leaders in the communications and automotive industries with national brands including Autotrader, Kelley Blue Book, and Cox Homelife.

Dr. Kip Schumacher, founder of the Schumacher Group (now SCP Health), one of the largest healthcare management companies in the U. S., joined Discover Lafayette to discuss his medical career journey and creation of the William C. Schumacher Family Foundation which funds charitable initiatives focused on improving quality of life, education, crisis response, and healthcare measures. Erica Ray, CEO of the foundation, also joined us.

Kip is a Lafayette native, and attended Hamilton Elementary School and Lafayette High. He graduated from USL (now UL-Lafayette) and LSU Medical School.

A successful entrepreneur at an early age, Kip made costume jewelry from brass, silver, and gold wire to fund his higher education. His creations caught the eye of Barbara Abdalla, and the iconic Lafayette retailer, Abdalla’s, was the first to buy from him.

While he started out in pediatrics, Kip would moonlight in the ER and he fell in love with emergency room medicine. It was an environment where he got to know people of all ages from all walks of life and he realized how challenging access to medicine could be for so many people. He worked for 17 years as an ER doc at Opelousas Medical Center and it was there that Kip realized there had to be a more efficient way to treat patients while helping the hospital make the financial side work.

In 1980 when Kip started working at Opelousas General, the hospital contracted separately with each doctor. Kip approached the management team with a proposal to let him manage hirings, payroll, scheduling, and medical malpractice claims; he witnessed how effectively the doctors worked when they operated as a team rather than as separate independent contractors answering to the hospital.

His chance to expand his management acumen came about when a doctor friend at Iberia General approached him to take over their administrative operations when he retired. Kip found the work rewarding and it followed his calling to provide the type of medical service they did at Opelousas General. His mission was to provide quality care for the patients and he came to understand that success was dependent upon all of the healthcare providers working as a team, and respecting one another. This team concept in medicine was relatively new at the time.

Kip had learned that it wasn’t his prescribed treatment that made a difference in patient outcomes, “It’s everything around that patient that makes a difference.” He endeavored to ensure that each team member from the ward clerk, the nurses, and the doctors, were respected. “That was the strategy that led me down the path of starting Schumacher Group. It’s a simple philosophy that I’ve found has held a lot of people back, not just in medicine, but in business in general and in life. They don’t stop and look at the people around them and realize that their lives are so dependent upon people that they don’t show the respect that they could. Look at everyone around you and see how they fit into the grand scheme of what it is you’re trying to accomplish.”

He established the Schumacher Group in 1994 with the goal of helping hospitals streamline their Emergency Room operations with staffing, scheduling, billing, insurance, and quality management. Kip grew the Schumacher Group from managing the ER services at 10 facilities in one year to 50 facilities in 5 years.

After experiencing exponential growth over the years, Schumacher merged with other companies to widen its array of services. Today, SCP Health is one of the largest healthcare partners in the country serving over 8 million patients in 30 states. Kip’s dream of bringing his caring touch to help our most vulnerable get the most efficient access to healthcare has truly become a reality.

“One thing I’ve learned is that if you have a really good mission and a vision that you can communicate very effectively, it makes success a lot easier. You’ll attract the kind of people who believe the things you do. Stay true to your mission and you’ll have people around you to make you look good and pick you up when you fall down.”

Kip’s parents instilled in him the value of giving back to the community. “I had amazing parents that taught me that there’s more to life than just working and enjoying the fruits of your work. It’s about giving back and being part of the community.”

Kip and his wife Carolyn founded the William C. Schumacher Family Foundation in 2018, and its work has helped a myriad of philanthropic causes including education and disaster relief recovery. Erica Ray explained that it’s all about “bringing the community together as a catalyst for greater things to happen. And there’s always an opportunity for engagement.”

While millions of dollars have been dedicated to helping organizations such as Eight Days of Hope, Pratham Education Foundation, Leader in Me Acadiana, United Way of Acadiana, Love Our Schools, and many others, Kip and Erica stressed that it’s the small gestures that can have the most impact. As an example, recently the foundation organized an effort to send thank you notes to 4350 Lafayette Parish Public School staff members as a way to show kids, teachers, principals ,and the superintendent that people care. “Small things such as a thank you note made the biggest difference. We took a model from Arizona called School Connect that had a community and family engagement model, that was principal-centric, and we teamed up with non-profits, businesses, faith-based organizations, parents, and students,” says Erica Ray. Many volunteers got into action to make this happen, including Lafayette Parish Jail inmates who have benefitted from the educational program run at the facility.

A big fundraiser is now underway to raise funds for Love Our Schools Foundation to benefit public education across Lafayette Parish: the Love Our Schools Home Giveaway.

Love Our Schools is selling $25 tickets for the chance to win a brand-new home valued at $330,000 to be built and donated by Manuel Builders in Couret Farms. The drawing will be held on September 21, 2022, with the deadline to purchase tickets being September 18, 2022. A portion of the proceeds will be given directly to each school within the Lafayette Parish School System to address their specific areas of need, while the remainder will be used for future Love Our Schools initiatives. This home giveaway is made possible through the generosity of Manuel Builders with the donation of the home construction and Southern Lifestyle Development with the donation of the lot.

Kip has called upon many leaders in our community who have made a profound impact helping those most in need. After Hurricane Laura in 2020, he gathered a coalition of faith groups to help our neighbors in Lake Charles who were in crisis. Pastors were called in and asked what their needs were. To this day, they are still organized and helping each other. “Big things are great, but it starts with the small things and cultural engagement to sustain a movement.” A similar effort in the Lafayette/Acadiana area was organized after Hurricane Ida hit as resources were directed to those most in need. Kip says, “They are stronger together with one powerful voice. People coming together at the table is the name of the game.”

In closing, we’d like to thank Kip Schumacher for his dedication to our community. And with the last quote of his from our interview that rings so true: “We are the only ones that can solve our problems. You can take all the outside influences you want, but in the end, it’s the little things that make a difference. If money could solve problems, we wouldn’t have any problems.”

Damon Vincent, owner of Unique Health & Fitness (currently being rebranded as TrainUnique) in Lafayette joins Discover Lafayette to share his passion for helping others. Damon has dedicated his professional career to helping athletes with special needs.

A young man of 26, Damon grew up with Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia, a condition that prevents adrenal glands from producing sufficient cortisol. While his parents allowed him to have a normal life by playing football, wrestling, and riding dirt bikes, he was always on medication and had to wear a medic alert. He was “hell-bent on pushing himself” and didn’t want his condition to hold him back. The experience shaped Damon’s mindset and he is following his personal and professional calling to empower others, especially individuals who have special needs.

His work with people of all backgrounds led him to partner with the DREAMS Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to providing opportunities for individuals with special needs. In August 2020, Damon opened Unique Health and Fitness, Louisiana’s first and only dedicated fitness and health center for Unique Individuals. DREAMS’ founder, Donielle Watkins, helped Damon get Unique Fitness off the ground; today, All of DREAMS’ meetings, art programs, cheer practices, etc. are held at the facility. “We couldn’t have gotten started without the help of Donielle and DREAMS.”

“I was blessed to find my calling at an early age. I wanted to provide a place of belonging in a community that was really focused on the communal aspect of getting better together. It’s a group of people coming together with the same end goal in mind, to be fitter, healthier, and more independent. I’m a fitness professional and this is how I know how to do that….at the gym. It’s a mission of community and self-improvement. Always striving, never giving up.”

Damon says of this special population (which can include people with cerebral palsy, Spina Bifida, spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, amputations, autism, and Downs syndrome), “They are champions on their own. These individuals already have it mentally. They’ve been fighting their whole lives They’ve had to work so hard all their lives and have not been able to make excuses. So when they come into the gym, it’s about equipping them with the tools and opportunities to let that shine out. That’s why I love it so much! It’s different than working with the general population.

Damon provides a professional and comprehensive fitness solution designed for all individuals who need a Unique approach to fitness for their Cognitive or Physical needs. He wants to see people moving and being fit their entire lives. Damon mentioned that while there are typically a lot of therapies available for children, once a person reaches their teens and moves into adult life, those opportunities can dwindle. The gym is a place for “unique people to move and be fit their entire lives.”

You won’t see weight machines at this gym as the lack of neuromuscular engagement involved with machines is not helpful to individuals with special needs. Free weights offer optimal resistance training and give the athletes the ability to learn to control their movements. It also makes the athletes stronger and gives them the independence to be able to lift themselves, go to festivals, get out and enjoy life. Flexibility and cardiovascular fitness are also targeted.

The athletes recently enjoyed competing in the club’s “Unique Olympics” and there was serious competition going on in categories such as martial arts, power-lifting moves, farmer’s carries, and more. Damon says family members were shocked and impressed when they witnessed how hard the athletes pushed themselves to compete.

Damon’s new facility at 133 Digby Avenue in Lafayette, in partnership with Gladiators Acadamy of Lafayette, opens on August 15, 2022, and is a state-of-the-art training center. Tim Credeur of Gladiators Academy approached Damon to be a partner; the men knew each other through MMA as Tim trains Damon. “Tim is legendary and has the best martial arts academy in the state,” says Damon. It will offer a wonderful opportunity to offer both MMA to elite fighters and fitness training for unique individuals all under the same roof.

Damon is also a Professional Mixed Martial Arts Fighter and recently won his third title, defeating Cody Jenkins via Submission in Round 1 in an event held at the Heymann Center. For those unfamiliar with MMA, anything goes as competitors combine techniques from boxing, wrestling, judo, jujitsu, karate, Muay Thai (Thai boxing), and other disciplines. Wild and woolly….MMA is a no holds barred sport that taxes individuals to the brink.

Damon and his wife, Catherine, have a beautiful family. Sons Bruce and Amos watch over the newest member of the Vincent family, little Charlotte, who just turned three weeks old this Wednesday.

Discover Lafayette would like to thank Alice Landry for reaching out to introduce the work of Damon Vincent. She wrote, “My son, Hugo, has attended the gym for about 6 months, and in that short time, Hugo has become physically stronger, but more importantly, he is part of something. It’s hard to reduce to words what being included means to a person with special needs. It is magic. Damon and his family make me proud to live in Acadiana.”

Damon Vincent’s faith, drive, and love of others are truly inspirational. Best wishes, Damon, on a bright and successful future!

For more information, visit https://fitnessforspecialneeds.com/.

Bob Giles, owner of Giles Automotive with locations in Lafayette, Alexandria, Opelousas, and El Paso TX, joins Discover Lafayette to discuss the journey that led him to focus on philanthropy and giving back to the community.

Bob grew up in the car business, learning from both his grandfathers and his father who owned car dealerships in Texas. After graduating from Texas A & M in accounting, Bob worked for his dad’s VW dealership. Wanting his own dealership led Bob to move to Lafayette and on his birthday in February 1982, he opened his own shop offering VW, Audi, and Porsche vehicles.

Quick to acknowledge the help of his father and uncle, Bob recounted with gratitude how he got his start in business with a total of $120,000 in costs. First National Bank was his lender and a new facility was built by JB Mouton. At that time in 1982, the oil and gas industry was still in its heyday and property prices in Lafayette were steep; Bob found an affordable site “way down on Johnston” that fit the bill for his dealership.

While the first year in business was a huge success, shortly thereafter the oil and gas industry tanked. Porches’ prices went up dramatically and the Audi company experienced problems with their vehicles. It was a tough time to be in business but Bob kept his focus and made it through Lafayette’s lean times. His initial automotive lines were dropped and his business evolved to fit the market.

Bob says of his lifelong work ethic, “The greatest motivation for me is fear of failure. It has always motivated me to do whatever I had to do to be successful, including working seven days a week.”

By 1990, Giles Automotive offered Volvo and Subura. That year, Bob purchased the Nissan dealership from Benny Benezech. He recently opened Giles Hyundai in Alexandria, LA.

Bob has enjoyed loyal employees who have stayed with him over the years. “The most important component of any business is the people you have working there. That is more valuable than the product or location. It’s all about the people.”

“I’ve learned over the years that people are the most important thing in business. You cannot pay a valued employee too much; they will bring that value back to you many times over. If I could go back and give myself advice, the # 1 thing you can do for your business is to hire the very best people possible. Make sure they are happy. Happy employees are the only ones that can make your customers happy.”

In 2021, Bob was awarded the Louisiana Automotive Dealers Association (LADA) Dealer of the Year Award and nominated by his Louisiana peers to compete for the national Time Dealer of the Year. Out of a field of 16,000 franchised dealers across the U. S., Bob was named 2022 TIME Dealer of the Year. This award is the highest that a dealer may ever receive and it celebrates franchised new car and truck dealers for exceptional business performance and outstanding community service.

Today’s automotive market has been turned on its head due to COVID and supply chain issues. Bob says he typically used to carry 350 new vehicles at his Nissan dealership; today it averages about 20 new vehicles. With a shortage of used cars on the market as consumers hold on to what they have, preowned vehicles have also gone up in value and are in demand. Consumers with a trade-in are a welcome sight at the dealership!

Bob also frequently makes the news for his generosity. About fifteen years ago, he made a commitment to give back in a meaningful way to the community. “It’s where we live, where we raised our children, where my employees and families live. I’d like to set an example of how to give back. Together we can do so much more than one person can do alone.

Many of Bob’s beloved causes are shown at https://www.gilesgivesback.com/causes. A founder of Hunters for the Hungry, Bob also created Giles Essential Errand Running Service, which offers grocery and essential item deliveries by dealership staff to senior citizens and immunocompromised individuals. He and his wife, Sandy, are active in helping fund Acadiana Animal Aid and they recently provided additional funding to Moncus Park’s new small dog park. Dreams Come True for Louisiana which grants wishes for Louisiana children who have life-threatening conditions is also a dear cause.

We thank Bob Giles for his continued focus on making our community better. Congratulations for 40 years in business!

The proprietors of Lucky’s Fire & Smoke, Lafayette’s newest restaurant, discuss their unique cuisine which features farm-direct American Wagyu beef, poultry, locally sourced seafood, and plant-based offerings.

Acclaimed chef and author, Jimmy Schmidt, a three-time winner of the James Beard award who created this fine-dining concept along with Lucky’s co-owner, Eddie Khoury, a restauranteur of 30 years who brought this unique restaurant to Lafayette, join our discussion.

Over the years, Chef Jimmy Schmidt’s culinary accomplishments have been consistently recognized. He has been named on the Food & Wine Magazine Honor Roll of American Chefs,  Cooks Magazine Who’s Who of Cooking in America, Gourmet Magazine America’s Best Restaurants, USA Today’s 10 Best Destinations in Southern California and awarded a 5 Star Diamond Award from the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences. And yes, he has served as guest chef judge on Top Chef.

Jimmy has also published many cookbooks and contributed to Bon Appetit, Cuisine, Gourmet, Food & Wine.

In 2018, Jimmy Schmidt and his team created a new way to enjoy the wonderful flavors of American BBQ with Lucky’s Noble Fire & Smoke. When his longtime friend and colleague, Eddie Khoury, realized the unique concept of Lucky’s, he convinced Jimmy to help him bring it to the Lafayette market; Lucky’s is the first of its kind to open in the U. S.

Lucky’s Fire & Smoke is located at 6774 Johnston Street, Lafayette LA 70503. It offers a Saturday and Sunday Brunch from 10 am to 3 pm, and is open Tuesday through Saturday 5 to 10 pm, and Sunday, 5 to 9 pm. Visit https://luckyslafayette.com for more information. The featured photo is Lucky’s stuffed Deviled Egg dish featuring Wagyu beef bacon on top. Lucky’s Lafayette location is the first to open in the U. S.

Jimmy grew up in Champagne, Illinois, working on the family farm as a kid, which influenced his appreciation of whole foods and nature, something he only came to realize as an adult. His cooking skills are deeply based on science and influenced by his background in engineering, as his focus is not only on taste but nutrition, extracting the maximum health benefits from each meal prepared.

While in college, Jimmy studied electrical engineering at the University of Illinois and went to France to earn language credits where he took cooking classes for entertainment. While there, he fell in love with food and wine and studied under Madeleine Kamman. He earned a culinary degree from Luberon College and the French Institut Technique du Vin diploma from Maison du Vin in Avignon.

Jimmy followed Madeleine to Boston where he worked for her in the restaurant business for a number of years; he graduated magna cum laude and first in class with a Professional Chef’s diploma from Modern Gourmet. He pursued higher education at Harvard University Graduate School of Business from 1999 through 2001. Madeleine generously shared with Jimmy not only what food was, but the recipes and the chemistry behind great cuisine. Jimmy says, “It lit a fire under me to always reach out to learn more.” He’s always focused on the science behind cooking and creating great dishes.

Chef Jimmy Schmidt’s whole focus is on the science behind the preparation of foods. “You instinctually crave foods in season. They’ll all have the highest amount of nutrition and flavor right off the tree and plant. As a chef that focuses on developing flavors, hand in hand with fresh foods comes great nutrition. I ask how can I make this taste better. My scientific research is to understand how things taste better and how can I use culinary techniques to accentuate flavor while also releasing bioactive ingredients that are nutritionally based so that diners can absorb bioflavonoids in their body to benefit from the meal?”

The name, “Lucky’s Fire & Smoke,” was inspired by the book “Catching Fire – How Cooking Made Us Human,” written by Richard Wrangham. Wrangham documents the early human evolution as humans learned to start fires, which made food’s nutrients much more accessible to the body. This innovative development led to changes in how long humans had to spend to forage for food, chew their catch, digest the raw food, etc. Man evolved accordingly, developing a smaller jaw and larger brain, and societies developed as humans didn’t have to spend all day hunting for food. Agriculture and domestication of animals thus began as humans were able to spend more time with other humans. (This is fascinating stuff!).

For those of you curious about what Wagyu beef is: The Wagyu breed of cattle was originally a work animal that came over from China to Japan. Its unique characteristic is that it has the ability to eat local pasture grasses and convert that into proteins in its muscles and create mega fatty acids in the marbling. It makes the beef delicious throughout the whole body of the animal allowing you to get the flavor and nutrition from all parts of the animal. Jimmy says, “It is ridiculously delicious when slow-cooked. Wagyu cattle convert pasture into micronutrients within their protein structure along with the omega fats that the human race can benefit from by using that as a protein source. It’s great for the planet and us.”

“We like to make all the foods you love that love you back. We offer foods that are fun, delicious, and take care of the nutrition part too. People can vote with their fork. Eating well is a celebration of life. I encourage everyone to eat well and vote for the things that taste better and are better for you. That will perpetuate this food market’s growth. Lafayette is a perfect place to launch Lucky’s as first in the U. S. The people are all about food and enjoying the great things in life. It’s a perfect fit!” Chef Jimmy Schmidt

Jimmy teamed up with U. S. Western farmers to develop an American Wagyu beef (the father is Wagyu and the mother is a Black Angus) to create an affordable version of the original Japanese Wagyu. The animals are harvested and aged to a specific pH before they’re cut. This allows the natural acidic system to break down. The meat is rubbed down with spices in a technique that goes back to Babylonian times, trapping in nutrition, flavor, and texture. The beef is slow cooked at 145 degrees for 24 hours which allows the omega fatty acids to melt into the meat. The cooking is finished at Lucky’s in Lafayette while smoked in a bag and brought to the diners at their table where the bag is cut before them and smoke pours out….a true sensory experience.

Diners at Lucky’s can relax if they are gluten intolerant. No wheat or gluten is on the menu. Breads are baked with alternative grains such as sorghum and other ancient grains that add more protein and fiber, fewer carbs to foods. There is also a vegan option offering basmati rice and lentils that delivers 21 amino acids for a complete protein.

For those who would like to imbibe in adult beverages, the bar offers a cocktail menu that features special syrups and tonics that capture “a bunch of polyphenols from herbs…allowing additional flavor with a sneak of health polyphenols.

Eddie Khoury, proprietor of Lucky’s, worked with Jimmy Schmidt for years, starting in 1991. After Eddie moved down south, he and Jimmy reconnected 20 years later and he fell in love with the Lucky’s concept. The old Zuhause location (Johnston Street at E. Broussard) was selected as the perfect site to offer this unique dining concept. Chef Brian Recor, a colleague of Jimmy Schmidt, was brought in and all local staff have been trained by Schmidt.

Eddie Khoury has been in the restaurant business for 30 years and is a lifelong colleague of Jimmy Schmidt. He says, “Jimmy’s take on food is totally different. He makes them healthy and delicious at the same time. Our food at Lucky’s Fire & Smoke appeals to all your senses….taste, sight, and hearing. Jimmy plays off it all.”

We wish the best of success to Lucky’s Fire & Smoke. Please check them out at https://luckyslafayette.com/.

Dr. Joe Abraham and Joan Wingate are both enthusiastic and tireless supporters of our Lafayette Parish library system. They joined us to discuss their mission to instill a love of reading in our children and families and to emphasize the importance of citizens’ support of our library system so that we can continue to offer free and equal access of materials to all residents, 24/7.

Joe is President of the Lafayette Parish Library Foundation. He’s a physician, research biologist, and the award-winning author of Kings, Conquerors, Psychopaths: From Alexander to Hitler to the Corporation.

Joan has served on the Foundation in various positions, leading ‘Lafayette Loves Libraries,’ as president, and currently serves on the Library Board of Control, the governing body of Lafayette Parish Libraries.

The foundation supplements taxpayer funding of our libraries by encouraging private donations that provide books and services and fund special programs. Its sister organization, Friends of the Library, has raised $1 million over the past 40 years.

With the library being in the news so much, it seemed like a good time to be reminded about the importance of having a viable library system that is accessible to everyone, no matter their age or socioeconomic background.

“It’s important to raise awareness of our public library’s needs and what we can do to support it. In 2002 when the library tax was passed (to support a 20-year plan to build regional branches and refurbish the Main branch), we got busy and focused on building the new sites. We know we also need to educate the public as to the many resources the library offers and the importance of reading. We want to be able to offer free and equal access, 24/7, to all of our resources.” Joan Wingate, photo by Leslie Westbrook of The Advocate.

Lafayette Parish is blessed with an award-winning library system, having received the coveted James O. Modisette Award for Public Libraries in 2020. It is the highest honor that a public library can receive in Louisiana. And its private donors are generous: almost every year, Lafayette is #1 in private donations made through Friends of the Library and the Foundation. Yet, if you compare Lafayette Parish’s library public funding to the other eight metropolitan areas of Louisiana, it is dead last.

The library staff members are efficient and effective in what they do in running its nine branches (four regional, the Main Library, smaller branches, plus the Bookmobile). Per capita, Lafayette sees more of its resources (books, movies, digital materials, etc.) checked out than any other metropolitan area in the state, even compared to New Orleans and Baton Rouge.

People flock to the libraries for all sorts of purposes; they study for exams, get access to the internet, participate in the various programs put on, or reserve meeting rooms that are free for use by the public. On 2022’s opening day of the annual Summer Reading Challenge, approximately 1000 children participated, with pizza being served compliments of the Library Foundation. As Joan says, “The library is truly a safe haven, welcoming people to educate and discover themselves.”

Summer reading programs are designed to encourage students to keep reading during the summer months as a fun and easy way to prevent a decline in reading achievement. With the 2022 Oceans of Possibilities Summer Reading Challenge, all participants have been encouraged to reach a personal goal of 600 minutes and a combined community goal of 2,000,000 minutes read or activities participated in from June 1 to July 31. Prizes are awarded for every 600 minutes of reading and a grand prize will be awarded.

Controversies over the past few years relating to programming displays have resulted in the library being in the middle of a political arena. It has returned to its original mission: a focus on reading and the joy of reading. Book displays now highlight mysteries, summer reading selections, etc.

Joe emphasized the library’s goal of creating a community of people who love books. “It’s such a critical component of developing your imagination. With the innovation economy, the only way to compete is to generate your own innovative ideas. We want to get our local kids ready for the innovation economy so that we can control our own destiny, not be dependent upon outside talent having to come in.”

“As an ER physician, I learned that I can walk up to six-month-old children, look in their eyes, and see if they’ve been read to. They’re engaged, looking around. So I started talking to parents about the importance of reading to their kids. What would happen to our kids, our schools, our universities, and our economy if every parent read to their children? And conversely, think of the positive benefits of lowering crime, poverty, drug use, and all sorts of illicit behavior.”

We thank Joe and Joan for joining Discover Lafayette to discuss their mission to spread the joy of reading and to encourage public support for Lafayette Public Library!

For more information on all the Lafayette Public Library offers, please visit http://lafayettepubliclibrary.org/.