Discover Lafayette

Heather Blanchard, Executive Director of Court Appointed Special Advocates of South Louisiana ("CASA") joins Discover Lafayette to discuss their mission to help children and families when there has been abuse or neglect.

Heather is a passionate spokesperson for CASA, having first served the organization in her first job after college, then served on its board for six years, and returning to lead as Executive Director. CASA of South Louisiana is now partnered with the United Way of Acadiana and housed in its office to more effectively leverage its resources.

"CASA volunteers are the eyes and ears for the judge. They work with the families, the teachers, and the counselors. Ultimately they write a report to the judge on what is happening in the child's life and recommend where they should be permanently placed."

CASA works to break the cycle of child abuse and neglect. Through its volunteers, CASA advocates for safe, permanent, and nurturing homes for children who through no fault of their own have been removed from their homes and must rely upon the court to decide their future.

CASA of South Louisiana works within the 15th Judicial District Court which encompasses Lafayette, Acadia, and Vermilion Parishes. The Louisiana Children's Code lays out the responsibilities of CASA and its trained volunteers who provide independent, third-party, objective assessments of what they see. Funding is provided by the Louisiana Supreme Court CASA Assistance Program, Victims of Crime Act Funding, the Louisiana Children's Trust Fund, and grants.

Volunteers go through thirty hours of training, serve without compensation, and are appointed by the court exercising juvenile jurisdiction.  The judge of the court will verify the volunteer's qualifications, training, and ability to serve as a CASA volunteer, including the ability to represent and advocate for the best interest of the children assigned to him.  No volunteer is assigned until a comprehensive criminal background check has been conducted. When asked who the 'best' volunteers are, Heather jokingly said, "Our best volunteers are retired teachers. They've seen and worked with all different walks of life so they are very understanding."

A CASA Volunteer spends time with their assigned child or sibling group getting to know the child while also gathering information from the child’s family, teachers, doctors, caregivers, and others involved in the child’s life. Approximately every six months, a report is prepared for the judge (with help from an assigned Supervisor) sharing recommendations for the child’s care. Learn more about volunteering with CASA of SoLA at casaofsola.org.

Heather stressed that nine times out of ten, a child is better off with their family of origin. When they enter the foster care system, the first goal is always reunification with their family. Children aren't normally removed from their families unless there is harm involved, as removing a child from their home is very traumatic. In some cases, CASA volunteers assist in the family home to monitor circumstances and provide resources. Heather gave one example of a mom who had her children taken away because at meal time she would throw potato chips on the floor. "She didn't know better. That is how she was raised. She needed training and support. She loved her children but didn't know better."

The Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services ("DFCS") which oversees foster care services has lots of turnover and is short-staffed. CASA provides much-needed resources to help families meet the requirements to get their lives back on track. A study showed that only about 23% of families had the necessary resources to meet the requirements placed upon them by the court to be abl...

Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon has served in this office for more than 15 years. First elected to public office in 1975 as Chair of the Jefferson Parish Council, he then served in the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1981-2001. His public service career also includes 33 years in the Louisiana Army National Guard where he retired with the rank of Colonel and received the prestigious Legion of Merit medal. 

"Everything depends on insurance. Our homes, life, protection of our family, our businesses, and our economy, all depend on insurance. Insurance commissioners across the country are tasked with keeping insurance affordable and available. That requires a balance between protecting consumers and making insurance available at a reasonable price for consumers."

The past two hurricane seasons have been the worse since Katrina and Rita. Louisiana had fifteen years of relatively quiet hurricanes seasons. But given the location of our state, Louisiana is in the center of the Gulf and we get hit more on a per capita basis than any other state by far. "Hurricane Ida's core of probability for landfall stretched from the Sabine River on our western border to the Pearl River on the eastern border. It never left. It was always headed to Louisiana."

Hurricanes Laura and Ida were the second most powerful hurricanes in history with 150 miles per hour winds, only surpassed by the 1856 "Last Island Hurricane" which brought devastation to Southern Louisiana with 156 miles per hour winds. Laura resulted in $9.6 Billion dollars in insurance losses; Ida has resulted so far in $10.6 Billion in losses.

As a result of the staggering claims, some Louisiana insurers have gone bust. Fortunately, the Louisiana Insurance Guaranty Association ("LIGA") is in place to protect property and casualty policyholders Recovery from LIGA is capped at $500,000 per person and $500,000 per occurrence, a benefit that only eight other states, besides Louisiana, in the U. S. provide.

Donelon looked back to the days of Governor Kathleen Blanco as an example of how the state worked to keep private insurers afloat in the aftermath of massive claims following Katrina and Rita. Without these private insurers, the State of Louisiana would have to become the insurer for all levels of risk, not just those that are currently covered by the Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Company (which covers those unable to get private insurance due to special circumstances). Working to create incentives to attract companies to our market after many carriers left the state due to the high risk of doing business post-Katrina, Blanco also worked to have our first statewide building code enacted to ensure that structures were built more able to "weather the storms."

It's always best to prepare yourself for the damage that may be caused by a hurricane. For the department's tips on hurricane preparedness, visit https://www.ldi.la.gov/consumers/insurance-type/homeowners/hurricane-resource-center.

A package of bills are currently working their way through the Louisiana Legislature as a means to protect consumers of insurance products. Deemed "The Catastrophe Reform Package," they include the following:

Create the “Louisiana Fortify Homes Program," patterned after a similar program in Alabama, to provide grants for homeowners to retrofit their roofs and homes to a higher standard better able to withstand hurricane winds. The "Three Adjuster Rule" which would kick in after a policyholder is assigned a third adjuster. At that point, a new primary contact must be assigned who will remain on the case until the claim is closed and the company must also provide two methods of contacting the permanent adjuster.

John Zollinger, Executive Vice President and Director of Commercial Banking at Home Bank, joins Discover Lafayette to discuss the ways you can stay vigilant to fight fraudsters working 24/7 to get access to your financial assets. With over $5 billion in check fraud last year alone, it's an important topic to understand.

Banks work diligently to protect their clients' financial holdings. It is a time and energy-intensive challenge and it behooves each of us to be more aware of the ways we can protect ourselves on the front end.

Banking has changed dramatically from the days of teaching kids how to open a checking account and write checks. John spoke of the dangers of check fraud and how we should start relying less on paper checks in lieu of online banking solutions. 

It has become commonplace for checks to be stolen and then 'washed' by eraser or chemical baths which remove the ink and allow an alteration to the original. While most checks have security features such as watermarks, threads, and holograms, and alterations can look like a third-grader did the task, with one million checks being deposited per month many fakes slip through the cracks. While artificial intelligence is used to forage out fakes, unless a check is made out for over $10,000, it is unlikely to be picked up on. So criminals make up for it in volume, and as John Zollinger says, "the check fraud business is an industry."

"Stop writing checks when you can. Writing a check and handing it to somebody is probably still safe and secure. But writing a check and putting it in the mail with the USPS is not secure. There are people who steal mail out of the blue postal boxes. They will duplicate keys to the mailbox and take the mail out or they pick the box up and take the whole thing with them. USPS employees have also been implemented in fraud by stealing checks."

John Zollinger is on a mission to educate bank customers and the public about the desirability of using Automated Clearing House ("ACH") transfers for payments to third parties. By making these electronic transfers directly from your bank account, you have a low-cost way to conduct a secure transaction. "ACH is so much cheaper. While it can cost $3 to $5 for every check a business will write (cost of the check, the printer toner, the envelope, the stamp, time involved to mail it, etc.) it costs 10 cents per ACH transfer. ACH transfers clear in a day or two. From a payment perspective and efficiency, you can't beat the ACH process."

He also advocates for the "Positive Pay" app, an optional check fraud prevention service for businesses that use online banking. The customer uploads into Positive Pay all issued check data with information on the payee, date, amount, etc. Checks presented for payment against the bank account are compared to the information sent by the business to Home Bank. Any check not on the issued check list is sent back to the client as an exception for review, to either return or approve the item. This gives the business a chance to ferret out fraud or mistakes with ongoing assistance from the bank.

"Our ability to serve clients through technology continues to improve. We spend more today on technology than on our facilities. Ten years ago the industry said checks were going away. We said the same thing five years ago, but checks are still here. I don't know if they'll ever go away unless banks say they won't continue to offer that service. Zelle, Venmo, and other cash-trading apps are very secure. They can be trusted. Especially Zelle which was created by Wells Fargo. But there is no practical difference between Zelle and Venmo."

John recommends that you should be leery of almost anything and everything that comes into your email inbox w...

We welcome Louisiana-based oil entrepreneurs Charlie Goodson, CEO of Petroquest, and Mark Miller, CEO of Merlin Oil &Gas, to discuss the current state of the energy industry, as well as how the war in Ukraine has affected the prices of fuel for people worldwide.

Both are active operators in the industry with over 40 years of experience and have served on the board of the Louisiana Oil and Gas Association for years as well as being spokespersons for the industry on the national level. They speak of the challenges that face operators, both big and small, as they determine the best way to invest millions of dollars that may take years to recoup.

"We're victims of our own success, as our friend Paul Hilliard of Badger Oil Corporation likes to say. We've been so good at what we do in this business that politically, we're being punished in Washington, who look at oil and gas men and women as people of immense wealth. That's not the case."

Investments in new drilling operations are not made lightly, as they can take four or more years to come to fruition if made onshore, and five, ten, and up to fifteen years if situated in the deepwater Gulf. And to raise money in today's climate, oil and gas entrepreneurs rely upon high-net-worth individuals to invest in their ventures; Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) criteria are becoming an increasing megatrend causing investment funds to steer away from funding traditional drilling ventures in lieu of renewable energy projects.

"There are a lot of reserves left but finding people willing to put up the capital and ride through the regulations put upon us is very difficult. If an oil company drills a well today, it will be produced at prices two to five years from now and no one knows what that will be. "

With political winds shifting rapidly, seasoned professionals must navigate the landscape that determines their ability to stay afloat financially. And these two men's companies are among the few remaining active in Louisiana after we lost so many oil and gas companies following the 2015 collapse in energy prices, the devastation of the COVID pandemic causing oil to trade below $0 briefly in 2020, and the relocation of many companies to others states in the wake of Louisiana legacy lawsuits.

A brief history of how energy sources have evolved seems in order so that we can understand where we are today and how to bridge the gap to total reliance upon renewable energies. In the mid-1800s, coal was the #1 source of fuel in the Industrial Revolution. In 1865, oil was discovered and unleashed untold potential in manufacturing and transportation capabilities. And interestingly, natural gas had been used for centuries, including by Native Americans in the U. S. (and back to 500 B. C. by the Chinese who used bamboo "pipelines" to transport gas that had seeped to the surface to boil water), but only became a viable widespread source of energy for home heating and cooking, and commercial manufacturing and processing plants, once pipelines began to be built in the 20th Century. Nuclear energy was expected to be the bridge fuel from hydrocarbons but the trifecta of the Chernobyl, Three Mile Island, and Fukushima disasters put the kibosh on that.

While many environmentalists push for a quick jump into total reliance on renewable energies such as wind and solar along with a transition to electric vehicles, both guests affirmed that it will take 50 to 100 years to accomplish a total transition away from fossil fuels. Mark noted that he has a 20-year old petroleum land intern who is expecting the oil and gas energy business to be her career for the next fifty years. And with everyone desiring to find a sustainable way to move from hydrocarbons to renewable energy,

Jacob Mouton, the proprietor of Crawfish Jake, joined Discover Lafayette to discuss his career in crawfish and farming. A young man only 25 years of age, he is a hard-working entrepreneur offering a service in high demand.

Jacob has made a name for himself by offering high-quality prepared crawfish, crab, and shrimp for personal and corporate events, as well as orders available via drive-thru for pickup at Crawfish Jake located at 106 Roselawn Blvd in Lafayette. 

An Agriculture graduate of UL-Lafayette, Jacob Mouton got his start in catering crawfish while a Freshman at UL-Lafayette. His KA friends at LSU asked him to cater their crawfish boil and word soon spread he began getting college and corporate events booked.

Since he was a young boy in elementary school, Jake has helped out on the rice and crawfish farm in Mowata owned by his Uncle Jimbo and Aunt Kathy (Hundley). Having learned the crawfish trade from his family, Jake explained how rice and crawfish farming go hand in hand; farmers will rotate growing the two between their acreage to ensure a bountiful harvest. When the rice is cut, the farmer will flood the field, leaving the stalk for the crawfish to eat. Then when the field is drained, the crawfish bury themselves into the ground as they mature to be harvested the next season. On March 29, 2022, Jacob was busy planting rice at the farm, readying for the upcoming season.

"We always bring extra when catering. You never want to be that guy that runs out of food. If you want to ensure a riot, then run out of food. No one cares if the DJ doesn't show up, but if the food runs out, somebody's going to get hurt!"

Jacob sources his fresh crawfish from the Hundley farm in Mowata, LA. He explained that most of the crawfish in the world come out of the 25-mile area surrounding Mowata, which is located north of Crowley.

Visit https://www.facebook.com/CrawfishJake1 for the latest menu and to check out their weekly specials.

Along with boiled crawfish, Crawfish Jake also offers boiled blue point crab (St. Mary Parish-based), King Crab (Alaskan-based), and shrimp fresh from Delcambre, along with the usual sides and sauce.

"Everything is boiled. No fried food. I think I'm the only restaurant in America where I cook everything in three pots!

Catering has become a big part of Jacob's business. He has a boil scheduled in Washington DC in May, has done events in Houston and Orange Beach, and recently returned from South Carolina. Lafayette-based people around the country love their crawfish!

Crawfish Jake has an in-demand catering business and has served crawfish lovers across the country.....including the Governor of Louisiana. The live crawfish are transported in refrigerated trucks to ensure a safe product.

Jacob employs four people at his on-site location at 106 Roselawn and has 15 to 16 people working for him during his busiest times of catering. Most of the employees are college kids and his friends who understand his business. Labor and fuel costs have risen dramatically in the past couple of years and as with all other consumer goods, have affected the retail cost.

When asked about advice he would share with other entrepreneurs, he encourages people to "just go for it. If you enjoy something and think you can make a living doing it, just do it." He further explained, "I've found out in life that serving people is what makes me happy. Bringing them fishing, bringing them hunting, and serving crawfish is fun for me."

Always one to enjoy being outdoors,

Babette Werner, committee chair of Festival des Fleurs de Louisiane, joins Discover Lafayette to discuss the upcoming annual Garden Show and Sale to be held on April 9, 2022, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Blackham Coliseum. Tickets are $5.00 and the first 300 people who attend will get a free sunpatien plant.

There is something for everyone, with children's planting activities, flower designs, and horticulture samples by the Lafayette Garden Club. The Orchid Society and Bonsai Society of Acadiana will have displays. Nel’s Creole Connection, Le Papillion Cajun Soul Food, and Sneaux to Geaux will have food trucks on site.   

There will be 70-75 booths inside and outside Blackham Coliseum offering a wide variety of native plants, shrubs, annuals, perennials, roses, daylilies, hibiscus, orchids, herbs, and much more.  Also available for sale are garden supplies and accessories, pottery, tools, gardening books and art, unique gifts, ornamental pieces, and a Festival t-shirt.

The public is invited to bring their own carts. There will be some available but if you have your own, you will not have to wait until one is free to use.

The Lafayette Parish Master Gardeners will give 4 presentations: 9:00 am: Pup Propagation of a Staghorn Fern; 10:00 am: Bromeliads, a winner for plant lovers; 11:00 am: Marcelle Bienvenu, (a master gardener and the famous chef and cookbook author), will talk about Herbs – the Culinary and Medicinal Uses of Herbs; and at 1:00 pm:  Installing your own Home Gardening Irrigation System (how to do it yourself for huge cost savings)

The Master Gardeners will also have an “Ask A Master Gardener” table where you can ask your gardening questions. If you have a weed, insect question, or have a plant id question, bring in a sample of the plant so that they can help with your problem.

New this year:  The Society for Louisiana Irises will be presenting their Louisiana Iris Show at the festival on Saturday. This is the perfect opportunity to view hundreds of Louisiana Iris blooms on display and the chance to purchase some for your yard. Society members will also be available to answer all of your questions and give information on growing Louisiana Irises! The iris group’s first meetings were at SLI (now UL-Lafayette in the early 1940s.

Everyone loves a raffle! Tickets are $5 and may be purchased at the event. The big prizes are a large patio table with 6 swivel chairs and an umbrella, a Gorilla gardening cart, a container from Girouards Nursery, and a beautiful galvanized can painted with Louisiana irises. There are many other smaller prizes and $1 tickets can be purchased for those.

The festival is the primary fund-raising event for the Ira Nelson Horticulture Center, part of UL Lafayette, to supplement the Center’s annual budget. The proceeds have gone for needed repairs and improvements, including central AC/Heat, floor replacement, greenhouse benches, irrigation, electrical work, and other projects. The Center has been a focus of UL Lafayette horticulture education for students, faculty, and the community since 1960.

The festival is the only fundraiser each year for the Ira Nelson Horticulture Center. Originally dedicated as the Ornamental Horticulture Center in 1960. Five years later the center was renamed to honor Professor Ira S. Nelson, who was instrumental in its design and construction.  The Center is now a part of the College of Geosciences.

The Ira Nelson Horticulture Center ("INHC") includes nearly 17,

Don Washington, a partner in the Jones Walker law firm, joined Discover Lafayette to share his life and career journey as well as his dedication to public service.

Based out of Jones Walker's Lafayette office, Don Washington specializes in corporate compliance and white-collar defense.

A native of Sulphur Springs, Texas, Don has led an exemplary career in the military, the oil and gas industry as an engineer and attorney for Conoco, as a litigator at Jones Walker, in public service, and as a volunteer in our community.

Growing up in the small town of Sulphur Springs that Don refers to as "a Norman Rockwell" type of town, he was a member of the Future Farmers of America and even had the opportunity to judge livestock shows. Math and science were his favorite topics and he was encouraged by his family to reach for the stars. He ended up at West Point studying and graduating in Aerospace Engineering after a random comment by a high school classmate who said he was going to apply to the Naval Academy. Don recalled, "I just announced very proudly that I was going to apply to West Point! I did and I got in. Those were the days as they say."

"I believe very strongly in our country. I believe in the Constitution. I believe that our nation is exceptional. I've been to places around the planet where our nation is looked upon with high regard. For example, I took a trip to Nepal as U. S. Attorney to speak on our American criminal justice system and compare it with Nepal's, a nation of antiquity where Buddha walked 5000 plus years ago. Here we are, a 200-year old republic, and we talked to them about things they wanted to know about us because of our success. They wanted to expand their horizons."

After West Point, Don joined the Army and served as an Air Defense Artillery Officer where he trained in tactical strategies, how to shoot down aircraft, and control air space over battlegrounds. Working with gun systems and missiles, Don served during the time of the Cold War when the Soviet Union was a real threat as was China. "The Soviet military had 50,000 tanks at the Iron Curtain and the U. S. had 5000....the U. S. always had superior equipment."

After military service, Don worked with Conoco in Houston. Wanting to further his education, he attended South Texan College of Law at night, all while traveling on behalf of Conoco to sell its natural gas. South Texan College of Law is recognized by many as the "Harvard of the South" and was set up for high achievers who work as they obtain their Juris doctorate. He moved to Lafayette while working for Conoco and since then has called Lafayette home.

Don was appointed to serve as U. S. Attorney for the Western District of Louisiana by George W. Bush one week after 9/11. Then U. S. Attorney General John Ashcroft made sure that all appointees understood the gravity of the situation and that terrorists did exist in the U. S. Don spent two years rooting out plotters of terrorist activities, including those involving Wadih El Hage, a graduate of USL who was aligned with Osama bin Laden and who plotted the bombing of embassies in Kenya and Tanzania. He served until 2010. He also led federal investigations and trial teams to prosecute cases involving criminal and civil violations of federal law.  

Don recently returned to Jones Walker after serving as the director of the United States Marshals Service. He was appointed by President Donald Trump and served from 2019 to 2021. During his service, he oversaw nearly 5,500 US marshals, deputy marshalls, criminal investigators, detention enforcement officers, and administrative staff. His time of service included having to navigate the COVID pandemic as well as civil unrest that erupted after George Floyd was kill...

John Bordelon, President and CEO of Home Bank and Chairman of HomeBancorp., Inc., joined Discover Lafayette to talk of his love for Lafayette, his distinguished banking career of 41 years with Home Bank, and his community involvement.

A native of Metairie, John first visited USL as a young teen when his older brother was a student. He found the people to be exceptionally friendly, unlike any other he had met. When it was time to choose a college where he would play football, he found none of the other schools could compete with the culture of USL and Lafayette. "The people in Lafayette made it exciting for me to select USL."

John played outside linebacker for USL Football as a four-year starter of the Ragin’ Cajuns football team from 1973 – 1976. The team went from a dismal record of 0-10 in his freshman year to the 9-2 record in his senior season under Coach Augie Tammariello and Defensive Coordinator Sam Robinson. "We went from having the worst record in UL history to the best record until the success of the last two seasons" under Coach Billy Napier.

John credits his college sweetheart and wife, Suzanne, for getting him on track in college. "I had my priorities a bit messed up. I was football first, entertainment second, and school third. Suzanne got me on the right track and got me focused on my career and what I wanted to be." He graduated in accounting in 1977 and initially worked as a Medicare examiner. Exactly three years after the day he started with Medicare, he joined Home Savings & Loan to capitalize on the leadership opportunities he would be afforded.

John Bordelon was honored along with Dr. Cindy Courville as 2021 UL Outstanding Alumni. The Outstanding Alumni Award is the highest honor UL Lafayette gives to a former student. It recognizes professional and personal achievements that have brought honor and distinction to the University. 

John has led Home Bank to incredible growth during his tenure. He’s overseen bank acquisitions, the Initial Public Offering of company stock in 2008, and the many technological advances in banking which have changed how bankers interact with and serve their customers.

Home Bank's headquarters in Lafayette LA. Advocate staff photo by LESLIE WESTBROOK

On the date of this podcast release, March 25, 2022, Home Bank will be converting its newest acquisition, Texan Bank, a community bank with five locations in the metro Houston area. The Merger Agreement provides that Texan Bank, operated by Friendswood Capital, will merge with and into Home Bank, with Home Bank as the survivor. Texan Bank was acquired by Home Bank in an all-cash transaction of $66.6 million.

Originally chartered as a savings and loan association known as Home Building and Loan in 1908, Home Bank has experienced incredible growth over the years. It is now the only Lafayette bank still in existence out of the dozen or so that were around when John started his banking career in 1981. The bank has survived the tough times of the 1980s oil bust and the 2008 real estate crash, and today, it employs over 450 bankers across Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. It is the third-largest bank in Louisiana, with assets of $2.9 billion dollars.

"Home Bank is the only Lafayette bank remaining. When I first got into banking in 1981, there were probably a dozen. That speaks volumes to the dedication and hard work of our board and to our employees that we've put faith in for over four decades."

John recounted the timing of Home Bank's initial public offering in 2008, an incredibly risky time with the national economy and stock market in tatters. Home Bank raised $90 million on the same day that the Troubled Asset Relief Program ("TARP"),

Guitarist and lyricist, Dustin Gaspard, who recently released Hoping Heaven Got a Kitchen, is our guest on Discover Lafayette.

A poet since he was a young boy, Dustin is a self-taught vocalist and guitarist. He has taken his love of music and writing to produce his first complete album which was released in late February 2022 and is a prayer to the memory of his grandmother and grandfather who raised him in Cow Island in Southern Vermilion Parish. "My grandfather made me the man I am today."

Dustin Gaspard will be showcasing his new album, Hoping Heaven Got a Kitchen, in a live venue at the Acadiana Center for The Arts on March 31, 2022, from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. The Grammy Nominated band, Sweet Cecilia, a family trio from Cecilia, LA, will be the opening act for the show. Tickets may be purchased here.

Raised on vintage 50s/ 60s soul and swamp pop, and other traditional folk sounds, Dustin is an alternative folk songwriter and frontman/vocalist for Rock N Soul group DG and the Freetown Sound. After rehabbing his voice which had been silenced as a young man due to vocal strain that irreparably damaged his vocal cords, he has paid his dues in life and is ascending in the music world, humble and wise beyond his years. We can't express how much we wish him the greatest success as he continues to find his voice, his lyrics, and the audience who will raise him up.

In South Louisiana, it can be tough for songwriters that aren't Cajun musicians to get their music showcased. As Dustin says, "You can't dance to a sad-boy singer-songwriter's tunes. There is a time and a place for that."

By chance in 2019, Justin found the application process for South Louisiana Songwriters Festival Scholarship online and applying at the last minute, he was selected after a lengthy period of rehabilitating his voice during a time where he was writing more thoughtful songs, reflecting on his life. He had lost the complete range of his voice on both ends of the spectrum and it had made him think of his career in the long-term, rather than squandering his talent by abusing his voice and body. "If I'm not capable of executing the vocal athletics I had before, then I'll be a folk-songwriter and hone my craft and lyrics and how I convey myself as an artist," Dustin thought.

"I will be forever extremely grateful to CREATE Lafayette, Kate Durio, and all who were so supportive of me. My South Louisiana Songwriters Festival Scholarship continues to open doors to me."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lo_5EtZnC0s

Dustin Gaspard is also an active musician with DG and the Freetown Sound, a high energy, blues, rock & roll band developed to break into the local music scene. Their music is light and free....a true fun sound that everyone can enjoy.

DG and the Freetown Sound is a high-energy, blues, and rock & roll band that Dustin Gaspard also sings with. "It's a fund band to dance to!"

Dustin Gaspard exemplifies the type of talent a community wants to see thrive and grow! Best wishes, Dustin, on a bright future!

The Bayou Vermilion Preservation Association’s ("BVPA) efforts to educate our community about the many ways we can all help protect the Vermilion plays a crucial role in maintaining our ecosystem. Discover Lafayette welcomed Amber Robinson, Chris Adams, and Kiera Frey to the show to discuss the body of work the BVPA undertakes to educate and work with community members who want to make a difference.

In 2013, BVPA was founded by Charles and Jan Wyatt, along with dedicated members of the Lafayette Garden Club. Since those early days, the association has grown to include an active board, advisory board, and hundreds of members.

BVPA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is to create awareness of our natural environment by providing education and outreach to the general community about ways to conserve, protect and enjoy the Bayou Vermilion Watershed. It works alongside and in partnership with the Bayou Vermilion District ("BVD") which was established in 1984 and funded by property taxes to “enhance the general conditions and beautification of the bayou by improving water quality, in an effort to promote [it] as a recreational and cultural asset.”  And for those who don't know what a 'watershed' is, it is the area of land that drains to a ditch, coulee, bayou, or river. Our region is in the Teche-Vermilion Watershed.

BVPA Secretary and Board Member Kiera Frey: "The polluted image of the dirty, brown body of water, that on any given day could yield tons of floating trash and debris, that Vermilion River is not the one we want tourists who come to town to soak up local culture to take home with them. Nor is it the one we want our children and grandchildren to grow up with. BVPA focuses on educating the community on the natural beauty of the 70-mile waterway, including its recreational & utilitarian value." Photo by Bryan Tuck of The Advocate.

The River Symposium is BVPA’s biggest fundraiser of the year. It is an annual gathering of presenters who speak on a variety of topics related to the Vermilion River. Each year the theme changes. After a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, this year's symposium, Innovation on the Bayou: Harnessing New Ideas for Watershed Improvement, will be held on March 25th at the LITE Center on Cajundome Boulevard from 7:30 AM to 2:30 pm. Speakers include Warren Abadie from LCG, Tara Ross from Calcasieu Parish, Ben Malbrough with Bayou Lafourche Fresh Water District, Brian Piazza, The Nature Conservancy and  Stephen Ortego with SO Studio Architecture. Cost is $27 which includes BVPA membership & lunch (student cost $5) - Sign up https://www.eventbrite.com/e/bvpas-7th-annual-river-symposium-tickets-165966681813.

BVPA promotes and educates the community on techniques for improving water quality, including green infrastructure such as rain gardens, riparian buffers, and plants to help filter stormwater and control erosion. They teach pollution prevention and ways the public can help protect the watershed, such as litter control, picking up pet waste, maintaining septic systems, preventing yard waste and soil runoff, and awareness of stormwater flows. Most people are not aware that everything eventually flows into the Bayou, even the stormwater runoff of your pet's waste in the backyard which contains bacteria and parasites.

An anti-littering poster contest is held to educate Lafayette Parish students on the importance of litter reduction and to create more interest in projects that enhance the landscape. This poster contest, a joint effort between LCG, Lafayette Garden Club, BVPA, and Parish Proud, is held in conjunction with Louisiana’s Cleanest City contest.

Most of us don't realize our direct or indirect contribution to damaging the Vermilion River's safety.