Discover Lafayette

The Acadiana Symphony Orchestra & Conservatory of Music is our focus and our guests are Dana Baker, Executive Director, and Rachael Sudul, Director of Development. This episode of Discover Lafayette is a wonderful opportunity to learn more from Dana and Rachael about the many musical events, educational offerings, and cultural enrichments made available throughout Acadiana by our Symphony and Conservatory.

The Acadiana Symphony Orchestra, led by Maestro Mariusz Smolij, kicked off its 34th Concert Season with "The Court of Passion" and nine performances are scheduled through July 5, 2019. Passion is the theme this year showcasing the undeniable connection between human emotion and symphonic music. The season ends with a performance by Lafayette native and Grammy award nominee Lauren Daigle, an American contemporary Christian music singer-songwriter, who will perform on two dates in her first performance with a symphony orchestra. For a listing of all events, please visit http://www.acadianasymphony.org/symphony/concert-season.

Internationally renowned Maestro Mariusz Smolij, a native of Poland, brings a depth of experience to Acadiana.  The Maestro actually learned English by transcribing Beatles' lyrics when he was an active member of a Beatles cover band. He is serving in his tenth season with the ASO as Music Director. Maestro Smolij has led over 110 orchestras in 27 countries on five continents, appearing in some of the world’s most prestigious concert halls. An accomplished violinist, he was the founder and violinist of the internationally recognized Penderecki String Quartet, performing and recording with this ensemble in Poland, Germany, France, Italy and the United States. After studies in Europe, he studied conducting in the United States, earning a doctorate degree from the Eastman School of Music.

The Acadiana Symphony is the only symphony throughout the U. S. associated with a Conservatory of Music. Individual and group lessons in over 18 instruments are available for students of all ages, and Dana and Rachael lovingly recounted one gentleman fulfilling his bucket list dream of learning the flute at the age of 81.  No matter your age, young or a seasoned citizen, the Conservatory can fulfill your dreams of learning how to play an instrument!

The Acadiana Symphony Youth Orchestra offers an opportunity for students in grades 5 through 12 to participate in live performances, including Festival International each year during prime time. This exposure has led local artists such as Roddy Romero and Steve Riley to request the services of the Youth Orchestra to partner in their events. The students have performed at a Junior League luncheon, and appear once a month at Grub Burger and other small venues. What a wonderful way to gain experience on stage and to master the arts of performance and composure in front of crowds.

Please check out ticket opportunities and educational opportunities by visiting www.acadianasymphony.org.

Thanks to Dana Baker and Rachael Sudul for a warm and inspirational interview!

We are grateful to our sponsors:

This podcast is your opportunity to learn more about the Miles Perret Cancer Services, a resource center for individuals and their families fighting, surviving, and living with cancer. Today’s guests are Sherry Hernandez, Community Liaison, and Richard Stegall, Executive Director, here to talk about the 18th Annual Games of Acadiana which begin on August 18, 2018.

Although Miles Perret lived only eight years, his was a life filled with curiosity, joy, and love. When Miles was diagnosed with cancer in 1995, his family determined right away that he would have as normal and carefree a life as possible. Their journey with him provided firsthand experience of the daily challenges of fighting cancer. Miles, unfortunately, lost his battle with cancer at the age of 8 in 1996.

A few years later, the Perret family started Games of Acadiana, a family-oriented fundraising event, first held August 25, 2001. The amazing success of the first Game Day enabled the Miles Perret Center to open less than a year later to help address the needs of local families.

Games of Acadiana is still the signature fundraiser of Miles Perret Cancer Services today. Since 2002, Miles Perret Cancer Services has served over 15,000 families in Acadiana. 100% of the Funds Raised Stay in Acadiana. Parishes in their service area include Acadia, Avoyelles, Evangeline, Iberia,

Jeff Davis, Lafayette, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Mary and Vermilion.

This year's event features over 50 games to be enjoyed by the whole family. Activities include life-sized Candyland, Home Run Derby, Hula Hoop, and the Fastest Pitch booth hosted by Rader Solutions, our podcast producer. Please also check out the $6.00 Miles Perret signature spaghetti dish, bake sale $1.00 cookies, and Milesy Mart items for sale which may be purchased onsite with all proceeds going to benefit the center. The day begins with a triathlon for the first 350 people to register, which you may do online here: http://www.milesperret.org/Fundraisers/mpcs-triathlon.

For more information on Game Day, or on the services provided by Miles Perret Cancer Services, visit http://www.milesperret.org or call 337-984-1920. Miles Perret Cancer Services also accepts private donations, memorial gifts, and grants.  Miles Perret Cancer Services is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization so your donation is fully tax-deductible as a charitable donation under IRS tax regulations.

You will never hear a more delightful interview than this episode of Discover Lafayette with Maugie and Pat Pastor, iconic proprietors of Chez Pastor and T'Frere's House.  Maugie and Pat share a love of the restaurant business and their enthusiasm will inspire you to try out the French-inspired Cajun and Creole dishes you have never experienced. I can promise that my life has been enriched by getting to know these kind and spiritual people who both welcomed me with open arms.

Maugie Landry Pastor is a member of the iconic Landry family that opened Don's Seafood and Steakhouse in downtown Lafayette in 1934. With Maugie at his side, Pat Pastor was the accountant and business mind behind the successful businesses they owned throughout their prolific career. While Maugie never worked in her family's restaurant, she loved cooking and absorbed her family's gift for pleasing patrons with a memorable meal second to none.

As you listen to this interview, you will be introduced to "old Lafayette" memories such as the Lafayette Townhouse, Maison Acadiene (the building is now occupied by Cafe Vermilionville), and memories of the early days of the Oil Center when Pat Pastor worked at the Petroleum Club, first as a bookkeeper and then promoted to serve as Manager of Food and Beverage Services, from 1956 to 1965.

Maugie and Pat Pastor had eight children: six boys and two girls. They are proud of their children, who all achieved their own greatness. Family is of utmost importance to Maugie and Pat.

The Pastors grew very close to Fred Reggie, whom they met through St. Jude Children's Research Hospital when their oldest boy, Jeb, was the 82nd patient at St. Jude's Hospital. Jeb was given six months to live when diagnosed with leukemia as a young boy.  With treatment at St. Jude's, Jeb rallied and his leukemia went into remission. He lived a rich life until the age of 19 when he passed away from a reoccurrence of leukemia right before he was slated to start as a Freshman at USL.

Many Lafayette residents will also remember their son, Bob Pastor, with a warm heart. Bob was known for his sense of style, for making events memorable, and for his heart that always loved others who needed love. Bob passed away in 2015 and the community mourned the loss of his exuberant spirit. Bob will always be remembered for his passion for life.

You'll have to listen to the end so you can catch a Boudreaux and Thibodeaux joke shared by Pat in his own inimitable style!

Thanks to Maugie and Pat Pastor for enriching the culture and life of Lafayette LA.

 

 

Suicide is a tragedy that affects us all.  One in four individuals have thoughts of suicide during their lifetime, which is probably an underreported number. Most people who take their own lives do not want to die, they just want to be out of the pain they are experiencing and be relieved of a feeling of hopelessness that things will never get better. They don't know what to do and they don't know there is help.

Discover Lafayette interviewed Deacon Barney Lejeune in 2018 when he served as Executive Director of Jacob Crouch Suicide Prevention Services. Deacon Barney now serves as a volunteer at Jacob Crouch Suicide Prevention. Management services have been assumed by The Family Tree Information, Education and Counseling Center. Brittany Williams of The Family Tree is the Suicide Prevention Coordinator of Jacob Crouch Suicide Prevention and may be reached at [email protected] or by calling (337) 981-2180.

The Jacob Crouch foundation was originally started in 2005 by the family and friends of Jacob Crouch following his death by suicide. At that time, there were very limited resources available to those grieving the loss of a loved one to suicide. The stigma associated with suicide meant that education on warning signs and intervention was not very prevalent.

Before Deacon Barney joined the Jacob Crouch Foundation, he spent his career managing computer departments for local businesses. He became involved with the Jacob Crouch organization after the death of his beautiful daughter, Andrea Beth, to suicide in 2014. Until his daughter's death, he had no idea how much of a crisis suicide was in America.

2016 statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention document that almost 45,000 people took their lives by suicide that year; by comparison, 19,700 died by homicide. Deacon Barney Lejeune's story is an inspirational one that we all need to hear. Listen and share this podcast, please. And pray for survivors of suicide victims as well as all people who are considering suicide. There are better options and there are people ready to help.

Research shows that many suicides could be prevented if everyone knew the warning signs of suicide and what to do when someone exhibits these signs.

Signs that indicate a friend or loved one may be considering suicide include the following: Withdrawing from family, friends, or society; Talking about death, dying or suicide; getting one's life matters affairs in order; giving away one's prized possessions; acting recklessly or engaging in risky behavior; increased use of alcohol and/or drugs; agitation leading to poor eating, poor sleeping and  forgoing self-care; feeling rage or uncontrolled anger or seeking revenge; and dramatic mood changes. There are many more signals to identify and Jacob Crouch Suicide Prevention Services is available to speak to you, a group to which you belong, or to share resources with you if you need help.

Survivors have a tough time dealing with their guilt: "Why didn't I see the signs?" The grief experienced can be debilitating. In recognizing there was a dearth of resources in our community to help survivors move forward as they struggle to make their lives whole again, Deacon Barney worked closely with the Diocese of Lafayette to begin Survivor of Suicide Support Groups in Lafayette and Opelousas to assist anyone who has been impacted by the death of a loved one to suicide.

Deacon Barney was instrumental in founding a special Mass of Remembrance held to remember those who lost their lives to suicide. The Mass is held annually at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Lafayette on the Saturday before Thanksgiving. This year's Mass is on Saturday, November 23, 10:00 a.m and interested participants may register at https://diolaf.org/suicide-survivors.

There is a national suicide prevention hotline to call: 1(800)273-8255, available 365 days a year,

Dr. Joseph N. Abraham, the author of Kings, Conquerors, Psychopaths: From Alexander to Hitler to the Corporation, shares insights about his latest book published by the UL Press, in this podcast episode of Discover Lafayette.

Dr. Abraham graduated from UL-Lafayette and earned his M. D. at Tulane University. An E. R. doctor for over 30 years, Dr. Abraham previously authored Happiness: A Physician/Biologist Looks at Life (2000) and peer-reviewed articles in Evolutionary Biology.

Kings, Conquerors, Psychopaths gives a fascinating interview of powerful conquerors throughout the past 10,000 years and you are guaranteed to learn much about history in the process! This book provides great insight into historical patterns of power and dominance at all levels of government, religion and corporate existence.

Of particular interest to historians of WWII who will read this book: the relationships between well-known titans of U. S. corporations in the 1940's and the Nazi regime are disturbing and provide a reason to rethink what you know about commerce and the economic benefits of war. The point made  by Dr. Abraham is that this is nothing out of the ordinary in authoritarian societies but reflects the patterns of behavior throughout history.

Dr. Abraham discusses the motivation behind his more than 20 years of research on the subject of authoritarianism or favoring blind submission to authority.  In explaining authoritarianism's vertical hierarchy or power structure, Dr. Abraham contrasts this blind submission to authority to Acadiana's more egalitarian horizontal hierarchy where people work together to solve problems and help one another get ahead.

These powerful Acadian influences are historical patterns of strength which are a bedrock of our region's Cajun and Creole heritage.  Dr. Abraham explained in our interview that most people are unaware of the migration of the early 17th Century French settlers in Port Royal, Nova Scotia, (which today comprises eastern Maine and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island) in 1604, which preceded the Mayflower contingent who traveled to "America" in 1620 and who arrived a full 16 years earlier. These Colonial French began the first New World "Republicans" in the estimation of Dr. Abraham.

FYI: "Republican" is defined as"the idea that each person is responsible for their own place within society. The party believes that the government’s role is to enable the people to secure the benefits of society for themselves, their families, and for those who are unable to do so for themselves. Republicans believe in limiting the Government’s intervention in the work of the individual towards prosperity. The government should only intervene when society cannot function at the level of the individual. This also means that the party believes in keeping the government as close to the individual as possible, and should be focused mainly on the state and community level, not centered at a federal level." (https://www.republicanviews.org.) We've seen this locally with the incredible Cajun Navy and others who step up in times of need in catastrophic devastation where the government can't immediately fill the void that neighbors and community volunteers can as they assist one another.

Did the Acadian experiment with democracy and early republican ideals influence the early founders of this country?? Dr. Abraham did state that John Mack Faragher, director of the Howard R. Lamar Center at Yale University, has opined that the founders of the United States of America knew of the Acadian egalitarian form of government rule but  this has never been acknowledged in historical documents, and in fact, there is a "deafening silence" when scholars discuss this issue.

As an aside, Joe Abraham is a great supporter of our university.

Troy Wayman joined One Acadiana as its President and CEO in February 2018. One Acadiana is a business-led, privately-funded economic development organization serving a nine-parish area in South Louisiana.

Troy previously served as vice president of economic development for the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce, a 2,000-member organization and economic development group. Under his leadership, the region experienced the creation of more than 8,000 jobs and nearly $3 billion in capital investments.

This interview affords an opportunity to get to know Troy and learn more about his extensive experience in economic development.  He brings an open and inclusive attitude to his new position with One Acadiana. While focused on marketing Acadiana's assets to attract new business as well as working to retain existing South Louisiana companies, he believes that making our region's voice known in a harmonized manner at the state legislature will serve business and infrastructure development well.

One Acadiana offers many workshops, social networking opportunities, and business resources. Member driven, businesses of all sizes invest in One Acadiana to enable its program of work.

For more information on One Acadiana, please visit https://www.oneacadiana.org.

Discover Lafayette would like to thank its generous sponsors:

Nancy Van Eaton Prince began her career in the 1960's as she looked for the best way to make money to take care of her young family.   A chance request to help the Junior League raise funds from local realtor agencies led Nancy to embark on a lifetime career as a realtor as it became apparent that she had a knack for "closing the deal."  With Nancy's encouragement, Gail Romero became a licensed realtor in 1966 and joined forces with Nancy as a sales agent.  In 1977, the two founded Van Eaton & Romero and have never looked back.

In the ensuing years, Van Eaton & Romero has been Lafayette's real estate leader and consistently recognized as one of the top real estate firms in the country. Their firm joined forces with Latter & Blum in late 2012.

Nationally recognized as two of the most powerful women in real estate by Real Estate Marketing and Relocation Magazine, both are deeply respected throughout Acadiana for their philanthropic endeavors. Recently honored as Women of Achievement by Zonta International of Lafayette, Gail and Nancy were also honored by the University of Louisiana at Lafayette Alumni Association in 2016.  In 2015 Community Foundation selected Van Eaton & Romero to receive the Leaders in Philanthropy Corporate Award in recognition of its outstanding generosity to Acadiana.

This interview with Nancy and Gail affords the opportunity to experience their love of business, community and undying support of the arts and education. They share their thoughts on how to survive in business through tumultuous economic times and how they navigated through their early days in business when it was still definitely a man's world. The most delightful part of the interview is getting to know them better and appreciate their lifelong friendship which has a bond like no other.

Please visit https://www.vaneatonromero.com for more information on their company and properties offered.

Melanie Jarrell, author of "Refinement of Manner: Manners, Etiquette & Elegance for the Twenty-First Century Woman,” has enjoyed a lifelong passion for etiquette. In this interview of Discover Lafayette, Melanie discusses the important influence that her grandmother, born of French parents, played in her life as a young girl growing up in Lafayette.  As the hostess of many events of a social and political nature, Melanie’s grandmother exemplified the do’s and don’ts of French protocol and modeled the behavior of formal etiquette to be followed in a public setting.

Reminiscing with delight as she recalled her memories of her grandmother’s closet and bedroom, and the exquisite scents of fine French perfume which always lingered in the air, Melanie provides an inspirational account of her love of French mannerisms and the culture’s focus on slowing down and savoring the delectable experiences in life. Lessons learned through her own experiences led Melanie to understand that slowing down and adopting a “less is more” attitude underlies the French way of living and leads one to instinctively refine your manner and edit down selectively to enjoy and accomplish what is truly important in your life.

Of particular interest in Melanie’s message to this writer is the joy of focus which is achieved by slowing down and taking the time to figure out what is important in your life journey.  Figure out your own mission statement, take the time to make a list of what you truly want to accomplish. The accomplishment of the impossible is possible when you dig deep, focus on the few things that matter to you, and quit wasting time on the frivolous things which won’t matter a year from now or 100 years from now! She quotes Walt Disney, who was beloved for his ability to rise above the doubt of naysayers and who persisted even in times of doubt. As Mr. Disney stated, “It’s kind of fun to do the impossible.”

Her book took shape as she began to compile her experience on the subject while spending a summer visiting her sister Jennifer in Paris.  Over several years, she wrote memoirs on her French upbringing, researched all the well-known “subject matter experts” such as Amy Vanderbilt, Emily Post, Judith Martin, Lillian Eichler, and Letitia Baldridge for their particular rules of etiquette, and read scores of biographies of women of rank and social status. However, in the end, Melanie Jarrell developed a twenty-first century class of etiquette she calls “Refinement”.  She claims a robust library of first-edition etiquette books and searches for that obscure, unknown author to add insight into the lifestyle of the refined woman.

You may purchase Refinement of Manner at amazon.com or listen to it on Audible.  If you are interested in entering into an adventurous, intentional personal development journey, Refinement of Manner is a must-read!

Melanie Jarrell is also CEO of Environmental Strategies, which helps companies in the oil and gas sector manage all compliance obligations.  She has been a consultant to small and mid-size companies during her twenty-five-year tenure as an expert in the energy field of regulatory permitting, and oil spill response. As we discussed during the interview, “steel-toed boots by day, ballet shoes by night!”

R. Hamilton Davis, known to everyone as “Hammy” is a native of Lafayette and comes from a large family which has deep roots in Lafayette. In this episode of Discover Lafayette, Hammy shares his love of his family and community.  With a heart for working effectively in programs that directly improve the lives of those less fortunate than himself, Hammy speaks highly in this interview of Catholic Charities of Acadiana and United Way of Acadiana and their positive impact on our community.

A graduate of LSU and Tulane Law School. Hammy's career focus for the past 20 years has been commercial real estate, after a successful run as an attorney. Hammy has developed a reputation as a subject matter expert in all facets of the real estate industry and has his hand on the pulse of the Acadiana economy. In 2018, he founded Scout Real Estate along with partners Chad Ortte and Jeff Landry. Previously during his tenure with Coldwell Banker Commercial, he was named number one commercial agent for the state of Louisiana for ten years. From 2002- 2016, he was awarded the Coldwell Banker Gold Circle of Distinction and the International President’s Elite Award.

Hammy’s civic involvement has included service as Board Chairman of the United Way of Acadiana, Lafayette Education Foundation Board, United Way Board of Directors, Rayne State Bank Board of Directors and Catholic Services of Acadiana.

As a real estate investor, Hammy also has had the opportunity to support Zach McMath's Acadiana Food Hub, a "one-stop shop" for businesses looking to launch a restaurant idea or connect with other local agricultural resources. Loocated at 1811 N. University Avenue in Upper Lafayette, the Acadiana Food Hub opened in 2016. Hammy worked with McMath to facilitate the design and build out of the space and has provided a rental free occupancy to assist in the success of this endeavor which has the potential to launch businesses at little to no risk while they gain needed technical support and affordable space.  The Food Hub also serves as an aggregation & distribution center for our regions under-serviced local farmers, providing cold, frozen and dry storage of raw and/or manufactured food items.  They connect farmers to markets, grocers, institutions, and restaurants, bridging the communication gap between farmer and market. http://www.acadianafoodhub.com

Hammy Davis exemplifies the spirit of Lafayette and freely shares his expertise when asked to lend a hand.  Discover Lafayette is proud to shine the light on this Southern gentleman who makes our community a better place!

This post was updated on July 17, 2019 to reflect Hammy's new endeavor with Scout Real Estate.

This episode of Discover Lafayette introduces you to  John and Becky Williams, owners of Pack & Paddle in Lafayette LA. This destination for outdoor enthusiasts offers not only equipment but experienced advice to guide patrons as they enjoy all manner of self-propelled outdoor activities. In business continuously since 1974, Pack & Paddle was founded by John’s parents, Joan and Doc Williams, when John's mother bought an excess of canoes in the quest to create a wonderful Girl Scout adventure.

Pack & Paddle focuses on customer service and strives to retain talented and experienced staff who understand the needs of outdoor enthusiasts. Offering paddle trips and hiking tours to destinations which showcase the treasures Louisiana has to offer, the focus of Pack & Paddle is always on the individual customer's needs. John and Becky Williams have made a conscious decision not to offer internet retail sales so that they can meet your needs as you walk in the door. In today's world of easy access to goods that may be delivered quickly by free shipment but don't actually work or fit your needs once you actually open the box, this decision to offer outstanding customer service will probably be touted in business books of the future as the way that locally owned stores maintained a profitable existence in the wave of internet sales domination.

John and his wife, Becky, purchased Pack & Paddle in 1999. As you will hear, John and Becky Williams live the dream we would all love to live: getting up every day to experience the pursuit of your life mission.....exploring the outdoors and enjoying the bounty which is free for us all! Listening to them will make you want to rent a canoe, learn how to paddle or hike, or pursue any outdoor activity which stimulates your innate drive to live life to the fullest! You'll want to hear how easy it is to catch redfish from your kayak, the best places to take photographs of first-generation Cypress trees ((Lake Fausse!), or the best place to bring your dogs as you journey to a clear water, sand bottom bayou (Kisatchie Bayou Recreation Complex).

Pack & Paddle is the place in Lafayette Parish to get information on all outdoor adventure activities and to go to get fitted properly for all types of outdoor pursuits. Pack and Paddle is also a well recognized go-to resource for guidance on exploring the local forests, swamps, marshes, and streams that define Louisiana as a special place for the outdoor enthusiast to jump into and experience!

In this interview, you will enjoy John and Becky's input on why South Louisiana is a destination for world travelers.  You will also be introduced to the opportunities to be experienced when you travel to our region as a person who wants a world-class introduction to our beautiful topography.

For more information on Pack & Paddle, please visit https://packpaddle.com.

Thank you, Becky and Mike Williams, for all you do to welcome visitors to our community.