COMMUNITY

Baton Rouge Ballet Theatre’s 2021-22 season officially begins this month with two thrilling performances by Philadanco! Philadanco! is a Philadelphia-based company that has been instrumental in breaking barriers and building bridges across cultural divides in the dance world, and the dancers are set to take the stage on Sunday, October 17 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. at Manship Theatre at the Shaw Center for the Arts. The Philadanco! dancers are among the best in the world, providing a musical experience that is often described as “a brilliant mix of skill, energy, and artistry.” They’re committed to empowering youth with essential developmental and leadership skills that facilitate achievement and success in the world of dance and life. Tickets for the performances are $30-55. ■ manshiptheatre.org

After their daughter, Bella, passed away from brain stem necrosis, the Bella Bowman Foundation was created by Trey and Kim Bowman to support families through the struggles of having a child diagnosed with brain cancer. The Foundation’s mission is to further pediatric cancer research, and so, the Foundation recently presented a $75,000 pledge to LSU’s research group to support the next phase of a research study that aims to understand rare but fatal side effects following cancer therapy. “Part of our donation will have an impact on LSU student researchers with funding needed to support their research and further their careers and passion to spearhead the fight against pediatric cancer,” says Trey Bowman. ■ bellabowman.org

The world’s first all-civilian mission to orbit had some unique passengers–a handful of STEM toys. Space Race, LLC, the global production company that specializes in children’s programming and educational entertainment, sent a few toys on Inspiration4. The toys represent five characters from the company’s animated STEM series, Space Racers. The toys are being auctioned for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. “It is an honor to take St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital along on this journey to space and support its current multi-billion dollar expansion plan to accelerate research advances and save more children worldwide,” said Commander Jared Isaacman before the launch. ■ stjude.org/inspiration4

Let the celebrations begin! BREC’s Baton Rouge Zoo recently announced the birth of a female reticulated giraffe. The calf was born to an 8-year-old, second-time mother, Rosie, and a 15-year-old father, Rowan, and she appears to be progressing as expected. As a species, the reticulated giraffe is considered “Endangered” in the wild. “Our keeper, curator and veterinary staff are incredibly skilled and are monitoring the mother and calf closely. This expert care and supervision will hopefully lead to good outcomes. The progress of the calf over the coming few days and weeks will be crucial,” says Phil Frost, Zoo Director. The Zoo participates in conservation giving to help protect this species in the wild and the community can help, too, by visiting them online. ■ brzoo.org

Show unity for kindness, acceptance, and inclusion by wearing orange for Unity Day on Wednesday, October 20. Unity Day is held during Bullying Prevention Month in October. This special day encourages people to wear orange in order to send a visible message that no child should ever experience bullying. Want to show your support? All you have to do is wear orange, whether as your shirt, shoelaces, sunglasses, or socks. If you don’t have anything orange to wear, you can visit Pacer’s National Bullying Prevention Center to download their Unity Day badges that help spread the message. Once you’re ready, snap a photo of you in your orange and tag your social media post with #UnityDay2021 and @PACER_NBPC. ■ pacer.org

Providing hope to an abused child is crucial, and the need for CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) volunteers is more urgent than ever. CASA children have already been traumatized by abuse and neglect, and now, many face increased anxieties due to Hurricane Ida and COVID-19. The first step to becoming a CASA volunteer is to attend a 30-minute virtual orientation session. The sessions in October will be held on Tuesday, October 5 at 3 p.m.; Saturday, October 16 at 10 a.m.; Monday, October 18 at 5:30 p.m.; and Thursday, October 28 at 11:30 a.m. To register for an orientation, visit them online and click on Volunteer at the top, or email volunteer@casabr.org with any questions. ■ casabr.org

After reading books with her sons, Carencro native Ashley Comeaux Tadayeski recalls them always flipping back through the pages to ask questions about the pictures in the book. This curiosity sparked her creation of the Max and Leo Adventure Series and the start of her company, Max & Leo Books, LLC. Her first book, Do You Want to Come to the Zoo With Me? was published in May, and the second, Do You Want to Come to the Farm With Me? will be released this fall. In the books, the reader is introduced to Max, an excited child who describes his adventures in vivid detail, answering even the most curious child’s questions along the way. The first book is available now. ■ maxandleobooks.com

Finding care that is close to home is important, and with the help of Ochsner Baton Rouge, it’s a little easier. Ochsner Baton Rouge recently announced the opening of Ochsner Urgent Care–Arlington Marketplace in Baton Rouge, near the intersection of Burbank Drive and Lee Drive, close to the LSU campus. The opening was pushed up in order to provide a vital community need. Most services are available at the site, including treatment for heat-related illness (with IV), cuts needing stitches, broken bones requiring x-ray and COVID-19 testing (both PCR and rapid tests). To make an appointment with Ochsner, call or visit them online. ■ (225) 761-5200 or ochsner.org/ batonrouge

Baton Rouge has so much to offer, if only you know where to look. In order to encourage visitors and locals to get out and explore, Visit Baton Rouge has launched a Friends Pass, a new program that offers deals and incentives at Baton Rouge businesses. The mobile-friendly passport showcases the best of the Baton Rouge region. “For a while, we’ve been searching for ways to attract more visitors and even get our locals out to explore the city,” says Paul Arrigo, President and CEO of Visit Baton Rouge. “We hope this first pass serves as a start of something new and exciting in Baton Rouge, especially since the pandemic has taken a toll on our hospitality sector. We would love everyone to sign up for the pass because when you get out and support local businesses, that also benefits our city as a whole. At the end of the day, we’re all in this together.” ■ visitbatonrouge.com

Preparing for hurricanes is something any Louisianian knows how to do, but navigating through the storm’s effects isn’t always easy. To help, ExxonMobil contributed $500,000 toward relief efforts to those affected by Hurricane Ida. The assistance will support local nonprofit organizations through grants and the donation of gasoline and diesel from ExxonMobil’s Baton Rouge refinery to healthcare workers and the local school system. “We commend the organizations and individuals working tirelessly to care for Baton Rouge and other affected communities, and hope that our contributions will help provide meaningful assistance and comfort to those in need,” says Baton Rouge Refinery Manager David Oldreive. ■ exxonmobil.com

For those itching for a historical experience in Baton Rouge, the USS KIDD Veterans Museum has recently reopened the Ship’s Galley. A galley is a shipboard kitchen, and during the galley’s time in service, the USS KIDD’s galley was used to prepare three meals a day for over 300 Sailors. While the space looks a lot smaller than what you would expect to see in a modern kitchen, the crew who used the galley managed to utilize the space and

work as a team to feed everyone. KIDD’s galley has been in the process of restoration for nearly two years with support from a grant from Tin Can Sailors, Inc., and now, it officially returns to the public tour route. USS KIDD Veterans Museum is open daily from 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. ■ usskidd.com

Woman’s Hospital is known for providing excellent care to all of its patients due to its exceptional staff members. Recently, Woman’s Hospital expanded their team, welcoming Renee Cowan, MD, MPH, and Evan Smith, MD, to its gynecologic oncology team. “Woman’s Hospital has a wealth of experience in treating women’s specific cancers, and adding Drs. Cowan and Smith will allow us to provide more women in our region with life-saving care,” says Dr. Anthony Evans, medical director of gynecologic oncology at Woman’s. “They both come to us from the prestigious Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and we’re thrilled with the level of expertise they add to our practice.” ■ womans.org/gynoncology