THE ZACHA Y
ADVOCATE&
THURSDAY
P R O U D LY O W N E D I N L O U I S I A N A
DECEMBER 3, 2015 H $1
THEADVOCATE.COM
2nd Year, No. 8
Students making change for Respire Haiti
Stacy Gill
BY STACY GILL
sgill@theadvocate.com
AROUND ZACHARY
SGILL@ THEADVOCATE.COM
Volleyball tryouts set for Sunday Legendz Sports Academy is set to host its third season of volleyball for girls ages 6 to 14 in Zachary. An informational meeting for parents will be held Sunday with volleyball tryouts scheduled for girls ages 12 and younger from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. and ages 13 and older from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the gym at Zachary High School. Tryouts are free, but a parent must attend the tryouts with their child. Additional information will be provided at the meeting. Legendz facilitates competitive sports teams and organizes all teams based on the skill level of its players, placing them with experienced, and competent coaches for every team in the organization. Teams will begin practicing the first week in January with tournaments starting Jan. 30 For information, email info@legendzsports academy.org.
Jamie Byrd, a special education teacher at Zachary High School, recently led a 10-day student mission trip to Respire Haiti in Gressier near Port-auPrince in the Caribbean. Respire, pronounced Resper-AY, a Haitian Creole word that means breathe, was started in 2010 by Lafayette native Megan Boudreaux, who has said God called her to help the Gressier community and the children there, whom she found running around in search of food, wearing rags or clothes made of tarpaulins and bed sheets. Many of them were restaveks — child servants given up
by their parents who cannot afford to care for them, according to Boudreaux. The system has been called “modern-day slavery� by the United Nations. Since then, Respire Haiti has prospered and grown to include several programs, including a school, medical clinic and community outreach program. In 2012, Respire Haiti Christian School opened, and now educates and feeds about 500 children in prekindergarten through ninth grade, including a special-needs classroom started by Byrd. The mission of Respire Haiti is to have every student at the school sponsored, which costs $25 a month or $300 a year
per student. Donations cover books, uniforms, daily meals, basic medical needs and dental care. Byrd, who visited Respire about five times before moving there over the summer to teach, has led three student trips to Respire that have included Zachary High and Silliman students. Many are members of either First Baptist Church in Zachary or Feliciana Baptist Church in Clinton. “The thing about Respire is that we work to empower the children, as well as the other U.S. and Haitian volunteers and teachers there,� Byrd said. “We educate them on ways to do better for themselves.�
Photo provided by JAMIE BYRD
Students line up on the first day of school at Respire Haiti Christian School in 2012 in Gressier. Seven Zachary High students and one from Silliman Institute visited the school äSee RESPIRE, page 4G recently during a 10-day mission trip.
holiday happenings
Holiday is peak time for fires BY STACY GILL
sgill@theadvocate.com
Christmas events planned for Village, Main Street
Spirit of Christmas service
Zachary’s First Baptist Church at 4200 Main St. invites everyone to the Spirit of Christmas worship experience at 4 p.m. Saturday and 6 p.m. Sunday. This worship service is general seating and free to all, so arrive early for parking and seats. Limited child care will be provided. Also, families are invited to a candlelight communion service at 5 p.m. Dec. 24. Visit fbcz.org or call the church office at (225) 6542755 for details.
Wreath ceremony planned
Wreaths Across America, a national organization whose mission is to remember, honor and teach by coordinating wreath-laying ceremonies at national cemeteries in all 50 states and beyond, will host its annual äSee AROUND, page 4G
INSIDE Classified Sports
3H 1H
BY STACY GILL
sgill@theadvocate.com
O
rganizers for Zachary’s annual Christmas in the Village event — slated for 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Dec. 11 — are excited about new features and activities this year. “With our new animated lights keeping beat with the music, motorists will be able to turn left on East Central, left on Virginia Street and drive through the Historical Village for the most spectacular lights display beginning Dec. 12, following Christmas in the Village,� organizer Sharon Phillips said. A posted sign will explain to drivers which radio station to tune to for music that will play in unison with blinking lights and trees. There is no cost to drive through the lights, which will be on display every night through the first week in January. Zachary officials are hauling in five tons of real snow for children attending the Christmas event. “Our goal is to re-create the sights, sounds and smells of Christmas at the North Pole, and one of the best ways to do that is by bringing in the snow,� Phillips said. “Children will be able to play in the man-made snow and build a snowman.� Santa Claus will be attending and is available for photographs with children in his vintage sleigh. Parents are encouraged to take photos as children tell St. Nick what they
Advocate file photos by STACY GILL
Children visit with Santa Claus at the 2014 Christmas in the Village event in Zachary. want for the holidays. BREC is partnering with the city of Zachary to host the Disney movie “Frozen,â€? which will be playing on a large portable movie screen behind the Zachary Police Department on Virginia Street. “Frozenâ€? characters are expected to visit, Phillips said. A large vendor area featuring arts, crafts, handmade and homemade items will be for sale, and as in years past, gourmet food trucks will be selling pulled pork tacos, seafood, ethnic dishes, cupcakes, Children from BREC’s Tiny Steps program in Zachary perform at the 2014 äSee HOLIDAY, page 3G Christmas in the Village holiday event.
Zachary Fire Chief Danny Kimble reminds residents in Zachary that while the holidays are a festive and eventful time of the year, statistics show that incidents of home fires and electrical accidents typically increase during winter months. “December can be a peak time of year for house fires, and the main cause of those fires are misuse of items such as extension cords, space heaters or Christmas lights,â€? Kimble said. According to the National Fire Protection Association, 30 percent of home fires and 38 percent of home fire deaths occur during December, January and February. Also, 11 percent of home candle fires start because of holiday decorations compared to 4 percent the rest of the year. “I know people hear these things all the time and they don’t really resonate until it happens to them personally or to someone they know,â€? said Kimble. In an effort to keep families safe during the holidays, the Zachary Fire Department hopes to increase awareness of holiday and home fires by issuing the following information provided by the NFPA: n One in every three home Christmas tree fires is caused by electrical problems. n Although Christmas tree fires are not common, when they do occur, they are more likely to be serious. On average, one of every 40 reported äSee SAFETY, page 3G
Šš–“š‘ ¤’Ž ªŠ ÂÂœÂŚ ªŠš¤န