WHY I GIVE: PASTOR RONNIE AND SOONJA WILLIAMS “With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26
This is a passage Pastor Ronnie Williams has followed in all his life’s endeavors. The son of a farmer in Woodworth, LA, a few miles south of Alexandria, Williams graduated from Peabody High School and went on to LSU, graduating with a Business Education degree in 1974. He is a Vietnam era veteran. He was hired in 1975 at Exxon Plastics and moved up in the ranks over a 12-year tenure. Williams credits his bride, SoonJa, with possessing an unwavering belief in his own abilities and dreams, even if they seemed far-fetched to others. Embarking on a journey of faith and self-discovery, he recognized that providing knowledge and guidance to others was his true purpose and left behind his lucrative career to open Camelot College on Wooddale Boulevard in Baton Rouge in 1986. His tenacity, determination to fulfill God’s calling for his life drove Camelot to grow quickly into a regional certificate program graduating over ten thousand individuals to date and now exclusively offering virtual online training in Administrative Medical Assistant and other medical related courses since 2020. In 1997, he was called again, this time to become a pastor stating, “my life is your life, Almighty God!” Over the years, the Williams family has supported Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital and in 2021 became inaugural members of the Heroes in Healing giving society in which members collectively support innovative endeavors at the Regional Medical Center as well as our Children’s Hospital. One such endeavor is the expansion of Music Therapy across the Baton Rouge market. Knowing the power of music, Williams was moved to make an additional gift in support of the program. Through a personal commitment by the Williams family, coupled with additional donations, the Regional Medical Center will soon offer patients, families and team members a place of respite with the installation of a player piano in the lobby of the Heart & Vascular Institute.
“Christian music transforms the soul.” —Pastor Ronnie Williams
Through the teachings of God’s Word in Luke 6:38, “Give, and it shall be given unto you...” Ronnie and Soonja Williams hope to impart philanthropy in their children and grandchildren and inspire others to listen to their inner voice, pursue their passions and to embrace the transformative potential of a life dedicated to serving others.
HONORING A LEGACY
Dwayne Anderson, MD, was an exceptional physician, colleague, mentor and teacher to the Baton Rouge and New Orleans medical communities. A gifted and dedicated neurointerventional radiologist, he sought innovative approaches to practice and promoted a collaborative environment in treating patients. A native of Baton Rouge, Dr. Anderson graduated from Drexel University Medical School in 1990 and completed fellowship programs at Harvard University and Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology. For 22 years, he was a member of Radiology Associates and practiced at Our Lady of the Lake. Dr. Anderson passed away on February 17, 2023. In June, his partners at Radiology Associates established a fund to honor the life and work of their colleague and friend. With a gift of $500,000, the Dr. Dwayne Anderson Memorial Excellence Fund was established. The purpose is to celebrate Dr. Anderson’s legacy of distinction in treatment, scholarship, and team culture and to advance his aspirations for the profession. It will be used to invest in the environment and the staff associated with imaging services, including space functionality, new technology, program enhancements, lectures, as well as leadership, learning and recognition opportunities.
