Louisiana Life & Heritage

FREE AUGUST 2019 | VOL. 13 • ISSUE 8 | POVHOUMA.COM

Louisiana

L I F E & H E R I TA G E

Pre-Owned Outlet 985.868.7460 • GERILYNNAGAIN.COM 190 s. hollywood road • houma (old shoney’s building)

WELCOMES NATHAN PATRICK, MD

ORTHOPEDIC HAND & WRIST SURGEON Dr. Nathan Patrick is a fellowship-trained orthopedic hand and wrist surgeon who is currently seeing patients in our Morgan City, Galliano, Raceland and Houma offices.

A native of Bluffton, Ohio, Dr. Patrick attended medical school at the University of Toledo College of Medicine. He completed his residency at Penn State and his hand and wrist fellowship at the University of Rochester in New York. Dr. Patrick is very involved with research and new developments in hand and wrist surgery and has authored numerous journal articles, book chapters and poster presentations. He is a regular presenter and instructor at various hand and wrist surgery courses in the United States and in Canada.

Dr. Patrick is excited to move to South Louisiana with his wife, who is also a surgeon, and begin caring for our community. Dr. Patrick’s interests include listening to a variety of music, CrossFit, and following the New Orleans Saints and Pelicans. He is committed to caring for the underserved in our community and will be involved in many outreach opportunities.

NOW SERVING FIVE LOCATIONS: HOUMA, THIBODAUX, MORGAN CITY, GALLIANO & RACELAND

985-868-1540

CONTENTS |

AUGUST 2019 • VOLUME 13 • ISSUE 8

CONT HOME + LIVING

Page 16

FOOD + FUN

Page 28

MIND + BODY

Page 36

14 POV PICK

26 POV PICK

34 POV PICK

16 CHATEAU CHIC

28 LET’S MAKE THE VEILLÉE

36 ROOSEVELT ON THE BRETON

Pelican travel mug

A Window into the Past

22 HANCOCK WHITNEY REMAINS COMMUNITY FOCUSED

Boudin eggrolls

Consuelo Simoneaux welcomes all to her home to visit the Cajun way.

Meal subscription service

President Roosevelt visits the Lafourche Delta.

42 FOR YOUR HEALTH 5 Tips to Lower Your Risk for Hypertension

Advertorial

August 2019 4 povhouma.com

ENTS EXTRAS

ON THE COVER

WORD, YA HEARD SYCOPHANT 1. a person who tries to win favor from wealthy or influential people by flattering them.

WORD ON THE STREET “Tom, being the sycophant that he is, always tried to flatter Ron so he would invest in his businesses. ” “April dislikes sycophants because she hates compliments, or any other type of affection for that matter. ”

Page 48

08 EDITOR’S NOTE

Lee and Susan Shaffer welcome you into their home.

10 INTERVUE

Photo: Channing Candies

The Greatest Generation

Say What?

44 UNDER THE SCOPE Heritage on the Half-Shell

46 RENDEZVOUS

Where you need to be around town

48 SCENE IN

Look at ol’ so ‘n’ so!

51 LOOK TWICE

Sponsored by Synergy Bank

August 2019 5 povhouma.com

VISIT US ONLINE: povhouma.com

PERSONAL SERVICE IN PERSON What does it mean to be IN good hands?SM It means you get my personal attention. Not just today, but as your coverage needs change over the years. Let me help you choose the right amount of protection with a free Personalized Insurance Proposal. Call or stop in today.

Pop Quiz! How many parishes in Louisiana?

PUBLISHER

Brian Rushing EDITORIAL

Bonnie Rushing EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Mary Downer Ditch MANAGING EDITOR Drew Miller ASSOCIATE EDITOR ADVERTISING

64

Elise Falgout Linda Pontiff Deanne Ratliff Lanie Roberts

OFFICE/CIRCULATION MANAGER

58

Michelle Ortego

DIGITAL MARKETING SPECIALIST

Monica Harrison

Personalized service.

Trusted advice.

SUBSCRIPTIONS Point of Vue magazine is published monthly.

Subscriptions are available for $36 for 12 issues.

For more information, email mail@rushing-media.com or visit rushing-media.com/subscriptions.

CREATIVE

Amber Duplantis SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER Nicholas Boutte GRAPHIC DESIGNER Paul Guidry GRAPHIC DESIGNER Amber Knight GRAPHIC INTERN 70?

PHOTOGRAPHY

Channing Candies CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

John Doucet CUSTOMER SERVICE

Kim Ross

75

SPECIAL EVENTS COORDINATOR

Emily Rini CONTACT

Publisher: publisher@rushing-media.com Editorial: mary@rushing-media.com Creative: graphics@rushing-media.com Sales: sales@rushing-media.com

Copyright ©2017 Rushing Media, LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part of editorial and/or graphic content is strictly prohibited.

Business address:

Stephanie Hebert 985-868-1886

Subject to terms, conditions and availability. Allstate Property and Casualty Insurance Co., Allstate Insurance Co., Allstate Vehicle and Property Insurance Co., Allstate Indemnity Co. © 2016 Allstate Insurance Co.

227979

854 Grand Caillou Road Houma shebert@allstate.com

6160 West Park Ave., Houma, LA 70364 985.868.7515 Point of Vue magazine cannot be responsible for the return of unsolicited material such as manuscripts or photographs, with or without the inclusion of a stamped, self-addressed envelope. Information in this publication is gathered from sources considered to be reliable, but the accuracy and completeness of the information cannot be guaranteed. The opinions expressed in Point of Vue magazine are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Rushing Media, our employees or any of our advertisers. No employee or family member(s) of employees of Rushing Media are permitted to partake in any contests, giveaways or sweepstakes.

August 2019 6 povhouma.com

Ochsner St. Anne Hospital is Baby-Friendly.

Ochsner St. Anne Hospital has received prestigious international recognition as a Baby-Friendly designated birthing facility. We are proud to invest in evidence-based programs that support infant bonding and safe feeding practices so mom and baby get the best, healthiest and happiest start possible.

For more information, visit ochsner.org/stannebabies

EDITOR’S NOTE |

MARY DOWNER DITCH • MANAGING EDITOR OF POV

NO PLACE LIKE HOME

Old Estate A RT GA LLE RY, I N C.

EXCLUSIVE RETAILER OF

Vintage Map COLLECTION

SHIRTS • BLANKETS • TIES • SCARVES TERREBONNE • LAFOURCHE GRAND ISLE • COCODRIE • NOLA 202 E. SEVENTH ST., THIBODAUX, LA 70301 PH. 985.447.5413 - FAX 985.447.5414 FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK

We interrupt this magazine to bring you Hurricane Barry.

Well, not as you are currently reading this, but as we were trying to make this publication happen, our office shifted gears to begin our then tropical storm coverage. How appropriate that as we were building the Louisiana issue, we had to pause to deal with a hurricane. As we all know, Barry was the storm that never was.

By the hand of God, the rain the storm was producing over water never materialized over land. Despite the water rising in lower areas of our parishes, we were spared the 20+ inches of rain that was predicted. Amen to that.

Our stories this month focus on our life and heritage in Louisiana. We are such an amazing state, with unique cultures and traditions. We start our issue with a closer look at Ardoyne Plantation. The working plantation nestled off Highway 311 in north Houma has been in the Shaffer family for six generations. The current owners live and work at the plantation, sharing their home with visitors from around the world. Take a peek inside the plantation home on page 16.

A little further down the bayou in Cut Off, we stop in to make the veillée with Consuelo

Simoneaux. For nearly a year, area women have been gathering at her home once a week to slow down and connect with one another through real conversation.

Grab a cup of coffee and have a seat at her kitchen table – the visiting is about to begin, starting on page 28.

A part of our state’s history and land has long been lost to the Gulf waters, through hurricanes and erosion. Our state’s barrier islands were once home to thriving communities and – surprise – a wildlife reserve created by President Theodore Roosevelt. Join us as we step back in time, and recall what the president of the United States saw when he visited the Lafourche Delta, starting on page 36.

This is one of my favorite issues to create.

I love living in Louisiana. Our history and our culture make this state truly amazing. I confess, all in one day we did the interviews and pictures for two of our stories. From being transported back in time at Ardoyne Plantation, to driving our scenic byways along the bayou to reach Cut Off, I was reminded of all the reasons I love this great state.

There really is no place like home. POV

August 2019 8 povhouma.com

INTERVUE |

SAY WHAT?

The Best Choice

IN SHORT TERM

REHAB

What’s the greatest part of living in south Louisiana?

JEWEL | PROFESSIONAL ATHLETE “The food. It’s definitely the food.”

MUSIC & MEMORY

Music soothes the soul, is therapeutic for the mind, and supports memory function for the residents living at The Retreat.

KITCHEN THERAPY

Kitchen Therapy, an insightful and fun-filled once-a-week cooking demonstration, teaching residents how to make three-ingredient meals.

MIKE | WAITER

“I think it’s how willing the people are to help you out when you’re in need.”

LIVE & LOCAL

Our residents enjoy concerts on-site twice a week by local musicians.

PET THERAPY

Our residents enjoy numerous health benefits that come from our innovative pet therapies.

KATHRYN | HOUSEWIFE

“The fun-loving spirit of all of the people is what sets us apart!”

NOVEL EXCURSIONS

Residents and their family members enjoy new experiences from a wide variety of off-site activities.

GAMES & CRAFTS

Games and crafts combines interactive games and leisurely activities they can share with their families.

Fast track to a comeback program, a state of the art short term skilled therapy.

(985) 532-1011 7534 Hwy. 1 Lockport, LA 70374 www.thebroadwayelderliving.org

AMY | RECEPTIONIST

“Southeast Louisiana has the best food in the world. By far. No debate.”

AMBER | STUDENT

“So my favorite thing about Louisiana would have to be how crazy the weather gets. It can go from summer to winter within 4 days. Also, I love king cake. Can’t forget that.”

August 2019 10 povhouma.com

New Pain Treatment at Haydel Spine Pain & Wellness Center Haydel Spine Pain & Wellness Center is excited to offer a new state of the art minimally invasive treatment for lumbar stenosis. Dr. Michael S. Haydel specializes in minimally invasive spine procedures and is one of only five physicians in the entire state of Louisiana who is certified in this advanced procedure. Dr. Haydel is also certified by the American Board of Interventional Pain Physicians, Fellow of Interventional Pain Practice and American Board of Anesthesiology.

The procedure is Vertiflex, an indirect decompression system, FDA approved and covered by Medicare. It’s a new alternate treatment for lumbar stenosis, providing patients with a minimally invasive approach that puts your comfort and safety first, offering the only treatment on the continuum of care between conservative care and more invasive surgery. This treatment is especially helpful for older patients with significant limitation in walking distance due to pain, which is also relieved by sitting and resting. If you have leg/hip/glute/groin pain with standing or walking, which is relieved by bending forward at the waist and no more than two vertebral levels are involved, then you could be a candidate. This procedure requires only a 3⠄4-inch incision, takes about one half an hour to complete and is completed in an outpatient facility making it a favorable alternative in treatment. Clinical trials indicated 90% patient satisfaction through 60 months post procedure evaluation. They experienced 75% successful reduction in leg pain, which makes this procedure an excellent alternative to the more invasive options.

This new therapy allows Haydel Spine Pain & Wellness Center to provide customized and optimal pain reduction or relief utilizing state of the art and groundbreaking minimally invasive healthcare, which can result in improved quality of life.

MICHAEL S. HAYDEL, MD, FIPP, ABIPP 1022 Belanger Street, Houma, LA 70360 985-223-3132 www.painspecialty.net August 2019 11 povhouma.com

HOME + LIVING

POV PICK | 14 Pelican travel mug

CHATEAU CHIC | 16 A Window into the Past

HANCOCK WHITNEY | 22 Remains Community Focused

August 2019 12 povhouma.com

People are surprised to know that

we have nurses that can help.

Our nurses are really passionate about helping our members take the steps that are necessary to improve their lives.

Janet Chaisson Director of Nursing

01MK6936 11/18 Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association and is incorporated as Louisiana Health Service & Indemnity Company.

MARINE BATTERY SPECIALISTS Marine Car/Truck/SUV RV/ATV/Motorcycle Golf Cart Dry Cell, AAA, AA, C, D, 9volt Coast Guard Approved Boxes Custom Fiberglass Boxes

Batteries 985-868-0430

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205 VENTURE BLVD HOUMA, LA 70360

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August 2019 13 povhouma.com

WWW.FLEETSUPPLYWHSE.COM

HOME + LIVING |

POV PICK

PELICAN TRAVEL MUG Bayou Bee Boutique, Houma

This colorful mug, graced by an artist’s rendition of our state bird, is perfect for that piping hot cup of coffee and chicory, either on your way to work or relaxing at the camp.

August 2019 14 povhouma.com

We are excited to announce our newest addition to the Best Friends Animal Hospital team, Dr. Regan Gonzales! Dr. Regan grew up in Saint Amant, Louisiana where her love for animals began. At the age of 4, she dreamed of being a “creature catcher teacher.” Dr. Regan went on to complete her undergraduate and veterinary medicine educations, both at LSU, where she graduated in 2019. She developed special interests in surgery, dermatology, and clinical pathology. While at LSU, Dr. Regan played trumpet in the Golden Band from Tigerland for 4 years. She also has been a pianist for 11 years.

When Dr. Regan isn’t seeing patients, her and her fiance Scott, spend their time traveling to major league baseball stadiums around the country. Together they have one cat named Yuki.

We are excited for the new skill set Dr. Regan will be offering to our practice.

Call 985-876-7722 to book your pet’s next wellness visit with Dr. Regan.

2118 Coteau Rd. • Houma • www.bestfriends-animalhospital.com

YOU’VE DREAMED OF REPAINTING.

MAKE IT A REALITY.

Visit our Benjamin Moore paint showroom & let your imagination run wild!

™

August 2019 15 povhouma.com

ACCREDITED

HOME + LIVING |

CHATEAU CHIC

A WINDOW INTO THE PAST

BY BONNIE RUSHING | PHOTOS BY CHANNING CANDIES

1

Pristinely tucked away from the bustle of Hwy. 311, resting amongst the grand oaks, sits Ardoyne Plantation.

Designed by W. C. Williams and Brothers Architects in New Orleans, the Victorian Gothic style was chosen

by Ardoyne Plantation owner, Senator John Dalton Shaffer. Construction on the home began in 1888, being completed in 1894.

Although the home wasn’t completed until 1894, Ardoyne Plantation has been producing sugar cane since 1838. The original owner of the plantation, when it was a mere 1100 acres along Little Bayou Black, was Sarah Hanna. The plantation passed through several persons

in the Hanna family until the Civil War. In 1888, 1000 acres of Ardoyne Planation were sold to John Dalton Shaffer and construction on the home began.

The Victorian Gothic construction is considered by the National Register of Historical Places to possibly be the largest and most elaborate remaining examples in the state of Louisiana. The home contains 21 rooms including 7 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms and 12 fireplaces.

The first floor boasts 16-foot cove-molded ceilings with octagonal patters of bedded beams. The tower reaches 75 feet above the ground, helping to provide ventilation.

August 2019 16 povhouma.com

2

READY. Our team is ready to help before, during and after any disaster. Protect your home.

CALL TODAY.

Some things just work better together.

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Like a hammer and nail, some things are just better when they work together.

Mike Bednarz, Agent 907 Jackson Street Thibodaux, LA 70301 Bus: 985-447-6221 mikebednarz.com

Here at South Louisiana Bank, we take the time to understand unique circumstances.

your

Whether you’re a first-time home buyer or a longtime homeowner, we provide the unmatched service you need to choose a home mortgage plan that works for you.

Darryl Brue, Agent 1950 Prospect Blvd Houma, LA 70363 Bus: 985-851-2584 darryl.brue.b3cs@statefarm.com

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Annette Dupont Mortgage Loan Originator NMLO #487985

Rene Carreker Ins Agcy Inc Rene Carreker, Agent 1221 Museum Drive Houma, LA 70360 renecarreker.com State Farm Fire and Casualty Company, State Farm General Insurance Company, Bloomington, IL

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August 2019 17 povhouma.com

Stop in or call our Mortgage Specialist, Annette Dupont.

She will match you with the perfect loan to meet your needs.

Better (Banking) Together ayeee.com • 985.851.3434

5

6

Like the icing on a cake, decorative gingerbread woodwork adorns the exterior of the home. As you step foot into the main entry of the home, you are immediately transported back in time. Aside from the massive ceilings, you are immediately drawn to the hand-stamped wallpaper and hand-painted staircase. The home also features original chandeliers and Victorian Gothic gasoliers.

Ardoyne Plantation has remained in the Shaffer family since 1888. Six generations of family have lived in the home. The home was passed to Senator Shaffer’s son John Jackson Shaffer in 1927, then to his son Milhado Lee Shaffer in 1943.

After a tragic accident took his life, the home was passed to daughter Margaret Minor Shaffer in 1977. In 2009, the plantation was passed to Milhado Lee Shaffer III. Lee and his wife Susan, who call Ardoyne Plantation home, opened their doors to public tours in 2014.

August 2019 18 povhouma.com

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“For me, it’s coming home,” shares Lee about living in the historic home. “I lived right down the road and spent a lot of time here. This was my grandmother’s home.

After being in the military for so long, this was coming back to family.”

ENROLLMENT COUNSELING

The couple thoroughly enjoys living at Ardoyne, each having their own favorite spaces. For Lee, it’s the porch. Serving as the home’s living room, versus the formal Ladies’ Parlor, he shares that the quiet mornings and cool evening breeze are what make the space his favorite. For Susan, the tower is her favorite, housing her quilting room.

Susan gives tours of Ardoyne, Tuesdays through Saturdays. “It’s fun to share the history,” she explains. “It’s not just the family history, but the history and culture of the bayou.” POV

No. 1 Exterior No. 2 Dining Room No. 3 Bay Window No. 4 Writing Desk No. 5 Ladies Parlor No. 6 Detail No. 7 Family Crest No. 8 Gasolier No. 9 Bedroom No. 10 Detail No. 11 Family China

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August 2019 21 povhouma.com

FREE SERVICES TO ELIGIBLE PARTICIPANTS

Stacey Pennison, M.Ed. Director LA State Certified Teacher Certified Academic Coach 906 East 1st Street Elkins Suite 205, Thibodaux, LA 70301 Office: 985.448.4363 Fax: 985.449.7065

HOME + LIVING |

ADVERTORIAL

HANCOCK WHITNEY REMAINS COMMUNITY FOCUSED

In the 1800s, Hancock Whitney’s founders saw the need for a bank built to last — an institution anchored in values, reinforced with resilience and focused on opportunity. To realize their vision, they forged business foundations from the character and community that distinguish the Gulf South. Since then, Hancock Whitney has succeeded with and because of the people and communities the bank serves, sustaining strong local partnerships and a core commitment to service that help further strengthen the region.

Today, Hancock Whitney carries on that remarkable legacy as one of America’s strongest, safest banks serving one of the nation’s most vibrant corridors. The company’s core values—Honor & Integrity, Strength & Stability, Commitment to Service, Teamwork

August 2019 22 povhouma.com

and Personal Responsibility— continually inspire Hancock Whitney associates to help people achieve their financial dreams and communities thrive.

“At Hancock Whitney, we invest in people and communities,” shares Market President Josh Jones. “We currently have 10 financial centers in Terrebonne, Lafourche, and St. Mary parishes. Our beautiful new financial center on Grand Caillou Road in Houma is the second new financial center in Terrebonne Parish in the past 24 months.”

Banking in the last 30 years has changed dramatically; but at Hancock Whitney, commitment to client service stays constant.

“The clients we reach every day are the reason Hancock Whitney reinvested in our community by opening a new financial center,” says Jones. “The day we opened, I listened as clients walked in and commented on the center. More than just admiring the new building, they focused on their individual banker. Our clients value faceto-face interaction. While we have the full capability to transact business online and through mobile banking, our associates at each financial center set us apart. We have a great team of associates with many years of banking experience—some in excess of 50 years.”

At Hancock Whitney, service goes well beyond brick and mortar. The bank encourages each associate to complete community service hours, with 5,648 hours recorded in 2018 across the company. Hancock Whitney associates stay actively engaged in helping their communities grow and enhancing quality of life through their vested interest in volunteerism, philanthropy and a responsible approach to financial education, One way Hancock Whitney gives back to Terrebonne

Parish is through the Terrebonne Foundation for Academic Excellence (TFAE). Hancock Whitney supports TFAE with grants and by playing a large role in the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, which provides books to children from birth to five years of age. Hancock Whitney is involved in Lafourche Parish through support of the Bayou Country Children’s Museum in Thibodaux. Hancock Whitney also partners with Junior Achievement to teach children important money management lessons critical to helping young people build more secure financial futures.

“We’re a large regional institution with a very communitybased focus,” explains Jones. “We contribute to and participate in local activities and serve on community boards because we want to make a difference—to make the places where we live, work and raise our families even better.”

Part of Hancock Whitney Corporation, Hancock Whitney offices and financial centers in Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida offer comprehensive, contemporary banking options such as traditional and online banking; commercial and small business banking; private banking; trust and investment services; healthcare banking; certain insurance services; and mortgage services. The company also operates a loan production office in Nashville, Tennessee, as well as trust and asset management offices in New York and New Jersey.

August 2019 23 povhouma.com

FOOD + FUN

POV PICK | 26 Boudin eggrolls

LET’S MAKE THE VEILLÉE | 28

Consuelo Simoneaux welcomes all to her home to visit the Cajun way.

August 2019 24 povhouma.com

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FOOD + FUN |

POV PICK

BOUDIN EGGROLLS Malt & Burger, Thibodaux

Made fresh under the direction of Chef Ryan Gaudet, these fried to perfection boudin eggrolls are the epic snack of true Cajuns! The eggrolls aren’t complete without a quick dip in the strawberry pepper jelly sauce.

August 2019 26 povhouma.com

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1977 Prospect Blvd.

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BY MARY DOWNER DITCH | PHOTOS BY CHANNING CANDIES

On a numbered street just off the highway in Cut Off, sits a home of orange-yellow brick. I park my car next to the mailbox and approach the back door. As I raise my hand to knock, any question I might have had as to “Am I in the right place?” was erased. Laughter rang out loud and clear from behind the door. I’m still not 100 percent sure my knock was even heard, for the veillée had already begun.

For nearly a year, Consuelo Simoneaux has welcomed one and all to her home to “make the veillée.” A Cajun French word that Consuelo translates to meaning “to visit”, a veillée traditionally refers to an evening visit among adults, usually

with food. Consuelo adapted the term to fit her need, putting the first pot of coffee on for a 7 a.m. start. The food is usually the classic crackers and butter, although she has been know to whip up drop biscuits now and then. Every Thursday, her kitchen quickly fills with area women from all walks of life.

Stay-at-home moms, working moms, sometimes just stopping in before work, or even with kids in tow. The ladies gather around the table and visit. Nothing fancy, with a very “come as you are” vibe, the ladies show up for their coffee and make themselves at home.

“I was kind of stuck in a rut as a parent, being home by

August 2019 28 povhouma.com

FOR THE

August 2019 29 povhouma.com

HEAD CHEF IN YOUR HOME

Consuelo’s goal with the veillée is simply to bring back true human interaction. With social media, she feels like people just don’t slow down enough anymore to really check in on their neighbors, or call to see how a friend is really doing.

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In the Simoneaux home, Consuelo has always preached the Cajun way of life to her four children. In her kitchen on Thursday mornings, the distinct sound

of Cajun music drifts in and out of the conversations. As the ladies visit, more than a few words speckled in and out of the conversation are of the Cajun French persuasion.

985-868-9240 • www.galley.com • 235 S. Hollywood Rd. • Houma

myself,” shares Consuelo of why she began this weekly tradition. “I got to the point where I was like, ‘Man, what if we just kind of got everybody together, whoever was home during the day, just to make the veillée’. And so the first day I had one lady show up, and then the next week I had four ladies show up. Now, it fluctuates somewhere between three and ten.”

THANKFUL FOR THE

OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE OUR

COMMUNITY

SINCE 1924

“When I was growing up, my mom would put us on the bus and the neighborhood moms would just sit and talk,” Consuelo recalls. “Now, you go to the bus stop and everybody’s in their car dropping their kids for the bus. Nobody takes the time to sit and talk anymore. We need to move off social media – bring that interaction back.”

While one might assume the ladies are merely gossiping, the women feel the conversations are therapeutic in nature.

(985) 879-1597 (985) 223-6370 www.morrisonterrebonne.com

“We don’t have time to gossip!” laughs Consuelo. “We all have too much in our own lives to be dealing with anybody

else’s drama or problems. Getting what’s bothering you or stressing you off your chest, it feels good! Sometimes moms just need that break to talk.”

It’s not always the moms that gather around the kitchen table. Husbands and children are always welcome at the table.

In a recent time of crisis and mourning for the South Lafourche region with a young life that was taken too soon, Consuelo found herself surrounded by her children and their friends. The kitchen table was a source of comfort for those teens in their time of need.

August 2019 30 povhouma.com

“It always comes back to having that interaction with your family and friends.You want that bond.

Social media makes it seem like everybody is good without it.

But then when you make that connection, it’s like, ‘Wow–I needed that again’.”

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“I’m not going to be their counselor,” says Consuelo. “I don’t care if they told me everything. But I wanted them to get everything off their chest in a safe space.”

As the one year anniversary of the veillée nears, Consuelo smiles as she recalls the past year’s experiences.

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“It always comes back to having that interaction with your family and friends,” shares Consuelo. “You want that bond. Social media makes it seem like everybody is good without it. But then when you make that connection, it’s like, ‘Wow–I needed that again’.” POV

August 2019 31 povhouma.com

MIND + BODY

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ROOSEVELT ON THE BRETON | 36 President Roosevelt visits the Lafourche Delta.

FOR YOUR HEALTH | 42

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FUN FACTS

• I nternational Clown week is August 1 – 7.

• The word clown originates to the Icelandic word “klunni”, which means “a clumsy person.”

985. 872.1431•1000 BARATARIA @ TUNNEL BLVD., HOUMA • Clowns must adhere to the Eight Clown Commandments.

The commandments include applying makeup in a professional manner; no smoking or drinking while in clown makeup or costume; and appearing in as many clown shows as possible.

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• I n Tonopah, Nevada, there is a Clown themed motel, called the Clown Motel, that tourists can visit. The hotel is also next to a graveyard from the early 1900s.

• Coulrophobia is the fear of clowns; it is estimated that 12 percent of adults suffer from this.

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ROOSEVELT ON THE BRETON

BY JOHN DOUCET | PHOTOS SUBMITTED

To stand atop the white sand beaches of the Chandeleur Islands as they rise from crystal blue Gulf waters that surround them is to mark a pivotal point in the history of PoV country. The Chandeleurs are remnants of the expansive St. Bernard Delta of the Mississippi River before it was abandoned about 1000 years ago. Over the ensuing 700 years, river sediment completed the Lafourche Delta, including the land we now call home in Lafourche and Terrebonne Parishes.

It wasn’t geology, however, that drew the 26th President of the U.S. to these barrier islands in June 1915. Rather, the draw was biology.

“At four on the morning of the 8th,” wrote Theodore Roosevelt, “our party started from the wharf in front of Pass Christian,” which he described as “an ideal place for a man to go who wishes to get away from the Northern cold for a few weeks, and be where climate, people, and surroundings are all delightful, and the fishing and

August 2019 36 povhouma.com

shooting excellent.” Widely known as outdoorsman and hunter, Roosevelt was nicknamed “Teddy,” a name he hated, after the well-storied clemency he awarded a captured black bear on a hunt in Mississippi 13 years earlier. His contemporary, Mark Twain, who hated hunting and cruelty to animals, described Roosevelt after his bear escapade as “Still only 14 after living half a century.”

It was more than “Northern cold” that Roosevelt was escaping that June. The old veteran colonel of the First Volunteer

Cavalry in Cuba during the Spanish American War was weathered by service as governor of New York, U.S. Secretary of the Navy, purveyor of the Panama Canal, commander of the Great White Fleet, and two terms as U.S. President.

Malaria flare-ups, a surgically-repaired leg, a chest muscle that harbored an unsuccessful assassin’s bullet, recent entry of the U.S. into World War I, and being sued for libel, a suit he won but nonetheless suffered just two months earlier, also took toll.

By noon on the 8th, however, he had come upon true escape. As he sat among the native mangroves on the sunheated sand and shells of Breton Island, amidst resident terns and skimmers and egrets and pelicans, with fish and rays jumping out of and back into water to win his attention, with a gentle Gulf breeze buffeting his billowy white cotton shirt, the old weathered cavalryman enjoyed a warmth and peace that only he himself—the great outdoorsman and U.S. President—could have created. By his executive order on October 4th, 1904, Roosevelt had declared Breton, Old Harbor, and Free Mason Islands the Breton Island Reservation for the conservation of birds and wildlife. The Breton was second of 51 reserves he had declared during his Presidency, and the only one he visited in his lifetime. These islands, their storm-sculpted successors, and the entire Chandeleur Island chain would all become the Breton National

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Wildlife Refuge.

The idea of the Breton refuge was inauspicious. Alarmed by extinction of the passenger pigeon from over-hunting, Roosevelt focused criticism on Fifth Avenue costume designers for fashionizing the aigrette—the so-called women’s feathery hat-and-hair-pieces made from the back plumage of hunted and sacrificed egrets and other shorebirds, large numbers of which bred and nested on Louisiana’s eastern barrier chain. Plumes were “more lovely in trees and on beaches than on a woman’s hat,” he wrote as understatement.

But the threat to his beloved birds and their refuge would become more insidious than he would ever imagine. Less than four months after his visit, Breton and the Chandeleurs were raked by the storm we

locals call “the Great Leeville Hurricane of 1915,” the strongest on record at the time and likely a Category 4 event. Leeville and the Chandeleurs were each home to a fishing village, small farms, and a schoolhouse. In Leeville, only 1 of 100 buildings withstood the 10-foot tidal surge.

On the Chandeleurs, no fishing village would ever return.

Neither Leeville nor the Chandeleurs were left unscarred by earlier storms. What we call “the Great Cheniere Hurricane of 1893” that destroyed Cheniere Caminada and killed 900 there also destroyed the U.S. Quarantine Station on the Chandeleurs, drowned four men in its keep, and condemned the brick lighthouse on the northernmost island to an acute slant over the shallow remains of the beach

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where it once stood upright. And after each storm over the years, mangroves and egrets and other plants and animals would return and re-establish. Likewise, both the lighthouse and the islands would be rebuilt over the next few years—the light house through funding by Congress and the islands through sediments of the old river delta reworked by current and tides. Both would withstand 50 storms and hurricanes in the 20th century alone.

But near the beginning of the 21st century, one storm may have decimated Roosevelt’s refuge forever. In the midst of its recovery from the 12-foot surge and 110 mph winds of Hurricane Georges in 1998, the Chandeleur Island chain was fractured and drowned by the direct assault of Hurricane Katrina

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“An ideal place for a man to go who wishes to get away from the Northern cold for a few weeks, and be where climate, people, and surroundings are all delightful, and the fishing and shooting excellent.”

– Theodore Roosevelt

in 2005. Ninety percent of the island’s sand was blown and washed away. The beach upon which the replacement, steelgirded lighthouse once stood for over 100 years became a trench 17-feet deep, and the lighthouse has not been recovered to date. The islands and the habitat they provided reservation birds for a century after Roosevelt’s order were shaved off by Katrina’s winds and surge and rendered underwater in a matter of only hours.

Today, fourteen years later, much of the island chain remains underwater and persists as only shoal, and there’s only shallow hope that enough time and enough sediment remain for current and tide to rework the old delta sediments once again and make islands.

frequently call Candelmas—which would begin the morning after he anchored there on the first of February 1700. Though the St. Bernard Delta had largely subsided by then, creating the what we know as Chandeleur Sound, Iberville understood the importance of the barrier islands to the western mainland, the great river, and a great city that ultimately his brother Bienville would establish two decades later. The Chandeleurs would serve to protect such a city both from storms and from foreign nations. A century later, the islands served as ramparts over which British Warships were first seen by Lafitte and others in December 1814—providing a form of naval blockade that Secretary Roosevelt himself would have appreciated.

No stranger to sand and storms himself, it was the French Explorer Iberville who, enamored with the islands, named them in honor of the Christian holiday, La Fete de la Chandeleur—what we more

“On the morning of the 12th we returned to Pass Christian,” Roosevelt continued. “I was very glad to have seen this bird refuge.

With care and protection the birds will increase and grow tamer and tamer, until

August 2019 40 povhouma.com

DR. KEITH KELLUM Dr. Kellum is the most experienced full-time ophthalmic surgeon in the area performing the most advanced glaucoma surgeries available today.

Dr. Kellum has done thousands of glaucoma procedures since 1995. He is also skilled in the minimally invasive glaucoma procedure which may lessen or eliminate your need for the use of glaucoma medications.

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homeowners it will be possible for anyone to make trips among these reserves and refuges, and to see as much as we saw, at even closer quarters. No sight more beautiful and more interesting could be imagined.” Roosevelt died in his sleep in New York not quite five years after visiting Breton.

In his 1910 lecture for the Nobel Peace Prize, Roosevelt reminded the world that “Words only count if they give expression to deeds…

Our words must be judged by our deeds.”

In writing of the Breton Island Reservation, he not only gave expression to a great deed but also, by saving Gulf Coast birds from over-hunting and near-extinction, the deed would engrain a concept of conservation deep into the Louisianan and American consciousness. As we now in PoV country face abandonment and subsidence of our own delta, as well as loss of habitat, home, and heritage in our lifetimes, let us continue to commit to the great deed of conservation as he did. POV

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FOR YOUR HEALTH |

BY MELISSA MARCOMBE, NP, INTERNAL MEDICINE, OCHSNER ST. ANNE HOSPITAL

5 TIPS TO LOWER YOUR RISK

FOR HYPERTENSION Did you know that 1 of 5 American adults suffer from high blood pressure?

Maintaining a healthy blood pressure is very important as hypertension directly increases your chances for having a heart attack or stroke. Many of those suffering from high blood pressure often have no idea they’re at risk because they don’t have any symptoms; that’s why you should get your blood pressure checked regularly by your healthcare provider.

3. Decrease your salt intake The American Heart Association recommends that most adults consume less than 1,500 mg of sodium a day. Salt can increase blood pressure because it holds extra fluid in the body which can put unnecessary stress on the heart.

Watch out for sodium amounts in prepared foods and look for alternative ways to reduce your sodium intake when cooking at home.

4. Quit smoking

So, what are some measures you can take to decrease your risk for high blood pressure? Below are five tips that can help to keep your blood pressure under control safely and effectively:

1. Maintain a healthy weight As your body weight increases, your blood pressure tends to rise, putting you at greater risk for a heart attack, stroke, kidney failure and congestive heart failure. Maintaining a healthy weight greatly reduces your chances of experiencing any of these issues (along with an endless list of other health problems).

2. Exercise regularly Work out regularly and build more physical activity into your day, even if you’re not overweight. There’s evidence that exercise alone slightly lowers blood pressure. It can also make weight loss easier, even if you don’t reduce calories. Moreover, working out can set the tone for other healthy habits. Enlist a friend to become active with you so that you will stick with it. Try to pace while talking on the phone, walk instead of driving or play with your children instead of watching from the sidelines. Sometimes you can walk on available tracks while waiting for your child to start a game or while they are practicing. Also, just realizing the amount of “screen time” we spend on electronics, social media, etc. and make an effort to cut that down and use that time towards being active.

Smoking only increases blood pressure while you’re smoking, but if you smoke throughout the day, your blood pressure is elevated for a longer period because smoking quickly adds up to several hours. That’s a meaningful amount and can put you at increased risk for hypertension complications, such as heart disease and stroke.

For women who take birth-control pills, smoking is especially dangerous if their blood pressure is already slightly elevated.

Taking birth-control pills at any age increases your blood pressure almost invariably by two or three points. But being on the pill, having blood pressure that’s already slightly elevated and being a cigarette smoker is a dangerous triad that can lead to stroke in women as young as 20!

5. Limit alcohol intake If you drink, do so in moderation. That means no more than two drinks daily if you’re a man, one if you’re a woman. In studies, moderate amounts of alcohol have been shown to be heart-healthy, but a person who chronically consumes three drinks a day will experience a rise in blood pressure. Keep in mind that one drink equals 12 ounces of beer, four or five ounces of wine or one 1.5-ounce shot of 80-proof liquor, all of which supply about 0.5 ounces of alcohol.

Melissa Marcombe, NP is an Internal Medicine provider at Ochsner St. Anne Hospital. She focuses on diagnosing and treating adults over the age of 18. She is specially trained to address complex medical problems and manage chronic illnesses such as diabetes and hypertension. She provides the most current, proven medical care through focusing on the best clinical practices, education, and research. Melissa is available for appointments and is accepting new patients at the Ochsner Health Center – Raceland. To schedule an appointment call 985-537-CARE.

August 2019 42 povhouma.com

FUN FACTS

PROTECT WHAT MATTERS

• A ugust is National Golf Month.

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• T he first 18-hole golf course in the United States was on a sheep farm in Downer’s Grove, Illinois.

• Many historians believe golf originated from a game played in Scotland during the 15th century. Others trace it back to Rome to a game called paganica.

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• Jack Nicklaus has the most professional men’s major championships with 18. Patty Berg holds the record for women professional golfers with 15 major wins.

•L as Vegas holds two of the nation’s most expensive golf courses: Shadow Creek and Wynn. The clubs charge upwards of $500 in peak green fees.

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UNDER THE SCOPE |

BY JOHN DOUCET

HERITAGE ON THE

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This is what I remember. I was born. I was in the air upside-down. Someone slapped me on the backside.

I felt the sting on my skin. My eyes opened. Through a slant of light between curtains, I could see images beyond a window. The ground outside was covered with white shells. I relaxed for a moment as the sting subsided, and then I retaliated against my slapper in the only way I could. Then I closed my eyes and cried.

That’s what I remember.

Now, normal humans can only remember things as far back as around two-years of age. And, despite all else, I’d like to be known as normal. So, years later, I would verify that a large shell parking lot lay behind the hospital where I was born outside the rear of the building where the maternity ward had been at that time. And so, it all made sense: Like many in PoV country, I was born into a world of shells.

Even at age two, I can remember when people would visit our Golden Meadow home where I was the youngest at the time. I remember the crackly, grinding sound of shoes or tires as visitors walked or drove across the bed of shells between the asphalt street and our concrete driveway. It’s a distinct sound— much more high-pitched than if you’re crossing gravel, as if the spirits of all those sacrificed oysters and marsh clams cried out at once. And so, it all made sense: gravel grinding is a deep, less-crackly sound not at all like crying because, unlike the mollusks that made oyster and clam shells, the rocks that made gravel were never alive.

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Shells are part of our heritage in PoV country. Native Americans in past centuries left us artefacts that show us the availability and importance of mollusks in their environment. The marsh clam Rangia cuneata and the Eastern oyster Crassostrea virginica are major finds in the shell middens left by those early communities as remnants of their diets. Even in more modern history, many a public servant’s worth was once measured by how he could deliver a truckload of shells on demand.

In the early 20th century, Terrebonne and Barataria Bays grew oysters that were a country-wide delicacy. Canned and shipped locally and in New Orleans, these celebrated “cove” oysters were renowned for their saltiness and fleshiness. Earlier, sixteenth-century Spanish explorers mapped milewide oyster beds off the Lafourche and Terrebonne coast and, by anchoring on the mainland side, used them as ramparts against the onslaught of tropical storms from the Gulf. Even Nobel Prize-winning author John Steinbeck, when traveling through Terrebonne and Lafourche along U.S. Highway 90 in 1960, called roadside homeowners “shell-heap Cajuns,” referring to the oyster shells piles in their yards that grew after each meal of the delicacy.

The coastal estuaries of southeast Louisiana were once home to the world’s largest population of marsh clams. Before getting paved in the 1930s, dredged

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marsh clam shells formed our roads, as they stretched for the first time along the natural levees of all our bayous toward the coast. Everyone likely has a memory or at least a family photo of driving along a rippled and noisy shell road en route to coastal beaches and docks and marinas, leaving behind a heavy cloud of white dust in their wake.

When those roads were finally paved, the clam shells were used as aggregate in the concrete and asphalt mixes. And marsh clams have been here a really long time: Dredging operations along the latitude of Thibodaux and farther north raise bucketfuls of marsh clams from 25-feet below, reminding us of where coastal estuaries existed while the Mississippi River created Bayous Lafourche and Terrebonne over the course of 1000 years.

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Back when I was learning things like the alphabet, numbers, and the names of months, there were only eight months per year in my world, and they all had the letter R in their names. Those were the months when Gulf oysters were good and safe to eat.

(And for you Texans who still eat them canned as “little necks,” the same was probably true for eating marsh clams.)

But despite being born into a world of shells, the whole back porch parental operation of shucking oysters was one distasteful mess for a two-yearold. Smelling them cooking wasn’t appealing either. I would have rathered just listening to cars drive over them. It took many years of palate maturation for me to appreciate the smell and taste. Nowadays, I appreciate them in any weekday that ends in Y. At some point in life, you just gotta open your world with a blunt knife and appreciate the juiciness of your heritage. POV Dr. Mark Neal, MD | Dr. Alexis Duke, MD

August 2019 45 povhouma.com

WINE & SPIRITS JOIN US FRIDAY NIGHTS IN AUGUST FOR CANNATA’S

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To Kill A Mockingbird

August 3, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Acadia Plantation, Thibodaux

August 18, 23-25 Old Courthouse building, Houma

Participate in hands-on learning at this touch-a-truck experience hosted by Bayou Country Children’s Museum.

Climb on board and interact with various vehicles and equipment, while learning about careers in agriculture, oil & gas, military, construction, first responders and more. This all-ages event is $10 per person. Concessions will be available for purchase. For more information, visit bayoucountrychildrensmuseum.org.

Lorna and Company proudly presents the Pulitzer Prize winning work of Harper Lee, “To Kill A Mockingbird,” adaptation

by Christopher Sergel. Performed in the iconic setting of Judge David Arceneaux’s courtroom in Houma, the play is directed

by Dane Rhodes. Atticus Finch will be played by Doug Holloway. Other cast members include Randy Cheramie, John DeSantis, Sean Pelidore, Scott Courville and Brian Chiasson. Pastor David Rhodes and Andrea Rhodes will lead the choir into the courtroom to support Tom Robinson, while flutist, Karen Dusenbery, plays Elmer Berstein’s haunting melody. Show times are at 7 p.m., with a 2 p.m. matinee only on Aug. 25. For more information and to reserve tickets, call 985.860.2940.

100 Years: Celebrating our Past, Creating Futures

AUG 9 PREMIUM CAFÉ FRENCH WINE TASTING TAKE A TOUR OF FRANCE AS WE SAMPLE WINES FROM BURGUNDY, BORDEAUX, RHONE, AND MORE $15 PER PERSON RSVP AT 879-3574 EX 142

AUG 16

CANNATA’S TAILGATE KICKOFF PARTY SAMPLE CANNATA’S SPECIALTY MADE CHEESE DIPS AND HAWAIIAN SLIDER ROLLS ALONG WITH A SELECTION OF WINE AND BEERS. KICKOFF FOOTBALL SEASON IN STYLE

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6307 WEST PARK AVENUE HOUMA, LA 70364

August 9, 6:30-9:30 p.m.

Houma-Terrebonne Civic Center

MacDonell Children’s Services will be celebrating their 100th year Anniversary at their annual fundraiser. This special night will consist of great foods from local restaurants and individual chefs, drinks, live/silent auction, and big band entertainment. Tickets are $60 and available by calling 985.868.8362.

Junior Auxiliary of Houma’s 5th Annual Moonlight Masquerade August 10, 7-11 p.m.

Houma Municipal Auditorium

Enjoy a night of fun as you help support the community. Houma’s Dancing with the Stars competition takes center stage as local celebrities and dance professionals are paired up for this entertaining dance-off event. The event is cocktail attire and will include a silent auction, live entertainment, complimentary beer, wine and hors d’oeuvres. All proceeds benefit JA of Houma, a non-profit organization dedicated to the improvement of local children’s wellbeing.

Tickets are $75 a ticket or $125 for a couple.

For tickets, visit eventbrite.com.

Bayou Culinary Showcase August 21, 5:30-9 p.m.

The Cypress Columns, Gray

The Louisiana Restaurant Association Bayou Chapter will host its 7th annual interactive tasting event. General admission is $25 in advance, $35 at the door. Food from area restaurants, music, live cooking demos, and silent and live auctions make for an entertaining evening. For tickets, visit lra.org.

Shrimp and Petroleum Festival August 30- September 2 Lawrence Park, Morgan City

Visit the 84th annual celebration of Shrimp and Petroleum, a free festival held every Labor Day weekend in neighboring Morgan City. This year’s festival highlights include the carnival rides, Children’s Village, Saturday’s Children’s Parade, and Sunday’s Blessing of the Fleet, Mass in the Park, Street Parade and fireworks. Music in the Park will begin Friday night through Monday night, including performances by Category 6 and South 70. For more information, visit shrimpandpetroleum.org.

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On July 11, PoV celebrated our Hometown Heroes with a ceremony at the Regional Military Museum in Houma. Our Heroes received a plaque to honor their service.

ROBERT MARCELLO, DR. BARRY LANDRY, SAMANTHA MAGEE

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SOUTHLAND DRUGS

1117 Audubon Ave. • Thibodaux • 985-447-5852

August 2019 49 povhouma.com

FUN FACTS

Homeowners

• N ational Mustard Day is August 3.

Auto - Personal & Commercial Business/Commercial

• There are approximately 40 species of mustard plants.

Black, brown and white mustard are used to make commercial products.

Flood Employee Benefits

• Ground seeds from a mustard plant, water and vinegar go into making mustard. In addition to vinegar, Dijon mustard uses white wine.

PAUL CLEMENT

Owner, Broker, Agent Paulc@clementinsurance.com

BILLIE JEAN ANDERSON

Personal Lines Producer Billie@clementinsurance.com

DANAIE VERRETT

Commercial & Personal Lines Producer Danaie@clementinsurance.com

• In ancient Rome, physicians used mustard for toothaches. It has also been used for frostbite prevention, sinus clearing and appetite stimulation.

CLAUDIA ALDAMA

CSR Claudia@clementinsurance.com

KELLY LAFLEUR

CSR csr@clementinsurance.com

• Canada and Nepal combine to make up over half of all mustard production in the world.

1702 Saint Charles St • Houma 985-872-1391 Phone 504-910-9904 Fax www.clementinsurance.com August 2019 50 povhouma.com

LOOK TWICE |

WIN A $50

COURTESY OF SYNERGY BANK

GIFT CARD

Find the six differences in this photo from our feature on page 16. Drop off your answers along with your name and daytime contact number at the PoV office, 6160 W. Park Ave., Houma. Stuck at the office? Email it to us, looktwice@povhouma.com.

A winner will be picked by random drawing August 15.

The winner will receive a $50 Visa® gift card courtesy of Synergy Bank.

Congratulations to Carey Redmond for winning last month’s contest.

Free checking with CASH

ANSWERS TO LAST MONTH’S CONTEST 1 Added pug photo on the wall 2 Removed bucket of crayons 3 Changed the color of th pouf 4 Added the lab 5 Removed the dot on the sofa 6 Added box of crayons and scribbles

REWARDS. *

Yes, FUR real.

banksynergy.com 985.851.2217 *Qualifications, limits, and other requirements apply. Contact us for more information. Kasasa is a trademark of Kasasa, Ltd., registered in the U.S.A.

August 2019 51 povhouma.com

August 2019 52 povhouma.com