FACE Lafayette - June 2012

JUNE 2012 FACE Magazine 1

MEGAN BOUDREAUXThis Lafayette woman gave up her predictable life and found her calling in the heart of the people of Haiti. Why she didn’t miss her chance to change the world one child at a time, no matter the cost.

DEAROLD DADLocal dads, man caves and the scoop on one dad who’s shaking things up around town 12

MIXIT UPSummer’s

fearless eclectic look

MONTHS of fabulous

Catch up with your favorite cover girls in our anniversary issue

JUNE 2012

2 FACE Magazine www.facelafayette.com

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CONTENTS JUN

E 2

01

2

20 l RAISE YOUR GLASSThe Healing House gears up for another year of delicious (and unique and wild and sweet and sour and tart and tangy and decadent) drinks with Martinis ’12.

24 l 12 FABULOUS WOMENFACE celebrates four fantastic years with a look at the beautiful women gracing our cover as we find out where they are now.

32 l PACK IT UPHow to have a stress-free vacation for the whole family.

34 l IF YOU BUILD ITWomen just like you are building homes and changing lives. No experience required.

37 l FATHER KNOWS BESTRead about the best dads around town this Father’s Day.

50 l MAN CAVEHe’s the king of the castle and doesn’t have a spot to call his own? Learn how to make a man cave friendly enough for any home.

52 l IN THE MIXAn eclectic mix of prints and shapes give summer dressing a vibe that’s as bright as the Louisiana sun.

IN EVERY ISSUE

08 l EDITOR'S DESK

12 l COOKIE'S CORNER

14 l HEALTH MATTERS

16 l FAMILY MATTERS

ON THE COVER Megan BoudreauxPHOTOGRAPHY by Penny Moore

MAKEUP by Simone' Broussard and HAIR by Nina Weaver for be. Salon COVER CLOTHING by Jewelie's Boutique

CONTENTS CLOTHING by Vanessa V. Boutique

60 l THE FACEWhen this Lafayette woman heard her calling miles away in a remote Haitian village, she listened. Less than two years, one school and two children later, she’s just getting started. How one woman is giving a voice to children in need.

I’m fighting for these kids that don’t have a voice. There’s no one else to fight for them.”

‘‘– Megan Boudreaux

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– Megan Boudreaux

RUN!To Melodi’s Beach ParTy sale

JUNE 4 - 23

You could win a

Fun In The Sun

Giveaway

Special prices on

Summer Essentials

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editor’sdesk amanda bedgood

ust breathe. There are days (okay, sometimes weeks) that I never really stop and just breathe. It is the nature of our lifestyle. It’s not something I complain about (not that often, anyway), but something that’s become much more of a reality with a super fast crawling baby zipping around the house. The

moments I do have to breathe deeply, reflect honestly are treasured in a new way. And few things bring on such moments of reflection than reaching a new milestone. This month that milestone is celebrating a new volume of FACE Magazine as we begin another year of sharing your stories.

There’s something all of our cover girls have in common – they inspire. And more often than not, the other thing they have in common is how rarely they’ve taken time to reflect on all they have done. How extraordinary they are. They are so busy doing they don’t often stop to just breathe.

Megan Boudreaux, our June cover girl, took a moment to breathe a few years ago on a trip to Haiti for her job. And it was in that moment she realized that the plans she had in store for herself were perhaps not what God had intended for her life. Today, the 26-year-old Lafayette woman is living in Haiti, has adopted two daughters, built and opened a school and is fighting every day to give a voice to the children of a corner of the world she didn’t know existed a few years ago.

Megan’s story struck me so deeply and we were so fortunate she happened to be briefly back home and took time for an interview and photo shoot (We hear reception is spotty in Haiti these days.) just in time for the anniversary issue of FACE. In 2008, the first ever FACE hit the stands with the goal of featuring everyday women on the cover and filing the pages with stories that inspire and represent the women of Acadiana. Megan certainly fits that bill.

The then 24-year-old Megan saw a need in Haiti following the earthquake that shook an already impoverished nation two years ago, and she moved. She moved more than her physical address. She completely changed directions. The once homecoming queen and cheerleader went from a corporate job to starting from the ground up a nonprofit to give voice to children in Haiti who are often abused and spend their lives in servanthood. In essence, child slaves.

Read her story on page 60 to see how you can help now. And take a moment yourself to breathe and envision what the future holds, sans preconceived expectations and pressure from outside.

As we close the chapter on another volume of FACE and begin anew, we gathered some words of reflection from the 12 women who graced the cover of the magazine and learn what a difference it made in their lives (and the lives of others) to share their stories. On page 24 we revisit their unforgettable stories. And on page 45 we share some beautiful stories from the men in our lives as we honor dad just in time for Father’s Day.

Opening our special section for dads is the man whose name seems to be on everyone’s lips – Dr. Pat Cooper. The district’s new superintendent is shaking things up and

starting with the youngest in Lafayette Parish in hopes of turning around a district that, in some ways, is at a serious crossroads. We sat down with Dr. Cooper to see how being a father influences his decisions as a superintendent and were surprised by his answers. You will be too. Turn to page 41 to hear the truth about the connection between his personal and professional life.

School may be out for the summer and vacation on the horizon, but there are a few things left to study to ensure the best vacation possible. We have the best tips for traveling on page 32 and the four things no woman should leave home without. And on page 50 we give you a taste of the best dressing for summer. From short shorts and wild prints to flowing maxi dresses and neon accessories, we have an eclectic mix of what’s hot right now and how to wear it.

As temperatures rise and days grow longer (too bad we don’t actually get a few bonus hours after the sun sets), take time to just breathe. You never know how a moment of rest can propel you to the next great thing (that you never expected) in your life. Just ask Megan Boudreaux.

Amanda Bedgood is the editor of FACE Magazine. Send your fashion inspirations, interesting stories and other musings to [email protected].

J

“She moved more

than her physical

address. She com-

pletely changed di-

rections …”


43296_A20_C1-1

06/03/09

RLX

RLX

600 Silverstone Road • 337.981.7600

EDITORAmanda Bedgood

[email protected] • 337.254.8874

ADVERTISINGCarolyn Brupbacher, Manager

[email protected] • 337.277.2823

Cassie Swain337.654.8356

GRAPHIC DESIGN/LAYOUTMike Bedgood • Innovative Digital, LLC

[email protected] • 337-322-2854

CONTRIBUTING WRITERSAmy Cavanaugh

Danielle Dayries • Lynley JonesYvette Quantz • Jan Swift

Jenna Simard • Cookie Tuminello

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERSPenny MooreMike Bedgood

PRESIDENT & CEOBeth Guillot

FACE Magazine, L.L.C.Business Management &Distribution Provided byThe Zerangue Group, Inc.

Flint Zerangue, [email protected]

Mailing AddressP. O. Box 52457

Lafayette, Louisiana 70505

On the Webwww.facelafayette.com

FACE Magazine is published monthly, and distributed free of charge in bulk to local businesses and offices by FACE Magazine, LLC. No portion of FACE Maga-zine may be reproduced by any means without the prior written consent of FACE Magazine, LLC. Unsolicited material may not be returned. Material submitted for pay must carry “Submitted at Your Usual Rates”, along with an executed copy of the FACE Magazine, LLC copyright agreement. The owners, publishers, and editors shall not be responsible for loss or injury of any submitted manuscripts, promotional material and/or art.

The acceptance of advertising in FACE Magazine does not imply endorsement by FACE Magazine. FACE Magazine reserves the right, without giving specific reason, to refuse advertising if copy does not conform with the editorial policies. FACE Magazine does not necessarily agree with nor condone the opinions, beliefs or expressions of our writers and advertisers.

© 2012 FACE Magazine. All Rights Reserved.

JUNE 2012 Vol. 5, No. 1


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COOL NIGHT OUT Thursday, June 7, Coccolare Spa is launching a revolutionary non-surgical treatment that eliminates stubborn fat. Coccolare Spa is the only business in Lafayette that offers this body contouring treatment. The evening event begins with appetizers and beverages at 5:30 p.m. Dr. Cynthia Glass, Board Certified Plastic Surgeon and Consultants will be on hand to answer any questions. There will be a live demonstration of a patient receiving Cryolipolysis (application of cooling to remove fat cells). One lucky winner will win a free Coolsculpting Treatment and more. For more information, visit coccolarespa.com.

ART WALK Saturday, June 9, During 2nd Saturday ArtWalk June 9, Downtown comes alive

as each gallery, studio and art house opens their doors for this free event. Whether you're an art aficionado or a casual patron, you're sure to leave inspired as you explore Downtown Lafayette's Arts & Cultural District. Also, don't forget your discount on all art sold in the Downtown Lafayette Cultural District – original works are exempt from state sales tax.

CULTURAL CAMPMonday, June 11 - Friday, June 15, for ages 6 through 8 (8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., $25) at the Acadian Cultural Center in Lafayette and again June 25 – 29 for ages 9 through 11 from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. for $50. Through hands-on activities, demonstrations, and programs by master artisans, campers will make old-time toys, take a boat tour of Bayou Vermilion, make coiled

clay pots as the American Indians did, explore folklore through storytelling, learn about the Louisiana black bear, experience Cajun and Zydeco music, investigate the rich and varied cultures of south Louisiana, become a Junior Ranger, and more. Camp registration is now underway and is limited to 24 campers per session on a first-come, first-served basis. Camper registration is not guaranteed until application and fee are received at the center (501 Fisher Road in Lafayette). Call 337-232-0789 ext. 11 or go to nps.gov/jela/summer-camps.htm.

RED CARPET RUNWAYThursday, June 14, The first ever Red Carpet Runway is slated for June 14 to benefit Lafayette Animal Aid and the Acadiana Symphony and Orchestra at Dunn’s Furniture and Interiors on Rue Louis XIV. The event kicks off at 6:30 and will include a runway show featuring clothing from Artesia, Maven and Partners' LTD with animals available for adoption as well as a raffle of a red Mercedes from Moss Motors and a charter fishing trip.

BID ON A BACHELORThursday, June 14, More than 20 of Acadiana’s hottest bachelors will be on the auction block June 14 during the second annual Bid on a Bachelor Event. The affair to benefit The Children’s Shelters of Acadiana Youth gives ladies the chance to win a date with a bachelor of their choice. The event is slated for Scandals.

LT. GOVERNOR'S GALASaturday, June 16, The first ever Lt.

Governor's Music Gala celebrating Louisiana is slated for June 16 at AcA's James Devin Moncus Theater at 7 p.m. Admission is $75. The first annual Lt. Governor's Music Gala will include musical performances by Louisiana’s top artists include Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys, Rebirth Brass Band, Joel & Anne Savoy, the Magnolia Sisters, CC Adcock presenting songs from the TV series "True Blood," CJ Chenier, Chubby Carrier and many more.

JUNETEENTH FOLKLIFE CELEBRATIONSaturday, June 16, Juneteenth Folklife Celebration at the Farmer's Market-across from Le Vieux Village, Opelousas June 16 from 1 to 6 p.m. with free admission. African-American cultural and historical celebration highlighting the folk art, heritage and traditions of this region. Pays tribute to the date when Texas slaves first heard news of their freedom, and that news traveled to surrounding states.

SOUTHERN OPENThrough June 14, The Acadiana Center for the Arts is gearing up for the 6TH Annual Southern Open art competition. The Southern Open is a juried exhibition featuring artists from the five southern states of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida. Taking place in the Main gallery at the AcA, the exhibit includes entries from painting, sculpture, drawing, photography, video/DVD and other multimedia installations. The exhibit will run through July 14.

JUNE


Professional Laser Center is proud to announce the addition of south Louisiana’s first FDA- cleared laser for the treatment of chronic nail fungus.

The Pinpointe FootLaser, which kills toenail fungus, offers a new treatment option for more than 35 million Americans with the condition.

During the procedure, which is administered by a board certi-fied specialist, a specially-designed laser beam is directed across the nail. The laser penetrates the nail bed, targeting the fungi re-sponsible for the infection, while leaving the nail and surround-ing healthy tissue intact.

Fungal nail infection is an incredibly embarrassing condi-tion that affects more than 10 percent of the U.S. population. It’s caused by fungus under the nail. As it grows, the nail becomes darker in color and debris may accumulate under it. And the infection usually spreads to other toenails. For some with diabe-tes or immune disorders, nail fungus can lead to serious health problems. With the clearance of the PinPointe FootLaser, pa-tients finally have a pain- free treatment option that’s more suc-cessful than topically- applied antifungal drugs, safer than oral medication, and less painful than surgical removal of the nail.

After only one 30 minute treatment with the Pinpointe Laser, the fungus is killed. Typically the doctor will recommend care techniques to reduce recurrence of the infection, because the fungus is present everywhere in the environment.

The treatment can be done comfortably in the privacy of Pro-fessional Laser Center, without the need of anesthesia. There is no pain, and no recovery period. Just walk in and walk out.

The procedure is considered aesthetic and therefore health in-surance plans don’t provide coverage. If you have a health sav-ings account or medical IRA, 100% of the cost can be covered. Cash and credit cards are all accepted. Price can range from 250 dollars to 995 dollars.

To schedule an appointment with our physician, call Profes-sional Laser Center at 318-361-9066, or visit our website www.professionallaser.com. For your convenience, now have offices in Lafayette, Shreveport, and West Monroe, Louisiana.

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HEALTHMATTERS

yvettequantzThe keys to longer life, better health

Summer of Color

IIn the quest for improved health and disease prevention we are always on the search for the one superfood that promises to deliver longevity and vitality. However, truth be told, there is no one food that can be claimed to be the “magic” pill. Instead, researchers have found two key properties, known as antioxidants and phytochemicals which can decrease risk of cancers, heart disease, and other chronic medical conditions. Antioxidants and phytochemicals are properties found in a variety of foods (particularly in fruits and vegetables) that help protect our cells from damage caused by free radicals. Free radicals are molecules that are thought to play a part in the aging process, some autoimmune diseases, as well as the development of cancers. Therefore, eating a diet that is rich in antioxidants and phytochemicals can help decrease the risk for chronic diseases. Below you will find suggested foods rich in these antioxidants and phytochemicals classified by color along with health properties and benefits. Increase the color on your plate by mixing in fruits and vegetables from each of color of the rainbow and you will not only improve your health but you will also add years to your life!

Foods from the Rainbow:

Orange/yellow fruits and vegetables such as: apricots, cantaloupe, carrots, mangoes, papayas, peaches, yellow peppers, pumpkin, and sweet potatoes contain the natural plant pigment called “carotenoids.” Carotenoids play an essential role in the health of our eyes, as well as reducing the risk of cancers, heart disease, and improving our overall immune system.

Red fruits and vegetables such as: beets, red cabbage, cherries, cranberries, pink grapefruit, red grapes, red peppers, pomegranates, raspberries, rhubarb, strawberries, tomatoes and watermelon contain natural plant pigments called "lycopene" and "anthocyanins." Lycopene is a carotenoid that has been found to

help reduce the risk of cancers, especially prostate cancer. Anthocyanins act as a powerful antioxidant, helping to protect our cells from free radical damage and keep our heart healthy.

Green fruits and vegetables such as: artichokes, asparagus, avocados, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, green cabbage, kiwi, lettuce, green onions, and peas are colored by the natural plant pigment chlorophyll. Dark green fruits and vegetables provide an excellent source of the antioxidants lutein and

indoles. Lutein (found in foods such as dark greens, peas, and green peppers) works to support eye health and reduce the risk of cataracts. Indoles (found in broccoli, cabbage, and other cruciferous vegetables ), have been found to provide protection against some cancers.

Blue/purple fruits and vegetables such as: blackberries, blueberries, eggplant, prunes, plums, and purple grapes contain the natural plant pigment called "anthocyanins." Anthocyanins have been found to protect cells from damage and reduce the risk of cancers and heart disease.

White fruits and vegetables such as: bananas, cauliflower, garlic, mushrooms, and white onions contain the natural plant pigment "anthoxanthins." Anthoxanthins have been linked to a decrease in cholesterol and blood pressure, as well as reducing the risk for stomach cancer.

Add Color to Your Day:

• Start the day with a berry smoothie! Blend blueberries, strawberries,

blackberries and a banana along with your choice of milk or a non-dairy alternative. Add a scoop of protein powder along with flaxseed or cod liver oil for an extra nutritional boost!

• Snack on red bell peppers! These make an excellent substitute for the afternoon munchies. Try dipping in fresh hummus or Greek yogurt for additional protein.

• Making a salad? Forget the iceberg lettuce and instead toss together spinach, kale, red cabbage, arugula and romaine lettuce.

• Add “juicing” to your nutrition regime. What an incredible easy and convenient way to pack in 5 - 7 servings of fruits and vegetables. Kale, spinach, apples, berries, carrots, and ginger are just a few of the most popular ingredients used today. Not only do they make an excellent juice blend but they also provide a variety of color to maximize the nutritional benefits you get from this one drink!

• Swap the potato. The simple act of replacing a regular potato with a sweet potato will add more vitamin A, carotenoids, and fiber to your day.

• Make a hearty sandwich. Next time you are going to make yourself a turkey sandwich, add spinach, red bell peppers, tomatoes, cabbage, cucumbers, shredded carrots, and sliced avocado for not only a more nutritious feast but also a more filling meal!

• Brighten up your plate with a pop of color. Watermelon, kiwi, or mango slices added to a meal of grilled chicken, steamed broccoli, and brown rice can do wonders for the overall appearance and presentation of your dinner meal.

Share with us on Facebook w w w . f a c e b o o k . c o m / p a g e s /wwwfoodtherapyonlinecom (or e-mail) just how you plan to add some color to your meals this summer! Yvette Quantz, LD, RD, CLT, is a Lifestyle and Sports Nutritionist and owner of Food Therapy, LLC. E-mail her at [email protected] and get more information about Food Therapy at www.foodtherapyonline.com.

“Forget the iceberg

lettuce and instead toss

together spinach, kale,

red cabbage, arugula and

romaine lettuce …”


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Amanda Durke was diagnosed with a brain tumor at nine years old. Today, thanks to the tireless support and work of her mother, Joanna, she has a degree and is on the hunt for a job.

“She never gave up fighting for what she knew I deserved,” Aman-da writes in her essay.

Joanna was there every step of the way for her daughter whether it was surgery or the endless doctor’s appointments. And because the tumor left her with little short-term memory, Joanna helps her remember all that she needs, including her laundry list of medica-tions.

“Not only did she take care of me when I was sick, but she also takes care of everyone else in the family,” Amanda writes.

And like many women, all that time Joanna spends caring for oth-ers means she doesn’t spend much time for herself.

“Between working long hours and tending to our family, she doesn’t have much time to do anything for her own pleasure,” Amanda writes. “ … It is past time for her to get away for a little while!”

We couldn’t agree more.

In honor of Mother’s Day, FACE Magazine offered one lucky reader the chance for a Destin getaway. We asked, simply, for a little something about what makes your mom a great mom. And you answered.

And the winner is...


N

COOKIESCORNER

Now, more than ever, business owners and leaders are trying to stretch their dollars as they await a reversal in this economic down-turn. Weathering these challenging times is causing some businesses to make desperate decisions that are not in the best interest of their business or company.

When you make desperate deci-sions you create desperate results. What do I mean by this? It’s like putting a band aid on a gunshot wound. It’s a short term and ill advised solution. When you make decisions out of desperation, you are reacting as opposed to respond-ing to the situation, which in some cases can do more harm than good.

These desperate decisions can show up as massive layoffs, tak-ing on clients you wouldn’t nor-mally do business with, drasti-cally cutting your fees just to get business in the door, or even worse, laying low and not do-ing anything hoping that things will eventually settle down.

What is the best thing to do in these situations? Before you make a decision that may do more harm than good, take a step back, take a breath, and give yourself some time to get out of desperation mode and into a more positive place. Once you do that, you can think clearer and you can create more positive, long term, sustainable outcomes.

Here are some questions to ask yourself that will produce more val-

ue based decisions.

1. What is the breakdown you are addressing? What is the initial cause of your concern? Monetary issues? A weakened economy? Take time to identify what is causing the most headaches for you and your team.

2. What is the desired outcome? Is it simply dollars you want to de-posit into your bank account? Or would you rather begin now to

forge lasting client relationships based on trust? The perfect time to create strong bonds between you, your clients, and team, is during an economic slowdown. This gives you the time to concentrate on building solid relationships that will con-tinue to grow once the economy shifts.

3. How will it serve you, the com-pany, or business? Making a hasty decision will always create havoc within your company. For example, before laying off members of your team, look at other unexplored av-enues of generating income, or get creative in your advertising efforts. Carefully examine the long term ef-fects of any drastic decisions you make in order to simply save mon-ey. How will cost-cutting measures affect your levels of customer ser-vice? If you lose valuable people through layoffs, will you be able to hire them back at a later point?

4. Is the decision in keeping with company’s core values and visions?

When making decisions that will affect others, pay close at-tention to what your core values are telling you. “Gut instinct” is seldom wrong. You know when you’re going against everything you and your company has stood for for many years, be-cause there will be a little voice telling you, “Hang on a second. This decision doesn’t feel right.” Listen carefully and act wisely.

5. Will it produce long term sustainable results for the busi-ness? What will be the impact of the decision you make today

in one year, two years or five years down the road? Will today’s clients still be doing business with you in the future or will they have gone the route of the dinosaur and dis-appeared? Or will implementing a change in the method of how you do business bring you continued cli-ent growth well into the days of to-

“My basic principle is that you

don't make decisions because they

are cheap; you make them because

they're right.”

–Theodore Hesburgh

“When you make

decisions out of

desperation, you are

reacting as opposed

to responding to the

situation, which in

some cases can do more

harm than good.”

Real change takes real planning

Haste Makes Waste


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COOKIESCORNER

morrow? Every action has long term implications, so be sure to gauge the potential future outcomes before you make your decision and act upon it.

6. Can you stand in your integrity if you make this decision? This is the kicker. Can your heart and conscience live with the decisions your head has made? That’s what decision making boils down to. If the decisions and actions you take affect your whole sense of well-being, something is off, and that means your integrity has been compromised. If you are unable to make a decision, implement the

action, and stand by the results with quiet dignity, don’t do it. Look for an-

other solution to your problem.

After asking yourself these 6 ques-tions, you should have a good idea of whether the decision you’re about to make is a valid one that won’t keep you up at nights filled with dread about the outcome. And frankly, who wants to live the life of a terminal in-somniac? I don’t.Cookie Tuminello, Leadership and Team Building Coach, is the founder and CEO of Success Source, LLC. Cookie can be contacted at [email protected].

cookietuminello

“Carefully examine

the long term effects

of any drastic

decisions you make

in order to simply

save money.”


I

FAMILYMATTERS

In thinking about this anniversary issue, I reflected on the experience of writing for a magazine devoted to women and the many unique cover stories over the years. Every woman featured in FACE has not only faced some type of life change, but used that experience to bring her true mission in life into focus. I’m inspired by each of their stories, and in particular, how they learned to define their life priorities, what drives their lives and defines their spirit. Rather than just talking about what’s important, each of the women of FACE put her life values into action.

To bring what’s important to you into focus, list your top five priorities. Your list might include your physical, spiritual,

or emotional health; your marriage; your children; time with friends; education or career; household duties; finances; travel and fun. Now list your daily activities and how much time you spend on each activity. Compare your lists. Do they even resemble each other? The way we actually spend our time day in and day out tells us the truth about our real priorities. If health is a priority, are we exercising and eating well? If our marriage is a priority, do we find time for romance or intimate conversation? If our children are our priority, do we put the smartphone down and make the time at the end of the work day to play with them? Changing behavior to live your priorities is not easy, even if

we are highly motivated. Just concentrate on one priority at a time, practicing until you’ve made a lasting change in your life in that one area. Two months of consistent effort is a good timeframe; remember that gradual change is lasting change. Here are some tips for practicing your real life priorities:

• Identify the top priority on your list. [Note: if you aren’t number one, you should be really close to the top. If you don’t take care of yourself, everything else breaks down]. Next, write down all the ways you can attend to your number one priority. For example, if your number one priority is your spouse, your list might include: making his favorite meal, having a regular

How you spend time proves what you value

First Thing First


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date night, taking a walk together. If your children are number one, your list might include: watching soccer games, doing arts and crafts, reading stories, helping with homework.

• Make a commitment. Use daily reminders such as index cards or alarms on your phone to focus your attention on your priority. Recommit when you see or hear your reminder. Tell supportive family and friends about your plans to help you stay accountable.

• Find the time. Better yet, make the time. This means eliminating the unimportant or non-priority tasks. Make a list of everything you do in a day, and start drawing lines through the items that are unnecessary. Do

you have to check Facebook every hour? Do you have to clean your floors every day without fail? Put a star by the tasks that only you can do (sleep, exercise, work, be a spouse, be a parent) and learn to delegate other tasks that can be done by someone else (even if you think you can do it better!). Enlist the help of others. Even small children can do jobs like pick up toys and fold socks. Group tasks also, like paying all the bills at one time or cooking several meals at once and freezing for the future. Reduce wasted time on television and technology.

• Make a To-Do List for the next day before you go to bed. Put your first priority at the top and then list activities that must be done and can only be done by you. If at

the end of the day, you’ve accomplished the tasks your list, give yourself a reward, i.e., some type of self-care (reading, a long bath, a piece of quality chocolate). If at the end of two months, you really notice change in your lifestyle and in making your priorities a reality, give yourself a big reward. Then move on to priority number two, while you continue to practice priority number one. Your to-do list may be longer, but you will have more energy and feel more fulfilled because you’re living out your real mission in life and your true needs are being met. You will be “walking your talk,” and that’s always a good feeling. Amy Cavanaugh, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist with Center for Psychiatric Studies and the infant mental health consultant for the Healthy Start Program of the Family Tree.

amycavanaugh

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The year is halfway gone. Take our simple quiz to see if you’re on the track for that promotion.

As 2012 is halfway over, it is time to evaluate your progress in your career thus far and assess your strategy to achieving your career goal. If receiving a promotion was one of the goals you set for yourself at the beginning of the year, take this quiz to find out if you are on the track to climbing up the career ladder.

1. Have you expanded your credibility within the industry you work? Developments in technology have lead

to rapid changes and expansions, thus it is crucial to not only stay up to date with the trends, but also expand your knowledge of the work you are doing or aspire to do. Knowledge is the power you need to maintain your competitive advantage in the workforce. In addition to gaining knowledge, you must also build your credibility in the industry. Attending conferences and composing a blog or articles using your knowledge of the current and future trends are some excellent ways to build your credibility.

2. Do you have a diverse and large professional network? A large professional network is the key

to success. The more people you know, the larger your reach is when communicating your talents, abilities, goals, and ambitions. Therefore it is more likely that you will be discussed when opportunities are available. If you do not currently have a relationship with individuals higher in the company, consider building a mentoring relationship with them. This will not only increase your network, but will also provide you with an individual to guide your career development and offer advice and information.

3. Have you continuously managed your personal brand? To climb the

By: Danielle M. DayriesDMD& Associates Career Consulting, Outplacement and Resume Writing Firm

Moving on UpWill you get promoted in 2012?


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corporate ladder it is necessary to have the ability to market yourself and your brand image. This includes maintaining a professional appearance and reputation at all times. It is also important that you maintain records of projects you have worked on and the quantifiable results.

4. Can you communicate your accomplishments to promote yourself? Although you might have a great personal brand, it is only useful if you are able to effectively communicate it to the professional world. When discussing your promotion with your supervisor, present this opportunity as a sales pitch you might make to a client. Have a document prepared that recaps accomplishments and the value you have added to the company to support your promotion and also to provide you supervisor with evidence of your achievements if she needs to present this opportunity to fellow executives.

5. Do you regularly perform work outside of your job responsibilities? In order to be promoted, you must show

that you are able to reach outside of your job responsibilities, contributing to more high-profile projects and also contribute to the overall team effort of the corporation. Be the one to

volunteer for cross-functional projects. This will not only help you build your professional network, but it will also increase and communicate the value you have to the company.

Score Yourself. How were you able to answer the above questions?

If you answered yes to the majority

of them, you are likely to receive that promotion you have been working towards. Keep yourself motivated and focused on being the best in your position and going above and beyond your duties.

On the other hand, if you had difficulty answering these questions, then you need to reevaluate your focus at work. Take the time to look at the questions you weren’t able to answer yes to and develop a plan to focus on improving these areas of your career. It is never too late to take control of your career, and change your strategy to reaching your career goals. With enough determination and hard work you will receive the promotion you deserve.As the owner and operator of the local career consulting and outplacement firm, Danielle M. Dayries & Associates, Danielle has assisted her clients to successfully prepare market themselves in the job search as they build a new career. Contact Danielle at [email protected], (337) 504-5576, or dmdcareerconsulting.com.

“… you might have a great personal brand, it is only useful if you are

able to effectively communicate it to the professional

world.


Healing House’s Martinis event is one of the most buzzed about around town (pun intended) with their unique offer-ings of seriously unforgettable libations. But, what is truly unforgettable about Martinis is the unique cause.

The Healing House is the only nonprofit of its kind in La-fayette with a mission to provide support and education for grieving children, their caregivers and the Acadiana commu-nity. Their vision is simple: that no child should grieve alone.

And it’s one that Sharon Moss, this year’s signature martini glass sponsor, understands more than most.

“My son lost his dad when he was 14 so I feel a special con-nection to the group. It’s all about helping grieving children and I think it’s wonderful,” she says.

Each year a local artist creates a signature glass that par-tygoers are able to take home the evening of the event. This year Lue Svendson created a one-of-a-kind piece that is pure Lue.

“It’s a very different glass from anything in the past,” says Martinis co-chair Sonya Tedesco. “An oak tree scene but in an abstract way. Really a very cool glass.”

The cool glass is just the icing on a martini-laden night that actually begins, in truth, in July with the can’t-miss Martini Tour. Martinis begins July 3 at Walk-On’s where supporters can get the first taste of the tour. The tip jar serves as the means of voting with each dollar counting as a vote. After the kickoff, each following Tuesday will send supporters to a different restaurant to check out a stellar new beverage.

“It’s getting bigger and bigger and better and better,” Sha-ron says of the event that recently outgrew venues back to back before finding themselves at the Hilton ballroom where guests can party then grab a room for the night.

As the crowd grows at the event, the creations from local restaurants participating are taken up a notch.

“They keep coming up with new stuff,” Sharon says.

And this year will be no excep-tion. Sonya couldn’t give us any specifics on what the restaurants have in store. But, she assured us this line up of libations would be as unique as ever.

“It really gets kind of interesting. How do you get more creative than you have in the past?” Sonya says. “The weeks leading up to it are a lot of fun.”

At the tour’s end, supporters will have had the chance to sample eight martinis from eight area restaurants. The night of the event all eight will be on hand again and voting will continue with dona-tions. On August 25 at the main event each martini will also be put before a panel of judges who will award a Judge’s Choice martini in addition to the popular vote that results in the People’s Choice.

In addition to all those martinis, Martinis will also have a serious dance floor, auction items on the block and some unique pieces of art. Tickets go on sale June 1 at $100 each or $1,000 for a table of eight tickets. This year’s lineup of res-taurants includes for the first time Cochon, La Fonda’s and Marcello’s.

On TourEight weeks. Eight restaurants. Eight brand new flavors.

July 3 Walk-On’s

July 10 Charley G’s

July 17 Cochon

July 24 Blue Dog Café

July 31 LaFonda

August 7 Bonefish Grill

August 14 Marcello’s Wine Market Café

August 21 Pamplona Tapas Bar

Shaken or StirredMartinis ’12 promises a new batch of stiff drinks

By Amanda Bedgood


All that hard work down the drain. Well, not ALL of it – but A LOT.

During the summer, kids lose an average 2.6 months of grade-level equivalency in math computation skills and 25 percent of their reading skills. That explains why teachers usually spend four to six weeks re-teaching materials in the fall. So what’s a parent to do? Fight back against the summer slide with these tips.

1. Make a rainy day toybox so kids don’t end up watching TV all day. It can consist of age-appropriate puzzles, Playdoh, circle-the-word booklets, art supplies, craft ideas, board games, playing cards, etc.

2. Bookmark or print out brainteasers from sites like the National Institute of En-vironmental Health Sciences (http://kids.niehs.nih.gov/braint.htm). Sites like www.Funbrain.com offer entertaining material on spelling, reading, math and grammar, and www.GamesForTheBrain.com has classic strategy games.

3. Buy or create a book of games you can play in the car. Even a simple game like “20 Questions” can help improve a child’s logic and reasoning and memory.

4. Limit television, computer and video game time. Invite your child’s friends over frequently to encourage creative play and interaction.

5. Have your child create a reward system for the number and level of books he/she reads over the summer.

6. Take your children to summer library and bookstore programs. Most will post them online but you can also request a calendar of events.

7. Consider registering your child for summer camps that encourage kids to use their minds on science projects, exploration, creative writing, music and art.

8. Use the summer to strengthen your student’s cognitive skills through one-on-one brain training to improve memory, visual and auditory processing, attention, and logic and reasoning. A core of strong brain skills will help them head back to school with the tools to succeed at learning in any subject. Unlike tutoring, which focuses on academics, brain training addresses the root causes of any learning struggles.

9. Encourage your child to learn an instrument or another language. Studies have shown a strong correlation between “Arts” and “smarts.”

10. Learn how to choose age-appropriate books for children and teens. Reading is Fundamental (www.rif.org/documents/us/choosing_books.pdf) has a great bro-chure that offers basic tips on what to look for. Your local librarian can also help you select books for your child’s interest and reading level. According to Scholastic Parents Online, reading just six books during the summer break can be enough to keep a struggling reader from falling behind.

Research shows that ALL young people experience learning losses when they don’t engage in educational activities during the summer.

“It doesn’t have to be that way,” says Dr. Ken Gibson, author of “Unlock the Ein-stein Inside: Applying New Brain Science to Wake Up the Smart in your Child” (www.unlocktheeinsteininside.com). “Think of it like this: The brain is like the body. If you exercise it, you improve it, but if you let it sit idle, it’s going to lose ability.”

To avoid the summer slide, Gibson recommends brain games and exercises that build cognitive skills, the underlying skills needed to learn.

Parents can request a free five-page booklet from LearningRx (www.LearningRx.com) about the summer slide that includes dozens of brain-building games and ex-ercises, as well as tips on how to incorporate brain building into daily activities.

And don’t assume that your kids will roll their eyes when you suggest ideas to keep their brain skills strong all summer. More than half of students surveyed say they want to be involved in a summer program that helps them keep up with school-work or prepare them for the next grade. Besides, unlike abdominal crunches, exer-cise for your brain is actually FUN!

10 Ways to Fight the Summer Slide

Cindy Fleming


anners are the outward dis-play of one's natural char-acter and attitude toward life.Being concerned about the effect your actions

and your attitude have on others is the hallmark of proper etiquette.How can attitude and etiquette be combined to make you more successful in life? We’re talking attitude etiquette! It's easy to be proper and nice when everything is go-ing your way.But hit a super long line in Wal-Mart with a slow checkout lady, get a speeding ticket, or rip your pants walk-ing into a big event … now that’s another story. Surely Emily Post didn’t intend for us to behave when things go badly, did she?

Unfortunately, things go wrong. That's all there is to it! When things don't go right, you choose how you will behave.

Knowing how to behave is essential to the appropriate handling of bad situa-tions. Behaving is easy, if you choose the right attitude. Today, Grace Notes will suggest five behaviors that will help you behave as you go through your life.

The first behavior is conviction. Con-viction is a faith, creed, opinion, view and/or belief. To handle life’s delicate situations, you must believe in yourself; believe you can. You have to behave as if you believe in yourself. It's not enough to want to do something. You have to believe enough to act. You have to be convicted. The attitude of wanting plus the action of doing seals the conviction. As Lynley puts it, “If I had waited for the urge to get out of bed this morning, I would still be there right now! I had a strong belief in the need to go to work. I acted on my belief: I threw one leg out

of bed, then the other. Then I sat up, assembled all my parts in an upright, standing position and felt downright proud that I followed my conviction.” You can never expect to gain just by wish alone; you must have the will, the con-viction to make it happen.

The second behavior is to set goals. After you believe in something strongly enough, you have to decide how you are going to act on your belief---where do you want to go? How will you get there? Some people think it's healthy to drift through life without a set plan. They just "go with the flow." Relax and let it happen, right? People with no goals re-mind us of those spinning tops going round and round, bumping into whatev-er comes along. Goals help to focus our lives by concentrating our efforts in a specific direction. When you set goals for

M

Attitude Etiquette

Brighten up your life—and others’—with a positive attitude and your best behavior

By Lynley Jones and Jan Swift


yourself, you will not only act on your con-victions, you'll get results. Who knows? You may even change the world.

The third behavior is preparation. This is major! You can have all the convictions you want and take all the actions you think necessary to uphold your convictions. But if you aren't prepared for life, you'll never get a "handle" on it. How do you prepare for life's situations? By adjusting your at-titude. Karl Menninger said it best, "atti-tudes are more important than fact." Mak-ing the decision to have a positive attitude will help you prepare for life. Most of us never really spend time thinking about our attitude, do we? We just are; we just do. Everything you are, and everything you do, are by-products of your attitude.

The fourth behavior is action. Action comes when we learn to overcome our fears. A large part of fear is doubt. What you need to understand is that having doubts is o.k. Fredrick Buechner wrote, "If you don't have any doubts, you are either kidding yourself or you're sound asleep." Doubts keep the thinking process alive; doubt keeps us moving, searching, seeking, and asking questions. Fear and doubt stop us from acting on our dreams and goals. Don't get your drawers in a knot over nameless faces and faceless enemies. Ac-

cept your fear and worries. Some of them are legitimate, but most are imagined and needless. Know the difference and don't let fear keep you from acting on your goals and convictions.

Now it's time for the fifth behavior, cel-ebration! Taking time to celebrate our ac-complishment--tell ourselves we're won-derful--is where 99.9% of the time women mess up! Men congratulate themselves all the time. We women need to learn to blow our own horns....to shout from the moun-tain tops! To tell ourselves we're wonder-ful! Go ahead: tell yourself you're wonder-ful. Tell the person next to you that they're wonderful, too! How did that feel? Going from goal to goal is important--like mov-ing a loaded wheelbarrow--and it's hard work. If you moved a loaded wheelbarrow in one direction for five miles, then with-out stopping you began another five mile trek, what would happen? You’d be dead, or at least seriously winded! We have to learn to take the time to congratulate our-selves on a job well done. That makes the whole thing---and life--worth it! Remem-ber; let yourself be happy about who you are and what you've accomplished.

All of God's creatures lug around an at-mosphere wherever they go. Do you know which of God's creatures has the worst

atmosphere of all? A skunk! Whenever a skunk is around, he has full charge of the atmosphere, doesn't he? What's wrong with skunks? They stink! Does the skunk have a choice? The skunk has no choice. But if your attitude stinks up the atmo-sphere for those around you, it's because you choose to stink! Your attitude sets you apart from others, in one way or anoth-er. Do people stay away from you as they would a skunk? Or are they attracted to you like a big, bright star in the night?

As a parting Grace Note, we would like to paraphrase the infamous Earth, Wind and Fire: May you be “a shining star, no matter who you are, shining bright to see, what you can truly be. Shining star for you to see, what your life can truly be!”Lynley Jones and Jan Swift are partners in Grace Notes, LLC, an etiquette endeavor to help further society’s niceties. They may be reached at [email protected].


2011/2012YEAR INREVIEW12 Amazing Women

Each June, FACE Magazine celebrates a year’s worth of incredible women with our anniversary issue. And this year is no exception. From tragedy and triumph to moms making a difference and women fighting (literally) for their lives, the last 12 issues of FACE are a reflection of just the kind of women who make up Acadiana. Strong, compassionate, real.

Take a brief walk down memory lane, revisit the women we have honored this year and check out what they’ve been up to since we last met. We were honored to tell their stories and we hope their words and wisdom continue to inspire you long after you turn the last page of the magazine.

I


R

I

Rachel Brown does a rare thing – she lives life with true joy. This busy mother of two is a teacher on a mission to bridge the world of the hearing and the deaf with an attitude that’s anything but ordinary.

“We are all surrounded by problems, troubles, and difficult experiences, but if we also take time to celebrate small triumphs in life, it can renew hope and happiness to move forward.”

Sharing my story with all the FACE readers gave me the chance to take a moment and enjoy feeling worthy. I got to look back at my life so far and actually feel pride in who I have become as a woman. I rarely have time to look in the mirror and tweeze a brow, much less look in the mirror and pat myself on the back, smile at the woman I see and say how wonderful it is to be HER. It was neat to read about ME from someone else's perspective without the harsh criticisms that I often give to myself without even realizing it. It gave me motivation to move forward and do more great things. Taking a moment to be grateful, to be proud, and to feel worthy will certainly impact the next chapter in my life, which I now look forward to!

When Kelly Leger’s 11-month-old son, Lane, was killed she faced a mother’s worst nightmare. In the aftermath she found a new kind of faith and, in his honor, began Lane’s Promise, to ensure a family in need is able to have Christmas each year.

The impact of being featured in FACE has been enormous on me. It was very humbling for me to be able to tell my story in such a way. It was a very full circle moment for me. I felt like lots of loose ends were being tied up. And the week that it all happened (the interview and photo shoot) were an absolute blast!

The reaction to my story has been nothing but positive. I have had people from within the community reach out to me. Some that I already knew but they just didn't know my story and some that I have never met that were touched. There are also several opportunities that have been sent my way that could possibly open some doors for Lane's Promise.

What I walked away with was that we all have a story.


I

I

There are survivors and then there is Rachel Wickman. All woman and part warrior, this mother of two is fighting breast cancer and taking no prisoners. Last year her diagnosis was grim. But, she’s still here and relentlessly fighting cancer. In fact, she will head to Dallas in November for Komen 3 Day. A grueling three day long walk to raise some serious money for nothing but research to fight the disease that nearly took her life. In her words, “I'm fired up to be attempting it (the cancer didn't kill me, but walking 60 miles might!)”

First of all, I'm doing really really good. I have one spot with "low metabolic activity" on my hip still, which means basically it's there but isn't doing anything. So I'm now just taking xgeva shots for my bones and tamoxifen to keep the cancer away. I had a double mastectomy with reconstruction and had my ovaries out so that I don't have another primary tumor pop up. Otherwise, I'm just trying to adjust to a new normal.

It meant a lot for people to be able to read my story, and know that it isn't just an "old lady" disease, and know that young people get breast cancer too ... It was amazing, and it touched a lot of people in ways I could never imagine! One person can make a difference.

For years Jill Meaux has been devoted to helping women. What most never realized is that she faced many of the same things they did after spending years in an abusive marriage. Now, happily married and making a difference, Jill shared (for the first time) her story with our readers.

Sharing my story felt good. At first I was hesitant - only the closest of family knew what happened - but the more I thought about it, the more I felt it was important to share.

I heard from so many people that read the story and could relate to where I had been. It was clear to me that after the story appeared that unfortunately domestic violence and addiction are very common situations that women have to deal with. Right after the story ran, we had Palates and Pate' (the primary fundraiser for the Outreach Center) and many people came up to me that night and commented that they read the story and had been in the same situation I had.

Having shared what happened to me and participating in the story has certainly helped me in my work. At the Lighthouse Shelter for Women and Children, we meet ladies of all walks of life struggling with some of the same issues I had to deal with during my marriage to an abusive alcoholic. Not to mention it was a really fun experience that I will take with me forever. Thanks FACE for sharing this important message and making me feel so comfortable in doing so.


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AA tragic accident left the man Katie Ferguson was dating in a wheelchair. Just weeks before their wedding, Katie shared how their love blossomed at a time when many relationships could have dwindled.

Barry and my goal from the beginning has been to show others that a disability does not mean you stop living. Life may be different but it is still possible to do what you like -- with a little manipulation, of course. We have both enjoyed the opportunity to shed light on spinal cord injuries.

The reaction to our story was very humbling, to say the least. The phone calls and emails from people we know, to the people who literally stopped us on the street to thank us for sharing our story, all of it for giving people hope that love and endurance can overcome any obstacle.

Since the article was published, Barry and I got married (April 20). For the wedding, we were able to acquire a chair that, with the help of hydraulics, could lift Barry to a standing position. To be able to stand while I walked down the aisle, for our vows, and for our first dance was priceless. Yet again proving a disability doesn’t keep you from what you enjoy, on our honeymoon in St. Thomas, Barry went scuba diving – having been a very accomplished diver prior to the accident, getting him back under the water was exhilarating. We even got to do little things like sitting in the surf and lying in a hammock that seem almost overwhelming with a spinal cord injury.

We have also been in touch with a research group about stem cell therapy and look forward to utilizing the procedure by the end of the year. Because of the opportunities available to us, we are fortunate to continue meeting people and encouraging

them to never give up and to continue pushing for more medical breakthroughs.


NMelissa Stevenson shared the very personal journey of a family like many others as they face the challenges of a child diagnosed with autism. Her story is one of hope and things are looking even brighter as her son, Beckett, makes a touching milestone.

I am proud that Beckett recently has learned to say "I love you" without being prompted. I guess he really likes the reaction he gets because now he can't say it enough.

I am still so honored and proud that I got to share my story in FACE. Everything about it has been positive. People have told me

that they really learned something about what it's like to live with autism, and that they can understand it a little better. Other moms have shared their personal stories and struggles with me.

No one needs to feel like they are alone in their struggle whatever it may be, and everyone needs to feel like there is always hope. I continue to have faith and hope for the best for my son.


I Donielle Watkins is a strictly behind-the-scenes kind of woman. But, this mother shared her story of determination to allow her son (and others with disabilities) the chance to play when she founded an organization that facilitated and ultimately led to a local group of kids to go to the Little League World Series.

It was a great privilege to be in FACE magazine to be amongst some great women who have been on the cover. I really don't like getting a lot of attention but it was nice to be noticed for my efforts. Everyone was so excited to see me on the cover. It gave some great exposure for our Foundation – D.R.E.A.M.S. I have had many families find us because of the article. As far as D.R.E.A.M.S. we had an awesome once in a lifetime trip to Pennsylvania for the Little League World Series. The kids were treated like royalty. All us parents could do was sit there and smile. It was awesome. We could not have gotten to Pennsylvania without the support of our great community. We raised enough funds to pay for all family members to attend with no costs to the families.

We are now working on our big dream, which is to bring an adult community for our kids that are growing fast. This gated community would have an area for our kids to live in condos with needed nursing care then have an area in the front which would have a recreation center, restaurants and other local businesses where the public can shop and our kids can work and live. This will is a big DREAM for us but I know with our great community it will become a reality before we know it.


W

W

When Brenda Boudreaux faced a life-threatening experience in the face of heart disease she only grew stronger. She’s been spreading the word since about how we can all take better care of our hearts.

After the February issue of this magazine ran with my picture on the cover, I was shocked, surprised and humbled at the number of people who saw my picture on the cover and read the article about my open heart surgery and the complications that occurred in the surgery ….

Several women told me that as a result of reading the article in FACE Magazine, they made appointments and went to see a cardiologist. All of these people stated that they did not realize what an ordeal my husband and I went through as a result of the open-heart surgery. I was very pleased and felt that the article would be a success if one person went to get checked out as a result of reading about the need for women to be treated for heart disease.

When Lori Crain’s daughter, Azalie, was born with an unexpected condition impacting her lungs the family faced surgery and months of recovery for their precious new daughter. Lori remained a rock through it all.

Azalie continues to do remarkably well. She now only uses oxygen at night, and we hope to have her off of that soon. She is no longer on her every six hour medication for pulmonary hypertension, which has been a huge relief. She will be starting preschool at Fisher's in the Fall and we cannot wait to see how much more she will blossom with that new experience.

We were very happy to share our story with FACE readers. Not knowing that Azalie was going to be born with CDH (congenital diaphragmatic hernia), and being able to share that experience with others was good not only for us, but for your readers too. I had several people stop me and ask me more questions, or share their stories with me. Many of my casual friends really did not know what we had gone through with Azalie, so they were surprised and happy to read our story too. Azalie has been such a blessing for us, and we were happy to share her with everyone. She has developed quite a little funny personality and is so loving.


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L Lauren Poche’ and her sister Jenn Rausch shared the heartbreaking story of their mother, who was taken too soon from cancer, and their hopeful future.

For me, being able to share my story was an incredible honor. My mother was such an inspiration to us and I wanted to be able to share that with your readers.

The reaction was overwhelming! Of course, all those that know our family were proud and enjoyed the story because they could directly relate. It was the strangers that would recognize us or send private messages via Facebook that were so touching and enlightening. That was a true blessing , that our tragedy could reach total strangers and help to make a positive impact on their lives. My mom's sister shared the magazine with a few of her neighbors in New Orleans. One of her neighbor's friends had lost her father suddenly the previous year and read the article. She contacted me and in tears told me that she had been in a deep depression for the past year. She told me that after reading our story she was inspired to try and move on with her life and be a mother to her son again. That if our family survived our great tragedy, so could she!


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Wherever your travels take you this summer, make some room to pack the absolute essentials. (You can thank us later.)

Don’t forget:

• A journal to note your favorite experiences

• An extra battery for your digital camera

• A small, pick-pocket safe crossbody bag to carry your essentials

• Comfortable shoes for day and night

The vacation season is finally here,

and maybe this is the year you decide to leave the good ole red, white and blue and voyage abroad! While recently studying in Florence, Italy for a semester, I’ve learned that becoming a successful traveler is truly an art. It requires awareness and careful planning, as I’ve come to find through many an adventure.

Whether it’s your first or twentieth time across the pond, bravo for venturing outside the country this summer! As you prepare to embark on your journey, here are some helpful tips to ensure that you have a safe, enjoyable trip.

1. Be financially prepared and take currency exchange into consideration.

Travelling abroad can be expensive. Trust me, after three and a half months of living in Italy and trekking around Europe, I can assure you of this. Yet, budgeting wisely before you depart for your trip can guarantee that you enjoy your vacation without having to worry about money. Before you leave the States, notify your bank of where you will be going and for how many days so that it doesn’t suspect fraudulent charges. Make sure that you know how to get in touch with your bank in case

By Jenna Simard

Lessons AbroadMaster the Art of Travel

OFFDUTY


you encounter any difficulty using your card or withdrawing money. In many places outside the U.S., businesses prefer to use cash rather than credit, so plan on finding an ATM once you arrive. Be aware of how much you are actually withdrawing! In the Euro Zone for example, withdrawing 100 euros means you are actually withdrawing 126 dollars, plus a small fee that your bank may charge each time. Not knowing the conversion rate can seem favorable when you’re shopping and think you can afford to buy some awesome worldly swag, until, that is, you look at your bank account and realize that you can’t …

2. Take time to learn some of the language and cultural differences

Visiting another country and being an outsider to an entirely different culture can be stressful, especially if you do not know anything about the culture beforehand. To prevent anxiety and get the most of your experience while abroad, a couple months before your trip spend a little time each day researching your host culture. What is the daily pace like? How do the people dress? What are some phrases you may need to know? (“Where is the bathroom?” and “How much does this cost?” are at the top of my personal list). Even knowing everyday customs like whether or not it is appropriate to tip at a restaurant or what are businesses’ hours of operation will add to the ease and comfort of your travels from day one of your trip. Plus, you’ll avoid being those tourists that give the locals a reason to chuckle.

3. Pack strategically, leaving extra room--and weight--in your suitcase

Depending on how long you plan to travel, you may have difficulty deciding what to bring on your trip and what to leave at home. If you find yourself asking if a certain item is necessary, leave it at home. You’ll be thankful when you find yourself at the airport for your return flight paying 100 dollars to check your overweight bag. (Just because you somehow manage to cram all your new

purchases into your suitcase, it does not mean you can trick the scale). You can avoid this problem from the beginning by bringing clothes that you can re-wear and mix and match into different outfits. Think layers. Also, make sure to pack light, comfortable shoes. I cannot stress enough the importance of

protecting your feet, as you will likely be doing a lot of walking. Leave the heels at home, ladies. Finally, when it’s time to come home, be careful to assure that souvenirs you pack into your carry-on bags are appropriate for travel and will not be confiscated. In other words, don’t try to pass through security with anything pointed… even fancy letter openers can be confused for weapons, as I have learned.

4. Expect the unexpected and get lost

“A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving.” It’s important that you create a list of places you want to visit and things you hope to experience on your trip, but don’t get overzealous and plan every minute of every day. Organize some excursions, but leave yourself plenty of time to wander and just explore. If you have a set schedule you may not be able to experience something more exciting happening around you. Grab an

old-fashioned map and go for a walk, or ditch the map and just meander (not down any dark alleyways though, please). Stop in the street to listen to local musicians or let yourself do some window shopping around the town. The best way to experience a city is to just gaze around you and absorb every sight, sound, taste and smell without feeling pressured to check another item off your to-do list.

5. Go with an open mind and be respectful

After living in Europe for several months, I have found that Americans do not generally have the best reputation abroad. Yet, only a couple times did I feel personally judged for where I come from. Most people were extremely courteous and pleasant to communicate with, in spite of the obnoxious behavior of some of my fellow countrymen. As Americans, we are accustomed to having many luxuries that other cultures do not. Like toilet seats, for example. (You think I’m kidding …) Instead of demanding the same service or amenities that we are fortunate enough to have here in the States, when we travel we leave our world and enter another’s. We should therefore be gracious guests. It’s easier said than done to be open to a foreign way of life, but I advise you to embrace the unfamiliar and enjoy the cultural differences amongst us all, the spectrum of colors that paint our planet. Most importantly, look upon the people without assumption, be kind to them and try to live the way they live, and you will be treated with respect. Americans may not always cast the most favorable impression on other citizens around the world, but that is all the more reason why you should be on your best behavior and try to change that. I promise you that with an open mind and a positive attitude, you’ll get much more out of your experience.

Buona fortuna e buon viaggio! (that’s good luck and happy travels in Italian!)Jenna Simard, of Lafayette, is a Strategic Communications student at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, TX.

“… knowing everyday customs like whether or not it is appropriate to tip at a restaurant

or what are businesses’ hours of operation will

add to the ease and comfort of your

travels from day one of your trip …”

OFFDUTY


THECAUSE

Linda Rose doesn’t consider herself to be particularly handy. And so, her husband was quite surprised to learn she spent a recent Friday flooring three rooms of a Lafayette home under construction.

“We also put up doors and did caulking and put up baseboards,” she says.

As a result of the efforts of Linda and other willing women in Lafayette, Habitat for Humanity’s first ever home built entirely by women is in the works.

“Women have not only raised all the money for the house they have done most of the volunteer work

necessary to build the house,” says Habitat director Melinda Taylor. “It’s a women-powered effort start to finish.”

The Women Build movement, which is sponsored nationally by Lowe’s, is an effort to bring women into the fold of the organization that makes decent affordable

housing a possibility for those in need.

“Women can do anything that needs to be done on the contraction site,” Melinda says. “And not just women. But, people without much experience think there’s a certain knowledge needed. We have site supervisors and leaders that can teach step by step. They are teaching volunteers.”

T h o s e volunteers are

women just like Linda and her coworkers from the Breast Center of Acadiana. In fact, the business closed for the day to allow the group to participate.

“It was truly amazing and worth it,” she says.

While Linda says two of the staff members are particularly handy, most were novices.

“The instruction was so great and the encouragement was amazing from the staff. They are there and encourage you all the way,” she says.

And so, Linda found herself laying floor for the first time.

“My husband said, ‘I can’t believe you did that,’” she says with a laugh.

It wasn’t Linda’s first time participating in Women Build. She also gave her time in Virginia and plans to again.

“It can make a huge difference in someone’s life to put them in a stable environment,” she says. “You’re thinking about that with

the house. This can make such a

Women are building homes from the ground up.

How you can join the effort now.

By Amanda Bedgood

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difference in someone’s life. That’s what the world needs right now. Coming together and helping each other. And you don’t have to be experienced.”

Linda’s enthusiasm for the project is just what Melinda and others at Habitat are hoping to create with Women Build.

“Women are an untapped source of leadership and energy that we want to see more engaged in the construction side of it. We need their help,” Melinda says.

And while certainly homeowners benefit from volunteers, those that give their time and efforts are also rewarded.

“They are really enjoying themselves and making a contribution and getting to know a family they might not otherwise have ever met,” she says.

Currently there are four homes in some state of completion and plans for work to continue throughout the summer for Women Build.

“They also take away a new understanding of what it’s like to not have a decent place to call home and that stability that homeowners have once they move into their house,” Melinda says.

Habitat is a hand up. Not a hand out. Those that qualify for homes will also have a mortgage to pay back. And a chance to stay in one, safe place.

“Renting they have to move from one place to another. The rent goes up or the house is in bad condition or in a bad neighborhood. Not having stability for themselves and their kids. Not having a place that is safe and secured. Seeing that from the perspective of a new homeowner is something women never forget from working with Habitat,” Melinda says.

“Women have not only raised all

the money for the house they have

done most of the volunteer work

necessary to build the house.”


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FATHERS SECTION

Dr. COOPERThe new superintendent talks fatherhood, education and the one thing every child needs.

3MANCAVEA room all for him (done with style, of course)

DADSCan’t-miss stories

from the heart


3 – Cut paper to ensure no hanging edges.

1 – Cover frame in glue using sponge brush.

2 – Apply pieces of craft paper/scrapbook paper and brush with Modge Podge.

Jess Roberts gives us a step-by-step craft easily custom-ized for any dad and safe enough for the littlest of dad’s fans to create. Take time this Father’s Day to let the kids make something straight from the heart.

Picture ItA Father’s Day gift perfect for little hands to craft

What you’ll need:

Glue (Jess uses a non-toxic, water based super glue. It is often in the same aisle as modge podge, dries completely clear and can literally glue any-thing.), Sponge brushes, Frame, Scissors, Piece of fabric size of the frame, Memorable photo of dad, Craft paper, twine and other manly details (For this frame, in honor of dad Matt, they chose paper and details that reflected his favorite interests.)

Austin shows off his craft ready for his dad this Father’s Day. Swap camo, tools and outdoorsman touches for whatever dad’s favorite may be and give him a gift customized just for him.

CRAFTFUL


FACEL

AFA

YET

TE.C

OM

FA

ITH

FA

SH

ION

H

EA

LTH

B

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11 – Glue twine onto back of frame to create a loop for hanging.

9 – Apply glue to back of photo.

7 – Press rope along edges of inner part of frame.

5 – Press fabric onto inner edge of frame.

10 – Center photo on fabric.

8 – Glue screws, nuts, bolts to the corners of the frame.

6 – Apply a strip of glue along edge on top of fabric.

4 – Apply strip of glue to edge of inner part of frame.


DDr. Pat Cooper has an approach that has worked. It’s the reason he snagged the job of superintendent in Lafayette. He’s very frank about his plans and he’s very direct about the truth of education. Ei-ther you’re giving kids what they need or you’re not. Either you’re helping kids or you’re not. It’s something he likely learned from his own father.

“I remember how he handled kids,” Dr. Cooper says of his father who was a prin-cipal. “He bent over backwards to make sure kids got what they needed. Make sure they were taken care of.”

His father was, in essence, being a fa-ther to far more than just the seven Coo-per kids.

“Just being a father to a lot of these kids that didn’t have fathers, some from not so great backgrounds,” he says.

Dr. Cooper says of his parents simply “They just cared.”

It wasn’t unusual for there to be more than a dozen kids in the house once the seven kids invited friends over and that environment is where it all started for the once teacher and now superinten-dent.

“The way they parented,” he says of his parents who were both educators. “They cared for other people. It made a big im-pression on me.”

Of the seven children in his family, Dr. Cooper and one other are educators. The others are doctors and lawyers and the like. And all were raised in an environ-ment where taking care of children mat-tered.

“You make sure they feel safe, healthy, loved, have self-esteem,” he says explain-ing Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.

The crux of Dr. Cooper’s approach is that well-known pyramid. In case you need a refresher, at the bottom are the most basic physical needs like food fol-lowed by safety and health followed by love and belonging followed by self-es-teem and confidence before reaching the pinnacle of self-actualization.

“It’s always been more social work than education,” he says of getting kids where they need to be to actually learn.

He is quick to follow the statement with a note that consequences and disci-pline matter. But, is steadfast in his asser-tion that not giving children what they need to be ready to learn is simply not giving them a fair shot.

“They don’t jump out of the womb emotionally disturbed. That’s an adult system that does that,” he says.

It’s a system that Dr. Cooper has been a part of for a very long time beginning with his early work teaching emotionally disturbed children. After facing the dif-ficult odds of reaching such children in the existing system, he remembers vivid-ly hitting a wall at the end of the school year in 1978.

Lessons on Fatherhood

When I heard Dr. Pat Cooper, Lafayette Parish’s new superintendent, speak

about his plans for the future, I couldn’t help but hear the voice of a father.

As he laid out how turning around performance would begin in the parish’s

youngest students with sweeping plans to care for their most basic needs,

you can see how very much education is more than reading, writing and

arithmetic. As we celebrate Father’s Day we talk to the new man in town about

how being a father and being a superintendent influence each other.

Story by Amanda Bedgood • Photos by Mike Bedgood


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“Walking out the last day of school, I was totally burned out and distraught and disappointed in the system,” he says. “Out-side of my class there was no system there to help them.”

He left Louisiana and headed back to school in Colorado where he earned a doc-torate and soon became head of special education for Louisiana. He began to see that many of the children labeled special education were not intellectually defi-cient.

“They were not read to or cared for. They just hadn’t had everything they need to de-velop properly. They showed up for school and they were not ready,” he says.

It was then that he left the Department of Education to become the superinten-dent of West Feliciana Parish where he made sweeping changes to meet the needs of pre-K children with results that proved his theory works in practice.

“I was determined to create a system to take care of all those things we need,” he says.

And it was this approach that he would soon use much closer to home.

In 1989, at the age of 40, Dr. Cooper mar-ried his now wife, Susan, and became a father. She had two daughters ages three

and six and Dr. Cooper stepped into the role of stepfather with the years of experi-ence in education as his foundation.

“Part of how I nurtured my children was based on what I learned teaching other people’s children,” he says.

His daughters showed him that his method for taking care of kids worked across the board. As their family navigated the complexities that come from a blended family, Dr. Cooper saw in his own home what children truly need.

“I saw firsthand the difficulty my chil-dren went through. How to love and who to love and how to act with people pull-ing at them in different directions. How mixed up they become. They both turned out great. It was very educational for me,” he says. “They had a bunch of folks that loved them and great healthcare and still there are problems and emotional issues.”

As a father, he could relate to the issues his girls went through that while not as serious, were just as relevant.

“Doesn’t matter if you’re poor, rich, black, white. Certain needs we all have,” he says.

Perhaps the greatest opposition to Dr. Cooper’s method is a mentality that chil-dren should be having those needs met

at home and not on the public dime. The truth is that what should be done at home and what is being done at home are two different things.

“Kids need a lot of love and nurturing and we don’t do that very well,” he says.

But, it’s not just children that fit the mold of having their needs met before they learn.

“It’s teachers. Most teachers get burned out, too. I was bound and determined that I’m not going to be the way my administra-tors were when I was teaching,” he says.

There are as many theories as there are people about how to best make change in a district the size of Lafayette Parish with its history and challenges. And even more theories about how best to raise our chil-dren as individuals after the bell rings. When it came to raising his two daughters, Dr. Cooper’s approach was simple. And it’s one that just may work in the classroom as well.

“There are no guarantees. Every child needs to know you love them. Everything else can go haywire. But, if they know you love them, you can get through hard times. They always knew I was there and love them no matter what.”


Bid on a Bachelor 2012

Bid on a Bachelor to benefit The Children’s Shelters is slated for Thursday, June 14 at Scandals with doors opening at 6:30 pm

and bidding of the bachelors kicking off at 8 p.m.Ticket prices are $10 in advance at Brothers on the Boulevard, $15 at the door.

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KKeegan and Marie McClain prepared for their first child’s birth with plans for a natural de-livery. Keegan learned words most men fear to utter and understood more about what his wife would experience than some women go-ing into labor and delivery.

But, all of the preparation in the world could have not have readied the couple for preeclampsia and a delivery nearly a month earlier than they expected. And a very sick Marie.

“He was a trooper,” Marie, a GIS mapping technician, says of the new father through-out the ordeal. “If he wouldn’t have been as calm and supportive, I would have had a c-section.”

Keegan was there with words of en-couragement and knowledge to get Marie through the experience. Clearly, he was pay-ing attention in those birthing classes. Today, the couple have a healthy six month old little girl – Colette. And while life is good and they are grateful at the outcome, the delivery and early days of the birth were trying for the new family.

“I was very very sick … she was healthy but had to go to NICU,” Marie says. “I was tired and sick and my blood pressure was through the roof. He went to NICU and gave her the first feeding and held her first.”

Keegan was hands on from the beginning and has continued to be more of a father than Marie could have imagined he would be with such ease.

“How naturally he took to being a dad sur-prised even him,” she says. “It was like an instinct kicked in. Every day he has so much fun with her.”

The couple are a team, switching off bathing and feeding their little one. And

Marie says her love for their family continues to change as they all grow.

“Your heart expands so much for your child. But, also for your spouse. He’s supportive and incred-ible and devotes himself to her. And that feels like more devotion to me. They are an extension of you and everything he does is to me as well. I love him more. To watch him grow as a father has been so rewarding.”

Keegan didn’t grow up with a brood of kids run-ning around the house, which is just what the couple want for their future.

“Tons of kids,” Marie says.

But, if this first round is any indication, fatherhood is right up Keegan’s ally.

“He changes diapers and learned how to swaddle and helped with breast feeding. Now she’s six months old and 13 pounds and is vibrant and sweet.”

Keegan, an industrial de-signer, also often dresses Co-lette with a unique flair that can only come from someone with his expertise.

“He mixes colors and tex-tures,” Marie says with a laugh. “He puts bows in her hair. He loves to just sit with her and it’s such a pleasant thing to see it bloom. She is a daddy’s girl.”

A Natural Dad

When the best laid plans went awry, one dad stepped up

Dad 's Day

Story by Amanda Bedgood

Colette arrived nearly a month early weighing less than five pounds. Dad, Keegan, was the first to hold and feed their new arrival after a bumpy delivery.


HAs a young girl Cecile Hebert remembers the medals displayed on the wall of their home – evidence of a true war hero. But, it would be years before she could begin to appreciate what it meant for her father to be awarded three Purple Hearts, a Bronze Star and a Silver Star.

“I remember when I was little looking at them and reading the stories,” she says.

Now 34, Cecile sees those same medals dis-played at the funeral home her father opened two years ago and where she works with him and her brother today.

Her father, Gene, always was a kind man. And now that she is an adult, she appreciates him anew.

“He’s always been a sincere and compas-sionate person,” she says. “I’m always thank-ful that the relationship has changed into one of mutual respect and moved past that child and parent to friend. It’s great to have that with a parent.”

It will be two years this month that her fa-ther and brother put together a business plan for the funeral home and asked Cecile to look over it with her handling marketing.

“He’s more of a big picture person and I’m more the details person,” she says of their working relationship. “It’s a good working re-lationship and we complement each other in our business traits.”

While work has brought a new dimension to their father-daughter relationship, it is Cecile becoming a parent herself that gave her the greatest understanding of her father.

“That defining moment was when I had my son. The relationship with both of my parents changed … it’s been great.”

Cecile knows that she is the woman that

she is today because of what kind of father Gene has been to her.

“He taught me to be happy and strong. And everything is possible because he raised me that way,” she says.

And now, she has the joy of seeing her father, now called Pappa, with her two and five year old.

“He’s great with them,” she says.

And thanks to the fact they work togeth-er, Cecile is able to see just what her father means to other people outside of their family.

“He has touched their lives in such a way. I’m so fortunate I get to see the legacy that he has left on so many families.”

A Hero at Home

A father and grandfather full of compassion

Dad 's Day


Cecile Hebert is the woman she is today because of the compassionate and loving father her dad has been and continues to be.


TThe year 2010 wasn’t an easy one for the Chavez family. It was the year Christopher Chavez spent in Iraq with the 256. And it was the first year of his daughter’s life.

“I didn’t want to be one of those wives or moms that cries all the time,” Amy Chavez says of the time her husband was overseas with the National Guard.

And while it was hard for Amy with little Addy by herself, Christopher worried about how his absence would impact his little girl.

“He was scared to death that she would forget him because she was so little. It’s a whole year of life he missed,” she says.

The family had email and instant message to stay in touch and when it was time for Christopher to return, his girls were front and center to pick him up.

“When he got off that bus, she picked him out right away and said ‘Daddy,’” Amy re-members. “They were lining up for the salute and she pointed and picked him out and said ‘my daddy.’”

Amy wasn’t surprised, in the time leading up to his departure and the days following his return, Amy’s husband has stepped up in ways she never could have imagined. She al-ways did know he would make a good dad.

“That was the main thing when I decided who I wanted to marry and spend my life with,” Amy says.

The cou-ple met in 1996 and will cel-ebrate 12

years of marriage this year. And, it’s likely that once this magazine hits the stands their family of three will be a family of four.

Amy is due in early June with another girl – Sophie – and she knows daughter number two will melt her husband’s heart just the way Addy has. While Christopher’s involvement has been incredible for Amy, she knows it’s just as important that her husband is setting a great example for how men should step up –for what a dad should be – for her daughter to see.

“He works long hours and then has drill every month. I was expecting to have to take on the brunt of doing everything and not at all. Every chance he gets he steps up,” she says.

Whether it’s potty training or playing dress up, Amy says Christopher continues to be even more of a father than she could have hoped.

“I thank him all the time and say how grateful and lucky I am,” she says.

We’re sure Addy agrees.

A Daddy’s Heart

Don’t let the uniform fool you, this dad is all heart

Dad 's Day


When little Addy Chavez was but a year old Dad, Christopher, was deployed to Iraq for a year.


LJudy Dunn is an expert in all things home. The Lafayette decorator is known for her signature style (lots of flair and often a dose of animal print) and kind heart and now brings her words of wisdom to FACE’s readers. Judy, who helms Dunn’s Designs, believes in helping people with more than their homes. She believes in touching their lives. It’s just that combination she’ll be bringing to our pages as she shares her easy-to-do tricks from an insider that will make your house a home and treasured tips on living a more beautiful life.

Last month we talked about mothers and how important it is for every mother, grandmother, and woman to have a special place in her home where she can just “be.” This month, we are discussing fathers and the men in our lives. When I have to think of something to give to Bobby, my husband, I ask myself, “What do you get the man who has everything?” Just like for mothers, fathers need their own private space as well. No, it will not be filled with flowers and pastel colors; but, nevertheless, he can have his own space as well. Most of you would refer to this as the illusive “Man Cave.” Give him an area that is all his own. It can be an entire room or just a corner in your bedroom that he can call all his own. Let him have full control over what goes in his area, or at least let him think he has full control.

If you don’t have an extra room in your home but want to still give your man a space he can be proud to call his own, then stick an overstuffed chair in a corner that faces a TV and call it a day. Many men love nothing more than laying back in their comfy recliner watching the big game. You

can add a little sophistication to the area by having a nice table easily accessible so he can store his remote, hold his DVDs, and put down his drink. Make sure the lighting in the area is dim enough to be cozy but also bright enough so he can read his favorite issue of Sports Illustrated.

Just remember, as long as the space fits

your husband’s or father’s personality, he will love the space you give him. He

will love you for even thinking of giving him an area that he can call all his own. Always remember to honor him and make him feel special. It is his month.

For my husband, Bob, we created a media room in our home so that he has

his own space, but we can also

judydunn

His SpaceGive dad his own piece of

the castle this Father’s Day

“What do you get

the man who has

everything?”


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BETH GUILLOT, E.A.337.988.3260

[email protected]


[email protected]


[email protected] Johnston St. Lafayette, LA 70503

A division of The Zerangue Group, Inc.

Buy * Sell * Lease

spend quality time together in a cozy, comfortable way. Originally, the room was our home office. The ceiling of the room was the same height as in our living room, over 20 feet high. We had a floor added so that the one large room was transformed into two smaller rooms. Danny and his wonderful team at That’s Entertainment rolled out the red carpet and did all of the electronic work so that we can watch TV or

movies, or even do karaoke on our “stage”. They also added the twinkle lights on the ceiling so that you have the feel of sitting under a starry night even if the sun is shining outside. Many times, I will find Bob reading the paper or even sleeping in

his man cave. It may look like a man cave, but it is a place we can both relax and enjoy our favorite movie.

“It may look like

a man cave, but it

is a place we can

both relax …”


In the mix

feel the rainbowSuper bright printed shorts are super hot this summer. Pair with a funky top in a subdued hue or try a snug little t-shirt for a more casual look. Mile high wedges in a nude color lengthen legs. Pile on the Native American-inspired accessories. From Brother's on the Boulevard, 101 Arnould Blvd.


Model Ramie LeBlanc • Photography Mike Bedgood • Styling Amanda Bedgood • Hair Laci Hebert Fava and makeup Simone' Broussard, be. Salon

In the mixSummer means groovy prints, bold shapes and vivid color. From retro maxis to modern accessories, dressing now is a fearless combination of old and new for a uniquely eclectic vibe.


color fullA beautiful ombre maxi dress is full of color and easily paired with accessories that cover the spectrum. From Vertigo, 201 Settlers Trace Blvd., River Ranch.


goldenAn asymmetrical hemline and fabric streaked with warm gold can go anywhere. Pair with flats and a giant floppy hat or high heels and killer sunglasses. A Saint and Angels necklace with green beads adds an eclectic vibe. From Park Lane, Parc Lafayette.


well blockedVivid pink is grounded with soft grey in this wear anywhere dress. The perfect back drop for neon accessories and wildly long earrings. From Vanessa V. Boutique, 5520-E Johnston Street.


power of the f lowerProving lace can be casual; a simple turquoise dress is the perfect backdrop for a multicolored necklace and accessories. Nothing pretties up a summertime look like a flower in the hair. From Jewelie's Boutique, 407 Rena Drive.


dreamweaverMix things up this summer with unexpected layers. A maxi topped with a versatile cream color is paired with a necklace turned wrap bracelet and dream catcher necklace. From Knotting Hill, 201 Settlers Trace Blvd., River Ranch.


modern retroMissoni keeps things modern with their ever classic, yet ever-funky signature zigzags and a soft versatile top. Pair with tribal accessories and a supple leather cuff bracelet. From La Marquise, Parc Lafayette.

58 FACE Magazine www.facelafayette.comClothing by Vanessa V. Boutique


Story Amanda Bedgood • Photography Penny Moore

Beyond BordersBeing called means stepping outside of the comfortable, following a passion that can

only come from within and finding the true meaning of life lived beyond what our human

minds can conceive. Pack your bags.


Megan Boudreaux is as All-

American as they come. The

blue-eyed college cheerleader

and Lafayette homecoming

queen had the perfect career in

PR and marketing and a life plan

that most would envy. Then,

nearly two years ago she sold

everything and moved (alone)

to a house in the mountains of

Haiti where she found her heart.

Today, she has a life bigger and

a plan grander than anything she

could have envisioned.


“I remember thinking this place needs help. I never thought it would be me.”

Clothing by Jewelie's


LLife plans tend to be pretty standard. School. Career. Marriage. Kids. White picket fence. God’s plans, however, can be quite different. This is something Megan Boudreaux knows.

When explaining the roots of her nonprofit – Respire Haiti – she says things were first set into motion while on a mountainside in a Haitian village following the massive earthquake of 2010. She was there not on mission, but as part of a work trip to accompany doctors as a member of a hospital’s marketing and public relations team. But, when you talk to Megan about the years leading up to that moment, it’s clear things began even earlier.

After college, the young Megan was jobless and decided to spend six weeks with a friend at an orphanage in Africa.

“It started disrupting my life then,” Megan says of the knowledge of the need in the world. The truth that she could make a difference.

She arrived back in Louisiana from the trip and continued life, as she knew it. And soon she was engaged and planning a wedding.

“That was the next step. I ignored my passion. That’s too radical. Too wild,” she says.

She went to work for Prevent Child Abuse Louisiana and began planning her wedding. But, she soon knew that the path that was unfolding before her was not what God intended.

“We realized that wasn’t what either of us wanted,” she says of the pending marriage.

They broke the engagement. And then came Haiti. Megan accompanied a group of doctors there after the massive hurricane of 2010 as part of her job for a hospital. She spent but 45 minutes in the rural community of Gressier in the mountains just 20 miles, but two hours travel time, from the bustling streets of Port au Prince. In her moments in the scenic village she knew it was a place that someone could make a difference. She could have never known that someone would be her.

“I remember thinking this place needs help. I never thought it would be me,” she says.

By November of 2010, she felt God probing her heart to help kids. No further direction. No specifics. By January of 2011, Megan would be living (alone) in a house in the mountains of Gressier.

She didn’t go with an organization. She didn’t have a plan. She didn’t know a soul. She knew she had been called.

“I picked up and sold everything and moved to Gressier by myself,” she says on a warm spring afternoon in her hometown of Lafayette.

Megan is pretty, young, fresh faced. She barely looks 26. She has piercing blue eyes and on this afternoon is wearing a bright pink shirt that contrasts her tan skin. With her hair in a ponytail, you can easily see her as a cheerleader. She’s passionate. She’s full of life. And yet, she has a soul beyond 26 years.

“I moved there and then was like ‘What was I thinking?’ I didn’t know what I was going to do,” she laughs. “I stayed there for three days in the house and ate Cliff bars and cried.”

It wouldn’t take long for a vision for her future to come into focus. In some ways, the essence of why Megan is in Haiti and how she hopes to make a change can be told in the story of her daughter Michaelle.

“I saw her throwing rocks at a bird. She was hungry,” Megan remembers their first meeting.

She followed Michaelle home and learned that like more than half a million children in Haiti, Michaelle was a restavek. The translation of the word literally means, “to stay with.” In truth, it means child slave or servant. Restavek children serve every need of the family. Some of them have been sold to families while others have parents that simply couldn’t care for them, which was Michaelle’s case following the death of her mother. The children cook, they clean. They have no voice. School is not an option.

Megan’s relationship with Michaelle grew and the family allowed her to spend every Saturday night at her house.

“I knew that at least once a week she was getting a good bath and a good meal,” Megan says.

And then she felt God disrupting her already disrupted life again.

“I felt God probing me to take her. I thought, ‘I’m not having a kid. I can’t adopt until I’m 35,’” she remembers noting the rules of Haitian adoption.

“I stayed there for three days in the house and ate Cliff

bars and cried.”


“I picked up and sold everything

and moved to Gressier by

myself.”

Dress by Jewelie's


“I’m so grateful for America and the blessings of America. God

has given me an education and resources …”

Hat by Vanessa V. Boutique


But, God made a way.

“She showed up one day and said ‘they don’t want me anymore.’ That’s how disposable kids are.”

Michaelle’s father agreed to custody and Megan soon received the papers for the young girl, including the death certificate from her mother.

“I got the certificate and it says she died in the presence of her two children. Does Michaelle have a sister? My heart dropped.”

Megan called Michaelle’s father and asked if there was another child. He said there was a younger sister. But, he wasn’t sure where she was after their mother’s death.

“He said, ‘I can try and find her.’ It took a month and then one day she was dropped off at my door. When they hugged it was the most precious thing,” Megan says of the sisters meeting again.

And, like her older sister, little Jessica, 4, was also a restavek. Megan remembers one of the first nights after she came to live with them. A man who was staying with them as part of Respire walked into the house with tears in his eyes.

“You have to come see,” he motioned for Megan who found Jessica behind the house. “She was mopping the back porch. I told her, ‘You don’t have to do that here.’”

It has taken time and a lot of love for the young girls who spent years robbed of a real childhood to assimilate to a new norm.

“It’s such a blessing. They are my heart. God has transformed them. They were hitting and biting and hiding food. Now, they go to the beach on weekends and get to go to school.”

Schools are rare where Megan lives and even more rare are restaveks or orphans in them. Many of the schools that do exist are little more than daycares. Many don’t pay teachers or have books. Respire is changing that.

A year to the day that Megan arrived in Haiti to her little house alone, the doors opened to Respire’s new school where more than 350 children are learning in a

real way with more than 50 local people employed.

“It made the community come alive,” she says.

There is also a feeding program that serves more than 700 children. And, they are working on meeting the many medical needs in the area.

The mission is a simple one.

“Getting them to be a community,” Megan says.

Respire’s official mission is “to encourage, educate and empower restaveks, orphans and vulnerable children.” That next step is medical. And

they are moving full steam ahead. An ER nurse, who moved to Haiti and now lives with Megan, is making it possible to provide care for the people of Gressier. The woman from north Louisiana who spent seven years traveling to and from Haiti developed a passion for midwifery after seeing the tragic results of labor gone awry. She has adopted one of the babies she cared for following the death of the mother in childbirth and people throughout the area have come to know that their home is a place to seek help.

A clinic of some kind is in the plan. But, Megan thought they had some time to pull things together.

“Just a week and a half ago a lady and a man show up at four thirty in the morning and they had walked two miles with her in labor and the baby is coming. She has the baby outside. On the cement. In front

of the house. We need a clinic now. Even if it’s temporary,” Megan says with a half laugh.

As Megan tells the tales of a life lived in this unique part of the world – some humorous, many tragic – it’s extraordinary to realize she is but 26 years old. And that she is like many people who know the world is in desperate need of people willing to give. And yet, like very few who sacrifice what they think their life should be for what God asks of them.

“What I thought my life would be like and my plan,” Megan laughs. “God had this life for me and I couldn’t have ever picked this path.”

Megan also could never have envisioned the person she has become.

“I am not that same person I was. I’m different than I was even a year ago,” she says.

She sees now how being a parent means sacrificing self. She knows now how very precious life is.

“I’ve seen how fragile life is. There are so many people hurting. I’m so grateful for America and the blessings of America. God has given me an education and resources and people in my life,” Megan says.

The people in Megan’s life are many back home who supported her radical, wild idea to move a world away. And they are an increasing number of people who are joining the cause of Respire however they can. Megan’s hope is for Respire to be self-sustaining. It is her hope to educate the people of Gressier about how to discipline their children, not abuse them. And it is her hope that the restaveks and orphans have a chance to truly be children.

“I’m fighting for these kids that don’t have a voice. There’s no one else to fight for them.”

“I knew that at least once a week she was getting a good

bath and a good meal.”


MAPA GUIDE TO OUR

CUSTOMERS

RIVER RANCH

OIL CENTER


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MAPA GUIDE TO OUR

CUSTOMERS

RIVER RANCH

OIL CENTER

1 Lindsay L. Meador, Esq. at Galloway, Johnson, Tompkins Burr & Smith – 4021 Ambassador Caffery Pkwy, Ste. 1752 Neuro Feedback Clinic – 701 Robley Dr., Ste. 1373 Vanessa V Boutique – 5520-E Johnston St. Centerpiece Shopping Center4 Salon des Amis – 106 Westmark Blvd.5 Clothing Loft – 115 Arnould Blvd. On the Boulevard6 Caroline & Co. – 113 Arnould Blvd. On the Boulevard7 Brother's on the Boulevard – 113 Arnould Blvd. On the Boulevard8 Acadiana Metro Realty – 3205 Johnston St.9 Jewelie's Boutique – 407 Rena Dr.10 Coccolare Spa – 331 Doucet Rd.11 Ashero Spa – 233 Doucet Rd. B112 Christopher Hubbell, M.D., a Jeune Medical Spa – 913 South College Rd.13 Hallmark Jewelers – 1800 NE Evangeline Thruway Northgate Mall14 Dr. Bennett Fontenot – 1329 Grand Point Ave. Breaux Bridge15 Allure Enhancement – 1723 West Pinhook Rd.16 Learning Rx – 858B Kaliste Saloom Rd.17 Laser Skincare of La. – 1103 Kaliste Saloom Rd., Ste. 30218 Blanc-A Bridal Boutique – 1921 Kaliste Saloom Rd. Parc Lafayette La Marquise – 1925 Kaliste Saloom Rd. Parc Lafayette Park Lane Boutique – 1921 Kaliste Saloom Rd. Parc Lafayette19 Goody 2 Shoes – 2207 Kaliste Saloom Rd. Shops at Martial20 Woman's Foundation, Inc. – 4630 Ambassador Caffery Pkwy, Suite 100

BY APPOINTMENT :• Cameo Bookkeeping – 337-988-3260• Professional Laser Center – 318-361-9066• Moore Photography – 337-837-1855

PICK-UP LOCATIONS:Drug Emporium – 505 Bertrand Dr.Johnston Street Java – 3126 ½ Johnston St.Brother's on the Boulevard – 113 Arnould Blvd. On the BoulevardLittle Veron's Grocery – 403 Rena Dr.Sophi P’s Cupcakes – 3209 Johnston St.Bella Figura – 2207 Kaliste Saloom Rd. Shops at MartialZoe’s Kitchen – 201 Settlers Trace River RanchChampagne’s Grocery – 454 Heymann Blvd. Oil CenterNuNu's Grocery – 509 Lafayette St. Youngsville...and other fine retailers and eateries across Acadiana

25 Paul’s Jewelry – 325 Oil Center Dr. 26 Pieces of Eight – 902 Coolidge Blvd. 27 Melodi’s Belles & Beau’s – 913 Harding St. 28 Jody’s of Lafayette, Inc. – 923 Harding St.29 Acadian Ear, Nose, Throat and Facial Plastic Surgery – 1000 W. Pinhook Rd, Ste. 201

21 Paul’s Jewelry – 600 Silverstone Rd. 22 Moseley & Hollard – 1200 Camellia Blvd. 23 Lindsay L. Meador, Esq. at Galloway, Johnson, Tmpkins Burr & Smith – 4021 Ambassador Caffery Pkwy, Ste. 17524 Knotting Hill – 201 Settlers Trace Blvd. Shoe La La – 201 Settlers Trace Blvd. Vertigo – 201 Settlers Trace Blvd.

FEBRUARY 2012 FACE Magazine 67

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showyourface

BIG EASEL PREVIEWMay 4 – City Club atRiver RanchArt lovers were in heaven as Jeffrey McCullough brought together an eclectic mix of pieces and painters for another year of the Big Easel in River Ranch. The kick off party the eve of the big shindig included awards for the best pieces, delicious eats and a chance to chat with some of the talented artists included in the event.

RICHARD YOUNG BIRTHDAYMay 17 – The French Press

Richard Young, owner of Event Rental, celebrated his birthday with a delicious dinner at The French Press. The event-planning guru’s celebration included sumptuous fare at the downtown eatery.


showyourface

REPROMMay 5 – River Oaks

LEF took it to the movies this year with their cinema-themed prom just for the grown ups. A host of the area’s most community-minded citizens comprised a colorful prom court with King Kevin

Hurst of Stone Energy and Queen Patricia Boulet, a physical therapist. The

duo garnered the most votes with the court and sponsors raising more than

$84,000 for LEF programs.


showyourface

PASA SPECTACULARMay 17 – The Victorian

The PASA " Vaudeville Spectacular" Event presented by Iberia Bank brought out the grandest in entertainment including Vagabond Swing and aerial feats by local performers from the top of a draped tent in the southern landscaped ground of Event Rental’s revamped historic venue in Broussard. The event honored Darrellyn Burts for her community efforts and included a live and silent auction.


2011 - 2012 School Participants

Ascension Episcopal SchoolBroadmoor ElementaryCovenant Methodist Duson Elementary Immaculate Heart of Mary J. Wallace James ElementaryMount Carmel ElementaryNotre Dame High SchoolOur Lady of Fatima

St. Bernard Catholic SchoolSt. Edmund Catholic SchoolSt. Edward School St. Genevieve Catholic SchoolSt. Ignatius SchoolSt. Mary’s Early Learning CenterSt. Peter Catholic SchoolTrinity Catholic ChurchWestside Elementary

Vermilion Catholic

St. Genevieve Catholic SchoolWestside Elementary St. Bernard Catholic SchoolSt. Edward School

FACE Lafayette - June 2012

Documents

Transcript of FACE Lafayette - June 2012