ALSO INSIDE:City-Parish President Candidates at Upper Lafayette Forum

The Stump Speech at the Horse FarmGroundbreaking for Victory Garden

Upper Lafayette On The Movewww.upperlafayette.com

October 2015Volume 82

Printed by Lafayette Economic Development Authority

Volume 82 • October 2015 • www.upperlafayette.com

On the cover: A reminder that early voting is from 8:30 a.m. until 6 p.m. on October 10-17, and the election is Oc-tober 24. Take a friend and get out and vote!

Published byUpper Lafayette Economic Development

Foundation

Printed byLafayette Economic Development Authority

Board of DirectorsMonty Warren, President

Cherie Hebert, Vice PresidentTodd Citron, Secretary/Treasurer

David Welch, Immediate Past PresidentAdrian Baudoin

Julie DronetBrenda Foulcard

Donna LandryKirk LaCourBeau PharesBryan Tabor

Jerry Vascocu

Honorary Advisory BoardDon DupuisEd Krampe

Dwight “Bo” RamsayHerbert Schilling

StaffJan Swift, Executive Director

Elsa Dimitriadis, Communications Director/Executive Assistant

Mailing AddressP.O. Box 53107

Lafayette, LA 70505

On the Webwww.upperlafayette.com

Upper Lafayette Economic Development Foundation is an association of proactive individuals and business leaders joined

together to be a catalyst for change. The Foundation’s mission is to enhance and

direct the positive, planned growth of Upper Lafayette, focusing on quality of life, while participating in the overall development of the Greater Lafayette Metropolitan Area.

For membership information or sponsorship opportunities, contact Jan Swift at jan@upperlafayette.com.

www.upperlafayette.com • October 2015

A Letter from the Executive DirectorA close friend recently lost her mother and she was recounting the painful process of going through her mother’s things. While she wanted to sit and mull over the memories and whether or not to keep each item, her broth-er-in-law kept her on task, with the constant refrain, “No backtracking! You can’t go back, just keep moving forward!”

“No backtracking” has become my mantra of late as I find myself in a very busy season of my life. With no time to mull over the “could have and should have” of each situation, I smile and say, “No backtracking, Jan!” So many of us, in an effort to balance businesses, careers and families, spend our energy agonizing over decisions already made, rethinking and reconsidering choic-es made or opportunities we declined. Of course, we’ll never know if every decision was the “right decision” -- whatever that means. Making a thought-ful choice and moving forward is a much better alternative to getting stuck or backtracking, At some point, we all have to be brave, embrace the unknown, and celebrate the mystery of life! And enjoying the uncertainty and staying open to life’s adventure is a gift to cherish.

This month’s October 21st luncheon, Quest for Your Best, will focus on Break-ing Down Barriers. We are fortunate to have two inspiring speakers, Hollis Milton, Superintendent of West Felici-ana Parish School System, and Deidre Toups, President of HB Rentals, LLC. I look forward each year to this annual event, and I can’t wait to hear what they have to share with us. The luncheon will be held at the Performance Center at Vermilionville, a beautiful and peaceful setting that will only help to underscore their thoughtful mes-sages. If you haven’t reserved your tickets, please visit upperlafayette.com/events. We look forward to seeing you there.

A Reminder to Register for this month’s Quest For Your Best:Breaking Down Barriers! Don’t forget to register for our October 21st luncheon which will be held at the Vermilionville at 300 Fisher Road, and feature Hollis Milton, Superintendent of West Feliciana Parish School System and Deidre Toups, President of HB Rentals, LLC. Tickets are $35 each or $300 for a table of eight and can be purchased online at upperlafayette.com/events or through a mailed pay-ment to ULEDF, PO Box 53107, Lafayette, LA 70505.

Many thanks to the Louisiana Campaign for Tobacco Free Living and AT&T for sponsoring this annual personal development series to enrich your life.

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www.upperlafayette.com • October 2015

The election coming up on October 24th of this year will usher in new leadership in the Lafayette City-Parish President’s office. Lafayette hosted a forum on September 16, 2015, to give the public an opportunity to meet the candidates run-ning for this extremely important elected seat. Before a sold out crowd at the Petroleum Club of Lafayette, we were honored to welcome Joel Robideaux and Dee Stanley, and provide them a forum to explain their qualifications and positions on key issues to our community. Our moderator, KPEL radio host Bernadette Lee, posed questions about their thoughts on consolidation, parks and recreation, and their long term visions for the city and parish. Each gentleman was courteous and polite while providing their answers to our questions which we provided before the forum so as to allow thoughtful and researched responses.

This forum followed our Sheriff Candidates Forum in May, as a way for us to offer the community an opportunity to hear the issues facing those who may take office after the October election. Upper Lafayette’s leadership believes it is critical that we vote in an informed manner, and we have been delighted to offer the opportunity to get to know more about the candidates.

Each vote counts. Sample ballots for Lafayette Parish races on the Oct. 24 ballot are available at the Lafayette Parish Clerk of Court Office. Early voting for the Oct. 24 election begins Saturday and ends Oct. 17. Early votes can be cast from 8:30 a.m. until 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday at the Registrar of Voters Office, 1010 Lafayette St., Suite 313, third floor.

Statewide races on the Oct. 24 ballot include governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state, treasurer, commissioner of agriculture and commissioner of insurance. Four state constitutional amendments also are on the ballot.Multi-parish races appearing on Lafayette Parish ballots include Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, state sen-ator and state representative. Parishwide races on the Lafayette Parish ballot include sheriff, city-parish president, clerk of court, assessor and coroner. Voters also will be deciding six city-parish council races on Oct. 24. Please, get out and vote!

Upper Lafayette Hosts Forum for City-Parish President Candidates

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Left to Right: Dee Stanley, Jan Swift, Joel Robideaux, Bernadette Lee

www.upperlafayette.com • October 2015 4

www.upperlafayette.com • October 2015

Innaugural Gulf Coast Young Professionals Leadership Summit Held in Upper Lafayette The first annual Gulf Coast Young Professionals Leadership Summit was held on September 10 and 11 at the Ramada Lafayette Conference Center to rave reviews. With nearly 150 attendees converging from Louisiana and neighboring states, the goals of the summit were “...to educate, stretch and equip young professionals in the southeast region by providing an engaging, interactive and comprehensive learning culture.”

With a Thursday evening kickoff event complete with net-working and corporate improv, the Summit wasted no time in getting attendees to learn new skills. Friday morning launched with keynote speaker, Jason Lucash, most widely known from his involvement with the television show Shark Tank. The full day included four breakout sessions where attendees could choose between sixteen possible session leaders, and a panel discussion during lunch, led by Upper Lafayette’s own board member, Julie Dronet.

The Summit was the brainchild of Skyra Rideaux, Executive Director of the Lafayette Community Health Care Clinic, and the planning committee included fellow Leadership Lafayette Class 28 members Alex Lazard, Amy Broussard, Gina Aswell and Upper Lafayette’s Elsa Dimitriadis, among others.

If you would like to learn to more about this annual event and how you can get involved, please visit www.gulfcoas-typsummit.com.

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www.upperlafayette.com • October 2015

Ross Rix, Northside High’s Head Boys Bas-ketball Coach, and his father, Coach James Rix, are determined to reignite their fan base and reengage community support for their highly accomplished and passionate team.

As basketball season is quickly approaching, the team is not only looking forward to a successful season, but also to hosting the first annual “Big Dave Classic” Basketball Tournament on December 9th - 12th. Their goal is make this tournament the premiere high school basketball event in the state, and they won’t be deterred. The line-up already includes schools with premiere basketball programs such as Madison Prep Academy, Southern Lab, and St. Stephens Episcopal from Austin, Texas.

The tournament is named after the late Dave “Big Dave” Thibodeaux, Acadiana high school sports legend and ESPN 1420 sports radio talk show host. Not only will

the event honor Thibodeaux, but it will recognize the 2006 Northside High School Boys Basketball State Championship team, as they commemorate their tenth anniversary. To top it off, what makes this tournament especially exciting is that the championship game will be broadcast and televised live by Cox Communications.

The passion of this team and father-son leadership is palpa-ble. They need your help, however, to make this inaugural event as successful as possible. In addition to seeking out donors and sponsors, they also need the community to galvanize and support their program. Attend a Northside High School basketball game. Tell others in the community about the Rix coaches and their goals for the future of the Northside program. Let your friends know that Northside’s best player last year also had a 3.6 GPA and that the team routinely participates in community service projects. Help change the perception.

If you are interested in supporting the tournament finan-cially, please contact Coach Ross Rix at rossrix@yahoo.com. Any amount is greatly appreciated. If you are interested in following the season this year, a schedule can be found at www.northsideathletics.com.

(Photos courtesy of The Advertiser)

Northside High to Host Annual Basketball Tournament

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www.upperlafayette.com • October 2015

David Thibodaux STEM Magnet Academy held ribbon-cut-ting ceremonies Friday for a new science wing and engi-neering lab. The expansion includes six science labs and six traditional classrooms, as well as a communal student learning space.

The project was paid for using about $705,766 out of $30 million in bonds the Lafayette Parish School Board issued in 2012. Now in its fifth year of operation, the academy offers a specialized academic program that emphasizes science, technology, engineering and math. Open to mid-dle and high school students, the school has an enrollment of nearly 900 students.

Principal Debetaz said some DTSMA students are working with pharmaceutical companies to sort medications by weight and color. In addition, the school is one of 14 in the world that will send a science experiment to the Inter-national Space Station in the coming months. Debetaz said engineering students are designing the experiment, as well as sensors and monitors to compare conditions in zero gravity to situations on Earth.

Stacy Thibodeaux, a chemistry and biomedical teacher at the school, said the new spaces have allowed her to incorporate more projects and experiments into her lessons. “I’m not worried about safety at all anymore, be-cause of the equipment we have in here,” she said. “I can see all of them and move around more, so it’s not just me talking to them from the front of the room.”

Article sources courtesy of Amanda McElfresh, Paul Kieu of the Advertiser

Lafayette Parish School System Superintendent Dr. Donald Aguillard has reappointed Linda Nance principal of Acadian Middle School.

Nance served as an Assistant Principal for 10 years and as a Principal at Acadian Middle School for eight years. She had contemplated retiring this fall but, upon further reflection, has decided to return to Acadian Middle School as Principal.

Nance earned a Bachelor of Science Degree and a Master of Education Degree from the Middle Tennes-see State University. She has also earned more than 30 graduate credit hours from McNeese State Univer-sity. She was a teacher and coach for 21 years before becoming an administrator.

STEM Academy Opens New Wing

Linda Nance Reappointedat Acadian Middle School

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www.upperlafayette.com • October 2015

On July 2, Mayor Glenn L. Brasseaux was notified by Phil Boggan of the Department of Cultural, Recreation and Tourism Office and Office of Cultural Development, that requirements had been met for final approval for certification of the Carencro Cultural District. Appli-cable tax incentives took effect as of July 2, whereby individuals and businesses within the cultural district have the ability to apply for state historic tax credits for revitalization projects and to conduct sales of original art, exempt from local and state tax.

On September 29, an introductory social was held at the Carencro Community Center. Property owners, local artists and interested community members came together to network and learn more about the Caren-cro Cultural District. An informative evening in an open forum style setting, it was clear that the District orga-nizers are open to suggestions about ways to create a lively historic and arts district and to further improve the newly established Carencro Farmers’ Market. For more information, please contact Carencro Cultural District Chairperson, Kathy Higginbotham at (337) 207-0036 or by email at cajunspice045@gmail.com.

Carencro Cultural District HoldsIntroductory Social

Five years ago, Jillian Johnson dreamed of a garden that could bring people together. On September 27, sixty six days after the theatre shooting that took John-son’s life, that dream became a reality. The Lafayette Public Trust Financing Authority donated the land needed for the garden, and “Town Folk”, an organi-zation Johnson helped create, held a groundbreaking ceremony for her “Victory Garden.”

“It’s our way to help people heal a little bit from the tragedy.” said Jen Doucet, President of Town Folk. One of her friends, John Troutman says Jillian impacted the lives of so many people. “It’s sad that she isn’t here to see it but I know she would be so happy to see so many people from her neighborhood and community coming together.”

The Victory Garden is in the heart of Upper Lafayette, at the corner of Olivier and South Pierce. “People can have meetings, maybe have a party and come over and cut some vegetables or herbs that they would need.” said Marcus Descant, Victory Garden Designer. After the completion of this garden, organizers hope it won’t stop there. They want to see more community gardens in Lafayette and beyond.

Town Folk also held a “Victory Festival” to celebrate Jillian’s life and to fundraise for the garden. The event was capped off with a performance from her band, “The Figs,” a silent auction was held and a viewing of Johnson’s favorite movie, “The Coal Miner’s Daughter.”

Victory Garden Breaks Groundin Upper Lafayette

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www.upperlafayette.com • October 2015

Native American Culture DayCelebrated at Vermilionville

Vermilionville’s annual Native American Culture Day on September 26 brought historic size crowds and rich experi-ences for attendees of all ages. Seventy-five representatives from ten of Louisiana’s Native American tribes were on hand throughout the village to celebrate their living cul-tures through craft demonstrations, food, music, dance and cultural exchange.

This year’s Native American Culture Day focused on “Fra-ternal Folklore” and activities included artifact exhibits, pottery, beading, basket weaving, palmetto weaving, garfish jewelry, dream catchers, film showings, boat tours, ca-noeing, artifact exhibits, tomahawk throwing, drumming, dancing and more. Over 1300 guests enjoyed the day at the park and the event marked a renewal of dedication to celebrating the indigenous people of Acadiana by Vermil-ionville.

Native American Culture Day is supported by an External Agencies Funding Program grant, sponsored by Lafayette Consolidated Government and administered by the AcA. Additional support comes from Community Coffee and Party Central.

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www.upperlafayette.com • October 2015

The Stump Speech at the Horse FarmCandidates in races across the parish converged on the Horse Farm on September 26th at The Stump Speech at The Horse Farm event. From parish tax assessor to Lafayette City-Parish President, political hopefuls spoke to the hundreds of voters looking for more information on the candidates seeking their votes Oct. 24.

City-parish presidential candidate Joel Robideaux, kicked the event off with his opponent Dee Stanley. Both stood up and delivered speeches on what they’d do to make life better for their potential constituents.

Candidates for council spots and state representative districts also took their turns at the wooden log under the main tent and spoke throughout the day. Before and after the speeches, candidates could meet resi-dents at another tent nearby, and talk to them face-to-face.

The event was put on by Lafayette media outlets in-cluding The Daily Advertiser, KLFY, The Acadiana Advo-cate, KATC, The Independent, KADN, KPEL and others.

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www.upperlafayette.com • October 201511

Once the mortgage and deed paperwork are signed, the August family will move into their new home: a one-story dwelling on 14th Street.

It was constructed over eight months with the help of 400 volunteers. The materials used to build the three-bedroom, two-bath home were either donated to or purchased by Habitat for Humanity. The project was sponsored by the La-fayette Consolidated Government Department of Commu-nity Development. The house is sold to the family at cost. And the money the family pays goes back to Habitat to help build a home for another family.

Ten thousand volunteer hours were put into the house, mostly by students from colleges and universities in the Northeast: Syracuse University, Columbia University and Ohio State University among them. In addition to the house dedication ceremony, there were special awards given to two men, Stewart Headington and Joel Hebert, both of whom had volunteered hundreds of hours over the course of the past year.

Habitat is currently planning and building thirteen homes. Cormier’s new home is number 13 in the McComb-Veazey neighborhood. Samantha Stevens, community coordinator for Habitat, said the goal in the next five years is to build 25 new homes in Lafayette.

If you would be interested in volunteering your time to building a home, Habitat representatives stress that no experience is necessary and any amount of time is appre-ciated. Please visit http://habitatlafayette.org/ for more information.

Habitat for Humanity Home Dedication

Don’t forget to catchUpper Lafayette On the Move

every second and fourth thursdays of each month on

AOC2 at 8:30 PM!Jan Swift with recent guest Rene Stansbury of Tobacco Free Living

www.upperlafayette.com • October 2015

Acadian CompaniesAcadiana Computer Systems, Inc.Aries Marine CorporationASH/Badger Oil CompanyCouret FarmsCox CommunicationsDelta MediaHome FurnitureHub City FordLafayette General Medical CenterMcDonald’s of AcadianaMidSouth BankOur Lady of LourdesPHI, Inc.Republic National Distributing CompanySchilling Distributing CompanyStone EnergyWhitney National Bank

Acadiana Rubber & GasketAtmos EnergyBeau Box Commercial Real EstateDupré Logistics, LLCFenstermaker & AssociatesGulf Coast BankHome BankOmni Energy ServicesThe Southwest GroupTobacco Free LivingVan Eaton & Romero

Platinum Members($2400)

Gold Members($1200)

Ace Plumbing, Inc.BBR CreativeCajun Harley DavidsonCoburn’s Supply CompanyEdward Jones/Bob CristEntergyGauthiers’ RV Center

Acadiana C.A.R.E.S. Advancial Federal Credit UnionAnytime Fitness Upper LafayetteAspen ClinicBoys and Girls Clubs of AcadianaBenton Business Solutions, LLCJean C. Breaux, Jr. & AssociatesBreaux’s MartCommunity Foundation of AcadianaCrawdaddy’s On-Site CateringDavis Property ManagementTaylor Davis, Northwestern MutualDerek Development Corp., LLCJoey DurelLynn Guidry, ArchitectJay Castille ConstructionJohn Paul The Great Academy Jolie’s Louisiana BistroLafayette Animal AidLafayette Community Health Care ClinicLafayette Convention and Visitors CommissionLafayette Youth Soccer AssociationLee Verret/State Farm Insurance AgencyLowry’s Printing and CopyingFlo Meadows, Coldwell BankerIqbal Merchant, CPAMelancon I-49 Storage CenterOne AcadianaPetroleum ClubProree, LLCChad Romero, Northwestern MutualRon J. Gaubert RealtorsW. W. Rucks, IIISarah SchoefflerSchools of the Sacred HeartJohn Swift

Silver Members($600)

Bronze Members($300)

Sylvan Learning CenterTeche Electric Supply, LLCWorldPay

PLATINUMLEDATobacco Free Living

GOLD AT&TBeau Box Commercial Real EstateLafayette Regional Airport CommissionVan Eaton & Romero

SILVERAdvancial Federal Credit UnionSchilling Distributing Company

BRONZECity of CarencroCity of Scott

A special thanks to the Lafayette Economic Development Authority (LEDA) for being our Program of Work partner for 2015.

Bronze Members($300)

Sponsors

Silver Members($600)

Master Builders & Specialists, Inc.Oakbourne Country ClubPrejean CreativeRader SolutionsRefinery DowntownShelf Energy, LLCSLEMCOSMILEStella MarisStirling PropertiesSummit Physical TherapyTherapy Center of CarencroUniversal Sign & Manufacturing CompanyWalters Funeral Home

Platinum Patrons($5000)

HalliburtonIBERIABANKIsland Operating, Inc.Schlumberger

Thank you for your generosity...

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