BATON ROUGE, La. – The Baton Rouge District Nurses Association held its 32nd annual Celebrate Nursing Banquet on May 3 at Boudreaux’s Reception Hall.
The theme for the event, which honors registered nurses from Baton Rouge and surrounding communities, is “Year of the Nurse and Midwife 2020-2021.” The American Nurses Association extended the Year of the Nurse and Midwife to 2021 because of the pandemic. Over 140 nurses, family, friends and colleagues attended the event.
Banquet Chairwoman Rachel Tidwell was mistress of ceremonies. BRDNA Treasurer Pattie Jackson provided the invocation.
The 2020 banquet was canceled because of the pandemic, but each honoree received a certificate and lapel pin at their respective work places given by Lisa Deaton and members of the board of directors.
BRDNA President Yvonne Pellerin recognized the 2020 honorees: Laura Attleson, Iesha Bethley, Raymond Boudreaux, Ashley Campbell, Kristie Cowart, Loretta Craighton-Davis, Desiree Dillon, Jake Gaudet, Maurice Harris, Tiffany Huffman, Bridget Jones, Katherine Hillis, Corrie Presley, Shawn Simmons, Deisy Olivas Marques and Shawn Wolkart, Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center; Jaclyn Aucoin and Sharai Hurst Neal, Baton Rouge General Medical Center; Miriam Everett, Lane Regional Medical Center; Lakaisha Jackson and Paula O’Neill, Woman’s Hospital; Leigh Schexnaydre, Our Lady of the Lake Ascension; and Jamie Graham Waguespack, Southern University and A & M College, School of Nursing.
Valerie Schluter and Alison Rone presented the 2021 honorees: Lauri Allen, Heather Best, Brandon Bridges, Lori Chauvin, John Deshotel Jr., Leigh “Jill” Fenn, Leanne Jubin, Beverly Nipple, Todd Pellitieri, Lacey Tidwell, Sarah Wilson and April Wolleson, Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center; Kevin Triche, Our Lady of the Lake Livingston; Julie Blanchard and Jessica Tate, Baton Rouge General Medical Center; Russell Arceneaux, Alexandra Gabor, Neil Manuel, Margaret Moore and Stephen Yeh, Lane Regional Medical Center; Claire Elfert, Kristin O’Neal and Angela Toney, The Spine Hospital of Louisiana; Terrie Edwards, Ochsner Medical Center, Baton Rouge; Davina Jacobs, Pinnacle Care Holdings Home Health; Dell Mars, Southeastern Louisiana University School of Nursing; and Cindra Schneider, Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University.
Schluter was also recognized for receiving the Louisiana State Nurses Association’s Fellow Award and Cynthia Prestholdt for receiving the Karen Loden Volunteer of the Year Award.
In addition to Tidwell, Pellerin, Schluter, Rone, Jackson and Deaton, other members of the 2021 Celebrate Nursing Committee were Clara Earl, Denise Hart, Kristal Henson, Nikki Honore, Michelle Jeter, Sheralyn Long and Lesley Tilley. The 2021 Selection Committee included Deaton, Honore, Jackson, Prestholdt, Rone, Schluter, Long, Earl, Hart, Loden and Lacey and Rachel Tidwell, along with Sheila Allen, Barbara Anthony, Mary Dudley and Charla Johnson.
BRBT honors volunteer, seniors
Baton Rouge Ballet Theatre recognized Heather Herman with its 2020-21 Volunteer of the Year Award and honored graduating seniors Charlotte Balart, Chloe Higgins and Adrienne Simmons at the company’s season wrap-up celebration on May 2.
The event, hosted by Kathleen England and Nicole Simmons, was a casual crawfish boil that welcomed family members to the home of Alan and Sally McConnell.
Herman’s technical talents helped BRBT continue creating dance and reaching audiences despite COVID disruptions. She worked behind the cameras and laptops, filmed and edited company performances and hosted many Zoom meetings.
The graduating seniors were each honored with a scholarship award to use toward furthering their education, presented by directors Molly Buchmann and Sharon Mathews along with associate directors Rebecca Acosta and Jonna Cox.
Balart is an honor graduate of St. Michael’s High School; Higgins is a home-schooled graduate and currently dual-enrolled at Franciscan University; and Simmons is graduating from University View Academy.
BR Assembly welcomes new members
The Baton Rouge Assembly welcomed new members at its Brunch in the Country on May 2 at Rosebank Plantation, the home of Beverly Anderson Walker in St. Francisville.
The new members are Lacy and George Bofinger, Desha and Rennie Carter, Jackie and Melvin Harvey, Mary Liz and Luke Leboeuf, Laura and Tim Lindsey, Laura Beth and William Lott, Laura and Michael Oubre, Whitney and Will Seal, Gina and Stewart Tharp and Lisa and Shawn Watson.
Toastmasters names winners
Bill Sherman and Robert Douglas, both of Baton Rouge, won speech contests at Toastmasters District 68 competitions on April 24.
Sherman won the Humorous Speech Contest with a speech titled “Small Talk, a Skill Worth Crowing About,” which is about how to successfully engage in small talk. Second place in the humorous category went to John Frady, of Celebration Toastmasters in Metairie, and third place went to Kyle Harper, of Blue Note Speakers in Baton Rouge.
Douglas took first place in the International Speech Contest and will advance to the regional quarterfinals. His speech, “Encouragement Exudes Excellence,” is based on his experience as a first-grader who severely stuttered and his very compassionate teacher whose encouragement greatly helped him to overcome his speech impediment.
Second place went to Annie Svaty, of Lafayette, a member of the Slightly Advanced Club and Evangeline Toastmasters Club; third place went to Billie Hall, of Broussard, a member of Cajun Toastmasters.
Toastmasters District 68 encompasses Louisiana; Beaumont, Texas; and southwest Mississippi. The district has over 500 members in 41 clubs. For information, visit d68tm.org.
Youth Coalition scholarships announced
The Baton Rouge Clinic and the Baton Rouge Youth Coalition have jointly awarded $50,000 in total to six of BRYC’s high school and college students who plan to pursue health care-focused degrees, with a goal of expanding access to career opportunities for diverse students in health and wellness fields.
A panel of BRC representatives joined BRYC board members, employees and volunteers to review 38 applications, consisting of an essay and supporting materials demonstrating academic achievement and financial need. The panel selected six scholarship recipients: Destiny Caldwell, Scotlandville High School senior; Tarralyn Clark, Emory University sophomore, biology; Katelyn Guillory, Southern University junior, nursing; Elissa Henderson, Southeastern Louisiana University junior, biology; Serenity Packnett, Wilkinson County High School senior; and Mackenzie Wilson, LSU junior, biology.
The high school students will receive $5,000 each, while the university students will each receive $10,000. The money will be awarded directly to their schools prior to fall 2021 enrollment.
The Baton Rouge Youth Coalition prepares high-achieving, under-resourced high school students to enter, excel and graduate from college. BRYC serves 240 high school students across nine districts and three states and 440 alumni.
Senior adults topic for Torchbearer Beta
Suzanne Ishler spoke about senior adults when Torchbearer Beta Chapter of Beta Sigma Phi met May 6 at the home of Verlyne LeBlanc.
Ishler discussed how senior adults have contributed to the country during World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War and Afghanistan War. Members then shared memories of their youth.
Members discussed the new budget, fundraising ideas and a rush party. The annual Beta Sigma Phi International Founder’s Day will be observed June 24 at Drusilla Seafood Restaurant, where each chapter in the Baton Rouge City Council will announce its Woman of Year. Torchbearer Beta members will be recognized for their perfect attendance record: Jean Leyda, 47 years; Virginia Huffman, 27 years; LeBlanc, 7 years; and Ishler, 1 year.
Huffman was recently elected Beta Sigma Phi City Council treasurer and Leyda was elected recording secretary.
