Women Serving the Bayou // Volunteerism
by Jessica Taylor, Features Editor Service leagues around the United States focus on helping their communities and local businesses. Specifically to South Louisiana, the Thibodaux Service League, Ta-Wa-Si Civic Club, and Femmes Natales are groups comprised of female members that focus on helping local schools, universities, businesses, and the community. Thibodaux Service League Thibodaux Service League works closely with the community in more than a dozen community projects. TSL puts together six distinctive fundraising events throughout the year. Kristi Gravois, former president of the Thibodaux Service League, explains how the service league has benefited the community. “Each year we give about $25,000 back to the community. By doing these things we’re supporting the community and local businesses,” she says. Gravois, who was born and raised in Morgan City, La., is part of the TSL for ten consecutive years. For two of those years, she served as the league’s president. After finishing college and having a child, the positive work the service league was doing in the community inspired Gravois to join. “I’ve always had a passion for helping others and when the time was right, I decided to join the Thibodaux Service League and I immediately fell in love,” Gravois says. TSL was incorporated in 1974, after a group of 16 young women decided to form an organization on whose purposes would be educational and charitable. Currently the league has 143 sustaining members that, in other words, are local women “who have served for 6 years or done 300 hours of service for Thibodaux and the surrounding communities.” Gravois credits much of the league’s success to the women in charge and those who have helped her. “Women in South Louisiana are truly one of a kind. They are humble, hard-working, genuine, and they never meet a stranger,” Gravois says. Women throughout the league are always willing to help and provide for the community any way they can. “People throughout the community will reach out to us for service help and we do whatever we can to help those in need,” Gravois says. Along with Gravois, Katherine Elias is a league member and will serve as the Vice President for the upcoming year. Elias is involved in the making of the new Service League Legacy Cookbook, Santa’s Land sponsorship, Cinderella’s Closet and other community projects. Elias has been involved in the league for 3 years. “The rewarding feeling of helping people in need throughout the community is something I’ll cherish forever,” she says. Community Projects & Fundraisers To support the greater Thibodaux community, the league is involved with businesses and organizations such as the Bayou Country Children’s Museum, Crossroads, Hope for Animals, Upside Downs and the St. Francis Vegetable Garden. The league is also involved with Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children of Lafourche Parish (CASA), the Office of Juvenile Justice, and the Lafourche Parish Library, and the league assists the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux Toy Drive through which toys for needy children are collected and distributed over the holidays. Cinderella’s Closet, another community project the service league is involved with, takes place once a year around the time of prom and the ROTC ball. Through this event, TSL provides dresses and accessories, including shoes, jewelry, and handbags, to young women who may not be able to afford these things. The event is hosted at Thibodaux High School. In addition to community projects, there are many fundraisers put on by the Thibodaux Service League to help the community, schools, and local businesses. From a daddy-daughter dance to a holiday market, Thibodaux Service League works to make serving the community fun. Other Service Organizations Many other women’s service organizations around South Louisiana help the community. The Ta-Wa-Si civic club was formed in 1947 and took its name from an Indian word meaning friends, or helper. Through annual antique shows, the club contributes to projects, schools, and charities within the South Louisiana region. One of the organization’s many contributions includes tuition scholarships awarded annually to local students who need assistance to attend Nicholls State University. The club’s proceeds benefit students at Nicholls to ensure the future of scholarship opportunities. Along with Thibodaux Service League and Ta-Wa-Si, Femmes Natales is a non-profit organization which serves the Thibodaux community, as well as other communities throughout the year. Femmes Natales’ Annual Runabout was hosted this past October, and the beneficiaries were Isaiah Barnett and St. Francis Vegetable Garden. Isaiah Barnett, 17-months-old, was born with neuroblastoma, which is a rare but aggressive cancer that usually attacks infants and toddlers. At seven months Isaiah began to have bruising and experienced bulging around his eyes. After going to the doctor, he was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. Since the diagnoses, Isaiah has undergone 12 rounds of chemotherapy, which has been extremely hard on Isaiah’s body, as well as his family. Along with the Barnett family, a portion of the proceeds benefited the St. Francis Vegetable Garden. The garden’s purpose is to grow and harvest vegetables to donate to the local food banks, provide a living, and support growers by educating the community about fresh, healthy foods. Women in South Louisiana put others needs before their own, and are always willing to lend a helping hand. So, “Look at This” to learn more about the women who have impacted our community in so many ways. by Tatum Gehbauer, Video/Audio Editor Meet these Bayou Women of Service
Animal Business // Cathy Lee-Stephens
by Tatum Gehbauer, Video/Audio Editor Meet these Bayou Women in Power
In Government // Annette Fontana
by Jessica Taylor, Features Editor South Louisiana is not short of powerful women. From police officers to business owners and government officials, the women in Louisiana are taking leadership positions and making a difference in the community. Annette Fontana is one of the brave, all-around southern women whose path to success is inspiring. Fontana works as Clerk of Court of Lafourche Parish since October of 2015. Prior to being elected, she was an Assistant District Attorney for Lafourche Parish serving as a felony prosecutor of major crimes including homicides and other violent crimes. Fontana was also a private practicing attorney in Lafourche Parish with the law firm of Morvant & Cavell, dealing with civil and family law. She taught Family Law at Nicholls State University from 2009 to 2015. Becoming the Clerk of Court was a long, tiring journey for Fontana, but she loves every minute of it. Fontana graduated from Nicholls State University in education and headed to Southern University in Baton Rouge, where she obtained her Juris Doctorate. Despite going to law school, Fontana says she never saw herself as a practicing lawyer. “I always felt I wanted to be in administration, government, or private sector and the clerk’s office provided me with an opportunity to use my legal skills, as well as those I acquired from my various degrees,” she says. In 2011 was chosen as one of the Top Women in Business by the Tri-Parish Times, and in 2014 she was named Best of Lafourche 40 under 40. Also, she has received the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Officer Certificate of Commendation twice for her work as a felony prosecutor. Fontana is not only dedicated to her job and career, but she has also been involved in several organizations in the Thibodaux community. She served as president of the Lafourche Parish Bar Association, Chairperson of the Board of the Thibodaux Chamber of Commerce and as a chairperson on the American Red Cross Leadership Committee. She was also a delegate to the House of Delegates of the Louisiana State Bar Association and an advisory board member for the Bayou Country Children’s Museum. She volunteers for numerous civic activities, including Habitat for Humanity and currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Thibodaux Main Street Organization and Hi-5, a non-profit corporation providing an afterschool program for students. “I’ve learned that the women of South Louisiana know how to balance everything from their jobs to being the primary caregiver,” she says. Fontana explains that’s one of her many reasons for being involved in the community besides being the Clerk of Court. “I see how hard other women work, especially in my department, and I see how great of a job they do balancing every aspect of their hectic schedules,” she says. Throughout her term, Fontana says she is focused on adapting the processes of the Clerk’s office to the information age to provide citizens, businesses, and even visitors the resources to obtain any information when they need it. The successful women of power in South Louisiana are essential to the success of the community. “Look at this” to get to know more about the women in power in the Bayou Region! Meet this Bayou Woman in Power
A Cajun Canvas // Tracy Wisehart-Plaisance
by Tatum Gehbauer, Video/Audio Editor Meet this Bayou Woman of Spirit at Play
Instilling Self-Esteem // Girls on the Run
by Tatum Gehbauer, Video/Audio Editor Meet these Bayou Women in Power
Living Fit // Triathlete Lynette Callahan
by Tatum Gehbauer, Video/Audio Editor Meet this Bayou Woman at Play
Just Ladies // Mardi Gras
by Tatum Gehbauer Video/Audio Editor Meet this Bayou Woman at Play
Geaux Girl // The Women of Bayou Country
Ana Pizzolio, Asst. Executive Editor, & Jessica Taylor, Features Editor In every time and place throughout history, women have played a major role in life and culture. Especially at this time in history, when women are coming together so visibly, Garde Voir Ci is taking a look at the women of the Bayou region — the women and their unique stories, experiences and challenges that make South Louisiana what it is today. Across the United States and the world, women are in the forefront — running as the first female presidential candidate for a major party, marching on Washington, and, in March, celebrating Women’s History Month and staging A Day Without Women protests. South Louisiana women, too, have been and are an integral part of the region’s history and culture. From leading in business and government to playing with the best of them, bayou women are at the heart of the region’s past and future. The Cajun women bring pieces of their roots to this culture — roots in Canada, France, Africa, Europe and more. Those roots aren’t just regional, but also spiritual. Catholic, protestant and Native American faiths are all threads in these women’s tapestry. So, “Look at This” to learn more about the women at play, women in power, and women of spirit in South Louisiana in this edition of Garde Voir Ci. Meet these Bayou Women . . .at Play, in Power and of Spirit * *look for these profiles on other stories in this issue to meet more women of the Bayou Region