Paddling Bayou Lafourche
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Donaldsonville hosted the launching point of Paddle Bayou Lafourche, an annual event sponsored by the Barataria Terrebonne National Estuary Program (BTNEP). The paddle trip, held April 20-23, 2006, was a four day way to experience the natural beauty and elegance of the Bayou. The fascinating “backyard view” of the families along the Bayou is an experience of a lifetime.
Folks in canoes and kayaks traveled 52 miles from Donaldsonville to Lockport. Paddlers enjoyed lunch at restaurants along the way such as Nubby Ducks, evening entertainment with famous Louisiana artists, in addition to camping and a special and very moving Native American presentation of dancing and drumming in Raceland.
There were even a few paddlers from outside Louisiana, including a film crew from PBS. The crew actually canoed the entire trip, but took time out to interview Kerry St. Pe, BTNEP Program Director.
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Donaldsonville Bicentennial 1806 - 2006
Hotel Donaldson
An editorial by Kirk P. Landry, Contributing Historian
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The Hotel Donaldson was a four story, forty-four room hotel constructed by the Donaldsonville Hotel Association in 1912. The hotel was constructed due to the “Great Fire of 1911” destroying the Nicholls Hotel, arguably Donaldsonville’s most renowned destination. The hotel which was located on the 500 block of Mississippi Street was torn down in 1964.
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Freedom music
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Music played a vital role in expressing the freedom of the enslaved community throughout the dark days of slavery in our nation’s past.
“During plantation times, slaves were prohibited from using drums which were vital to many African traditions as well as serving as a form of communication,” states Kathe Hambrick, director for the River Road African American Museum.
The only place where black people could freely express themselves through their music was in Congo Square in New Orleans added Hambrick. So we felt that this would be a perfect theme for this year’s 2006 Juneteenth Freedom Festival.
Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration of the ending of slavery in the Untied States. From its Galveston, Texas origin in 1865, the observance of June 19th has spread across the country and beyond.
Freedom came at different times for African Americans depending on where they lived. As freedom came, certain cultural traditions survived. Music was one such tradition. African rhythms and instruments, like the banjo and drums, were transported as freedom came throughout the Americas.
Join us June 9 - 11 in Louisiana Square for the best Juneteenth Festival ever. Full details available at www.africanamericanmuseum.org.
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Annual Chamber Secretary’s Day Luncheon
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Once again the Chamber of Commerce and generous people in Donaldsonville came together for a most wonderful day to honor secretaries and all of our support staff. Employers and employees came to the luncheon at The Grapevine. Chamber Vice President and event organizer Vera Sanchez especially wants to thank the four major sponsors- Capital One, D&E Pitstop, Beck Companies, and The Victorian on the Avenue- for their wonderful support. Vera also said that there were so many very generous people who donated door prizes that she lost count of how many there were!! The door prizes just kept coming in right up to luncheon time.
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Prevost Memorial Hospital Health Fair
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| On June 10th from 8:00am to 12:00 noon, plan to be at Prevost Memorial Hospital for their annual Health Fair. There will be many free screening opportunities such as blood pressure checks, pulse oximetry, eye screening, skin cancer screening and hearing tests.
You may also be able to have a Carotid Ultrasound for folks 50 years and older and it will only cost $3. For those needing SMAC testing (for cholesterol), it will only cost $10 but remember to fast for 12 hours before going to the hospital and bring your Social Security number with you.
Free information will be available from the Advocacy Center for the Elderly and Disabled, the D’Ville House, Sleep Rite (sleep study) and tips on performance improvement, home health care and diet and nutrition.
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Angel Mother
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Angelique Dumenil Perera mother of Pam Gregoire
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I remember a time immediately before my wedding when my mother reminded me that marriage is a commitment and not to be taken lightly. She was concerned because I was marrying a man 21 years older than me. (She worried for nothing.) She also told me at that time “I raised my children; you raise yours”. I took that to mean that I should realize I was now on my own and must solve my own problems. However, whenever I needed her, she was there. This is the same advice I passed on to my daughter before her wedding. It seems to work. I also remember my grandmother’s advice when I had a houseful of children (4). She said to always remember that husband comes first. She was reminding me not to forget to save some time for him.
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GoldenTotora mother of Jo Totora
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The best advice my mother ever gave me was to never feel sorry for myself or to complain, and she not only taught me the Golden Rule, but insisted that I live by it daily. Since her name was Golden, for years when I was very young, I thought she wrote the Golden Rule!!! By the time I leave this world, if I become only half the woman she was, I feel I will have accomplished something great. She was my best friend.
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“My mother was more of the spiritual leader in the family. A scripture that stands out from her teaching is Colossians 3:20 which says “Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord”. My mother taught me to respect others and to treat people the way I want to be treated. She also instilled in me values and told me to work for the things I wanted and to never take short cuts, because anything worth having is worth working to obtain.”
Leola Sullivan mother of
Mayor Leroy Sullivan
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Mary Ellen Clark Hambrick mother of Kathe Hambrick
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My Mom gave me advice about career choices. When I was a little girl, she advised me to become an airline stewardess so I could see the world. As I became older, she suggested nursing, which was her career choice. She said nursing would provide job security and I could work anywhere in the country. When all was said and done, her final words were, “Whatever makes you happy.
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Inez Landry mother of Debbie Peltier
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Nez always told me, “You have to suffer to be beautiful”
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Cecile Bartlett Tatman
mother of Becky Katz
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My mother always told us the importance of respect. We were taught to respect all people. “You reap what you sow. You must give respect to receive respect.” This is my favorite picture of my Mom. She had the greatest blue eyes from birth to death. I loved looking at them and I could see the goodness of her soul.
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Berat Altan Tolan Mc Millan, Anne of Orhan Mc Millan
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Anne, Turkish for mother, always told me that there is nothing greater than love - to love and to be loved.
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Marilyn Erwin mother of Amy Erwin
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My mother was demonstrative and I think believed in showing her love for others but she also knew there were some people who were vexations to the spirit. I remember once she told me to stay away from people who weren’t good for my spirit, but always remember to hold close those that make your spirit soar. She also told me that she thought humans didn’t touch each other enough and that we needed to do that more. She and I went on a personal campaign to physically touch more people. We made a point to hold hands with people, touch others on the arm or shoulder when we were talking to them. We even made a point to hug others more often….and we both felt much better for it.
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Louisa Hannah Drake Nicholls mother of Francis T. Nicholls
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Nicholls was in a dilemma about leaving his mother at the age of 15 to attend West Point. His brother and father had died just a couple of years before and he was having second thoughts, thinking that he was needed at home. His mother gave him this advice, “It is your civic duty and you must go.” Because Mrs. Nicholls insisted that Frank go to West Point, she may have changed the course of history. Robert E. Lee was the Superintendent at West Point when Nicholls was here. His roommate was Godfrey Wietzel, who went on to become a General in the Union army.
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A publication in conjunction with Donaldsonville Chamber of Commerce www.donaldsonvillecoc.org
Chamber Voice Articles
