Category Archives: Ascension

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Ascension Episcopal quarterback Jake Vascocu throws a pass in the second quarter as the Gators take on Central Catholic on Friday night 11/4/16. JOHN ROWLAND/FOR THE ADVERTISER (Photo: John Rowland)

When asked about the Ascension Episcopal Blue Gator's run to the Division IV state title game, coach Matt Desormeaux has a pretty blunt answer.

"Whatever we did last summer wasn't enough," Desormeaux said.

"We're trying to work harder and get better. We are not satisfied," he continued.

It is that drive for greatness that has propelled Ascension Episcopal to higher and higher plateaus in recent seasons as Desormeaux and his brother, Mike who now coaches with the Ragin' Cajuns, have been in charge of the program.

MORE:4 way-too-early Acadiana Preps football predictions

And despite moving up a classification to Class 2A and facing some tough district competition in Catholic-NI and Loreauville, Desormeaux still wants to reach higher.

The Blue Gators did lose some big-time playmakers on the offensive side of the ball in 6-foot-5 receiver Ronald LeBlanc and supreme athlete Zach Ronquillo, but Desormeaux was confident the offense wouldn't suffer too much.

"We're losing a little bit of that big-play capability with those guys on the edge," Desormeaux said. "But I think the running game has a chance to be just as good as last year, if not better.

"We only lost one lineman and we have a pretty good idea of what we're going to be doing to replace him."

Running behind that line will be Leo Franques, who is one of the top running backs returning in the area in terms of yardage from last season.

MORE:Five new running backs to watch next season

MORE:Who are the top 5 returning quarterbacks in the Acadiana area?

Senior quarterback Jake Vascocu stepped in and performed well for the departed Jake Arceneaux last season, but will have to make better decisions with the ball this year with LeBlanc and Ronquillo gone, Desormeaux said.

"He had a high completion rating, but those guys bailed him out some," Desormeaux said. "He made some bad decisions at times... He knows going into this season we have some pretty good receivers but he knows he'll have to make some better decisions."

Receiver Seth Kerstetter and tight end Jack Leoni, who will also play a big role in the running game with his blocking and along the defensive line, will be Vascocu's two top returning targets.

MORE:Who are the Top 5 returning wide receivers in Acadiana?

Because of the baseball team's run to the Division IV state title, the Blue Gators elected to not participate in spring practice something a lot of smaller schools do because of multi-sport athletes and they will get extra days in the fall before the season.

Desormeaux said the biggest drawback to not having spring practice was the lack of pad work, but the Blue Gators would go through their typical summer schedule now.

"Our guys will be pretty crisp once they get to the fall camp and should know pretty much the whole playbook by then," Desormeaux said. "We just need to sharpen up on the mental aspect of the game and that way in the fall, we can sharpen up on the physical aspect."

MORE:After frustrating 2016, Spartans looking to take step forward

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Ascension Episcopal not satisfied by last season's success - The Daily Advertiser

SORRENTO - I-10 eastbound will be closed at Airline Highway this weekend, so crews can replace an overpass that's been out of use since 2015.

Starting tonight at 9, eastbound traffic on 1-10 will be detoured to Airline Hwy in Sorrento, then up LA 641 to get back on I-10. The interstate will re-open Monday at 5am.

The ramp being repaired is Airline Highway to I-10 westbound. It was damaged back in 2015 when a contractor that was moving large machinery, hit the ramp.

Dr. Shawn Wilson, DOTD secretary, says the same company that broke the ramp, is fixing it, and paying for it.

"It does happen where contractors are involved in accidents just like regular travelers are, in this case they did the right thing, and said look... we want to fix it for you, and we'll absorb the cost like were gonna have to pay for anyway," he said.

This same detour happened back in March, so crews could remove the ramp, and fix it, just to the side of the interstate.

"Putting it back is probably a little more complex than taking it out, because you have to make things work and you have to put it back together again to ensure its safe for users to travel under it," said Wilson.

I-10 will reopen Monday morning, but the ramp won't be ready just yet, it will take another month for finishing touches on the ramp.

Dr. Shawn Wilson says they will improve the pavement, since it hasn't been driven on for some time and "travel actually keeps the road alive."

The state says the company that's fixing the ramp brought tremendous innovation, and they'll continue to use that site for things like emergency debris pile up.

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A traffic alert in Ascension Parish that will force you off I-10 - WBRZ

If you're a history buff, Ascension Parish has no shortage of historical sites to visit. According to the National Register of Historical Places database, the Parish has 20 landmarks, ranging from churches to plantations to schools. Over the next two weeks, we will explore each of these sites. Whether your looking for something to do for the day, or wanting to take a historical tour of the parish, Ascension has much history to offer.

Evan Hall Slave Cabins: La. 405, three miles west of Donaldsonville in McCall. Built in 1840, the remaining structure includes a single cabin and double cabin.

Landry Tomb: Located in the cemetery of the Ascension of Our Lord Catholic Church in Donaldsonville. The family tomb was built in 1845 by James Dankin and has 24 vaults, one of which is U.S. Representative Joseph Landry who died in 1814 and was relocated in 1845.

Tezcuco: La. 44, Burnside, one mile north of the Sunshine Bridge. The Greek Revival architectural style plantation was built in 1855, but burned down in 2002. All that is left is a few columns.

Robert Penn Warren House: 16381 Old Jefferson Highway, Prairieville. The Colonial Revival architectural style home was built in 1941 as the private residence of author Robert Penn Warren.

The Hermitage: La. 942, one mile south of Marchandville and 1.75 miles east of Darrow. The Greek Revival mansion was built in 1812 as a wedding gift for Marius Pons Bringier's son Michel Dourdou. It is said Andrew Jackson and his wife visited the house in the 1820's.

Palo Alto Plantation: 33534 La. 944, Donaldsonville. The Greek Revival plantation was built in 1850 and is a one-and-a-half story building on more than 6,000 acres.

Fort Butler: Mississippi River levee in Donaldsonville. A Civil War site, it was built to guard the Mississippi River and Bayou Lafourche. It is now used for an annual re-enactment and open to guided tours by appointment.

St. Emma: 1283 S. La. 1, Donaldsonville. Built in 1847, the plantation was originally owned by Charles A. Kock, one of the biggest sugar planters in the state. It is opened by appointment only.

St. Joseph's School: La. 75 and 44 in Burnside. It is now the Cabin Restaurant. The school was established in 1867 by the Roman Catholic Church to provide elementary school to newly freed slaves. It was originally located in Convent, though was relocated to Ascension in 1985.

Ashland: La. 75 two miles south of Geismar. Also known as the Belle Helene or Ashland-Belle Helene Plantation. Built in 1841, the antebellum Greek Revival architectural style building served as a former sugar plantation. It is owned by Shell Chemical Company.

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Revisit historical sites in Ascension - Gonzales Weekly Citizen - Weekly Citizen

DONALDSONVILLE Ascension Economic Development Corp. officials said Wednesday they hope an upcoming meeting with the landowners of 17,000 acres on the west bank of the parish will lead to a mixed-use development there one day.

Over the last two years, 75 percent of the more than 100 landowners have signed letters of intent indicating their interest in working with any future developers of what would be called the Riverplex MegaPark, the potential home of heavy, medium and light industrial uses, as well as limited commercial and residential uses.

The property is 17,000 acres of contiguous, undeveloped land, with more than 9 miles of Mississippi River frontage.

A dock and rail feasibility study funded by the AEDC, the Baton Rouge Area Chamber and the Louisiana Economic Development Department also has been completed.

The next step would be a massive marketing campaign, but it's time to regroup with landowners, AEDC officials said at their second-quarter board meeting Wednesday.

The letters of intent a majority of the landowners signed earlier "wasn't a stringent document, but indicated their interest in working with us," said Dwight Poirrier, the chairman of the AEDC board.

Most of those documents have expired, he said.

"You don't have anything unless you get the land locked down," Poirrier said.

"Hopefully, we'll be able to get a more binding agreement" from landowners, with more information on per-acre prices they'd consider, said Kate MacArthur, president and CEO of the AEDC.

Poirrier said after the meeting with landowners, scheduled for July 10, the AEDC will have a better idea of whether the pursuit of a Riverplex Mega-Park on the west bank of the parish "is a viable use of our resources and our partners' resources."

Also at the board meeting Wednesday, MacArthur said the AEDC, which works to promote and assist business development in the parish, is working with several active projects looking to come to Ascension Parish.

They include an approximately $500 million phase III of a production facility in Geismar; a new $1 million project by an existing major employer in Geismar and a potential $100 million additional unit for a current Geismar manufacturer.

Follow Ellyn Couvillion on Twitter, @EllynCouvillion.

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Ascension economic development group hopes to move forward on MegaPark site - The Advocate

Four Bulldog players land make Class 1A All-State baseball and softball

The Ascension Catholic Bulldogs earned their way to the Division IV semifinals in baseball this season with a 9-3 district mark and a 19-13 overall record. That performance helped two players earn Louisiana Sports Writers Associations All-State berths and an honorable mention for another.

The two Bulldogs selected to the first team were senior standouts and also happened to become LSU-Eunice signees. The first was pitcher Landon Clifton, who had an outstanding 10-4 record and a 1.95 ERA on the mound. The other was infielder Nick Bellina, who sported a whopping .420 batting average and 39 RBIs in his senior year. Junior Mason Zeringue earned an honorable mention.

The Lady Bulldogs made it to the quarterfinals in softball this season and put a pair of players on the Louisiana Sports Writers Associations softball squads. Infielder Ceily Grisaffe hit for an impressive .417 batting average and added 19 RBIs for her hitting totals. Utility player Isabelle Abadie hit for a .373 batting average and added 20 RBIs to make the softball squad.

In District 5-5A, first-team selections were pitchers Austin Bankert of Dutchtown and Blayne Enlow of St. Amant; catcher Jacob Thompson of East Ascension; infielders Larson Fontenot of St. Amant, Cameron Sibley of Dutchtown, Joseph Stephens of East Ascension and Jack Merrifield of Dutchtown; outfielders Zach Johnson of Dutchtown and Zane Zeppuhar of St. Amant; and utility players Noah Fontenot of East Ascension and Cameron Crawford of Dutchtown.

Second-team selections included pitchers Cade Blanchard of Dutchtown and Colin Schutz of St. Amant; catcher Reid Bouchereau of Dutchtown; infielders Kolby Blanchard and Ivan Prejean, both of St. Amant, and Preston Thrash of East Ascension; outfielders Sammy Waguespack of Dutchtown, Pat Wolfe of St. Amant and Ryan Williams of East Ascension; and utility players Brayden Caskey of Dutchtown, Tory Louis of McKinley and Reese Hebert of East Ascension. The Most Valuable Player was pitcher and LSU signee Blayne Enlow of St. Amant.

District 6-1A first-team selections included senior Dylan Hurst of Ascension Catholic and sophomore Nic Montalbano of Ascension Christian as pitchers; senior Nick Bellina and senior Ross Ponville, both of Ascension Catholic, and junior Mason Braud of Ascension Christian as infielders; Mason Zeringue of Ascension Catholic and sophomore Tyler Cambre of Ascension Christian as outfielders; and senior Payton Bahlinger of Ascension Christian, senior William Dunn of Ascension Catholic and junior Landon Ortego of Ascension Christian as utility players.

Second-team selections were junior Josh Diez of Ascension Christian and senior D.J. Giroir of Ascension Catholic as pitchers; junior Charlie Gianelloni of Ascension Catholic as an infielder; sophomore Rodney Blanchard of Ascension Catholic as an outfielder; and senior Dylan Vice of Ascension Catholic and senior Jacob Antie and sophomore Sal Montalbano, both of Ascension Christian, as utility players.

Selected to the District 5-5A first team were freshman Carly Turner of Dutchtown and freshman Alyssa Romano of St. Amant as pitchers; freshman Paige Patterson of Dutchtown as a catcher; senior McKenzie King, junior Taylor Tidwell and senior Pamela Carbo, all of St. Amant, junior Hannah Martin of Dutchtown and sophomore Rachel Ducote of East Ascension as infielders; senior Abby McKey and junior Jadyn Rumfellow, both of St. Amant, and senior Blayne Pence of Dutchtown as outfielders; junior Baylee Bourgeois of Dutchtown, junior Grace Bagwell of East Ascension and juniors Madison Hurt and Brooke Romano, both of St. Amant, as utility players; and junior Dena Lowe of Dutchtown as designated hitter.

Selected on the second team were freshman Erin Hardy of Dutchtown and sophomore Erin Nicol of East Ascension as pitchers; sophomore Chandler Guedry of St. Amant and sophomore Brynnen Gautreau of East Ascension as catchers; junior Meagan Ross of East Ascension as an infielder; sophomores Skylar Boyd and Kaylee Sharpe, both of Dutchtown, as outfielders; freshman Camille Dawsey of Dutchtown as a utility player; and freshman Jesse Allison of St. Amant as designated player.

Senior Abby McKey of the St. Amant Gators was selected Most Valuable Player while Amy Pitre of St. Amant was chosen as Coach of the Year.

District 6-1A first-team selections were eighth-grader Madison Gautreau of Ascension Christian and freshman Emily Beck of Ascension Christian as pitchers; eighth-grader Hallie Dupree of Ascension Christian and sophomore Ceiley Grisaffe of Ascension Catholic as catchers; eighth-grader Layla Thompson of Ascension Christian and juniors Alicia Canatella and Lauren Landry and sophomore Isabella Abadie, all of Ascension Catholic, as infielders; and junior Bailey Acosta and senior Carson Dunn, both of Ascension Catholic, as outfielders.

Second-team selections were freshman Angelle Theriot of Ascension Catholic as a pitcher; senior Kaley Ryan and junior Lauren Thompson, both of Ascension Christian, and junior Abagail Landry and eighth-grader Mackenzie Marroy, both of Ascension Catholic, as infielders; and senior Emily Millet of Ascension Christian and sophomore Emme Medine of Ascension Catholic as outfielders.

Most Valuable Player was sophomore Ceily Grisaffe of Ascension Catholic. Don Henry of Ascension Catholic was named Coach of the Year.

Ascension Parish has lost one of its great role models, mentors, teachers, principals and, most of all, coaches. W.J. "Butch" Little passed away on May 26.

His teaching, coaching and administrative positions spanned nearly half a century and included stints as a boys basketball coach at East Ascension and a girls basketball coach at Donaldsonville and Lutcher high schools. Coach Little had more than 750 wins during his career that spanned parts of five decades. He also was a vice principal and principal at East Ascension and served on the LHSAA's executive committee.

Little played high school basketball at French Settlement and earned a scholarship to Southeastern Louisiana University, where he had a memorable basketball career.

After college, Little accepted his first coaching and teaching role at St. Theresa of Avila in 1967. Thats where our paths crossed for the first of many times in my life, and its one Ill never forget.

Little had high expectations in the classroom and on the basketball court that some might interpret as stern at first glance. But that character trait was inspired by his love for his kids. Along with those expectations was plenty of humor and friendship highlighted by an infectious smile I can see every time I think of him.

But basketball was in his blood as a player and even more as a coach. In our ninth-grade year, the Warrior basketball team was probably a little better than average. Our starting five consisted of Kent Schexnaydre, Edgar Amedee, Jeff Lanoux, A.P. Marchand and Dennis Haydel.

The Warriors had tough opposition. The Gonzales Bulldogs probably had the best talent with Sidney Lambert, Glen Decoteau and Jerry Babin. The other team was the St. Amant Wildcats, led by Kent Melancon and Gabe Mayers. Back in the day, Gabe stood a towering 6 feet, 3 inches tall and we might as well have been playing against Shaquille ONeal.

Little had a strategy for each game and player when we played those better teams. It was awesome to see him get 110 percent out of each player because of the respect he earned from each one of us by his leadership. The St. Theresa Warriors went on to claim the junior high parish championship that season.

Coach Little went on from that first opportunity to influence generations of kids, whether a student or an athlete. Our paths crossed many more times in my life. I have a little hole in my heart right now that might ache for a little while, but its a good hurt. Butch Little, you may be gone from here, but your influence will be passed on for generations to come.

Jambalaya lunches are on sale starting at 10 a.m. Saturday at Delaunes Hardware on La. 44 to raise money for the four Ascension Parish fishing teams that qualified for the National High School Fishing Championship in Paris, Tennessee, later this summer.

Jambalaya is $7 a plate and tickets are available for a $300 gift basket.

Lyle Johnson, a writer and host of the Ascension Outdoors cable TV show, covers sports and the outdoors for The Ascension Advocate. He can be contacted at reelman@eatel.net or ascension@theadvocate.com.

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Ascension Athletics for June 8, 2017 - The Advocate

Ascension Parish Public Schools has hired three assistant principals who will assume their duties on July 1.

"These new administrators bring with them a wealth of knowledge and depth of experience in our school district," schools Superintendent David Alexander said.

Hope Gautreau will replace Tennille Lange at Donaldsonville Primary School as Lange becomes principal. The lifelong Ascension Parish resident has a bachelors degree with dual certification in general elementary education and special education and a masters degree in special education from Southeastern Louisiana University. Additionally, she completed educational leadership courses with Southeastern, receiving certification in 2008.

Gautreaus previous experience includes two years as a special education teacher at Gonzales Middle, 10 years as a special education and general education teacher at Gonzales Primary and School Building Level Committee facilitator at Gonzales Primary and Oak Grove Primary.

Courtney Mancuso, of Prairieville, becomes Dutchtown High Schools new assistant principal, providing additional leadership support as the size of incoming freshman classes increases. Originally from Sorrento, she holds a bachelors degree in secondary social studies and a masters degree in education from Southeastern.

Mancuso has taught sixth-grade world history at Lowery Intermediate/Middle, sixth- and eighth-grade world history and Louisiana history at Central Middle and, most recently, was an instructional coach at Dutchtown High.

East Ascension High School also created a new assistant principal role to deal with larger incoming freshman classes. Allison Brignac, originally of Bogalusa, will step into the position. She is a national board certified teacher with a bachelors degree in mathematics education from Louisiana Tech University and a masters degree in educational leadership from Southeastern.

Brignacs experience includes work as a teacher at Welsh High School in Jefferson Davis Parish and St. Amant High School, teacher and mentor teacher at Donaldsonville High, mentor teacher at Lowery Middle, teacher coach at East Ascension High and master teacher at Donaldsonville High.

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Ascension Public Schools announces three new assistant principals - The Advocate

DONALDSONVILLE The Ascension Parish School Board has given its approval for property tax exemptions for a manufacturer looking to build in Geismar.

Under an executive order issued by Gov. John Bel Edwards last summer, a manufacturer seeking an industrial tax exemption in the state must first get the approval of the School Board, sheriff and parish government in the area where the company hopes to build, before taking its request for a tax exemption to the state Board of Commerce and Industry.

DONALDSONVILLE The Ascension Parish School Board, Sheriff's Office and Parish Council will

The resolution the School Board approved Tuesday would provide an exemption from property tax at 100 percent for five years and at 80 percent for three years for the container manufacturer whose name hasn't been announced yet, at the request of the company.

Because of a request made last month by School Board member Robyn Penn Delaney, the resolution presented by board attorney Jeff Diez says the board "encourages that at least 50 percent" of the permanent employees of the company be residents of the parish.

Before the vote, Delaney asked Diez to change the wording to "strongly encourages."

Also on Tuesday, the School Board recognized the school district's 2017 School Nurse of the Year, Jodi Sheets.

Sheets has been a school nurse in Ascension Parish public schools for 16 years and is at St. Amant High.

The board also approved a resolution declaring a former Donaldsonville elementary school, West Ascension, which was closed in 2005, as surplus property. The board will be advertising for bids and a public sale of the school building on St. Patrick Street.

The minimum bid price for the property is $212,500, which is 85 percent of its appraised value as required by law, the resolution says.

Follow Ellyn Couvillion on Twitter, @EllynCouvillion.

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Ascension Parish School Board approves tax exemption for ... - The Advocate

A Facebook group for Ascension Parish mothers rallied together to provide their children an evening of fun while helping a7-year-old leukemia survivor, Paislee Townley.

Lil Bambinos Playtorium, in Gonzales, hosted children of all ages May 30. The event, which allowed children to play games and explore the center's equipment, raised about $1,000 to help pay for some of Paislees medical expenses.

Weve had an idea for a while now to have an event like this, said Lindsey Del Bosque, who helped organize Play for Paislee. We can make new friends, meet each others kids and help Paislee all at the same time.

(Play for Paislee) has been a great opportunity for the community to come together, said Derrick Taylor, Paislee'sstepfather. This community is a close-knit group that has been helping us out.

Paisleewas diagnosed in May 2016 on her sixth birthday with B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Since then, Paisleehas received chemotherapy treatments at St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, as well as its Baton Rouge affiliate.

Taylor believes Paislees diagnosis has brought their family closer. The family also includes children Alyssa, 18, and Blaize, 12.

There have been lots of tears shed through all this, but its helped us grow stronger as a family, Taylor said. Each one of us has to be strong for Paislee. We have to put aside our needs and pick up each other.

Paislee, currently in remission, still has a long journey of tests and treatments, including daily oral chemotherapy. Her mother, Courtney Taylor, said Paislee is in the final phase of her treatment plan. She added she hopes Paislee will be well enough to return to school this fall.

This is the maintenance phase of the plan, she said. But, its 120 weeks of treatment. Her last treatment is scheduled for November of 2018.

The idea for the event came from Del Bosque, according to Lil Bambinos owner Ashlee Lambeth.

I love to do this, Lambeth said. There are lots of people in this parish who want to help. Everybody is close, and we just love it.

The money raised at Lil Bambinos came from a $10 admission fee and raffles for a summer-themed basket and an LSU quilt, made by Virginia Austin and Mary Patricia Brashier.

People have been enthusiastic about helping out, especially in our moms group, Del Bosque said. "If you say somebody needs help, we jump in and are there to do whatever we can.

Donations to help defray Paislees medical expenses are being accepted at gofundme.com/22vk5pas.

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Families rally for leukemia survivor - The Advocate

Brand it Blue Day

Saturday is Brand it Blue Day, a day of volunteerism sponsored by Express Employment Professionals of Gonzales. The company is hosting a nonperishable food drive through Friday at its office, 915 S. Nickens Ave., in Gonzales.

Volunteers will host a final collection day Saturday, then gather the donations for distribution to food pantries serving the River Parishes. Monetary donations from local businesses also will be accepted.

The summertime is an especially difficult season for children who depend on the meals they receive at school, Express owner Amy Velez said. The donations we receive will help provide meals for children and their families in our community.

Repticon Baton Rouge, a reptile and exotic animal show, returns to the Lamar-Dixon Expo Center from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. VIP entry is at 9 a.m. Saturday.

The event includes vendors offering reptile pets, supplies, feeders, cages and merchandise, live animal seminars and free prize raffles.

Cost is $10 for adults, $5 for ages 5-12 and free for children younger than 5. Tickets, as well as special offers on two-day and VIP tickets, are available at repticon.com/louisiana/baton-rouge.

Ashleigh Fuller will lead Not a #Number for ages 13-17 in St. Elizabeth Hospitals Sister Linda conference room from 10:30 a.m. to noon Monday through Wednesday.

The curriculum uses information, critical thinking and skill development to teach youth how to protect themselves from human trafficking and exploitation.

The program is free, but registration is required; call (225) 621-2906.

A vegetable garden workshop with LSU Agricultural Center and Ascension Master Gardeners is slated for 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Lamar-Dixon Expo Center.

The workshop features discussions on vegetable varieties planted in the demonstration gardens, insect and disease issues and controls, announcement of the 2017 4-H Youth and Adult Garden Contest winners and a biggest tomato contest.

Those wishing to enter the biggest tomato contest should bring their biggest tomato to the workshop for a weigh-in, with a winner being announced during the workshop.

Call (225) 621-5799 by Friday so organizers can get a head count.

Hopeful Baptist Church, 39067 La. 22,in Darrow is planning its first men's conference, Building Spiritual Men, from 7:30 p.m. June 16 to 9:30 a.m. June 17.

Bishop Xavier D. Madison Sr. will lead the conference.

For registration, which is $20, call (225) 247-4661 or (225) 473-3300.

Contact Darlene Denstorff by phone, (225) 388-0215 or (225) 603-1996; or email, ascension@theadvocate.com or ddenstorff@theadvocate.com. Deadline: noon Monday.

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Around Ascension for June 8, 2017 - The Advocate

Child Advocacy Services has launched Prepared Not Scared, a new educational resource for families.

With support from St. John United Way and other area partners such as United Healthcare, Northshore Community Foundation, Visually Speaking and the Greater New Orleans Foundation, the nonprofit revealed its updated community resource at the St. John the Baptist Parish Library on May 30 to an audience of community members, partners, supporters, CASA volunteers and staff.

United Healthcare is excited to be a resource partner for Prepared Not Scared," said Vanessa Simmons, community outreach specialist for United Healthcare. "United Healthcare is community, and we support Child Advocacy Services and the work they are doing for families and children in this area.

Included in the resource is educational information and ways families can prepare for unexpected emotions associated with severe weather. The new booklet introduces Sunny, a turtle with a hard shell used for protection and safety. The book gives storm information such as the difference between a watch and a warning and shares ways to communicate with children and family members regarding emergencies like hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, fires and thunderstorms. It is designed to encourage discussions and stresses the importance of having a plan for what to do in the case of an emergency. Interactive activities and games are featured throughout the piece.

Community members can receive free copies at any Child Advocacy Services office or by calling (800) 798-1575.

Child Advocacy Services is a private, nonprofit umbrella agency providing services through the Court Appointed Special Advocates Program, Childrens Advocacy Center Program and other services supporting the mission to give voice, healing, and security to children in ten parishes including Ascension, East and West Feliciana, Livingston and Tangipahoa parishes.

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Child Advocacy Services launches weather resource - The Advocate