This fall, the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation will present The Angel Award to nine people showing selfless investments of time and compassion in children. Each Angel will receive a $25,000 grant to the nonprofit organization of their choice.
Receiving The Angel Award this year are:
James “Big Brown” Joseph, of Baton Rouge, a former Harlem Globetrotter, current UPS driver and founder of the Big Brown Reaching Back Foundation, which helps communities in a variety of ways including meals, air conditioners, school supplies and, in response to COVID-19, hand sanitizer to every school district in Louisiana.
Lucas Spielfogel, of Baton Rouge, executive director of the Baton Rouge Youth Coalition, which reaches children in elementary, middle and high schools across Baton Rouge to provide college counseling and preparation.
Miguel A. Alonso, of New Orleans, a case manager for the New Orleans Children’s Health Project, where he has helped thousands of children and families who have immigrated to New Orleans access life-saving health care services.
Dr. Marc Behar, of New Orleans, a longtime advocate, supporter, fundraiser, volunteer and community leader who founded founder of Pride Prom NOLA, a celebration for LGBTQIA+ high school-aged youth.
Ken Brown, of Lake Charles, an educator at Washington-Marion Magnet High who has created and implemented a number of model programs in suicide prevention for teenagers, and has advocated for changes in state laws that have made mental health services more readily available to young people — saving the lives of many teenagers considering suicide.
Rylie Duos, of Benton, a 13-year-old student and the founder of the CRD No Limits Foundation, a nonprofit that raises funds to purchase medical equipment and cover medical expenses for children with physical and cognitive disabilities.
Stephanie Antley Herrmann, of Farmerville, the director of the Union Parish Library, which she has transformed into an open, responsive community resource that supports all children and provided essential support after natural disasters and COVID-19 impacts.
Dr. Erin R. Wheeler, of New Orleans, the executive director of College Beyond, helps students enroll and succeed in college, regardless of socioeconomic background.
Each year, the Foundation also honors a “Blue Angel,” an employee of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana who has shown extraordinary commitment to children. This year, Kellie DeRouen Duhon, of Crowley, received the honor. Duhon is a longtime volunteer and board member serving The Life of a Single Mom, which improves the lives of children by providing education, counseling and support to single mothers. In Louisiana, more than half of children are born to single mothers, according to the Centers for Disease Control. TLSM will receive a $10,000 grant in Duhon’s name.
A one-hour special on the Angel Award will be presented on Louisiana Public Broadcasting at 8 p.m. Nov. 15.
Zookeepers chapter receives national award
The Baton Rouge Chapter of the American Association of Zookeepers won the Chapter of the Year Award for 2021 from among 118 chapters, BREC’s Baton Rouge Zoo announced.
Through volunteering and fundraising efforts, the chapter supplied numerous items for the animal collection, provided educational opportunities for the public and have sent chapter members to professional development programs. This group also supported nearby facilities during the 2020 hurricane season by sharing financial, time and staffing resources. Year-round, the chapter educates staff and guests by organizing recycling collection events.
The award presentation took place in August in California.
Kappa Sigma aids Hurricane Ida victims
Gamma chapter of Kappa Sigma fraternity at LSU helped south Louisiana residents affected by Hurricane Ida, which made landfall Aug. 29.
The chapter held a supply drive, collecting about 250 cases of bottled water. Junior Beck Heebe and sophomore Michael Charbonnet planned assistance in Houma, Charbonnet’s hometown. The chapter handed out supplies, cleaned debris out residents’ yards, cut and removed trees, and put tarps on damaged roofs to prevent further leaks.
The team aided community members in Houma for three days and then traveled to the north shore for a day to help out.
Music Club hears Shreveport cellist
Award-winning cellist John-Henry Crawford, of Shreveport, performed at the Music Club of Baton Rouge’s Sept. 14 recital.
National Federation of Music Clubs President Melanie Perez, of New Orleans, presented Crawford with the NFMC Young Artist 2021 award.
The club is celebrating its 113th season of bringing the musical arts to the community. The club’s next recital is the “Bachfest Club” on Oct. 12 at the Woman’s Clubhouse.
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Alpha Lambda tours new Livonia library
Alpha Lambda chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma toured the new Livonia branch of the Pointe Coupee Library on Sept. 16 and donated books members had collected.
Following the tour, members held a meeting at Not Your Mama’s Restaurant. Catherine Olinde introduced the DKG book of the year, “Trauma Doesn’t Stop at the School Door” by Karen Gross. The book offers approaches to identifying and lessening the effects of trauma in pre-K to college students.
Joyce Landry spotlighted Lucy Boley, who has been fighting COVID-19 since August. There will be a fundraiser for Boley from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 2, in the Livonia High School cafeteria. Gale Roy announced that the Centre for the Arts will sell bracelets and T-shirts to benefit Boley after the holiday musical performance on Dec. 17.
Members donated gift cards and school supplies to provide aid to Metanoia residents, this year’s chapter’s Fleur de Lis project.
Quota Baton Rouge helps Haiti children
Quota Baton Rouge presented a $1,000 check to Sister Martha Ann Abshire to help the Franciscan Mission in Haiti following the catastrophic 7.2 magnitude earthquake on Aug. 14 that destroyed much of the area and also toppled a pediatric hospital in St. Helene that was a mission of the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Sisters.
Sisters Althea Jonis and Abshire helped found the Haiti Healthcare Project in 1988. With backgrounds in nursing, occupational therapy and nursing home administration, they selected the town of Aquin for the convent. St. Helene, a remote rural community on the southwest coast of Haiti with a small Catholic mission church, was chosen to establish an outpatient medical clinic and an inpatient nutrition center.
The Quota donation will be used to help the Franciscan health care mission in Haiti.
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