NOVEMBER 15
•VFW Americanism Contest
Sulphur VFW Post 8107 and Ladies Auxiliary will sponsor the annual VFW Americanism Contest. All students in the public, private and homebound sectors in Sulphur, Carlyss, Westlake, Hackberry, and Johnson Bayou may enter through November 15, 2009. The Americanism Contest consists of the following categories and age groups: Kindergarten - Coloring of American Flag furnished by Post; Grades 1 and 2 - Drawing and coloring of American Flag, pay attention to stripe colors; Grades 3 and 4 - Drawing of a Historical Event (not a ship or plane); Grades 5 and 6 - Essay 300 to 400 words titled “ How I Show My Patriotism On Memorial Day.” Please put name and school on reverse of entry. First, second and third place winners in each category. Contact VFW Post 8107 for more details.
NOVEMBER 16 (deadline)
•Gingerbread House Contest
The aroma of holiday spices, candy canes, sugar gumdrops, and gingerbread will soon swirl through the air. The Lake Charles/Southwest Louisiana Convention & Visitors Bureau knows that nothing says Christmas quite like gingerbread houses! Entry forms are now available for the Annual Gingerbread House Contest to be held at noon Saturday, Dec. 5, in conjunction with the Lake Charles Annual Christmas Lighting Festival. Sponsored by the Lake Charles/Southwest Louisiana Convention & Visitors Bureau, the contest and awards ceremony will be held at the bureau located at 1205 North Lakeshore Drive in Lake Charles. Entry divisions include amateur, professional and school groups. Southwest Louisiana’s very own mascot, Gumbeaux Gator, will help present the awards on Dec. 5. The Gingerbread Houses will remain on display at the bureau throughout the month of December, and all visitors during that time will be able to vote on the People’s Choice Award to be announced Tuesday, Dec. 29, at the bureau. The deadline for entering the contest is Nov. 16. Entries must be delivered to the Convention & Visitors Bureau between 1 and 4:30 p.m., Friday, Dec. 4. For registration information, contact the Lake Charles/Southwest Louisiana Convention & Visitors Bureau, at 436-9588 or visit www.visitlakecharles.org.
NOVEMBER 17
•Smart Parenting Seminar: Mean Girls
Family & Youth will host a Smart Parenting Seminar: Mean Girls on Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2009 at 5:30 p.m. Mean girls… they are in every school and at all grade levels, including preschool and kindergarten. Relational Aggression (girl bullying) begins in elementary school, often peaks in middle school, and sometimes continues into high school. Discussion includes the ways girls bully others, how to identify if your child is a victim or a “Bully,” and actions to take when dealing with a “Mean Girl.” This presentation is designed to offer parents and girls ages nine and up valuable information and techniques in how to successfully deal with “Mean Girls.” Call 436-9533 to register or for more information, or email Kristen at Kristen@fyca.org. Cost is $10. The workshop is held at Family & Youth, 220 Louie St., Lake Charles, LA 70601. Smart Parenting Seminars, a service of The Counseling Center, are offered every month. The Counseling Center is a program of Family & Youth. Family & Youth, a United Way Agency, believes that all individuals possess the ability to solve their own challenges and live full and healthy lives when support is available. Let us support you and your family. For experienced professional assistance, contact Family & Youth at 337-436-9533 or 1-888-414-FYCA.
NOVEMBER 19
•Canned Food Scavenger Hunt by SHS Student Council
The Sulphur High School Student Council will be hosting a Canned Food Scavenger Hunt to benefit Care/Help of Sulphur on Thursday, November 19, 2009 from 5 to 7 p.m. Participating school organizations will go out into the community to collect various canned food items worth a set amount of points. The organization that has the most points will win a pizza party at lunch. Last year, the participants of the scavenger hunt collected over 1,000 items that were donated to Care/Help of Sulphur.
•WCAC Citizen of the Year Award nomination deadline
The West Calcasieu Citizen of the Year Award aims to recognize residents of West Calcasieu who have demonstrated excellent citizenship and contributions to the people of the West Calcasieu and wider community. The award originated in 1984 and will be presented at the 60th Annual WCAC Banquet and Meeting on Thursday, December 10, 2009. Nominations close on Thursday, November 19.
Individuals and organizations are encouraged to nominate deserving persons for this award. For more information, please call Janice Ackley at the Association of Commerce office at 337-533-1040.
NOVEMBER 20
•VFW Dance
Crossfire will be playing from 8 p.m. until 12 midnight. Cost is $7.
•Health Care Reform Topic at LOWV
The League of WoMen Voters will have Mike Bertaut, Senior Healthcare Intelligence Analyst at Blue Cross Blue Shield of LA, discuss the proposed healthcare reform bill, on Friday, November 20, 2009 at Reeves Uptown Catering located at 1639 Ryan Street in Lake Charles. The presentation will be followed by questions from the audience. The cost is $15 for members and $18 for non-members.
The League urges the community to get informed on this very controversial issue and take corrective action by contacting your elected official.
Please make your reservation no later than 2 p.m. Thursday, November 19, 2009, by emailing President, Kay Andrews at info@lwv-lc.org or calling 474-1864
NOVEMBER 21
•Miss Christmas Under the Oaks Pageant
The Miss Christmas Under the Oaks Pageant is held annually in November in conjunctions with the Sulphur Christmas Under the Oaks Lighting Festival and the Christmas Parade of Balloons. This year the pageant is on November 21, 2009 in the Sulphur High School Auditorium. There are 10 age divisions for young ladies between 0 - 23 years of age. The queens in each division will receive beautiful custom designed rhinestone crowns with matching banner pins, full wraparound monogrammed banners and engraved silver trays. They will be presented at the festival and ride in the Sulphur Christmas Parade on the first weekend in December. The fee is $55 for early entries and $60 to enter on November 20 or at the door. There is a $10 sibling discount after the first contestant in a family. Photogenic and optional awards are included in the fee. Visit the web site at www.christmasundertheoaks.webs.com or call Fae Bergeron at 337-526-7832 or faebergeron@aol.com or JoAnne Dugas at 337-583-8505 or jasdugas@camtel.net for more information. Forms are available at the local pageant dress shops, Karen Ogden dance Studio, Henning Cultural Center. This pageant is open to all contestants and the queens are not contracted. The festival and parade are held on the first weekend in December and includes the Holiday House Shopping Extravaganza at the Henning Cultural center. The City of Sulphur will be decorated in all of it's finery where it snows every year! Very family oriented, there is no alcohol allowed and lots of things for the kids to enjoy. The musical entertainment will surely be of interest to the adults and the craft and food booths will be in abundance.
NOVEMBER 23
•Diabetes Awareness Day
The Moss Regional Medical Center Patient Education and Nutritional Services Departments along with SWLA Center for Health Services are hosting a Diabetes Awareness Day on November 23 from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Prien Lake Mall. The public is invited to stop by for free blood sugar checks as well as blood pressure checks. Diabetes-related health and nutrition information will be distributed and door prizes will be drawn. For more information contact the Moss Regional Patient Education Dept at 337-475-8279.
NOVEMBER 28 (deadline)
•Sulphur Kiwanis Club Balloon Parade
The Sulphur Kiwanis Club is currently gearing up for their annual Christmas Balloon Parade. The theme this year will be “Classic Children’s Christmas Stories.” The parade will be held on December 5, 2009 starting at W.W. Lewis Middle School and continue down Cypress Street to the Christmas Under the Oaks festivities. Please contact Millie Deville or Chris Foster at 528-9131 or 527-5066 if you have any questions or if you would be interested in being a parade sponsor this year. Entry forms maybe be picked up at Southwest Daily News, 716 E. Napoleon Street, or at City Savings Bank, 1520 Maplewood Drive. Deadline for entries is November 28, 2009.
DECEMBER 7
•First Monday in the Atrium
The Foundation at Lake Charles Memorial Hospital is pleased to present First Monday in the Atrium, a musical interlude held on the first Monday of each month from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. in the atrium at Memorial Hospital on Oak Park Boulevard.
December’s performance will be held on Monday, December 7, and will feature the Masterworks Choral Ensemble.
First Monday in the Atrium is free and open to the public. The performances are made possible thanks to the generous support of Business First Bank, The Eye Clinic and Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.
For more information on First Monday in the Atrium or The Foundation at Lake Charles Memorial Hospital, please call (337) 494-3226.
DECEMBER 16 & 17
•Care Help Christmas Project Application and Distribution Days
Care Help of Sulphur will be holding their Christmas Project application and distribution days on December 16 and 17 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Care Help located at 112 E. Thomas Street. All Sulphur residents who qualify will receive a food box and a care packet (soap, toothpaste, laundry detergent, etc.) Folks aged 58 and older will also receive a $50 gift card. Pick up an application at the Wise Penny Thrift Store, 200 N. Huntington Street. Questions? Please call 528-2273.
FEBRUARY 1, 2010
•VFW Outstanding Young Volunteer Contest
The Outstanding Young Volunteer Contest is for outstanding youth who submit, by February 1, 2010, three letters of recommendation from the organizations for which you volunteer. Contact VFW Post 8107 for more details.
MARCH 31, 2010
•VFW Young American Creative Art Contest
Young American Creative Art Contest for Grades 9 through 12. Please submit a sketch, painting or drawing of a patriotic theme. The deadline is March 31, 2010. Contact VFW Post 8107 for more details. Contact VFW Post 8107 for more details.
ONGOING
•‘Works of Men 2.0’ at Henning Cultural Center
The Brimstone Historical Society invites you to their newest art exhibit at the Henning Cultural Center. Last year’s “Works of Men” exhibit received great feedback from the community, so it has returned! “Works of Men 2.0” will be at the Henning Cultural Center from October 22 to November 19. The exhibit features artwork from several male artists from this area. This year’s artists include Geoff Russell, Matthew Tabor, Ralph “Pie” Sonnier, Troy Broussard, Brian Prudhomme, Charlie Guidry, and Drew LaBorde. Several different mediums will be on display, including oil paintings, photography, digital art, ironwork, wood crafting, and more. The Henning Cultural Center is located at 923 Ruth Street in Sulphur. For information about this exhibit, please call 337-527-0357.
•Sponsors Wanted for new Community Garden
The Maplewood/Hollywood Lions Club is looking for sponsors for the new Sulphur Community Garden that is located next to the Lions Club building at 3310 Maplewood Drive. Any business or non-profit organization interested in sponsoring a garden bed should call Lion Nancy Tower at (337) 842-7849 or leave a message at the Club by calling (337) 625-2516.
•Mayor’s Commission for the Needs of the Disabled
On the second Wednesday of each month, 10:30 a.m., the Mayor’s Commission for the Needs of the Disabled meet in the Sulphur City Council Chambers, 500 N. Huntington Street.
•CFO Offers Saturday Morning Sports Injury Clinic
Center for Orthopaedics (CFO) will be offering a Sports Injury Clinic for high school athletes every Saturday morning beginning August 29. The Sports Injury Clinic will be open from 8 to 10 a.m. at CFO’s new Lake Charles office, located at 1747 Imperial Blvd. (just off Nelson, 1/2 mile South of Country Club). CFO’s staff of orthopaedic and sports medicine physicians and support staff have extensive experience in working with local and national high school, college and professional athletes. Walk-in patients with sports injuries are accepted and no appointment is needed. The Sports Injury Clinic is offered as a convenient service for area athletes and will continue throughout the high school football season. Call 721-7CFO for more information or visit www.centerforortho.com.
•Shots for Tots Program
West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital is a provider of the Shots for Tots program. The schedule is as follows: First Saturday of each month, 8:30 a.m. to 12 noon, West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital, 701 Cypress Street, Sulphur; First Saturday of odd months, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., Vinton Medical Clinic, 1611 Hampton Street, Vinton; Second Thursday of each month, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., Dynamic Dimensions East, 602 Sam Houston Jones Parkway, Moss Bluff. There is a $10 fee for shots. Program is open to children, teens and adults. For more information, or for schedule changes, call (337) 527-4361 or visit www.wcch.com.
•WCCH Diabetes Support Group Held Monthly
A Diabetes Support Group meeting is held on the last Tuesday of the month at 11:30 a.m. at West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital in the Cafeteria Conference Room. This meeting is free to the public.
