Shown at Tuesday Kiwanis meeting are Lamar Tarver, Mary Lou Blackley, Bill Gaddis, Margaret Coon t. Gov. Danny Wilburn and Rita James.
Danny Wilburn, Kiwanis Lt. Governor for Division 11, was guest speaker at the January 14 Kiwanis club meeting. This was his first visit to the Winnfield club because he was not available for the Installation Banquet.
He is a native of Pineville and a member of the Pineville Kiwanis club. He graduated from Pineville High School and was involved with the Key Club while in high school. The Key club is the Kiwanis high school version of Kiwanis. He worked for Cenla Forms Management (a family company) which merged with Peregrine Solutions a few years ago and he continues to work with them.
He joined Kiwanis in 1983 when he was invited by a customer to a meeting and he could not refuse. He did not actually know he was going to a Kiwanis meeting until he got there. There were several people in the club that he already knew so he was happy to join. He has served and currently serves as treasurer of the Pineville club along with his duties as Lt. Governor.
There are 6 clubs in Division 11 at this time. They are Alexandria, Pineville, Leesville, Natchitoches, Winnfield, and a new club that just formed in Many.
Wilburn was at the club to encourage members. He knows that Winnfield is a busy club with service projects such as Toys for Kids and Terrific Kids and three fundraisers. He believes that kids need Kiwanis more than ever. Communication is a key and he congratulated Winnfield Kiwanis on its Facebook page. One need here and the need of other clubs is an increase in membership.
There is much information available on the district website as well as the international website and it would be helpful if Kiwanians checked it out. The Mid-Winter conference to be held in Natchez, Mississippi, is coming up in March and it will offer lots of good information.
Kiwanis meets on Tuesdays at noon at Mama’s Iron Skillet in the front room.
Beginning a career as a physician in the 1880s was difficult. For Dr. Arthur, it was more difficult than for many other of his former classmates because Dr. Arthur was from a poor family. By the time he entered medical school in Edinburgh, Scotland, Arthur’s father had died and left behind a widow and ten children. The only way Arthur was able to enroll in medical school in the first place was from the generosity of one of his uncles. While in school, Arthur apprenticed for a couple of different doctors who made so little money in their profession that rather than earning a salary, Arthur received room and board. At that time, doctors made and sold a lot of their own medicines. One of the doctors under whom Arthur apprenticed charged no consultation fee. His only source of income came from the sale of his medicines.
In the spring of 1882, Dr. Arthur was invited to join the practice of one of his classmates in Plymouth, England. Dr. Arthur readily agreed and began seeing patients in the little room his former classmate had set up for him. Mostly, he dealt with cases that his former classmate did not want to handle. Within a couple of months, Dr. Arthur’s former classmate’s attitude inexplicably changed toward him. Finally, Dr. Arthur decided to leave the practice and to open his own practice in the town of Portsmouth with the little money he had saved up.
By the time he rented an apartment that doubled as a doctor’s office, which he furnished with what he referred to as not second-hand but tenth-hand furniture, Dr. Arthur was nearly broke. His only reserve consisted of the 10 gold pieces withheld for his upcoming rent. His doctor’s office was furnished with only a table for surgery and two stools. His trunk served as his dining table and his pantry. For months, he survived on bread, bacon, and tea, and on the rare occasion, a piece of sausage. From the beginning, he received only a few stray patients of the poorest class, most of whom owed money to other doctors. Like one of the doctors he apprenticed for, Dr. Arthur charged no fee for consultations, only for his medicines. At times, Dr. Arthur had to wait to mail a letter because he could not afford a stamp. After several months, Dr. Arthur had built up his practice, but money was still somewhat scarce. Some of his patients were tradespeople who, rather than paying in cash, paid with their trade. For example, Dr. Arthur treated one grocer who suffered from epileptic fits who paid him in butter and tea. Dr. Arthur’s practice was far from being financially successful.
Dr. Arthur was a voracious reader, mainly out of necessity. At the expense of a couple of meals, Dr. Arthur became a member of the local circulating library. While waiting for the occasional poor stray patient to come in need of his services, Dr. Arthur read a plethora of books. Beginning in medical school, Dr. Arthur wrote short stories for extra pocket money. Eventually, the work he did for extra pocket money outshone his work as a medical doctor. It is to our benefit that Dr. Arthur’s practice was not more successful. Had Dr. Arthur been content with his wages as a physician, we may never have heard of his most famous creation, Sherlock Holmes. Dr. Arthur was Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
Last week we talked about the early journey of my life and the difficulties I faced before the age of 9. Today we’ll continue this journey of perseverance and determination, along with two people who changed the course of my life forever.
At the ripe old age of seven, and with my Little League baseball career on hold due to an age issue, I truly struggled in school the entire first half of the school year. Then that Christmas in 1968 my aunt and uncle (Laverne and Loyd Graf Jr.) came to Rosenberg, Texas, and brought me to their home in Northeast Texas…Mt. Pleasant.
My aunt enrolled me in school there and I spent Christmas break and the entire spring and early summer trying to get caught up so I could finish out the first grade. I was also blessed to have a 1st grade teacher by the name of Mickey Sinclair who played a huge roll in me passing and moving on to the 2nd grade.
This was when my life began to change for the good. I passed the first grade and spent the entire summer of ’68 there with my aunt and uncle working and playing on their ranch. It was an awesome summer as I made new friends and met my best bud…. Kevin Owsley. We took swimming lessons and played on the same Pee Wee League team, the Yankees!
We had some great sleep overs and camping trips while becoming as close as brothers. I also learned how to fish and what it meant to do chores on our ranch. It really was the best summer of my life! It was also the beginning of my baseball playing career and it didn’t take me long to realize, this sport was going take me places. God had blessed me with athletic ability and a good throwing arm. Turns out, sports gave me a purpose in life and a sense of belonging.
At the end of the summer of ’68, my bio mom came and picked me up and took me back to Houston where I started the 2nd grade. I really missed my aunt and uncle, along with all my friends back in Mt. Pleasant. Once again, there I was at the age of 8 and back into the same bad environment, struggling in school, but this time my mom had moved us to Houston.
I was staying out till all hours of the night and running the streets of Houston while living in an apartment complex that did not have the best people living there. With so much freedom and mingling with thieves and drug dealers on a regular basis, bad temptations were a constant. I was actually smoking cigarettes and if you’re wondering, Marlboro was my choice of sticks. Now instead of just looking for food in the neighborhood, I’m also looking for smokes.
During my time in Houston, I always knew that the people I was hanging with were not held in high esteem. For some reason, (only God knows) I separated myself from them and tried to keep my distance. One thing that came out of this, was the fact that I became street wise at a very early age and learned how to read people pretty quick. No doubt that the Lord above was looking out for me at this time of my life as I was headed down the wrong road.
Failing the 2nd grade at Christmas…again… Aunt Laverne and Uncle Jr. drove to Houston and picked me up and took me back to Mt. Pleasant for good. Once again, I found myself doing extra schoolwork during the holidays and the following spring of ’69 to get caught up and pass the 2nd grade. But for me, my biggest joy was the fact that I was back with my friends and playing baseball once again for the Pee Wee League Yankees. By the way, the Yankees in two seasons under Coach James Stansell, were 24-0!!!
Then a day that’s burned in my memory occurred. At the end of the summer of ’69, my bio mom showed up and was planning on taking me back to Houston. But my aunt and uncle stepped in and said “no” and felt it was better for me to stay with them permanently. So, I remember quite vividly the day my mom gave me a hug and a kiss on the cheek and told me how much she loved me as I watched her with sadness in my heart, drive away for the last time. Even though I talked with her maybe a handful of times, I never saw her again until the day of her funeral.
To this day, I can’t imagine how hard this must have been for her, but looking back, she knew it was the best thing she could ever do for me. As a parent myself with three awesome kids, I cannot even fathom giving up any one of them for any reason! Sadly, my bio mom was just not capable of raising two boys on her own since she had already divorced for the second time. But for me, I finally had some consistency and direction in my life and all was good!
Next week I’ll wrap up this incredible journey and give credit to the two people who made a commitment to a young boy and put him on the path to success.Till next time, good luck, good fishing and don’t forget your sunscreen.
When a coil in the attic cooling unit at Winnfield Senior High School gave way over the weekend, flood waters caused extensive damage to the front office and ran down the halls. But it could have been worse.
Everything seemed fine when the staff left the building at the end of the school day Friday, January 3. “Fortunately, the principal came in to work on Saturday instead of today,” Supt. Al Simmons told the School Board on Monday night.
He described the water damage as “extensive” as it came through the ceiling, onto the desks and floors, damaging computers, files, phones. “Anything that can be damaged by water, was.” Because of the quick response by school personnel and maintenance to the disaster, damage was concentrated mainly to the front office area.
Principal Chase Bartlett told the Journal that when he entered the building Saturday, water was running 2 inches deep down the hall. It had pooled in some rooms. He said he began calling staff and school personnel. “Their response was immediate.”
Simmons said “all sorts of people worked through the weekend to get things cleaned up. It was more than just mopping up. There were all the soaked and damaged materials to remove. We brought in professionals to remove the humidity. We also had to move around a couple of classrooms so all would be ready for students when they returned Tuesday.”
He added that there were no issues with lost data although some of the paper files may have to be replaced.
Of the damage, Bartlett observed, “It is what it is,” as the school moved forward this week with classes as usual. “I just want to thank the many who spent their time to help us through this.”
When the Journal on January 3 spotted flashing lights and fire vehicles on S. Beville Street beside First Baptist Church, it stopped for a photo. The Winnfield Fire Department had responded to a reported natural gas leak and the situation was under control.
This case was evidence that the department responds to a broad spectrum of public safety events, not just to put out raging house fires which makes for good “press.”
“As the Fire Department, our primary goal is actually fire prevention,” Fire Chief Brian Montgomery told the Journal. “We work with public education on show how to prevent fires in the first place. This cuts down on the events themselves.
“Unfortunately, there are still a wide range of calls that occur and we train, trying to prepare for them all. These calls could be fires of structures, cars and trucks, equipment, woods, grass or tracts. We also respond to hazardous materials calls like natural gas leaks or gasoline spills. And there’s a whole line of emergency calls like lift assistance if someone elderly has fallen or individuals who are unresponsive, needing CPR.
“Our goal is to provide the most professional, well-trained response that we can.” The chief pointed out “we always thank citizens and bystanders for any help they can provide.”
Joe Lynn Browning was elected president of the Winn Parish School Board, with Lacey McManus elected vice president. With them is Supt. Al Simmons.
The Winn Parish School Board, in its first meeting of the 2025 calendar year, elected their president and vice president to lead that body over the next 12 months.
Joe Lynn Browning was picked to return for his fifth term as president over the negative votes of Joe Llaine Long, Lacey McManus and Mike Riffe. Browning was nominated by outgoing vice president Patrick Howell. He’s served on the board for 40 years.
Lacey McManus was picked to serve as vice president. She was nominated by Joe Llaine Long. She told the Journal, “I look forward to this new year.”
Browning told the Journal that money in Winn Parish will be a primary concern to the board. “When we lose students, we lose money. We will need to look ahead to next year, not just next week, and work with the superintendent on our budget. We don’t want to wake up one morning to find we are bankrupt.”
He added that he’s looking forward to getting lighting on the Dodson High School baseball and softball fields. In action Monday night, the board approved a contract with Halff Engineering for services relating to construction of a parking lot for the ball fields. Lighting and electrical work is being handled through a separate contract already in place.
Lighting for the ball fields plus parking, a dream at DHS for some 20 years, is now under contract.
Icicles hanging from the west wall of the Lasyone Insurance parking garage attest to the freezing temperatures experiences by Winn this week.
Winn enjoyed a balmy Sunday despite story rains in the afternoon. But residents awoke to freezing temperatures Monday morning. Homeowners who hadn’t covered tender vegetation may have wished they had.
With weather predictions of possible ice or even snow by Friday, some questions of “would school be called off” had been floating around but at the Monday night meeting of the Winn Parish School Board, Supt. Al Simmons said that the situation would be closely monitored but no early calls made.
“Our primary priorities are two questions. Is it safe for our students and staff to travel? And will there be electricity at the schools when they get there? If the answer to these is both “Yes,” there will be school.”
He pointed out that contacts with the Weather Service confirmed there are always variables in the when, where and how much of conditions. While some areas could be hard-hit, others may not to affected so much.
Again he advised the board that weather and these safety conditions will be closely monitored and the public will be informed of any developments. Watch for notification.
Santa and Mrs. Claus took requests at the Santa House this Christmas season and also appeared in the Christmas Parade and Shop with a Cop Parade.
Santa and Mrs. Claus spent a lot of time in Winnfield prior to Christmas Eve’s deliveries before returning to the North Pole. He recently sent the following note to the children here:
“Santa and Mrs. Claus would like to thank all the people of Winnfield and surrounding areas for coming to see us in the Winnfield Christmas Parade and stopping by the Santa House. We thank everyone who assisted us while we were in Winnfield…you are too many to name.
“We always enjoy seeing the kids, parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles. Santa loves talking with all. This year was the year for babies, from ages 4 days old and up. We thought you’d like to know that dinosaurs were the No. 1 request this year. We look forward to seeing all the good boys and girls Christmas 2025.”
January Is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month. Cervical cancer is highly preventable and curable if detected and treated early. It is most commonly diagnosed in women between the ages of 35 and 50; however, older women are still at risk. According to the American Cancer Society, more than 20% of cervical cancers are found in women over 65. However, these cancers rarely occur in women who have been getting regular screenings. You can lower your risk for cervical cancer by getting screened regularly, starting at age 21.
Symptoms
Cervical cancer usually develops slowly over time. It its early stages, it usually does not present any symptoms. Rather, symptoms usually begin to appear once the cancer has progressed. It is important to listen to your body and consult your health care professional if you notice a change in your menstrual cycle or experience pelvic pain.
Prevention
One of the best forms of prevention is regular screenings. NRMC OB/GYN Associates encourages women aged 21 and above to get screened. Regular screening tests and pelvic exams are important because many times cervical cancer does not present any symptoms.
Treatment
Different types of treatment options are available for cervical cancer. Before a treatment plan is established, many factors will be considered, such as the cancer stage, family history and patient’s overall health.
NRMC has created a comprehensive cancer care network that includes NRMC OB/GYN Associates board certified physicians and NRMC Cancer Center specialists, along with other cancer care team members, who all work together to provide a precise treatment plan.
For more information on cervical cancer screenings or to schedule an appointment, please call NRMC OB/GYN Associates at 318.214.5773.
Rotarians Mary Lou Blackley and Kim Futrell stand beside a cache of Christmas gifts that Rotary Club members purchased for foster children in Winn Parish.
Winnfield Rotary Club members Mary Lou Blackley, Kim Futrell and Bo Walker made a big delivery to the local Children’s Advocacy Network office on South Jones Street on Friday, December 13, when they brought dozens of wrapped and tagged Christmas gifts purchased by Rotary members for children in foster care.
The purchases were made based on the wish lists of the children to be delivered for Christmas by Court Appointed Special Advocates, DCFS caseworkers or Christy King, CAN coordinator for Winn Parish. The club was provided with the ages, genders and wish lists of various Winn Parish children in foster care.
Rotarians shopped for, purchased, wrapped and tagged the gifts with identifying information, and brought them to the Rotary Christmas party to be delivered to the CAN office the following day. The gifts ran the gamut from books to headphones to bicycles. This is the fourth year Winnfield’s Rotary club has played “Santa Claus” for local children in foster care.
Christy King, coordinator for the local office of the Children’s Advocacy Network, was special guest of the Winnfield Rotary Club at its meeting on December 18. The Children’s Advocacy Network [CAN] is a volunteer organization that exists to support and speak on behalf of children in difficult or traumatic home situations. The local office has been open for eight years.
The main focus of CAN is on recruiting volunteers to serve as Court Appointed Special Advocates for children who are the subject of actions brought by Louisiana’s child protection office to have the children declared in need of care so they can be placed in foster care as wards of the state. As Ms. King explained, in such legal proceedings, every interested party—the state of Louisiana, mother, father, and child(ren)—has an attorney to speak for them in the court.
While the children have their own attorney, usually appointed by the court, the attorney focuses on the legal issues in the case and has little time to spend getting to know the children and their individual needs. The Court Appointed Special Advocate system provides children faced with the prospect of entering foster care with a counselor/mentor/friend who gets to know them individually and can speak on their behalf from a personal perspective.
CAN offices provide counselors to interview children alleged to have been subjected to sexual abuse in a warm and homey neutral environment so the experience is less traumatic for the children. They make referrals for therapy, vaccinations, medical and dental treatment as well, and help the Department of Children and Family Services and foster parents providing for all needs of the foster children.
Central Louisiana’s Children Advocacy Network covers seven parishes, including Avoyelles, Catahoula, Concordia, Grant, LaSalle, Rapides and Winn. There are currently 58 children who were placed in foster care while residents of Winn Parish. Some are housed in foster care outside the parish because Winn Parish does not have enough qualified foster parents to care for that many children.
Ms. King reported that her office needs more CASA volunteers, as she has only ten at present. The qualifications require volunteers to be 21 years or older, pass a local, state and national background check, successfully complete the CASA training and commit to at least two years of service as a CASA volunteer.
The Grove Street Recreation Center will be the site of a “Hula Hoop Making Event” this Saturday, January 11, from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m., according to LSU AgCenter agent Shannan Chevallier.
The Hula Hoop has been able to hold America’s interest since it first appeared in the 1950s. So what will you need to make your own this Saturday?
“All you need is to call the Recreation Center and reserve your spot ahead of time. Then show up for a good time,” assures Chevallier. “You’ll be able to leave with your homemade Hula Hoop.”
This fun for-all-ages crafts event is funded by The Rapides Foundation but there are limited spots available. Those interested are encouraged to book their spot by calling Amanda at 318-628-0246. Sponsors also include the City of Winnfield and LSU AgCenter.
Any other questions may be directed to Shannan Chevallier at 318-623-7732.
With temperatures dipping near or below freezing in parts of the state this week, Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF) Commissioner Mike Strain, D.V.M., urges livestock and pet owners to take necessary precautions to protect their animals. This is also the time to protect plants, pipes, and, of course, people.
Over the last two years, I’ve tried to write articles that I thought would be interesting to read. Most have been stories about my fishing experiences, and a few have been about whatever is on my mind. But for the next three weeks, I’m going to introduce you to the writer who was born in Richmond, Texas, on March 7,1961.
As a child between the ages of 5 to 8 years old, I grew up in the Houston area. We lived in the small town of Rosenberg, Texas, until the age of 8. As you will see, this is a story about a young boy who overcame a lot to get to where he is today. So, pay close attention because this road was filled with a lot of potholes and obstacles that had to be overcome.
To understand my life’s journey, you must understand how it all began. My biological mom and dad divorced in 1960 while she was pregnant with me. My dad was in the military stationed in Germany when they decided to part ways for whatever reason.
While I never got to meet my dad, I’ve heard stories about him from other family members over the years. He had great athletic talent and enjoyed a beer or two while chasing the ladies on Friday and Saturday nights. Ah ha…. Probably the reason they got divorced!
My biological mother was not the mother who raised me. The lady I would eventually call mom was actually my aunt (biological mother’s sister). My bio mother was a beautiful lady who also had an extravert personality and was the life of the party wherever she went.
She lit up a room when she walked in with her smile, charm and beauty. She had a career as a model and traveled frequently while trying to raise two boys: Kenny (my younger stepbrother) and myself. Sadly, she was not a responsible parent as we spent a lot of time with babysitters including families that did not speak much English.
My brother and I were often split up during her trips out of town for days at a time. Sometimes she would leave us two to three days longer than she was supposed to. There were several occasions where the sitters would call the police scared to death that we had been abandoned!
Before my delivery date of March 7th of 1961, my bio mom had another son (Mike) five years before me who she walked away from after the divorce. Mike was raised by our grandparents on our dad’s side. He (who I eventually reunited with in 2016) was a great athlete and was a product of Sam Houston High School and went on to have a successful college football career in the mid 1970’s as a running back for East Texas State (now Texas A&M Commerce).
During my early childhood in Rosenberg, I started the first grade and really struggled due to the lack of guidance from home. My mother, who was never home, remarried to a wife beating cop who I despise to this day. My stepdad could have cared less about his only son Kenny (my stepbrother) or myself.
Several times I witnessed my mother’s beatings…. something a 7-year-old should never have to witness. Kenny and I were pretty much on our own and raising ourselves. Being the big bother and part time caretaker, I literally hid food under my bed to make sure we had something to eat! I made sure we never went without food. According to my aunt (eventual adopted mom), I continued this practice for the first year I lived with her and my uncle as well.
Always looking for our next meal, one thing I became very good at during this time of survival was sneaking into people’s houses and helping myself to whatever food was within reach. That’s right, I was the neighborhood brat who nobody liked. But one thing was clear, there was no one better at sneaking around a house than me.
At no point was I ever seen or caught while navigating through our neighborhood houses on Rosenburg’s Walger street. I never stole anything of value, only food. But had I stayed in this environment, I’m sure I would have ended up in juvenile detention before the age of 10.
Friends were never a part of my early days in Rosenberg, except for maybe one or two, but their parents didn’t like their kids hanging around with me. I never understood why people didn’t like me knocking on their door at 6:00 in the morning wanting little Johnny to come out and play.
Even with all the challenges I faced on a daily basis, there was a day that changed my life forever. It was the day I realized God had blessed me as an athlete and the ability to play baseball. One early spring day I heard they were having baseball tryouts for Little League. With my baseball glove on my handlebars and so excited, I jumped on my bike and rode to the local park where the tryouts were taking place.
After arriving, I jumped off the bike and got in line to take ground balls like everyone else was doing. But there was one thing that got my attention; these guys were a lot bigger than me! But for some odd reason, this did not seem to faze me.
As the coach hit a ground ball my way, I scooped it up and made an impressive hard throw to the coach. Seeing the shock on his face he called me over for a talk. I knew I had made an impression as he asked how old I was. I told him seven going on eight, thinking this would not be a problem. He smiled and said, “Son, you’re going to be a great player one day, but your too young to play Little League at this time.” He told me to come back when I was old enough.
Crushed, disappointed, angry and crying, I got back on my bike and road home upset over how they wouldn’t let me play. I mean I was almost eight years old and just couldn’t understand! Obviously, a seven-year-old child does not have the ability to reason. After all, I knew I was one of the best players on that field that day and couldn’t wait to show all of them what the future held for me!
Unfortunately, none of them ever knew the success that would eventually come my way later in life since I moved from Rosenberg to Mt. Pleasant, Texas, before I could play Little League.
Next week I’ll continue my life’s incredible journey so make sure to follow-up with next week’s article and see just how blessed I have been and how two people would change my life forever.
