Shannon Chevallier wears a lot of hats in our community. She is a nutritionist and community health specialist with the Louisiana Ag Center. She is on the Parks and Recreation Board and was honored by the Winn Chamber of Commerce as Volunteer of the Year. Shannon is a positive person and if you tell her she can’t do something she is determined to do it. She spoke to Kiwanis in her role as part of the Main Street program. The Main Street program is trying to revitalize Winnfield and look for opportunities to find funding. If we want Winnfield to look better it takes a community. We need to start with what we have and build on it. The programs are Main Street America, Main Street Louisiana and Main Street Winnfield. The Winnfield historic district includes Main Street all the way to the north side of Lafayette St. 

One project that is being worked on is “adopt a block”. A group or individual can adopt a block and keep that block looking good. A lot of traffic comes through Winnfield daily. The Stump Food Park is being spruced up. They painted a hopscotch area and are working on activities for kids where parents can sit and visit and kids can play. A concern is a gate for the fence that borders the highway but she has approval for that from DOTD. 

The sidewalk project has been approved. This is a $1 million project and is the effort of the Ag center, the city and DOTD. It should be starting soon. The second phase of the project requires another grant (TAP) that will be available in the near future. 

The start of the Arts Council is part of the Main Street program. At the beginning of the Main Street program they had to prove themselves. They needed $40,000. The city supplies $20,000 and fundraisers provide the other $20,000. 

“Love the boot” is a Main Street Louisiana project and will take place on April 5th. This is a city clean up. You can go to the “Love the Boot” website to sign up. There is another grant to paint murals on some of the buildings. 

The Main Street program has a member on the Chamber of Commerce and they work with them. Some of the members of the Main Street Board include Chevallier, Rhonda Howell, Lindlay Howell, Karli Stewart, and Tyler Pyles.

Shannon Chevallier has a heart to make our community a better place and to give back to the community.