The SWLA Alliance Connection
Your Chamber News Link |
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This Week! Women's Business Network & EXPO | | |
We have great events back to back to back this month. Tomorrow, the Women's Business Network is meeting at Treasures of Marilyn's from 11:30am to 1pm for a Technology update. On Thursday, we have two great events to get to know your fellow members!
 Expose Your Business!
March 21, 2013
8am to 12pm
Lake Charles Civic Center
Admission is $5
2013 EXPO Workshops
- 9am Customer Service with Sara Judson of Training Pathways
- 10am Microsoft Training with Steve Daigle
- 12pm Luncheon Program will feature Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Stephen Moret
Individual tickets to the workshops or lunch is $20 or $35 for both. Call Avon Knowlton for more information. To register online, use this link!
 This year's EXPO is possible due to sponsorships from CSE Federal Credit Union, Knight Media Printing, Access of Louisiana, Digikast, Southwest Louisiana Credit Union, Stockwell Sievert Law Firm, TownSquare Media, First Federal Bank, Chennault International Airport, City Savings Bank, American Press, AT&T, Billy Navarre, SCORE, AMERISAFE, Business Health Partners, Corporate Housing, Entergy, Healthy Image, InfoTECH Solutions, Sam's Wholesale Club, Southwest Beverage Company, and Picerne Military Housing.
 That night, everyone is invited to Business After Hours at Affordable Elegance. Located at 925 Enterprise Boulevard, Afforable Elegance offers unique decor and furniture. Business After Hours will be from 5:30pm to 7pm and there will be many door prizes! Admission is $5, but only $1 for Chamber SWLA members.
So, mark your calendar - March 21st - for the Business EXPO from 8am to 12pm, the EXPO luncheon from 12pm to 1pm, and Business After Hours from 5:30pm to 7pm. |
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Alliance Featured in National Magazine | | |
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What you and your organization can do: Ozone Attainment
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Action on Ozone Page
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New Members! | | |
DECON, LLC
Luxurious Retreats Travel
Next Generation Fitness & Research Labs LLC
Polaris Construction, Inc.
Training Pathways |
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Upcoming Ribbon Cuttings | |
Carboline's New Warehouse
Friday, March 22nd @ 2pm
2425 Fruge Street, Lake Charles
Trane
Wednesday, March 27th @ 11:30am
(Open House: 11AM- 2PM)
1145 E. McNeese, Lake Charles
(next to Avery Archives)
American Heart Association & CHRISTUS St. Patrick Hospital National Walking Path
Wednesday, April 3rd @ 11:30am
Drew Park
416 Dr. Michael DeBakey Drive, Lake Charles |
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Alliance to Hold Public Meeting Re: Fort Polk | |
On Wednesday, March 20, the SWLA Economic Development Alliance will host a public meeting from 2pm to 4pm at the Historic Courthouse in Leesville. This meeting is geared toward gathering information on the proposed Army Programmatic Environmental Assessment (PEA) for Fort Polk and will address information contained in current PEA and draft Finding of No Significant Impact. For more information, contact Avon Knowlton at 337-433-3632 or aknowlton@allianceswla.org. |
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Recent Ribbon Cuttings | |
Louisiana Designated Drivers is a nonprofit organization whose main objective is to save lives. They drive intoxicated people home with their cars. Their goal is to expand this service statewide and then nationwide, so they can save thousands of lives.
It is a simple process, you call and an insured driving team comes to meet you. One driver drives you home in your vehicle and the other driver follows. For the cost of a cab, they can get you home safely. They are a registered 501c3, so their service is 100% tax deductable.
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Statewide Elected Officials Provide Insight | |
The Chamber Southwest Louisiana brings two top Louisiana elected officials to give members a first hand report on federal and state issues over two events.
 On March 27, The Chamber hosts Breakfast with U.S. Senator David Vitter starting at 7:30am. Vitter is the new ranking member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. This important committee oversees the Corps of Engineers, Ports and infrastructure, vital to Southwest Louisiana.
On April 1, The Chamber hosts Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal at a luncheon starting at 12pm. (Lunch will be served at 11:45am)
Both events will be held at the Lake Charles Civic Center.
Admission for each event is $20 per person. Tables are available at the discounted rate of $140 per 8 person table.
To register online, go to either of these registration sites: Senator Vitter Breakfast or Governor Jindal Luncheon.
R.S.V.P. Lynette Clark at 337-433-3632 or via lclark@allianceswla.org no later than noon on Friday, March 22 for Vitter; and noon on Wednesday, March 27 for Jindal. |
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| Kudos | | 
Employees at the following companies donated to the United Way: Phillips 66 ($307,300), GRACE ($126,842), Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's Office ($57,330), Capital One Bank ($24,698), American Press ($24,464), Lake Charles Memorial Hospital ($22,621), Jeff Davis Parish Public Schools ($20,779), Brask, Inc. ($19,573), Sasol North America ($19,220), McNeese State University ($16,728), Calcasieu Parish School System Speech & Hearing Department ($11,363), Westwood Elementary ($8,721), Frasch Elementary ($8,129), Dolby Elementary ($6,395), Calcasieu Parish School System Special Education Department ($6,197), F. K. White Middle School ($6,155), M. J. Kaufman Elementary ($5,882), Calcasieu Parish School System Pupil Appraisal Department ($5,636), Calcasieu Parish District Attorney's Office ($5,483), and Henry Heights Elementary ($5,313). L'Auberge Casino Resort Lake Charles hosted the Fifth Annual Empty Bowl dinner benefiting the Salvation Army. The in-kind donation of $16,845 consisted of ballroom space and food and beverage donations. They also hosted CHRISTUS St. Patrick Hospital Foundation's Run with the Nuns Motorcycle Ride and Charity Event, contributing $11,190 in food and beverage donations and use of Touloulou's Bar & Grill. The Third Annual Run with the Nuns event raises funds for wellness and diagnostic services at CHRISTUS St. Patrick Hospital. L'Auberge Casino Resort Lake Charles also recently contributed $3,000 to the 26th Annual Black Heritage Festival in Lake Charles. The annual festival took place March 8 through 10 and featured zydeco, gospel and blues entertainment along with traditional food and art vendors.
History was made at Lake Charles Memorial Hospital on the morning of Wednesday, March 13. Dr. J. King White, a cardiologist with the Heart & Vascular Center, a part of the Memorial Medical Group became the first doctor in Louisiana to implant the first drug coated peripheral artery stent. The Zilver PTX Drug-Eluting Peripheral Stent (Zilver PTX Stent) is the first drug-eluting stent approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to re-open the femoropopliteal artery in the thigh, when narrowed or blocked as a result of peripheral artery disease (PAD). The stent is coated on its outer surface with the drug paclitaxel, a drug that helps prevent recurrent narrowing of arteries (restenosis). Dr. White was the principal investigator during a clinical trial for the Zilver PTX Stent, and is currently completing his five year follow-ups with patients that participated in trial.
Bayou Technologies, LLC, has moved! They are now located at 3026 Ryan Street in Lake Charles.
Keith Menard recently announced that Menard Eye Center has re-located to 4315 Lake Street, Ste. 2, in Lake Charles (next to Ship to Shore). The new clinic will provide eye care for all ages and urgent care during and after hours. |
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Our Community Calendar | | |
Here are some events taking place over the next couple of weeks!
The Southwest Louisiana Economic Development Alliance is now accepting applications for the following FastTrac© programs: NewVenture, and TechVenture. NewVenture, designed specifically for entrepreneurs in the early stages of business development, will take place April 24 through June 26 from 4:30pm to 7:30pm at the Burton Business Center at McNeese. TechVenture, designed to develop and/or hone the skills needed, as a technology entrepreneur, to understand the business behind the technology, will take place May 2 through July 4, from 4:30pm to 7:30pm at the Burton Business Center at McNeese. To register for either class, visit allianceswla.org.affiliate.fasttrac.org prior to April 11. Call Brittany Hebert at 337-433-3632 for more information.
The Frame House Gallery is offering a 25% off custom framing, 40% off all antique art and special pricing on framed sports and outdoor pieces sale during March. Visit them at 1640 Ryan Street in Lake Charles. Their number is 433-5530.
McNeese University's Leisure Learning is offering the following courses: Outdoor Portrait Photography, Mar 23; Kids/Teens Beginning Golf (Gr 3 & Up), Mar 25 - 28; Excel 2010, Level III: Frequently Used Functions, Mar 25 - 26; Ballroom Dance - Waltz & Foxtrot, April 1- May 6; Advanced Sushi, April 9; Word 2010, Introduction, April 1, 3; Hiring Top Talent, April 18. For course descriptions, go to www.mcneese.edu/leisure. Call 337-475-5616 to register.
Colleges Against Cancer, a student organization at McNeese State University dedicated to the mission of the American Cancer Society, invites everyone to join them for a laser tag tournament. The event will be held on Thursday, March 21st at the U.S.S. Orleck from 6pm-9pm. Tickets will be $20 per person and it includes at least two games of 10 minutes per person. All ages are welcome to participate. All proceeds will be donated to the American Cancer Society for cancer research. Please help the students in their efforts to raise money for the American Cancer Society. To register or for information about the event, call 337-433-5817 or email Ariel.Caraway@cancer.org.
McNeese's Small Business Development Center is hosting "Starting and Financing a Small Business" on March 21. This evening event will take place at the Burton Business Center (room 121) from 5pm to 7pm. There is no charge, but participants must pre-register by calling 337-475-5529 or emailing lsbdc.msu@lsbdc.org.
Live @ the Lakefront Music Fest concludes this Friday, March 22nd, with Ashes of Babylon (reggae) with the Lochness Mobsters (rock) from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Lakefront Promenade. For details, visit www.facebook.com/ArtsCouncilSWLA or call (337) 439-2787.
American pop rock band, Matchbox Twenty, will hit the stage of L'Auberge Casino Resort Lake Charles on Friday, March 22. Matchbox Twenty recently released its fourth album, "NORTH," which debuted at number one on the Billboard Top 200 album chart. Tickets will go on sale on Feb. 8, and can be purchased for $55 via www.ticketmaster.com. Must be 21. For more information on upcoming concerts log on to www.mylauberge.com or visit us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/laubergedulac.
American Cancer Society is having its Bark For Life - A Canine Event to Fight Cancer on Saturday, March 23, from 9am to 1pm at the Lake Charles Civic Center. This event is $20 entry per dog. For more information contact BarkForLifeSWLA@gmail.com or visit www.facebook.com/BarkForLifeSWLA.
CHRISTUS St. Patrick Hospital will hold a free foot screening on Saturday, March 23, from 8am to 12pm at the Center for Advanced Wound Healing located at the back entrance of the hospital on Lillian Street. Foot screenings can prevent foot problems. If you have poor circulation, nerve damage, previous foot ulcers, high blood sugar levels, skin changes, deformities, shoes that don't fit correctly or frequently walk barefoot, this screening is for you. The free foot screening is by appointment only and appointments are limited. To register, call 337-491-7577.
Southern Spice Restaurant will have its 16th annual anniversary celebration on March 23, from 5pm till 9pm. There will be live Cajun music, boiled crawfish and food & drink specials along with many door prizes throughout the evening!
The Calcasieu Historical Preservation Society announces its 38th Annual Palm Sunday Tour of Homes for March 24. Themed "Windows on the Water" the Tour will feature five distinctive homes with breathtaking lakeshore views on prestigious Shell Beach Drive. The Tour is set for 1pm to 5pm on that Sunday afternoon. A separate Traditional Sunday Brunch will be available by reservation with 121 Artisan Bistro (located at the gates of the historic Margaret Place Historic District) between 10:30am and 2:30pm. Tour of Homes ticket sales begin March 1 online at www.calcasieupreservation.org. Pre-sale Tour tickets are available for $10 (by cash or check) from Gordon's Drugs on Lake Street and the Arts and Humanities Council at Historic Central School. Tickets may be purchased on the day of the event for $15.
The Foreman-Reynaud Community Center will having a Spring Holiday Camp from March 25th through the 28th. For $12 a day, campers participate in Arts & Crafts, swim, watch movies, play games and get breakfast and lunch. Camp is from 7:45am to 4pm. Call 337-436-2500 for more information.
The Annual Fill the Truck Food Drive will be held this year from March 25 - March 30. Each person who donates 3 cans of food will receive 1 entrée at No Charge! Those who bring in a flat (or case) of cans will receive a free Value Meal! Chick-fil-A of Lake Charles is located at 3435 Nelson Road. Food may be donated between the hours of 6am and 10pm (inside the restaurant) Monday through Saturday.
Do you wanting to re-establish trust, intimacy and fun back into your relationship? Building a Positive Relationship for Couples is a hands-on course that helps couples reunite the passion back into their relationship. The course is divided into 2 sessions (2 hrs each) from 5:30 to 7:30 pm on March 26 & Apr 2. Cost $60/person. Another hands-on course is Managing Emotions which provides valuable techniques in understanding emotions and how to manage them and difficult personalities effectively. The date is April 3rd from 8:30 am - 12:30 pm. Cost $80/person. Mediated Solutions & Coaching, LLC is also offering parenting courses and a course on Helping Someone Deal with Separation/Divorce on April 23 from 5:30 - 7:30 pm. Cost $40. To learn more about each course and to register, please go to www.mediatorandcoach.com.
The City of Lake Charles will host a new traveling exhibition, Pueblo to Pueblo: The Legacy of Southwest Indian Pottery. The exhibition will be on display at the 1911 Historic City Hall Arts & Cultural Center at 1001 Ryan Street through May 25. All ages are welcome at no charge and refreshments will be served.
Do you want to know more about Federal Contract Negotiations? Louisiana Procurement Technical Assistance Center, Louisiana Economic Development, the Louisiana Small Business Development Center at McNeese, and The Southwest Louisiana Economic Development Alliance will host a comprehensive overview of the negotiation process in federal contracting. This event will be from 9am to 11am at the Chalkley Room at the Burton Coliseum. This event is free, but pre-registration is required. Register with your name, company, address, email and phone to prs6182@louisiana.edu or by calling 800-206-3545. Registration deadline is March 25.
On Tuesday, March 26, at 6pm, the ENT & Aesthetic Center of West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital will host a free seminar entitled "The Secret to Aging Beautifully," at Dynamic Dimensions in Sulphur. The evening's featured speaker is Harold Bienvenu, MD, board certified facial plastic and cosmetic surgeon. Dr. Bienvenu will speak about new surgical and non-surgical treatments and techniques for reversing the signs of aging. The seminar is free; however, seating is limited. To reserve a seat, please call (337) 527-5459. Light refreshments will be served. Attendees will be entered in a drawing for a chance to win one of two free makeup consultations.
Dr. Geoffrey Collins, orthopaedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist with Center for Orthopaedics, will be the guest speaker at a free seminar, "Race Past Running Injuries," beginning at 5:30pm on Tuesday, March 26, at Center for Orthopaedics. Dr. Collins is also a Team Physician for McNeese State University's Athletic Department, and will discuss the prevention and treatment of common running injuries. Seating is limited and pre-registration is requested. Call 337-721-2903 or register online at www.centerforortho.com. Refreshments will be served. Center for Orthopaedics, an affiliate of Imperial Health, is located at 1747 Imperial Blvd. in Lake Charles.
The West Calcasieu Chamber of Commerce is holding their Empowering Women Luncheon on March 28, from 12pm to 1pm in Frasch Park (400 Picard Road, Sulphur). The keynote speaker is Federal Judge Patricia Minaldi. Tickets are $15 for West Calcasieu Members and $20 for non-members. Call 337-313-1121 to purchase your tickets.
Knowing how to keep your colon healthy, how often you should be screened for colorectal cancer, and what you should look for from a physician who performs your screenings can greatly reduce your risk of developing colorectal cancer - an all-too-often silent killer. To learn more about the steps you can take to keep your colon healthy, attend Colon Health: What You Don't Know Could Be Hurting You with Dr. Frank Marrero, a board certified gastroenterologist with Digestive Health Center, a part of the Memorial Medical Group. Colon Health: What You Don't Know Could Be Hurting You is a free seminar being held Thursday, March 28 at 12 noon in the Shearman Conference Center at Lake Charles Memorial Hospital on Oak Park Boulevard. Reservations are required at least 24 hours in advance, and a light lunch will be provided. For more information or to reserve your seat, please visit www.lcmh.com/seminar or call (337) 494-2936. You can also watch this seminar live by visiting www.lcmh/watch.
L'Auberge Casino Resort invites you to Throw Back with Jack, a series of concerts and events starting with the Chee Weez on March 28, Bag of Donuts on March 29, and The Molly Ringwalds on March 30. Tickets are $5 and door open at 8pm.
The Foreman-Reynaud Community Center is now offering swim lessons! For $5 a day, your child can learn how to swim from 5pm to 6pm, Monday through Friday. Three to Four year olds are learning now, five to six year olds start April 2nd, seven to eight year olds start April 29th, nine to ten year olds start June 3rd, and eleven to twelve year olds start July 8th. For more information, call 337-436-2500.
Dr. Ray Miles, Dean, College of Liberal Arts at McNeese State University, will conduct a gallery talk on Thursday, April 4, from 6pm to 8pm at 1911 Historic City Hall Arts and Cultural Center located at 1001 Ryan Street in Lake Charles. His talk entitled "Art Traditions among the Pueblo Indians" will cover the many different types of artistic expression, the cultural aspects of it, and how the Pueblo peoples have managed to keep these traditions thriving. The event will be open to all ages at no charge and is being held in conjunction with "Pueblo to Pueblo: The Legacy of Southwest Indian Pottery"currently on display.
CHRISTUS St. Patrick Hospital will host a free Abdominal Aortic Aneurism (AAA) Screening on Saturday, April 6, from 8am to Noon on the second floor of the hospital, at 524 Dr. Michael DeBakey Drive. If you are a male over the age of 60 with high blood pressure, high cholesterol and a history of smoking, you are at risk. AAA is among the top 13 leading causes of all deaths in the U.S. and the third leading cause of sudden death in men. If an aneurysm can be discovered before it ruptures, death can be prevented. The screening is by appointment only and appointments are limited. To register, call 337-491-7577.
On Saturday, April 6, International Dance Company will host a Women's Self-Defense workshop from 2pm to 4pm. The cost is $20 per person and will be taught by Canaan Heard, owner of Next Generation Fitness. Call or email Sarah Ford to register at 337-499-6933 or internationaldancecompanyus@gmail.com. International Dance Company is located at 530 W. McNeese.
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If there is anything you want to share with your fellow members and SWLA business leaders, let me know.
Sincerely,
The SWLA Economic Development Alliance |
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