Thibodaux Chamber Of Commerce Blog

I must’ve made at least ten u-turns, and I still could not find the location of the meeting. After a frantic call to my husband and his search on MapQuest, I finally found it. And I vowed at that moment to purchase a GPS as soon as the meeting ended.

Okay, I admit it, I’m directionally challenged. Put simply, I can’t find my way out of a wet paper bag!

So I’ve got my GPS now, and I’m not a gadget person, but I’m loving this thing. All I have to do is plug in the address of my destination, and it plots my route for me. Regardless of what wrong turns I may take, what pit stops I make, or what opportunities for retail therapy I partake in, it keeps me on the right path.

To me, the job of a leader is similar in many ways. Stick with me, here, I do know where I’m going this time!

First of all, as a leader, you need to always have in mind the big picture. What is the ultimate goal? Where are we heading? What is our destination? You need to keep your team focused and on the right track, regardless of what side trips and detours they may take.

What’s really cool about my GPS is that when I do make a wrong turn or miss a turn, the oh-so-pleasant voice chimes in and says, “In 100 yards make a u-turn.” The voice doesn’t yell at me in exasperation, telling me that I’ve messed up once again. It simply gives me a nudge to get me back on the right path.

Your team members may need that nudge to get them headed in the right direction once again. Berating, shouting, and criticizing will only fluster them more. Your job is to help them to develop their skills. When a baby is learning to walk, we don’t yell and criticize him because he falls. We gently pick him up and set him on his feet again.  Your role is similar in that team members fall occasionally, especially when trying out new skills, and they will look to you to set them straight again. You should gently and patiently guide them in the right direction.

The day that I made the ten u-turns, (okay, maybe I exaggerate a little to make my point), I had passed up the building and didn’t even know it. My GPS would have known exactly where I was in relation to my route and my ultimate destination and would have given me that feedback.

Team members want – and often crave – feedback. They typically just want to know where they stand. Sometimes “bad” news is better than no news at all. I don’t know anybody who looks forward to performance appraisal time. I coach managers to give their employees constant feedback. If they’re doing great, let them know. What gets acknowledged and rewarded is repeated. (And yes, even if they’re just doing their job, you should acknowledge them!) If they need a nudge to get back on track, give it to them.

The job of leader, manager, or supervisor can be frustrating at times. But it can also be very rewarding and fulfilling as well. Keep your eye on the ultimate destination and remember my GPS. Sometimes all that is needed is a gentle nudge – and maybe a u-turn or two!

Jennifer Ledet has helped hundreds of organizations transform their businesses from the inside out. To receive your (FREE!) report, “The Top 5 Ways Leaders Shoot Themselves in the Foot” and tips on becoming a better leader and communicator, go to www.ledetmanagement.com .

Injury to Competitive Competition: Bridging the Gap

Physical therapy covers a broad range- from treating severe injury or surgery to returning the patient to an active life style or to competitive sports.  Physical therapists often have to bridge this gap.

There are several common factors within this broad range.

Initially, a good medical evaluation is taken. Dates of injury or surgery are noted.  Types of injury (sudden, traumatic, repetitive or overuse) are noted.  Past history of previous injury or other medical conditions may also be noted.  Objective information is then taken: assessment of range of motion, of strength and special tests that evaluate neurological, musculoskeletal, and circulatory system, to name a few.  Often a comprehensive biomechanical assessment is needed to determine muscle spinal, or peripheral joint imbalances or dysfunctions.  This is important in early rehabilitation of orthopedic surgery when trying to protect the surgical sight, as well as tweeking an athlete’s throwing or running mechanics just prior to his or her competitive performance.

After initial evaluation, a plan of care (POC) is made.  This can cover a large range. The POC is quite different for a surgical patient who has just undergone surgery compared to a high level athlete getting ready for performance.

Consistent areas of evaluation and treatment within this broad range are the following:

1. Postural alignment and biomechanics:  both static and dynamic posture is observed and noted, looking for both structural and muscular imbalances.
2. Strength and range of motion: imbalances of strengths and range of motion are noted by the therapist.
3. Squatting/jumping, functional mechanics: the therapist evaluates athlete’s spine, hip, knee, arches of feet during functional movements.  Proper mechanics are essential early on and especially during competitive sports.
4. Balance: the athlete is evaluated in different balance activities as simple as single leg standing, to having the athlete balance on an unstable wobble board while having him/her catching various objects in multiple planes of motion.  Work is usually needed to improve kinesthetic deficiencies.
5. Running and throwing form: the PT evaluates the athlete’s running in linear direction, both forward and backwards.  The arm swing is noted.  Evaluating throwing mechanics requires a keen eye as well as a good understanding of anatomy and biomechanics.
6. Change of direction: this is a progression from running and jumping. The therapist assesses the athlete’s mechanics while the athlete quickly changes directions, starting and stopping and making cuts.  Close attention is required at assessing spine, hip and knee alignment when improving movement skills.
7. Power, agility, and speed: the physical therapist evaluates the athlete’s ability to perform plyometrics, foot work and agility drills.  This may include single leg hops, box jumping, to pure speed training.

As a physical therapist who works with athletes, one of the most rewarding things to me is helping patients from start to finish to reach their goals.  Athletes can enter into this broad range at various areas of this spectrum, whether patients are just starting rehab after major surgery, or if athletes have small muscle strain causing them to alter their mechanics. The common areas above are still evaluated and tested as one can see, much is involved when it comes to “Bridging the Gap”

Subject: Poison ivy, poison sumac and poison oak.  Easy to Treat, Difficult to avoid.

Poison ivy, poison sumac and poison oak

Who can resist what summer brings us – beautiful weather for gardening,
flowers blooming, tennis, fishing and playing outdoors for the children?
Unfortunately, the nasty weeds-poison ivy, poison sumac and poison oak- grow
alongside our beautiful flowers and can cause itching, discomfort and
frustration to those allergic to them.

Poison ivy, poison sumac and poison oak are the group of plants that cause
the most allergic reactions in the United States. Poison ivy rash is an
allergic rash (dermatitis) caused by contact with an oil called urushiol,
found in the sap of these plants. It is a colorless oil that oozes from any
cut or crushed part of the plant, including the roots, stems and leaves.
After exposure to air, urushiol turns brownish-black, making it easier to
spot.

Poison ivy can be contracted in the following ways:

Direct contact – by touching the sap of the toxic plant with your skin.

Indirect contact – by touching something to which sap has spread. The sap
can stick to the fur of animals, to garden tools , sports equipment, family
members’ clothes or to any objects that have come into contact with a
crushed or broken plant.

Airborne- urushiol (sap)  particles, such as from the smoke of burning
plants, may come in contact with your skin. Avoid the burning plants.
The smoke may cause severe systemic allergic reactions.

Once urushiol sap touches the skin, it begins to penetrate in minutes. In
those who are sensitive, some of the reaction appears as a line or streak of
rash, usually within 12 to 72 hours. Redness and swelling occur, often
followed by blisters and severe itching.  The average rash takes 10 days or
longer to heal. More severe cases can take 20 to 25 days to run their
course.

The rash can affect almost any part of your body. The rash does not spread,
although it may seem to when it breaks out in new areas. Before blisters
form, the rash is spread by urushiol on your hands, for instance, by
scratching your nose or wiping your forehead. Scratching poison ivy blisters
will not spread the rash. It is best, however, to avoid excessive scratching
of your blisters, since your fingernails may carry bacteria that could cause
an infection.

If you think you’ve had a brush with poison ivy, poison oak or poison sumac,
follow these simple steps:

*    Wash all exposed areas with cold running water as soon as possible.

*    Wash your clothing with a garden hose outside or in a washing machine
with detergent.  Because urushiol can remain active for months, wash
camping, sporting, fishing or hunting gear that was in contact with the oil.

*    Relieve the itching of mild rashes by taking cool showers and applying
over-the-counter preparations like calamine lotion or Burrow’s solution.
Over-the-counter hydrocortisone creams are not often strong enough to have an
effect on poison ivy rashes.

Seek medical help for moderate and severe cases, or if uncomfortable. I
treat aggressively with systemic cortisone and topical medication
(super-potent creams) when the itching prevents sleeping.

As you enjoy this beautiful summer season, be on the lookout for poison the plants.

John J. Jones, Jr. M.D.

Dermatology. Allergy. Skin Cancer Surgery

404 NORTH ACADIA RD
THIBODAUX, LA. 70301

fax       985-446-2483
office   985-447-3889

Web Site:

www.jonesderm.com

All eyes are on the Gulf of Mexico and the devastation of the coast.  You have probably read more about it than you want to so I will broach another topic that is of imminent importance.

We are now at that time of year that most of us dread – the “H-word” season. At least we have enough experience to be able to prepare for the possible disasters that we face each year.  If you don’t have a contingency plan now is the time to prepare one.

I was just updating the Chamber’s plan.  One of the most important things that you should do is to take a complete inventory of every aspect of your business.

First and foremost you will want to have emergency contact information on all of your employees.  They are your most valuable asset.  Try to determine what employees’ evacuation plans are so that you will know approximately when to expect their return after the winds are calm.

You will want to be able to get in touch with your key contacts.  Key contacts consist of those you rely on for administration of your business, such as your bank, your creditors, your insurance agent, accountant, etc.  They also include services in the community you need to help you resume operations, such as utilities, emergency responders, media outlets, business partners and business organizations.

Make a list of your key suppliers and vendors with all of their contact information.

Your document should also include plans for resuming critical business functions, by identifying your most critical and time sensitive business functions, how much “down time” can your business tolerate, and which functions are essential to maintain your market share.

You will probably want to include a plan for a recovery location.  In the case that your building receives damages that prevents immediate use, you want to be able to set up shop as soon as possible.

You may want to print out your “Rolodex” so that you can have access to any of your contact information.  In our case I have a printed copy of our membership information as well as a CD backup.

There is a lot more information you will want in your contingency plan, like details on all of the furniture and fixtures in your building (including photos), detailed information on your computer and telephone systems or any other electronics, supplies, insurance information, property protection plans and more.

If you don’t have a disaster plan, please create one.  The few things that I mentioned may seem to be overwhelming.  However, The Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS) has made the process simple for all of us.  They offer an on-line tool for businesses and individuals to use free of charge!  It made gathering the information and creating the document much less daunting for me.  Please visit the IBSH at http://www.ibhs.org and get your free “Open For Business Disaster Planning Toolkit.

Until next month, stay safe!  If the Chamber can help you with any of your business needs, we are only a short phone call away, do not hesitate to call us, 985-446-1187.

Football season is near again and everyone loves that.  William Taylor knows more about Saints football than anyone and he told me just today that Pete Rozelle decided to have two NFL games on one Saturday night at Tulane Stadium which seated 83,000.  It started at 7 PM and around 10 a tremendous rainfall happened and the teams went into the locker room.  After the rain passed they continued and the last game ended at 1:30 AM.  That’s really loving football.  That was in July 1973.  This was the FIRST time a football game was played on a Sunday in Louisiana.

I gave a talk to the Rotary Club about the Cajuns and the history of Thibodaux.  It was in 1796 that Henry Thibodaux came to this area.  He was raised by the Schyuler family in the Northeast and thus the middle name.  He bought two lots from a Malbrough and downtown began for Thibodauxville.  Rienzi was being built for Queen Maria of Spain as they were at war with France and she would have to escape but that never happened.  Thibodaux lived there for awhile but had settled in Terrebonne Parish and is considered the founder of that parish and is buried there in the half way cemetery before you get to the Highway 90 and I 45 crossing.

Woody Falgout (Falgoux) wrote a magnificent history of St. Genevieve Parish and it is now available at CHERRY BOOKS on Canal Blvd.   It goes back 50 years when Fr. Newfield started it in an old lumber yard building on St. Mary St.

Over the years many pastors were there and Carolyn Cappell was the principal of the elementary school for 40 years and is now retired.  The book has great stories of miracles happening all the time and now the refurbished church is a masterpiece of design.  Here are some names of priests you will remember:

Fathers Newfield, Pilola, Danos, Roeten, Naquin, Melancon, Legendre, Todd, and Madden.  Fr. Dean Danos has returned and is the present pastor of this historical church.

Remember DIPLOMAT WAY.  In research found an article from the Times Picayune from August, 1966 about Harvey Peltier, Sr. and his horse winning the Futurity.  He said it was the biggest thrill of his life.  The trainer was J.O.Meaux and the jockey was Willie Shoemaker.  He paid $67,000 for the horse and that one race won him $195,000.

Remember City Bakery?  Watch for a story soon on this remarkable memory.  When they closed in December 1985 right before Christmas, they sold 500 dozen do nuts in one day.

Believe it.  Watch for TIDBITS next month.

TIDBITS QUOTE OF THE MONTH:  “  I would rather think of life as a good book.  The further you get into it, the more it begins to come together and make sense.”  (Kushner)

Another school year has come and gone and that the long hot days of summer are right around the corner.

Congratulations to all high school and college graduates.  Best wishes to you all as you enter the workforce or continue your education.

If you are looking for something to do with your family during the summer school break, don’t forget to look into our own back yard for all of the fun and educational experiences that surround us.  It is easy for us to take for granted what others find so intriguing.

I recently had the opportunity to drive a videographer from New York around town. He was amazed by our culture, history and the beauty that we are able to enjoy every day.

Next time you are out and about, take a second look at what surrounds us from the eye of a visitor.

At the top of the list is Nicholls State University.  A visit to the Ameen Art Gallery features outstanding student and local art.  You can find the gallery on the second floor of Talbot Hall.  The university also offers a number of camps for students, check them out at:  www.nicholls.edu.

Laurel Valley Village located right outside of the City Limits on Hwy 308 offers a great afternoon of history for the entire family.  The country store will take you back in time, and the display of antique farm equipment will amaze you.  You can call to arrange for a personal historical tour or you can take the tour on your own.

If you haven’t been to the Jean Lafitte Wetlands Acadian Cultural Center in a while you may want to spend an afternoon there.  The museum tells the story of the Acadians’ settlement in the Bayou Region.

In addition, art exhibits are often on display that the entire family can enjoy.  Bring your picnic basket and plan to have lunch on the beautiful deck over Bayou Lafourche or at least bring some stale bread to feed the ducks that will enjoy your company.

You might want to take a day to visit the historic churches and cemeteries in our area.  St. John’s is the oldest Episcopal Church west of the Mississippi River.  The cemetery is the burial place of many of Thibodaux’s founding fathers.

St. Joseph’s Co-Cathedral’s impressive architectural design features designs common to churches found in Paris and Rome.  The First United Presbyterian Church is also of historical significance and pleasant to visit.

The Edward Douglas White Historic Site, also located right outside of the city limits, offers a trip through history.  The site is the home of the only U.S. Supreme Court Justice from Louisiana, Edward Douglas White.  The site is operated by the Louisiana State Museum.

Just a short drive from Thibodaux you may want to spend an afternoon visiting one of the many beautiful historic plantation homes in the area.  Madewood is one of the largest plantation homes in Louisiana.  It is a National Historic Landmark and is located on Hwy 308 in Napoleonville.

Take another short drive to Vacherie and see world renowned Oak Alley, built in 1839.  You may want to pack a picnic basket and a blanket and enjoy a relaxing lunch on the levee overlooking the Mississippi River.

Well, I’m out of space, and I haven’t even talked about the swamp tours, the fishing and boating opportunities and the….  Give our office a call and we will be happy to give you more information on how to enjoy a vacation at home!

Happy Summer!

In local government, we are constantly planning projects, managing projects under construction, or enjoying completed projects, so I want to give you a quick update on recent developments. There are quite a few projects that we recently completed including:

1. Upgrades to the Municipal Pool
2. Senior Citizen Parking Lot Expansion
3. Daigle Park Pavilion

Upgrading the Municipal Pool involved changing the expansion joints and installing a new pump and pump seal. We also added a new awning to the Municipal Pool House and added additional exterior lights to the building, which illuminates the parking lot. Those using the Municipal Pool include participants of TREC programs, such as Water Aerobics, Swimming Lessons, and Lap Swimming. The Municipal Pool is also open for general swimming, Monday – Saturday, 1:30 pm – 4:30 pm ($3.00 per person). Family Pool Memberships are also available and you can contact Thibodaux Recreation Department at 985-446-7235 for more information.

The Senior Citizen Parking Lot Expansion Project was also recently completed. Center participants can now exit onto President Street instead of exiting onto Canal Boulevard. The project was funded, in part, with a $130,000 grant from the Lorio Foundation and the expansion created about twenty five additional parking spaces for center participants.

The 20’ X 25’ Daigle Park Pavilion cost was approximately $24,000. It is handicap accessible and contains two handicap accessible picnic tables.

A big step toward making Thibodaux a more pedestrian friendly city is the soon to be completed, Acadia Pedestrian Walkway Project, located in front of Thibodaux Regional Medical Center. The project stretches down the abandoned railroad corridor from Audubon Avenue to Percy Brown Road. Phase One of the 6-foot, concrete, lighted walkway will not only aesthetically enhance the developing area near the hospital, but will create a safe pedestrian walkway and bicycle path for residents. Best of all, the $205,000 project was funded with federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds.

When additional funds are available, Phase Two of the Acadia Pedestrian Walkway Project will continue the walkway from Audubon Avenue to Bayou Lane and connect to the walking path on the Nicholls State University Campus.

The Tiger Drive Extension/Thibodaux Road Overlay Project is currently under construction.  The total cost is $1,340,433. The project is being funded, in part, with ARRA federal stimulus funds of approximately $755,000 from the city and $400,000 from Lafourche Parish for the Tiger Drive Extension overlay portion. The balance of the project is being funded with local street improvement funds. The project will be accomplished in phases and is expected to be completed within 85 days of the start date, which was May 26, 2010. The following Thibodaux streets are receiving improvements:

1. Tiger Drive (LA 1 to Parish Road)
2. Tiger Drive Extension (Talbot Ave. to LA 3185)
3. Ridgefield Road
4. Menard Street (Goode Street to Audubon Ave.)
5. Audubon Drive (Acadia Rd. to LA648)

By the time this article goes to print, the East Thibodaux Water Line Distribution Project will have begun and I will have received more information on the expected start date of the Left-Turn Lane Project, which will add left-turn lanes to Thibodaux bridges. Of course, I will update you accordingly. Until then, I hope you are enjoying the progress. As always, there’s so much more on the way!

On Thursday May 6^th and Friday May 7^th, Thibodaux hosted the Spring Mid Size City Conference (MSCC). The conference is held three times per year and the event consists of mayors, council members, and administrative staff – all members of the Louisiana Municipal Association (LMA) – coming together for networking and round table discussions involving issues associated with cities that are 10,000 – 30,000 in population. In addition to bringing municipal leaders together, the LMA keeps its members abreast of federal and state policies that directly or indirectly impact towns or cities.

The Thibodaux MSCC was very well attended and attracted mayors, and council members from Abbeville, Baker, Covington, Crowley, Gonzales, Gretna, Hammond, Minden, Morgan City, Natchitoches, New Iberia, Pineville, and Sulphur. It was great to show off our beautiful city again (We hosted two past conferences.) and we received positive feedback from many attendees.

Although I never need a reminder of the incredible jewel our Nicholls State University is to the community, I received another shining example of this on Thursday evening. One of the conference’s main attractions is the Thursday evening event. I chose to showcase Nicholls State’s John Folse Culinary Institute (JFCI). Nearly 100 conference attendees and local dignitaries attended an unforgettable meal at the John Folse Culinary Institute Bistro located at the Carmel Inn. The meal was prepared solely by JFCI students. Associate Dean, Chef Randy Cheramie, provided a brief description of the Institute including future plans. The meal was then served by JFCI students led by Student Executive Chef, Johnathan Lynch and Student Sous Chef, Jason Flato. The evening was truly spectacular. I was so very proud of the students who cooked and served. At the end of the evening, the students introduced themselves to all of us and the attendees cheered for them as if they were rock stars. The students were from many different cities, but on Thursday, May 6^th, the JFCI students were great ambassadors of our university and Thibodaux. As mentioned, it was a magnificent evening and one that will not be forgotten by anyone in attendance.

As usual, the conference was very informative. My administrative staff and I have been attending the Mid Size City Conferences for nearly twelve years and we continue to come away with new ideas and a renewed energy. Hosting the conference is always a lot of work, but showcasing our city and the fine citizens who live here is an honor. The improvements to our city were noticed and appreciated by conference attendees. It is a tough and observant group, but conference attendees were pleased and impressed with Thibodaux and I knew they would be.

To all business owners and individuals who helped make our conference a success… many, many thanks. To the Nicholls State University John Folse Culinary Institute Students, you all were extraordinary examples of the university’s commitment to excellence and I knew you would rise to the occasion! I am so very proud of you all!

As you strive to achieve your long-term goals, such as a comfortable retirement, you may, at times, feel frustrated over events you can’t influence, such as the up-and-down movements of the financial markets. Yet there is much you can control — once you determine the answers to just five key questions.

Where am I today? Take stock of all your assets — your IRA, 401(k) and other savings and investment accounts. Then, do the same for your debts, such as your mortgage and any other financial obligations. On your financial journey through life, it’s essential that you know your starting point.

Where would I like to be? Once you’ve established where you are today, you’ll need to identify where you’d like to be tomorrow. How much will you need to pay for the retirement lifestyle you’ve envisioned? Will you be able to help pay for your children’s or grandchildren’s college education? Will you need to support any other family members? At this stage, you’ll want to write down all your goals and put a price tag on each one.

Can I get there? After you’ve identified your goals, determine if they are, in fact, achievable. By considering a variety of factors — including your likely future income stream and your family situation — you should be able to determine if you can attain your goals or if you need to modify them in some way.

How do I get there? Now it’s time to put a strategy into action. Specifically, you need to choose those investments that can help you pursue the goals you’ve selected. Your ideal portfolio will depend on your risk tolerance and time horizon, but in general, you’ll want a diversified mix of quality investments. While diversification, by itself, cannot guarantee a profit or protect against loss, it can help reduce the effects of volatility. As you put together your holdings, make sure you understand what you can expect from your investments. For example, growth stocks may offer the highest potential returns, but they also carry the greatest risk. On the other hand, investment-grade bonds can offer a steady income stream and, barring the default of the issuer, will repay your principal when they mature.

How can I stay on track? Once you’ve built your investment portfolio, you’ll need to review it regularly — at least once a year — to help ensure it’s still meeting your needs. After all, many things can and will change in your life, such as your family situation, your goals, your employment and your risk tolerance. To address these changes, you’ll need to adjust your portfolio over time.

As you can see, answering all these questions will take both work and expertise. That’s why you may want to work with a professional financial advisor to help you identify your goals and create a strategy for pursuing them.

In any case, though, start asking — and answering — these five key questions as soon as you can. It’s easier to reach your financial goals if you put time on your side.

AFFORDABLE ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITY

Advertising space is now available for only $25 per week on the Chamber’s weekly electronic newsletter, ChamberGram (minimum of four consecutive weeks).  There is limited availability each week.  Ads will be “clickable” and will directly link to advertiser’s website.  Of course, only Chamber members can advertise on the ChamberGram.  Call today to get your space reserved!  985-446-1187 or write to:  Martha@ThibodauxChamber.com

Also available…advertising on the Chamber’s website.  www.thibodauxchamber.com receives more than 50,000 hits per month.  Let your ad reach a global audience for only $100 per month.  Ads will be highly visible and will also contain a click through to your website.  Get your space today by calling the office, 985-446-1187 or write to:  Martha@ThibodauxChamber.com

Signed contracts will be required for both of these advertising opportunities.