Ascension Community Briefs for June 21, 2012

COPE offers help to eligible children

Children of incarcerated parents can get help through the Ascension Parish Counseling Center’s COPE program, parish officials said.

COPE is a mentoring program for children of incarcerated parents, center Executive Director Suzanne Hamilton said.

At least one parent must be incarcerated and mentors and children must live in Ascension, East Baton Rouge, or other outlying parishes, she said.

COPE uses a community-based approach to allow selected mentors to provide a minimum of biweekly one-on-one mentoring, she said.

Mentors are matched with a child for one year, she said. Children receiving mentoring range from ages 4 to 18.

Mentoring activities include visits to the zoo, sporting events, theatrical productions and other pre-approved outings, she said.

The goals are to:

• Increase the number of children whose parents are incarcerated who will receive effective mentoring from qualified adults.
• Increase the overall capacity, skills and abilities of selected adults to provide approprivate and effective services to children of prisoners.
• Implement a referral system for children and their family members who need additional services beyond the mentor program.

The COPE mentoring program is operated by the Face-to-Face Enrichment Center in Gonzales.

Call the center for more information at [phone] or email to [e-mail].

3 Ascension grads earn scholarships

Three Ascension Parish graduates recently received cash scholarships through the Louisiana Sheriff’s Scholarship Program and Sheriff Jeff Wiley.

Donaldsonville High School graduate Chelsie Kreamer earned a $1,000 scholarship and Florence Williams, East Ascension High graduate, and Taylor Webb, Dutchtown High graduate, received $500 each, Wiley said.

Awards were given to recipients at May graduation ceremonies.

Made possible by the Louisiana Sheriff’s Honorary Membership program, Wiley said Louisiana sheriffs provide scholarships to graduating high school students using the proceeds from the honorary membership program.

“Academic awards by the Louisiana Sheriffs’ Scholarship program to Louisiana students best demonstrate what the LSHMP is all about,” Wiley said. “This is one of our proudest accomplishments. Simply, it is a means of investing in Louisiana’s future. And this would not be possible without the generosity of Ascension Parish’s honorary members.”

Vendors being sought for balloon festival

Organizers of the 2012 Louisiana Hot Air Balloon Championship Festival are looking for food, craft and merchandise vendors to take part in the August festival.

The festival is coming to the Lamar-Dixon Expo Center from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. Aug. 3-4.

“We are thrilled to have the festival coming into the area,” Brad Walker, with the Ascension Festivals and Culture Committee, said. “For nine successful years, Baton Rouge has been the home base for highlighting this wonderful event, and now it’s coming to Ascension.”

This year’s festival will include bands, food, crafts and a children’s area.

Anyone interested in taking part can call Charlotte Guedry at [phone], or email her at [e-mail].

East Ascension dance camp begins Monday

The East Ascension High School Spartanette Dance Camp starts Monday in the school’s gym

The week-long camp starts at 9 a.m. each day.

Girls ages 3 and older will learn dance routines with fun daily themes.

To register, call [phone].

Group selling roasts to aid fire department

The Gonzales Firefighters Association is hosting its third annual “Best Butts on Da’ Bayou” fundraiser on June 29.

The group is selling fully cooked Boston butt roasts for a $30 donation.

The event is a benefit for the Gonzales Fire Department.

The roasts will be available for pickup at 11 a.m. June 29.

To order your roast, call [phone].

Compiled from
Advocate staff reports