Achievers recognized

The  Jeanerette Chamber of Commerce will recognize 15 outstanding achievers at its annual banquet set for Thursday, Jan. 31.

Outstanding Educator

Linda C. Rogers

Linda Clement Rogers is the  owner and teacher  of La Petit Nursery in Jeanerette. She has helped to develop  the minds of  young children in the community.

For over 30 years,  many young children of Jeanerette have attended her pre-school and have become successful adults.

Rogers sees each child as a unique person and her teaching is designed to help each child develop his or her own unique qualities and abilities.  

She is a member of the Louisiana Early Childhood Association.

She serves as a Eucharist Minister at St. John the Evangelist and visits the elderly and shut-ins.

She is actively involved in the community having devoted volunteer time to the DARE Program, St. Jude Hospital, Diocese of Lafayette Minister Youth Program, St. John Social Services  and St. Peter Youth Group.

She has two children, Grant and Virginia Rogers.

Outstanding Senior Citizen

Claire Fitzpatrick

 Claire  St. Germain Fitzpatrick is retired but still stays active in the community.

She is a member of the Catholic Daughters of America, Berribees Quilters and St. John the Evangelist Catholic  Church.

She enjoys playing music for her church parish and can be frequently found offering a helping hand to others in the community whenever there is a need.

 She often volunteers to drive her fellow community members who are without transportation to doctors appointments and to do daily errands.

She received a bachelor of education from ULL.

She is the wife of the late Jack Ftizpatrick and they have  four children, Jack II, Anne Landrum, Suzie Adams, Mary Lee Fonteno. She has eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Outstanding Farmers

Michael Landry

Lynn Landry

Michael P. Landry and Lynn Landry, Outstanding Farmers, are owners and operators of M & L Farms.

Growing up on their family farm, the two brothers  farmed since childhood with their father, Arnold Landry. They eventually took over the operations.

Michael Landry is a graduate of  Franklin Senior High and attended the University of Southwestern Louisiana. He serves on the board of directors of St. Mary Sugar Cooperative. He has coached for many yeas with the Little League Association.

He is married to Meldoy Landry and they have four children, Corey, Lindsey, Josh and Maddy and one granddaughter.

Lynn Landry attended LSU and is a member of the St. Mary Parish FSA Farm Bureau.

He is married to Katie M. Landry and they have two children, Justin and Jarrod and one granddaughter.

Outstanding Professional

Karma Champagne

Karma Duplantis Champagne, editor of the Jeanerette Enterprise, has been bringing community news to the city of Jeanerette and surrounding rural communities for the last 22 years. She joined the Daily Iberian staff in 1982 to serve as editor of the Jeanerette Enterprise.

When there is a community event in Jeanerette, she is likely to be volunteering there as well as covering the event for the newspaper. She was a past  recipient of several awards in the Louisiana Press Association Editorial Contest in journalism and photography.

 She was named Jeanerette’s Outstanding Citizen in 2003.

Champagne is a charter member and secretary of the Lake Fausse Pointe Development Foundation, member and past president of the Jeanerette Kiwanis Club. She was a former president of the Jeanerette Chamber of Commerce, having served as a board of director for numerous years.

She is married to Forrest Jack Champagne and they have one daughter, Laurie C. Outlaw and one granddaughter.

Outstanding Public Servant

Rev. Dr. James W.                    Proctor.

Rev. Dr. James W. Proctor , a resident of Crowley and Pastor of the First Church of God in Christ in Jeanerette, has been actively involved in the community of Jeanerette for numerous years.

Among his many accomplishments, he initiated a drop-off place for Channel 10 Food Net Program and started a Food Pantry in Jeanerette where more than 200 families receive food each month.

He established the first site for  Coats for Kids in Jeanerette and partnered with United Way to issue school uniforms to needy families in Jeanerette.

He was successful in obtaining a grant for the Jeanerette Community After School Tutorial Program with the Louisiana Department of Education. The program has been in existence for 15 years. Over 30 students are presently involved in the program. He was also successful in obtaining a grant for the Governor’s Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Program for the Jeanerette Community. The program has been in existence for 17 years.

He serves as president of the Jeanerette Area Church Alliance, serves as Sunday School teacher, counsels with single parents and provides parental training for Jeanerette parents. He is  known for his motivational speaking for schools, churches and communities.

Proctor has served as a consultant to Jeanerette schools, worked with the Jeanerette Main Street Program and Jeanerette anti-liter program.

He presently serves as principal of Crowley Middle School and as an external assessor for Teacher Certification with the Louisiana Department of Education.

Among his other education and community involvement, he serves as chairman of the board of directors for 7th District Baptist Association Pavilion and is a board of director member of Hospice of Acadiana, an advisory board member to Acadia Parish Alternative School, and Acadia Parish School Board. He serves as chairman of the Resolution Committee J.K. Haynes Foundation and board of director member of the Southwest Louisiana Health Education Center.

He is married to Dr. Ezora J. Proctor and they have two children, Marcus Jacques Proctor and Trina Renee Proctor.

Outstanding Volunteer

Carrol Borel Jr.

Carrol Borel Jr. is a dedicated volunteer firefighter for the city of Jeanerette.

He currently serves as a lieutenant and takes on the duties of responding to fire and medical calls.

He serves as a first responder, training officer and operator of the Jaws of Life.

He volunteers as a member of the Community Emergency Response Team of Iberia Parish where his duties and responsibilities include volunteering in times of disaster, and domestic violence. He has the knowledge to respond to chemical warfare such as radiation, bombs, deadly chemicals, air born antigens and confined space rescue time.

Borel is an assistant store manager and Robie’s Food Store.

He has received accreditions and licenses from the  U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Community Emergency Response Team, Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Outstanding Youth Worker

Lisa Broussard

Lisa Broussard has dedicated many hours of volunteer service to the youth of the community and has been deeply involved in promoting sports.

She currently serves as vice president of the Jeanerette Little League and has coached softball for more than 12 years.

Broussard serves as a parent volunteer for the Girl Scouts.

She is married to Kevin Broussard and they have two children, Kara and Kayla.

Outstanding Couple

Andrew and Diana Aucoin

Andrew and Diana “Tootsie”  Aucoin are always ready to help out community members when there is a need.

The Aucoins believe it is important to give back to the community, just as the community has given to them.

They consider their volunteer efforts just everyday tasks that God does a little something extra with.

Andrew Aucoin is a member of the Knights of Columbus.

They have two children, Andy and Stacey and four grandchildren.

Outstanding Students

Katie Elizabeth Mannina

Katie Elizabeth Mannina is a senior at Hanson Memorial High School who maintains a grade point average of 3.1.

She was selected to participate in the “AHEC of a Summer” program in 2007.

The program gives the opportunity to familiarize students interested in the medical field, allow them to shadow different doctors and other medical professions.

She currently serves on the Yearbook Publications Committee, Big Brother/Big Sister Program and Campus Ministry.

She is  involved in “Touch”, a program that reaches out to the less fortunate in the surrounding communities.

She also works as Vital Fitness Health Club receptionist and does baby sitting.

Mannina is a volunteer at the Iberia Human Society and a volunteer at the St. John Evangelist Altar Server.

She is the daughter of David and Yvonne Mannina.

Stephan Louis Viator

Stephan Louis Viator is a senior at Catholic High School in New Iberia.

He is president of the Octagon Club, a member of Quiz Bowl, Speech and Debate, Honor Society Tutoring and Mayor’s Youth Advisory Board.

His community service has extended to Habitat for Humanity, as a church lector, Hazardous Waste cleanup and Cleanest City Contest.

He has been named to Who’s Who Among High School Scholars, and was nominated to attend the Congressional Student Leadership Conference in Washington. He has received the Hoby Award, Serviam Medal and Quiz Bowl Team first in state award. He maintains a 3.6 grade point average.

He is the son of Betty and Larry Viator.

Ravyn Rene Joseph

Ravyn Rene Joseph is a senior at West St. Mary High School.

She is a member of Our Lady of the Rosary Youth Group, Junior Daughters Court 184, President of National Honor Society, President of Future Business Leaders of America, Renaissance Club and Captain of cheerleader squad.

As part of her community service, she helps clean up in her neighborhood, visits nursing homes, does tutoring, and helps clean Our Lady of Rosary Church.

She was elected Student of the Year by her peers three times, was a Who’s Who Honor Student, National Honor Student and selected captain of West St. Mary Cheerleading Squad her junior year.

She maintains a 3.7 grade point average and plans to attend Louisiana State University to become an anesthesiologist.

She is the daughter of Ray A. Joseph and Rosaland P. Joseph.

Katie Daigle

Katie Daigle, a senior at Jeanerette Senior High school, stays involved in many school and community activities while still managing to maintain a 3.6 grade point average. She is on the year book committee, Future Business Leaders of America, a member of the Jeanerette Senior High school basketball team and softball team for four years, She has been a JSHS mascot for two years, homecoming queen and is ranked third in her graduating class.

Daigle always lends a helping hand when someone is in need. She remains dedicated to fundraising for St. Jude Children’s Hospital and has traveled many states to raise money for the hospital.  She joined actress Marlo Thomas in a video speaking out on behalf of the hospital.

She knows first hand the importance of her fundraising  mission. At the young age of 9 she was told by doctors she had leukemia. She remained at St. Jude’s for a year, fighting the disease. She is currently in remission today.

She has participated in the Relay for Life for the past seven years and loves to walk laps for family members with cancer.

She plans to attend the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and become a nurse.

She is the daughter of Greg and Lisa Daigle.

She is currently ranked third in her graduating class.

Chalicia Marks

Chalicia Marks, a senior at Jeanerette Senior High School, is involved in many school activities and community service projects.

She is a member of the JSHS Homecoming Court, UpWard Program, a 2-year BETA member and JROTC.

As part of her community service, she devotes time to Junior Achievement and cleaning the church.

She has received numerous academic achievement awards including United States Army Recruiting Command, Academic Achievement, Certificate of Training, and Superior Cadet Award. She is a member of her church choir, Sunday School and Bible School.

She hopes to become a neonatal nurse or a registered nurse that specializes in the nursery room.