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**Your Chamber Newsletter**
**Click here to visit the West Calcasieu Chamber Webpage**
New Chamber Members
Lights On ABA Services, LLC - Sulphur - Scott Williamson
(Owner) Cotton Logistics - Lake Charles - Chuck Matheny (Regional
Vice President) Flock of Five Gift and Art Emporium, LLC - Sulphur - Lisa
Reed (Owner) Landmark of Lake Charles - Randy Stelly (Administrator)
Personnel Staffing, Inc.- Sulphur - Ashleigh Nelson (Operations Manager)
PPG Industries, Inc. - Westlake - Janell Johnson ( HR Manager)
Lake Charles Vapor Westside - Sulphur - Paul Levingston (Owner)
Johnson & Robison Funeral Home - Sulphur - Dean Ford (Manager)
Vintage Market Days of Southwest Louisiana - Bogata, TX - Leslie & Gina Allen (Owner)
Latest News
March Monthly Business Luncheon-Isle of Capri:
Guest Speaker
Daniel Wainwright, fourth from left, owner of Obvious Advertising was the guest speaker at the Thursday, March 10, meeting of the West Calcasieu Chamber of Commerce. He is pictured, from left, with Chairman-Elect Rick Fitts, Chamber
Secretary/Treasurer Ethan Miller, Immediate Past Chairwoman Karen Farnum, President Jody Barrilleaux and Executive Director
Lena McArthur. Picture and article credit to Southwest Daily News - Heather White
Business of the Month
Access of Louisiana Federal Credit Union
Access of Louisiana Federal Credit Union (FCU) was named Business of the Month for March by the West Calcasieu Chamber of Commerce at the
group's Thursday, March 10 meeting. Chamber Chairwoman Jody Barrilleaux, center, presents the award to Access CEO Michelle Jinks, left, and Executive Assistant Amanda Youngblood. Access of Louisiana FCU is a
full service, not-for profit financial cooperative with more than 5,100 members and assets of $26 million. Founded in 1955, the credit union has
10 full-time employees and three part-time employees. Their Sulphur branch is located at 4400 Maplewood Drive. There are also branches in
Westlake and Lake Charles. For more information visit www.access.coop/. Picture and article credit to Southwest Daily News -
Heather White
Outstanding Customer Service Award Larry Norton with West Cal Cam Hospital
The West Calcasieu Chamber of Commerce (WCCC) , at their Thursday,
March 10, meeting, presented Larry Norton (second from left), an employee in Housekeeping at West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital (WCCH),
the Customer Service award for his diligence, pride in his work and cheerful disposition. He was nominated by WCCC Chairwoman Jody Barrilleaux, far
right. Pictured, from left, are WCCH Director of Housekeeping Russell Benoit, Norton, WCCC board member Debbie Nabours and
Barrilleaux. Picture and article credit to Southwest Daily News - Heather White
**Chamber Calendar**
**Edward Jones (Taylor Finchum Alexander)** Monday, March 28, 2016 11:00am Ribbon Cutting 1906 Maplewood Dr., Sulphur, La **Flock of Five Gift and Art Emporium** Friday, April 1, 2016 11:00am Ribbon Cutting 217 East Thomas Street, Sulphur, La **Sulphur Floral Design** Monday, April 4, 2016 11:00am Ribbon Cutting 427 Cypress Street, Sulphur, La
April Monthly Business Luncheon Date: Thursday, April 14, 2016
Time: 12-1pm Doors Open @ 11:30pm
Location: Holiday Inn Sulphur, 330 Arena Road, Sulphur, LA 70665
Guest Speaker:
Bruce Hemphill (Director of Athletics at McNeese State University)
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West Calcasieu Job Fair Wednesday, May 18, 2016
West Cal Events Center 9am - 12noon
If you are interested in participating in the quarterly job fair
please see information below or contact our office at (337) 313-1121 or contact the Calcasieu Business & Career Solutions Center
directly (337) 721-4010.
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**Community Calendar & News**___
**Iowa Rabbit Festival** - This Weekend
The 30th annual Iowa Rabbit Festival, held at the Burton Coliseum, 7001 Gulf Highway in
Lake Charles, will take place on Friday and Saturday, Mar. 18 - 19. Before the festival begins, Miss Bunny will be crowned on March 5. The winner of the Miss Bunny Pageant will go on to represent the festival at other state-wide festivals and competitions. The family-friendly festival begins on Friday evening, Mar. 18 with a carnival, craft booths,
food booths and live Cajun music from 6 p.m. to midnight with doors opening at 5 p.m. Friday's star studded lineup will feature Jamie Bergeron, Keith Frank and Wayne Toups. Saturday, Mar. 19 begins with the Rabbit Festival Cook-off registration at 6:30 a.m. with judging at 11:30 a.m. Attendees will be able to sample Cajun dishes like rabbit gumbo,
rabbit boudin, rabbit sauce picante, rabbit enchiladas, rabbit pistolettes, rabbit quesadillas, fried rabbit, barbecued rabbit and more! Festival gates open Saturday from 8
a.m.-midnight. On Saturday, live music begins at 2 p.m. featuring Richard Lebouef followed by Geno Delafose, Krossfyre, Bag of Donuts and Frank Foster ending at
midnight. Admission is $10, and proceeds from the festival are donated to the Iowa, La. Community. For more information, visit iowarabbitfestival.org. For vendor information,
contact Julie Vincent, (337) 802-0210. _________________________________________________________________________
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**2nd Annual "Pull for Families Helping Families" Clay Shoot! ** - This Weekend
Friday, March 18, 2016
Where: When: Lake Charles Gun Club Friday, March 18, 2016 6601 Ward Line Road Choose from two start times - 10:30am or 1:30pm Lake Charles, LA 70607
Registration is now OPEN for our 2nd Annual "Pull for FHF" Clay Shoot to be held Friday, March
18, 2016. This will be a 10 station shoot for 4 person teams - Entry fee is $100 per person, ($400) per team. If time permits, there will be a Long Bird and Flurry Contest. There will be food and drinks for everyone to enjoy, shotgun shells and ear protection will be provided. We ask that participants provide their own eye protection (standard sunglasses). Choose from two event times - 10:30 AM or 1:30 PM! Pre-registration is required. Golf carts, Gators and 4 -wheelers are welcome and
encouraged! A few spare golf carts may be available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Shoot to be held at the Lake Charles Gun Club - 6601 Ward Line Road, Lake Charles, LA 70607 All proceeds will benefit the programs of Families Helping Families...Supporting ALL Disabilities! Our mission is to enable and empower individuals with disabilities and their families by providing information, referral, education, training, peer support, and advocacy skills. If you need more information or have any questions, please contact Susan Benoit at [email protected] or call (337) 436-2570 or visit our website at: www.fhfswla.org
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This Weekend
The Business & Career Solutions Center - Calcasieu Consortium is co-hosting "Strong Women, Strong World" a workshop to improve economic opportunities for unemployed and underemployed women. This event will be held on March 19, from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Business & Career Solutions Center located at 2424 3rd Street in Lake Charles. To pre-register, call (337) 721-4010 or email [email protected]. _________________________________________________________________________
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**City of Sulphur**
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**Big Brothers Big Sisters -Bowl for Kids' Sake**
Saturday, May 7, 9:30am to 4:30pm @ Petro Bowl.
Register now: bbbs-swla.kintera.org/bowl2016
For more information, please contact:
Sally McPherson at 337-478-5437, ext 114
or [email protected] Will you help us help match more
children in need of academic, social, and
emotional support with caring role models? Form a team, raise pledges and
then come to our bowling party and enjoy
entertainment, music, prizes, and fun.
Bowling team minimum pledge of $180 to participate, but we bet you can score more!
Teams can be up to 6 people. Sign Up Now! Lanes are Open!
**Click here more details** _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Sasol Projects Update - March 2016 First things first Safety is our priority. Today, we have approximately 3,500 workers on site and recently achieved 6.6 million man hours without an OSHA recordable incident on site - an achievement we are very proud of and work to exceed every day. CEOs appointed We announced the appointment of Bongani Nqwababa and Stephen Cornell as Joint-President and Chief Executive Officers ("Joint-CEOs"), effective from July 1, 2016. Cornell is currently the Executive Vice President: International Operations. This announcement follows the June 2015 announcement that David Constable, the President and CEO, had decided not to extend his contract with Sasol beyond June 30, 2016.
Project progress update The ethane cracker and derivatives complex project (also referred to as the Lake Charles Chemicals Project or LCCP) is progressing. Engineering and procurement are at an advanced stage and site construction has commenced. Earlier this week, Sasol announced it will pace the execution of the project to support the company's company-wide oil price response plan. We were always planning to implement a phased startup of the ethane cracker and six derivative units in 2018. Now, beneficial operations of some of the smaller derivative units may move from calendar year 2018 to calendar year 2019. A detailed review of project cost and schedule is under way and likely to be completed by mid-2016. Off-site infrastructure improvements progressing The heavy haul route is the route that Sasol and its contractors are using to transport large modules and other equipment from a construction dock on the Calcasieu River 2.5 miles to Sasol's project site. Sasol is widening and strengthening the existing roads on the route to accommodate the modules and equipment. The heavy haul route project and other Sasol-funded infrastructure improvement projects include a significant amount of new water, sewer and gas line infrastructure for the City of Westlake along the route. They total an investment of more than $40 million--$35 million in the City of Westlake alone. The first phase of the heavy haul route strengthening project is complete, and widening work is under way with completion anticipated for later this year. Other infrastructure improvements will be performed over the next several months throughout the City of Westlake and surrounding areas as agreed with the Calcasieu Parish and the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development. A major milestone We safely completed our first heavy haul- a 940-ton boiler - through the City of Westlake to its permanent foundation within the project site via the heavy haul route. Louisiana First Sasol is delivering on our Louisiana First commitment to hiring local people and using local contractors. To date, Sasol has hired more than half of the 500-plus employees it expects to hire for the project. Nearly 90 percent of those hired are from Louisiana, most from Calcasieu Parish. We've also committed more than $2.5 billion to eight major Louisiana contractors. Our engagement with Mossville Sasol is proud of our engagement with our neighbors in Mossville, Louisiana, a community west of our Lake Charles Chemical Complex. From the early stages of our expansion project, we've continually reached out to Mossville residents to keep them informed of our plans and solicit their input on what we can do to make a positive difference in their community. The result is an extensive, ongoing partnership between
Sasol and Mossville to address their desires, give them the choices they asked for, and provide sustainable, long-term support to increase economic opportunities. $500,000 invested in local scholarships Sasol recently contributed $155,000 to the Community Foundation of Southwest Louisiana's Workforce Scholarship Fund, bringing our total investment of more than $500,000 in the program to date. Sasol's commitment follows successful outcomes of its first round of scholarships in 2015. Unemployed and underemployed residents, most from Westlake and Mossville, are now completing skills training and gaining employment with local industrial companies and contractors. 2,000 attended Sasol job forum In February, Sasol, in partnership with its project contractors, the Calcasieu Business and Career Solutions Center and community partners, hosted a job readiness forum for local residents. The more than 2,000 attendees met with Sasol, its Louisiana contractors, local craft training providers and resource-based organizations to learn about job opportunities, training availabilities, financial assistance and support services available in the community. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ *** Lake Area Medical Center - FREE Community Diabetes Fair** *When: Saturday April 2, 2016 from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM CDT *Where: Day Surgery Lobby 4200 Nelson Road Lake Charles, LA 70605 Lake Area Medical Center will host a FREE educational event for individuals who have been diagnosed with diabetes, or those who are at risk for developing it. The event will provide information on ways to stay healthy and better manage potential diabetic complications. It will feature access to products and services, interactive educational displays, presentations by healthcare providers and nutrition demonstrations. There will be refreshments and screenings along with door prizes. The first 100 pre-registered attendees will receive a t-shirt. Learn how to better manage your diabetes at Lake Area Medical Center's Community Diabetes Fair ***To better accommodate their donors, Lifeshare Blood Center has adjusted the hours at their facility located at 214 Dr. Michael DeBakey Drive in Lake Charles. They will still be open Monday, Tuesday and Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and the first and third Saturday, 8 a.m. to Noon, but on Wednesdays they will open at 6:30 a.m. and close at 3 p.m. and
on Thursday they will open at 10 a.m. and stay open until 8 p.m. Every 2 seconds a patient needs blood to live. They must rely on volunteer blood donors to live. Potential blood donors receive a mini-physical prior to the donation procedure, including a check of temperature, pulse, blood pressure and iron level. Donors must be age 16 or older (16 year olds require written parental consent), weigh at least 110 pounds, feel well and healthy at the time of donation, eat a good meal and increase fluid intake prior to donation. Donors will be asked to present identification. For more information and to schedule a blood donation or blood drive, call (337-436-4932). ***On Saturday, April 2, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., Volunteers of America will hold Beats & Eats Soiree 2016 at L'Auberge Casino Resort in Lake Charles. The event will have a masquerade theme to "unmask homelessness in southwest Louisiana." This fundraiser supports the life-changing programs of Volunteers of America in southwest Louisiana, many of which assist people who are homeless and have a behavioral health disorder. The event will feature a plated dinner and dancing to music by The Tugboats. Products and services donated by area businesses will be auctioned. Additionally, there will be a raffle for a Gift Card Bundle valued at $600 to these top establishments: Wal-Mart ($100), Sam's Club ($100), Academy ($50), Amazon ($50), Home Depot ($50), McDonald's ($50), Outback Steakhouse ($50), Rotolo's Pizzeria ($50), Albertson's ($45), Raising Canes ($30), and Starbucks ($25). Raffle tickets are being sold in advance for only $5, and you do not have to be present to win. Tickets for Beats & Eats Soiree 2016 are only $50 per person or $400 for a reserved table of 8 before March 11. Tickets are $60 per person after March 11, upon availability. You can order event tickets on-line at http://lcsoiree2016.eventbrite.com or call (337) 497-0034 for event or raffle tickets. ***Families Helping Families is hosting their 3rd Annual Family Fun Day on Saturday, April 9, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at VFW Post 7321 at 2668 Highway 171 North in Moss Bluff. Family Fun Day is for individuals with disabilities and their families. There will be food, fun, and fellowship! Also agencies and organizations are invited to attend and provide information as well as a fun activity for ALL to enjoy! If your agency or organization would like to provide a fun activity contact Families Helping Families of SWLA at (337) 436-2570. Registration is limited to 200 participants! You must register to attend! For more information, contact Susan Benoit at [email protected] or 337-436-2570. On Monday, April 18, Entergy will host a state wide Economic Development Summit in Baton Rouge. The summit will feature presentations by Governor John Bel Edwards and LED Secretary Don Pierson, Jr. The event will be from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at L'Auberge Casino Hotel. Register at brac.org/edsummit. ***The Arts Council of SWLA, City of Lake Charles, and Deep South Productions are getting ready for the upcoming season of Live @ the Lakefront, the annual free outdoor concert series taking place at the Lake Charles Civic Center's Arcade Amphitheatre on three consecutive Fridays, March 11, 18, and 25, 2016. Live @ the Lakefront will be from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., and the event will offer an extensive artisan market, local food vendors, and interactive activities for the whole family. All beverage sales benefit the Arts Council's year-round services and programs. The 2016 live music line up and Headliner
sponsors will be announced after the New Year. For information on sponsoring this event, call 337-439-2787. *L.I.F.T. (Living Information for Today), is a social program for lake area widows and widowers sponsored and hosted by Hixson Funeral Homes. They meet on the 2nd Wednesday of every month at their Moss Bluff location, the 3rd Wednesday in Sulphur, and the 4th Wednesday in Lake Charles. All start at 10 a.m. For more info call Jody Barrilleaux 337-794-3113. *HALOS (Healing After Loved Ones Suicide) Support Group will meet on Tuesday. Sept 1. at 6 p.m. in the cafeteria of West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital in Sulphur. For more information, call Jody Barrilleaux at 337-794-3113.
***Any new businesses interested in joining the West Cal Chamber has two great reasons to join now with free advertisement offered through these Chamber Members below - What a great incentive. Spread the Word!!
WEST CAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE Lena McArthur/Executive Director
Stacie Monteilh/ Administrative Assistant 337-313-1121
Visit Our Website! www.westcal.org
