LaPlace – The River Region Arts and Humanities Council, or RRAHC, held its general membership meeting recently.

The general membership meeting was attended by approximately 50 RRAHC members and/or grant recipients. 2013 RRAHC President Marilyn Smith called the meeting to order and presented the 2013 officers and board members, the 2014 officers-elect and the 2014 board members.

Thanks for their years of service to RRAHC were given to outgoing Board members Sandra Chaisson (1998), Sue Friloux (1999), Vicky Tamplain (2010) and Juanita Marino (2013). New board members Beth Bourgeois, St. John the Baptist Parish, Joan Landeche, St. John the Baptist Parish, Michele Montz, St. John the Baptist Parish, and Aspen Steib, St. James Parish, were announced and introduced. The RRAHC Board of Directors and its members recognized and awarded the 2014 grant funding to several local River Parishes organizations. Harold Flynn Jr. and Sharon Kell, representing the RRAHC 2014 Grants Committee, presented 32 grants or sponsorships totaling $24,545.

2014 Officers

President – Marilyn Smith

Vice President – Kristie Gough

Secretary – Robert Fisher

Treasurer – Sharon Kell

2014 Board of Directors

• Paula Adams Ates, St. John the Baptist Parish

• Paul Aucoin, St. James Parish

• Mary Hotard Becnel, St. John the Baptist Parish

• Brenda Braud Birner, St. John the Baptist Parish

• Beth Bourgeois, St. John the Baptist Parish

• Randy Desoto, St. John the Baptist Parish

• Jane DesRoches, St. John the Baptist Parish

• Robert Fisher, St. John the Baptist Parish

• Harold Flynn Jr., St. John the Baptist Parish

• Kristie Gough, St. Charles Parish

• Betty Haydel, St. Charles Parish

• Sharon Kell, St. James Parish

• Joan Landeche, St. John the Baptist Parish

• Judy Mackles, St. John the Baptist Parish

• Michele Montz, St. John the Baptist Parish

• Julia Remondet, St. John the Baptist Parish

• Trish Salbador, St. John the Baptist Parish

• Marilyn Smith, St. John the Baptist Parish

• Judy Songy, St. John the Baptist Parish

• Aspen Steib, St. James Parish

• Marilyn Vicknair, St. John the Baptist Parish (State Partnership for the Arts)

2014 Grants and Sponsorships

St. John Parish

• St. Joan of Arc School – “Rapunzel” Missoula Children’s Theatre Production, Mona Roussel (Larry Bourgeois Jr. accepted)

• Riverside Academy – “Asian Arts Festival,” Dr. Rhonda Perkins

• San Francisco Plantation Foundation – “Frisco Fest – Children’s Art Tent,” Kim Fontenot (Ebone’ Berryhill accepted)

• Ascension of Our Lord School – “Debris Art – Fish Workshop,” Karin Douroux

• St. Timothy’s Episcopal School – “Louisiana Children’s Discovery Center,” Suzette Goodrow

• St. Charles Catholic High School – Drama Department: Musical Production “Guys & Dolls,” Dr. Courtney Millet

• St. Peter School: Drama Club – Production of “Snow White on the Bayou,” Wendy Ilski

• St. John Parish – LaPlace Elementary School – Metropelican Opera-“Opera-a-la-Carte,” Margaret Meynard

• St. John Parish Library – “Three Little Shrimp” Book Presentation, Lynette Hunter

• St. John Theatre – “Black History Cultural Event,” Sterling Snowdy

• St. John the Baptist Parish Andouille Festival – Kids Zone Art Tent, Kelly Peterson (Not Present)

• Robert Fisher, Photographer – Hurricane Isaac – A Collection of Photographs,” Robert Fisher

St. James Parish

• St. James Parish – Gramercy Elementary Magnet School – “Cinderella” Musical for Kids, Crystal Casaroti (Not Present)

• St. James Parish – Gifted Center: Grades 3rd – 6th – “Arts Night Extravaganza,” Lynn Bolding-Poissot

• St. James Parish – Paulina Elementary School – “Johnette Downing Performance, CD’s Books,” Jenny Poche

• Crazy ‘Bout History – “Gone But Not Forgotten” Program, Connie Donadieu (Shelley Donadieu accepted)

• Oak Alley Foundation – “Annual Spring Arts & Crafts Festival,” Hillary W. Loeber (Not Present)

• Oak Alley Foundation – “Annual Fall Arts & Crafts Festival,” Hillary W. Loeber (Not Present)

St. Charles Parish

• St. Charles Parish – Lakewood Elementary School – Young Audiences of Louisiana, Mike Artell, Author/Illustrator, Kathleen Guinnane (Callie Walsdorf accepted)

• St. Charles Borromeo School – “Rapunzel” Missoula Children’s Theatre Production, Stephanie Laurent (Mary Schmidt accepted)

• St. Charles Art Guild – Martha Gutherie Watercolor Workshop, Carolyn Clausing (Not Present)

• St Charles Parish – 4-H Preforming Arts Club – “Beauty and the Beast” Production, Saenger Theatre, Jonas Augustine

• St. Charles Parish – Hahnville High School – Talented Music Program: Annual Spring Recital, Stephen Bertram

• St. Charles Parish – J. B. Martin Middle School – Two Musical Performances: Band “Arpa”, Patrice Fisher on Harp & Art Therapist, Dr. Klaus Lumma Workshop, Theresa Herrera

• River Region Drama Guild, Inc. – “Hairspray” A Broadway Musical Performance Venue Rental, Henry Sorbet

• River Region Ballet, Inc. – “The Nutcracker” Performance Venue Rental, Susan Ferrera (DeAnn Sullivan accepted)

• St. Charles Parish – Destrehan High School: Talented Art – Advanced Placement Art Studio Exhibit, Robert Fisher

• St Charles Parish – Satellite Center – Video & Animation Festival, Brian Gough (Rhitt Growl & Albert DuPont accepted)

• St. Charles Parish – Hahnville High School – Advance Placement Art:  Studio Supplies, Kristie Gough

St. Charles Parish – Hahnville High School – Art Honor Society: School Sculpture Garden development, Kristie Gough

• St. Charles Parish – Harry Hurst Middle School – Talented Theatre – “Annie, Jr.” Production, Ashley Santos & Karl Harrod (Karl Harrod accepted)

• St. Charles Parish – Destrehan High School Art Program – New Orleans Museum of Art, “Gordon Parks Exhibit,” Stephen Weber (Not Present)

2013 Angelus Award

RRAHC presented the German Coast Farmers’ Market with the 2013 Angelus Award. This award is presented yearly by RRAHC to honor a person or an organization in the River Region that sustains support or influence through patronage or participation in the arts, champions preservation of local arts, humanities or culture, contributes to increased understanding and appreciation of arts and humanities in the River Region and utilizes the arts and humanities in an inspired, creative manner.

Marilyn Richoux with the German Coast Farmers’ Market was present to accept the award. The German Coast Farmer’s Market was selected because RRAHC believes the market provides a forum for local music, dance, art, literature (local artists are invited for book signings), master gardeners and guest chefs, who cook on site and lecture on local cuisine and its history. Richoux in accepting the award stated the idea for development of a German Coast Farmers Market was originally discussed in meetings of the German Coast Community Heritage Project seeking to celebrate living traditions passed informally within our community by family and community members. The Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism commissioned a study and the Folk Life Inventory determined that farming and harvesting natural resources by the early settlers of the German Coast are traditions still carried on today in the area. This study convinced the committee the development of the Farmers’ Market should move forward. Partnerships with St. Charles Parish administration and the Department of Economic Development and Tourism were formed. After research of other successful markets in the region it was decided that this would be a viable project in St. Charles Parish.

The German Coast Farmers’ Market opened for business in 2003 at Ormond Plantation on River Road in Destrehan and a west bank market was established on

U.S. Highway 90 in 2006.  The markets’ mission is to serve as a community gathering place, tourist destination and a market

for a wide range of fresh produce, value-added items and local original arts and crafts. The majority of the farmers are direct descendants of the earliest settlers and are approaching twenty generations of agricultural tradition.