Podcasts about johnston st

Our first update of the year from St. Mary's Assumption Catholic School in Bronson.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We wrapped up the school year at St. Mary's Assumption Catholic School in Bronson.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Entering the final quarter of the 2023-2024 school year at St. Mary's Assumption School.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Angela Johnston joined Justin to talk about the end of the school's second marking period, as well as the upcoming Catholic Schools week, and the 7th & 8th Grade trip to Washington DC.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A busy fall at St. Mary's Assumption Catholic School in Bronson.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this weeks program Chris talks to Jonathan O'Brien from YIMBY Melbourne about why the group was created, how property affordability and location directly influences peoples transport options, minimum parking requirements, solutions to solve intense debates at council level about building protected lanes, creating safer streets for changing types of micromobility users, housing affordability and the launch of Melbourne's Missing Middle Report.Local news includes Build kerbside protected bike lanes on Johnston St from Kew to Carlton petition to be tabled at Yarra Council and Critical Mass North riding through Yarra and Darebin on Friday 27 October for safer streets.

On this weeks program Chris chats to Bailey Underwood and Nicky Page about the upcoming Australian Walking and Cycling Conference and Step Away From the Car series that will explore the many pathways to create change in Australian transport.Local news includes Road-safety experts push for 30km/h speed limit to save lives, Change.org petition: Build kerbside protected bike lanes on Johnston St from Kew to Carlton!, Merri-bek Council vote on Kent Road protected lane to be revisited in October, Bike West organising a Kidical Mass to Maribynong Council meeting for protected lanes on Summerhill Road, September Critical Mass to protest for safe infrastructure on Footscray Road starting at 5.30pm State Library, Thursday 28 September and updates on Gipps Street Ramp works and the southern and northern land bridges connecting Walmer Street across the Yarra.Program music Bike Song - Sleepy DreamersCloud Generator - TychoLinked - Bonobo 

What if you could unlock the secrets of transforming the real estate industry with innovative strategies? That's exactly what the dynamic duo behind Next Home Cutting Edge Realty, Christie House Theaux and Joy Cobert, accomplished. Despite dealing with personal challenges, Christie had the vision to buy a franchise and transform it into a nurturing environment that supports and educates their real estate agents. With a focus on building trust and camaraderie, they have successfully grown the team from 11 to 53 agents, with Christie's insightful coaching methods at the heart of their winning formula.Not all heroes wear capes; some hold an open house sign! Realtors, as Christie and Joy point out, play the role of a captain during a real estate transaction, navigating the treacherous waters of loans, appraisals, and inspections. They demystify the process of getting pre-approved for a loan and highlight the importance of effective communication. But the journey isn't always easy. They lay bare the challenges in the industry, like the cost of becoming a realtor and learning to be the CEO of your own business. Beyond the business, they also touch upon their passion project of supporting homeless high school kids in their local community, reflecting their commitment to making a difference. Join us in this exciting episode to gain invaluable insights from these industry influencers.Learn more about Joy:Nexthome Cutting Edge Realty 2901 Johnston St. Suite 400(337) 356-2656 Learn more about Christie:Nexthome Cutting Edge Realty 2901 Johnston St. Suite 400(337) 298-2340Learn more about Mimi and GMFS:mortgage.com/branch/lafayette/

Just over a week left of the 2022-2023 school year at St. Mary's Assumption Catholic School in Bronson.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to the Real Collective Podcast, your ultimate guide to the Ottawa real estate market. In this episode, we'll delve into new listing discussions, strategic sales practices, Ottawa vs. GTA comparisons, and the importance of precision evaluation when listing homes. Discover the latest insights on new listings and explore effective strategies to maximize the selling potential of your property. We'll provide valuable tips on staging techniques, digital marketing, and targeting the right buyer demographics for a successful sale. Gain a deeper understanding of the Ottawa market and how it compares to the bustling GTA. Uncover the similarities, differences, and unique opportunities each region offers, whether you're considering a move or expanding your real estate portfolio. We'll also highlight the crucial role of precision evaluation when listing homes. Learn about the critical factors to consider, including market conditions, comparable sales, location, amenities, and property features. Mastering this process will attract the right buyers and help you achieve top-dollar results. Stay up to date with the latest episodes of the Real Collective Podcast by subscribing to our YouTube channel. Like, share, and leave a comment to support the podcast and never miss valuable real estate insights. Connect with us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for exclusive content and engaging discussions. Visit our website for more information and to explore the services we offer. Thank you for joining us on the Real Collective Podcast, your trusted source for all things Ottawa real estate. Let's unlock the full potential of the market and make informed decisions together. #RealCollectivePodcast #OttawaRealEstate #NewListings #StrategicSales #OttawaVsGTA #PrecisionEvaluation #RealEstate #RealCollective #RealService #LetLoveLead Are you buying or selling? Book a meeting with Sean & Brendan today! https://calendly.com/seanrealcollective/consultationhttps://calendly.com/brendan613 You can also follow us here! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/real.collective.inc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/realcollective.ca Website: https://www.realcollective.ca Intro: (0:00) Black Market Real Collective Episodes: (1:50) May Market Update: (4:05) 106 Johnston St, Carleton Place: (6:37) Hold Offers & Strategic Revaluations (7:30) Pocket Listings: (11:40) Check Market Leveling (13:58) The Current Buying Class in Ottawa (16:20) Half time (16:45) Carlton Place : (19:57) Real Collective Update (21:20) Local Expertise : (22:19) Ottawa vs the GTA: (25:30) Precision Evaluations (27:45) Outro (29:28)

A look at the first quarter of the school year at St. Mary's Assumption School in Bronson.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our Elementary Update this week featured St.Mary's Assumption School in Bronson. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Herb Schilling joins Discover Lafayette to look back on the profound influence his education at UL-Lafayette (formerly USL) has played in his life. In recognition of his generosity and dedication to the university, Herb is being honored at the UL-Lafayette Alumni Association's 25th annual Spring Gala on March 26, 2022. The University of Louisiana at Lafayette Alumni Association will honor Herb Schilling at its Spring Gala 25th anniversary year event to be held from 6-10 p.m. on Saturday, March 26, at the UL Lafayette Alumni Center, 600 E. St. Mary Blvd. It will feature entertainment and food, and live and silent auctions. Art, gifts, travel opportunities, and Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns merchandise are among items that will be up for bid. Tickets may be purchased here. Herb reminisced about his upbringing in Lafayette and his lifelong friendships with his classmates. "The university has been a part of my life from birth. My mother (Olga Schilling) was a professor of secretarial sciences at the university in 1949 when I was born and we resided one block from the university on Johnston St. My mother would walk to work every day. My first schooling was at Hamilton Lab School, a laboratory school on campus to train teachers. I received my first degree from the university in 1954....I'll see who's paying attention!" Herb Schilling graduated from the Hamilton Lab School in 1954. The University has been a part of his life since birth. He is pictured in the top row, second from left.The Hamilton Training School operated on McKinley Street on the campus of SLI, the Southwestern Louisiana Institute in Lafayette, from 1939-1977. The students were children of SLI/USL staff and faculty. Like his father, Herbert Schilling, who came to Lafayette in the late 1920s to play baseball and became co-owner of the Lafayette White Sox co-founder of the Evangeline League, Herb loved baseball and had an encouraging future in that realm. But when he was a young boy, Clyde Wolf encouraged him to be a golfer and discouraged him from trying to compete in two sports arenas. Herb took up golf and gave up his baseball aspirations. He became a four-year letterman on the USL golf team and graduated in 1972 with a degree in business management. He was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. "The university is an asset to this community in that it has helped us survive the ups and downs of the oil industry. Now, it is the backbone of our community, deservedly so. The success of this university means the success of this town, and the success of this town means the success of our business." Herb particularly credits two professors, Dr. Bernard Bienvenu and Dr. Rex Hausen, for serving as the foundation of his business success. Both Harvard-educated, they used the Harvard case-study method for teaching back in the 1960s and 1970s when Herb attended college. "USL was the only university using that method in the south," Herb said. Dr. Bernard Bienvenu (pictured at right) along with Dr. Rex Hausen, taught Herb Schilling business principles during his days at USL studying business management. "That education is why I'm here today. One thing Dr. Bienvenu always said was 'Have balance in your life. Don't have everything in one pocket, because if that pocket rips, all the marbles will fall out and you'll lose everything." As opportunities knocked throughout Herb's life, he would pick good investments and most importantly, "good partners." Following his father's death in 1981, Herb assumed leadership of Schilling Distributing which he has grown to heights never imagined, now distributing a vast array of beers as well as fine wines. Schilling Distributing is Lafayette's only locally-owned alcohol distributor, proudly serving the Acadiana area since 1950. Operating under Herbert E. Schilling II and his son, Charles “Buddy” Schilling, the company services over 1,500 retail accounts in Lafayette, Acadia, Iberia, St. Landry, St. Martin,

Angela Johnston, principal at St. Mary's Assumption School in Bronson, joined us to wrap up their school year. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nathanael Johnson, the owner of Rêve Coffee, joined Discover Lafayette to share his 15-year journey in the coffee business. Since the age of eight, when Nathanael began rising early with his dad to share a cup of coffee before the elder Johnson left for work, he dreamed of having a coffee cafe in his hometown of Eunice. The dream nagged at him and eventually, he dropped out of college so that he could open his own shop. It all started with Café Mosaic in downtown Eunice. Nathanael had already chosen the cafe's name as he felt it embodied a place that different age groups would enjoy...."a mosaic of people." When he located a desirable space in which to open, he was shocked when he walked in to see that the floor was mosaic! With financial help from his father and after a great deal of work to restore the building, Cafe Mosaic opened on March 3, 2006, when Nathanael was 21. Cafe Mosaic in downtown Eunice, the first coffee shop opened by Nathanael Johnson on March 3, 2006, is still in business and going strong. Nathanael shared how difficult those early days were, working around the clock and figuring out what an independent coffee shop should look like. Very few such shops existed and those that opened never seemed to stay in business very long. Further adding to the stress was a comment made by two customers within his first two weeks in business: "You're going to fail!" He was fearful of failing and remembers how he would work from 5:00 in the morning to 11:00 at night every single day. "My mom bought me one of those little kindergarten sleeping mats so I could sleep in my office when I had a chance to break away. I couldn't leave, I felt I needed to be there all the time." Well, not only did Nathanael not fail, but three years into business he was approached to open Johnston St. Java in Lafayette. Within 2 1/2 years he decided to jump in head first and enter the roasting aspect of the business. His partner, Christopher Pickle, played a key role. Nathanael knew he wanted to understand the roasting process and ensure that the highest quality of bean was selected, so he became certified by the Specialty Coffee Association, the largest coffee organization in the world. He found a broker who deals in the highest grade beans and started his micro-roasting business in 2013 in what was then Bibi's Patisserie on Pinhook. Starting with a ten-pound Ozturk roaster that he purchased out of Turkey, he began roasting on a small scale, eventually working up to an average of 6000 pounds per month today. He says that "roasting is a trial by fire experience, and is similar to popping popcorn. When coffee beans start to release their moisture, it pops like popcorn. They call it 'first crack." Roasting coffee beans at Rêve Coffee Rêve Coffee beans are now sold at over 100 locations, including Whole Foods and Champagne's locally, and micro market stores. Nathanael says he never really wanted to open up a retail Rêve Coffee shop, but he quickly realized that if he wanted the coffee sales to be successful, people needed the opportunity to taste it. "It was a hard beginning as I just wanted to be a roaster. But we wanted to make a name for ourselves" and this was the right route to take. If you’re wondering what Reve means, it is a French masculine noun translating to “dream” in English. Nathanael was approached to enter the Baton Rouge coffee market and first opened up a kiosk at White Star Market on Government Street, which marketplace eventually closed due to the COVID shutdown. But he wanted to be in the Baton Rouge area and also ready to redefine what Rêve was going to look like in the future, offering a high-end yet comfortable vibe that blended food, cocktails, and coffee. A place where you don't leave when your meal is finished, but feel comfortable enough to stay longer and enjoy yourself. Reve Coffee Lab opened in January 2021 in Baton Rouge at 8211 Village Plaza Ct Bldg. 4 Ste.

An update on Catholic Schools Week and more with St. Mary's Assumption Catholic School in Bronson with principal Angela Johnston. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Angela Johnston, principal at St Mary's Assumption Catholic School in Bronson was our guest on this week's Elementary Update. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Georgina Whitchurch has been living with HIV for seven years. Her story begins in Eswatini (formerly Swaziland), in southern Africa.After a career in hospital management in Australia, Georgina followed her passion for sewing and joined the Australian Volunteers Program. As a 64-year-old retiree, she took on the role of teaching sustainable sewing skills to women at an Eswatini village, but the charms of a local man, soon changed her life forever. Effective HIV treatments gave her back her health, and Georgina did not end her commitment to volunteering. She soon returned to Africa as a volunteer independently and for two years continued teaching sewing skills to rural women. After returning to Australia, Georgina put her management skills to good use and recently took on the role of chair of Positive Women Victoria. Podcast – Our Stories: Ending HIV StigmaEpisode 5: Georgina Whitchurch StoryTranscript (begins below AVP response) For people living with HIV who are interested in volunteering with the Australian Volunteers Program, the following response was received on 4/09/2020 People diagnosed with HIV are able to volunteer on the Australian Volunteers Program, provided that they are medically cleared, and deemed fit for a particular assignment in a particular country. Our current medical clearances and thresholds are issued by International SOS, our specialist medical screening and emergency assistance service provider. International SOS have been working with the Australian Volunteers Program since 2017, and prior to that date other providers were used. International SOS assesses individual medical situations in the same way, irrespective of what conditions or illnesses a prospective volunteer has. The medical decision by International SOS to approve a volunteer to go on assignment takes into consideration:- Is the person fit to work and deploy overseas?- Will any conditions be exacerbated by an overseas assignment?- Can any required medications be obtained overseas? The Australian Volunteers Program has a firm commitment to equality. This commitment is balanced with our obligation to ensure that program participants (volunteers, and their supported partners and family members) are safe and healthy, and that we do not put them in situations where they cannot be provided with the required medical facilities and support. These determinations are made on the basis of medical assessment by medical practitioners. If a volunteer's health situation changed while they were on assignment, the same considerations would apply, and these would be based on the advice of a medical practitioner. Whether the volunteer is still fit to remain in-country, and whether we would we be putting them at unacceptable level of risk by keeping them on the program, would be considered. I hope this provides clarification and is helpful for your listeners.Patrick Gallus PublicistT +61 3 9279 1733Australian Volunteers Program - Melbourne office160 Johnston St, (P.O. Box 350), Fitzroy, Victoria, 3065, Australiawww.australianvolunteers.com Episode 5: Georgina Whitchurch StoryTranscript Heather EllisHi, I'm Heather Ellis, your host on Our Stories Ending HIV Stigma, a podcast by women living with HIV, where we share our stories of our adverse lives and challenge the myths and stereotypes that feed HIV stigma. Our Stories is part of the Women and HIV Tell The Story project made possible by Gilead Sciences and produced by Positive Women Victoria in Australia Georgina Whitchurch has been living with HIV for seven years. Her story begins in Eswatini, formerly Swaziland in southern Africa. After a career in hospital management, Georgina followed her passion for sewing and joined the Australian Volunteers Program. As a 64 year old retiree. She took on the role of teaching sewing to women at a village, but the charms of a local man soon changed her life forever. While effective HIV treatments gave her back her health, she did not end her commitment to volunteering. Georgina soon returned to Africa as a volunteer independently and for two years continued teaching sewing to rural women. After returning to Australia, Georgina put her management skills to good use, and recently took on the role if Chair of Positive Women Victoria, Welcome, Georgina to Our Stories Ending HIV Stigma. Georgina WhitchurchThank you, Heather. Heather EllisGreat to have you as a guest. You've got such an interesting story. I just want to start by asking with volunteering in Africa. It's not the usual choice for somebody going into retirement. How did this come about for you? Georgina Whitchurch I guess it was something that was in the back of my mind. For a long time, I enjoyed reading people's stories about volunteering overseas. And one night just out of the blue as things happen, I was on the computer. And I decided to open up Australian Volunteers International and just have a look and see what was there. And I had to scroll through 50 pages that were, you know, it was absolutely loaded with assignments that were coming up until I got to the S area. And there was sewing skills trainer and my little heart jumped because I love sewing and I've always wanted to impart my skills and my knowledge of sewing. And then I read where it was. And I thought, oh, oh, no, I can't go to Africa. And this little voice on my shoulder said, Yes, you can. And you're going, Heather EllisDid you realize that sewing skills would help these women escape poverty? Georgina Whitchurch Oh, definitely. Yes. And these women living in a village where there's no electricity, there's no sanitation, there's no fresh running water that is drinkable. They have to boil everything. It was an incredible journey. And so my aim was to get them to a fantastic quality where they could ask a really good price for what they were sewing, and the organization that they sort of loosely came under. Because this sewing program was organized by an independent missionary couple that were living in Swaziland and had been there for a long time. They've actually opened a shop where all of their goods are sold. I was back there last year, actually, I was back there and saw the shop and saw what they were doing and wow other products that they're making. So they had hand operated machines initially and what they were making when I arrived there was bags. And so we continued on that theme, but with some new designs that I'd introduced and a lot of quality control. They then went on to doing cushion covers, aprons, small coin purses, stuffed animals that obviously represent Africa. Some of the missionary tourists that were the buyers of the products. Yes, the missionary organizations there have a huge network. And so when any missionary people come into the country, they linked up with the missionary organizations that exist there and they're taken to all these places to see what is being done. And so a lot of those visitors to the country buy heaps and heaps and heaps of things from them, but also now you know, they do have this little shop in a tourist location. So they are selling quite well there. Towards the end of my stay those women were earning in the vicinity of 1000 Rand a month which is $100 in Australian terms, but that thousand Rand a month they had never seen money like that. Never. Heather EllisWhat was it like living in a Swaziland village. Were living in the village where you were teaching? Georgina Whitchurch I lived in a different compound. Where there were about eight houses, there was only three white people living there, everyone else was native to the country. And me, of course, I was the sewing lady because, when I had a reasonable dwelling that we could get to fairly easily, I bought three electric sewing machines. And I used to pick the ladies up three at a time and bring them to the house, and they would sew for a day on these electric machines. Fantastic. Heather EllisSo I just wanted to talk to you a little bit now about having an HIV test in Africa and how that kind about. Georgina Whitchurch I became quite unwell. And it was even after, you know, there had been a person from AVI headquarters in Melbourne had visited us and I just happened to have a lesion on my face, which, I took no notice of. It wasn't anything. And she said, I think you'd better get that checked out. And I didn't because I knew that it was nothing but unfortunately I ended up with a lesion in my mouth in the side of my cheek and I started feeling quite unwell. So I went to the doctor then and after a day of being on medication, I actually collapsed at home lost consciousness hit the floor, which really woke me up well and truly, and went back to that doctor and I was put to hospital. And while I was there, they were doing lots and lots and lots of tests. And eventually, they tested for HIV. Heather EllisEven though the doctors in Africa, particularly Southern Africa would be very familiar with HIV, they wouldn't have thought to test a 64 year old white woman from Australia for HIV. I mean, it'd be like here in Australia, it'd be the last thing they would test you would be probably on your deathbed before they would test for HIV. So why did they decide to do that? Was it just because you were in Africa, and they are familiar with the symptomsa? Georgina Whitchurch The doctor that was looking after me, they all have so much experience with HIV because it is very, very prevalent in their particular country in Africa. I think they have the highest rate. He obviously thought, well, this is the only thing we can do now is do this HIV test. And so he did and that was it. And so you know, we became arch enemies after the diagnosis, because I didn't behave very well at all. I was a very bad patient. Heather EllisWhat do you mean by that, like, didn't you accept the diagnosis? Georgina Whitchurch I accepted it, but I didn't really want to be where I was, and still in hospital and being cared for. I just wanted to go away and hide and find a cave and just yeah, be unseen. Heather EllisSo this was in 2014 and effective HIV medications had been around then for 17 years. And people with HIV were more than surviving, they were thriving, and going about and living really healthy, productive lives. But did you know about these medications? Did you know anything about HIV prior to your diagnosis? Georgina Whitchurch No, no, because, all I knew was years ago with the Grim Reaper, that was the first thing that probably came to my mind was, that's it. I'm out. I'm out of this planet in a few years time. Heather EllisThe doctor would have reassured you about the treatments, I imagine because they would have been well aware of them. And these medications are available in Africa as a generic brand. So were you reassured about the medications? And did that make you feel better about the future? Georgina Whitchurch While I was still in Swaziland? Yes. That doctor was absolutely amazing. And, you know, even though we had a really bad start, while I was in hospital, when I was out and seeing him as an outpatient, our relationship changed. And I certainly, take my hat off to him and the way he then treated me and talked to me and tried to look after me as best he could. And then of course, I was, I was started on HIV medication instantly, even though my CD4 count was very high. But of course, the viral load was also extremely high. And so he started me on medication, even though their rule of thumb was your CD4 count had to be below 300 before they would start you on HIV medication. And mine was over 500. So he started me and I started to feel pretty normal almost instantly. And it was incredible how quickly that medication changed me. Heather EllisWhen you had the lesion on your face and inside your mouth. Was that a seroconversion illness or had you had the virus for some time? Georgina Whitchurch I can't say that I'd had it for some time, but it wasn't really explored. And I suppose because of being in, in Africa, they didn't really have a lot of the testing equipment to go really deep into that. But if it was before, it was well over 10 years prior to that anything could have happened. But of course, there was this interlude with the charming African men. Heather EllisSo was HIV talked about in the village where you're working, and were any of the women in your sewing classes living with or affected by HIV? Georgina Whitchurch I was aware that the majority of them were and I was aware of them getting HIV medication on a regular basis. And because of the organization that I had sort of loosely attached myself to while I was there, and it was mostly through the sewing program, because I was just the teacher, it wasn't my program at all. They ran a service in that country to test and treat, they started off testing and treating children probably about eight years prior to me going there. And then they expanded that service, as they got more money available, to testing all people in that rural location. They had a huge presence out there. And so I knew from them, even though, you know, confidentiality was never ever ever breached. I just knew from them that a lot of the women that I was working with had HIV, but it was never broken about, they did not talk about it. Heather EllisWas there a support group in the village that you could connect with to get that peer support? Georgina Whitchurch When I returned to Africa? Yes. And I had spoken to this particular missionary organization wanting to do something like that. And they indicated that their staff were already doing that. So you know, it wasn't something that I could do. However, in the village where I lived in the compound, the other white people living there, they had a maid who became sick, and was tested and she was HIV positive. And so they asked me to come and talk to her feeling that you know, somebody of my age and my status, etc, etc, etc, talking to her would make her sit up and take note because she didn't want to go on HIV medication. Heather EllisAnd then by you talking to her and giving her that peer support, she would understandHIV is something that can happen to everybody and going on and it's completely okay. It's something that happens, you can take treatments, and you'll live a healthy long life. Georgina Whitchurch Yes. So they were very thankful and so was she, especially after she started taking the medication and felt very different to what she was before. Heather EllisFrom your diagnosis, you were telling me that you then had to leave and return to Australia. But that didn't stop you did it, it didn't stop your volunteering, your passion for volunteering. Georgina Whitchurch I think my passion was just to get back to those women because I had fallen in love with Swaziland and I had fallen in love with those women and what we were doing and what we could achieve and what they could get from it. But while I'm looking at what they can get, I realized how much I got from that particular program. It was amazing, working with those women who they don't have what we have, they don't live in houses with painted walls, etc, etc. And, and you know, everything that we've got, that they are so happy and they just so full of love. Heather EllisWhen you returned to Australia, did you have the support of your family? And did you reach out to the HIV support groups like Positive Women Victoria when you returned to Australia? Georgina Whitchurch I first returned to Western Australia, which is my state of origin and my son was still living there. And so I stayed with him because I'd packed everything up because I was going to be gone for over two years. And so I eventually discovered or managed to get in touch with Western Australian AIDS Council. And so through them and meeting other people, other women living with HIV. It was actually an interesting journey for me, because Western Australia in comparison to Victoria the situation of HIV with women in those days anyway, was very, very small. They only had a very small group of women that were actually registered with the agency. But when we did meet it was really nice to just share stories with other people then out of the blue, I think I've only been with them for a very short time and I was asked, Would I be available to look after somebody similar in age to me who was just diagnosed? And I said, Yes, not a problem, not a problem, any help I can give. And so having done that, and then that sort of crept into a little group of about six women with similar age, and we just started our own little support group because we all got on well together. We used to meet every month or two months, and go to different places and it was a fantastic group. Then I went back to Swaziland. And when I returned, I came to Victoria because my son and my daughter in law had moved to Melbourne. And so I didn't want to go back to Western Australia, because he's my only family. Heather EllisI also want to ask you about stigma, because this podcast is about ending HIV stigma. And many of us have experienced some form of stigma, whether it's internalized, or externalized, or by association. So what has your experience of stigma been? Georgina Whitchurch I think in the very beginning, the treatment that I received from the volunteer agency was very, very, very hard, I was virtually treated as a prisoner, I was not allowed to have any contact with any of the women, I was not allowed to leave my house, except for, it was like, COVID, I could only leave the house if I needed to go shopping or something. And then they were trying to get certain information out of the doctor who was treating me and he refused to give them information because of confidentiality. And looking after my interest, he wouldn't give that information to them. So they then sent me to Johannesburg in South Africa. And again, I was virtually imprisoned, I wasn't allowed to go to many places, unless I told them where I was. They then sent me to a specialist. And when I went there, I had to sign a form to say that he could talk to other people about his findings. And so he then supplied them with the information that they wanted. Heather EllisBut as a complete breach of confidentiality, Georgina Whitchurch Yes. Let me just, you know, sit there and rot virtually my son was on the verge of getting on the plane and coming over to rescue me, when they decided that they would let me go back to Swaziland pack up and leave the country. Heather EllisWere you able to say goodbye to the women that you were teaching? They would have been very confused as to why you were suddenly leaving when you didn't want to leave. Georgina Whitchurch Yes, I did say goodbye.They knew that I was ill, but I don't know that they knew what it was. But you know, they're not silly, they would have known. We arranged a picnic in the park, which we had done prior to that. I often used to take them to this particular place, and we'd buy a cooked chook and a few other bits and pieces, and we'd go and sit and have a picnic. And so we arranged this picnic. And it was, a very, very, very emotional experience. I don't think there was a dry eye out of the whole group, you know, we were all crying. It was very, very hard to leave them and, and then when I went back to Swaziland, it was the opposite. They were absolutely over the moon, they were dancing. They were singing as you know how they are, you know, they dance, they sing to everything. And they just would not leave me alone. You know, they, they were all over me like a rash. And I did not complain at all. It just felt as though I'd gone home. Heather EllisAnd you stayed in for another two years as a volunteer independently and helping these women. And they want you back. Right. So hopefully after COVID you will be able to return to Africa. Georgina Whitchurch Yes, I think I do what I can here to keep myself buoyant and inspired and interested. But I think my heart still over there. Heather EllisWhen you went back did you tell them that you were living with HIV? Georgina Whitchurch They had guessed. But yes, I had told a couple of them. And because I was wanting to share that story with them. Because I knew of them. You know, I knew that. So I wanted them to not see me as, as anything different. We are the same. Exactly. Heather EllisAnd did that bring you closer together as from a peer support point of view? Like, did they see you differently? As more connected? Georgina Whitchurch Some more than others? You know, because there were some who didn't want to disclose themselves to me, but they knew about me, I made sure they knew about me. But there was probably Yeah, there would have been four out of the 10, who we became very, very, very close. Heather EllisAnd that shows how important when there's HIV Related development projects and how important it is to have people living with HIV working in those projects to bring a whole new level of support and compassion to that project and also because of GIPA principles which is the Greater Involvement of People living with HIV working on HIV related projects. When you returned to Africa for two years, how did you manage? This is a practical question for people living with HIV who may want to volunteer in developing countries? How did you manage your treatment like taking medications with you, and having, regular blood tests to ensure that viral load is undetectable and CD4 count remain high? Georgina Whitchurch Initially I was put on to medication in Swaziland. When I went back, I took six months supply with me from Australia, that obviously we get free, which is wonderful. When I ran out of that, I could buy my own exactly the same and after a while they allowed me to get the cheaper version of the medication that I was taking. So I didn't have any problems with that at all. Heather EllisSo how much was the HIV medication costing you per month? And when you were purchasing it in Africa? Georgina Whitchurch I think I was paying about 4000 Rand, which is $400 per month. And when I got the cheaper version, it was 20 rand. I can't ever remember that was it 20 Rand or $20? Heather EllisOh, that's a big difference, because like $400 a month is completely out of line and impossible for somebody living and working in Africa. But $20 a month is manageable. I mean, that's less than $1 a day. Georgina Whitchurch It's a generic brand. And I do believe that Nelson Mandela had a lot of sway in getting that happening. Heather EllisBecause with the medications, people don't die, people live long, healthy, productive lives. Children don't end up being orphans. Parents can provide an income for their families that and people aren't going to transmit the virus. This is what is now called U=U undetectable, equals untransmittable, which is backed by 20 years of scientific evidence, and it was great to hear you comment before about that government is wanting people so many people, more people to be tested for HIV, because once they tested and they go on treatment, then the virus can't be transmitted. And at the end of the day, that's how HIV can be completely eradicated. Georgina Whitchurch I would like to see what the steps are in in Swaziland now. Because there has been, you know, a huge change. Even while I was there, there was a big change with people being tested and treated. So if that continues their numbers going to reduce. Heather EllisWhat's your advice to people, particularly people living with HIV who are wanting to volunteer in a developing country? Georgina Whitchurch Do it just do it? Heather EllisYou actually independently funded your volunteering after your first trip to Africa with AVI, and many of these developing countries it is quite reasonable to live there as the cost of living is so much cheaper than say living in Australia. Georgina Whitchurch It was amazing. Amazing. Absolutely amazing. And I had everything I needed. And that's all we need to live, but I come back to Australia and you've got all this stuff. And you think, what on earth am I got all this stuff for? Heather EllisYeah, yeah, we've got to spend so much money on phone bills, internet bill, power bill, gas bill. This is never ending. Like when you add all that up. I just want to also ask you a bit about your new role as chair of Positive Women Victoria. This is a new role that came about this year, I just wanted to know, how do you see PositiveWomen Victoria developing as an organization and how the future of providing support and advocacy for women living with HIV? So your ideas like your big ideas. Georgina Whitchurch How do I answer this. Going into the chair position after only being a board member for two months, or four months, or whatever it was, was a bit of a shock. But since then, you know, I think my brain has gone back to the good old days of managing things and getting involved. And the first thing I really wanted to do was to get the board to be a really close knit cohesive group of women working together as an amazing team. And that is really starting to happen. And so from that, you know, within looking towards the future to what we want to do, we don't have any major plans at the moment. Of course, there is what you're doing, you know, with the stigma, Heather EllisI feel this is the time to really take on HIV stigma, because we've got U=U and that HIV medications to me, are like as good as a cure. Now we're not infectious, you know, and then but the stigma is still left-over from like you're saying before that the days of the Grim Reaper, we're still dealing with that. Definitely. The pandemic has been going now for 40 years and we're still dealing with stigma and there's got to be a time when it all ends. Georgina Whitchurch Our peer support team and services, I think there's going to be some major change next year in that, because we're just going through a process of complete review a very indepth review of support services. And I'm fairly certain that a lot of change is going to come out of that. So, you know, watch this space, I think it's going to be a very interesting journey ahead in terms of how people are contacted, where we take that, and then linking that in with the project that you're running with obliterating stigma would be wonderful. So with PositiveWomen Victoria, we want to keep this organization alive and well and looking to the future with whatever changes we need to make in order to accommodate the people who are members. Heather EllisOne of the initiatives that you are driving is an Over 50s Peer Support Group. Yes. And that makes complete sense. Because now in Australia, of the 30,000 people living with HIV, nearly 50% of them are over 50. So these are such a big group of people. And we're all going into you know, our later years. And there are so many issues with HIV , particularly in the aged care sector and getting the peer support from each other as we age. Georgina Whitchurch Most definitely. And like many years ago, I don't know if any of your listeners would have read Conversations with God from Neale Donald Walsch. But I was a bit of a devotee of things like that for some years. And one of the things that he wrote about was, if there's something lacking in your life, be the source and do it. And what is lacking in my life is that connection with women of a similar age, to me living with HIV, that's what I'm missing. That's why I decided to not even as the chair, but just a woman of this age, living with HIV, I want to get a group, a social group happening, like similar age group that we can, we can bounce things off each other, we can talk about old age, we can talk about young age, we can talk about all sorts of things. And in that age bracket, I think it's really different than having a mix of say 20s 30s 40s, and then the over 50s. So that's the reason for that. Heather EllisYeah. And that's wonderful in supporting each other to achieve our dreams, because we've got another 30 or 40 years of life, it's like a new chapter of our life. So as we begin this new chapter, it would be fantastic to have that, that peer support to encourage each other and our ideas and dreams and, and even go volunteering in a developing country. So you've got all this knowledge. So as the next chapter begins, we never run out of things that we can do. Georgina you are a real inspiration for women living with HIV to get out there and follow their dreams and turn those dreams into reality. But finally, I just wanted to ask, why do you feel it's so important for women living with HIV to share their stories. Georgina Whitchurch Women have always supported each other and talked to each other. And I think we need to get this out there so that we can be seen as normal women and you know, have our story there and not feel embarrassed about it and not feel as though we're ugly, or we're dirty, or we're sub-human because we carry this thing for life. But you know, women have always supported women. And yeah, I just admire all of my women friends who have supported me, as I have supported them. It's very important. Yeah. And I think we have to keep Positive Women Victoria alive and well. And it is a unique organisation. I believe it's the only one of its kind, most other HIV organizations are mixed gender. Heather EllisAnd we also need to remember that of the 38 million people globally living with HIV more than half of them are women. And, that's something we always need to keep at the back of our mind that we are not alone, and we are really a very, very powerful force to be reckoned with. Georgina Whitchurch Yeah, it's always concerned me the number of women who are falling victim to HIV because of heterosexual relationships, and not necessarily heterosexual relationships with their partner. I think that's what's happened to many, many of the women I know. Heather EllisYeah, particularly the older women where they've been married for many years, and there's a secret their husband is out there having with other men. There is now PrEP, pre exposure prophylaxis where people can take this medication and it will protect them from contracting HIV that's freely available in Australia. Georgina Whitchurch If you're in a long, long ongoing relationship with one man, you're not going to take PrEP. Why would you? People do need to protect themselves. And it's interesting that we were talking about this in the time of COVID, because, you know, a lot of people have done exactly what they have to do in COVID. But a lot of people don't do exactly what they have to do to protect themselves with some sexual activities. Heather EllisSo yes. It's like COVID we've proven people will wear masks people who use hand sanitizer. We just need to get them using condoms. Definitely. Okay, Georgina, I thank you so much for sharing your story today on Our Stories Ending HIV Stigma.It's been fantastic speaking with you and you're such an inspiration. Thank you. Georgina Whitchurch Thank you, Heather. And I hope that this podcast works and people do listen to these stories and take notes. Take notes, and protect yourself. Heather EllisIf you've enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe so you can listen when future episodes are posted. Please rate and review this podcast and share it. Our Stories is part of the Women and HIV Tell The Story project made possible by Gilead Sciences through the Gilead Together Grant program and produced by Positive Women Victoria, a community based support an advocacy organisation for women living with HIV in Australia. I'm Heather Ellis. Thanks so much for listening. Isn't it time we ended HIV stigma once and for all.For more information about this episode, visit www.positivewomen.org.au

376. This week, we talk to D.L. Holmes. He is a self published co-author of Seemingly Strange and Unusual Tales, and More Seemingly Strange and Unusual Tales, as well as the author of "Stranded". Residing in North Louisiana, he has secured a Masters of Fine Arts from Full Sail University. He is a writer of horror and science fiction.​ This week in Louisiana history. August 3, 1918. Louisiana ratifies 18th Amendment to US Constitution (Prohibition). This week in New Orleans history. The funeral Mass for Lindy Boggs was held on August 1, 2013 at St. Louis Cathedral. Interment followed later in the day at St. Mary's Cemetery in New Roads. This week in Louisiana. Cajun Chili Fest August 1st, 2020Blackham Coliseum2330 Johnston St., Lafayette, LA 70503 337-233-3447 Website Cajun Chili Fest is a chili cookoff to raise money for student scholarships and local charities. Bring a big appetite, and enjoy dozens of award-winning chili and live music with your family! $5 Admission. Kids 12 and under free • Taste dozens of chilis from award-winning chili champs and local teams putting their best recipes to the test. • Live music, plus a Kids Zone, raffle prizes and more! Postcards from Louisiana. Chicken on the Bone Band.Listen on iTunesListen on StitcherListen on Google Play.Listen on Spotify.Listen on TuneIn.The Louisiana Anthology Home Page.Like us on Facebook.

Meet Gerald Gerami, owner of Rug Gallery by Gerami’s, who has followed in the entrepreneurial footsteps of his late grandfather, Joseph Patrick Gerami, who opened his first retail establishment in Lafayette in 1920. Gerald Gerami sat down with Jan Swift, host of Discover Lafayette, to share his experience as a successful vendor who has survived the ups and downs of the marketplace in Lafayette. This interview is full of nuggets of wisdom from someone who jumped out of his comfort zone, believed in his ability to meet the needs of his community, and took the risk of opening his own retail establishment. The original Gerami family business was started by Joseph Patrick Gerami who had immigrated to the United States from Sicily and settled in Lafayette after he returned from WWI. Gerami's opened first as a furniture market in 1920 with the financial assistance of the iconic businessman, Maurice Heymann, who believed in investing in solid business people who could use a helping hand. Although Joseph Gerami was originally a furniture craftsman, his retail operation evolved into the opening of a second store offering flooring. This store is still open today on Jefferson Blvd. in downtown Lafayette, some 100 years after it was first opened by Joseph Gerami, and is run by his grandsons Gary and Greg Gerami. Members of the Gerami family: Glenn, Greg, Gerald Sr., Gary, and Gerald Jr. Gerald Gerami, Jr. had been influenced by his maternal grandfather, L. D. "Dudley" Foreman, who was a longtime banker at First National Bank in Lafayette. Post-college, Gerald first went into banking as a young man and then in the late 1980s was courted by his college buddy, Don Hargroder of Courtesy Automotive, to go into auto sales. After about 10 years in the auto business, Gerald was ready to open his own business and decided to return his family's retail roots with a twist: he decided there was a good opportunity in Lafayette to open a stand-alone rug location which could offer complementary pieces to the flooring options his family was selling. The original Gerami's Flooring store didn't have the room to offer an expanded selection of area rugs, and the natural synergy between the two stores could be utilized to enhance the business of both. In 1998, Gerald Gerami, Jr. opened Rug Gallery by Gerami’s to meet a needed niche in Lafayette’s retail market as homeowners increasingly installed hard flooring and decorative rugs were becoming more popular. The timing was good and the original location in Time Plaza on Johnston St. was a high traffic locale with a convenient location across town from the original Gerami's. In 2014, Gerald moved his store to its current location at 105 Englewood Drive, facing the busy Ambassador Caffrey corridor and allowing him to roughly double his showroom space. In 2014, Gerald moved his store to its current location at 105 Englewood Dr., Lafayette LA. Gerami's clientele is mainly women who make the home decorating selections. The store's experienced manager, Monica Cagle, has worked with Gerald since its inception. Gerald's wife, Carla, while not full-time, travels to market to help with the selection of the rug and accessories inventory, and with day to day decisions. Gerald and Carla Gerami with Alex Pekar at a rug market in Atlanta. Many people think that Gerami's only offers rugs, and expensive Oriental rugs at that, but the store offers rugs in all price brackets as well as accessories to complement your home decor. Its staff will help you select the appropriate rug and accessories and you have the opportunity to take the merchandise home to see if it works with your existing decor before committing to the purchase. Gerald says that 90% of the people they help take the item home and he stands behind the guarantee, "Try it Before You Buy it!" Service and the business's personal touch are what have allowed the store to remain intact through the inevitable economic ups and downs th...

This week we are talking with Samantha Shannon, author of THE PRIORY OF THE ORANGE TREE, THE BONE SEASON, THE MIME ORDER, and THE SONG RISING. To find out more about Samantha and her work, visit http://samantha-shannon.blogspot.com. You can also follow her on Twitter at https://twitter.com/say_shannon and Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/say_shannon/. Thank you to all of our amazing listeners, including our patrons over at https://Patron.com/BeyondTheTrope. Mentioned in this episode: J. R. R. Tolkien Game of Thrones Assassins Creed: Odyssey THE AFTERWARD by E. K. Johnston St. George and the Dragon FEVER 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson

Megan Romer and Dylan Simon talk about Volunteer Instructors Teaching Adults (VITA) and Adult Illiteracy in the Lafayette Area. To buy tickets you can visit VITA's website. Subscribe to be notified of new episodes! And come visit us at Alexander Books at 2116 Johnston St. Lafayette, LA 70503 Email: alexanderbookstore@gmail.com To stay updated follow us on social media: Facebook Instagram Upcoming Events: Ladies of St. Mary's - April 4 at 7pm - Holland Family Great Books Discussion - April 13 at 6pm - Plato's Republic Books 1 and 2 Stories Matter - April 23 at 6:30pm

Kacee Thompson, Executive Director of the Hospice of Acadiana Foundation, joined Jan Swift of Discover Lafayette to explain the mission and services offered by the area's oldest and only nonprofit hospice. Fate and faith led Kacee to serve this organization which has brought great solace to those in our community at the end of their life. Many of us are familiar with the concept of hospice but don’t know much about the mechanics of what occurs when a patient is ready for end of life care or how the cost of services is covered. In Acadiana, we have been fortunate to have had the leadership of Father Louis Richard in bringing hospice to our region. Following the death of his grandmother while he was a seminarian studying in Belgium, Lafayette-native Father Louis worked at St. Christopher's House near London with British physician, Dr. Cicely Saunders. Dr. Saunders is considered to be the founder of the modern-day Hospice movement, and it was there that Father Louie developed a deep commitment to caring for the dying. Returning home to Lafayette following his ordination, Father Louis met with other community leaders and, in 1983, helped establish Hospice of Acadiana, Inc.—a nonprofit hospice committed to providing quality care at the end of life for all, regardless of their ability to pay for these services. Hospice of Acadiana remains the only nonprofit hospice in our area. With the longest record of continuous service of any hospice in Louisiana, since 1983 they have served over 24,000 patients and their families. With a full-time staff physician, 300 volunteers, 70 full-time employees, and a dozen volunteer physicians, Hospice serves a 9 parish area for patients who live within a fifty-mile radius of the organization's offices at 2600 Johnston St. in Lafayette. Patients with a terminal illness or condition that have a prognosis of six months or less to live are eligible for Hospice of Acadiana's services. The main goal is always to keep the patients at home where they will be most comfortable. In some instances, home care is not available and the patient will be admitted to a hospital or nursing home. A long term goal of Hospice of Acadiana is to build an in-patient hospice facility for those who are not able to remain in their home. Hospice of Acadiana treats much more than the medical condition of the patient. They offer chaplains, social workers, therapists, and volunteers who can tend to the social, emotional, and financial needs of the patient as well as the patient's family. Emotional and social factors arise upon an end of life diagnosis, and the hospice team brings experienced counseling for those in need. Several programs are available for patients and their families: The Center for Loss & Transition offers grief counseling by certified bereavement counselors in an interactive approach to assist individuals process their grief. Camp Brave Hearts is a two day camp for children ages 7 to 11 who have experienced loss in a fun setting run by volunteers. Pet Peace of Mind is a national organization that locals can join to help hospice patients as they become unable to tend to their pets: volunteers walk, feed and clean up after the pets, and provide permanent placement for the pet after the patient passes. We Honor Veterans Program thanks veterans while they are still alive by presenting pins, Commendations from the State Legislature to thank the patient for their service to our country. Hospice of Acadiana was selected by New York University to participate in a five-year study on how to better care for dementia patients who are in hospice care. This collaborative effort with Hospice will determine how caregivers may best meet the needs of patients who Hospice began offering palliative care in January 2019 for those who have a terminal condition that may have a longer prognosis than the typical six-month term. These patients have the same needs for medical and social care and this new progr...

Kyle Albarado and Dylan Simon talk about "How to Read a Book" by Mortimer Adler. If you want to know how to be a better reader and get more out of the books that you read, than this is the podcast you need to listen to (and book you need to read). In Pt. 2, we go over the last 2 of the 4 stages of reading: Analytical Reading and Syntopical Reading. Here are the documents Kyle provided How to Read: The Essentials of Active Reading Reference Guide to Becoming a *Demanding* Reader Subscribe to be notified of new episodes! And come visit us at Alexander Books at 2116 Johnston St. Lafayette, LA 70503 Email: alexanderbookstore@gmail.com To stay updated follow us on social media: Facebook Instagram Upcoming Events: Stories Matter - April 23 at 6:30pm Ladies of St. Mary's - April 4 at 7pm Great Books Discussion - April 13 at 6pm - Plato's Republic Books 1 and 2

Kyle Albarado and Dylan Simon talk about "How to Read a Book" by Mortimer Adler. If you want to know how to be a better reader and get more out of the books that you read, than this is the podcast you need to listen to (and book you need to read). In Pt 1, we go over the first 2 of the 4 stages of reading: Elementary Reading and Inspectional Reading. Subscribe so you can be notified when Pt. 2 of the episode is released and to be notified when our next podcasts will be released. And come visit us at Alexander Books at 2116 Johnston St. Lafayette, LA 70503 To stay updated follow us on social media: Facebook Instagram Upcoming Events: Stories Matter - Tuesday March 19th 6:30pm Ladies of St. Mary's - TBD Great Books Discussion - TBD

Alexander Books is located at 2116 Johnston St. Lafayette LA. If you would like to keep up with Alexander Books and be updated about our deals and events, follow us on social media (links below). Buy a Celtic book from March 6th - March 14th to be entered to win a Weekend Pass to The Celtic Bayou Festival. The Celtic Bayou Festival is March 15th and 16th. Find out more at http://www.celticbayoufest.com/ To know about our live shows, follow Ladies of St. Mary's on social media as well (links below). Alexander Books FB: www.facebook.com/Alexander-Books-100875769957637/ IG: www.instagram.com/alexanderbooks/ Ladies of St. Mary's FB: www.facebook.com/Ladies-of-St-Marys-189772798282949/ IG: www.instagram.com/ladiesofst.marys/

Viv, Fergus and Luca interview Madi, Sophie and Juan from Mad World presented by David Butler Studio and Richard Taki. Mad World transports audiences to the twisted and mad cabaret world of Klub Wonderland in WWII Berlin. A "choose your own adventure" kind of cabaret, no two experiences are the same. It has another four shows this Sunday to Wednesday 7pm at Vau d'Vile Drag Cabaret 62-70 Johnston St. Fitzroy. Aired originally on Sunday February 17th. Segment produced and edited by Marcie Di Bartolomeo. Image courtesy of Mad World and Lauren Broeren.

A native of Bangladesh who moved to Lafayette in 1983 to study engineering at USL, Ema Haq fell in love with the people and region and never considered leaving. Well-known for both his culinary skills and philanthropic endeavors, this interview provides a heartwarming opportunity to hear the personal story of this beloved man who is grateful to be an American. Ema's first job was as a "pot washer" at USL, and he moved up the ranks by waiting tables, bartending and finally learning how to cook by working in restaurant kitchens. He jokingly recounted how in the early days he didn't even know how to cook rice which was unthinkable being from Bangladesh where they ate rice at least twice a day. Although Ema graduated in mechanical engineering from USL, his career focus turned to food and he opened Bailey's Seafood & Grill on October 2, 1993. In the years since, he has been recognized as one of Louisiana's top chefs and honored with over 30 culinary awards including the Louisiana Restaurant Association “Restaurateur of the Year” award and a "Best in Show" award from the Louisiana Gold Culinary Classic. Bailey’s Seafood and Grill is known for its authentic French Acadian fare that focuses on fresh ingredients. A quick look at the menu is enough to send you running there to sample their plethora of seafood and steak dishes, soups, colorful vegetables, and tempting desserts. The companion restaurant, Ema's Cafe, offers breakfast and lunch and is known for its crawfish, crab cakes, and bread pudding, among other crowd favorites. In 1999, Ema started Bailey Support Services - Offshore & Remote Site Catering, which offers catering and housekeeping services to the oil and gas industry worldwide including Brazil, Malaysia, West Africa, and locally in the Gulf of Mexico. Emaco Food Services, started in 2010, distributes food and cleaning supplies to restaurants, nursing homes, hospitals, schools, prisons, convenience stores and drilling rigs.  On the philanthropic front, Ema Haq is acclaimed for Bailey's annual Thanksgiving luncheon which just celebrated its 26th year. Thanksgiving was an unknown holiday to Ema when he moved here in 1983. His friend from an engineering class, Jeff Jardell, invited him over to his home in Carencro to celebrate with the family. Jeff's mom, Barbara Jardell, became a second mom to Ema. When Ema opened Bailey's in 1993, Mrs. Jardell, had been cooking at home every Thanksgiving and included Ema; that year, he convinced her to join him and help with that first community-wide Thanksgiving feast, which fed around 160 people. The feast centers on offering a sit-down meal for those who may be homeless or elderly and wouldn't otherwise have access to such a treat. For Thanksgiving 2019, the restaurant served just over 1,100 meals to grateful recipients, with the help of invaluable volunteers. And, Mrs. Jardell still plays an integral part in Ema's life and is a grandmother to his children. Ema has taken a hands-on interest in educational outcomes locally, and realized that he wanted to encourage good kids who work hard. He brings them to Bailey's to teach manners, treat them to a delicious dinner, and show them that they matter. He believes it is an obligation and duty to invest in our youngest and most vulnerable. Children hold the key to our future, and he has adopted seven schools in this endeavor. Ema's Cafe serves Breakfast and Lunch from 7 AM until 2 PM seven days a week, while Bailey's Seafood & Grill is open Thursday through Saturday from 5 PM to 9 PM, and offers Sunday Brunch from 10:30 AM to 2 PM!  The restaurants are located at 5520-A Johnston St. in Lafayette LA. For more information, please visit http://baileyslafayette.com and https://www.facebook.com/emascafe. Tips from Chef Ema, who still enjoys taking a shift in the kitchen: 1. “Keep it simple. It doesn’t take too much to create something. You don’t need a lot of ingredients.” 2. “You’ve got to have your own passion.

If you ask Red Lerille about the best methods for staying in shape and in good health, you will hear one answer, over and over: Work out with weights! He knows what he's talking about; Red Lerille has been in the health club business since the early 1960's. Selected as Mr. America in 1960, prior to that, Red was the recipient of numerous other fitness awards which led to his dream of owning his own health club. He has dedicated his life to helping others achieve fitness in an iconic health club that makes changes every month. He's the epitome of health and has proven that aging can be slowed down, accidents can be overcome, and life is better when you work out with weights and take care of your body. Red Lerille was inspired to lift weights when he was in 7th grade.  His school teacher had been a submarine sailor who worked out with weights. Red became a friend of the family, and this teacher’s inspiration inspired him to join the Navy, go to submarine school, and to pursue weight competitions. Red's first competition took place when he was 14, in the Mr. New Orleans contest. At that competition, Red befriended Mike Stansbury from Lafayette whose friendship served as the catalyst for leading him to move to Lafayette when they crossed paths a few years later as Red's service in the Navy was winding down. Red believes in envisioning the accomplishment of his goals. This started for him at the age of 7 when he put up pictures of Mr. America on his bedroom wall. He told everyone that came to his house that he would be Mr. America one day. Red says it best, "Everything I’ve ever wanted in life, I put a picture on the wall and dared it not to show up!" This tool hasn't failed him, ever. On January 13, 1963, Red opened his first fitness club on Johnston St, where Dwight’s is currently located. In 1965 the club moved to its current location on Doucet Road and has been growing ever since. With a goal to make an improvement each month, Red oversees daily operations of his dream club which is now the largest and best in the South with approximately 13 – 16,000 members. By investing in the community, the community invests in Red. Beginning his workday at 2:30 a.m. by opening the club, Red has created a place that is a true melting pot of our community. Listening to Red's voice is better than reading this post! Please listen and check out his Health Club which is, hands down, the best health club in the South! Visit https://redlerilles.com/ for more information.

Anthony, Maria and Smithers chat to Ella Caldwell, the Artistic Director at Red Stitch Actor's Theatre, who's also performing in their upcoming annual fundraiser, PLAYlist, at the Contemporary Arts Precincts (35 Johnston St, Collingwood) on Saturday 16 December from 7-11pm.

Sarah Sutherland and David Baker Christian chats to the artistic directors and one of the members of rollercoaster theatre company, talking about their new show, fish, playing at The Melba Spiegeltent (35 Johnston St, Collingwood) until September 2.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Maria and Smithers chat to actor Sorcha Breen about I Am Katherine, a theatrical adaptation and response to William Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew, playing at Hares and Hyenas (63 Johnston St, Fitzroy) from July 19-29.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The one person show is an exhilarating performance for both player and audience. For one, the performer is completely alone on the stage and must accept the accompanying pressures and risks. There is nobody to pick up the slack if the performer forgets a line, bumbles a scene, loses energy or has an attack of self doubt. If the audience reacts poorly to a line, or to a scene, or an act, there is nobody else to share the mortification with. And yet when the stage belongs to one person, that person claims the full attention of the audience. This is so valuable, as nuances of body language, lines, timing, which might be diffused by many bodies on the stage are made far more powerful. It also means that audience laughter, applause, and anticipatory silence is the sole victory of the performer. The audience can detect the high stakes, and is intoxicated with the adrenaline and energy on stage. This energy allows the performer to retain control of their attention and emotion, independently, for an entire performance. For me, the one woman show Being A Good Person is Bloody Hard Work, does not divert from this highly charged mould of the one person play. Nicole McKenzie, the artist behind the piece, has created a one hour performance which I might compare to the experience of holding onto a rollercoaster without belt or safety bar, while someone is telling you jokes. McKenzie plays the character of Nicole, a student, working part time and living in a Fitzroy sharehouse, who is obsessed to the point of mania with the question of what it means to be a good person. Nicole's commentary on contemporary metropolitan and suburban Australian morality cascades with exponentially increasing speed and frenzy through the issues of recycling, vegetarianism, veganism, environmentalism, social media, fair trade goods, socialising, exercise, study, work, family, political correctness, haircuts, wine, wine, brie cheese, and more. The show is a comedy laced with serious undercurrents, and while Nicole the character is a satirical, hyperbolic study of the manner in which society approaches these topics, in many respects she isn't far off from the reality. Indeed, how long will it be until there isn't a cafe in Fitzroy which isn't Vegan? McKenzie's only props are a blue exercise ball, bag of popcorn, bottle and glass of wine and plate of brie cheese, as well as a costume change which I won't reveal. She is accompanied by an economically deployed audioscape of sound effects and dialogue, which I found deepened the atmosphere without being heavy handed. The brilliance of this performance was the manner in which McKenzie navigated her bag of characters. One woman does not mean one identity on the stage, and McKenzie produced ranks of characters as easily as changing coat onto the mannequin of her body. The speed and agility of this was like watching an artisan blowing glass. It requires perfect timing, discipline and clarity of movement. One character cannot behave the same as another, because there is nothing but movement and tone of voice to make each person distinct, given there is only one body on stage to use. The scenes between the many, many characters were well written and witty. Yet for me, the most amusing aspect was watching McKenzie artfully converse with herself as different characters, starting the scene as Nicolle, then shifting within nanoseconds perfectly and totally into her new identity, and then back again. She has truly mastered this aspect of physical comedy and knows her characters and scenes to the letter. The play seems to revolve around a repeated scene, of Nicole being interviewed by an unnamed, overly nice bureaucrat of some sort, marking Nicole on the moral goodness of her behaviour. Does she recycle? Does she follow the precise instructions? No...? Hmmm. Marks off. The interviewer, a crowd favourite for her comic timing and unsubtle undermining of Nicole, is one of the most complex characters in the play. The nagging nature of the interviewer, and her appearance, manifest in Nicole's own body, seems to imply the interviewer is Nicole's super-ego. However, the device of the interview makes this interviewer distinct from Nicole's mind, external in at least some respect. The interviewer is marking Nicole on her goodness, and I couldn't help imagining a jaded, female secretary of St Peter, sent to earth to judge people in preliminary investigations before there final exam at the pearly gates. In terms of the negatives, there isn't much that could turn one off this performance, unless you are totally against crowd interaction. Then, just don't sit in the front row. During the performance I attended, McKenzie stumbled only once over a line, from which she recovered automatically and without losing momentum. Frankly, from a relatively young performer, and a show which requires such energy and physical exertion to perform, without break, for an hour, I expected many more mistakes. Indeed, the mistake proved to me that she was not a theatre robot sent from the future to bring chaotic silliness to Melbourne suburbia. I rate the performance 41% morally good, or, four and a bit out of five. Go see it, it's only got one more night left in this run, at Hares & Hyenas (63 Johnston St, Fitzroy) on Thursday the 23rd at 8pm. Written by Jim ThomasSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

To make up for the months we were away, we've organised a gig for listeners called The Public Apology. It's Sunday, October 16, 500pm at the Rochester Hotel, 202 Johnston St, Fitzroy. And it's five bucks on the door. This episode was meant to promote it, but we forgot to mention it for twenty minutes.

I remember the first time I walked past ‘The Good Copy’ on Johnston St in Collingwood, Melbourne. I knew there was something interesting and different about the space and it pricked my curiosity so much that I had to go in for a look.