Tag: Houma

BCF Awards Second Round of Grants through Bayou Recovery Fund

Residents in the Houma-Thibodaux area recently received another round of donations through the Bayou Recovery Fund thanks to the Bayou Community Foundation, according to Houma Today.

One week following Hurricane Ida making landfall at Port Fourchon and leaving a detrimental amount of damage in its wake, the Thibodaux-based foundation known as the Bayou Community Foundation for Hurricane Ida Relief has received thousands of donations from all over, resulting in the funding of nearly $1.8 million in grants since September 5, 2021.

Now, it was recently announced that the Bayou Community Foundation has approved a second round of grants and additional funding to be distributed to nonprofits in the affected areas. Officially, nearly $1.3 million in donations will be distributed to Houma and Thibodaux area residents recovering from the Category 4 storm and an additional $1.29 million will be distributed to 17 nonprofits in Terrebonne, Lafourche, and Grand Isle.

The Bayou Community Foundation’s president, Henry Lafont, said the following in a news release regarding the second round of donations and grants being approved for distribution: “Thanks to the compassion and generosity of individual and corporate donors around the country, Bayou Community Foundation has been able to act swiftly and effectively over the past five weeks to fund programs that are filling the most urgent needs of our residents like food, water, and essential supplies. Our local nonprofits are doing amazing work to help the suffering among us.”

Since September 5th, the funds that have been disbursed to nonprofits have helped the workers and volunteers distribute hot meals, nonperishable food items, water, gasoline, clothing, hygiene supplies, cleaning instruments and agents, and much more to residents affected by the storm. In addition to the supplies stemming from the funds, the donations have also helped to secure and provide temporary housing, classroom supplies, educational equipment, and medical programs to the Southeastern Louisiana residents.

When addressing the longevity of such donations, Lafont went on to say, “we know this is just the beginning, though,” Lafont said. “As we turn the corner from relief to recovery, the Bayou Recovery Fund is positioned to help address longer-term needs in Lafourche, Terrebonne and Grand Isle like the housing crisis we now face and the mental health needs that we expect to come.”

In the future, the Bayou Community Fund is looking to raise an additional $10 million for storm recovery efforts. All donations gifted to the Fund are tax-deductible and are used to fund emergency grants to local nonprofits providing direct, critical relief, recovery, and rebuilding services in the aftermath of the hurricane to those most affected in the Bayou Region. Previously, on September 15, 2021- just a week after the fund was initiated, $449,000 in Bayou Recovery Fund Grants were awarded.

As of this second round of grants being announced to several agencies and nonprofits across southeastern Louisiana, several have commented on the announced grants such as the Executive Director of the Lafourche Education Foundation, Paula Rome, who said the following in response to the planned $100,000 grant along with the Terrebonne Foundation for Academic Excellence: “with this grant, LEF will be able to help our Lafourche schools that were hardest hit by Hurricane Ida replenish much-needed classroom supplies and equipment for our teachers and students across the parish.”

Similarly, Bob Stewart, Ph.D, Vice President of Friends of Grand Isle said of his organization’s grant, “this grant from the Bayou Community Foundation provides critical relief to our first responders who have so selflessly served Grand Isle in the wake of Hurricane Ida. The Friends of Grand Isle are committed to providing financial relief to our residents and businesses to build a stronger Grand Isle.”

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Terrebonne Parish Sees Double Garbage and Debris pickup in wake of Hurricane Ida

Exactly a month after Terrebonne Parish suffered historic levels of loss due to Hurricane Ida, it was reported by HoumaToday that more than 7,000 tons of household garbage has been picked up across the parish– nearly double the standard amount during that time frame.

This enormous increase in garbage pickup equates to an extraordinary amount of added workload and man-hours put in by sanitation employees who were also citizens of the parish and thus impacted by Hurricane Ida alongside the citizens whose garbage they picked up. The employees that work for Terrebonne Parish’s sanitation contractor, Pelican Waste, faced various challenges in housing, transportation, and other storm-related issues since the Category 4 storm’s August 29 landfall.

The solid waste director of Terrebonne Parish, Clay Naquin, told Parish Council members at the September 29 council meeting that his department “tried everything they could” to get Pelican Waste employees back into the parish following the storm so that cleanup could begin. The “everything” Naquin referred to included providing power generators, temporary housing, and three square meals a day whenever possible to his workers.

Once they were back in the parish, collection crews from multiple contractors went out across the parish to pick up as much commercial, mixed, and debris garbage that they could, despite delays faced along the way. Naquin urged the public’s adherence to FEMA guidelines that indicate how debris should be stored and stacked at the curbside. Similarly, collection crews follow FEMA protocols when it comes to debris collection, and their garbage trucks are usually followed by teams ensuring that such protocols are being followed.

Because of the increase in debris pickup this past month, adhering to FEMA guidelines at both the waste management and resident level is of utmost importance, according to Naquin. He told council members, “if we don’t follow the protocol that FEMA puts out there, we have a chance of losing funding. can tell you right now, we’re probably pushing $6 million-plus in our debris collection, and if we don’t follow this, we have a chance of losing everything.”

Outside of the routine garage pickup, many Terrebonne Parish residents have been bringing their garbage and debris to the parish’s designated drop-off sites. Having citizens haul their own debris and garbage to these sites significantly lessens the workload placed on individual garbage collecting crews. As of the September 29 Terrebonne Parish Council meeting, Naquin reported that 121 tons of vegetation, 2,822 tons of mixed debris, and 5,378 tons of commercial mixed debris have been dropped off at these designated locations.

Naquin also emphasized that a parish-hired contractor, DRC, had picked up 674,167 cubic yards of storm debris across a total of 12,140 loads. He then provided a figure that was given by Governor John Bel Edwards in a recent news conference in which he stated that the state picked up 1 million cubic yards of debris on all state roads affected by the hurricane. Naquin compared this to DRC’s average of 35,000 cubic yards of debris picked up daily, saying “I’m giving those numbers just to show you that this crew, DRC is out there, really working.”

In addition to accruing significant amounts of debris in the wake of Hurricane Ida, Terrebonne Parish saw about 85% of its signage become lost or damaged during the storm. Out of these 17,500 signs, about 5% have been restored and reset, and parish public works director David Rome assured the council that the department is prioritizing signs at the top of the restoration list, due to civil and transportation importance. The restoration list of signs to be reset sees stop signs, followed by street name signs, then yield, and speed limit signs in that sequential order.

Little by little, the various departments and agencies across Terrebonne Parish are putting in the man-hours and effort necessary to help the area “bounce back” from a detrimental storm season, thus offering a small glimmer of hope in these turbulent times.

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Renovated Airplane Serves as Social Space in Houma

Anyone curious about airplanes from mechanics to aspiring pilots can now visit an aviation social scene that is housed in a salvaged, decommissioned jet at the Houma-Terrebonne airport, and it’s all thanks to an air traffic controller who had a vision and renovated said airplane, says an article by Houma Today.

Andy Cook has been a registered Air Traffic Controller with the Federal Aviation Administration since 1988, and after he noticed a Boeing 727 collecting dust in a nearby South Louisiana shipyard for two consecutive years, he decided that it was time to act. Subsequently, Cook struck a deal with the owner to not only move the commercial jet to the Houma-Terrebonne airport but to also renovate and transform it into a communal aviation den.  The end result, a now renovated airplane unlike anything you may have ever seen.

What now stands on the green fields beside the tarmac of HUM, or the Houma-Terrebonne Airport and Industrial Park is a completely “decked-out” Boeing 727 cockpit and first-class cabin that is lined inside and out with New Orleans Hornets iconography and memorabilia as well as other impressive amenities. The former Crescent City NBA team used to use the jet as a charter plane as did the Seattle Supersonics (now the Oklahoma City Thunder) and the Charlotte Hornets.

After Cook noticed that the jet was exposed to the elements for two years, he had some idea of the amount of work and effort he would have to contribute in order to turn this “decommissioned scrap” into the impressive piece of Louisiana history that it is today. He told reporters: “I can’t tell you how many muddy buckets of water I’ve dragged out of this thing,” Cook said. “It was a tetanus shot waiting to happen.”

After the water was dispelled from the aircraft, Cook put in dozens of additional man-hours to properly deep-clean, refurbish, and revamp the 727 with new carpeting, air conditioning, speakers, and aesthetic Hornets memorabilia lining the interior as well as a logo for the NBA team wrapping the 40-foot perimeter of the jet itself. Cook even took it a step forward by positioning the plane so that it’s west-facing, giving anyone seated in the cockpit an impressive view of the sunset.

As a result and testament to his hard work, the renovated airplane has started to attract its own brand of visitors. For instance Darryl Christen, a Houma attorney also owns and operates a local flight school, and he will have his enrolled flight students study in the first-class cabin to see the infrastructure and engineering up close. Similarly, Neil Thibodaux, a local pilot and chef known by the Houma community as “Chef Nino” took advantage of the opportunity to see the aviation engineering feat up close, as he had never previously gotten the chance to see a cross-section, or industrially separated, passenger aircraft before.

Thibodeaux said of Cook’s project, “Andy is so brilliant,” Thibodaux said. “It’s a gathering place for aviators and airplane mechanics. My favorite part is the history that this plane brings.” Andy Cook hopes that the plane will inspire any interested parties to learn more about aviation, and in the spirit of that optimistic outlook, Cook leaves the plane unlocked and fully accessible to anyone willing to come by, as long as they have access past the airfield’s gate, saying, “I’ll keep it open and unlocked until something goes missing.”

The Boeing 727 aircraft was initially designed to service smaller airport runways and has only grown since its humble 1960’s beginnings to later become one of the greatest commercial jets in history by 1984. Today, only 40 models of the historic aircraft are still flying around the world, but whether they’re airborne or grounded, it’s safe to assume that none are as impressively striking as the partial model that decorates the lawn of the Houma-Terrebonne Airport.

As it stands today, the once massively popular aircraft that is the Boeing 727 only has 40 still operating and flying in the skies today

For more Louisiana-related articles, click here.

 

Benny Cenac, Business Owner, and the SLCC Open House

On Friday, October 26, 2018, the sun was shining and the smell of a fresh Boucherie was in the air as members of the Benny Cenac business, Cenac Marine Services, attended a celebration for a partner in maritime education.  South Louisiana Community College (SLCC) and the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium (LUMCON) celebrated their new and recent partnership at the Maritime and Corporate Training Center in Houma.

SLCC hosts a Marine Operations program within their Continuing Education outpost of their Corporate College to support the needs of businesses and industries throughout South Louisiana. The Marine Operations program provides specialized Coast Guard-approved classroom instruction and practical training to prepare students for many jobs available in the field.

SLCC administrators along with area dignitaries shared remarks and then later enjoyed the afternoon over delicious food and a discussion of what exciting things are to come in the future for both parties as they partner together.

The program began with a warm welcome from Mr. Anthony Baham of SLCC and was followed by fellow representatives of SLCC:  Dr. Craig McClain and Dr. Kristine Strickland.  Also in attendance were Mr. Gordone Dove, Parish President, Mr. Jerome Zeringue, Represented of District 52, and Ms. Beryl Amedee, Representative of District 51.

The SLCC Maritime training program is enhanced from the refurbished barge donated by Benny Cenac, business leader and philanthropist.
The dedicated barge is an exact replica of a standard Cenac Marine Services tank barge and will allow for the highest quality education and training.

Mr. Walt Cenac with the Benny Cenac Towing Company was in attendance of the open house for CEO and Owner, Benny Cenac. The company donated a fully refurbished barge to SLCC’s Maritime Training program back in November 2017. The dedicated barge, which measures 158 feet by 40 feet, is an exact replica of a standard Cenac Marine Services tank barge with all the bells and whistles. The barge is located in Munson Slip in Houma, just off the Houma Navigation Canal. These updated real-life barge features now allow for the highest quality education and training for those that attend the program that are set to be the next generation of maritime industry leaders.

Cenac’s donated fully refurbished barge has everything a current Cenac employee would work with on a daily basis. Benny Cenac, Houma business owner, proudly announced that it is the most state-of-the-art training barge in Louisiana, and likely the most advanced of its kind within the Gulf Coast.

Cenac Marine had donated the barge to the state years ago for use in workforce development. Members of the board of supervisors of the Louisiana Community and Technical College System approached Benny Cenac to see if his towing business would partner with the area schools to modernize the training barge. Mr. Cenac jumped at the chance to aid local students and interested professionals committed to training and strengthening the local maritime workforce.

Benny Cenac, Business Leader and Philanthropist for Education-Related Causes

Benny Cenac, business magnate from Houma, has long supported higher-education programs throughout the state of Louisiana. Mr. Cenac understands the value of education and dedicates his resources to supporting those who love to learn. Benny Cenac’s business successes at Cenac Marine Services has prompted his support for maritime-focused training programs to ensure a continued and thriving maritime industry within his home state.

Benny Cenac, business owner and philanthropist, celebrated with their partner for maritime education at the Maritime and Corporate Training Center in Houma.
Benny Cenac, business owner, at a related event

Workforce development is always at the top of Benny Cenac’s list business priorities—and community partnerships like this one are crucial for orchestrating workforce development systems in such vital industries.

“Terrebonne Parish is and always will be near and dear to our hearts here at Cenac as our birthplace,” explained Cenac. “This company will always invest in continuing to produce the best marine personnel in the business. This also assists in making training more readily available to the area. We are all for supporting maritime education, especially so close to home.”

Cenac noted that students and existing mariners in the Terrebonne area were forced to travel for certain classes to less-convenient areas like Slidell, LA, east of New Orleans.

“Now our employees will be able to have a place right in their backyard to do this,” Cenac said.

The very first open enrollment SLCC Maritime Training class began in August. Depending on the size of the class, hands-on barge training can last approximately eight hours long. The goal of the South Louisiana Community College and their Maritime training program is to offer the class every two weeks, depending on instructor availability. They currently have two Cenac Boat Captains serving as tankerman instructors during their off time.  The Cenac instructors have been certified through the state of Louisiana to teach the course. It takes a total of 32 hours to complete the tankerman training course. After completion of the course, they are required to complete basic firefighting training before they can become a certified Tankerman.

Benny Cenac stated, “From the very start of this project I have been excited about what we can offer to the community and to those interested in becoming Tankermen. My company and I are fortunate to have the opportunity to provide a hands-on learning experience to many people for years to come.”

The Benny Cenac Towing Company was very proud to be a part of the open house that took place at the Maritime Training Center. The event was perfect and closed out with words from Mr. Stevie Smith in place of Mr. Vinny St. Blanc, Louisiana’s Community and Technical College’s (LCTCS) Board of Supervisors.

“When you look at higher education where we’ve had so many budget cuts, and a man steps up and offers equipment or a simulator in support of our community technical college, it speaks to his love for his community and his state,” Willie Smith said. “We appreciate you, Mr. Cenac, and all that you’ve done for us in support of the community and technical college.”

The barge dedication ceremony featured a benediction from Father Mark Toups from the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux and a prayer from the Rev. Simon Peter Engurait, vicar general of the diocese and pastor of St. Bridget Church in Schriever, La. The ceremony concluded when representatives from SLCC and the Cenac family shattered bottles of champagne over the bow of the tank barge.

To learn more about South Louisiana Community College and its Maritime training offerings, please visit, http://www.solacc.edu. More information on this inaugural class was featured on Workboat’s website.  To read about the barge dedication that took place in 2017 please see this article.

Read More about Benny Cenac’s Education and Philanthropic Activities:

https://arlenbennycenac.com/benny-cenac-houma-donates-oh-la-la-theatre-series-nicholls-state-university

https://cenac.com/benny-cenac-houma-donates-golf-carts-nicholls-state/

https://arlenbennycenac.com/benny-cenac-jr-funds-ed-white-progress

Benny Cenac Jr., CEO of Cenac Marine Services, Sponsors TFAE Run for Excellence

On Saturday, May 11th, more than 755 racers and nearly 2,500 individuals from all over Terrebonne Parish braved the stormy weather and came out for the Terrebonne Foundation Run for Excellence 5K and its famous after-party in downtown Houma. Benny Cenac Jr., CEO of Houma business Cenac Marine Services, has always valued education and childhood-development and was pleased to support  Terrebonne Parish public education and Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.

Cenac Marine sponsored both the volunteer t-shirt and the Terrebonne ARC Food Booth, which served delicious gumbo to guests. The event is the primary fundraiser for the Terrebonne Foundation for Excellence (TFAE) and has raised over a million dollars over the past nineteen years for local educators to fund their programs through grants. The all-you-can-eat-and-drink after-party was the pinnacle of the day—and people came from all over to taste the delicious Cajun specialties offered by forty local vendors and dance to THE FLAMETHROWERS, the number-one party rock cover band in Louisiana.

“Since our inception, TFAE has given more than $1 million in grants to our local public-school teachers through our grant program,” said Kate Portier, the TFAE executive director. “In this current school year alone, TFAE will have funded nearly $95,000 in supplies, innovative projects, and classroom initiatives. We provide grants for new teachers and for innovative projects to engage their students.” Grants this year have included the Houma Junior High School “Girls Who Code – Breaking Down STEM Barriers” program to purchase Chromebooks and other materials, Montegut Elementary School’s “We Are the World News Club,” where students will receive boxes each month that contain snacks, art, literature from different countries that they are studying about, and for $500 worth of classroom supplies to twenty-three new teachers in the parish.

Ainsley’s Angels, a group that pairs children and adults with disabilities with a running partner at events across the nation, sent fifteen participants to the 2019 Run for Excellence. “They work together to enjoy the race and cross the finish line,” Portier said. “It’s a great organization that shows the power of teamwork and inclusion.” Avid philanthropist Benny Cenac Jr. has contributed thousands of dollars to charities such as the Terrebonne Association for Retarded Citizens and Make-A-Wish Foundation, and other organizations that specifically benefit children and individuals with special needs. “I am very fortunate and pleased to continue my support of regional, national, and international organizations all working to better the lives of children everywhere,” said Benny Cenac Jr., “I am deeply invested in the success of the Southeastern Louisiana region and overjoyed seeing my Houma community come together for such a worthy cause.”

Benny Cenac Houma Business Owner Sponsors Run for Excellence
More the 2, 500 Terrebonne Parish residents came out for the TFAE Run for Excellence for the 5K and all-you-can-eat-and-drink after-party.

Benny Cenac Jr., a third-generation Houma native himself, always looks forward to the Run for Excellence and appreciates the support of the community in joining to fundraise for the Terrebonne Foundation for Academic Excellence and the local children.

Benny Cenac Jr.: From Business Owner to Avid Philanthropist

Benny Cenac Jr. often sponsors events around the community and regularly donates to schools and organizations within Southeastern Louisiana. A proud alum of Nicholls State University, Benny Cenac Jr. is most fond of his involvement with the Nicholls State University College of Business Advisory Board, Nicholls State University Foundation, the Bridge to Independence Program, and the Nicholls State University Culinary School.

Over the years, Benny Cenac Jr. has contributed to organizations within his parish, the state of Louisiana, and dozens of other national and international causes. These include organization such as the Houma-Terrebonne NAACP, O.N.E./C.H.A.N.G.E., Terrebonne Association for Retarded Citizens, American Heart Association, American Cancer Society, Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana, Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Foundation and Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Benny Cenac Jr., who continues to operate multiple businesses out of Houma, is proud to see his small fishing town along the Intracoastal Waterway grow into an economic center and cultural landmark for future generations and is happy to offer his continued support for the tremendous efforts by the TFAE and local education leaders as they instruct the next generation of Houma leaders.

Benny Cenac of Houma Donates to the Oh La La Theatre Series at Nicholls State University

Benny Cenac, CEO of Cenac Marine Services of Houma, Louisiana, was happy to announce a donation to Nicholls State University’s second annual popular Oh Là Là theater series. The event, which has attracted a variety of audiences in the region, includes music originating in the 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s from the beaches of California to the heart and soul of Motown, all held at the Mary and Al Danos Theater.

Thanks to the gracious gift by Benny Cenac, a Houma native, the donations were puts towards several funds and projects necessary to make the show a reality, including renovations on the Mary and Al Danos Theater totaling upwards of $9.6 Million. In addition, Benny Cenac, who has always been a major proponent for the arts and education, was grateful to see the growth of the event that started the year prior.

In a statement by Dr. Bruce Murphy, Nicholls State University President, the name Oh Là Là is an homage to Al Danos, who enjoyed conversing in French. The Danos family, whose parents graciously donated $1 million toward the theater’s renovation, released a statement in support of Nicholls’ upcoming series.

“Mom and Dad would have loved this and attended every show,” The Danos family said. “Oh Là Là is exactly what Dad had in mind when he started raising money for the theater.”

Benny Cenac: Supporter of the Arts & Conservation Efforts in Houma

Benny Cenac, who is a graduate of Nicholls State University himself, expressed his gratitude to his alma mater in putting on this incredible event for the community members of Houma, and is always grateful for the opportunity to contribute to events that bring the community together. Benny Cenac has also served on the Nicholls State Foundation board, Nicholls State College of Business Advisory Board, and previously donated golf carts to the Nicholls State University Bridge to Independence Program.

Benny Cenac Houma donates to Nicholls State Oh La La Theater Series in Louisiana
The first half of the Series began in October of 2018, featuring Sail On: The Beach Boys Tribute, The Victory Belles, and The Diamonds who performed an incredible holiday

The first half of the Series began in October of 2018, featuring Sail On: The Beach Boys Tribute, The Victory Belles, and The Diamonds who performed an incredible holiday show. The second half of the series will kick off with The Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 16. Then it’s The Chipper Experience: Where Comedy and Magic Collide at 7 p.m. on Saturday, April 13 before the series closes with Shadows of the 60’s: A Tribute to Motown at 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 16.

According to an article by Nicholls State University, The Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra is a full-scale symphonic orchestra located in New Orleans. Founded in 1991, the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra is the oldest full-time musician-governed and collaboratively-operated orchestra in the United States.

Chipper Lowell brings his popular show, the Chipper Experience, which combines clean, but edgy, comedy with quirky magic and hilarious banter with audience members. His shows, which have been admired by many, have been known to include a flying turtle, juggling medieval weaponry, tossing body parts, bizarre stunts, mind-reading and zany inventions. Lowell’s television appearances include Masters Of Illusion, Don’t Blink, The Tonight Show, Disney Channel, Empty Nest, The MDA Telethon, Show Me The Funny!, General Hospital, America’s Funniest People and Everybody’s Talking.

As an avid philanthropist and Houma native, Benny Cenac is always fortunate for the opportunity to support the arts and educational inspirations of those in his beautiful community of Houma. In addition to managing several local businesses, Benny Cenac also manages his own refuge in Houma where he cares for a variety of different animals at Golden Ranch Farms – Louisiana’s largest privately owned animal refuge.

In addition, Benny Cenac has also donated to conservation efforts in Houma, where he has taken a leading role in protecting the states’ pristine coast from coastal erosion. Even on several of his own properties in Houma, Benny Cenac has instilled these conservation efforts as he continues to protect the land with flood control structures.

In regard to this incredible event, upper-level season tickets are available for $150 and single tickets are $30, while lower-level season tickets are $180 and single tickets are $35. To purchase tickets for the upcoming series, call Jeanne-Morgan Gernon at 448-4270 or email at jm.gernon@nicholls.edu.

For more on Oh La La, click here.

To learn more on Benny Cenac philanthropic efforts, click here.

To learn more about Benny Cenac’s conservation efforts, click here.