EVENT ALERTS: Health Screenings, College/Career Fair & More

Free Glaucoma Tests Offered for February


Northwest Louisiana Lions Clubs, the Louisiana Lions Eye Foundation and LSUHSCenter-Shreveport will offer free glaucoma screenings Feb. 1-10.

Feb. 1: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Walgreens, 1000 S. Arkanasas St. in Springhill.

Feb. 2: 8 a.m. to noon, David Raines Community Health Center, 1625 David Raines Road in Shreveport; 2 to 6 p.m., Goodwill Industries, 800 W. 70th St. in Shreveport.

Feb. 3: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Bossier Council on Aging, 706 Bearkat Drive in Bossier City; 5 to 9 p.m., Pool of Siloam Medical Ministry, 4140 Greenwood Road in Shreveport.

Feb. 4: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Bossier Council on Aging.

Feb. 6: noon to 4 p.m., Pool of Siloam Medical Ministry.

Feb. 8: 8 a.m. to noon LSUHSC-Shreveport, 1501 Kings Highway.

Feb. 9: 8 a.m. to noon, David Raines Community Health Center, 1514 Doctors Drive in Bossier City.






SPAR Park Advisory Panel Meetings Planned


SPAR will have Park Advisory Council meetings at each of its 15 community centers in February. Members of the council give recommendations concerning recreational programming, standard operations and maintenance concerns.

"The ideas and input that we are given by our citizens are what guides us as we establish and create the programs and services that are provided by SPAR," says Shelly Ragle, SPAR director. "The SPAR Park Advisory Councils are our direct link to the citizens and to the community."

Meeting times and locations are:

Feb. 1: 5:30 to 6:15 p.m., Andrew Currie; and 6:45 to 7:30 p.m., Lakeside

Feb. 2: 5:30 to 6:15 p.m., Mamie Hicks; and 6:45 to 7:30 p.m., David Raines

Feb. 3: 5:30 to 6:15 p.m., Hattie Perry; and 6:45 to 7:30 p.m., Valencia Park.

Feb. 4: 5:30 to 6:15 p.m., Querbes; and 6:45 to 7:30 p.m., A.B. Palmer Park

Feb. 5: 5:30 to 6:15 p.m., Southern Hills

Feb. 8: 5:30 to 6:15 p.m., Hollywood Heights; and 6:45 to 7:30 p.m., Chris Hays

Feb. 9: 5:30 to 6:15 p.m., Sunset Acres; and 6:45 to 7:30 p.m., Airport Park

Feb. 10: 5:30 to 6:15 p.m., Bilberry Park; and 6:45 to 7:30 p.m., Bill Cockrell
For more information, call (318) 673-7737 or visit http://www.myspar.org/.





Fair Park Hosts College and Career Fair This Week


Fair Park College Preparatory Academy will hold its annual College and Career Fair from 9 to 11 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 5th at the school (3222 Greenwood Road).

Fair Park students and parents will be able to meet with representatives from colleges, universities and businesses.

EVENT ALERT: Cafe' Serving Up Something for the Spirit

Just a Little Cafe' is serving up something new this Sunday, with a unique event.

The first GOSPEL CAFE' will take place this Sunday, January 31st at 3 pm.

Event organizers say they want to bring something new to the area and what better way than through faith and praise!

With the SBC being smack dab in the middle of the "Bible Belt" it's not uncommon to see church-based events, but this event is expected to bring people of ALL faiths together for food, fellowship and some great music.

The featured performer for the first of these monthly events is CRYSTAL COOPER, a locally based Christian singer/songwriter. Crystal was recently featured in URBAN FAITH MAGAZINE (go check it out HERE) and travels all over sharing her musical gift and singing His praises.


Admission to the GOSPEL CAFE is only $5. All ages are welcome. Doors open at 2:30 pm, and it starts at 3 pm. Seating and parking are both limited so get there early!!!


Have a good time! :)

SBC 411: Parade Seeks Participants + NWLA Needs Volunteers

Northwest Louisiana Volunteer Center has the following opportunities to volunteer:

• YWCA of Northwest Louisiana needs a grant researcher and a fundraising organizer.
  
  
• Volunteers are needed Feb. 13 to help Girl Scouts clean Camp Wawbansee. Work will include raking, picking up small branches and light construction.
  
  
• Volunteers who are at least 21 years old are needed to assist with mentoring programs in the Shreveport-Bossier City area.
  
  
• Pool of Siloam Medical Ministry needs an event planner to organize its fifth anniversary celebration. Prior experience is required.

Call (318) 677-2504, ext. 23 or send e-mail to volunteers@unitedwaynwla.org to learn more.






Participants Sought for Parade

Applications are being accepted for the African-American Parade Celebration to be held at 11 a.m. Feb. 6 in downtown Shreveport.

It will line up at 8:30 a.m. that date at Municipal Auditorium, 705 Grand Ave. The procession is open to church, dance and military groups, marching bands, cheerleaders, businesses, horseback riders and car and motorcycle clubs, among others.

Pick up applications at County Market stores at 3709 Greenwood Road, 6363 Hearne Ave. and 1867 Nelson St., The Radio Group, 208 N. Thomas, or Cumulus, 270 Plaza Loop at Louisiana Boardwalk.

After the parade, there will be a battle of the bands and other entertainment at Municipal Auditorium. Call Barbara Norton or Debra Jackson at (318) 635-2923 to learn more.

ITEM: Geaux Saints!!!

It's way past November but in Louisiana, this could probably be considered ALL SAINTS DAY. The New Orleans Saints are headed to the Super Bowl for the FIRST TIME in the team's history after defeating the Minnesota Vikings.

I just want to say that I'm happy for the New Orleans Saints. Not because I'm a fan of the team, but because this kind of win, this kind of spirit is NEEDED in the city of New Orleans. It's needed in our state.

I woke up this morning to a slew of comments on Facebook and MySpace about the team's amazing overtime win yesterday and their first championship/trip to the Super Bowl EVER.

I plan do to a commentary later on these bandwagon fans that seem to have jumped in the second-line late in the season (somewhere around the 7-0 record, but lost faith after their loss to the Cowboys ... and another thereafter). So stay linked for that ... :)

In the meantime I wanted to share this video from my boy James Haggard, that pretty much says how the team got through this amazing season and made it this far:





So to all the fans (real and fake) ... stay prayed up. It's not over. And even if the season ends with a conference win and not a national win, it was still one heck of a season. And if they never get this far again ... just remember the day the Saints marched in and made history.


CONGRATS TO THE SAINTS! ... See pics from this amazing game HERE and see pics from fan gatherings all over the state HERE and HERE.

EVENT PICS: Krewe of Sobek Lets The Good Times Roll

The Krewe of Sobek partied it up this weekend, hosting both a parade and annual ball in the same day!

Check out some pics (from Times photog Douglas Collier):

After Sobek rolled through the streets of Queensborough, they partied the night away at their Bal. (Pics by Times photog Paul L. Schuetze):

• See more parade photos HERE. And see more pics from the Bal HERE. :-)
  
  

WEEKEND HAPZ: Good Times in the SBC

There's a lot to check out this weekend in the SBC, from letting the good times roll for Mardi Gras to stompin' the yard with the Alphas, there's a little something for everyone:

CULTURAL CAFE: Just a Little Cafe (which I featured in November) is serving up some artistic goodies this weekend.

Tonight, they host the ACTOR's CAFE. Thespians and theater lovers alike can come and share their talents or just have some fun. The night includes an Improv session and it's FREE (all ages welcome).

SATURDAY NIGHT, they'll be hosting the LYRIC CAFE featuring local poets and spoken word artists (like my boys Poetic X and Southern Poet). Admission is only $5 (free for performers). Doors open at 8 pm. 18 and up ONLY.

And stay linked to ATSBC for more offerings from the local hotspot :)

OTHER EVENTS OF INTEREST THIS WEEKEND:

GET YOUR MARDI GRAS ON: Attend the Krewe of Sobek Bal on Friday night ... and then join them for their Parade on Saturday ... and/or Party with Centaur at their Grand Bal ...


NOT IN THE MARDI GRAS SPIRIT? Check out the action at the Gold Dome (Centenary Hoops)or Go Party with the "Stars" at Sci-Port ... or go to the GREEK SHOW or Miss Black & Gold Pageant hosted by the Alphas (who are are converging on the city for their district conference) ..

AND SPEAKING OF PARTIES .. For the sophisticated club crowd, you can check out THE SOCIAL at the Bijou (21 & Up) .... or collegiates and Greeks can party it up with A Phi A at the Clarion for the Greek Show AFTERPARTY.



BE SAFE EVERYONE AND HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!!!

ITEM: SCLC Leader to Speak at SUSLA

Byron Clay, the outgoing head of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, will be guest speaker Friday at the annual presentation of the local Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship Foundation.

That event will be held tomorrow (Friday, January 22nd) at noon in the Science Lecture Hall at Southern University in Shreveport.

Clay, a native and resident of New Orleans, previously served as the SCLC's national vice president at-large, and now manages and leads the organization and its approximately 75 chapters across the nation.

He soon will pass over his presidency to recently elected Bernice A. King, daughter of the late Martin Luther King Jr. King will be the SCLC's first female president. The slain Civil Rights leader was co-founder of the SCLC in 1957.



(from www.shreveporttimes.com)

EVENT PICS: Krewe of Harambee Parade

I know I'm late with these but it's been a rough week for your girl (tune in to my revived blog to find out about it later this weekend).

This past Monday, Caddo schools and city workers (and some other fortunate people) had the day off for the MLK holiday, and most converged in downtown Shreveport for the annual Krewe of Harambee parade (which doubles as the MLK Day Parade).

Check out some shots from the parade below (photos by Val Horvath/The Times):

See more photos from the parade HERE.

FYI: The Krewe of Centaur Parade is Saturday, February 6th and Krewe of Gemini Parade is February 13th (click the respective Krewes to get linked to their info). Fat Tuesday (Mardi Gras) is February 16th. You can get all your info about Mardi Gras in New Orleans HERE.

And stay linked ... for info on more recent Mardi-Gras events in WEEKEND HAPZ :)

HAPPY MARDI GRAS!!!

SBC 411: Events of Interest This Week

(from ksla.com)



THURSDAY, JANUARY 14TH


Barksdale AFB Defense Technology & Intelligence Career Fair - 10am to 2pm, Barksdale Club, 644 Davis Avenue, Bldg. #2945. (Barksdale AFB in Bossier City, LA) Meet with many different employers & recruiters. This career fair is for job seekers with any active federal security clearance, IT, engineering, aerospace, communications, military, government, contractor or intelligence background & experience. Active security clearance preferred. Bring many resumes! (The career fair is only open to job seekers that already have Military ID or CAC Card.) For information visit www.TransitionCareers.com .

FRIDAY, JANUARY 15TH

Tree Planting at Clyde Fant Disc Golf Course - Starts 10am. Volunteers will replace trees destroyed by a tornado in 2009. The event begins with a press conference along with a tree planting demonstration. SPAR, along with Shreveport Green, will also schedule a Tree Program at each of SPAR's 15 community centers where a tree will be planted at the center. Volunteers can qualify for free passes to Disneyland Resort or Walt Disney World Resort under the Disney Parks and HandsOn Network "Give A Day. Get A Disney Day" program. To become a volunteer call United Way at 318-677-2504 Ext. 23 or SPAR at 318-673-7892.



"Yes We Can" Community Awards and Benefit Gala - 7pm at the Shreveport Country Club, 3101 Esplanade in Shreveport, LA. Proceeds generated from the event will benefit the Fountain of Hope Center and University Christian Preparatory School. Funding will support after-school programs, family strengthening activities and scholarships. Ingredients for the success of this event are Good Food, Good Music (jazz band), Good Atmosphere (Shreveport Country Club) and Y-O-U. Cost is $50 per person. Get your ticket today: call 318-779-0558.



Jazzercise - Girl's Night Out - Dancin' Abs - 5:45 to 6:45pm, St. Luke's United Methodist Church, 6012 Youree Drive in Shreveport. Jazzercise is having a fundraiser for the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation. Jazzercise will transform into "Club Jazzercise" for a "Girls' Night Out" of Dancin' Abs. Great class filled with fitness and fun! Bring friends, water and hand-held weights (if you have them.) Club Cover Charge - $10. All proceeds go to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation. Call 318-771-1461 for information.



FRIDAY, JANUARY 16TH:



Dixieland Dog Rescue Adoption Day - 11am to 4pm, Petsmart 7061 Youree Drive in Shreveport, LA. Our dogs are vaccinated, spayed and neutered. They are heartworm free and crate trained. For information call 318-423-2164.



Miss Sweetheart 2010 Pageant - Sponsored by The Francis Family and Friends Social Club. 4pm at the Stonewall Baptist Church Multi Cultural Development Center at 807 Eatman Street, Bossier City, LA 71111. There is an admission fee of $15.00. For information call 318-676-7505.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

We've been taking a MAJOR break this holiday season but trust that we haven't forgetten you!!!

Hope you had an AMAZING New Year's celebration and we're wishing everyone who has blessed this site in 2009, a very prosperous, healthy and happy 2010!

BIG changes are coming to ATSBC in the coming months so STAY LINK'D!!!