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A Look Ahead: What’s going on in Acadiana this week?

Posted at 12:13 PM, Sep 23, 2018
and last updated 2018-09-23 13:13:05-04

Here’s a look ahead at some of the events taking  place around Acadiana this week.

If you’d like to find more, check out our Acadiana Calendar by clicking here.

On Monday, the Louisiana rice industry and Second Harvest, along with the Louisiana Food Bank Association, will celebrate National Rice Month and Hunger Action Month at the Historic Rice Theatre in downtown Crowley. The event starts at 9 a.m. In addition to the annual donation of thousands of pounds of rice to the Louisiana Food Bank Association, USA Rice will be kicking off their “Think Rice Road Trip”, beginning in Crowley and traveling across Louisiana to Monroe for these two events. The “Tour” will continue on throughout cities around the nation, with giveaways, interviews, and activities to remind everyone to “Think Rice.”

Fatima School is hosting a Cyber Sip and See on Tuesday from 6 p.m. until 7 p.m. Fatima School has a STREAM Lab and 1:1 MacBook Air initiative for all 6, 7, and 8 graders. The school also has iPads, whiteboards and projectors in all classrooms. The event includes tours of the STREAM Lab and two classrooms. Students and teachers will be working on the ipads, MacBook Airs and in the STREAM lab. The event is for parents, grandparents, alumni and supporters.

On Wednesday, Douglas Villien Sr. will be honored as a ‘Living Legend’ by the Acadian Museum. Villien will be inducted into the museum’s Order of Living Legends at 10 a.m. at Le Musée à Maurice, 218 Chief H. Fred Street, Maurice. Villien is an author, researcher and writer, and has published several books about the history of Maurice. The museum is the former home of one of his ancestors.

There’s an informational meeting set for Thursday for people who would like to help children in our community.
The Louisiana Department of Child and Family Services, Louisiana CASA, and CASA of SoLA (South
Louisiana) are hosting the meeting for those who are interested in becoming a foster parent or a court appointed special advocate (CASA). The meeting will be held on the in the second floor meeting room at the Lafayette Parish Library located on 301 West Congress Street in Lafayette. It starts at 5:30 p.m.

CASA volunteers are specially trained and supervised judicial appointees who advocate for the best interests of a child in foster care. Desired qualities in a CASA volunteer include commitment, tenacity, and a willingness to learn the child welfare system and to fight for what is in the child’s best interest. Foster parents open their hearts and homes to children in the state’s foster care system, providing a stable and nurturing environment for a child while working with DCFS and the child’s family toward reunification, where appropriate. Desired qualities in foster parents include flexibility, generosity, respect for the dignity of a family and the willingness to care for a child as long as the child may need them.

Also on Thursday, the Acadia Parish Chamber of Commerce is hosting a Candidates’ Forum. The event begins at 6 p.m. at the Grand Opera House of the South. The forum features candidates for Mayor of the City of Crowley, Crowley Chief of Police, Crowley City Council, and Acadia Parish School Board & Police Jury.

Music and Market kicks off this Friday in Opelousas. The weekly events pair Louisiana music and fresh produce. This week’s event features the music of Deuce Chambers and the Zydeco Integrity. The event lasts from 6 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. and is held at the Opelousas Farmers Market Pavilion, 828 E. Landry St., Opelousas.

On Saturday, the Acadiana Planning Commission is hosting a Four Corners Neighborhood Voices event Bridge at Bridge Ministry of Acadiana, 410 Huval Street, Lafayette from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. The APC is looking for historical items to document the cultural and commercial history of the University Corridor, including but not limited to scrapbooks, photos, film, video, newspaper clippings, matchbooks, clothing, uniforms, postcards and other memorabilia. They’re also looking for stories. There will be recording stations set up at the event for people who want to share their stories, and people on hand to scan and photograph memorabilia residents bring to the event. For more information, contact the Acadiana Planning Commission at info@planacadiana.org or via phone at 337-806-9368.