DONALDSONVILLE • DUTCHTOWN • GEISMAR • GONZALES • PRAIRIEVILLE • ST. AMANT
THE ASCENSION
AD DVOCA VOCATE
FARM LIFE T H E A D V O C AT E.C O M
Darlene Denstorff AROUND ASCENSION
Home and Remodeling Show set for Jan. 25-26
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W e d n e s d ay, J a n u a ry 22, 2025
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The 10th annual Home and Remodeling Show with Ralph’s Markets Food Fest returns Jan. 25-26 at the REV Center at Lamar-Dixon Expo Center in Gonzales. The show is a one-stop shop packed with all the products and resources required to turn any house into your dream home. Louisiana homeowners will find opportunities to research products, compare prices, and speak with experienced professionals to make any home remodeling project a success.
Shooting competition The South Louisiana Highpower Club has a match at 8:30 a.m. Jan. 26 at the Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Range, St. Landry Road, Gonzales. NRA match rifle or service rifle, 200-yard/50-rounds match course and Prone Match are planned. Fee is $15 for members, $20 for nonmembers and $5 juniors. For more information, call (337) 380-8120 or email Mike Burke, SouthLaHighPower@hotmail.com.
Freedom Ball tickets on sale Jan. 25 is the deadline to purchase tickets for the Elks Freedom Ball. Retired U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Roman Kemp Cason, Queen Lucy Cason and Ball Captain Danielle Lennix will lead the annual Elks Freedom Ball at 6 p.m. Feb. 1 at the Price LeBlanc PACE Center, 2824 St. Anthony Ave., Gonzales. Proceeds from the ball will be reserved to provide services that benefit the health and wellbeing of veterans — those who serve, have served, and have given their lives in support of their country.
ä See AROUND, page 3G
PHOTO BY WENDY LOUP
Hayden Daigle, 17, left, and 14-year-old Hailee Daigle present their Hereford heifers during the 2025 Ascension Parish Livestock Show at the LamarDixon Expo Center in Gonzales.
Animals take over Lamar-Dixon for the Ascension Parish Livestock Show BY WENDY LOUP Contributing writer
Ascension Parish 4-H students showed their cows, pigs, chickens and other farm animals Saturday during the 2025 Ascension Parish Livestock Show at the Lamar Dixon Expo Center in Gonzales. With help from the LSU AgCenter, the annual event gave students
the opportunity to display small and large animals in a competitive environment. The event kicked off with Stick Horse competitions Friday night and ended with an awards banquet Saturday night. More than 60 students participated in the event, Assistant Extension Agent for LSU AgCenter’s 4-H Youth Development program
Sarah Moore said. Ascension Parish’s 4-H program is popular with students representing 40 schools, including primary, middle and high schools. Student exhibitors presented animals they have raised including beef and dairy cattle, goats, poultry, rabbit, sheep and swine. Moore said the LSU and Ascension Parish 4-H Livestock program
provides valuable lessons to students. “The 4-H Livestock project allows youth to learn leadership, citizenship and life skills through hands-on learning opportunities,” Moore said. “Participants gain independent responsibility, knowledge of production agriculture,
ä See ANIMALS, page 2G
Prairieville Fire Department extends training to are high school seniors BY JOY HOLDEN Staff writer
On a chilly day in January, a huddle of firefighter candidates stand in the bay of the Prairieville Fire Station with a carefully constructed pile of fire gear at their feet. They shift from one foot to the other, some stretching, some cracking their knuckles. Their instructor gives his command and presses the timer. A flurry of calculated movement ensues. The two-minute drill to get
dressed is mandatory for firefighters — except these “rookies” are high school seniors and this drill is just a simulation. Jesse Wingate, chief of training at Ascension Parish Fire District 3, is coaching his five Ascension Parish high school students from the inaugural fire training program which started in August 2024 — a partnership between the Prairieville Fire Department and the Ascension Parish School System. “We don’t do things until we get
it right. We do things until we can’t get it wrong,” said Wingate. The fire training program originated in a conversation between Wingate and another firefighter. Wingate did some research and found out that other departments around the state had already gotten the ball rolling, including Livingston Parish Fire District 4 who started a similar program in 2022. “The training officer and chiefs over there had gotten their
STAFF PHOTO BY JAVIER GALLEGOS
Students Garraton Savoy, right, ties a knot to ladder to help secure its height with the input of Seth Milioto over his shoulder at Prairieville Fire ä See FIRE, page 3G Station on Jan. 7.
2256 Hwy 70