The Livingston-Tangipahoa Advocate 11-27-2025

Special Olympics changes lead to more participation in Livingston Parish

BY RICHARD MEEK Contributing writer

Livingston Parish Special Olympics is in the early stages of a seismic change that one coach called “extremely exciting.”

The new structure assigns each parish statewide responsibility for training its athletes and hosting local events. Coach Paulette Roberts said that since the summer, Livingston Parish has been training its own athletes and managing its

“It means we do our team events, our teams, our own everything, which means we have to raise money — Buy new uniforms, buy new equipment to keep all our athletes within the school and our older athletes within the community to take care of all of their needs.”

Livingston Parish Special Olympics coach

PAULETTE ROBERTS,

own events, but it remains under the Capital Area Regional group when it comes to larger events.

“It means we do our team events, our teams, our own everything, which means we have to raise money,” Roberts said. “Buy new

uniforms, buy new equipment to keep all our athletes within the school and our older athletes within the community to take care of all of their needs.”

Also included are the purchase of new uniforms and equipment

The old uniforms sported Capital Area on the front, and now that will be changed to Livingston Parish.

“And now we have to buy new equipment, starting from scratch, because the old equipment belonged to Capital Area,” Roberts added.

She said previously, the various parishes under Capital Area made money together and bought things together

“But when we separated, (Capital area) kept the (equipment) and we started new, which we are doing good.”

Livingston Parish is wrapping up softball and horseshoes and recently finished bowling and

Darlene Denstorff

Denham Springs kicks off holiday season

The Denham Springs Old City Hall lights up for the holiday season starting at 6 p.m. Nov 28, 115 Mattie St. The night starts with the Kindness Keepers Choir singing and a special guest singing Christmas songs with the audience. Santa will be on hand for free photos and the streets will be lined with sponsors giving away hot chocolate, cookies and goodies. Children can write letters to Santa, decorate cookies and play games Amusement rides will be featured in the parking lot and wagon and train rides will be offered

The Denham Springs Antique Village’s Christmas Open House is Nov 29 along Range Avenue. The day of shopping is from 10 a.m. to 5 pm. Denham Springs Merchants Association sponsors the event. The Chef’s Evening and Wine Tasting Event is from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Dec. 4. Antique Village businesses will serve food and beverage from area restaurants. Get your tickets before they are gone at www.denhamspringsmainstreet.org.

The Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra performs 6 p.m Dec. 10 at the Train Station, 198 Railroad Ave. The Kiwanis Lighting of the Christmas Tree is at 6 p.m. Dec. 11 at the Train Station Park Livingston Parish Children’s Choir starts the night off with the sounds of Christmas songs.

The Kiwanis Christmas parade starts at 2 p.m. Dec. 13 through the city

A live Nativity scene will be featured Dec. 14 in the Christmas Alive program in the park SADD students organize the night of live animals and the reason for the season.

Grinchmas in the Village is from 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Dec. 20 along Range Avenue in the Antique Village. Enjoy a great day of shopping in the village. This is the second year for this event. Start at Heritage House Antiques and register for the Jingle Bell event and drop your tickets in the bowls at participating stores, for a drawing for gift certificates. Join the Grinch costume contest at MT Lockers from 5 pm. to 6 p.m. Walker Christmas celebration planned

The Walker Christmas Parade starts at 3 p.m. Dec. 6 at Walker High School. After the parade, the city will host Christmas in the Park.

Free pet food pantry supports Louisiana families in need

Rescue Rehome Repeat of South Louisiana is launching a free pet food pantry throughout November to support pet owners in the Livingston and Baton Rouge areas who are

GOOD LIFE’

BY RICHARD MEEK

Contributing writer

Tolley Fletcher, 104, eased into his recliner, his television unsurprisingly set on country music, in the den in the house he built in 1979 offering a sense of comfort and serenity

His eyes that have borne witness to more than a century of living remain alert, his voice strong, his gentleness genuine.

“Overall, a good life,” said Fletcher, who four years ago

lost his wife, Lorna. “I am well satisfied.”

Fletcher’s story is one with the humblest of beginnings, a farm boy who did not live in a house with electricity or running water until he was 15 years old. But from those roots, his life blossomed, taking him back and forth across the Atlantic Ocean on several occasions and also to North Africa, where he was able to spend time in Casablanca, which he said was overrated, to Normandy as a participant in the D-Day invasion.

He has lived in Washington D.C., Maryland and Illinois before returning to Denham Springs, where he still lives in the 1,600-square-foot house he, Lorna and his son built on a 3.5-acre lot.

Along the way, he has met Navy buddies who he stayed in touch for years, married and had five children before the marriage ended, and then met Lorna, who had four children from a previous marriage and became his soulmate.

Fletcher fondly recalls

traveling through Arkansas and asking Lorna if she would marry him. When she said yes, they pulled into a small Arkansas town and exchanged vows, thus beginning a nearly 50-year odyssey Fletcher has been honored on more than one occasion by The National WWII Museum in New Orleans and has appeared in several local parades, one in Walker that surprised him with a 100th

SPECIAL OLYMPICS

Continued from page 1G

swimming. Soon, track and field and bocce will start.

“It is just Livingston Parish now, individual teams practice with their own parish,” Roberts said. “When we do regional games, it’s Capital Area.

“All of (the eight parishes) together do our regional games together and from there we go to state.” The parishes under the Capital Area Special Olympics run from West Feliciana through Baton Rouge, with Livingston as the eastern parish.

Roberts said the transition began about a year ago statewide, but admitted it did not begin until the summer for Capital Area The change became official in August

Roberts said the changes reflect a greater efficiency in the way Special Olympics will operate. She believes Livingston Parish will grow at an accelerated pace because more activities will be able to be done with the parish schools.

Roberts explained that in the past, she experienced difficulty in getting Livingston Parish schools to practice with the Baton Rouge schools because of the time and days, and different sports going on in each parish.

“So Livingston schools did not participate as much, but now we will be able to do more within our parish; we will be competing against our schools,” she said She cited bowling as an example, saying that could not happen in the past because of different time frames and bus routes with Baton Rouge schools. Roberts said the new system will allow for scheduling of events that will work for all Livingston Parish schools Funding is needed to assist in the purchase of equipment, but was encouraged by the success at a recent fundraiser

“We need more athlete involvement,” she said. She said more than 20% of the Livingston Parish Special Olympics participants move on to state competition, adding “that is a good percentage.”

Roberts also singled out Walker High School athlete Amari Buckley who recently won a regional event and advanced to the state games scheduled at Southeastern Louisiana University in May Buckley was also chosen as one of the four athletes to represent Louisiana at the Special Olympics USA games scheduled in June in Minneapolis She is the first Livingston athlete to advance to the Special Olympics USA games.

“We are looking forward to this year; it will be a great year,” Roberts said To donate, visit specialolympicsla org. Donors must specify that the donation is going directly to Livingston Parish Special Olympics.

Email Richard Meek at livingston@ theadvocate.com

AROUND

Continued from page 1G

facing financial hardship

Pet food and essential supplies will be distributed during scheduled adoption events this month.

The initiative is designed to help families keep their pets healthy and at home during times of financial instability Supplies are available while they last and offered on a

LIVINGSTON-TANGIPAHOA ADVOCATE

10291 Hwy. 190 Walker LA 70785 or P.O Box 309, Walker, LA 70785 (225) 388-0215

PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY

Online at www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/ news/communities/livingston_tangipahoa/

SLU Giving Day sees record giving

Community news report

Southeastern Giving Day was a huge success, seeing its largest ever number of donors and funds raised.

The annual online event is facilitated by the Southeastern Foundation in support of Southeastern Louisiana University

“We are appreciative of the remarkable outpouring of support during this year’s Centen-

nial Giving Day,” said Southeastern President William S. Wainwright. “Over 2,300 individuals, a 47% increase over last year, voiced their commitment to ensuring the continued success of our university, our students, and our community. Together we have raised over $508,000, a 26% increase over last year, and we are excited to see the level of positive impact it will make.”

The event allowed donors to select an individual college, department, organization or project important to them, directly giving back to the areas toward which they feel most passionate.

New this year was the ability of donors to contribute in cryptocurrency The university partnered with payment specialist Bead and Louisianabased technology firm Envoc to enable digital currency donations. The collaboration positions Southeastern as one of the first universities in the country to embrace cryptocurrency as a formal donation channel, following the State of Louisiana’s successful adoption of digital currency payments for government services. For more information, contact the Southeastern Foundation at (985) 549-2239.

Woodland Park students receive food from Transported Ministry

first-come, first-served basis.

To ensure orderly distribution, numbered tickets will be provided at the start of each event.

“Our goal is to make sure pets stay with the people who love them,” said Terri Dunlap, president of Rescue Rehome Repeat. “By assisting families experiencing a temporary setback, we can prevent animals from entering shelters and help keep pets where they belong — at home.”

Full adoption event dates and pan-

try distribution times can be found at www.RescueRehomeRepeat.com.

Save the date

The holiday festivities continue when the Kiwanis Club of Walker’s Christmas on the Bayou Parade on the Amite River rolls Dec. 6.

Send news and events for Livingston and Tangipahoa parishes to livingston@theadvocate. com by 4 p.m. Friday or call (225) 388-0731.

Upper Iowa University announces dean’s list

Community news report

Upper Iowa University has announced the dean’s list for the 2025 summer semester

To be honored, a student must have earned a minimum 3.50 grade point average and be enrolled as a fulltime student. Denham Springs honorees include Ericka Abrams, Quenche Carter, Kiera Crawford, Alice Hayes and Johnathan Moore. Founded in 1857, Upper Iowa University is a private, nonprofit institution dedicated to offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs to approximately 5,700 students both nationally and internationally

EDITOR

Darlene T. Denstorff

ddenstorff@theadvocate.com

OFFICE: (225) 388-0215

CELL: (225) 603-1998

COMMUNITY NEWS REPORTER Leila Pitchford livingston@theadvocate.com 225-388-0731

Send your news, photos or letters by 4 p.m Friday EMAIL: livingston@ theadvocate.com FAX: (225) 388-0371

MAIL: use address at left

North Oaks to Host Healthy Aging Fair Friday, Dec. 5

Community news report

North Oaks Health Sys-

tem’ Healthy Aging Fair is set for 8:30 a.m. Dec. 5 to help adults stay active informed and connected.

The fair will take place in the E. Brent Dufreche Conference Center, located

VETERAN

Continued from page 1G

birthday cake and presented him with what he called “a big blanket.” But he has never strayed from his self-proclaimed “country boy” roots. Born in Baton Rouge, Fletcher spent the first nine years of life in Denham Springs, working on his grandfather’s strawberry farm in a house that was on La. 16, about 200 yards south of what would eventually become Interstate 12. In 1933, his mother moved the family to Sherburne in Pointe Coupee Parish. Now located in the Morganza floodway system of the Atchafalaya Basin, Sherburne at the time was a farming center that also boasted a sawmill

He was educated in a four-room schoolhouse with two teachers teaching fourth through seventh grades before moving to Baton Rouge at the age of 15 “for whatever reason.”

His first exposure to electricity and indoor plumbing was then and Fletcher went on to attend Baton Rouge High School, starting out with good grades but then “it went to pot.”

“I was just not fitting in,” he said Unhappy at school, he petitioned his mother to allow him to join the Navy in September 1941 and she agreed with the caveat being saying he had to stay in school until the end of the calendar year On Dec. 29, 22 days after Pearl Harbor, he signed enlistment papers, and the 5-foot 4-inch youngster who checked in at all of 112 pounds was off to war He mainly served on the battleship USS New York, spent a small amount of time on the USS New Jersey and also on a submarine chaser His only injury came when he was bumped his head on the New Jersey, sheepishly admitting “it did not count for a Purple Heart.”

Fletcher was a gunner’s mate on a submarine chaser a small, wooden ship, during the Normandy invasion. Initially the crew’s primary job was to escort landing crafts to the Utah Beach shore.

“When that landing stated, there were aircraft doing everything they could to slow the enemy,” Fletcher said, recalling one particular day when the skies were filled with what he estimated was 5,000 planes.

“You just couldn’t imagine, both directions as far as you could see,” he said.

“Then the big ships started bombing the Utah and Omaha beaches.

“It was fantastic what you could see.” Fletcher admitted he felt sorry for the troops, who had to first climb down rope ladders carrying 60-pound packs and make a

SALZER

Continued from page 1G

within North Oaks Diagnostic Center (Building 1) at 15837 Paul Vega MD Drive on the North Oaks Medical Center campus in Hammond. To register, visit northoaks.org/healthyaging.

“Healthy aging is about more than living longer

perfectly-timed jump to get from the ship to the landing craft, then navigate fourfoot waves under fire to get to the beach.

“It was scary and we started seeing bodies in the water but we did not stop escorting those ships in; we did not stop for anything,” he said “We were very lucky because we did not get a scratch from the enemy.”

About 10 days after the invasion, Fletcher went ashore, to this day grateful Utah Beach was “the least hazardous.”

At one point, he was transferred to Miami, where he spent much of his time on a ship escorting hospital ships between Miami and Key West, Florida. He did remember escorting a French ship from Florida to Galveston, Texas.

“There was a lot of French wine that came with it and a lot of guys got polluted,” he said, laughing Fletcher is mostly grateful for the good fortunate of his crew, and fondly remembers sailing back to the United States on what was then a repurposed Queen Elizabeth.

“To a farm boy, when (the war) was going on, it was tremendous but years after the service, we never thought anything about it at all,” he said. “(The National World War II Museum) made a big deal about my time in the service and I always felt bad about that

“I know we spent a good bit of time in danger but I keep thinking about the soldiers and the Marines in the snow and the mud and the water; they were much worse than what I was in.”

He liked the Navy “except when somebody was trying to kill me.”

After being discharged in 1945, he worked several jobs before settling in Denham Springs.

He remains active, doing tai chi weekly with a group of friends, what he calls the “best part of my week.”

Fletcher who has a 102year sister and 99-year old brother, exercises daily, walking in his hallway that he estimates is 30 to 35 feet long He starts off walking with a cane before shedding it and doing it on his own

“The walls are close enough that it would catch me if I started to fall but I never did,” Fletcher said with the pride that can only come from of a 104-year-old man who remains mostly on his own.

Earlier this year, he did experience two health issues but quickly recovered.

As Thanksgiving nears, he gives thanks for a life he believes has been welllived.

“I am most thankful for Lorna,” he said, a tear creeping into his well-aged eyes.

Email Richard Meek at livingston@theadvocate. com

Against Ponchatoula, the Wildcats had foul trouble, one of the worst problems to overcome with a short bench Two players, Kennedi Jarrow and Kadyn Green, fouled out. Green had scored 14 points before picking up her fifth foul early in the fourth quarter Logan Cookmeyer led the Wildcats with 19 points. She made 13 of 13 free throws and two 3-pointers, one of them a deep shot from the right wing that pulled Walker to within 4340 with six minutes left in the game. It was as close as Walker would get.

Ponchatoula answered Cookmeyer’s bucket with a 10-0 run that effectively put the game out of reach. Cookmeyer went on to score all 15 of Walker’s fourth-quarter points, a personal run that ended with another 3-pointer in the closing seconds. For now, Armstrong likes what he sees, and has no plans on looking back. “It’s a long season,” Armstrong said. “We don’t want to be playing our best basketball in November.”

Charles Salzer covers Livingston sports for the Livingston-Tangipahoa Advocate. To reach Salzer, email livingston@ theadvocate.com.

it’s about living better,” said Rami Nelson, chief quality and health equity officer for North Oaks Health System. “This fair will give members of our community the chance to access expert advice, practical tools and supportive resources to thrive at any age.”

Throughout the morning, participants will hear from expert speakers, including North Oaks Case Management Director Jason Lindsey, pharmacist Jamie Covington, geriatrician Dr. Abir Abdo, and physical therapists Brad Michelli and Ana Penton.

Topics of discussion will range from medication management and mobility to mental wellness and what matters most in aging well. Free health screenings for blood pressure, diabetes risk, heart health and fall prevention will be

offered to help attendees take proactive steps toward better well-being.

Community vendors also are set to take part in the health fair

To learn more about the North Oaks Healthy Aging Fair, call North Oaks Public Relations at (985) 230-6647.

Livingston Parish students focus on soft skills in ‘Amazing Shake’ exercise

Community news report

Select Livingston Parish fifth and eighth graders recently participated in an “Amazing Shake” exercise to equip them with skills needed for public speaking, networking and personal interactions.

The students were subjected to drills that tested their ability to display confidence and poise, to effectively communicate and to maintain a sense of professionalism in challenging or unexpected situations, a news release said.

All students received scores on their performance, while the top participating eight grader was selected to represent the district at the Global Amazing Shake competition in Atlanta, Georgia, in March 2026.

Jake Sykora from North Corbin Junior High was named the winner with the top score.

“We became aware of the ‘Amazing Shake’ program two years ago during a professional development session that promotes engaging learning practices

The premise of the program is to introduce and equip students with essential life skills, such as public speaking, networking, critical thinking, and personal interaction, to prepare them for future success,” Superintendent Jody Purvis said.

The district has teamed up with SADD, the parish’s Students Against Destructive Decisions organization, who hosted the event parish-wide.

SADD Executive Director Dylan Ivy recruited local sponsors and community leaders to participate in the program to provide the students with “real-life” scenarios.

Students were presented with job interviews by local business leaders, a mock television appearance and a red-carpet interview Other scenarios included having to explain a product to a person who did not speak English,

interacting with an elected official, and writing a speech or résumé in a matter of minutes.

“We make the sessions fun and engaging, but the goal is to prepare

students for real-world situations,” Ivy said. “As an organization focused on preventing substance abuse, we know that when students build strong communication skills, they’re less likely to

engage in destructive behaviors and more confident when refusing drugs and other substances.

“Beyond academics, skills like a firm handshake and confident eye contact give students a real advantage in life,” he said.

Seventh Ward Elementary Principal Laura Dunlap hosted the “Amazing Shake” exercises at her school. This is the second year SADD has organized the daylong event.

“We all want to make good impressions and have the best opportunities to succeed,” Dunlap said. “This is about developing those life skills and enhancing social interactions that can make a significant impact in their day-to-day lives.

The program’s goal is to prepare students to present themselves exceptionally well for current and future opportunities, she said.

The Amazing Shake program has been adopted by many schools across the nation. The Ron Clark Academy provides guidelines and a tool kit of resources for the program. Those schools that offer a competition component can select winners who advance to the national “Global Amazing Shake” event hosted at the Ron Clark Academy in Atlanta, Georgia.

Livingston Parish’s program offers competition to the eighth grade participants. Three eighth graders from each middle school in the district were selected to compete. Students were awarded scores on their performance and reactions in each drill, with the topscoring participant being named the winner

Two fifth graders from each elementary school in the district were also selected to participate in the event. Those students also received scores on their performance, but the exercises were used as developmental opportunities only