Thanks for the Memories!

Okay Girls! Well what a wonderful time we had! It has taken me a full week to recuperate from all the fun, food and laughter we lived through during Giddyup #3. I have been reliving the fun daily as different sisters email me pictures! We did get some really good shots of everyone and what memories!
I personally want to thank you ALL for coming to LA. Many of you drove such long distances! Also, I would like to say Thank you to all the sisters who helped Anita #440 and myself put on this event. Without the help and creativity of each and everyone of you, we would never have been so successful. Thank you too, to all of you who let us know how great a time you were having during that week! The compliments went a long way in keeping us going! Anita and I were running on pure adrenaline for many days! I hope to have some pics of the GU on here soon, but will have to ask Anita to assist me with that! I can type a blog, but the other technical stuff gets delegated to her! So, come back soon and see what we post. Thanks again, girls, for all the memories and for being such good sports and also for being a part of this wonderful group of wild and wacky women! You are the best!

Woohoo! Giddy UP #3 Louisiana is almost here!

Hello Girls! Can you even believe it? Many of you will be on the road in the next day or two heading to Morgan City for the 3rd Giddyup! yeehaw!!! We want you to know we are ready and looking forward to seeing ALL of you real soon! We will have road signs to help you find the campground at the exits in Morgan City so look for SOTF wooden signs as you drive in. The exit has NO number, but says Port of Morgan City coming from east or west and is called Brashear Ave coming from the east, but from the west look for exit with LA 70, 182 and Hwy 90. From this exit you will have to pass UNDER the overpass and turn Left then straight and then turn Right on LA 70, follow this around and campground is on your right, Lake End Campground and MARINA. From the east at Brashear Exit, turn Right and then onto LA 70 and another Right then to campground. It is not Difficult. We hope you all have a safe and happy trip in, and remember, we'll be waiting for you with our boots on! Happy Trails to all our sisters, Cher, we are gonna have a good time! Woohoo!

Leona Majoria Sister # 564

Leona Majoria Sister #564..... over 35 years ago, with encouragement from her husband, Leona first studied painting in oils with the late Martha Ambrose. Some time later she participated in watercolor workshops with Edgar Whitney, Doug Walton, Robert Woods and Milford Zarnes, just to name a few. She has won numerous awards and her paintings are in private homes and corporate collections in the states and abroad.

Leona has exhibited in the Heritage Gallery in Lafayette and was a member of the Anglade-Barthelemy Gallery on Royal Street for many years. She also has many paintings in her private Gallery at her home. She has donated many of her paintings for fund raising throughout her painting career. She joined SOTF about 4 years ago and is the mother of Karen #459. She has attended several campouts in that time including the first Giddyup in AZ. In her 85 years she has acquired many friends and continues to be active in her community. She has 6 children, 14 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren.

She will have some of her lovely paintings for sale in Morgan City and we Thank her deeply for donating yet two more of her beautiful works for the Giddy Up Charity, Blue Sunday. Tickets will be on sale for $5 each or 3 for $10.00 each day. Drawing will be held on Saturday night, April 10Th.

Cannatas Market

Cannatas Market is just off US 90 on the way to the campground--they have wine, party trays--a great little home town market.
http://www.cannatasmarket.com/ phone 985-384-5720 and they're open on Sunday!

Welcome To Cannata's Market
Experience Cannata’s - your hometown family market for quality, freshness
and variety!

This family-owned and operated supermarkets have provided
South Louisiana with generations of legendary service and
quality since 1939.

Browse the aisles, where you’ll find crisp Louisiana
produce, fresh-boiled seafood, locally-grown fresh
flowers and much more.

Blue Sunday

Blue Sunday Child Abuse Prevention Initiative

We will raffle a Western theme gift basket and a framed painting by Sister # 564, Leona Majoria (Karen #459's mom!) to benefit Blue Sunday. Tickets are $5 each or 3 for $10 and may be purchased at Giddy UP. Drawing to be held Saturday April 10.

Blue Sunday founder, Janet Magee, (our Sister # 477) has devoted her life to serving children. Janet is a writer and speaker for a variety of efforts concerning children. She is a 25-year veteran in the battle to improve the lives of children through program development and services. Her faith and determination are contagious as she shares the belief that if everyone did a little we would see big results in child abuse prevention.

Blue Sunday Child Abuse Prevention Initiative is a non-profit organization which serves local abused and neglected children and serves as a resource for relief programs on national and on international levels. We desire to show communities how to become fully dedicated to the needs of abused children through volunteer programs and services.

We are a nonprofit child abuse prevention organization whose goals are three fold:

RELIEF - EDUCATION - MOTIVATION

Sibling Revelry (Not Rivalry!)
Many times foster children are housed in separate foster homes. Sometimes separate cities. They need opportunities to interact in the happiest of settings. We host Christmas Parties, skating events, and trips to the Zoo all geared towards helping children stay connected.

Family Court
Abused and neglected children must attend court with their foster families. This can be a long drawn out experience. We offer kid friendly distractions by way of books and quiet toys.

Kids in Crisis
Many times a child is rescued from an abusive situation during the night or straight from hospitals. Many times they come into the “system” without any personal belongings. We provide necessary items during this time of transition.

Education
Resource materials:
We are working to have placed on each school campus, church, and library a copy of the book titled The Little Blue Book of Big Ideas – Creating Your Own Prevention Projects. This publication shows how to make a difference for abused children in your community. All the funds from the sale of this publication are given back into the child abuse prevention efforts.
You can order the book on our resource page.

Have a Heart Speaker Presentations
We providing speakers for conferences hosted by school districts, law enforcement, day care centers, and churches. We provide relevant information to sharpen prevention and intervention skills.

Website: http://www.bluesunday.org/

“Substance Abuse = Child Abuse” Campaign
87% of our child abuse cases are drug and alcohol related. Billboards and service announcements will show that good parenting and substance abuse don’t mix.

Cafe' Du Monde New Orleans

The Original Cafe Du Monde is a traditional coffee shop. Its menu consists of dark roasted Coffee and Chicory, Beignets, White and Chocolate Milk, and fresh squeezed Orange Juice. The coffee is served Black or Au Lait. Au Lait means that it is mixed half and half with hot milk. Beignets are square French -style doughnuts, lavishly covered with powdered sugar. In 1988 Iced Coffee was introduced to the cafe. Soft drinks also made their debut that year.

Coffee first came to North America by way of New Orleans back in the mid-1700's. It was successfully cultivated in Martinique about 1720, and the French brought coffee with them as they began to settle new colonies along the Mississippi.

The taste for coffee and chicory was developed by the French during their civil war. Coffee was scarce during those times, and they found that chicory added body and flavor to the brew. The Acadians from Nova Scotia brought this taste and many other french customs (heritage) to Louisiana. Chicory is the root of the endive plant. Endive is a type of lettuce. The root of the plant is roasted and ground. It is added to the coffee to soften the bitter edge of the dark roasted coffee. It adds an almost chocolate flavor to the Cafe Au Lait served at Cafe Du Monde.
The Cafe Du Monde Coffee and Chicory is traditionally served Au Lait, mixed half and half with hot milk. However, people have a personal preference on how they like their coffee. People like their coffee strong and black, or with sugar; maybe with a little more milk, or maybe a little weaker brew. I suggest that the Coffee and Chicory be demonstrated using vacuum bottles to keep the coffee hot, and to give the customer the opportunity to experiment finding their personal preference.

Our Coffee is also available Decaffeinated. We use an Ethyl Acetate process to decaffeinate the coffee used in our blend of Coffee and Chicory. Ethyl Acetate is a natural chemical found in many fruits.

As we board the bus for New Orleans we will all receive a coupon good for a beignet and coffee at Cafe' Du Monde. You may use this coupon any time while in New Orleans. Coupon includes tax and tip. Enjoy! Learn more about Cafe'Du Monde at www.cafedumonde.com

Atchafalaya--River of Dreams

An American-Indian word, "Atchafalaya" (ah-CHA-fa-LIE-ah) means long river. Established in 2006, the Atchafalaya National Heritage Area stretches across 14 parishes in south-central Louisiana. It is among the most culturally rich and ecologically varied regions in the United States, home to the widely recognized Cajun culture as well as a diverse population of European, African, Caribbean and Native-American descent.
With a story around every bend in the river and music from every corner, the Atchafalaya National Heritage Area is an ever-changing landscape. Learn more at
http://www.atchafalaya.org/

We will touring the swamp with Cajun Jack's swamp tours on Wednesday and Saturday mornings. Check out Cajun Jack at http://cajunjack.com/