Find the Good News with Oran Parker

Ep. 133 - The Wonder Years - Ft. Allyson Blackwell Montgomery, Children's Museum of SWLA - Find the Good News with Oran Parker   I often think fondly on my childhood when my young mind relished in the thrill of discovery—the joy of stumbling upon something new through play, and the quiet spark of curiosity that grew into awe and wonder. These special moments, where learning and imagination meet, have been the foundation upon which many of my lifelong passions took root and flourished, and it is a comfort to know that there is place that is working passionately to provide the impetus for future generations to have that same creative platform.   In this episode of Find the Good News, I had the privilege of speaking with Allyson Blackwell Montgomery, the Executive Director of the Children's Museum of Southwest Louisiana. Allyson holds a deep and inspiring conviction: that through learning, we grow, and in growth, we find the power to change the world. Her work with the Children's Museum is driven by the belief that every curious question, every shared discovery, and every child given the space to dream brings us closer to a better, brighter future.   Her passion is woven into the museum’s next great chapter—their soon-to-open home at Port Wonder, a state-of-the-art facility located on the lakefront in Downtown Lake Charles, Louisiana. Port Wonder will be more than a destination; it will be a sanctuary of exploration, connection, and hands-on learning for children and adults alike.   The Children's Museum's of Southwest Louisiana invites children and families to step into a world where hands-on learning is expansive and exciting. Sharing space with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries’ Nature and Science Center, it offers a rare opportunity to experience the intersection of education, environment, and play.   As Allyson and I spoke, it became clear that this vision for the Children's Museum and Port Wonder is deeply personal. For her, it’s about more than just exhibits and programs—it’s about creating a place where the seeds of curiosity can take root, where learning becomes a lifelong adventure, and where families can reconnect with each other and the magic of discovery.   So, I invite you to sit with me in this heartfelt conversation with Allyson Blackwell Montgomery and explore the inspiring mission of the Children's Museum of Southwest Louisiana, its incredible new home at Port Wonder, and the transformative belief that when we nurture curiosity and promote lifelong learning, we grow—and through growth, we literally change the world for the better.   Now, let’s queue the music and press play on a little good news. Learn more about the Children's Museum of SWLA »  https://www.swlakids.org Follow the Children's Museum on Social Media » https://www.facebook.com/ChildrensMuseumSWLA Learn more about Parker Brand Creative Services » www.ParkerBrandUp.com Listen to more Find the Good News episodes » www.FindtheGood.News

Ep. 132 - The Connected Community  - Ft. Calcasieu Parish Sheriff Gary "Stitch" Guillory - Find the Good News with Oran Parker   Have you ever witnessed or been involved in an incident that required you to call the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's Office? While experiences and opinions may vary—depending on which side of the law one finds themselves on—as a citizen who has had occasion to make the call, my personal impression has been highly positive. In nearly every circumstance, I've been left with a sense of gratitude for CPSO's responsiveness, professionalism, and understanding.   While it's undeniable that there is immense value in having a firm enforcement arm to deter criminal activity and ensure the safety of law-abiding citizens, it's equally clear that there is a long-term benefit to serving the population through community education and public service programs.   In this episode of Find the Good News, Calcasieu Parish Sheriff Gary "Stitch" Guillory took the time to visit with me and share his insights on what makes Calcasieu Parish a unique thread in the fabric of Louisiana communities, and how it continues to progress and thrive within the larger quilt of the United States as a whole.   With over four decades of public service and law enforcement experience, Sheriff Guillory has stepped into his elected role with the kind of respect and integrity that are critical for a leader bound to face challenges, ranging from daily criminal activity to white-collar crime, online financial scams, predators, abuse, and natural disasters. From drug trafficking and violence to petty crime, Sheriff Guillory is transparent—the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's Office faces the same hurdles as law enforcement agencies across our nation. Yet, he sees something uniquely hopeful in Calcasieu: a trend toward betterment, togetherness, resilience, empathy, and community, even as these bonds seem to erode in other parts of our nation.   Sheriff Guillory and his team at CPSO are clearly motivated to be a positive and highly visible presence throughout Calcasieu Parish, not only through law enforcement, but by serving the people—from the elderly to the young—through volunteer work and education programs.   So, I invite you to consider your role as a citizen in your community, how you can be a helper and be of service. And when you see the new green and gold cruisers and uniforms of the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's Office, know that the individual inside is there to serve as well.   Now, let's queue the music, and press play on a little good news. Learn more about the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's Office »  https://www.cpso.com Follow the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's Office on Social Media » https://www.facebook.com/CalcasieuSheriff Learn more about Parker Brand Creative Services » www.ParkerBrandUp.com Listen to more Find the Good News episodes » www.FindtheGood.News

Ep. 131 - The Road Out Back  - Ft. Anne Klenke, Creole Nature Trail All-American Road in Southwest Louisiana - Find the Good News with Oran Parker   For me, one of the most enjoyable things in life is a good-old-fashioned road trip that takes the side roads, hits the small stops, and offers the possibility of discovery, with textures outside of the mostly manufactured experiences found along the main travel arteries, saturated with common denominator brands and tourist traps. There’s something truly special about the untailored travel experience, with its rough, fuzzy edges and unknown factors. That type of travel pushes me to keep my eyes and ears open, cultivating the type of mindful attention that can be diminished by bloated itineraries and over-hyped hot spots.   The open, wild road is like listening to the radio instead of a curated playlist—along the winding miles comes a little static and overlapping signals, as well as that joyful feeling when your favorite song comes through. These trails open us up to the priceless mystery of random, unplanned occurrences. I’m one of the lucky ones because I live along Highway 27 South in Southwest Louisiana, where we have a road trip into the wild green heart of Louisiana’s Outback—the Creole Nature Trail All-American Road—right here in our own backyard.   In this episode of Find the Good News, I visited with my friend Anne Klenke, Vice President of Destination Development with Visit Lake Charles. Anne works with heart and passion to share our growing, green Gulf Coast gateway with visitors from across the country and around the world.   Whether it’s the painted scattered skies, the kaleidoscopic presentation of seasonal birds, our unique catalogue of wetland creatures, or the expansive Gulf Coast views, Anne has seen firsthand the memorable discoveries that writers and visitors make as they explore the far-and-away spaces along the Creole Nature Trail, starting at the trailhead, Adventure Point in Sulphur, Louisiana.   Over the past 15 years, Anne and I have worked together on countless projects that promote travel to the area and inform travelers as they make their way through. As rewarding as those projects have been, this conversation revealed just how deeply Anne’s heart is entwined with this space and place, giving me a new appreciation of the Outback right here at home.   So, I invite you to consider packing for a day trip to Southwest Louisiana—and when you get here, head south on Highway 27 and watch the manufactured world peel away as you wind along into the Louisiana wild.   Now, let's queue the music, and press play on a little good news. Learn more about Creole Nature Trail & Adventure Point »  https://www.visitlakecharles.org/creole-nature-trail/ Follow Creole Nature Trail Adventure Point on Social Media » https://www.facebook.com/CNTAdventurePoint Learn more about Parker Brand Creative Services » www.ParkerBrandUp.com Listen to more Find the Good News episodes » www.FindtheGood.News

Ep. 130 - The Reason Is Love  - Ft. Tonya Doucette of Project Trey–Recovery Café in Lake Charles, Louisiana - Find the Good News with Oran Parker   I have always been in awe of those with the gift of human empathy, who seem to sense when someone else is hurting or in need. I've been blessed many times to be the giver of aid when I sensed the suffering of others, often hiding my pains and sufferings from the world at large, preferring to try to unravel those entanglements on my own. I have realized that events and circumstances will take you by surprise, and no amount of preparation and redundancies will suffice if you try to navigate the troubles alone.   An empathetic friend and client recently picked up on a personal pain weighing heavily on my heart and mind. In that moment of insight and kindness, she used her gift to point me toward a local who has traveled the roads I now found myself on, experiencing the most significant grief a parent could know, transmuting that sorrow into the right action and resources for others, like me and mine, who now find ourselves somewhat wandering along the myriads paths of addiction and substance abuse.   In this episode of Find the Good News, I visited with Tonya Doucette, Founder of Project Trey–Recovery Café in Lake Charles, Louisiana, where she works to honor and remember her son Trey by providing a safe space for those in addiction recovery to gather, learn, grow, and be loved as they begin the hard work of one-day-at-a-time living.   This encounter with Tonya could not have come at a more critical time when being present and supportive of a loved one requires wrangling fears, anxieties, legalities, and social stigma. Sitting with Tonya at Project Trey–Recovery Café offered comfort and motivation to travel the road ahead in strength because I could see clearly that she had traveled this road before us, for us.   I often ask my guests, "Why do something instead of nothing?" I know why Tonya does what she does and has devoted her mind, time, and heart to helping those in recovery find their way forward—she does it because of love.   Some time has passed since Tonya and I had this conversation, and in that time, I have seen the results of her love firsthand as she helps our family journey through the concentric rings surrounding an addiction event. I am on the frontline of a healing event, and as I watch the wounds mend and scar over, I feel gratitude for Tonya and her son Trey.   So, I invite you to sit with Tonya Doucette and me at Project Trey–Recovery Café in Lake Charles, Louisiana. If you're in recovery, I encourage you to continue to find your reason one day at a time. If it gets hard—when it gets hard—there's a space full of loving people waiting for you at Project Trey.   Now, let's queue the music and press play on a little good news. Learn more about Project Trey–Recovery Café » www.ProjectTreyRecoveryCafe.org Follow Project Trey on Social Media » https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100095377565791 Learn more about Parker Brand Creative Services » www.ParkerBrandUp.com Listen to more Find the Good News episodes » www.FindtheGood.News

Ep. 129 - The Dormon Legacy - Ft. Bayli Brossette of Briarwood Nature Preserve in Saline, Louisiana - Find the Good News with Oran Parker   One evening, several decades ago, I and my dear friends took a camping trip to North Louisiana. That evening, as we were lost in the dense display of stars dusting the sky, the group was suddenly jolted by the sound of a vehicle backfiring as it rumbled along Highway 117. Someone wondered aloud, "I'd be curious if there were any place left in Louisiana where you can truly escape the sound of a combustion engine." The comment brought silence to our group and was impactful enough that it still emerged in my thoughts as I entered the youth of my old age.   In this episode of Find the Good News, I once again traveled through North Louisiana's piney woods and hills, not to camp with friends but to visit with Bayli Brossette, the Curator of Briarwood Nature Preserve. Ahead of my trip, Bayli advised that I fuel up as the nearest resources were over 45 miles away. While this was sound advice, I couldn't help but wonder again, how far do you need to go to escape the sound of engines? Soon I would discover that such a place exists in Louisiana and is connected to the Kisatchie National Forest campsite, where my friend posed the original query.   Upon entering Briarwood Nature Preserve in Saline, Louisiana, it is immediately apparent that you're wading into a historic space of conservation and love. Briarwood Nature Preserve is the legacy of ornithologist, activist, writer, painter, teacher, and advocate Caroline Dormon. The pace slowed as I left the highway and passed the historic marker dedicated to Caroline Dormon. About halfway through the winding entrance road, I stopped and stood in this new space, full of cascading shades of green, enveloped by waves of insect chatter and birdsong. Further still, I was greeted by the Briarwood Sign, which seemed as though it had always been there, and it was then I wondered how many others had made this trip, what their expectations were upon arrival, and how the space might have changed them as the left. Would I have that type of experience?   At their home within the preserve, Bayli and her husband Travis greeted us with gentle hospitality and warmth that carried us deep into a lovely and informative conversation. I found the space and the visit invigorating while at the same time comforting. Like light through an emerald canopy, Bayli shared the path to becoming Briarwood's Curator, what the work entails, the rich history of Briarwood Nature Preserve, and the almost unbelievable accomplishments of Caroline Dormon, whose life and efforts have meant so much to so many, even if her name might seem somewhat obscure to most.   After our conversation, Bayli and Travis shared even more of their time. They offered a tour of many important spaces on the protected acreage, such as "Grand Pappy," the nearly 500-year-old Long Leaf Pine favored by Dormon, the statue of Caroline located at the site of her childhood home, as well as a quiet and genuinely touching visit to Caroline Dormon's cabin, the space where she lived, wrote, and painted. My day in this green cloud, Briarwood Nature Preservice, was an absolute joy, and Bayli was an informative, thoughtful, and wonderful host.   There is iron in Caroline Dormon's legacy, and I do not doubt that the right people are in place to preserve and present that legacy to the next generation of travelers.   So, through my conversation with Bayli Brossette, I invite you to Briarwood Nature Preserve, where the sounds of combustion engines are quelled by lush acres of whispering pines and wildflowers. Learn more about Caroline Dormon & Briarwood Nature Preserve » www.BriarwoodNP.org Follow Briarwood NP on Social Media » www.facebook.com/briarwoodnp Learn more about Parker Brand Creative Services » www.ParkerBrandUp.com Listen to more Find the Good News episodes » www.FindtheGood.News