PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
By Darrel J. Papillion L’EAU HAUTE DE VINGT-SEPT
y paternal grandparents was under water. were both born in 1906. esources Nearly a century later, in August 2016, Although they lived a com- I would recall my grandparents’ frequent bined 159 years, they lived LSBA Disaster Recovery website: references to l’eau haute de vingt-sept Mall those years in rural Acadiana, where www.lsba.org/dr as a slow-moving storm would pound they were born. French was their native Volunteer to help those affected: Louisiana with rainfall for several days and language, and, between the two of them, www.lsba.org/goto/volunteer would drop nearly seven trillion gallons of they knew only enough English to defend water enough to fill ore than illion SOLACE information themselves in the simplest of transactions l pic-sized swi ing pools or fill Lake (see also page 103): in that language. Over their relatively long Pontchartrain four times — on our state. www.lsba.org/goto/solace and colorful lives, they saw America and More than , ho es and thousands the world change in many ways. They lived LSBA Disaster Response Message of businesses would be affected. Like in through two world wars, the Great Depres- Board - post offers of help or 1927, thousands of Louisianians, includ- sion, the ivil ights Move ent, and the requests for assistance ing many in the legal profession, would administrations of U.S. Presidents from (for LSBA members only): seek refuge in shelters or with family and Roosevelt (that would be Teddy Roosevelt) www.lsba.org/goto/DRmessage friends. As in 1927, and like the aftermath to George H.W. Bush. And, even though of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, thousands they also lived through one of greatest ages dured by many. Roughly 630,000 people of Louisianians would need help from of innovation in the history of the world — a in Louisiana, rkansas and Mississippi their state and federal governments and, of period that would include the development were affected b flooding More than course, their communities. Louisiana, of of automobiles, radio and television, the percent of St Landr arish flooded course, survived the Great Flood of 1927 et age, and conveniences like refrigeration Nearby Opelousas had a population of and has survived numerous tragedies and and air conditioning — they rarely spoke only 6,000 people in 1927, but, within a disasters since then. And, it will survive of these things. They did, however, speak few days of when the Atchafalaya River and rebuild from the damage caused by rather regularly of one event in Louisiana’s levee failed a few miles north of St. Landry the floods of history, especially when the French radio arish in vo elles arish in Ma , The Louisiana State Bar Association broadcast from KVPI in Ville Platte warned nearly 15,000 registered refugees, and (LSBA) acted quickly in the aftermath of heavy rain. That event was something many unregistered ones, from other parts of this ear s historic flooding to help my grandparents called l’eau haute de of Louisiana would seek shelter in Opelou- our e bers and our s ste of ustice vingt-sept — the high waters of ’27 — or sas’ Red Cross refugee camps. Another The LSBA activated its disaster plan and the ost destructive river flood in the his- nearly 2,000 would seek refuge in camps quickly rolled out the disaster page of its tory of the United States. in nearb unice M grandparents often website, www.lsba.org/dr. The LSBA’s While my family’s small farm on the spoke of the human misery that ensued as leaders worked with Gov. John Bel Ed- Acadian Prairie in St. Landry Parish was thousands, often with all their possessions wards office to help with e ergenc x- spared serious flooding, grandparents including livestock in tow, ourne ed to ecutive Orders regarding legal deadlines. were keenly aware of the suffering en- higher ground because much of Louisiana Similarly, the LSBA worked with the
102 August / September 2016 chief udges of Louisiana s federal courts The LSBA worked quickly to begin communities in our state, most notably to secure similar orders in federal court raising funds to help lawyers and legal Livingston Parish, and much remains to be to prevent lawyers and citizens who were professionals affected b flooding, and done. The LSBA will devote considerable busy rescuing their families and neigh- the LSBA’s SOLACE Program provided ti e and energ over the next weeks and bors fro the devastation of the floods scores of flood victi s with aid, services months to help our members affected by the fro being pre udiced b legal deadlines and relief in the after ath of the flooding flooding of hile these flood relief efore the flood waters receded, LS The LSBA also began working to develop a efforts will be challenging, like so many leadership was in close contact with Chief se inar to help law ers affected b flood- times in the past, Louisiana’s lawyers, Justice Bernette Joshua Johnson and the ing to rebuild their practices. As I write this udges and legal co unit will rise to staff of the Louisiana Supreme Court to article, the LSBA is working on numerous the challenge. ensure that Louisiana’s lawyers had timely flood-related pro ects information regarding court closures and I am proud of the LSBA’s response to other issues that might affect their clients the flooding of he flooding has had and practices. a devastating effect on lawyers in several
The Louisiana State Bar Association/Louisiana Bar Foundation’s Community Action Committee supports the SOLACE program. Through the program, the state’s legal community is able to reach out in small, but eaningful and co passionate wa s to udges, law ers, court personnel, paralegals, legal secretaries and their fa ilies who experience a death or catastrophic illness, sickness or in ur , or other catastrophic event For assistance, to contact a coordinator or for more information, visit www.lsba.org/goto/solace. Area Coordinator Contact Info Area Coordinator Contact Info
Alexandria Area Richard J. Arsenault (318)487-9874 Natchitoches Area Peyton Cunningham, Jr. (318)352-6314 rarsenault nbalawfir co ell - [email protected] Cell (318)332-7294
Baton Rouge Area Ann K. Gregorie (225)214-5563 New Orleans Area Helena N. Henderson (504)525-7453 [email protected] [email protected]
Covington/ Suzanne E. Bayle (504)524-3781 Opelousas/Ville Platte/ John L. Olivier (337)662-5242 Mandeville Area [email protected] Sunset Area ohnolivier centur tel net - (337)232-0874 Denham Springs Area Mar eck arrios - [email protected] River Parishes Area Judge Jude G. Gravois (225)265-3923 udegravois bellsouth net - Houma/Thibodaux Area Danna Schwab (985)868-1342 Cell (225)270-7705 dschwab theschwablawfir co Shreveport Area ana M Southern - Jefferson Parish Area at M Franz - [email protected] [email protected]
Lafayette Area Josette Abshire (337)237-4700 SOLACE is accepting assistance requests for non-monetary needs [email protected] from those affected by the severe weather. Requests can be for gift cards, furniture, office space, te porar housing, food, etc e uests Lake Charles Area Melissa St Mar - for assistance will be circulated to the 20,000-plus SOLACE elissa pitrelawfir co members. If you or someone you know needs assistance, forward your request to SOLACE at [email protected] or post your Monroe Area John C. Roa (318)387-2422 re uest to the LS iaster esponse Message oard lease [email protected] include an email address that protects the sender’s identity.
Louisiana Bar Journal Vol. 64, No. 2 103