Elizabeth Beard Deal Archives - SB Magazine

Don’t Defer Home Maintenance!

SB Magazine — Mon, 03 Jul 2023 12:00:03 +0000

One of Benjamin Franklin’s famous sayings was, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Yes, home maintenance means adding more chores to your list. But deferring maintenance is likely to be time consuming and costly. Performing home maintenance tasks can prevent larger problems or deterioration, extend the life and value of the property, and create a safe and comfortable place to live.

To make home maintenance less painful, include home maintenance costs in your monthly budget or set aside funds in your emergency savings account for unexpected repairs.

You can identify potential issues around the home when you engage in ongoing inspections of your property. Here are some ideas for keeping up with home maintenance:

Check the inside of your home for cracks, stains, or damage on your walls, ceilings, or floors. Follow recommended maintenance schedules for appliances like refrigerators, dishwashers, washing machines, ovens, and stoves. Clean and check fireplaces and chimneys. Install proper insulation and weatherstripping for energy efficiency.

Check the exterior of your home for cracks, leaks, or damage to the roof, brick, siding, gutters, downspouts, windows, doors, driveways, walkways, fences, foundation, and the overall structure.

Pest control is important to the maintenance of a home, keeping unwanted pests or creatures away from the home to prevent health problems to people or damage to the home and property. It’s a good idea to inspect areas inside and outside the home, install or repair screens and seal cracks and other potential places of entry. You can use insecticides, traps, baits, or call in professional pest control services.

Maintaining the trees in your yard is good for the health of the tree and helps prevent any safety issues. Pruning, mulching, fertilizing, and watering are all important parts of caring for trees, depending on type, age, and size of tree. Inspections help identify pest problems or disease. Consult a certified arborist to inspect and report on the health of your trees. A certified arborist focuses primarily on the long-term health and maintenance of trees, but also removes trees. An arborist can help you determine if a tree can be saved. A tree removal specialist primarily focuses on the safe and efficient removal of trees.

Maintain the lawn area by trimming trees and shrubs, cutting grass, cleaning out gutters, addressing any drainage issues, and inspecting the irrigation system.

Stay on top of safety measures. Some examples are installing, checking, repairing, or replacing smoke alarms, fire extinguishers, carbon monoxide detectors, alarm systems, door and window locks, first aid kits, indoor and outdoor lighting, stairs, thresholds, and railings.

Regular cleaning and organizing the home can help with air quality by removing dust and allergens and keep furnishings and floorings in top condition.

Maintaining the plumbing in your home is essential for preventing issues, avoiding expensive repairs, and keeping the system in good operating condition. Consider hiring a professional plumber for periodic plumbing inspections. This typically includes ensuring proper water pressure, checking for leaks in pipes, fixtures, or appliances, checking water heaters, cleaning drains, and inspecting backflow prevention devices and shut-off valves, cleanouts, and access panels for accessing plumbing components.

Don’t mess with electricity! Call in a professional electrician to inspect your home’s electrical systems to keep your home safe or fix any issues. They can check for faulty wiring or loose connections, test outlets, replace worn out parts, and ensure proper grounding.

Keeping your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system properly maintained helps it run efficiently and save energy. Having it serviced once a year by a professional is recommended. Tasks may include cleaning or changing out filters, cleaning vents and ducts, checking thermostats, inspecting, and cleaning outdoor units and servicing the furnace.

Keep Up With Home Maintenance

Create a checklist so all areas and systems are reviewed.
Schedule your review of items on the checklist. Some areas may need to be reviewed more often than others.
Identify and address issues promptly.
Hire a professional when needed for repairs or replacements.
Keep receipts, records, and warranties for any work done.

Happy Homeownership!

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The Symphony House

SB Magazine — Mon, 19 Jun 2023 16:21:56 +0000

A look at the first Shreveport structure to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places

By Elizabeth Beard Deal

At 150 years old, the Colonel Robert H. Lindsay House, also known as the Scofield House and now called the Symphony House, was the area’s first structure listed on the National Register of Historic Sites on July 16, 1973. This house is possibly the only existing immediate post-Civil war architecture of its type in Shreveport today. The architecture is transitional from the Greek Revival style to the Victorian.

The house was built in 1872 on the corner of McNeill and Fannin streets during the turbulent Reconstruction Period following the Civil War by Colonel Robert H. Lindsay who was a leading cotton factor and president of the city’s Board of Trade (forerunner of Chamber of Commerce). A railroad pioneer, he played a key role in bringing the “iron horse” (steam locomotive) to Shreveport.

Col. Lindsay’s bride, Mary, died soon after the house was built, and they never occupied it. It was rented by Mr. and Mrs. Moses Bucklew, and in February 1886 was sold for $3800 to William D. Scofield whose family lived there for many years. The last family member known to live there was a daughter, Susan Martha Scofield, better known as “Miss Mattie.”

In 1956, the Shreveport Symphony Guild saved the house from demolition. They purchased it for $300, had it cut into three pieces and moved to its present location at 2803 Woodlawn (across the street from the Centenary College Hurley Memorial Music Hall). It was one of the city’s oldest structures and an architectural gem.

The turned wood balusters of the portico railing and the wooden details of the portico cornices were of classical origin, details abandoned shortly thereafter in residential construction. The segmental-arched windows and front entrance door, a deviation from the square headed windows used in the balance of the house, represent another important design element of the transitional concept.

After the house was purchased and moved by the Guild, it was restored under the direction of Wendell C. Sorensen of Somdal and Associates. The house served for a time as the Symphony Guild Woman’s Exchange Shop, but in 1971 the house was vacated, and a full restoration was begun.

Originally, there were two rooms on each side of the long center hallway, each room having a cast iron mantelpiece. Two rooms on one side were left intact, one serving as the business office and the other as the office of the Symphony conductor. The partition between the other two rooms was removed to provide one larger room. This was furnished in the décor of the 1870s.

On August 20, 2001, the Shreveport Symphony Guild, which had been under the umbrella of the Shreveport Symphony until then, was incorporated as a separate 501c3 non-profit corporation and the Symphony House was placed in the care of the new Guild organization. Today, the Symphony House is used primarily for meetings, concerts, and rented for private affairs. Additional antique furniture, accessories, and artwork have been donated to the house over the years by Symphony Guild members.

Over the last few years, more renovations were required. The exterior front wall and porch floor, handles and spindles were repaired and painted, a new AC/Furnace installed, and part of the house roof replaced. Part of the cut etched glass windows in the front door was damaged and repaired. Currently, the list of needed renovations includes repair of the exterior wood siding, interior plaster and windowsill repair, and attic insulation and duct work, among others.

The Symphony House is a beautiful reminder of the history of Shreveport and the architectural design of its day. For more information or to donate to the ongoing restoration of the historic house, contact the Guild through the

Facebook page: facebook.com/shrevesymphonyguild.

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ARTBREAK 37

SB Magazine — Thu, 11 May 2023 14:31:51 +0000

The Shreveport Convention Center was filled with 95,000 square feet visual, literary, performing, culinary, fashion, lighting design, and film art for ARTBREAK 2023 – now in its 37th year! ARTBREAK showcases the arts programs and artistic achievements of students in Caddo Parish and other regional schools with a free weeklong celebration and weekend festival.

More than 50,000 students, parents, teachers, and weekend festival goers celebrated the achievements of Caddo Parish Students during the largest student arts festival in the south. Award-winning student creations collected more than $20,000 in savings bonds and cash prizes, and two students from each school were offered a deep dive into several arts disciplines through master classes taught by expert artists.

ARTBREAK welcomed 2nd and 3rd graders to enjoy more than 50 hands-on, make-and-take S.T.E.A.M. learning activities under the guidance of professional artists.

There were school and community performances. Nationally renowned children’s entertainer based in Washington, DC, Uncle Devin, known as “The Children’s Drumcussionist,” also performed and KTAL-6 ARTBREAK’s Got Talent Show returned. The Los Angeles Dance sensation, Straight Up Abilities, was there showcasing the talents of children and adults with intellectual or physical disabilities.

ARTBREAK 37 had several new additions:

The Shreve Memorial Library performed a “Pete the Cat: Rockin’ in My School Shoes” play and hosted a Book Walk in the style of a cake walk.
Professional artist James Marks invited attendees to help him sculpt a life-size metal figure named Oscar Joseph, with colorful wire and pipe cleaners that will be showcased at SRAC’s ArtStation.
The Louisiana Division of the Arts, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Poetry Foundation presented Poetry Out Loud, a dynamic recitation competition for high school students.
New Community Partners including the American Society for Civil Engineers (ASCE) and the Louisiana Engineering Society (LES), the Noel Community Art Center, the Red River Revel Arts Festival, the Renzi Center, Robinson Film Center, Sanctuary Glass Studio, and SciPort Discovery Center invited ARTBREAK attendees to create art with them.

ARTBREAK is produced by the Shreveport Regional Arts Council and Caddo Parish Public Schools and made possible by the generosity of grantors and community and business sponsors.

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Gems of an Artistic Genius

SB Magazine — Wed, 03 May 2023 14:59:48 +0000

Exhibit of Mexican artist who lived in Shreveport on display in May.

The exhibit Andrés Sánchez Flores: Gems of an Artistic Genius, an outstanding memorial exhibit of historic murals, Caddo and Aztec drawings, watercolors and Mexican genre paintings, will be on display from May 4-26, 2023, in the West Wing Gallery of the Louisiana State Exhibit Museum.

Andrés Sánchez Flores, (1905–1977) was born in San Andrés, Jalisco in western Mexico. He was a master artist who worked in the mediums that defined the Mexican Art Movement, the Renaissance of mural painting, and taught classes on these techniques in Mexico, United States, and Australia.

He worked as a chemist, technician in artistic mediums, and collaborator to the great Mexican artists of the last century—including Diego Rivera, Frida Kahlo, and Jose Orozco among others. His work was a major component in the painting and restoring of a large body of murals and frescoes created between 1920 and 1953.

The family of Andrés Sánchez Flores moved to Shreveport in 1955. Sánchez Flores also had great strength as an artist, painting some 34 known art works that include sketches, drawings, paintings, five murals, and one fresco. Several of the works reflect insights gained from studies of Pre-Columbian culture that enabled him to express accurately the aspects of the culture both artistically and scientifically. From his research, he depicted their life – how they treated one another, strangers and how they interacted with nature.

In the 1950’s, he completed his first original work in the U.S., the 16-foot oil painting shown at Jackson Hall at Centenary College, and the pre-historic mural Oil Trade in Louisiana Before the White Man. He and Shreveport artist Amos Lee Armstrong, first Art Director of LSEM (Louisiana State Exhibit Museum) together painted the historic mural 412 Years of Bossier History commissioned by the National Bank of Bossier.

An Opening Reception open to the public will be held on Thursday, May 4 from 4:30–7:00 pm. with light refreshments provided by Gabriel Banderas, owner of Zuzul Coastal Cuisine, with Friends of the Museum. Music and dance will be performed in traditional costume by the Folkloriko Group Orgullo de Mexico. Lupita Soto Torres, coordinator for adult education students, Bossier Parish Community College Coordinator, will lead the dance troupe. The artist’s family encourage visitors to wear attire to celebrate a great artist and the Cinco de Mayo spirit!

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Children with Arthritis

SB Magazine — Wed, 19 Apr 2023 23:36:26 +0000

By Elizabeth Beard Deal. Photography by Christal Childress, Sweet Pea Pixels

Local organization helps families with children suffering with arthritis and the doctors who treat them.

Did you know children get arthritis?
Arthritis is still generally thought of as an older-person’s disease, but over 300,000 children suffer from arthritis in the United States. Arthritis in children is always painful, sometimes crippling, and occasionally fatal. Early diagnosis is critical. There are only 200 pediatric rheumatologists in the US, making it difficult for many children to see a specialist on an ongoing basis. It can be a long road to diagnosis, and many children have overlapping diseases. Children suffer from extreme physical and emotional pain. Many report feeling isolated because friends and family misunderstand this “unseen” chronic illness. There is an example of one child who was playing basketball and cello before his diagnosis, but now can’t even manage school but 4 hours a day. Medications can cost up to $200,000 year.

For 30 years, local non-profit Children and Arthritis, Inc., founded by Dr. Thomas Pressly, has addressed the difficulties faced by children suffering from rheumatic diseases and their families. The mission is to provide information and support to families of children who suffer from arthritis and other autoimmune diseases. Pressly, a Shreveport rheumatologist in private practice, also operates the clinic for rheumatic illnesses at Shriner Children’s Hospital in Shreveport.

Parents of children diagnosed with this chronic illness struggle with knowing what type of treatment is appropriate and worry about side effects. Treatments can be difficult because of coexisting conditions or contraindications of medications. Even administering medications can be an issue; many children become anxious at the anticipation of a shot – and one of the main medications causes burning at the injection site. At school, an IEP or 504 accommodation plan is usually needed.

The family unit can also be disrupted. Siblings often feel forgotten and act out. Examples include a sibling who was dealing with depression and stealing cars and another who attempted suicide. Financial implications surpass just the medication cost; parents struggle with missing work, and one mother had to give up her career to take care of her child. The divorce rate hovers at 75% for families dealing with a chronic illness.

Children and Arthritis provides a welcome opportunity to these families with an annual summer weekend program, Camp Jambalaya Jubilee, held at the serene campus of Centenary College. What makes this camp unique is that it does not serve just the child with the illness, but serves the entire family. While the children participate in camp activities, parents and guardians attend sessions with physicians and family therapists. Teens also have their own therapy sessions together.

Camp serves families with children (under 18) who suffer from rheumatic diseases in the southern region, primarily LA, TX, MS, AR. The families stay in dorm rooms on campus and all meals and activities are included. Camp fees are nominal, so families may attend regardless of financial situation, and transportation is provided in many cases to help families attend. Approximately 50% of attending families qualify for Medicaid. Camp Jambalaya Jubilee provides services to families that they may not be able to access or afford easily or elsewhere. Additional funding above these camp fees are required to cover the camp expenses and come from grants from local organizations as well as generous individual and corporate donors.

Many families return year after year, having closely bonded with other families in their same situation. They listen and console one another, mentor “new” families attending, and learn from one another. A new family to camp said, “Words cannot adequately express the positive impact this weekend has had on our family. It was truly powerful! Many thanks!”

The goal of the camp is to empower families through education, encouragement, and enjoyment, helping families alleviate the frustration of chronic illness.

Education: Camp Jambalaya Jubilee’s adult small group meetings provide families with access to top pediatric rheumatologists from around the country, dentists, orthopedic surgeons, ENTs, nephrologists, cardiologists, hand surgeons, ophthalmologists, nurses, family therapists, physical therapists and occupational therapists. Parents learn about new research and medications, how to watch for signs and symptoms, and ways to work with the school system. Local organization TEAMS steps in here.

Encouragement: Camp Jambalaya Jubilee’s small group counseling sessions give families the opportunity to talk with family therapists and address underlying issues, such as marital strife, siblings having feelings of neglect, or fears regarding the illness. These sessions have proven invaluable to fostering connections between families and healing strained relationships. Dr. George Wolcott has been involved from the beginning and brings a team of therapists each year to work with the families.

Enjoyment: Camp Jambalaya Jubilee’s camp program for children includes a number of special needs accessible activities such as bowling, swimming, arcades, games, and arts and crafts. Because all children are able to participate in every activity, they experience a sense of normalcy, maybe for the first time. Parents report that children look forward to camp each year with great anticipation. Special family evening recreation is intended to facilitate relationship building between families. Activities include a Mardi Gras parade, an outdoor carnival, and an evening outing to places like the YMCA and Sci-Port.

Overall, families return to camp year after year to receive patient education, patient peer support, caregivers support and patient advocacy information—all critical needs within these families. They gain unprecedented access to doctors, surgeons, specialists, and therapists, all dedicated to helping them cope with the physical, emotional, and financial challenges of having a child or sibling with chronic illness.

At the 30th anniversary of camp in 2022, 20 former campers (over age 18) participated, and the families learned about how far the medicines and treatments have come over the years. Several of these camp alumni are wheelchair bound which isn’t the case for most newer patients due to the advancement in medical diagnosis and treatments. The former campers shared their stories of success and trials. Parents saw how their own children would be able to navigate adulthood with the illness.

The other mission of Children and Arthritis is to help with early diagnosis of the condition through continuing education to medical practitioners, especially pediatricians who are the first point of contact for these children. The organization has hosted the medical Cassidy Conference: Advances in Pediatric Rheumatology. At the most recent in 2022, Willis- Knighton Health System was the presenting sponsor, in partnership with the

Northwest Louisiana Pediatric Society, Pediatric Rheumatologists of the South (PROs), and Shriners Hospitals for Children-Shreveport, where the conference was held. The conference featured world-renowned faculty speakers. The conference was a chance for new and experienced pediatric rheumatologists and pediatricians to come together and share their knowledge of advances in infectious disease and pediatric rheumatology, allowing for new thought processes and innovative techniques.

The Cassidy Conference is named in memory of Dr. James T. Cassidy, an exceptional rheumatologist and professor who was considered “the father of pediatric rheumatology.” Cassidy was internationally recognized for his work in pediatric rheumatology and wrote the first textbook, “Textbook of Pediatric Rheumatology.”

Cassidy was an instructor and mentor to Pressly and was also instrumental in starting Camp Jambalaya Jubilee.

childrenandarthritis.org

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