By Michelle Bates
The Arcadia Events Center was the place to be as the Arcadia Bienville Parish Chamber of Commerce hosted its 39th annual Chamber Banquet. With a good meal provided by FastPak Foods and Catering, several awards were presented to those who make a difference in their communities.
The 2024 Man of the Year is Perry Carver, owner of the Bonnie and Clyde Ambush Museum and the Bonnie and Clyde Last Stop Café, and the 2024 Woman of the Year is Ringgold native and owner of Rockett Funeral Home, is Donna Wiggins. The Heritage Award went to retired Coroner Don Smith. He retired this year after 20 years serving as the Bienville Parish Coroner. The large Business of the Year went to Willow Ridge Nursing and Rehab Center, with Executive Director Kim Rigdon accepting the award. Small Business of the Year went to Tipton’s Texaco Service Center in Ringgold; owners are Rhett Edwards and James Lee, along with Roy Edwards. Rhett Edwards and James Lee accepted the award from Board Member Melanie Jordan.
Scholarships went to several graduating seniors as well. Grant Carr, a senior at Simsboro High School but lives in Bienville Parish, was granted a scholarship from the Chamber of Commerce. He plans to attend Delta College in Monroe in their welding program. Meghan and Madison Harris, both seniors at Gibsland-Coleman High School received the health scholarship from Bienville Medical Center. Alyssa Odom, a graduating senior at Saline High School, was presented with a scholarship from the Arcadia Service Club.
The title sponsor of the banquet and 2024 Chamber Champion went to Bienville Lumber Company LLC, a Hunt-Tolko Partnership. Richie LeBlanc, president of Hunt Forest Products, spoke on behalf of the company, saying they are looking forward to the days to come.
“When I say days, I really mean that we are literally on the cusp of really starting to run some lumber,” he said. “We’re excited about it. We’re glad to be in Bienville Parish, glad to have a lot of folks from Bienville Parish working at the mill, and this will be a great thing with the geography of the area and for north Louisiana.”
Sponsors this year included:
Diamond Sponsors: Gibsland Bank & Trust and House of Raeford
Platinum Sponsors were: Timberland Services LLC, Willow Ridge Nursing and Rehab, Bienville Council on Aging, Wimberly Agency and Louisiana National Bank
Gold Sponsors were: Village of Castor, Claiborne Electric and Haynes International.
In Appreciation: The Bienville Democrat, Bienville 4-H Club, the Bienville Parish Police Jury, the Town of Arcadia, and FastPak Foods and Catering.
During the Year in Review, the chamber saw 37 new businesses into Bienville Parish and 15 new individual memberships. Chamber Vice President Wayne Gray said there were eight ribbon cuttings with the most exciting one being the reopening of the Department of Motor Vehicles.
The 2024 Arcadia Bienville Parish Chamber of Commerce board was introduced at the end of the program, also recognizing the outgoing board member Moe Letlow.
The 2024 board members are: Tom Martin, president; Wayne Gray, vice president; Melanie Jordan, secretary; Deanna Curtis, treasurer; Katherine Mixon, Eddie Holmes, Vicki Pickett, Kim Rigdon, Emmalee Tingle, Levi Hicks, Dan Loe, Amber Chandler and Lakeitha McDaniel.
Master of Ceremonies for the evening was Tim Fletcher, with a welcome by Mayor O’Landis Millican. Invocation was led by Javoris Miller, a sixth grader at Ringgold High School, with the Pledge of Allegiance led by J’Mayah Flowers, a fifth grader at Castor High School, and the National Anthem was sung by Ringgold High School student Katie Bogan (eighth grade). Benediction was given by Pastor Pamela Peoples.