Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

The Washington Parish Coalition on Human Services (WPCHS) held its January meeting at ADAPT in Bogalusa on Tuesday.

The guest speaker was Sheri Eastridge. She is a Training Coordinator for the Louisiana’s Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) Educator program, and provided the program.

According to Eastridge, ACEs are very common. About two-thirds of the population have at least one ACE and about one quarter have three or more. The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Educator Program offers ACEs training free of charge to organizations and community groups across Louisiana. To request an ACE Educator Training, email acepresentation@la.gov. The contact information for Eastridge is sheri.eastridge@la.gov and phone number is 985-201-5660.

WPCHS Executive Director Rusty Fornea installed the 2022 officers for the coalition. Newly inducted officers include Gloria Kates, president; Glory Davis, vice-president; Paula Charles, second vice-president; Charlette Minor, secretary; Ginger Champagne, treasurer, and Mike Ingram, parliamentarian. Fornea serves as the Executive Director for WPCHS as well as ADAPT.

During the meeting, Fornea presented Davis with a gift of appreciation for serving two consecutive years as the coalition president.

Those in attendance included: (in-person) Ginger Champagne, Rusty Fornea, Stephanie Seals, Tracy Gill, Rhonda Gunnell, Gloria Kates, Emma Ross, Glory Davis, Rosa Moses, Sheri Eastridge, Angela Houlemard and Charlette Minor; (via Zoom) Wendy Castillo, MSgt. Amy Thomas, Valerie Jordan, Richard Moody, Tammy (iPhone), Donna Davis, Lori Aversa, Marty Hennegan, Kristin Wheat, Sheila Seal, Christopher Wallace, Cynthia Walls, Juliette Frazier, Lisa Ellsworth and Brittany Costella.

The next scheduled meeting for the WPCHS will be on Tuesday, Feb. 22, at 9:30 a.m. at ADAPT, located at 216 Memphis St. in Bogalusa. Meetings are open to the public. For more information, contact Fornea at 985-735-0160.