United Way
 for South Louisiana

2007 Annual Volunteer Awards Banquet

On April 26, 2007, United Way for South Louisiana along with Coastal Commerce Bank hosted it's 2007 Annual Volunteer Awards Banquet.  This year over 175 volunteers and member agencies enjoyed an evening of great food and entertainment at The Cypress Columns.

Mr. Troy Cloutier,                                                                                                                                                                                 Mr. Paul Labat,
UWSLA'S Board President                                                                                                                                                                                                                    UWSLA'S Past President

Hartwell Lewis Award
2007 Recipient Mr. Edward R. Bouterie
Award Sponsored by Charter Media

Mr. Gary Palmer, Charter Media, sponsor of the Hartwell Lewis Award
congratulates Mr. Edward Bouterie, 2007 Recipient of the Hartwell Lewis Award.

Mr. Paul Labat, 2006 UWSLA'S Board President, recognizes Mr. Edward R. Bouterie for his past two decades of service to the United Way for South Louisiana.  Mr. Bouterie has served on the UWSLA'S Board of Directors for over 20 years, including serving as president, treasurer, executive committee Terrebonne Parish Vice President, 1997 Campaign Chair, and 2006 & 2007 Fund Distribution Chair.  Mr. Bouterie has also served as a
member on the Campaign Cabinet as Parish Chair, Fund Distribution Committee, and UWSLA's Finance Committee.

In addition to his tenure with the United Way for South Louisiana, Mr. Bouterie's other community activities
include: Past Chairman of Thibodaux Chamber of Commerce, a Board member and Past Chairman of E.D.
White Catholic High School Foundation, a member of the Houma-Terrebonne Chamber of Commerce, a
member of South Central Industrial Association, a member of Rotary International, and a volunteer with his
church, St. Joseph Co-Cathedral in Thibodaux.

Mr. Bouterie is a graduate of Nicholls State and Director in Charge in the Houma and Thibodaux offices for Bourgeois Bennett. He is active with the Society of Louisiana Certified Public Accountants, a past President of it's South Central Chapter, member of the American Institute of CPA's.

He and his wife Connie have two children Ben and Angela, and
are the  new proud grandparents of Philip.

Mr. Bouterie is the 2007 Recipient of the Hartwell Lewis award for his outstanding service to the United Way.  The award is named for the Houma community leader, and ardent volunteer himself, who died last month at age 79. 

Ms. Alina Merlos, UWSLA'S Executive Director (left) and Ms. Lisa Schilling, 2007 Campaign Chair (right) congratulates Mr. Edward Bouterie, 2007 Recipient of Hartwell Lewis Award.

Mr. Bouterie stated, "his favorite job is serving on the fund distribution committee, which awards monies to UWSLA'S agencies.  Over time, the organization has grown from 8 to 30 agencies.  Watching those groups grow and being able to offer the United Way's help has been a great experience.  I was drawn to the organization because at heart, I don't think the UWSLA'S  just a funding group.  I think it's a problem solving group.  My heart has always been in fund distribution."

Click Here for Other Recipients

2007 Agency of the Year
St. Vincent dePaul Triparish Community Pharmacy

The St. Vincent dePaul Triparish Community Pharmacy provides life-sustaining medications to those who cannot afford them and would otherwise go without.  Acting as a pharmacy of “last resort”, it supplies much needed medications to those who are not eligible to receive medicines from other programs.

Medicine is so expensive today that many in our community struggle with hard choices on whether or not they can afford them. Some are faced with a daily question, “Shall I eat, or fill my prescription?”  Unfortunately, too many in our community decide they cannot afford to purchase these necessary medications and end up in much worse health or in the hospital. The pharmacy’s goal is to provide the medications so they are not faced with this question. And, if clients are eligible to receive medication from another source, they are assisted with the appropriate forms. Their philosophy is this, “If we can keep even a few elderly and disabled out of the hospital, save one life, or empower one homeless or unemployed person to become self-reliant; then we have made the world a better place by our united effort.”  And, in keeping with the United Way’s mission, we share their belief that it takes a caring community to handle the unmet health needs of the disadvantaged.
The program has the support of local pharmacists, who volunteer their time to fill prescriptions. All others involved with the pharmacy program are volunteers, as well. Medicines are donated by pharmaceutical companies, physicians, local hospitals, and nursing homes. One-hundred percent of United Way funding is used to purchase additional medications.  The St. Vincent dePaul Store of Houma funds all overhead expenses of the pharmacy, so that donations received can be directed to purchase more medication. This channel of charity is a community-wide effort of all faiths, races, and backgrounds.

Founded September 2001, the pharmacy is modeled after the St. Vincent dePaul Community Pharmacy in Baton Rouge.  They meet all federal and state safety standards, are licensed by the Louisiana Pharmaceutical Board as a Provisional Pharmacy, and are bound by all the rules and regulations of regular pharmacies.  As a United Way for South Louisiana Member Agency since 2003, the contribution of this agency to our community has earned the respect and appreciation of both United Way staff and volunteers.

Dr. William Walsh, founder and board president and
Robin Braud, Pharmist, of St. Vincent dePaul Triparish Pharmacy
hold up the 2007 Agency of the Year Award.

We are pleased to acknowledge United Way for South Louisiana’s 2007 Agency of the Year, The St. Vincent dePaul Triparish Community Pharmacy.

Standing Left to Right:  Mr. Edward Bouterie, Fund Distribution Chair;
Mr. Joseph Bosworth, St. Vincent dePaul Pharmacy accepting 2007 Agency of the Year Award;
and Ms. Lisa Schilling, UWSLA'S 2007 Campaign Chair.

(Click Here for Prior Agencies of the Year)

Corporate Cup 's (Highest Per Capita Giving)
 

Bourgeois Bennett
Below 100 Employees with Per Capital of $295.09

Mr. Edward R. Bouterie, Bourgeois Bennett's Director in Charge in Houma and Thibodaux; and Ms. Lisa Schilling, UWSLA'S 2007 Campaign Chair.

Cabot Corporation Canal Plant
Above 100 Employees with Per Capital of $120.05

Mr. Lonnie Easley, UWSLA Campaign Manager and Mark Swellentrop.

Loaned Executive Program                                                                               

Special Thanks to the Sponsors:                         2007 Loaned Executives:
Thibodaux Regional Medical Center                                         Mr. John J. Clune         
   Gulf Island Fabrication                                                        Ms. Alexis A. Vice
Bay Offshore                                                                                      
Southern Scrap                                                                                     
K & B Machine                                                                                    
Neil Maki, MD                                                                                  
Oceaneering                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                                                                              Mr. Edward Bouterie and Mr. John Clune. 

           
            Ms. Lisa Schilling and Mr. John Clune. 

Other Awards and Honors

Special Thanks to these Companies for extra
effort and creativity in Fundraising!

Bay Offshore
 Annual Golf Tournament

Oceaneering
Annual Barbeque

Thibodaux Regional Medical Center
Barbeque Lunch, Jambalaya Lunch, and Book Sale

Mr. Jerry Ledet, Synergy Bank (center) and
Ms. Lisa Schilling, 2007 UWSLA'S Campaign Chair (right)
congratulates Ms. Alina Merlos, Executive Director, for her 10 years of service to UWSLA (left)