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- 4-H volunteer receives First Lady Award
LAFAYETTE, La. – Louisiana’s First Lady honored a Lake Charles woman on Aug. 25, 2011, for her volunteer work with 4-H.
Brett Wicke Bordelon received the First Lady Award from Supriya Jindal for making a positive difference in the lives of youth.
“I am honored to present Brett with this award and thank her for introducing the great outdoors to children across Louisiana,” the governor’s wife said. “The work she does inspires a love of the outdoors, while also encouraging children and adults in their lives to come together and spend more time exploring Louisiana’s beauty together.”
Bordelon formed a partnership between 4-H and the Coastal Conservation Association of Louisiana, recruiting volunteers to teach children and youth about fishing and conserving marine resources. Ruby Miller, LSU AgCenter county agent in Cameron Parish, was among those nominating Bordelon for the award.
“I like having her with our kids because she’s such an outstanding role model,” Miller said of Bordelon. “She has been a chaperone at many 4-H events.”
Bordelon was active in 4-H as a girl, and her father is Gary Wicke, retired LSU AgCenter county agent. Her mother, Cindy Boated Wicke, was a 4-H volunteer.
Bordelon works for LHC, and the award was made in a surprise ceremony at the company’s headquarters in Lafayette.
Jarrett Thibodeaux, 14, of Creole community in Cameron Parish, also attended the event. He said Bordelon and the other volunteers have passed along tips for fishing and their ethical approach to the environment.
“Simple things like that help a lot,” Thibodeaux said.
Bordelon is the president of the Lake Charles CCA Chapter, the oldest in the state, according to CCA director David Cresson. “We believe that through her work as a CCA volunteer, she has had a profound impact on local kids.”
Bruce Schultz
(This article was published in the summer 2011 issue of Louisiana Agriculture magazine.)