With Find The Good News I focus on good people doing good works. I visit with artists, educators, civic & spiritual leaders, musicians, business owners, students, volunteers, and everyday citizens who are using their creativity, resources, and talents to bring hope & happiness to their corners of the world. I discover the critical life experiences that shaped them, the perspectives that drive them, and the fundamental principals that have anchored them to a path of goodness. My name is Oran Parker, and I'm going to find the good.
Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's Office – Southwest Louisiana
Creole Nature Trail All-American Road in Southwest Louisiana
Project Trey–Recovery Café in Lake Charles, Louisiana
Briarwood Nature Preserve in Saline, Louisiana
Candice Alexander Art Studio in Lake Charles, Louisiana
Village Coffee in Sulphur, Louisiana
Director of the Natchitoches Historic District Business Association and Natchitoches Main Street
President & CEO, Cane River National Heritage Area
CEO/President, Chief Marketing Officer, and past CEO of CSE Federal Credit Union
CEO/President of the Southwest Louisiana Economic Development Alliance
While it's undeniable that there is immense value in having a firm enforcement arm to deter criminal activity and ensure the safety of law-abiding citizens, it's equally clear that there is a long-term benefit to serving the population through community education and public service programs.
In this episode of Find the Good News, Calcasieu Parish Sheriff Gary "Stitch" Guillory took the time to visit with me and share his insights on what makes Calcasieu Parish a unique thread in the fabric of Louisiana communities, and how it continues to progress and thrive within the larger quilt of the United States as a whole.
With over four decades of public service and law enforcement experience, Sheriff Guillory has stepped into his elected role with the kind of respect and integrity that are critical for a leader bound to face challenges, ranging from daily criminal activity to white-collar crime, online financial scams, predators, abuse, and natural disasters. From drug trafficking and violence to petty crime, Sheriff Guillory is transparent—the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's Office faces the same hurdles as law enforcement agencies across our nation. Yet, he sees something uniquely hopeful in Calcasieu: a trend toward betterment, togetherness, resilience, empathy, and community, even as these bonds seem to erode in other parts of our nation.
Sheriff Guillory and his team at CPSO are clearly motivated to be a positive and highly visible presence throughout Calcasieu Parish, not only through law enforcement, but by serving the people—from the elderly to the young—through volunteer work and education programs.
So, I invite you to consider your role as a citizen in your community, how you can be a helper and be of service. And when you see the new green and gold cruisers and uniforms of the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's Office, know that the individual inside is there to serve as well.
Maybe you heard something on this show that helped you on your path to a happier life, but I need your finding the good. Get in touch and let me know what you think I should ask my upcoming guests and I'll see about getting your questions into the fishbowl in our Fishing For Goodies segment of the show! If you'd like to have your name and city/state/country read on the show just include it in your email when you submit your question. Your question will stay in the fishbowl for other guests to answer. Each guest will be fishing out 3 goodies each episode, so make sure your questions are creative, thought provoking, and designed to find the good! Don't be shy. I want to hear from you so we can find the good together.
Please note that by submitting you are allowing your content and questions to be used on the podcast. I'll do my very best to use your submission with respect and kindness.
Is there someone in your life that's working to make their patch of the world a better place? I'd like to talk to them so others can find out where their good comes from. Let's get them on the show, learn what makes them tick, and get that good news out there.
Please note that by submitting you are allowing your content and questions to be used on the podcast. I'll do my very best to use your submission with respect and kindness.