Living In Parish Magazine

Assess the Need Delivers School Supplies to Livingston Parish Campuses

Volunteers gathered before sunrise Wednesday morning at the Suma Conference Center in Satsuma to load thousands of donated school supplies into vehicles bound for Livingston Parish schools, marking another successful distribution day for Assess the Need.

Among those lending a hand was Livingston Parish Public Schools Superintendent Jody Purvis, who joined volunteers in loading boxes of backpacks, notebooks, pencils, paper, and other classroom essentials into vehicles representing campuses across the parish. The supplies will now be distributed by school staff to students in need ahead of the first day of school.

Now in its 26th year, Assess the Need continues to connect local generosity with local classrooms. Founded by Livingston Parish Assessor Jeff Taylor, the nonprofit partners with schools throughout the summer to identify needs, collect donations from businesses and residents, and organize thousands of supplies before distribution day arrives.

The annual effort is expected to benefit more than 3,000 students across Livingston Parish, helping ensure they begin the school year with the basic supplies needed for success. It is a reminder that when the community comes together, the impact reaches far beyond a single morning of loading boxes. By the end of the day, those supplies were on their way to classrooms across the parish, ready to be placed directly into the hands of students who need them most.

There was a great turnout this afternoon at Walker Police Department’s National Night Out at Sidney Hutchinson Park!

Families had the opportunity to meet the men and women who serve Livingston Parish every day, visit with local law enforcement and first responders, explore emergency vehicles, enjoy games and activities for the kids, and connect with dozens of community organizations and local businesses all under one roof.

One of the best parts of National Night Out is seeing the relationships being built outside of emergency situations. Events like this remind us that strong communities are built through conversation, trust, and getting to know the people who work to keep our parish safe.

Thank you to the Walker Police Department for bringing the community together and to all of the agencies, businesses, nonprofits, and volunteers who helped make today’s event a success. We spotted everyone from Louisiana State Police and the Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office to local fire departments, Kiwanis, One Pill Can Kill Campaign, and so many others working together for a great evening.

📸 Check out a few moments from today’s event below!

Need a new headshot? We’ve got you covered.

On Thursday, August 14, Living in Parish Magazine will be hosting a Headshot Pop-Up Day at Mustard Seed Creamery. Whether you’re a business owner, Realtor, teacher, nonprofit leader, job hunting, or just tired of using a cropped family photo as your profile picture, this is a quick and affordable way to update your professional image.

For $50, you’ll receive:
• A 15-minute session
• Professional indoor studio-style headshots
• Your edited gallery delivered the same day
• All of your edited images included

The best part? Every session helps support our upcoming 10-Year Flood Anniversary Special Edition, allowing us to continue preserving Livingston Parish’s history while bringing this commemorative edition to print.

Time slots are limited, so be sure to reserve yours before they’re gone. We can’t wait to see you there! 📸🤍 Sign ups are posted in the comments.

Did you know Livingston Parish is home to Louisiana’s only dedicated Clydesdale preservation and breeding ranch?

Tucked away at Wilder Blue Ranch, Caroline Collins is working to help protect one of the world’s rarest horse breeds. With only a few thousand Clydesdales remaining worldwide, every foal born at the ranch is helping preserve the future of these gentle giants, especially the even rarer black Clydesdales.

During our visit, we met Gunner, the ranch’s massive yet gentle stallion, River, who is expected to grow even larger, baby Relic, the ranch’s first homegrown foal, and yes… Wendell, the free-roaming pig who has somehow convinced the Clydesdales he’s one of them.

This feature is about much more than impressive horses. It’s about conservation, second chances, and one family’s vision to ensure future generations can experience these incredible animals right here in Livingston Parish.

Read the full story in the newest issue of Living in Parish Magazine or on our website for free. We think you’ll come away with a new appreciation for what Caroline and Wilder Blue Ranch are building.

As we head into the second half of 2026, we wanted to give everyone a little sneak peek at what’s coming for Living in Parish Magazine. We have so many exciting things planned, and we’re looking forward to spending the rest of the year celebrating our community in new ways.

August
August will feature one of the most meaningful projects we’ve ever undertaken: our 2016 Great Flood 10-Year Anniversary Special Edition. This commemorative issue is completely sponsor-funded and dedicated to preserving the stories, photographs, memories, and resilience of Livingston Parish. It has quickly become our biggest project to date, and we can’t wait to share it with you.

September
September is all about celebrating our local businesses, organizations, and people with our Best of Livingston Parish Awards. Alongside the September magazine, we’ll be hosting our first-ever Best of Livingston Parish Awards celebration as we recognize this year’s winners.

October
Rather than producing a print issue, we’re taking the month to get out into the community even more. You’ll find the Living in Parish team covering fall festivals, local events, and community gatherings, including the Denham Springs Main Street Chili Cook-Off on October 10. We’re excited to spend more time face-to-face with the people who make Livingston Parish such a special place.

November
November brings one of our favorite editions of the year: our Holiday Gift Guide. This issue will spotlight local businesses with holiday specials, gift ideas, seasonal recipes, festive events, and plenty of Christmas magic. It’s the perfect opportunity to shop local while celebrating everything that makes the holidays in Livingston Parish special.

December & January
The Living in Parish team will be taking a well-deserved holiday break during December and January to spend time with our families, recharge, and begin planning another exciting year of stories, community coverage, and new ideas.

We’ll return with our next print edition in February/March 2027, ready to kick off another year of highlighting the people, businesses, nonprofits, and events that make Livingston Parish feel like home.

Thank you for supporting Living in Parish Magazine. Whether you’ve read an issue, shared a post, advertised with us, invited us to an event, or simply cheered us on, you’ve helped make this incredible first year possible. We can’t wait to see what the rest of 2026 has in store.

Long before the judges picked up their first spoon, the smell of cast iron cooking drifted through downtown Denham Springs as 17 teams fired up their pots, each hoping to earn the honor of taking home the first-ever Battle for the Paddle trophy. Friends gathered under the pavilion, volunteers stayed busy from start to finish, vendors welcomed visitors, and teams shared laughs while putting the finishing touches on recipes they had spent weeks preparing.

As tasting began, judges Chase Tyler, Tasmin Mitchell, Jimmy Gilbert, Brett Beard, and Mike O’Neal carefully worked their way through every entry. From traditional favorites to creative wild game dishes, no two bowls were alike, making for an incredibly close competition.

When the final scores were tallied, Team B&B claimed the Traditional Category Championship, while Team Vote John Cavalier earned top honors in the Wild Game Category, becoming the first names engraved in Battle for the Paddle history.

But as the afternoon came to a close, it became clear that the trophies were only part of the story.

Nearly $9,000 was raised through the event to help combat student-athlete hunger in Livingston Parish, ensuring local students have access to meals beyond the playing field. What began as an idea became a powerful reminder of what can happen when a community rallies around a common purpose.

For a first-year event, Battle for the Paddle felt anything but small. It was filled with friendly competition, familiar faces, incredible food, and a cause that resonated with everyone in attendance. If this year’s event is any indication, Battle for the Paddle has all the ingredients to become a Livingston Parish tradition.

Congratulations to every cook team, volunteer, sponsor, vendor, judge, and organizer who helped make the inaugural event such a success. We can’t wait to see what’s cooking next year.

📸 Here are just a few moments we captured throughout the

And I Oop… 🫢🫣

For many in Livingston Parish, Agape Ranch has become a place to gather, stay active, make lifelong friendships, and reconnect with the outdoors. Whether it’s wellness programs, equine experiences, or the weekly laughter of the Sunflower Girls line dancing beneath the oak trees, there’s something special happening on this property.

During our visit, we watched participants dance, visit with friends, and even stop between songs to feed horses like Big Boy, Batman, Goose, Spirit, and Honey. It wasn’t just about learning the next step. It was about finding a place where everyone feels welcome.

In a world that often feels rushed, Agape Ranch is a reminder that slowing down still has value, and that community can be found in the simplest moments.

We loved telling this story.

📖 Read the full feature on our website, or pick up the latest issue of Living in Parish Magazine to learn more about Agape Ranch and the people who make it so special.

I spent this afternoon with the Árpádhon Hungarian Association, and I left with a smile on my face and a much deeper appreciation for a tradition that has been carried on for generations.

Every Tuesday, this incredible group gathers in Albany to make Kifli, a traditional Hungarian pastry that has become one of the most anticipated treats of the year. Their goal? An astounding 12,000 kiflis before September. Week after week, they roll, fill, cut, and bake hundreds at a time, knowing every single one will help make the First Inaugural Hungarian Festival, happening September 25-27, a success.

But what struck me most wasn’t just the baking.

It was the laughter echoing through the room. The stories shared across the tables. The generations working side by side, teaching one another, catching up on life, and preserving a tradition that means so much to this community. After the work is done, they gather around the table to share a traditional meal together. It wasn’t just volunteers making pastries. It felt like family.

As someone who spends a lot of time highlighting the people and places that make Livingston Parish special, this was one of those afternoons that reminded me why I love what I do.

We’ll be back next Tuesday as harvest dance practice begins, and I can’t wait to share even more of this beautiful tradition with all of you.

If you’re looking for something unique to experience this fall, make plans now to attend the First Inaugural Hungarian Festival in Hungarian Settlement. Come hungry, bring the family, and help celebrate a community that has worked all year to make this festival something truly special. I have a feeling those 12,000 kiflis are going to disappear fast. 💚🤍❤️

I can finally say it… we’re gearing up for the 1st Annual Battle for the Paddle: Fuel the Field Cast Iron Cook Off on Saturday, August 1st, and I couldn’t be more excited!

I can’t tell y’all what we’re cooking just yet… but I promise it’ll be worth the wait. 😏

If you’ve never had my Cajun cooking, this is your chance. Come hungry, grab some samples, and spend the day supporting an incredible cause. Sports Talk 225 Cares is raising money to help curb student hunger for local athletes, and that’s something I’m proud to be a small part of.

We’ve also got several friends competing, some of our favorite local vendors will be there, and it’s shaping up to be one of those events where you can spend a few hours just eating, visiting, and having a good time.

For those who don’t know, food has become a pretty big part of my life. I’m a professional cook-off judge, the official host of the Denham Springs Main Street Chili Cook-Off, and now I finally get to step around to the other side of the table and compete. I don’t get to cook publicly very often, so I’m really looking forward to this one.

Come by, say hi, cheer us on, and if you see our team… make sure you save room for our pot. 😉🍴🔥