During the July meeting of James O. Hall Post 19 of the American Legion, Department of Louisiana, Department Commander (state commander) Rudy Bourg (right of plaque) presented the Department’s Citizen of the Year Award to Heloise Cassidy (left of plaque) as the Legion’s outstanding citizen for the state of Louisiana. During the presentation, Heloise was surrounded by her children, grandchildren, sister and nephew.
Heloise was named the Jefferson Davis Parish Citizen of the Year in January by the Jeff Davis Parish Chamber of Commerce. Post 19 nominated her for the Citizen of the Year Awards at the American Legion 7th District and state levels. At the 7th District Spring Conference held in March she was named the 7th District winner from all the nominees of the eight parishes of the District.
For 12 years Heloise was Director of Big Brothers/Big sisters for Jefferson Davis Parish, helping to guide young people through some difficult times in their young lives. She is a valued member of the Jennings American Legion Hospital Auxiliary, and is a past winner of the hospital’s Volunteer of the Month Award. She has made significant contributions to the Jeff Davis Chemical Health Organization, the Children’s and Youth Services Board, the Strategic Prevention Framework/State Initiative Grant Committee, the Entre Nous Social Club and the Jennings Ladies Tennis League.
She is a long-time member of Our Lady Help of Christians (OLHC) Parish, and all her children attended Our Lady Immaculate (OLI) Catholic Elementary School. She is also a member of the OLHC Ladies Altar Society, and she is an active and busy Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist for her church parish.
She is a long-time supporter of OLI. When her husband Charles passed away in 1981, she worked with people in the community to establish the Charles Cassidy Memorial Trust Fund in order to promote quality education at OLI. She has taught as a substitute teacher at OLI.
Heloise and Charles have 8 children. When Charles passed away, Heloise had children in school ranging in age from kindergarten to college. She has done an outstanding job of taking care of and guiding her family over the last 35 years, and the family has grown to include 21 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren. All of Heloise’s children earned college degrees.
The members of Post 19 took a lot of pride in nominating Heloise for the American Legion Citizen of the Year awards which she has received. She is definitely a valuable member of the Jennings community.
