On the Bright Side
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Rooted in Community, Fueled by Good News

Rooted in Community, Fueled by Good News

August 04, 2025

TOGETHER WITH

☀️SBC! We’re all in this together, and the way we show up for one another matters. Whether it’s a kind word, a helping hand, or a pup that visits nursing homes in a tutu (yes, really, they absolutely love it), our community grows stronger when we lift each other up. ❤️

Got someone in mind doing something good? Big or small, young or old, two legs or four, we’d love to hear about it. Just hit reply to this email and share the love! You might just see your hero featured in an upcoming issue.

In this edition, we’ll shine light on:

Swinging with a cause
A local kiddo making a difference in her community
LSUS continues to grow

Let’s get our shine on! ☀️

Partnered with Faith & Fostering

Save the Date!

Our friends at Faith and Fostering are doing something pretty incredible, and we couldn’t wait to share it with y’all.

They’ve launched their Golden Ticket Luxury Vacation Raffle, and the winner will get to choose from dream destinations like Tuscany, the Smoky Mountains, or Tulum! The winning ticket will be drawn at their Par-4-The-Future Golf Tournament on September 12 at Stonebridge Country Club, and you don’t have to be present to win.

This is one of their biggest fundraisers of the year, and every ticket sold helps support local young adults aging out of foster care, giving them the stability, independence, and life tools they need to build a strong future. It’s a mission that really matters.

So, whether you’re in it for the trip of a lifetime or just want to support a great cause (or both!), this is your chance to do something good and exciting.

_{Ready to feature your nonprofit? Submit it}_here!

🌟 Local Spotlight: Elise Barnette Shines Bright 🌟

Meet 13 yr. old, Elise Barnette, a standout student and all-around superstar! Named Riverside Student of the Year for 2022-23, Elise is no stranger to hard work and heart. She's a talented poet, earning an ArtBreak Award for her writing, a tennis player and honorary orchestra member who juggles it all with grace.

Elise is also a member of the National Junior Honor Society, showing her commitment to both academics and service. Her heart for others shines through mission work; she's traveled to El Salvador four times on mission trips and regularly serves during Celebration Church’s Serve Day. One of her favorite roles? Teaching music and leading activities for kids at 5 Loaves 2 Fish kids summer camps.

Way to go, Elise! You make our community proud! 🎶🎾📚✈️

_{Become a member of the Sponsor Squad}_here.

☀️ This Week’s Happy Highlights

🏌️‍♀️ Chasing Aces Celebrates First Hole-in-One Winner! 🎉

Chasing Aces’ Par 3 Hole-in-One Experience is making waves—and giving back! Each hole is paired with a local nonprofit, and when a player scores an ace on a sponsored hole, they win a cash prize while the partnered charity gets a donation too. The pot grows daily, adding to the excitement. Chasing Aces recently celebrated their very first winner: Emily, a young golfer who nailed a hole-in-one and helped a great cause in the process. Now that’s a swing worth celebrating!

Bossier Schools Show Out with 500,000 Meals! 🍽️

Remember When We Pushed This Meal Program Earlier This Summer? Here’s the Delicious Outcome…

Bossier Parish Schools knocked it out of the park—serving up over 500,000 free meals to local kids through their Summer Meal Program! Open to all children 18 and under (no income limits!), this initiative made sure bellies stayed full and families felt supported all summer long. Big shoutout to the team who made it happen-this is what community care looks like.

LSUS Just Keeps Climbing 📈 Another Enrollment Record Crushed!

LSUS is on a roll! For the fourth semester in a row, the university has broken its own enrollment record—welcoming 8,006 students this summer. Undergrad numbers jumped nearly 18%, and students took more classes than ever before. From accelerated programs to flexible options, LSUS is proving that higher education in Shreveport is thriving.

‼️ PSA: We’ve started an Instagram Page!

Follow us: @ONTHEBRIGHTSIDE_SBC

Kite Flying on Clyde Fant Parkway

Tag @onthebrightside_shv on your favorite spots in SBC to get your photos featured in the newsletter!

✍️ Side Notes & City Talk

🍷 Wednesday nights just got a whole lot better at Chasing Aces. Wine & Wedges launched. Swing away with a complimentary glass of wine. $15=one hour. Yes, that’s it.

✏️ Sign up for this weekend’s Block by Block Initiative here.

🛡️Stay informed and safe with Caddo Ready, the free emergency alert system that sends customized notifications about severe weather, road closures, and local emergencies. Sign up today at CaddoReady.org to get alerts that matter most to you!

📝The Bossier Parish Parent Center is your one-stop shop for answers and resources for the upcoming school year-basically, the parent cheat code.

📣 A Shreveport creative just got a life-changing call from Tyler Perry Studios, and you’ll want to see why.

👏 Big congrats to Caddo Parish Deputy Casey Jones, recently honored as Deputy of the Year for his outstanding service and dedication to the community.

💡 Bright Side Smarts 💡
Test your SBC smarts and win!

Here’s how it works:
📅 We post a local fun fact every weekend on our Facebook page.
❓ On Monday, we drop a trivia question here in the newsletter.
🎁 Answer right = You could win and get newsletter famous!

Last week’s answer: Jan worked as a WAITRESS before buying and renaming the restaurant to Jan’s River Restaurant!
Winner: Jessica Woods of Shreveport! Congratulations!

This Week’s Question:

What is the name of the space SoBo Cafe-Benton added for community gatherings and events?

👉 Not following us on Facebook? Click here to catch the Friday facts! Good luck!

When Mom says we’re going to another community event…

Click here for this week’s list of events!

_{Got an}_{upcoming event}_{you want added? We’ve got room for you!}

LIVE MUSIC LINEUP 🎶

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Have a Blessed Week, SBC!

Love what you got this week? Share this with your co-worker that always forgets their lunch.