Good Samaritans

Good Samaritans—those people in the community who are always doing a good deed.

Their mission is service. They desire to make the world a better place.

They fill a need in the community that would go unfulfilled without them.  

This year, Thrive spotlights three individuals who are making a distinct impact in SWLA. Personal missions include fundraising, serving on boards and supporting our children in a world that’s more connected than ever. Let’s give thanks for the do-gooders of the community and consider becoming one ourselves.  

Randy Partin: SWLA Men Wear Pink 

by Kerri Cooke

Randy Partin is a well-known fixture in the local community as the assistant director of Banners at McNeese State University. He is also the founder of Amalash, a marine surveying company. Heavily involved with local arts organizations apart from his role at McNeese, Partin has served on the board of the Arts & Humanities Council of SWLA for two terms and was on the board of the Lake Charles Little Theatre for 14 years. He was president of the Little Theatre for eight of those years, and among his accomplishments were obtaining corporate sponsors for the nonprofit and cutting tickets prices to increase the number of people attending events. Both were key in paying off the Lake Charles Little Theatre’s mortgage and obtaining an insurance policy on the old building. 

For eight years now, Partin has been a member of SWLA Men Wear Pink, originally SWLA Real Men Wear Pink. The organization raises money for the American Cancer Society, which goes to breast cancer research and patient assistance. The SWLA chapter continues to rank in the top 10 for regions that raise the most money for the cause. 

While SWLA Men Wear Pink have communal fundraisers, such as the yearly lip sync battle at Crying Eagle Brewing, each individual member is also an independent fundraiser. Partin says that while he represented his company, Amalash, he was at a loss as to how to effectively fundraise. He settled on knitting and selling beanies and scarves, a hobby that helps him relieve stress before bed. Undistracted, Partin can make one hat a night, which represents an hour and a half of work. Scarves take seven hours by comparison. Most beanies sport a leather tag that says, “Knit by Randy.”  

Partin’s knitwear is available at Sway Boutique and the boutique makes a yearly donation based on the items they’ve sold. However, due to SWLA being without chilly weather much of the year, Partin is pivoting to making baby caps and scarves so he can sell more merchandise year-round. Beanies are also available at Grounded In Nature or available for order from Partin himself. (He sells anywhere from 150-200 beanies a year.) 

When Partin began to represent McNeese Banners for SWLA Men Wear Pink, he thought about how he could incorporate the arts into a fundraiser. Not only has he established the Live Arts Venue Alliance nonprofit to champion an exclusive space for the performing arts, he established the annual MAD for Pink event. The “M” stands for musicians, the “A” for actors and the “D” for dancers. This year MAD for Pink was an hour and 20-minute-long variety show with performances from seven local groups—Acts Theatre, Lake Charles Little Theatre, Calcasieu Theatrical Arts, Mad Hot Ballroom, Lake Area Ballet Theatre, Christian Youth Theatre and McNeese Theatre. Partin says, “It’s unique to get two groups in one place at a time, much less seven.” Admission was free, but Partin cooks a mean jambalaya and “sold” 140 dinners in 10 minutes. Those who were inclined could donate any amount they desired for the dinner to help the cause.  

While MAD for Pink is Partin’s primary fundraiser for SWLA Men Wear Pink, he believes that it’s just as important to raise awareness about breast cancer as it is to raise money. While he raised more money than ever before this year, with a grand total of $8,100, Partin also wore pink every single day in October for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. His goal is to remind women of the benefits of early detection and the importance of regular exams. “Help someone in the fight, honor past warriors, congratulate overcomers. That’s just as important as fundraising,” he says. 

Prior to becoming involved in arts and cancer organizations, Partin spend 35 years volunteering in various churches with youth programs, music programs, deacon boards, finances and mission programs. He describes his passion to serve as “driven by my faith in Jesus.” 

Jim Rock: Industry Champion 

by Haley Tarasiewicz 

For Jim Rock, lending a hand isn’t just something he does, it’s who he is. 

The longtime community leader and volunteer has built his life around one guiding principle his parents taught him: “Leave things better than you found them.” 

“My parents ran our family business, Rock Painting and Decorating,” Rock says. “They always told me, ‘If you see something out of place, fix it. If you see something dirty, clean it. If you can help someone, reach out.’” 

That mindset stuck with him. Whether improving a chemical facility operation, helping plan a neighborhood park or volunteering with a local nonprofit, Jim has spent a lifetime putting those words into action. Each project, big or small, is part of something larger: creating a more vibrant, stronger and connected Southwest Louisiana for generations to come. 

Today, he serves as executive director of the Lake Area Industry Alliance (LAIA), where he leads outreach and community engagement efforts on behalf of local industries. In this role, Jim connects people with industry—bridging understanding, fostering transparency and helping residents see the positive impact industry has on Southwest Louisiana. From organizing volunteer efforts and civic activities to coordinating partnerships that support education and the environment, he’s passionate about helping industry be a good neighbor. “It’s rewarding to be part of conversations that build trust and collaboration,” he says. 

In addition to his professional work, Jim serves as board chair of the Community Foundation of Southwest Louisiana, helping shape projects that make a lasting impact on the region. “My ‘why’ is simple,” he says. “Our grandchildren are growing up here. My wife, Christi, and I want them to have a quality community—a great place to live, play, learn and prosper.” 

One of his proudest efforts is the Mid-City Transformation, part of the Just Imagine SWLA vision launched by the Community Foundation. The project is revitalizing a storm-battered neighborhood into a vibrant new community with homes, infrastructure and green spaces built to modern, resilient standards. “It’s going to have a tremendous impact on quality of life,” Rock says. “We had a talented team from right here in Lake Charles to as far away as Pittsburgh working together to turn an uninhabitable area into something hopeful and exciting.” 

Rock also played a key role in sparking an idea that has become a game-changer for McNeese State University: the LNG Center of Excellence. During a brainstorming session with then-Mayor Nic Hunter, former McNeese President Dr. Daryl Burkel and other community leaders, Jim suggested building a center to train students and workers for the growing LNG industry in Southwest Louisiana. That suggestion led to a successful grant application and other fundraising efforts by Jason French of French Cole Strategies. “The community rallied behind the idea,” he recalls. “Now every time I drive by, I’m proud to know I was part of the conversation that made it happen.” 

And while his more recent work has focused on large-scale community projects, Rock’s love for volunteering started long ago with a touch of imagination. When his children attended Our Lady Queen of Heaven School, he helped lead the PPG Friends Partner in Education program and chaired the school’s science symposium. One year, with the help of the late Roy Reale, they transformed an old school bus into a full-fledged “space shuttle” for students to explore. “We had Mission Control, retractable wings, even exhaust pipes,” Rock says with a laugh. “It was amazing to see the kids light up. Maybe it inspired a few future astronauts.” 

When it comes to encouraging others to get involved, his advice is straightforward: “Whatever you’re passionate about, there’s a way to give back. Set your own pace and just start! You’ll be surprised how grateful you feel to be part of something that makes a difference.” 

Paul Burgess: Sozo Coaching 

by Kerri Cooke 

Paul Burgess, a native of England, has spent the last 25 years in the United States affiliated with soccer in some way, shape or form. He has a background in youth sports and ministry and was the director of the Calcasieu Soccer Club, a nonprofit program servicing kids ages three to 18.  

Last year, Burgess made the decision to step down from his position to follow what he feels is his calling—Sozo coaching. He wanted to “lean into holistic fitness for kids,” providing programming that addresses not just the bodies of the children but also their minds and spirits. 

“This is a different world from when I grew up,” Burgess says. “Everything is evolving so fast, and even though kids are adaptable, many are not equipped for this rate of change.” The word ‘sozo’ is a Greek word meaning “to be restored or made whole.” Burgess, who will soon be a deacon in the Episcopal Church, says his models for helping children are easily transferable to sport, which is why he hosts clinics and camps. He will also debut a book, You are More Than a Soccer Player, this month. 

Burgess’ Sozo coaching involves team exercise games that emphasize interaction and cooperation, as well as some more traditional strength and coordination exercise activities. With kids spending more time sedentary while scrolling social media, he aims to make sport more fun so “exercise doesn’t feel like a chore.” Lessons focus on character building, confidence, gratitude and goal setting. 

“I emphasize to kids that they have so much more potential than the world have them believe,” Burgess says. “And gratitude is about noticing the little things. It is changing your view from looking at what you lack to what you have.” 

A lack of confidence is what Burgess sees much of in his coaching work. In addition to comparison culture, he mentions that it’s easy for parents to become overprotective, which can make children afraid to step out into the world. “Failure is part of resilience. There’s nothing wrong with trying and failing. I tell them that every challenge and adversity, they will overcome it.” 

Ending each session in a meditation and prayer allows kids to “sit and reflect on something that happened in the session,” Burgess says. “I consider gratitude like a spiritual practice. We give thanks for what we have in life, and kids are encouraged to notice something in themselves they realized in the session or something somebody else did that was helpful and kind.” 

Sozo clinics are 6 sessions, occurring once a week, while camps take place during school holidays, on three mornings of the same week. For more information, visit @sozo_coaching on Instagram and @sozo.coaching.2023 on Facebook. For book information, visit urmorethan.com.