• Cuban Liquor Raises $28,000 for United Way

Cuban Liquor, the locally owned retailer of fine spirits and gourmet foods, recently conducted a raffle of rare and highly soughtafter bourbons, raising over $28,000 for United Way of Northwest Louisiana’s (UWNWLA) educational program, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.

The majority of the funds raised from the raffle will aid UWNWLA in meeting its $250,000 goal to renew the Imagination Library, where it’s currently offered. However, a portion of the funds will be used to enroll pre-K students attending Westwood Elementary into the program to propel the Imagination Library into new regions where it would be most impactful.

Studies show that 50 percent of children in Northwest Louisiana enter kindergarten without the tools needed to be successful in school and later in life. As the largest provider in the state, UWNWLA enables the Imagination Library to mail a new, age-appropriate book each month to children’s homes at zero cost to the children’s families. Children can be enrolled in the program at birth and own a library of up to 60 books by the time they enter kindergarten, ensuring they have the proper developmental tools for school readiness.

Each year, Cuban organizes its Rare Whiskey Charity Raffle to sell its allocation of rare bourbons fairly. For nine days, customers purchased $5 raffle tickets at Cuban for a chance to win the right to buy bottles with no secondary markups. The bottles included Pappy Van Winkle, the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection, Old Forester Birthday Bourbon, Blanton’s, Weller and more. The raffle culminated in a Facebook live drawing on March 3, where customers tuned in to see if they held a winning ticket.

“We were blown away at the response of our customers and so thankful we could raise this money for United Way,” noted Andrew Crawford, co-owner of Cuban Liquor. “Tori Thomas and her team make a huge impact by fighting for the health, education, financial stability and essential needs of every person in our community.”

The Imagination Library is currently offered in 71004, 71006, 71064, 71103, 71106, 71109, 71111 and 71112 of Caddo and Bossier parishes, and all of DeSoto, Red River, Sabine, Natchitoches and Webster parishes. UWNWLA will need additional funds to expand the program throughout Northwest Louisiana.

To learn more about Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, please visit https://unitedwaynwla.org/our-focus/education/dolly-partonsimagination-library/.

• Kevin L. Murphy Honored As Best-In-State Wealth Advisor by Forbes

Kevin L. Murphy, CFP®, a Private Wealth Advisor with Ameriprise Financial in Shreveport, was named to the list of “Best-in-State Wealth Advisors” published by Forbes. The list recognizes financial advisors who have demonstrated high levels of ethical standards, professionalism and success in the business.

The rankings are based on data provided by thousands of the nation’s most productive advisors. Murphy was chosen based on assets under management, industry experience, compliance record and best practices in his practice and approach to working with clients.

Murphy is part of Laveer Wealth Management, a private wealth advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC. Murphy graduated from Northwestern University with a degree in business. Murphy has 41 years of experience with Ameriprise Financial. As a Private Wealth Advisor, Murphy provides financial advice anchored in a solid understanding of client needs and expectations and provided in one-on-one relationships with their clients. For more information, contact Kevin L. Murphy at 318.861.3521, visit the office at 738 N Ashley Ridge Loop, Shreveport, LA 71106 or check out their website at laveerwealthmanagement.com.