Evening for Healers: The LSU Health Shreveport Foundation hosted their annual fund-raising event, An Evening for Healers, April 28 at the Shreveport Convention Center in downtown Shreveport. Physicians and other health-care professionals who provide lifesaving and lifechanging care to patients in the community and those who perform medical research were honored.

The event raises money to recruit and retain faculty and to provide up-to-date equipment and training for these future health-care providers. From funds raised in previous years, the hospital’s medical school was able to obtain the area’s only dual-console surgical robot. The dual consoles allow the teaching surgeon to safely hand over control of the surgical instruments to the resident or fellow during the training process.

– Mark Crawford

Pride Awards Sam’s Town Casino and Hotel hosted the Shreveport-Bossier Convention & Tourist Bureau’s annual P.R.I.D.E. Awards March 5. More than two dozen awards were given out during the evening, including New Tourism Partner GLO Airlines, Attraction Professional of the Year Sara Kleinecke from Splash Kingdom Water Park, and Outstanding Tourism and Hospitality Employee Kourtney Washington from the CenturyLink Center. Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser presented opening remarks and assisted in handing out awards throughout the evening.

– Mark Crawford

Moonbots Retrospective Mr. Morris Lessmore and his Fantastic Flying Books, “The Numberlys,” and a local favorite character named Ollie all came together at Shreveport’s artspace during an opening reception May 20. “Phases: A Moonbot Retrospective” is a very special retrospective exhibition celebrating fi ve years of the life and art of Moonbot Studios. Also, personal work by more than 20 Moonbot animation artists were displayed in a showcase titled “The Art Side of the Moon.”

– Mark Crawford