• Shreveport Farmers’ Market named No. 1 farmers’ market in Louisiana

Shreveport Farmers’ Market has placed first in Louisiana in the 2022 America’s Farmers Market Celebration, an annual celebration of farmers’ markets coordinated by the Farmers Market Coalition and American Farmland Trust. Since 2008, America’s Farmers Market Celebration (AFMC) has highlighted the important role farmers’ markets play in communities across the nation while celebrating the vendors, staff and volunteers that make markets happen week in and week out. In 2022, supporters visited markets.farmland.org more than 1.25 million times from June 20 – Sept. 19, and more than 125,000 votes were cast in the AFMC. In the end, the Shreveport Farmers’ Market came out on top as one of America’s favorite farmers’ markets and the number one farmers’ market in Louisiana.

“We are honored to be named the number one farmers’ market in the great state of Louisiana. Our vendors, staff and volunteers work year-round to ensure that we provide a quality market to our community with access to fresh, nutritious food and goods produced by local farmers and artisans. This designation is something we can all be proud of,” said Emerie Eck Gentry, market manager.

The Shreveport Farmers’ Market, currently gearing up for their 37th season in 2023, hosts over 75 vendors that have a variety of homegrown and homemade items such as fruits, vegetables, herbs, plants, honey, breads, jams, jellies, pastries, candies, pickles, cheeses, shrimp, various canned goods, seasonings, sauces and meats.

In addition to the variety of foods, some local artisans have handcrafted items such as art, jewelry, crafts, candles, soaps and dog treats. Prepared breakfast and lunch meals are available for purchase and consumption.

The Shreveport Farmers’ Market is the only market in our community that accepts SNAP/EBT and offers a match program from Louisiana Healthcare Connections. SNAP users receive up to $20 in matching benefits, which they can shop with at the market. This puts more fresh and homemade goods in SNAP users’ hands and pantries, making a more significant financial impact on the farmers and vendors.

The Shreveport Farmers’ Market will open every Saturday from June 3 - Aug. 26, 2023. For more information about Shreveport Farmers’ Market, contact Manager Emerie Eck Gentry at farmersmarket@redriverrevel.com, 318-455-5788, or www.shreveportfarmersmarket.com. The market is a project of Red River Revel, Inc. and is supported by the Downtown Development Authority, Slow Food North Louisiana and the city of Shreveport.

• G.E. Ghali Receives AOMSI Lifetime Achievement Award

Renowned oral and maxillofacial surgeon G.E. Ghali, DDS, MD, FACS, FRCS(Ed) is the 2022 recipient of the Association of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons of India’s

Lifetime Achievement Award (AOMSI). The award was presented on Nov. 17 at the AOMSI 46th annual national conference in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India, at which Dr. Ghali also was the keynote speaker.

The AOMSI Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes distinguished physicians who have provided long-term leadership and made significant contributions to the field of oral and maxillofacial surgery in India. For more than 20 years, Dr. Ghali has traveled to India annually to operate on children with cleft lips and palates and adults with head and neck cancer.

“It is an honor to have been selected to receive this award,” Dr. Ghali said. “I am thankful for the opportunity and privilege to help those in need. I believe that to whom much is given much is required. To be recognized for my work by such a distinguished group of my peers is a high honor indeed.”

In his message to those attending the conference, Dr. Ghali urged physicians to maintain relevance in their surgical practice and provide mentoring opportunities for younger surgeons worldwide.

Dr. Ghali joined the Willis-Knighton Physician Network in December 2021. He cares for patients and performs oral and maxillofacial surgical procedures at Willis-Knighton’s South, North, Pierremont and Bossier hospitals.