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Welcome to the AAOLA home page!
Thank you for visiting! Please use the links at left to read our recent news, look at photos of recent events, learn more about arthritis, read about our staff and board of directors or find out how you can help the association. We also offer a listing of all rheumatologists (arthritis specialists) in the state of Louisiana. You can join our mailing list at left also, and receive monthly information on arthritis and our programs and services.
AAOLA - 13th Annual Tribute to Excellence Gala
Wednesday, November 30th at 6 P.M.
Boudreaux's Reception Hall
2647 Government St.
Baton Rouge, LA 70806
2011 Honoree - Paul Gates, retired anchor WAFB TV
Tickets are on sale now - $150.00 each
Table of 10 $1250.00
Sponsorships are available. Click Here for additional sponsorship information.
For more information, call (225)761-8230
LSU Raffle!
Once again, the Arthritis Association of Louisiana is conducting a raffle for 4 sets of season tickets for the 2011 LSU Football Season! One lucky winner will receive 4 tickets to every home game! The tickets are located in Section 617 of the Upper West Deck in Tiger Stadium. Raffle tickets are $20 each. The drawing will be held on Friday, September 2, 2011 and the winner need not be present to win.
click here to purchase raffle tickets
AAOLA Pays Tribute to Loyd Rockhold and Price LeBlanc
Farewell and rest in peace to two great benefactors of the Arthritis Association and our community
The AAOLA family and the greater Baton Rouge community have both lost two great men, philanthropists and benefactors. Price Leblanc Sr., founder of the Leblanc Automotive family of dealerships, passed away on Nov. 19. Loyd Rockhold, retired engineer, founder of the Special Children's Foundation and board member emeritus of the AAOLA, died Saturday, Nov. 28.
Price LeBlanc Sr. was a longtime Baton Rouge businessman and owner of several car dealerships. He died peacefully of natural causes, surrounded by his family, at the age of 88. He was well-known as the namesake for his car dealerships and for his trademark catchphrase "Dahlin'!" that ended each of his TV commercials.
LeBlanc was also a community leader and philanthropist who made many contributions to Baton Rouge-area charities on behalf of his family and his business. In 2007 he was honored by the AAOLA with our ninth annual Tribute to Excellence Award, and he was able to attend the gala with his wife and family. He is shown in the photo at right celebrating along with fellow honoree Sylvia Weatherspoon, who received an award for excellence in healthcare reporting.
Price LeBlanc Sr. is survived by his wife of 59 years, Shirley M. Wolf LeBlanc, and the couple's six children.
Loyd Rockhold was honored by the AAOLA the same year as LeBlanc with a surprise award. An entrepreneur and self-made successful businessman, he was a longtime supporter of the Louisiana Chapter of the Arthritis Foundation and a major force behind the successful break with that group and the founding of the Arthritis Association of Louisiana. Rockhold's friend and fellow Marine Hillar Moore, retired CEO of Associated Grocers, presented him with a Distinguished Service Award, noting that Rockhold had singlehandedly underwritten Camp J.A.M. for its first five years and funded the 2004 Louisiana Arthritis Report. Camp J.A.M. (Juvenile Arthritis & Me) is an annual summer weekend retreat for children with juvenile arthritis and their families.
Rockhold was 88 years old when he passed away peacefully after a courageous battle with Parkinson's Disease and prostate cancer. He was a devoted husband, brother, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, good friend and humanitarian. He was also a deeply dedicated supporter of the AAOLA and especially of Camp J.A.M. His love and compassion for children were matched only by his generosity, and he gave freely in support of activities for children with arthritis through his Special Children's Foundation. He was a longtime board member of the Arthritis Foundation and the AAOLA and had served several years recently as board member emeritus.
Mr. Loyd, also known as "Rock" to many of his friends, is survived by his beloved wife, Terry Rockhold, seven daughters, 17 grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren, numerous nieces and nephews and innumerable friends. His daughter Sharon Holder is currently the board chair of the AAOLA, and all of us wish her peace and healing in her time of grief. Mr. Loyd will be sorely missed.
More News at AAOLA
Our 11th annual Camp J.A.M. (Juvenile Arthritis & Me) event has been scheduled for June 10-12, 2011, at the Tall Timbers Conference Center in Woolworth, La. This event is both fun and educational and is free to the families. It is not too early to reserve your space for 2011 Camp J.A.M. or to volunteer to help at the Camp. We also need sponsors! Please contact the AAOLA at (225) 761-8230 or by e-mail. Thank you!We are proud to announce that a longtime volunteer for the AAOLA, Robin Mayhall, received the Blue Angel Award from the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation at a banquet in Baton Rouge on Oct. 18. Mayhall, who provides free public relations and promotion expertise for AAOLA, was nominated by several friends and coworkers for her volunteer work on behalf of Camp J.A.M.
The Angel Award is designed to seek out and reward Louisianans who do outstanding volunteer work for children in our state. Each year eight honorees are chosen from throughout the state. Until 2009, Blue Cross employees were not eligible for the Angel Award, which brings a $20,000 grant for the charity designated by each winner. But two years ago, the BCBSLA Foundation Board added an employee component, the Blue Angel, which provides a smaller grant and a wealth of publicity for the chosen charity.
We will post pictures from the Angel Award banquet shortly, so please come back soon to check them out. And please visit this site often for news and information on AAOLA events in 2011!
Follow Us on the Social Web
The Arthritis Association of Louisiana has a presence on both Facebook and Twitter. Please follow us on these sites for more information, more updates, and more ways to get in touch with us!
Ask an Arthritis Expert
Have you or a loved one just been diagnosed with a form of arthritis? Do you have a question about a new medication or a "natural" remedy you read about on the internet? E-mail your question to us here at the Arthritis Association of Louisiana. We will put your question to a panel of experts and get back to you with an answer!
The Mission of the Arthritis Association of Louisianais to improve lives through continuing community service,
education and support of research for arthritis and related diseases.
Questions or comments?
E-mail Karen Kennedy
Our new address:
5222 Summa Court
Baton Rouge, LA 70809
Phone: (225) 761-8230
Toll-free: 1-866-390-8736
FAX: (225) 761-8520