LIFESTYLE

BASF hosts COEA Annual Christmas Party

Sharon Morris Special to the Weekly Citizen

Left to right: Kody Smith, COEA Program Manager, Silvia Medrano, BASF Communications Coordinator, Elizabeth Canfield,BASF Communications Specialist, Scott Cassard, BASF Infrastructure Specialist, James Flanagan, BASF Site Continuous Improvement Leader , Nedria Thompson, BASF Administrative Associate, Sharon Morris, COEA PR/Marketing Director, Norma Dukes, COEA Executive Director, Mike Ross, BASF Infrastructure Specialist, and Jolen Stein, BASF Southeast Communications Hub Manager, kneeling next to Santa Brenna Vial, Communications Assistant and Ester Dorsey SIL Coordinator as Santa Claus

A beautifully decorated Christmas tree with cascading ribbons, the Nativity scene overlooking the crowds and smiling faces watching Santa Claus walking by served as the backdrop to the Annual Christmas Party for COEA - The Arc of East Ascension on Dec. 8, 2015 in Gonzales.

COEA the Arc of East Ascension, located in Gonzales, Louisiana, was founded in 1964 by a group of parents of children with developmental disabilities. The concerned parents came together in an effort to find an alternate route for educating their children and to develop meaningful activities for them to be a part of. The group quickly grew into a thriving agency, well known as the primary resource for families in need of support for their child or family member with developmental disabilities.

The BASF team helped serve the Christmas lunch to the program participants and donated items to ensure that this holiday was enjoyed by all.

COEA Executive Director Norma Dukes, COEA Program Manager Kody Smith and PR/Marketing Director Sharon Morris express their sincere appreciation for the time and commitment given by BASF and the local officials.