The Natchitoches Young Professionals (NYP) met for their first social of 2018 on Feb. 13. NYP Chair Craig Caskey welcomed the NYP members in attendance along with recognized those who were at their first NYP social. Caskey introduced Wayne and Tina Ragan who spoke on the 7th Annual Kasey’s Heart & Soul: Run, Walk, & Roar happening on Saturday, March 10. In addition to sponsors and race participants, Tina asked for volunteers to assist her team on race day. If you wish to volunteer, contact the Chamber office for further details.

Other announcements made at the event were given by past chair, Dr. Haley Taitano about the next big event for NYP on Saturday, March 17, the 4th Annual Natchitoches Young Professionals Pub Crawl. The event runs from 2-10 pm. At 7 pm, the band, Flow Tribe will be playing on the new riverbank stage.  She asked everyone to sign up with Maggie Harris from the chamber office or online at natchitocheschamber.com.

Being Fat Tuesday, the philanthropy committee collected Mardi Gras beads that NYP members collected during the Mardi Gras season. The beads were then delivered to area schools to be used for art class projects along with some beads being saved to be put in shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child.

The Natchitoches Young Professionals is a Natchitoches Area Chamber of Commerce initiative.  NYP is dedicated to developing our community’s current and future business leaders with membership available to anyone between the ages of 21 and 40 who lives, works, learns or plays in the greater Natchitoches area. If you are interested in signing up as a member, contact the Chamber office at (318) 352-6894.