Fantasy will become reality when Venessa, The Louisiana Mermaid visits the Abbeville and Kaplan Library.
Ever since Venessa Lewis was a little girl, fantasy and mythological creatures have always fascinated her. Frequent trips to the library would include selections about unicorns, fairies and of course, mermaids. She grew up in rural Avoyelles Parish on the banks of Bayou des Glaises, near the Atchafalaya River. Water was a constant in her life. Like many young girls, her first viewing of Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” only increased her fascination with the creatures. Venessa’s grandmother, an avid storyteller herself, once gave her a large swath of blue cloth in which she fashioned a mermaid tail for herself. Even as an adult, she never quite let go of her love of the idea of mermaids. This led Venessa to eventually commission a mermaid tail, custom crafted just for her.
The mission of the Louisiana Mermaid is to inspire both confidence and creativity in children and adults by promoting imaginative play, positive role modeling and the belief in the power to achieve your dreams. Venessa is also working to promote Louisiana through tourism as well as educate citizens about the importance of coastal and wetlands conservation. Being able to realize this childhood dream of hers was magical in itself. The opportunity to share that magic, inspire others and make a positive impact on her community are just, as we say in Louisiana, lagniappe!
The Louisiana Mermaid will be visiting on Monday, March 28, 2016 at 10:00 am at the Abbeville Library and 2:00 pm at the Kaplan Library. This program is free and open to the public, all ages are encouraged to attend.
