For the inaugural Louisiana Inspired ENCORE Awards, seven Louisianans over the age of 60 are being honored for their continued leadership, service to others, innovativeness and the ways they inspire young and old.
Over the summer, readers across the state submitted nominations, highlighting neighbors, friends, family and mentors who hadn’t slowed down — people still doing meaningful work, still learning, still giving.
A review panel considered each nominee using a rubric focused on community impact, innovation and service.
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The result? Seven individuals whose lives remind us that growing older doesn’t mean stepping back. Narrowing the field of nominees to seven was a challenge. In the newsroom, the exercise of learning so much about so many was inspiring. The big takeaway: For many, purpose and passion don't fade. They expand.
The honorees are launching new projects, creating art, building things, mentoring others and teaching important skills. These people continue to take on fresh challenges, proving that second and third acts can be just as rich and rewarding as the first. In short, they continue to show up.
The ENCORE Awards aim to shine a light on those who defy outdated ideas of aging — and in doing so, lift up the rest of us. These seven are reminders that curiosity doesn’t retire, and service doesn’t have an expiration date.
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Each honoree will be profiled in Louisiana Inspired this week and next, with stories that explore the work they’ve done and the lives they continue to touch.
The 2025 ENCORE Award winners are:
- Carol Fleischman, New Orleans
- Eldridge (Butch) Gendron, St. Amant
- Sally Hebert, Lafayette
- Sal LaRock, New Orleans
- Judge Calvin Johnson, New Orleans
- Lois Kuyper-Rushing, Baton Rouge
- Shelley Thomas, New Orleans
