Susan Vincent has been nominated for the National Woman of the Year award for her founding and working with Vermilion Parish’s Share program.

The award ceremony, however, is in Milwaukee, Wis. and Vincent does not have the money needed to make the trip and attend the ceremony.

Vincent is seeking donations from area businesses and people to make the trip in hopes of receiving the National Woman of the Year award. The total cost she’s looking at is $1,300.

“I have to leave early in the morning August 30,” she said. “The Woman of the Year luncheon will be held September 1. I’m cutting it short because it’s going to save money, but I’m sleeping that night because it’s a long luncheon. I’ll fly back on the second.

“We need the donations as soon as possible,” Vincent added. “We’ve been looking around for donations, but now time’s running short.”

Vincent started the Share program on Sept. 11, 2009. With the program, medical equipment is taken from one family to the next.

“If a family has a loved one who passes or gets better, they have all this medical equipment they don’t know what to do with,” said Vincent. “They call Share and we receive the equipment and we give the equipment to those who need it.

“We’ve done it all, from wheelchairs, crutches, canes, hospital beds, vans with a life, whirlpools and diapers to filling an entire nursing home within 10 minutes of need,” Vincent explained.

Vincent stressed that the money she is asking for is for her personally to attend the ceremony, not for the Share program.

“Share is not a non-profit organization,” said Vincent. “It accepts zero money. We accept aluminum cans and that’s how it survives.”

Vincent said she is also trying to start Share programs in other parts of Louisiana. Although she’d focus her time and energy still just in Vermilion Parish, she has been sharing ideas with others.

Prior to the Woman of the Year nomination, Vincent has won Community Service of the Year, Louisiana Auxiliary Member of the Year and Louisiana Woman of the Year.

In addition to Share, Vincent has spent her time helping around the community. She volunteers to clean homes for veterans in her spare time. She volunteers her time with disabled people in the parish when they no longer have a caregiver. She has donated and placed flowers on old graves that are unknown and forgotten. She has also started a new program called Cans for Fans where aluminum cans are collected to buy box fans for the needy.

“We want to make sure she gets there,” said Vincent’s sister, Pamela Hernandez. “She’s not just representing American Legion Auxiliary, she’s representing Vermilion Parish. We’re hoping it could benefit the Share program. No matter where you’re at, that’s where she started and that’s who she is.”

To contact Susan Vincent in regards for donations, please call (337) 918-6330 or (337) 591-2794. Monetary donations can also be sent to Susan Vincent at 213 South Broadway, Erath La., 70533.