Gail’s Saving Grace

Hello folks! My mom is Gail Serigny Hayes, the owner of Gail’s Bait Shop in Leeville, LA. The picture you see is one that I took of her bait shop—which would be standing in the distant background. Instead, broken bricks, debris and rubble remain where the iconic bait shop once stood. I took the picture from the vantage point of standing underneath what was left of her home. The photo I chose for the page represents a culmination of 47 years of a woman pouring her entire heart and soul to serve her community, family and her friends (customers of course)—resulting from the effects of Hurricane Ida. The bait shop was her mission field. She showed encouragement, kindness, and love from a servant’s heart on a daily basis. She always offered service with a smile (and maybe threw in a hug or tide chart) to those individuals and families wanting to take a few moments out of their busy lives to enjoy God’s beautiful creation. Life seemed to slow down in Leeville, and when you arrived at my mom’s place, you knew it was only a matter of time before you would get your line rigged and start popping that cork. Maybe you got unpacked and setup in your camper trailer by the dock at her trailer park, waiting to see how many fish you would hang on the wall of the cleaning station for that social media snapshot with your buddies. If you drove in from out of town and were running late—or even early—you probably had to call my mom at some point (probably at her house) to see if she would be ready to serve you; I bet she sure was! My mom has always been determined, self-motivated and optimistic as a rule. She had a really rough couple of years not so long ago—mainly due to the pain in her knees from years of walking on the cement and working nonstop to keep her bait shop stocked and clean. Fortunately, a double knee surgery revived her efforts. I could go on and on about my mom’s dedication and work ethic, love for people and even culinary creativity, but anyone who reads this and knows my mom, knows her genuine heart of compassion, commitment to serve and strength to sustain her father’s legacy—from 1968. This way of life she has always embraced and endured, year after year and storm after storm has come to a standstill. Hurricane Zeta did a number on her trailer park, and between the investment of its restoration and upgrades, along with the shop’s, she didn’t have much to work with before this seemingly fatal catastrophe. My mom is not a quitter, and she never gives up. She knows that God always has a perfect plan, and she wants to be a part of it—whenever, wherever and however it comes. The simple truth is that one day, she packed up shop and put all of the inventory in the attic and packed up her most essential belongings and took them with her as she left her home and business as she had always known it—for the very last time. Hurricane Ida’s surge capsized my mom’s livelihood, and it’s winds demolished her home. Her passion for energizing the friends, families and visitors who came to her hometown immediately became a memory, and sadness began to set in as she realized she’d have to share with them the unexpected news of her inability to return. “To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under Heaven.” Maybe it’s my mom’s season to move on to a different area of service. Maybe it’s her time for change. Her heart is broken, but she’s not down for the count (unless she’s counting live bait). Maybe it’s time for her to learn what kind of impact a little lady (with a little shop in a little town) and a gigantic heart has done to change the world. Please show her your support in helping her restore her future. Thank you and God bless you!