Detective Sergeant Robert Barrere
New Orleans Police Department - Cold Case Division
NFL Week 4 - Oct. 3, 2021 - Saints vs New York Giants
Nominated by: Close friend
This week's KGF Community Hero is from Metairie, LA and celebrates his 17th year with the NOPD this month! He first joined the NOPD in October 2004 as a 7th District Patrolman, then moved to the 6th District Task Force and 6th District Investigations. In December of 2012, Barrere started working in the Homicide Unit. He was promoted to Sergeant in 2018 and remained in Homicide, where he currently supervises the Cold Case Division. He says one of the most rewarding experiences is when he is able to bring closure to a family who has lost a loved one. Barrere is most proud to lead and work amongst dedicated, hard working, and intelligent detectives. In his free time, Barrere likes to run and stay active, listen to music, read novels, watch Wes Anderson films, and spend time with his family.
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Thank you Rob Barrere for your dedicated service to our community through New Orleans Police Department Criminal Investigative Division – Cold Case Unit.
Nicholaus Gerrets
New Orleans Fire Department
NFL Week 8 - Oct. 31, 2021 - Saints vs Buccaneers
Nominated by: Family member
This week’s KGF Community Hero celebrates his induction into the New Orleans Fire Department. Firefighter Gerrets is a Saints fan born and raised in New Orleans, LA. He has “been wanting to be a firefighter [his] whole life and was blessed enough to get the opportunity to do so this year.” Getting into the training program to become a firefighter is no easy task with the extensive waitlist and strict requirements involved. It has taken Nick years of hard work and perseverance to make his dream a reality. In July of 2021, Nick along with 21 other members of his recruiting class (R-01-21) graduated from Victor H. Schiro Municipal Training Academy. At their promotion ceremony, Gerrets and 3 of his peers were awarded the Group Award for excelling in all categories of training, safety, leadership, and teamwork. So far, Nick’s favorite part of his career is putting out fires and helping people. During his first months on the job, Nick and the rest of New Orleans Fire Department has been busy with Hurricane Ida relief. They responded to fires and medical calls for people who were not able to evacuate and needed assistance. They also traveled to analyze and report fallen trees and power lines. In his free time, Nick likes to play beach volleyball and compete in his men’s basketball league. He loves spending time with his fiancé and taking their 2 dogs to the park.
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Thank you Nick Gerrets for your dedicated service to our community through the New Orleans Fire Department.
Jessica Peltier, RN
Children's Hospital New Orleans - Emergency Department
NFL Week 9 - Nov. 7, 2021 - Saints vs Falcons
Nominated by: Close friend
This week’s KGF Community Hero is projected to graduate with a doctorate of nursing practice in 2023. Jessica was born and raised in New Orleans, LA where she graduated from Mount Carmel Academy in 2011. She received her bachelor’s degree in psychology from LSU and went on to graduate from LSU Health Sciences Center for nursing in 2018. She is currently earning her doctorate degree of nursing practice from LSUHSC and plans to graduate in 2023. Along with being a student, Jessica is also a full-time RN at Children’s Hospital New Orleans. She has been a dedicated nurse for 5 years and is recognized as a leader in the Emergency Department at Children’s. She specializes in the care of children from neonates to 21 years old in the pediatric level 2 trauma center. She has recently been working on the Hurricane Ida activation team, serving as a preceptor to train new graduate nurses through the start of their career, and taking responsibility of change nurse to benefit the flow of the emergency department.
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Following the completion of her DNP, Jessica plans to specialize in pediatric mental health as an NP. Jessica describes herself as a social butterfly and loves to spend time with friends and family. She recently joined a dance studio and is excited to get back into her most-loved hobby of dancing. She loves doing CrossFit, traveling and having fun everywhere she goes. Jessica says her coworkers at Children’s are the best part of her job! They look out for one another, rely on each other and consider themselves family. Due to experiencing the on-going obstacles of Covid, hurricane relief, and product and service shortages, they have a bond that is unlike anything else!
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Thank you, Jessica Peltier for your years of dedicated service to our community through the Children’s Hospital.
Detective Sergeant Andrew Waldron
New Orleans Police Department - Violent Crime Abatement Investigation Team
NFL Week 12 - Nov. 25, 2021 - Saints vs Bills
Nominated by: Close friend
This week’s KGF Community Hero celebrated his 13th year with the New Orleans Police Department this spring. He was promoted to Sergeant on September 27, 2019 and leads the new V-CAIT (Violent Crime Abatement Investigation Team). Detective Waldron grew up in uptown New Orleans. After he graduated from Jesuit high school, he graduated from the The University of Alabamain 2007 and then joined the New Orleans Police Department in early 2008. He served in the Homicide Unit for about 8 years and conducted ethical and thorough investigations during his time as a detective. He was promoted to Sergeant Detective after 11.5 years with NOPD. He also recently earned his MBA degree. Andrew's current career focus is with the VCAIT which was created in October of 2020 in a partnership with the FBI and Louisiana State Police to combat shootings, homicides and armed robberies. Waldron is a true Louisianan and sports fan. He follows baseball, football and horse-racing and loves fishing in the marshlands surrounding New Orleans.
Sources: https://www.nola.com/.../article_33d0ddda-40b6-11eb-b1b8...
https://www.aetv.com/shows/the-first-48/cast/new-orleans-la
https://twitter.com/mayorcantrell/status/1177734878663774209
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Thank you, Andrew Waldron for your 13+ years of dedicated service to our community through the NOPD Homicide Unit and VCAIT.
Executive Officer Gino Spadafore
Louisiana National Guard
NFL Week 13 - Dec. 2, 2021 - Saints vs Cowboys
Nominated by: Close friend
This week’s KGF Community Hero is currently pursuing an MBA through LSU. He graduated with a BA degree from Loyola University New Orleans in 2018 and was a commissioned Army Officer of Tulane ROTC that same year. Gino Spadafore has been in the Guard since 2015. He is currently assigned to the Louisiana Army National Guard State Aviation Command, 1-244 AHB. As the executive officer for the 1-244 Forward Support Company, he oversees ground maintenance and fueling and field feeding for the unit. He is back home in Louisiana after serving at Fort Lee, VA army base for the last 6 months. Before that, he has been called to action in emergency response to Hurricane Ida, Sally, Marco, Laura and Zeta. Some of the accolades he’s been honored with include Louisiana Meritorious Service Ribbon, Louisiana Emergency Response Ribbons, Army Achievement Medal, Army Service Ribbon, and National Defense Medal.
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Thank you, Gino Spadafore for 6 years of dedicated service to our community through the Louisiana National Guard.
Justin McGoey
Jefferson Parish Fire Department - Station 16
NFL Week 16 - Dec. 27, 2021 - Saints vs Dolphins
Nominated by: Significant other
This week’s KGF Community Hero is a firefighter in Jefferson Parish and will be starting his 4th year of service in 2022. Justin was born and raised in Belle Chasse, Louisiana. From a very young age, Justin watched his step-dad work up through the official positions of the Jefferson Parish Fire Department and wished to do the same. Justin attended Louisiana State University and graduated with a degree in business marketing. He completed his fire training in Baton Rouge at the Fire & Emergency Training Institute of LSU then worked for the Houma Fire Department for a year. He was hired in 2019 by his current employer, the Jefferson Parish Fire Department and hopes to retire from there after serving the parish for many more great years to come. Justin says he has “the best job in the world” at station 16.
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Thank you, Justin for 3 years of dedicated and fearless service to our communities in the Jefferson Parish and Houma Fire Departments.
Will MacNaughton
United States Air Force - 2SFS
NFL Week 17 - Jan. 2, 2022 - Saints vs Panthers
Nominated by: Fellow USAF member
This week’s KGF Community Hero is a husband, a father, and an Operation Enduring Freedom veteran. Will served in United States Air Force from 1997-2004. The fellow Airman that nominated Will called him an incredible person, and the most helpful and reliable guy he's worked with. Will was a member of 2nd Security Forces Squadron (2SFS) based out of Barksdale Air Force Base in Bossier Parish. He served in Operation Enduring Freedom in response to the attacks on 9/11. Will recalls that day when President Bush first arrived in the Air Force One after leaving the elementary school in Sarasota, FL. Nowadays, he is a member of Southeast Louisiana Aquarium Society and had a hand in starting the program that places aquarium's in Lousiana classrooms for the benefit of the students. He is the Vice President of the PTA at his child's school and actively supports the students and teachers there. He continues to serve others by moderating a Facebook group geared towards camaraderie and uplifting fellow Louisiana veterans.
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Thank you, Will MacNaughton for dedicating your life to protecting the US and our Louisiana communities with the USAF and for the work you currently do for veterans and the youth in Louisiana.