Butte La Rose et Les Entourage

Bonjour!
Oir donc Dieu still opens doors for me. Never too late and never too old. Things happened in a roll today. One step at a time. I did not realize it was happening till the entire event was over. I look back over my day and I am speechless. I can’t believe I did this. Although I am happy, proud and grateful beyond words that I did this little favor in return for all that I owe our veterans. Everything I am and have I owe to God and them anyway. They’ve kept us safe. It’s a privilege! Anyone would do this given the opportunity.
I was invited this day to the annual Veterans War Memorial ceremonies by Ames Cormier, commander of the VFW post in Breaux Bridge, and Jackie Segura, quartermaster and American Legion finance affairs and adjutant, and Maurice Castania, service officer, on this Veterans Day. Annually this day the VFW and American Legion merge, sharing the ceremony. The sun shined at its best for the event. Sheriff Ronny Theriot commented on the larger crowd compared to last year.
Names of the World War II Veterans in the 4th Ward are on the memorial wall. Those whose names are listed at the top of the monument are our soldiers who were killed in action. Castania, great supporter of Radio KBON, provided the sound system. Honor guard firing squad was Doug Primeaux, Jackie Segura and the American Legion post chaplin, Leon Blanchard.
I was invited to lead the people in the Pledge of Allegiance. And I sang the lyrics to the bugle song “Taps.” And after our elected officials spoke on behalf of the brave veterans who served our country, I led the crowd in “God Bless America.” Breaux Bridge Cub Scout Pack 301 stood at attention like brave little soldiers. Many people visit the monument touching the engraved wall of names of their relative’s who proudly served our America.
The ceremony is always on the 11th month, 11th day and 11th hour because that was the day and time the “war to end all wars,” World War I, ended. In the 1950s President Eisenhower changed the name of Armistice Day to Veterans Day.
Boudin and gratons were donated and the chicken sandwiches and finger foods were put together by the American Legion and VFW Auxiliary members led by Margaret Segura.
Well, I am blessed with my time spent with such a great bunch of friends, God and country. Another emotional time for me was when last year at this time our group of “Pat, Nat and Boo” had gone to the convention center in New Orleans and played for 1,500 Marines celebrating the Corps’ anniversary, all dressed in camouflage. Mais, cher c’est tes fun too! These are memories money can’t buy. I cried through the entire ceremony.
Several years ago neighbors bought a baby chick for granddaughter. The chick was kept in a cage in the yard, growing into chicken-hood, well-fed and proud to watch the chicken grow not knowing whether to keep it for eggs or gumbo. Well, they pulled up in the driveway one day and found their plans had turned to zero. Something had reached into the cage and pulled the chicken out in pieces and left nothing but feathers.
Don’t you know one night last week as I lie sleeping a lizard ran across me in my bed! I thought, aw, non cher! My feet hit the floor as I turned the light on, but it was gone pacane.
Bonne journée de Thanksgiving!

–Cousine Hélène
(337) 228-1714
helenboudreaux@uno.com