Pink Ladies celebrate nearly 6,000 hours of service time

On Wednesday, May 7, the Pink Ladies of the American Legion Hospital met for a special luncheon at the Rice Palace in Crowley to install new board members and award service pins for the year. 

Thirty-three members were on hand for the event.

President Gloria LeBlanc, called the meeting to order and Evelyn Barousse led the volunteer’s pledge, prayer and Pledge of Allegiance. Secretary Roberta Sonnier read the minutes from spring luncheon in April.

Lorraine Mire, nominating committee chairman, then introduced the newly elected board members and installed them to office.

Installed were Evelyn Barousse and Barbara Courville as the new three-year board members, and Cephronia Prather as the new two-year member.

Service pins were awarded by the first vice-president, Dean Gaspard, to 16 ladies.

Those receiving pins were: 100 hours – Barbara Courville and Bonnie McClain; 500 hours – Evelyn Barousse and Jeanie Fruge; 1,000 hours – Leora Amy and Gloria LeBlanc; 1,500 hours – Gloria LeBlanc, Roberta Sonnier and Leisa Thibodeaux; 2,000 hours – Frankie Johnson; 2,500 hours – Yvonne Menard; 3,000 hours – Esther Henderson, Eveline Leger and Dean Gaspard; 3,500 hours – Sylvia Dischler; and 12,000 hours – Nettie Romero.

Gaspard also announced that the 46-member group had provided 5,839 volunteer hours in the past year.

LeBlanc advised the group that the hospital will be known as the Acadia General Hospital after the first of June. There will be some changes made, although the Pink Ladies will still continue to wear their pink jackets and are being welcomed by Lafayette General.

LeBlanc also recognized the ladies having birthdays during the month of May – Frankie Johnson, Rose Thibodeaux and Patricia Beverley – and gave a special “thank you” to Mary Briley for all the help and expertise she has provided to LeBlanc.

Before the meeting was adjourned names were drawn by Leora Amy to award the door prizes.  The lucky winners were Eveline Leger, Roberta Sonnier and Cephronia Prather. The lovely floral centerpiece was won by Lerdie Godeaux.

Chaplain Evelyn Barousse led the blessing before the meal and the members enjoyed a delicious lunch.