Parish programs honor veterans

Speeches, songs and more were on tap Monday as schools and groups paid homage to the veterans of Acadia Parish.

Schools like Redemptorist Catholic School and Crowley High School, along with many others in the parish, held programs Monday morning to recognize veterans.

At Redemptorist, the school’s Beta Club sponsored the program that included a speech from a veteran, the singing of “America the Beautiful” and a veteran playing “Taps” on the bugle.

At Crowley High, many clubs and school organizations participated in the school’s Monday morning program. Participating clubs and organizations included yearbook Student Council, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Boy Scouts, Gifted and Talented students, FFA, Science Club, Interact Club, National Honor Society, 4-H Club, newspaper, FCCLA, CHS Drama Club, Key Club and CHS band.

The program at Crowley High was held in the boys’ gym and also featured posters from students participating in the miniature and regular-size poster contests that followed the theme “Home of the Free, Because of the Brave.” Winners were announced in both. Chosen as first place winners were Shantel Navarre (miniature) and Brittany Hebert (poster). Courtney Suire, who also served as mistress of ceremonies, read her first place winning essay about Veterans Day. Excerpts from other entrants were also read. The school’s computer classes created slide shows for the occasion and the winning Power Point, created by Taylor Garboski and Amber Vincent, was shown.

Also during the program four members of the Drama Club performed a skit discussing what Veterans Day is, which led into band director Alex Riviere performing Taps. The band also performed a patriotic song at the program.

Many veterans were on hand at the program to be recognized at the school, which also provided lunch for the veterans.

Three senior living facilities in Crowley also honored its veterans, 19 in fact, on Monday. Southwind Assisted Living hosted the event that saw its veterans, along with veterans from Southwind Nursing Center and Encore Healthcare and Rehabilitation, recognized Monday afternoon. Residents honored were Jim Baldwin, Ervin Brasseaux, Lloyd Hebert and Leon Poche of Southwind Assisted Living; Claude Babineaux, Floyd Richard, Paul Duhon, Tommy Sherer, Alfred Johnson, Austin Trahan, T’Irvan Marquart, Joseph Trahan and Wille A. Myers of Southwind Nursing Center; and Lloyd Antoine, Joseph Carrier, Johnny Curley, Arthur Davis and Joseph Meaux of Encore Healthcare and Rehabilitation. The program also recognized the veterans in the audience.

The local VFW performed “Taps” to conclude the ceremony.