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The Vermilion Economic Development Alliance has made a very simple online form to help assess Vermilion's post-storm situation. VEDA is encouraging business owners to fill out the form whether they were affected by Hurricane Laura, Hurricane Delta, or both.
It can be accessed at: www.developvermilion.org/hurricanedamage
Business are encouraged to report not just physical damage, but any challenges caused by the storms.
“There was no official way for businesses to notify their state and local officials of their issues. So, we decided to pick up the ball. We will compile the information and provide our state and local partners with data they can use to help in the response. VEDA will also use the information provided to help with future programming,” Anne Falgout VEDA Executive Director says. “In the meantime, if resources are available based on what you told us, we will provide those also!”
Businesses that share their email address will be added to the Business Resources newsletter that is distributed monthly. These communications provide subscribers with access to programs, best practices, and events that can improve the way they do business.
If for some reason you cannot access the form, please feel free to text the following info to (337) 418-9849.
Your First & Last Name
Company Name
Company Physical Zip Code
Which Hurricane Affected You: Laura, Delta, Both
Phone Number
Email Address
Nature of the Damage
“We were luckier than many of our neighboring communities,” adds Falgout, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t take care of our local business community. These stores and services keep our towns and cities vibrant, employ our residents, and bring wealth into our parish. It’s our responsibility to help them however we can!
For up-to-date information and resources, visit the VEDA Disaster Relief page at DevelopVermilion.org.

August 15, 1943 ~ October 9, 2020

ABBEVILLE — A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:00 AM on Wednesday, October 14, 2020 at St. Theresa of the Child Jesus Catholic Church honoring the life of Deanna Suire Hebert, 77, who died Friday, October 9, 2020 at Our Lady of Lourdes Emergency Center in Scott. She will be laid to rest at St. Paul Cemetery with Fr. Glenn Meaux officiating the services. Pallbearers will be Russel Hebert, Kelly Hebert, Aaron Hebert, Chris Hebert, Jason Hebert and Jacques Latour.
She is survived by her husband of 58 years, Purvis Hebert; one son, Russel Hebert and his companion, Denise Waller of Leroy; two daughters, Cheryl Koch and her husband, Terry of Jeanerette, and Anita Grossie and her husband, Dwayne of Carencro; mother, Carrie Broussard Suire; seven grandchildren, Kelly Hebert, Aaron Hebert, Natalie Hebert, Max Koch, Jessica Koch, Jill Koch, and Madison Grossie; seven great grandchildren; two brothers, Roland Suire and Bradley Suire; and two sisters, Nell Hebert and Ruby Dugas.
She was preceded in death by her father, Wallace Suire; and brother, Tommy Suire.
The family requests that visiting hours be observed at Vincent Funeral Home - Abbeville, 209 S. St. Charles St., on Tuesday, October 13, 2020 from 3:00 PM until 9:00 PM with a rosary being prayed at 7:00 PM; Wednesday, October 14, 2020 from 8:00 AM until 9:45 AM when the procession will depart for the church.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.vincentfuneralhome.net.
All funeral arrangements are being conducted by Vincent Funeral Home of Abbeville, (337) 893-4661.

This year’s all-too-brief prospect of an all-Chicago World Series would have renewed one of the few longstanding disagreements between my dad and myself.
I have been a Cubs fan since I was a kid. He pulled for the White Sox.
I started following the Cubs because they played only day games in the 1950s and their broadcasts came in loud and clear in Lake Charles most summer afternoons.
I spent most of the time on most of my vacation days in a bathing suit, splashing in the lake. But it was decreed that I had to stay out of the water during the hottest part of the day — something about the threat of polio — so I started listening to Vince Lloyd’s broadcasts of the Cubs games. They were lovable losers back then, and for a long time after, but I stuck with them through thin and thinner.
My dad’s allegiance to the White Sox began with his friendship with their Hall of Fame pitcher Ted Lyons. Ted (b.1900) was older than my dad (b.1909), but they were neighbors in the small community of Vinton and the whole town followed Ted’s career after he joined the White Sox in 1923. He won 260 games for what was then a traditionally mediocre club and his fans say he would have won 400 playing for a winning team such as the Yankees — the other team involved in my favorite baseball story.
My dad got his degree from Notre Dame in 1929 and was at the university during some of Ted’s best years. From time to time he would go up to Chicago to watch Ted pitch, and one of those games, probably in 1927, was against the Yankees.
Dad went to the dressing room after the game and, by chance, he, Ted Lyons, and Babe Ruth walked out of the stadium together. According to my dad’s story, a group of kids rushed up to Ruth and Lyons, asking for autographs, and one of them handed a scorecard to him. He scrawled his name just below Babe Ruth’s.
The kid puzzled over the signature, looking back and forth from the scorecard to my dad, trying to place the name with a player, according to dad’s story, until Babe Ruth leaned over and, in his gravelly voice, said, “Second base.”
The kid’s eyes lit up, and he ran off, happy with his autographs.
That’s the way the story was told to me by my dad, and I believe it, even though he was known to sometimes embellish a fact or two for the sake of a good tale. He told it several times and mostly the same each time.
So now, if one day you should be digging around in a musty attic and come across an old scorecard signed by Babe Ruth, Ted Lyons, and that mythical second baseman Bill Bradshaw, you will know how it came to be.
A collection of Jim Bradshaw’s columns, Cajuns and Other Characters, is now available from Pelican Publishing. You can contact him at jimbradshaw4321@gmail.com or P.O. Box 1121, Washington LA 70589.

Miss Heather Renee’ Touchet of Crowley, Louisiana and Mr. Brent James Landry of Erath, Louisiana were united in matrimony during a 6 o’clock evening ceremony on Saturday, October 10, 2020 at St. Basil Catholic Church in Duson, Louisiana. Officiating the ceremony was Fr. Steve Leblanc.
The bride is the daughter of Mr. Steven Touchet of Crowley, LA and is the granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. Norris Guidry, Sr. of Rayne, LA, Mrs. Alice Sherman of Crowley, LA and the late Mr. Offord Touchet of Rayne, LA.
She is a 2001 graduate of Crowley High School in Crowley, LA. The bride is also a 2005 graduate of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette with a Bachelors of Arts degree, a 2012 graduate of McNeese State University with a Masters in Counseling. She is also Licensed as a Licensed Professional Counselor through the Louisiana LPC Board of Examiners since 2017.
The groom is the son of Ms. Martine Vincent of Erath, LA and Mr. James Landry, Jr., of Kaplan. He is the grandson of the late Mr. and Mrs. Wilton Vincent of Erath, LA and the late Mr. and Mrs. James Landry, Sr. of Kaplan, LA.
He is a 1999 graduate of Erath High School. The groom is a United States Marine and is a 2005 graduate of University of Louisiana at Lafayette with a Bachelors of Science Business Administration Management Degree.
The couple own and operate PBH Consulting and Counseling LLC where they provide Behavioral Health Consultations to judicial professionals, providers and individuals.
The bride’s father escorted the bride to the center of the isle where she was met by the couple’s children, Walton and Klarisse. The three of them continued as a family to the alter where they joined the groom.
The bride selected a three-fourth sleeved mermaid maxi dress with a floral eyelash lace topping, a light nude liner that included a bateau neckline, a gold rhinestone belt and a romantic lace train.
Completing her look, she wore a simple classic rhinestone headpiece. As her something old, the bride pinned a heart pendant near her heart that once belonged to the bride’s beloved cousin Mitchell Sue Romero. The groom pinned on him a Fisher of Men cross that once belonged to his beloved maternal grandfather.
Something new was custom cuff links given to the groom by the bride with the groom’s maternal grandparents’ wedding photo on one end and “You are my person,” on the other.
The couple incorporated a gold necklace that was worn by the bride and created from the groom’s maternal grandmother’s original wedding band and the groom’s maternal grandfather’s handkerchief was carried by the groom as their something borrowed from the grooms mother.
The bride’s something blue was a blue crystal rosary given to the bride by the groom and the brides satin blue shoes.
The groom carried a sixpence in his pocket.
The couple’s treasured friend and florist, Elaine Austin, created an elegant hand tied bouquet for the bride consisting of veronicas and lisianthus that accented the bouquet’s focal point of David Austin Patience Old Garden Roses as this rose was the same flower included in the groom’s beloved maternal grandmother’s bouquet 77 years ago.
The church pews were delicately accented with vintage dendrobium orchids, veronicas and thistle. Asters were used with coordinating arrangements that flanked each side of the alter.
Serving as Maid of Honor was Klarisse Thibodeaux, the couples daughter. Bridesmaids included Bethany Hebert and Bridget Saucier, both sisters of the groom, Megan Touchet and Angelique Bieri, both sisters of the bride, McKennlee Bearb, godchild of the bride, Brea Saucier, niece of the groom and Hadleigh Bearb and Madeline Broussard, both godchildren of the bride.
Each bridal attendant wore an assortment of fall colored attire to compliment the cobalt blue tuxedos worn by the groomsmen. The bride’s attendants carried bouquets of veronicas, orchids, daisies and thistle while the groomsmen wore boutonnieres of orchids, thistle and veronicas that were taken fromo the bridal bouquet.
Walton Thibodeaux IV, the couple’s son, served as Best Man. Groomsmen were Kyle Saucier, brother in law of the groom and Briggs Saucier, godchild of the groom.
The couple’s neighbors served as honorary wedding party, wearing each neighbors’ favorite formal attire from their decade of choice.
After the ceremony, a reception was held at Southern Oaks Country Club in Abbeville, LA where the entertainment provided by Aaron Lane Professional DJ Entertainment continued.
A variety of dancing sounds were performed by Aaron Lane Professional DJ Entertainment that engaged the attendants late into the night. In addition, Aaron Lane provided a marquess Love display along with a firework show that enhanced the couples first dance together that was captured forever by Visual Filmz photography company.
The reception dinner was catered by the sweet Ms. Tina Suire at Southern Oaks Country Club. Guests were served braised brisket, Cajun rice dressing, sweet corn macque choux, a variety of sandwiches, fresh fruits and crisp vegetables. Guests also enjoyed pass around items served by the venue’s staff.
Fleur De Lis Wedding Decorator and Coordinator, Bridget Fontenot, beautifully filled the space with flamed candles, satin blush linens and several of the couples favorite quotes. The tables’ centerpieces included tall vases of daisies, the bride’s favorite flower that the groom ensured were included for the bride to enjoy throughout the evening. Each centerpiece was then accented with orchids, thistle, and veronicas.
The bride’s cake displayed a three tiered, shiny ivory exterior, almond and butter cream interior cake decorated with vintage lace icing applique and topped with the “Hold Dear the Promise of Love” Willow Tree sculpture.
The bride thoughtfully surprised the groom with a french vanilla cake with a strawberry filling decorated to complement the red, white and blue decor that was used to honor the grooms’ brave service as a United States Marine. As a special remembrance, the bride placed a single long stem red rose to remember the life of each American soldier who has fallen or remains missing.
The couple will spend a week in Key West, Florida deep sea fishing, snorkeling, sunset cruising and volunteering at the Sea Turtle Hospital. Upon returning from their wedding trip, the couple will reside in Rayne, LA.