Emotional Day for Detraz

Saturday was an emotional day for Amelia Detraz, a senior at Kaplan High School.
Amelia participated in the 2023 Vermilion Parish 4-H Livestock Show and Sale, held in the Cecil McCrory Exhibit Building in Abbeville.
The money generated from the sale of the livestock show goes back to the student to help pay their expenses for raising the animal.
Amelia’s first auction of the day was a 199-pound hog named Champ. A hog typically auctions for $8 to $9 a pound. However, Champ went for an incredible $43 a pound.
A group of men teamed up to purchase Amelia’s pig. As she worked her pig in the arena, she also listened to the bidding taking place.
“I was honestly so shocked,” said Amelia. “It was an emotional experience for me, knowing many people love and want to support me.”
She said the group who purchased her pig were friends with her father Mike Detraz. Eight years ago, Mike was killed when the crop duster he was flying crashed into a field in Vermilion Parish. Amelia was around eight years old when he died.
“They were very close with my father and wanted to help support me financially in honor of him,” she said.
After graduation, Amelia plans to attend McNeese State in Lake Charles and major in Natural Resources and Conservation Management.
Amelia’s day ended with the auctioning of a particular pig.
In December 2020, Vermilion Parish lost 10-year-old Kaylee Abigail McLain due to an accident.
Two years ago, Kaylee had planned to show her pig, Pearl, at Vermilion Parish 4-H Livestock Show and Annual Sale. It was going to be her first showing. Abigail was also her mentor.
Almost two months after her death, the McLain family decided to show and auction off Kaylee’s pig.
Amelia, who was friends with Kaylee, stepped up and cared for and showed Pearl.
Pearl and another donated pig raised $100,000 in pledges. The money went towards the Kaylee Abigail McLain Memorial Fund, a scholarship fund benefiting Catholic education.
Pearl had a piglet named “Fini.” Amelia raised and showed Fini in this year’s livestock show in Abbeville.
The money raised by the auction of Fini was donated to the Kaylee Abigail McLain Memorial Scholarship. Fini was auctioned off for $45 a pound and then presented back to the auction.
“Being that the McLain family helped me so much throughout my life, especially after father’s passing, I felt it was my calling and responsibility to help them in return.”
Paityn Martin, a Kaplan High senior who is friends with the McLain family, donated the proceeds of the auction of her pig to the Kaylee McLain Scholarship.
A total of $17,518 was raised for the Kaylee McLain Scholarship Fund.
Attending the auction on Saturday was Kaylee’s father, Allen McLain Jr.
“There are no words to describe it,” said McLain. “I can not give enough thanks to the community and everyone who have helped our family.”