myra Miller
Each year since 2002 Ardoin’s Funeral Home in Eunice has provided free barbecue plate lunches for all first responders in remembrance and to honor those who responded to the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks in New York City, Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania.
Volunteer cooks at Ardoins’ Funeral Home Monday were Herman Miller, Charles “Brother” Atchison, Bill Wimberly, Michael Arnold, Austin Doucet, and James “Goose” Fontenot. The cooks barbecued 262 pork steaks.
Volunteer Ardoins’ staff women Carolyn Aucoin, Kim Fontenot, Sandra Fontenot, Alexis Miller prepared the plate lunch trimmings of potato salad, baked beans, barbecue sauce, bread, a cookie, and a cold soft drink.
Ardoin’s Funeral Home director and manager Bill Wimberly said the plate lunches are delivered to Ardoin’s Funeral Home in Iota and Basile for pickup for their first responders.
Wimberly added, “Ville Platte, Kinder, and Mamou Ardoin’s Funeral Homes also have started their own free lunches to serve their community of first responders.”
Wimberly added, “The late Houston Fontenot and the late Gil Young of Ardoins’ Funeral Home were the first and instrumental with starting this honor and appreciation barbecue to those who serve and respond to tragedies.”
Red, white and blue balloons were released at noon on Monday in honor and remembrance of those who lost their lives in the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks.
Eunice ministers, sheriff department personnel, Eunice police and firefighters, city marshals, city officials and their departments, were served free lunches.
At 6:30 p.m. a ceremony was held at the Circle Park in observance of the attacks.