Linda and Clyde Hebert, owners and managers of La Pay E Bas RV Park, located off of Hwy. 91, on Arpent Drive, has a unique front entrance scene at their park. It was dedicated and erected especially for the Wounded Warriors at Barksdale.
The monument features a cement truck tub etched and painted red, white and blue flag with the Louisiana state, a painted mural of a soldier, cemented soldiers, and a large cannon. The Heberts set up the monument to honor those wounded war veterans some six years ago.
Linda added, “Every Memorial Day weekend, on the Saturday, for the past six years we have supported the wounded warriors and their families by raising money. Our park holds fundraisers including an auction, selling of BBQ burgers, live bands, and, “sometimes we have bingos, and sell raffle tickets. We set an admission fee for the bands. Every last penny collected we give to these warriors and their families.”
She added, “The head of the association at Barksdale Air Force base in Shreveport is fanastic. We wanted to give back to those who served our country.
Linda said the idea of this park feature came to her years ago when she first started sending, mailing off a few of her dollars, periodically to wounded warriors. However, one day she drove into Eunice at a local bread store business and over heard a conversation between the store clerk and a customer and the customer told the clerk of how he was a volunteer at the Barksdale base. She added, “He said he volunteered as a cook there. After speaking with him, that’s when I learned more about the Wounded Warriors at Barksdale.”
From that point on, the Heberts decided to give to the Wounded Warriors at their RV Park, and each Memorial Day Saturday started holding fundraisers to donate to these families. “During this period we got busy putting up the monument,” said Linda.
Clyde had purchased an old cement truck to use when he opened the park and kept it. He used the tub of the truck as a center focal point. Linda painted the tub and had a volunteer etched the drawing on it. Paul Marx of KBON in Eunice donated the cannon. Other vounteers donated the cement soldiers, another volunteer etched out a soldier on a large board. Linda gives credit to a great deal of volunteers who support and help out at the Memorial Day fundraising event. “Some volunteers from the Ritchie fire department always cook breakfast and burgers, some WOW members from Crowley volunteer their help.”
Clyde says that their park gets some vets that visit, and some stay to camp. He admires them. Some stop first at the monument. He added, “I’ve witnessed several stop. I call them soldiers. They stop and some of them salute, and others will kneel. Just giving reverence, and I appreciate them.”
The first year the Heberts sponsored the Memorial Day fundraiser event for the Wounded Warriors they made a profit of $40,000. “We give every cent raised to the Barksdale Wounded Warrior Association, in Shreveport.”
The Heberts opened the park 14 years ago and offer the public 150 RV spots. There are some 70 residents living on the grounds.
And when asked what the park’s name meaning, Linda, with a laugh, said, “La Pay E Bas in French means, “the low land.”
