Sept.11 first-responders honored

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 Friday were Herman Miller, Brother Atchison and James “Goose” Fontenot. The retired servicemen barbecued more than 200 pork steaks.
Volunteer Ardoins’ staff women Carolyn Aucoin, Elaine Deville, Kim Fontenot, Sandra Fontenot, Alexis Miller prepared the plate lunch trimmings of potato salad, baked beans, barbecue sauce and bread.
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 and Mamou Ardoin’s Funeral Homes have started their own free lunches to serve their community of first responders.”
Wimberly added, “Kim Fontenot, manager here in Eunice, started and encouraged Ville Platte Ardoins’ back in 2002 to serve their first responders. And they have continued the tradition.”
Wimberly said, “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.”
Local Eunice ministers, sheriff department personnel, Eunice police and firefighters, city marshals, city officials and their departments, were served free lunches.