Hurricane Rita, Cameron Parish, Louisiana The Cameron Parish Pilot, Cameron, La Submitted by Kathy Tell Date 25 Jan 2006 ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** Where are they now? Report on the evacuees By NELL COLLIGAN Page 5, The Cameron Parish Pilot, Cameron, La., December 29, 2005 MONSIGNOR LOUIS MELANCON Heading the column this week is news from Brenda and Roy Nash concerning Monsignor Louis Melancon, former pastor of Our Lady Star of the Sea Parish in Cameron who had a heart attack at Midnight Mass, Saturday night. Msg. Melancon is retired now and living at Our Lady Queen of Angels rectory in Opelousas. During his Christmas sermon, he talked about Cameron -- what a wonderful place it is and how wonderful the people are. While giving out communion, he was overcome with tears and became weak and nauseous. Several doctors and nurses who were in the congregation checked him immediately and called 911. He was rushed to the hospital where an angiogram and angioplasty were performed, and a stent was placed in the main artery to his heart. He is doing well and is due to be discharged from the hospital Tuesday, Dec. 27. For those wishing to send a card, the mailing address at the rectory is: Our Lady Queen of Angels; P.O. Box 508; Opelousas, La. 70571. Phone: 337-942-5676. While lower Cameron Parish is deserted, several new “Cameron communities” have appeared. The census bureau is not aware of them yet, but they are teaming (well, maybe not yet teaming), with Cameron Parish residents, ready to gear up and make a new start. They have endured the hardships and/or inconveniences of living in shelters, motels, hotels, and with relatives… you name it, but for some of them, that’s in the past. Now begins the “trials and tribulations” of finding and then dealing with contractors, realtors, and service people. For others, it’s a matter of making the best of their temporary home until they can find a carpenter and go back to the parish and start rebuilding. Among the “new Cameron communities” are “Cameron North” (the Gulf Stream Trailer Park), “Little Creole” (Long Acre Trailer Park in Grand Lake), and “Quinnville” (Quinn Lane in Sweet Lake). We don’t have a Cameron name yet for Spring Crossing subdivision in Lake Charles, but I think it would qualify. CONWAY LEBLEU TOMMY BOUDREAUX FREDDIE RICHARD JOHNNY LEBLANC MADELEINE COLLIGAN MARY RICHARD NORMAN MCCALL Cameron residents who have bought property there are Conway and Virgie LeBleu, Tommy and Nancy Claire Boudreaux, Freddie and Stephanie Richard, Johnny and Laurie LeBlanc, Madeleine and Deanne Colligan and Mary Richard, and Norman and Joyce McCall. ARNOLD JONES The Arnold Jones family has relocated to Quinn Lane in Sweet Lake. Judy Jones writes that Lola, the youngest of Arnold’s crew, graciously took them all under her angel wings after the storm. There are Jones’ trailers all in a row on Quinn Lane: Judy and her dad in one, Cindy and Eugene in another, and Arnold Jr. in another. GEORGE LEBOEUF VIDRINE COY MUDD Next door are Cindy’s parents, Willa Dean and George LeBoeuf as well as the Vidrines, June and Becky, and Coy and Pam Mudd. Judy says “Quinnville” is now filled with Joneses and friends of Lola and Scott. She adds, “Its wonderful being with family. Everyone cooks, so we eat well!” DONNA LABOVE Donna LaBove sends a long note from Gulf Stream Manor Trailer Park which her granddaughter, Mikalee Mooney has dubbed, “North Cameron”. She and Burl are sharing a trailer with Donna’s daughter, Chris and Mikalee, Jennifer and Tyler LaBove, and John Jay. Chris’ husband, Tony is working in Iraq and will visit the family again in January. Thanks to technology, Tony reads the American Press daily on the Internet, as well as the Cameron Pilot since the storm. Hurricane Rita has not put a damper on Donna’s Christmas tradition. She is baking again and sharing her fresh-baked mini loaves of bread with her friends and neighbors from Cameron. Donna added that Chris is the chief cook in their new home. Donna and Chris have the right idea. Take whatever you love to do and bring it to wherever you are. It will lower your stress level and put a smile on your face. And is there anything more fulfilling than sharing what you have made with others? Donna emphatically declares: “Yes, we will return to our beloved town of Cameron, and Yes! we will rebuild as soon as we find carpenters.” She says they are adjusting to living in the trailer by not purchasing anything they cannot use today or that is not urgently needed. (The little baking pans she found were definitely urgently needed.) Donna’s son, Gabe and his wife and family live in Long Acre Trailer Park in Grand Lake, which has become “Little Creole”. Donna’s parents, Fletcher and Bonnie Miller have settled into a nursing home in New Iberia and are beginning to feel comfortable there. They would love to hear from their friends and neighbors. Donna ends by wishing all of her friends a Merry Christmas. ROY NASH RYAN NASH RONALD JANUARY Roy and Brenda Nash are living in a camp building in Kinder “among the trees and in the most peaceful spot you could imagine.” Other family members have purchased land in this area called “Indian Village”. This peaceful place is now the home of Ryan and Angie Nash, Hope and Ronald January, as well as Ronald’s mother, Emma January. GABE LALANDE Gabe LaLande, Brenda’s nephew, has acquired a barn there which includes a small apartment which could be used as a temporary shelter. HILDA HENRY To me, all of the above paragraphs speak volumes about the closeness of the families of Cameron. I just talked with Hilda Henry. Many of you will recall the Fur Festival buffets and dinners she and Jimbo hosted in Cameron in addition to her family get-togethers. Hilda tells me she had 33 family members and friends over Saturday night at her home on Cevon Lane in Lake Charles. At 83, she’s still “going and blowing”, but boy was she pooped Monday morning! DR. MARCK SMYTHE Parts of a small “treasure box” were found at the Ellender Bridge and is believed to have belonged to someone in the Cameron area. This information was given to Dr. Marck Smythe of Sweet Lake in hopes that he could help to locate the owner. The “treasures” in the box are keepsakes that would have value only for the owner. Dr. Smythe described it as part of a box that is approximately two feet by two feet. There are Korean war stickers and National Rifle Association (NRA) stickers on the outside of the box. There are also 10 or 12 small metal plates inscribed with achievements from the Fur Festival, such as First Place Women’s Archery. The plates were dated in the 60s and 70s. The box is stored in Dwight Savoie’s storage shed in Grand Lake. The owner may claim it at Dwight’s place or call Dr. Smythe for more information. I asked Dr. Smythe for the disposition of his home. He said it was badly damaged. He plans to tear it down and rebuild on the same property. WAYNE KERSHAW Wayne Kershaw is now living in his hurricane evacuation home in Lake Charles. How wise he was to have a handy place to evacuate to, for now it has become his home. It was originally a safe place for him to bring his elderly parents during a storm, but it has turned out to be a blessing as his house at “the Y” in Cameron was destroyed. His address is: 708 Magazine St., Lake Charles, La. 70607. We would like to have news of Gloria Kelley and her family. STEVE PRICE We have news of Steve and Diane Price. Steve was hospitalized in Port Arthur this past week due to his heart condition. Please keep Steve, Diane and Msg. Melancon, on your prayer list. Please mail your news to: 302 Trailwood Lane; Lafayette, La. 70508, or e-mail to nnadc67@aol.com. Phone 337- 988-5395 NELL COLLIGAN The CAMERON PARISH PILOT- Weekly Publication Jerry and Joy Wise, P.O. Drawer 1486, Cameron,La. 70631-8998