Fundraising for youth club discussed by Ville Platte City Council

Fundraising events for the Ville Platte Boys & Girls Club topped the items of interest at the regular monthly meeting of the Ville Platte City Council Tuesday evening. One of the events, a proposed cook-off, generated a bit of confusion about its organization.
The Boys & Girls Club, which will run a Summer Program from June 1 through July 29, will hold registration from May 16-19, from 4-6 p.m. at the Old City Hall. The program features dozens of activities for children and adolescents. The cost is $125 which will include lunch and a snack.
During the meeting, it was announced that musician Chris Ardoin and KLFY TV-10 will be in town on Friday, May 20, from 5-7 p.m., for the news station’s spotlight on Acadian cities. The City will use the free concert to raise money for the Boys & Girls Club by selling booth space to vendors; and by selling beer through a concession stand.
A privately-organized event, however, elicited the most conversation and confusion. Anthony Arvie, representing the Bulldog Sports Lounge, said that he, Norman Johnson, and CJ Ceasar wanted to hold a Hen Sauce Piquante Cook-Off on Saturday, May 21, from 8 a.m.-8 p.m.
Arvie asked the City to block off N.E. Railroad on the side of the Bulldog so that the event, including music and dancing, could be held there. He said that the $5 entry fee would be donated to the Club.
There were two questions about the organization of the event. Council members, especially Mike Perron, were concerned that the event would impede nearby businesses, particularly City Appliance, from normal operations.
Also, it was uncertain whether the Bulldog would donate any of its alcohol sales to the Club. According to Arvie, no alcohol would be sold outside the sports bar.
Arvie said that barricades could be placed across Railroad so as to allow City Appliance to continue normal operations. However, he didn’t know what the plans were for donating a part of the alcohol sales.
The Council approved the request to block off the street, contingent upon the outcome of a meeting between the event’s organizers and Mayor Jennifer Vidrine.
After the meeting, Vidrine said that her concern was to make sure that the event would not block traffic on Main Street or disrupt nearby businesses. She also said that she wanted to be sure that there would be adequate security for the event. She was to try to schedule a meeting yesterday or today.
In other festival news, the Council renewed its partnership with Viande Boucanne, Inc., which organizes the Smoked Meat Festival. The 24th annual festival will be from June 24-25. Renee Brown told the Council that this year her organization is trying to plan a Children’s Fair to coincide with the Festival.
During his police report, Chief Neil Lartigue told the Council that a prisoner died in the city jail on Monday. He said that it is believed to be due to natural causes, but that the State will be investigating the circumstances.
In other news, Vidrine and the Council honored two Ville Platte Vietnam veterans who are buried in Arlington National Cemetery: Col. Oscar Dardeau, Jr., and MSgt. Willie Roy, Sr.
Vidrine said that she and Councilmen Jerry Joseph, Bryant Riggs, and Donald Sam were in Washington, D.C., in March for a mayor’s conference. Prior to going, she learned that the two Ville Platte soldiers were buried at the cemetery.
While attending a ceremony at Arlington, the four city officials found the grave sites – which happened to be right across from each other – and each laid a dozen roses there. They took photos of the event.