Pat Derouselle among finalists for Jefferson Award
By: CARISSA HEBERT
Managing Editor
Pat Derouselle was honored by his peers when they nominated him for KLFY, Channel 10s annual Jefferson Award.
The award is presented to “do-gooders” across the country each year; to people who really make a difference in their community. KLFY chooses its top five volunteers, and then the winner is selected to represent Acadiana in Washington D.C.
Nominated by the Ville Platte Volunteer Fire Department, Derouselle was among the top five candidates, and he was named as the fourth best volunteer of the year.
“I’d like to dedicate this nomination to my family and brother firefighters,” Derouselle said. “What I’m doing here is what everybody else is doing. It’s a great reward for the firefighters and for me. I accept this (nomination) on their behalf.”
Derouselle was the last to know he had been nominated for this prestigious honor. He was on the way out the door Monday morning, March 31, when he decided to catch the weather on Passe Partout. He caught the end of the telecast and heard his name. “I had no idea what was going on.”
His wife, Jerianne, explained he had been nominated and she had known about it since Wednesday. Derouselle learned several of his friends and comrades knew of the nomination, but no one had given him any indication of the nomination. “I was with those guys last weekend. They didn’t say anything.”
Derouselle doesn’t consider himself a hero or anything like that. He said of his volunteering, it’s like putting on your shoes everyday. He looks at it that way and not for glory. He’s just doing what everyone else is doing.
Fire Chief Ted Demoruelle said Derouselle was nominated because of his involvement in the fire department, Louisiana Cotton Festival and First Baptist Church. “He’s been involved in a lot of different things, not just the fire department.”
The department’s nomination letter follows:
“We the Ville Platte Volunteer Fire Department would like to nominate Pat Derouselle.
“He has done wonders for our little town of Ville Platte. Mr. Derouselle is a captain in our volunteer fire department. When there is a call he is always there no matter what time of the day or night it is. He works tirelessly to make sure all of our fundraisers go as planned. He goes out of his way to purchase everything that is needed for our fundraisers, trainings and our gatherings. Mr. Derouselle is also the president of the local Cotton Festival Association, which oversees the activities of the annual Cotton Festival. He has done a lot for this town; like making our yearly celebrated Cotton Festival as big a success as it used to be. Mr. Derouselle is an active member and volunteer in his church. He volunteers his time on the weekend and during the weekdays in between fighting fires and making plans for the next Cotton Festival. During Hurricane Katrina, Mr. Derouselle and 10 other volunteers traveled to New Orleans and stayed six days to help out any way they could. We would like to nominate Mr. Pat Derouselle for the Jefferson Award because of his willingness to volunteer his time away from his wife and kids to make sure our town of Ville Platte is a safer and prosperous place. I wish our town had more volunteers like him.”
Derouselle said he was honored to be nominated and has served his community in a number of ways. He’s presently in his 10th year as secretary/treasurer of the Evangeline Parish Communications District 9-1-1 Board. In March, he reached his 20th year as a volunteer firefighter and is presently a captain in the volunteer department. He has been associated with the Louisiana Cotton Festival Board and served the last few years as its president. He has served on the parish Ambulatory Advisory Committee, which regulates the parish’s ambulance contract, for six or seven years now. He was one of the first members of the city’s first planning commission and chaired it under former mayors Hottel Fontenot and Bennett Baquet. He was named an honorary state representative in 1985 by the legislature. He also serves on the Ville Platte Emergency Preparedness Committee.
In 2004-2005, his comrades nominated him for the Chamber’s Man of the Year honors, which he won. He was named the Most Enthusiastic member of the Ville Platte Jaycees in 1984.
Derouselle is married to the former Jerianne Ruggles. He is the father of three, Caleb, Matthew and Abigail. He is the son of Leola “Blondie” Deroueselle. He has worked for DOTD (the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development) for 20 years. He now holds a position as foreman.