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ERATH — The town of Erath is known for its Fourth of July Celebration and the late Cajun musician D.L. Menard. Now, Darryl Rabassa wants to put Erath on the map for something else.
Rabassa, who lives south of Erath, approached Mayor Taylor Mencacci, and the Erath aldermen seeking permission to use the Erath City Park to conduct a cornhole tournament on July 31.
“We want this to be big and make Erath known for its cornhole tournament,” Rabassa told the aldermen. “It is expected to bring a lot of revenue into the town.”
Festivals de Families d’Erath is putting on the cornhole tournament to raise money for the Erath Catholic Church, Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church.
Rabassa explained to the Erath officials that there would be two different flights.
The first flight will feature dignitaries, priests and seminarians from Acadiana. They will compete against each other, starting at 9 a.m.
Once that competition is over, the other flight will begin at 12:30 p.m. Again, the general public will compete against each other.
There will be single, and doubles match. To play, it is $10 for singles and $20 for doubles.
Erath Mayor Taylor Mencacci informed the aldermen that the town would provide police security for the event.

What is cornhole?

Cornhole is the most popular bag toss game in the United States. Whether you are an adult or kid, male or female, this sport attracts people of all ages and gender.
There is the Cornhole Player Association and ESPN carries cornhole tournaments on TV.
The rules are straightforward, two players alternately throw bags at the cornhole board in order to score a bag into the hole. If a bag stays on the board its worth 1 point and if a bag goes into the hole its worth 3 points. Once all eight bags are thrown, the round ends and the score is calculated by canceling each other’s score. The highest-scoring player or team adds the point difference to the overall game score. Whoever reaches or exceeds 21 points wins.

DELCAMBRE - Delcambre water meters have been the talk of the town for the last few years.
Each month, representatives from Sellers and Associates attend the regular town meetings and give updates on the progress of the water meter project. Installation went as smoothly as it could, but reading the meters and receiving the information that the meters hold has been an issue since going online in January.
Since January, each report from Sellers and Associates has brought up issues with some of the 900-plus meters installed.
Whether it was issues causing the new meters to be replaced or issues with addresses and readings, it has caused a headache for the town.
Homer Stelly, the Street Commissioner for the town, said that he decided to have the city change the meters out themselves, so that they could all learn the meters and how they work since they are a little complicated.
Delcambre Mayor Pam Blakely, along with the rest of the aldermen, agreed that the town should not have to pay full price to the contractors because city workers replaced some of the meters.
“When we got those replacement meters in, our city workers were the ones who installed them,” Mayor Blakely said. “We shouldn’t have to pay these contractors for the installation that our workers did themselves. That item should be credited or we should send them an invoice.”
Sellers and Associates understood that and after a long discussion with the town’s attorney Gabe Duhon, who agreed with the town, everyone was able to find some common ground.
“With these meters, you’re going to have a handful of them that will have issues we come across,” Larry Cramer of Sellers and Associates said. “All we can do is find out what is going on with the meters, find the issues and go from there. We are positive that once we reach out to these contractors, they will be more than happy to help and work with the town in finding the best outcome for everyone.”

ERATH — A Mass of Christian Burial will be at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church for Frances Nora Dronet Barras on Tuesday, July 20, 2021 at 10:00AM with Fr. Andre Metrejean officiating. Interment will follow in Our Lady of Lourdes Mausoleum.
Visitation will be in David Funeral Home of Erath, on Monday, July 19, 2021 from 5:00PM to 8:30PM, with a recitation of the Holy Rosary at 7:00PM. Visitation will resume on Tuesday, July 20, 2021 at 8:00AM until the time of service.
Frances Nora Dronet Barras, age 81, of Erath, passed away peacefully with family members at her bedside, after a battle with End-stage Renal Disease on July 16 , 2021, Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. She was a third order Carmelite and a member of the Catholic Daughters. She was the daughter of Daley (Fiya) and Lilly Dronet. Frances was born on April 28, 1940 and baptized into the Holy Catholic Church on May 6, 1940.
Frances grew up in Erath and graduated from Erath High School in 1958. She enjoyed being a majorette in high school and dancing in her younger years, even winning some dance contests with her brother, Gene. She was voted by her classmates as the most likely to be the first woman president. She was very involved in politics at the local level being an election judge in Vermilion parish for many years as well as an ombudsman and public advocate. In addition, Frances supported pro-life candidates for government office. Upon graduating Frances worked at Southern Bell Telephone Company in Lafayette for a few years. She enjoyed being a telephone operator in later years also and worked as a marine telephone operator in Delcambre and as a secretary and receptionist for Doyle’s Air Conditioning Service.
On the Feast of St. Agnes, January 21, 1961, Frances was united in the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony to Sheldon Jude Barras at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Erath. They both loved their Catholic faith and renewed their wedding vows at 50 years with Father Joseph Stemmans, who they had once gone with on a week-long religious pilgrimage. They remained faithfully married for 57 years by God’s grace until his death.
Frances was a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother. She enjoyed cooking all the Cajun meals and made the best shrimp-okra gumbo and pork jambalaya ever, usually served with her famous signature Cajun mashed potato salad. She also made fantastic lemon and chocolate pudding pies and yummy pecan sand tart cookies.
During her battle with ESRD, Frances received the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick and was also given the Apostolic Blessing. She and her family are immensely grateful to all the priests who came to her aid, as well as all the nursing staff at Eastridge Nursing Center and Bridgeway Healthcare and Hospice.
She is survived by her brothers Gene (Cynthia) Dronet, Travis (Sybil) Dronet; her daughter, Tanja (Jim) Hegland and son, Kenzel Barras; her grandchildren: Anna (Colin) Maxon, Peter (Molly O’Toole) Hegland, Laura (Diego) Heier, Sarah Hegland, Andrew Hegland, Joseph Hegland, Brennan Barras, Tori Barras, Devin Barras, and her great-grandchildren: Leo, Kara, and Keegan Maxon and Logan and Colette Heier.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Daley Anthony and Lilly Marie (Landry) Dronet; her husband, Sheldon Jude Barras, her grandson, Benjamin James Hegland, her father-in-law, Harry Barras, and her mother-in-law, Lorena Marie (Bee) Broussard Barras; her brother-in-law, Nelson (Rock) Barras; and her nephews Brandon and John Dronet.
Condolences may be shared with the family at www.davidfuneralhome.org
David Funeral Home of Erath, 209 East Putnam Street, (337) 937-0405 is in charge of arrangements.

October 25, 1939 ~ July 10, 2021

ABBEVILLE — Funeral services were held at 1:00 PM on Friday, July 16, 2021 at St. Mary Congregational Church honoring the life of Joseph Rogers Meare Jr., 81, who died Saturday, July 10, 2021 at his residence.
He was laid to rest at Rudd and Hill Cemetery with Pastor Kevin Williams, Jr. officiating the services.
Active pallbearers were John Allen Landry, Charles Spriggs, Brain Leonard, Errol Meare, Vincent Meare and Greg L. Meare. Honorary pallbearers were Vincent J. Meare, Gorgon B. Meare, Alycee R. Meare, Errol M. Meare, Bobby L. Meare and Greg L. Meare.
He was a loving husband and father. He will always be remembered with smiles and laughter.
Joseph Rogers Meare was born and grew up in New Orleans and also attended an all-boy’s school in Alabama. At the age of 18, he joined the United States Air Force. He served in the Air Force for 21 years and retired as a Master Sergeant. He dated his sweetheart, Barbaralynn Colbert for 7 years, they married on September 17, 1960. They raised six sons and adopted/raised two daughters. He then worked for Avondale Shipyard in New Orleans for several years and then fully retired.
In 2005, he and his wife, moved to Abbeville, LA after Hurricane Katrina. He became a devoted church member and deacon at St. Mary Congregational Church in Abbeville.
He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Barbaralynn Meare; six sons, Gordon Brian, Vincent Joseph, Alcey Rogers, Errol Nathan, Greg Louis, and Bobby Lucian; daughter, Keisha; three daughters-in-law, Barbara Ann, Stephanie and Andrea.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Rogers and Evelyn Meare.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.vincentfuneralhome.net.
All funeral arrangements were conducted by Vincent Funeral Home of Abbeville, (337) 893-4661.