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BATON ROUGE — A drive-thru Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) will reopen in Vermilion parish on Oct. 22 to help Hurricane Delta and Laura survivors.
All current DRCs in Acadia, Cameron and Calcasieu parishes are open to serve both storm’s survivors. A feature of these centers is an easy and COVID-safe way for Louisianans to have documents scanned into their case file.
The drive-thru center operates under strict COVID-19 protocols to ensure visitors are safe. Masks or face coverings are required for entry and service. Survivors remain in their cars. A specialist wearing a face mask will receive and return documents through the car window.
No appointments are necessary. Hours of operation are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. The drive-thru center is located at:
LSU Agriculture Center 1105 W. Port St. Abbeville, LA 70510
Additional DRCs are open in Louisiana. Survivors may visit any open center. To locate the closest center, click on egateway.fema.gov/ESF6/DRCLocator or on a smart phone you can text 43362 and type DRC (Your Zip Code), for example: DRC 01234.
Survivors don’t have to visit a DRC, if your home or business had losses from the storms you can get updates about applications, learn about the appeals process, or check the status of their application by logging into their account or submitting information by:
• Calling the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362 (TTY 800-462-7585).
• Visiting DisasterAssistance.gov/.
• To receive a link to download the FEMA app (depending on your device):
o Apple devices: text APPLE to 43362
o Android devices: text ANDROID to 43362 Visit fema.gov/about/news-multimedia/app
Those who use a relay service such as a videophone, InnoCaption or CapTel should update FEMA with their specific number assigned to that service.
The U.S. Small Business Administration operates a virtual business recovery center online at www.sba.gov/funding-programs/disaster-assistance or email FOCWAssistance@sba.gov. For assistance completing an SBA application, call 800-659-2955 (TTY at 800-877-8339) or email FOCWAssistance@sba.gov.
For the latest information on Hurricane Delta, visit www.fema.gov/disasters/hurricane-delta.

The following students were selected by the student body to represent North Vermilion High School as members of the homecoming courts.
Court presentations and crowning took place on Wednesday, October 21 6:30 p.m. in Patriot Stadium. Aly Zumbek was named Queen and John Carter was named King.
The Patriots will take on the Crowley Gents on Thursday, October 22 at 7:00 p.m. at Kaplan High School Stadium.

ERATH — Graveside services for Mrs. Rebecca “Becky” Simon will be held at Our Lady of Lourdes Cemetery in Erath on Thursday, October 22, 2020 at 1:00PM.
Visitation will be held at David Funeral Home of Erath on Wednesday, October 21, 2020 at 9:00AM until 9:00PM with a recitation of the Rosary at 7:00PM. Visitation will resume on Thursday, October 22, 2020 at 8:00AM until time of services.
A native of Erath, Mrs. Becky passed away on Sunday, October 18, 2020. She enjoyed dancing and being the life of the party. She was an avid animal lover and loved her grandchildren and her great grandchildren dearly.
She is survived by her son, Donny Menard and his wife Angel of Greensburg, Pennsylvania; her daughters, Christina Brasseaux and her husband Dwayne of Lafayette, and Angel Simon and her fiancé Jericho Jackson of Lafayette; her step daughter, Jade Arcement of Forked Island; her grandchildren, Brittany Smith, Colby Menard, Peyton Menard, Brianna Menard, and Imani Jackson; her step grandchildren, Jeffrey Brasseaux, Nickolas Brassaeux, Blayne Brasseaux, Landen Abshire, Luke Abshire, and Kaison Thornton; her great grandchildren; Maddox Smith, Cayden Smith, and Albert Drumm; her brothers, Clifton Byron Jr., and Jimmy Byron; her sisters, Marilyn Segura, and Patricia Byron; and her numerous cousins.
She is preceded in death by her first husband, Donald Menard; her second husband, Ricky Simon; her longtime companion, Charles Faulkner; her parents, Clifton Byron Sr. and Betty Desormeaux; her Godmother, Barbara Babin; and godchild T-Roy Segura.
You may sign the guest register book and express condolences online at www.davidfuneralhome.org
“In order to keep the community safe, we will honor the July 13, 2020 Louisiana Mandates. All families and their guests are required to wear a face covering while at the funeral home. Thank you for your understanding during this unprecedented time.”
David Funeral Home of Erath 209 E. Putnam St. (337)937-0405 will be handling the arrangements.

ERATH - While most nine and 10-year-old boys only cared about playing outside or playing video games, Robert Vincent developed a love for politics and the satisfaction of helping people through politics.
Vincent spent countless hours hanging around adults who enjoyed talking about politics. One adult who influenced his life was his grandfather from Morgan City. He stayed with grandfather, Robert LaBauve, during the summer months. LaBauve visited coffee shops in Morgan City, and Robert tagged along. Robert developed a passion for politics and political stories.
LeBauve was also good friends with then Gov. Edwin Edwards, and Robert learned who Edwards was. When he was around 11 years old and Edwards was running for governor, Robert put a Edwin Edwards’ political sign on his bike and proudly road around Erath displaying it.
Another adult he spent quality time with was his third cousin, attorney Warren Perrin, from Henry. Vincent was only 10 years old when he told Perrin he would help him start the Acadian Museum in Erath. In 1990, the museum was opened, and until his death, Robert Vincent was still a big part of the museum.
“One of the things I will remember about Robert is that he always had a positive outlook on what he wanted to accomplish,” said Perrin.
When Robert was making his lists of things he wanted to accomplish in life, Robert was thrown a curveball. At the age of 10, Vincent was diagnosed with a degenerative nerve disease known as Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disorder (CMT).
Over the next 32 years, the disorder began making it difficult to walk to point Robert had to be confined to a wheelchair. The disease also attacked his respiratory system, making it more challenging to breathe each day than the day before.
Perrin said Vincent had a strong passion for meeting people and wanting to hear their stories. Perrin remembered Vincent once had a class assignment to bring a famous person to class to speak to the students. Most people brought their parents or friends of the family to talk to the class.
“Not Robert,” Perrin recalled. “He knocked on D.L. Menard’s door and asked him to come to speak to the class. D.L. did, and the two stayed close friends from that point on.”
When Vincent was 19, he threw his hat into the political ring by announcing he wanted to run for the town’s alderman seat. Perrin remembers his other grandfather, C.B. Vincent, trying to talk him out of running. Robert went against his grandfather’s wishes, ran for the seat, and won.
John Earl LeBlanc, the former Erath mayor and alderman, served with Vincent.
“He asked me my opinion on running,” said LeBlanc. “I told him to run.”
Vincent was the top vote-getter and became the mayor pro-tem after his first election. At the age of 19, Vincent was the youngest elected official at the time.
“Robert was so mature for his age,” LeBlanc said about Robert’s first year as an alderman.
Vincent went on to serve 2 1/2 terms. He died while serving his third term.
LeBlanc and Robert stayed friends for the next 20-plus years. The two shared many cups of coffee and talked politics.
“Robert was like one of ours,” LeBlanc said. “We had a very good relationship. He will be missed, big time.”
LeBlanc said Robert was a fighter up until the end. Six years ago, doctors were not too sure how long Robert had left, so they sent him home with Hospice. He lived longer than doctors expected.
Vincent was proud to be a staunch Democrat. He served on the Vermilion Parish Democratic Executive Committee beginning in 2000, and serving as Vice Chairman (2004-2012) and as Chairman (2012 to 2019).
In Vincent’s 42 years on Earth, he met and took pictures with six Louisiana governors. He has photos with former governors Buddy Roemer (governor: 1988-1992), Edwin Edwards ( 1972-1980, 1984-1988, 1992-1996), Mike Foster (1996-2004), Kathleen Blanco (2004-2008), Bobby Jindal (2008-2016) and John Bel Edwards (2016- present).
Perrin said he had a conversation through texting with Robert days before he passed away. The two texted during the political debate between the vice presidential candidates.
“That is how much he was interested in politics,” said Perrin.
When asked how far he thought Robert would have gone in politics had he not been diagnosed with the nerve disease, Perrin responded, “He always said he wanted to be governor.”