The Evangeline Parish 4-H Fall Food Fest was held on Monday, November 24, 2008, in the Sacred Heart Elementary Gymnasium. Seventy-one rice, sugar and sweet potato dishes were awarded blue, red or white ribbons. The parish contest was sponsored by Evangeline Parish Rice Growers Association; Danny Lafleur of Mikey’s Donut King; Evangeline Parish Tourism Council; and the Evangeline Parish Cooperative Extension Service/LSU AgCenter.
Parish winners in the Rice Cookery competition were: Main Dish Division – Meghan Vidrine, Sacred Heart High 9th grade, with Crawfish Casserole; Side Dish Division – Brianne Betterton, Sacred Heart Elementary 4th grade, with Cheesy Rice Broccoli Casserole; and Dessert Division – Caroline Fontenot, Sacred Heart Elementary 4th grade, with Fruit Pizza.
Parish winners in the Sugar Cookery contest were: Baked Division – Leah Fontenot, Sacred Heart Elementary 6th grade, with Banana Foster Cheesecake; Non-Baked Division – Wendy Maggio, Sacred Heart Elementary 4th grade, with Chocolate, Oatmeal and Peanut Butter Candy.
Parish winners in the Sweet Potato Cookery contest were: Dessert Division – Meghan Vidrine, Sacred Heart High 9th grade, with Yam Dessert Squares; and Other Sweet Potato Dishes Division - Kelsey McDaniel, Sacred Heart Elementary 6th, with Sweet Potato Pie with Streusel Topping.
All parish Rice and Sugar winners will represent Evangeline Parish in the Regional Cookery contest to be held in the spring of 2009. The Sweet Potato Cookery winners received a cash award from the Evangeline Parish Tourism Council and the Evangeline Parish 4-H Foundation.
Other Rice Cookery winners were: Main Dish Division: Blue Ribbon – Leah Fontenot, Sacred Heart Elementary 6th; Annie Edward, Bayou Chicot Elementary 8th; Maegan Franques, Bayou Chicot Elementary 5th; Madison Fritz, Mamou Elementary 5th; Abigail Daire, Sacred Heart High 9th; and Britney Johnson, Sacred Heart High 12th.
Side Dish Division : Blue Ribbon – Abbie Russell, Sacred Heart Elementary 4th; Chase Bordelon, Sacred Heart Elementary 5th; Baylee Guillory, Sacred Heart Elementary 5th; and Britney Johnson, Sacred Heart High 12th. Dessert: Blue Ribbon – Britney Johnson, Sacred Heart High 12th.
Other Sugar Cookery Contest winners were: Baked Division: Blue Ribbon - Erin Ortego, Basile High 11th; Elizabeth Ortego, Basile Elementary 7th; Gabrielle Gahn, Mamou Elementary 4th; Abigail Daire, Sacred Heart High 9th; Kamryn Deshotles, Sacred Heart Elementary 5th; Faith Buller, Sacred Heart Elementary 4th; Grace Lejeune, Sacred Heart Elementary 4th; Megan Morein, Sacred Heart Elementary 4th; Regan Fontenot, Sacred Heart Elementary 4th; Jenna Vidrine, Mamou Elementary 4th; Brianne Betterton, Sacred Heart Elementary 4th; Hunter Marcantel, Sacred Heart Elementary 4th; Brice Fontenot, Ville Platte Jr. High 6th; Mallory Deshotel, Mamou Jr. High 6th; Justin Manuel, Sacred Heart Elementary 4th; Alexis Manuel, Sacred Heart Elementary 5th; and Baylee Guillory, Sacred Heart Elementary 5th.
Non-Baked Division: Blue Ribbon – Elizabeth Fontenot, Sacred Heart Elementary 4th; Bailey Odom, Sacred Heart Elementary 4th; Katie Guillory, Vidrine Elementary 4th; Brandy Manuel, Sacred Heart Elementary 4th; Abigail Daire, Sacred Heart High 9th; Meghan Vidrine, Sacred Heart High 9th; and Olivia Brignac, Sacred Heart Elementary 4th.
Other Sweet Potato Cookery Contest winners were: Dessert: Blue Ribbon – Bailey Miller, W.W. Stewart Elementary 4th; Ariana Allison, Mamou Elementary 4th; Martin Thomas, Mamou High 9th; Annie Edward, Bayou Chicot Elementary 8th; Leah Fontenot, Sacred Heart Elementary 6th; Abigail Daire, Sacred Heart High 9th; Lainey Soileau, Sacred Heart High 9th; Nicholas Bonnette, Bayou Chicot Elementary 5th; Amber Cole, Mamou Jr. High 7th; Devan Ortego, Sacred Heart Elementary 4th; Elizabeth Fontenot, Sacred Heart Elementary 4th; Conner Fontenot, Sacred Heart Elementary 4th; Morgan Fontenot, Sacred Heart Elementary 4th; Brianne Betterton, Sacred Heart Elementary 4th; Ainsley Veillon, Sacred Heart Elementary 4th; Bailey Sis Tate, Sacred Heart High 9th; and Mallery Fontenot, Sacred Heart Elementary 4th.
Other Sweet Potato Dishes: Blue Ribbon – Ciera Morein, Sacred Heart Elementary 6th; Jenny Smith, W.W. Stewart Elementary 4th; Faith Buller, Sacred Heart Elementary 4th; James Veillon, Sacred Heart Elementary 4th; Grace Lejeune, Sacred Heart Elementary 4th; Bailey Odom, Sacred Heart Elementary 4th; Lauren Vallet, Sacred Heart Elementary 4th; Hunter Marcantel, Sacred Heart Elementary 4th; Thomas Ortego, Bayou Chicot Elementary 7th; Seth Manuel, Sacred Heart Elementary 7th; Magen Ardoin, Sacred Heart Elementary 4th; and Baylee Guillory, Sacred Heart Elementary 5th.
Special thanks are extended to the Sacred Heart Elementary faculty, staff and principal David Paul Fontenot for their continued cooperation and support of the parish 4-H program, and to the panel of distinguished judges: Agnes Arvie, Heather Bogard, Stacey Deshotel, Vince Deshotel, Jesse Fontenot, Keith Fontenot, Nelda Fontenot, Shella Fruge’, Raymond Guillory, Caressa Hebert, Pearl Leday, Regina Miller, Shelia Miller, Stacey Nevills, Gloria Nye and David Ortego. Thanks also to the Evangeline Parish Junior Leadership Club; Beth Veillon, club leader; and the Evangeline Parish Cooperative Extension agents and staff.