The Elderberries Senior Group was formed by Jeanette Guidry Leger in 2000 under the tenure of Father Jules Arceneaux, then pastor of St. Joseph, for the seniors of the church parish.

The group meets every Wednesday at 9 a.m. in the Parish Center. The mornings agenda always starts with prayer, pledge to the flag and chair exercises led by Elaine Myers.  However, now and then, a day trip is planned and the building is left empty.

Such as it was on Wednesday, Oct. 5,  in celebration of the 11th anniversary, the group boarded a Dixieland Coach for the adventure of exploring Cottonport.

Entering the town, we traveled along the picturesque Bayou Des Galaise, which runs through the town.  At the Cottonport Museum they were greeted by Mrs. Donna Mayeau, curator, and her associate Ms. Trahan.  The entire building displayed a quilt show of over 100 quilts, the beauty of craftsmanship was overwhelming. 

The group then visited  St. Mary’s Assumption Church. The parish was established in 1889, and the second and present church for the congregation  was built in 1958.

The noon meal, enjoyed by all, followed at Bernard’s Seafood Restaurant.

The final stop was the Louisiana 4-H Museum.  Coordinator Rose Ann St. Romain, gave a history of the museum, explaining it was located in Avoyelles Parish because the origin of Louisiana 4-H can be traced back to Moreauville High School, where about 300 boys gathered to lean new and better ways to plant corn in 1908.

They recently completed a “Hall of Fame” where a dozen of people were inducted.  One of which had been a student of Elderberries group,  Irene Durio in her early years of  teaching. After viewing the different displays, they watched a video about Frankie, the 4-H Fox.

The group then boarded the bus for the return home. 

Interestingly the bus driver was Darrel Guidry, the husband of Lucina “Tookie” Lemoine  the daughter of Lawrence and Flossie Lemoine who owned Lemoine’s Refrigeration here in Rayne, and had been married by Msgr. Hubert Lurschen at St. Joseph’s Church 50 years ago.

Making the trip were Joyce Lyons, Annie Hanks, Elaine Myers, Barbara Gossen, Allie Caillier, Irene Durio, Donald Faulk, Milton Mire, Martha Clark, Pat Cartwright, Joyce Alleman, Elsie Besse, Dolores Thibodeaux, Lou St. Germain, Betty Perrodin,  Grace & Jack Guidry, Mary and Bertrand Guidry, Hilda and Jerome Simoneaux, Zebida Elils, Mildred Guidry, Lillian Guidry, Mable Duhon, Gercie Daigle, Theresa Gros, Helen and Carol Menard, Ella Mae Foreman, Marie Broussard, Harry Domingue, Viola and Wallace Guidry, Helena and Clifford Richard, Teresa Doucet and Jeanette Leger