Meeting: May 1, 2004
May 1, 2004 Meeting
Bonjour Mes Amis -
August 2004 is rapidly approaching and plans for our two Guedry-Labine/Petitpas Reunions in Meteghan and Lunenburg are rapidly being finalized.
Felice Belliveau, Albert Geddry and their team in Meteghan and Yvonne Moseley and Susan Greek-Corkum in Lunenburg are awaiting our arrival anxiously. Through their commitment and outstanding effort, they have developed two superb Reunions for our Guedry-Labine/Petitpas family. I know we'll all enjoy both the activities at the Reunions and the opportunity to meet many of our cousins from throughout the U. S. and Canada.
Our Reunion Committee has four days of activities planned for those attending the Guedry-Labine/Petitpas Reunions - two days of Reunions and two days of tours. You can participate in one, two, three or all four days. It's your choice.
Note - Both of the tours have almost reached their capacity of 50 persons. We will have a waiting list once capacity is reached. Currently our committees in Nova Scotia are determining the cost of renting a bus, entrance fees to some areas we'll visit, etc. Once we know these costs, we'll announce the fee for each tour. I anticipate that it will be in the $15-20 Canadian/person range. Below we've given a brief overview of each of the tours.
If you haven't registered for the Reunions yet and plan to attend you can register by clicking on the website link below, printing the registration form and then mailing it with your fee to the address on the form. Or you can print the form at the end of this message and do the same with it.
Remember - registering for the Reunion also includes a 2004 Membership in Les Guidry d'Asteur.
REUNION AT METEGHAN:
4 August 2004 - Historical Tour of Meteghan Area focusing on the Guedry family and the Acadians
Tentative Agenda:
(Before the tour starts, you may want to visit the Centre Acadien at the Universite Sainte-Anne which is open from 8:30 am until 4:00 pm except the noon hour. There is no charge to visit it. This is one of the finest Acadian historical and genealogical collection in Nova Scotia and well worth a visit. The start of the tour is St. Anne's Church which is on the same grounds as the Centre Acadien.)
10:30 am - Meet/Start at St. Mary's Church in Church Point with a guided tour
11:45 am - Saint Bernard Church guided tour
12:30 pm - Lunch at Chez Jean (a neat little Acadian restaurant - Dutch treat)
2:20 pm - Visit Quilt Expo at Saulnierville (a traditional Acadian craft)
3:00 pm - Bangor Sawmill guided tour (Lumbering was one of the traditional occupations of the Acadian men. Bangor Sawmill is an operating 19th-century Acadian sawmill)
4:20 pm - Arrive back at Church Point to end tour
In transit during the tour we'll also visit several areas of particular interest to the Guedry family. These areas may include Pointe-a-Major and its Acadian Cemetery (the original landing area of the returning Acadians and location of at least two Guedry burials), one of the older Geddry family homes in the region, the original Augustin Geddry homestead area that has been recently discovered, Geddry's Corner, etc.
Potential sites that we'll visit include the Bangor Sawmill (an operating 19th century sawmill), the Acadian Cemetery with Guedry tombs, early homes of the Guedry, Geddry and Jeddry families of the Meteghan area and the Centre Acadien at the Universite Sainte-Anne (which contains the best collection of Acadian historical and genealogical material in Nova Scotia). We may even pass Geddry's Corner - if you can spot it.
5 August 2004 - The Guedry-Labine/Petitpas Reunion at Meteghan - hosted by our Guedry, Geddry & Jeddry cousins of the Meteghan area
Tentative Agenda:
9:00 am - Mass at the historic St. Alphonse Catholic Church (with a special opening and closing ceremony symbolic of our Guedry ancestry)
10:30 am - Brunch at the Le Roche Bleu Restaurant (a unique Acadian buffet that includes everything from bacon & eggs to rappie pie) (Dutch treat - Costs $10 Canadian for adults; $2 Canadian for children under 12)). During brunch we'll have some brief introductions and announcements and then music by Emery Jeddry of the Meteghan area.
12:00 noon - Travel to the Curling Club in Meteghan for Registration, Genealogical/Historical Displays, Entertainment & Socializing with our cousins
12:15 pm - Registration and payment for home-cooked BBQ pork supper (if you wish to partake of this local delicacy). Costs will be $15 Canadian for adults and $2 Canadian for children under 12. The bar will be open for the duration of our Reunion and will be a "paying" bar (you pay for what you order).
The Curling Club hall is quite large and we'll divide it into three separate areas:
One area will house several Guedry-Labine genealogical and family history displays for you to review. Bring your pen and paper in case you want to jot a few notes down. (If you have a special display on the Guedry-Labine or Petitpas family that you'd like to bring, please let me know so we can provide space for it.)
A second area will have tables and chairs for folks to mingle with each other and enjoy the entertainment during the afternoon and evening. This area will also have our entertainment stage.
A third area will be reserved for our family Sales items. More on that below.
1:00 pm - Opening announcements, etc.
1:30 pm - Larry Miller and the New Pine Grove Boys (A Cajun band from south Louisiana that plays both traditional old-style Acadian music as well as the new, foot-stomping Cajun music. Seth Guidry, a young man from Arnaudville, LA, will dazzle you with his diatonic accordian playing. Expect to hear a little Cajun French and learn about the culture of the Louisiana Cajuns.)
2:30 pm - Reserved (additional entertainment to be named)
3:30 pm - La Baie en Joie Acadian Dance Group (From the Clare Municipality, this outstanding dance troupe performs traditional Acadian dances. Founded over 22 years ago, La Baie en Joie is one of the finest dance troupes in Canada.)
4:30 pm - Happy Hour featuring Emery Jeddry and his Jam Session with a Fais-Do-Do Demonstration. (If you enjoy playing a little music, bring your instrument and join Emery and your cousins for a rollicking good time. Everyone's welcome. The rest of us will listen and wish we could play.)
5:30 pm - A traditional Pork BBQ Dinner prepared by our Guedry/Geddry/Jeddry cousins of the Meteghan area. (Tickets sold at registration table.) Don't miss this traditional Acadian meal as you get to know your cousins.
6:00 pm - Causerie (talk) on the Acadians of St. Mary's Bay by local Acadian historian Gerard d'Entremont. Learn how our Guedry cousins in Nova Scotia settled in the Meteghan area.
7:00 pm - Contemporary Acadian Songs by Nathalie Geddry accompanied by Dan d'Eon. Nathalie recently won first place in a province-wide contest of Radio Acadie and is an outstanding Acadian singer.
8:00 pm - Formal Au Revoir (Good Bye) with details on the Lunenburg Reunion. Informally - plan to stay and enjoy a good time with your cousins until exhaustion consumes you or the bar closes. After all tomorrow is an off-day for travel and you can sleep a little late.
6 August 2004 - A day to rest and travel to Lunenburg - perhaps with a stop at the Acadian Museum in West Pubnico. From all that I have heard the Acadian Museum and Acadian Village in West Pubnico is a 'must see' while in Nova Scotia. Learn more about it at this link:
REUNION AT LUNENBURG:
7 August 2004 - The Guedry-Labine/Petitpas Reunion at Lunenburg with the help of several nice folks from Lunenburg
8:00 am - Registration at the Lunenburg Fire Hall (just across the street from the French Cemetery and the beautiful bay). Chance to meet new cousins and renew acquaintances. Also visit Guedry-Labine and Petitpas genealogical and family history displays and socialize with your cousins. There will be time built into the schedule for all of this.
8:30 am - Bienvenu (Welcome) by Mayor Mahwinney of Lunenburg; Brief announcements and agenda
9:00 am - Opening Ceremony and Dedication of the old French Cemetery where a sign referring to Claude Guedry stands. After a unique opening ceremony, we plan to participate in the formal re-dedication of this old Acadian cemetery from the late 1600's and early 1700's.
10:00 am - Music by Acadian band from Prince Edward Island
11:00 am - Talk by local Acadian historian Joan Dawson on the Acadians of the Merligueche area
12:00 noon - 2:00 pm - Dedication of the Lunenburg 250th Anniversary Park (where plaque explaining Acadian history and Guedry and Petitpas families of Merligueche stands). Entertainment by Micmac Indian dance troupe and the Ernst Family. A Lunenburg lunch outside the Fire Hall with townspeople of Lunenburg.
2:00 pm - Louisiana Cajun Cooking Demonstration by a team of talented Guedry & Petitpas chefs (perhaps we'll have a little tasting later in the day)
3:00 pm - Larry Miller and the New Pine Grove Boys (A Cajun band from south Louisiana that plays both traditional old-style Acadian music as well as the new, foot-stomping Cajun music. Seth Guidry, a young man from Arnaudville, LA, will dazzle you with his diatonic accordian playing. Expect to hear a little Cajun French and learn about the culture of the Louisiana Cajuns.)
4:00 pm - Talk by local Acadian historian David Corkum
5:00 pm - Closing Ceremony at the French Cemetery with brief walk to the Merligueche Plaque at the Park.
[At the same time as our Lunenburg Reunion will be the Lunenburg Folk Harbor Festival. Because our Reunion is on Saturday and we're Acadians, the Harbor Festival has planned a special Acadian Music stage to begin about 7:00 pm. It will be about 2 blocks from the Fire Hall. There will be several Cajun bands playing with an opportunity to dance the two-step and Cajun waltz (or learn how if you wish). One thing is certain - you can't stand still while the accordion and fiddle are humming. Your feet will definitely be tapping the ground. Tickets can be purchased at the Folk Harbor Festival the day of the event. Cost of the tickets will be $22 Canadian per person.]
8 August 2004 - An Historical Tour of the Lunenburg with a focus on the Guedry-Petitpas Family and the Acadians of Merligueche. David Corkum, a noted local Acadian historian will lead this tour. Some potential areas we'll visit include the French Cemetery, Second Peninsula where the original Guedry homestead was, La Heve and Fort Pointe Museum and possibly the Petitpas farm. Mr. Corkum is currently working out details of the tour and locations that we'll visit. Not only will you get to see the locations, but you'll hear the history of them and the families that settled there.
If you're planning on being in the Lunenburg area for an extra day or two, here's a couple of activities that may interest you.
Go lobstering with a local lobsterman Barry Levy. You'll experience a little bit of the heritage of Lunenburg's fishing industry. For more information, double-click on the link below:
http://www.lobstermentours.com/
Also, if you're a birder (that's slang for birdwatcher), contact James Hirtle at his e-mail address jrhbirder@hotmail.com . He's THE BIRDER of the Lunenburg area and has offered to take a few folks out birding before or after our reunion dates. This is definitely one that I plan to do.
Looking forward to seeing everyone in Meteghan and Lunenburg. Visit our 2004 Reunion page at the link below for additional information on the Guedry-Labine Reunions and accomodations.
AND NOW FOR OTHER NEWS OF YOUR ASSOCIATION:
THE GUEDRY-LABINE COOKBOOK
Jack Guidry (Lafayette, LA) has completed our family's cookbook. I reviewed it last night and there are some mouth-watering recipes in it. Jack's done a superb job editing and writing the cookbook. Of course, all of you submitting those favorite recipes deserve a special commendation. It's quite interesting to see how our family cooks in different regions of the U.S. and Canada. The cookbook is undergoing final review at this time and is slated to go to press in the next 10-14 days.
SALES OF GUEDRY-LABINE MOMENTOS
Cindy Guidry Herdt (WA) and her Sales Committee have selected a very nice group of momentos for us to purchase for the Reunion and by which to remember our family. We're currently updating the Guédry & Petitpas Family website to include a Sales Page where you can view and purchase any items that you would like. Guedry-Labine personalized items that we'll have for sale include T-Shirts, Aprons, Mouse Pads, Ink Pens and Tote Bags. We're considering several other items for the Reunion including lapel pins. I encourage everyone to visit our website and buy some items to bring to Nova Scotia. Consider wearing your Guedry-Labine T-shirt to the Reunions. Once the Sales Page is up and running, you can visit it at this link:
https://guedryfamily.guedry.org/
THE GUEDRY-LABINE QUILT
Cindy Guidry Herdt (WA) is completing our family quilt. Several months ago a number of our family members sent her their personalized quilting square. She has assembled the squares into a lovely pattern and is currently finishing the quilt. We'll have it our Reunions for everyone to see and enjoy.
FINANCES
Our Treasurer, Daniel 'Chuck' Guidry (LA) reports that we're still on sound footing and can finance the several projects that we're doing to complete the Reunion.
PUBLICITY
Recently Les Guidry d'Asteur has received international publicity.
On March 9, 2004 Elaine Clement (Lafayette, LA), Velton Guidry (Galliano, LA) and Felice Guedry Belliveau (Meteghan, NS) along with Martin Guidry (Baton Rouge, LA), Daniel 'Chuck' Guidry (Houma, LA) and Wayne Simoneaux (Montegut, LA) showcased Les Guidry d'Asteur and our two Reunions on international radio. Elaine and Velton in Larose, LA and Felice in Nova Scotia discussed in Fench via a radio connection our association and our plans for the Reunions in Meteghan and Lunenburg. The conversation was carried live on KLRZ-FM 100.3 (Larose, LA) and CIFA-FM 104.1 (Clare Municipality, NS) and around the world via the internet connection of these two radio stations. We received a number positive responses to the show. Thanks to member A. J. LeBlanc of Lockport, LA for emceeing the show and arranging for Les Guidry d'Asteur to participate.
On March 24, 2004 the Lunenburg (NS) Progress Entertrise and the Bridgewater (NS) News newspapers ran a half-page article on our upcoming Guedry-Labine Reunion in Lunenburg. Staff writer Robert Hirtle interviewed Martin Guidry (LA) by telephone and did a superb job discussing our family's history and the upcoming Reunion.
On April 27, 2004 Martin Guidry (LA) visited Holy Rosary School in Larose to present a Les Guidry d'Asteur President's Award to young Sarah Guidry of Larose, LA. Sarah developed a Social Studies project on the history, genealogy and sociology of the Guedry family. Her project won second place in her school Social Studies Fair, 1st place in the Lafourche Parish Social Studies Fair and Honorable Mention at the Nichols State University Regional Social Studies Fair. Quite an accomplishment for a lovely 8-year old lady. Congratulations to Sarah and her parents Mr. and Mrs. Barry Guidry of Larose, LA. We're hoping to have her project at our Reunions so everyone can marvel at her outstanding work.
"GENERATIONS" - OUR NEWSLETTER
Allie Guidry, Rachel Hardee and Lindsey Hardee have edited another outstanding edition of our Les Guidry d'Asteur Newsletter "Generations". It was recently sent to all of our members. Featured in this quarter's newsletter are the LaBean branch of family that resides in Michigan as well as several Guedry's known for their musical talents. Anyone can view past newsletters at this link. Just scroll to the bottom of the page and double-click on the issue of your choice.
MEMBERSHIP AND REUNION REGISTRATIONS
We currently have 184 family and individual members in Les Guidry d'Asteur for 2004. They reside throughout the U.S. and Canada: British Columbia (4), New Brunswick (1), Nova Scotia (27), Ontario (2); AZ (18); CA (3); CN (3); CO (8); IL (2); IA (5); LA (59); MD (3); MA (13); MI (1); MN (8); OR(1); SC (5); TX (19) and VA (2)
Folks are continuing to register for the two Reunions in August. To date we have 106 people registered for the Reunions. They hail from throughout Canada and the U.S.: British Columbia (2), New Brunswick (1), Nova Scotia (20), Ontario (2); AZ (9); CA (3); CN (3); CO (2); IL (2); LA (27); MD (3); MA (12); MN (3); TX (15) and VA (2).
We are planning for 100-150 folks. If possible, register for the Reunion early as they really helps us plan and prepare for everyone attending. You can learn more about the Reunions and register for the Reunions at these two links:
Remember - registration for the Reunion includes a 2004 Membership in Les Guidry d'Asteur.
If you cannot attend the Reunions, but would like to become a members of Les Guidry d'Asteur, you can do so at this link:
OTHER TIDBITS:
Here's some interesting links on special events in Nova Scotia to promote Congrès Mondial 2004 and our arrival:
Festival Champlain near Lunenburg:
http://users.eastlink.ca/~eugenev/
Exlplore Nova Scotia - lots of interesting information on the August activities here:
http://www.gov.ns.ca/anneelacadie.htm
Official Commemorative Cards for Sale:
http://lisette@ljcards.com./commerativecardpage.htm
A Very Nice Guide Book to the Grand Pre and Anapolis Valley area of Nova Scotia that pinpoints several historic Acadian sites:
PRESS RELEASE
Grand-Pré, April 8, 2004
The Société Promotion Grand-Pré is launching the guide book Return to Acadie
The Société Promotion Grand-Pré will be launching the guide book Return to Acadie on Thursday, April 22 at Grand-Pré National Historic Site at 7:30 pm. Everybody is welcome. This 48-page bilingual guide book features 29 Acadian points of interest in the Annapolis Valley.
The author of this publication, Susan Surette-Draper, works as a guide at Grand-Pré. Inspired by questions tourists have asked her over the years about specific places in Acadie before the Deportation, she decided to do some research in order to put these unknown or forgotten places on a modern map. She also wanted to personalize her research by linking these places to the Acadian families who lived in this area before the Deportation. The result is a very original guide book that is both moving and inspirational. Return to Acadie gives Acadians the chance to rediscover the landscape of their ancestors and it gives all tourists the chance to explore the Annapolis Valley with "Acadian eyes."
The Guide was made possible through the generous support of the Nova Scotia Department of Tourism, Culture and Heritage, Municipality of Kings, Kings Community Economic Development Agency, le Conseil de développement économique de la Nouvelle-Écosse and Industry Canada, and the Société Promotion Grand-Pré.
This guide book, which includes historical and modern maps, will be available for purchase at the retail unit price of $5 or the wholesale unit price of $3 for a minimum order of 10 copies. To order copies of the Guide, please contact Boutique Grand-Pré at (902) 542-3322 or boutique@grand-pre.com
For further information, please contact:
Donna Doucet
(902) 542-3631
ddoucet@grand-pre.com
Société Promotion Grand-Pré
Grand-Pré (Nouvelle-Écosse)
A Campground in the Meteghan Area:
The big Acadian family reunion is quickly approaching. I am sure you are aware, that all temporary campgrounds must be registered through the Tourism Bureau of Nova Scotia. I writing to inform you, our lot has been approved and registered by Tourism Association. Therefore, if your family members are in need of a campground with a view of our beautiful Baie St. Marie, advise them to call Check In at 1-800-565-0000 to request a reservation with Nature's Home Furniture & Décor camping lot. Check In will manage all reservations. Keep the directions to a minimum for our visitors. Our lot is easy to find. It's on the main road in Saulnierville, which is quick and easy for all CMA 2004 activities. I am sure as president of the Guidry family, you have a lot on your mind, so if your family members are traveling by RV or 5th wheel camper, let us with the help of Check In take care of there camping needs.
Adrien Tufts
Owner/Manager
Nature's Home Furniture & Décor Ltd.
9613 Highway 1
Saulnierville, NS
B0W 2Z0
Thanks,
Marty
Martin Guidry
6139 North Shore Drive
Baton Rouge, LA 70817
guidryrmartin@gmail.com
Les Guidry d'Asteur, Inc.
Les Guédry d'Asteur Genealogical Association
https://guedryfamily.guedry.org/
https://guedry.guedry.org/