Minutes: 2 July 2013
Minutes - Les Guidry d'Asteur Meeting -2 July 2013
July 2, 2013
Bonjour Cousins,
We'll be issuing another edition of "Generations" - our family newsletter in early August. It will have lots of information about our upcoming Guédry and Petitpas Reunion on 16 August 2014 at the Acadian Village in Van Buren, Maine. Included will be a form to register for the Reunion as well as housing information and Acadian sites you will want to visit during the Congrès Mondial. I would recommend that you consider reserving your housing accommodations soon as the Madawaska area in both Maine and New Brunswick has limited motel rooms. Here are two sites that contain housing information for the area:
http://www.cma2014.com/en/services/hebergement (Has motels, camping and private housing)
Spring 2013 Newsletter (page 11 of the Spring 2013 "Generations" newsletter has housing information)
On another note, Les Guédry d'Asteur member Bernie Geddry and his wife Barbara recently returned from a research trip to eastern France where they visited the region near Arpenans, France. This area is near the French-German border and contains Mont Gedry.
Bernie had done considerable upfront research and made several contacts with local historians and genealogists in hopes of finding the origin of the name Mont Gedry as well as a connection to the Guédry family. There are several Guédry families living in the vicinity.
Although Bernie could not find a direct connection with our Claude Guédry (yet?), he did obtain some interesting information and theories on the origin the Guédry surname and will share that with us soon.
Many of you remember Bernie from our 2004 Reunions in Meteghan and Lunenburg where he introduced his book "The Story of an Acadian Family - The Geddrys, Guedrys, Guiddrys, Guidreys, Jeddrys, and Jedreys of Clare, Nova Scotia and New England". During the last several years Bernie has been ill with heart and kidney concerns. In mid-July Bernie will enter Massachusetts General Hospital to have a stent repaired. Bernie also is on the national list for a kidney transplant. Bernie remains very active in Les Guédry d'Asteur and plans to attend the 2014 Guédry and Petitpas Reunion in Van Buren, ME. During the Reunion he will be a featured speaker on his research concerning the origins of the Guédry family in France. I know all of you join me in wishing Bernie improved health in the near future.
Through outstanding medical research, equipment and processes doctors can now transplant organs with significantly improved success rates. The number of folks awaiting transplants of all kinds far exceeds the number of transplantable organs available. We should all consider becoming potential organ donors. Most of us are aware of being an anonymous organ donor, but one can also become a "directed" organ donor - designating a specific organ for a named member of your family. In many states becoming an organ donor is quite simple. For example, in Louisiana, you can simply check a box when renewing your driver's license. Doing so places a small red heart with the word "Donor" on the face of your driver's license and enters your name in a database. I have done so and I hope you will consider becoming an organ donor also.
On 28 July 2013 we will be dedicating a memorial plaque in Princess Anne, Maryland to the Acadians deported throughout Maryland. Ms. Marie Rundquist, an Acadian descendant and author of two Acadian books, and her mother have worked several years to obtain the necessary permissions and funding for this memorial to the deported Acadians. The State of Maryland has constructed the plaque and will have several persons present for the dedication. The ceremony will be at the Manokin River Park on Manokin Avenue in Princess Anne at 3:00 pm on 28 July 2013. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend. Dress is casual and traditional Acadian dress is fine. Warren Perrin (Acadian historian and author of book on the Joseph Broussard dit Beausoleil), Gregory Wood (historian and author of the book "Acadians in Maryland") and I will be speaking during the dedication ceremony. Here is a link to additional information:
http://acadiaparishtoday.com/bookmark/22941967/article-Maryland+Historical+Trust+Sign+being+Unveiled+Celebrating+Acadian+Heritage
If you live in the Delaware, New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia or Washington DC, area, consider driving down to Princess Anne and joining us as we remember our Acadian descendants on this historic day in Acadian history. On 28 July 1755 Charles Lawrence signed the papers that began the deportation of the Acadians from their homelands - a day we should never forget.
If you cannot attend the dedication, please take a moment on July 28th to pause and remember our Acadian ancestors.
Au Revoir, Martin Guidry
President, Les Guédry d'Asteur
6139 North Shore Drive
Baton Rouge, LA 70817
225-571-9726
guidryrmartin@gmail.com
Les Guédry et Petitpas d'Asteur, Inc.
https://guedryfamily.guedry.org/
https://guedry.guedry.org/
https://clotiaux.guedry.org/
https://butaud.guedry.org/