RSS Feed

Rayne - Funeral services for Tammy Romero Saltzman, 52, of Rayne, will be held on Thursday, March 28, 2019 at 1 p.m. in Gossen Funeral Home Chapel, Rayne.
Reverend Jimmy Broussard will officiate. Interment will follow in St. Joseph Cemetery No. 2, Rayne.
Visitation will be held on Wednesday, March 27, from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m. in Gossen Funeral Home Chapel, Rayne, with a rosary being recited at 7 p.m. Visitation will continue on Thursday, March 28, from 8 a.m. until service time in the funeral home.
Mrs. Saltzman passed away on Monday, March 25, in her Rayne residence.
Survivors include her husband, Harry Lee Saltzman Sr. of Rayne; daughter, Nicole Marie Alleman and companion Jenee Lavergne of Rayne; son, Dennis James Romero and wife McKayla of Rayne; brothers, Terry Romero and wife Julie of Crowley and Murray Romero and wife Joanie of Indian Bayou; sister, Christine Romero Istre and husband Wayne Istre I; granddaughter, Laila Romero of Rayne; one grandchild on the way; a sister-in-law, Stephanie Gotte Romero of Crowley; and her godchildren, Mandy Istre and Myra Istre.
Preceding Mrs. Saltzman in death were her parents, Shirley May Marie Navarre Romero and Wilfred James Romero Sr.; brothers, Wilfred Romero Jr., Perry Romero and Perry “Bozo” Romero I; and nephew/godchild, Wayne Curtis Istre II.
Serving as pallbearers are Terry Romero, Murray Romero, Dennis Romero, Perry Romero, Dylan Romero and Wilfred “Trey” Romero III.
Condolences may be expressed online at www.gossenfuneralhome.net.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Gossen Funeral Home, Inc. of Rayne, 334-3141.

RAYNE - An exciting weekend will be enjoyed at the Rayne Civic Center as new Frog Festival royalty will be crowned during a number of pageants planned.
Ladies of the Preceptor Alpha Chi Chapter of Beta Sigma Phi, long-time sponsors of the Junior Frog Festival queen’s pageant, will present two crowns during a 9 a.m. morning program.
Two titles will be bestowed on two young ladies on Saturday, March 30, during the traditional Junior Frog Festival Queen’s Pageant and the new Junior Teen Frog Festival Queen’s Pageant.
The Junior Queen title will be presented to a young lady between the ages of 10 and 11 years of age, with the new Junior Teen crown awarded to a young lady between the ages of 12 and 13 years of age on the day of the pageant.
Later Saturday evening, festivities will crown the new 2019 Rayne Frog Festival Teen, Miss and Ms. Frog Festival Queens during a 6 p.m. program at the Rayne Civic Center.
To be eligible to compete for the title of Frog Festival Queen or Frog Festival Teen Queen, participants must be single and between the ages of 17 and 23 years of age for queen and between the ages of 13 and 16 years of age for the teen category.
To be eligible to compete for the title of Rayne Frog Festival Ms. Queen, contestants must be a single, married or divorced female over the age of 24.
Tickets for the event may be purchased in advance for $8 each or at the door for $10 regardless of age.
Concessions consisting of beverages and light snacks will be sold -- no beverages or ice chests will be allowed to be brought in by guests.
The 2019 Rayne Frog Festival will be held May 9-11 at the Rayne Fairgrounds with the opening ceremony slated Thursday, May 9, following the 6 p.m. Frog Festival Parade.
Tadpole Pageant
On Sunday, March 31, the Rayne Jaycees will again host the annual Miss and Mr. Tadpole Pageant and the 16th Deb Frog Festival Pageants at the Rayne Civic Center.
The Tadpole Pageant accepts entries from boys and girls ages 0-6 years of age. Entry fee is $40 (includes photogenic) by March 30 and will be $50 the day of the pageant. Dress code is Sunday best only.
Morning and afternoon sessions will be held for the following age group: Baby Tiny 0-6 months, Mini Miss 7-11 months, Tiny MIss 12-23 months, Toddler Miss 2-3 years, Little Miss 4-5 years and Little Mr. 0-4 years.
Tadpole winners will receive an official Frog Festival crown and official embroidered banner.
Miss and Mr. Tadpole will ride on the Frog Festival royalty float for the Frog Festival Parade and will be invited to attend area events.
The Deb Pageant is open to girls ages 8-9 years of age. Entry fee is $50 (photogenic included). Door entries will be accepted. Dress is Sunday best only. Registration is 1 p.m. with the pageant commencing at 2 p.m.
The new Deb Frog Festival Queen will recieve an official Frog Festival crown and official embroidered banner. First, second and third alternates will receive a banner and gift.
For more information, call Kathy Cahanin at 337-250-8988, Jessica Cahanin at 337-296-6086 or at tadpolepageant@yahoo.com.

Plans, along with changes, are complete for the 2019 graduating classes of Rayne High School and Notre Dame High School of Acadia Parish.
Rayne High
Rayne High seniors will receive awards on Friday, May 10, during the inaugural Awards Day Program. Events are slated to begin at 9 a.m. in the north gym at which time, grads will receive awards and scholarships from the school, civic/social organizations and universities, in addition to other grade levels.
Rayne High graduation will be held Friday, May 17, at 6 p.m. in the north gym. Tickets are needed to attend graduation. (Doors open at 5 p.m. for parents.) Special awards and scholarships will be presented, in addition to the presentation of diplomas and recognition of the RHS Class of 2019.
Rayne High seniors will also be honored during the annual Athletic Awards Program slated Thursday, May 2, at the Rayne Civic Center beginning at 6 p.m.

Notre Dame
Notre Dame graduates are scheduled to receive senor awards following the Senior Farewell Liturgy at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, May 8, in the NDHS gym.
Official class pictures and honor groups will be photographed on Wednesday, May 15, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Church Point.
NDHS grads will receive diplomas on Friday, May 17, during commencement at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Church Point following a 9 a.m. Mass.
It is also noted that Notre Dame senior athletes will be honored at the Rayne Civic Center Ballroom on Wednesday, May 15, at 6 p.m. during the annual ND Athletic Banquet.

RAYNE - The annual celebration of the St. Joseph Altar, honoring the patron saint on his feast day of March 19 has become a tradition at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Rayne following a centuries-old Italian custom.
This 2019 Feast of St. Joseph tradition was held Tuesday, March 19, during a full day of traditional activities and events.
The Altar commemorates St. Joseph, who answered the prayers of Sicians enduring famine brought on by a drought in the Middle Ages.
The day began with the Tupa Tupa Ritual held at 9 a.m. at St. Joseph Catholic Church, a reenactment of the Holy Family’s journey to Bethlehem.
The three students serving as members of the Holy Family were Joseph - Layne Shoffiett, Mary - Ella Dupuis and Jesus - Brayden Richard.
Angels were Owen Arceneaux, Ainsley Beckwith, Addison Beslin, Luke Braquet, Ava Constantin, Jack Cramer, Hayden DeRouen, Chloe Guidry, Emma Hidalgo, Nicholas Himel, Cole Matte, Ella O’Meara, Joslyn Orillion, Elizah Prejean, Jake Privat, Izabelle Reiners, Evan Schexnayder, Elijah Simien, Lukas Theunissen, Ally Trahan and Emilee Trahan.
The Tupa Tupa ended at the St. Joseph Family Life Center for the formal Blessing of the Altar by Fr. Kevin Bordelon, pastor, followed by the public viewing of the Altar until 6 p.m.
The solemnity of St. Joseph Mass was held later in the day at 6 p.m. at St. Joseph Catholic Church.
All in attendance were then invited to the Family Life Center for the traditional Italian Meal (meatless spaghetti) served to the public at no charge
Guests were also presented Altar remembrance packets of rosaries, bottles of holy water and blessed salt.
Through the generosity of donors and hard-working volunteers, the Altar was again adorned with many decorative cakes, cookies and breads, as well as locally grown produce, all blessed during the impressive ceremony and either consumed as part of the celebratory meal or donated to the poor and needy of our area at the close of the celebration.
Thanks are also expressed for the monetary donations made during the weekend to help defray costs of the Altar. One hundred percent of all net proceeds will also be donated to the poor and needy of our area.

Offering of Love
The St. Joseph Altar is an offering of love, labor & sacrifice honoring our patron saint on his feast day. This celebration has become a tradition in St. Joseph Parish, and throughout the world.
According to legend, this custom originated in Medieval Sicily during a time of drought and famine. In desperation, the people prayed to St. Joseph for help and intercession. When the rains came and their crops prospered, their prayers were answered! In thanksgiving they made offerings of food, their most prized possession, on a beautiful altar. They then invited all the poor and needy to share in their prayers and festivities.
The altar draped in white and adorned with flowers, had three levels to represent the Holy Trinity. The choicest grains, fruits, vegetables, breads, seafood and wines were selected, shaping and designing them into elaborate decorations and placing them in pairs to represent the balance and harmony of creation.
This devotion continues, as an altar laden with food is prepared annually by the parishioners of St. Joseph Parish in Rayne. In holding with tradition, each celebration is an act of humility and love where all food and decorations are derived from the generosity of friends and neighbors. Likewise, all proceeds are then donated to the poor and needy of the area.