-----Original Message----- From: Visit St. Martinville <visitstmartinville@gmail.com> Press release for immediate release July 7, 2017 Contact Elaine Clément at 337-394-2258 or eclement@acadianmemorial.org for further info. Acadian Day of Commemoration honors Randy Menard Please join us on July 28, 2017 at the Acadian Memorial in St. Martinville from 3pm to 5pm as we join with all Acadians for a Day of Commemoration.    The Acadian Museum of Erath teams up with the Memorial to induct Randal Ménard, a multi-talented French-speaking lawyer and past President of the Acadian Memorial Foundation, into the Order of Living Legends.    You won’t find a better ambassador of the Cajun culture than Randy Menard.   Mavis Frugé, Board member and a Living Legend herself, adds, “I like his enthusiasm for the Cajun way of life.  I have this image of him stirring those gratons with that big paddle.”  A master chef of large quantities of gumbo, jambalaya and pulled pork, Randy is a staple at festivals and fundraisers that support various causes in the Acadiana area.  In addition to cooking at festivals in French-speaking Canada, France and Belgium,his next gig is already lined up in Montoiresur la Loire, France in 2018! “Randy Menardis one of the most dedicated and sincere individuals I have ever met. His interest for and dedication to the cause of the Acadian history and culture are unsurpassed. This is reinforced by a total determination to continually improving his fluency in the Acadian French language,” attests Philippe Gustin,Director of the Centre International in Lafayette, who has been working with Ménardfor many years.    As a member of Louisiane-Acadie,Inc., he`s worked tirelessly for many years to encourage relationships between Louisiana and the Acadian areas of the world. As a Board member and Past President, Randy lends his expertise and commitmentand enthusiasm to the Acadian Memorial Foundation Board.   Board President Patty Gutekunst shares that, “Randybrings good humor, his love of all things French and great food!” Alife-long resident of Lafayette Parish and true to his heritage, Randy has always worked with the community from his days of law enforcement to representing Milton, Youngsville and Broussard on the Lafayette City-Parish Council to representing accident victims against insurance companies as an attorney.  MonsieurMénard is truly a Living Legend.  This Day of Commemoration was established on July 28, 1755,as it was the date that the British Governor Charles Lawrence signed an order of removal of all Acadians from Acadie, roughly the Canadian provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Islandand the US state of Maine.  This order was carried out amid a resistance movement that continued for 7 years.  The ensuing diaspora spans both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, including Louisiana.  The Acadian Memorial honors the Acadians who arrived in Louisiana from 1764 through1785.    Beginning in 1988, Warren Perrin spearheaded a campaign to compel Queen Elizabeth II of England to apologize for the Acadians' expulsion from Nova Scotia.  In 2003, the Governor General of Canada, on behalf of Queen Elizabeth of England, signed a proclamation acknowledging the wrongs committed against the Acadians in the name of the British crown.  The proclamation also established an annual day of commemoration on July 28.    The Order of Living Legends was established in 1996, by Kermit Bouillion, a Director of the Acadian Museum.  The Order honors people who have done extraordinary things to support the culture. Each year on July 28, the Acadian Museum joins with the Acadian Memorial to recognize someone who has done significant things tied to the LouisianaCajun-Acadian culture and the Acadian Memorial .    The Acadian Memorial is located at 121 South New Market St.in St. Martinville.  Entry to the Acadian Memorial is free of charge for the day.  Contact us at 337-394-2258 or at info@acadianmemorial.org for further info.   Randy brings good humor, his love of all things French and great food! Tourism Office City of St. Martinville 121 So. New Market St. St. Martinville, LA  70582 337-394-2233 337-394-2260 (fax) tourism@stmartinville.org