Corporate Sponsorships - $250.00
   Sponsor will be listed on the Official Reunion Program
   Sponsor will be provided a Banner to post at his business
   Each  Sponsors Banner will be posted at Magdalen Square
   Sponsor will be provided two Official Hébert Family 
   T-Shirts and One of each of the License Plates

We certainly could use additional  sponsorships.  If you know of anyone who may be interested please make the initial contact for us and then let us know how we can help you convince that person.

Joseph dit Pépin, 
     son of Benoni (Belloni) Hébert, son of Jean Emanuel Hébert, son of Emanuel Hébert, son of Etienne Hébert

      In  An Atlas of Louisiana Surnames of French and Spanish Origin, Robert C. West states that “Hébert is Louisiana’s most frequent surname of French origin, barely outnumbering Landry.  In 1766 five Hébert families had settled along the Mississippi River in the First Acadian Coast (St. James Parish), and two single men named Hébert were in the Attakapas.  These early families may have come with the Acadians who arrived by ship in 1765.  One of those two single men in the Attakapas was Joseph dit Pépin Hébert.”  He is first listed in Louisiana in the 1766 census of “The Militia and Inhabitants of the Colony of Louisiana”  at the District of Lapointe located near present-day Breaux Bridge.

      Joseph, the son of Benoni Hébert and Jeanne Savoi (Savoie), who, with one brother Jean-Charles and three sisters, eventually reached Louisiana, probably in 1765.  During the Expulsion, Benoni and Jeanne had escaped with their children into New Brunswick, leaving no record of their fate.  West states: “Among fifteen or more Hébert families who settled in the Attakapas during the late eighteenth century, perhaps two contributed the largest number of descendants.  One line descended from Belony  Hébert and Jeanne Savoie.  Their son Joseph-Pépin (m. 1771 Madeleine Trahan) arrived before 1766 and son Jean-Charles (m. 1773 Madeleine Robichaux) possibly came what later.  Both brothers settled along Bayou Vermilion, as did their immediate descendants, including the five sons and ten grandsons of Joseph-Pépin and three sons and nine grandsons of Jean-Charles.  Most of these Héberts lived as small farmers and stockmen along the upper portions of the bayou in the vicinity of present Lafayette, but one of Joseph’s son, Francois dit Pépin (m. 1802 Marianne Mouton), obtained land along the lower Vermilion near present Abbeville, becoming one of the pioneer settlers of Vermilion Parish, where many of his descendants still live.” 
      Since there is no record of Joseph Pépin’s birth date, there are three censuses taken from which his year of birth can be calculated.  He was listed in the Attakapas census of 1771 as 23 years old; in the 1777 census as 28; and in the 1803 census as 58.  It is widely known that the ages recorded in all the censuses often are inaccurate, sometimes by more than one year; but based on the three censuses recorded for Joseph-Pépin, he would have been born between 1745 and 1749.  The most reliable source seems to be that of Stephen A. White, of the University of Moncton  in New Brunswick, Canada, who records his birth as 1745.
      The word “pépin” is defined by the Le Robert and Collins French-English dictionary as: seedless, pit, kernel, snag, hitch, umbrella—all of which do not seem to have any bearing on Joseph’s nickname.  The dictionary’s pronunciation is (pay-pan with a short n).  The first time “Pépin” is documented is in the Louisiana census of April 25, 1766 which was taken by Spanish census takers.  It has been suggested that it may have derived from the Spanish “PePe,” a diminutive of Jose, which is Spanish for Joseph.  Another possibility is from Pépin the Short (714-768) who was king of the Franks and the father of Charlemagne or Charles the Great, the most famous ruler of the Middle Ages and a key figure in European history. Woody P. Hebert

     Les officiers et les membres du comité se sont réunis le 23 janvier pour discuter le budget pour la Réunion des Hébert qui aura lieu le 6 et 7 Août à Abbeville.  Ils se sont rêunis chez un restaurant chinois pour le déjeuner, et ils ont travaillé sur le budget.  Ils ont aussi discuté les projects pour la réunion, et ils on decidé de vendre des billets pour un dîner de Jambalaya le dimanche après Pâcques, le 11 avril, pour une collecte de fonds afin de recueiller des fonds dont nous avons besoin pour mettre en place les évenements de la Réunion des Hébert en Août.
     Le centre d’ accueil ouvra à 8 heures le 6 Août.  Dans le beau batiment “Magdalen Place” (ou l’air climatisé sera très agréable en Louisiane en Août) aura lieu la régistration, la généalogie, café, renseignements, la vente de souvenirs, etc.; et où les membres de la grande famille Hébert pourront se rencontrer.
     Il y aura des visites guidées de la ville par les guides touristiques le vendredi de 9 à 4 heures.  Dans le parc de la Place Madeline (Magdalen Square) il y aura de la musique pendant la journée.  Au Centre Culturel sera presenté le video sur le “Diaspora” ou l’exil des Acadiens.
      La Cérémonie d’Ouverture commencera à 7h30 à “Magdalen Place”.  Après, il y aura une dance.
 Un évenement très important et intéressant sera la présentation de l’Omelette Géante que les Chevaliers de la Confrérie vont préparer et faire cuire devant le Palais de Justice.  Les Chevaliers vont défiler en tenu en apportant les paniers d’oeufs et le pain à la place de l’Omelette.  Le groupe “Fatras” va jouer pendant l’Omelette. 
     Venez chez nous pour la réunion, et laissez le bon temps rouler!!!

     Edgar Légé, un professeur en retraite de l’Université de Moncton au Nouveau Brunswick, a visité Abbeville en janvier.  Il a apporté avec lui des cartes de généalogie sur la famille Hébert pour aider dans les recherches sur les descendants d’Antoine et d’Etienne Hébert qui on quitté la France pour Acadie pendant les années 1640.  Il a été invité à dîner chez Joe et Barbara Hébert, avec Woody Hébert, et Edwin et Marie Hébert.  Il a, aussi, eu la chance de visiter avec Russell Gaspard, et il est allé à St. Martinville pour visité le musée Acadien où il a pu voir le mur avec les noms des déportés qui sont venus s’installer en Louisiane, et la belle peinture (mural) des Acadiens qui sont representés où possible par les descendants des Acadiens dans la peinture. 
     Un grand merci à Edgar Légé pour son aide. Sa visite était vraiment appreciée.

     The Committee meeting of Saturday, January 23, was attended by 21 of our committee members.  The purpose of the meeting was to establish a budget for the reunion of August 6 & 7 and to polish the agenda for the two days.  The agenda is updated just about every month.  Hopefully, we will have it down pat by the month of May.
     It was also decided that a fund raiser jambalaya  would be held on Sunday, April 11, on the KC Hall grounds.  Drive through pickup dinners will be served from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.  Donation  will  be $5.00 per plate.  If all of our local members take tickets to sell to their families and friends, we can realize a handsome profit.  The jambalaya  sales,  membership fees, sales of memorabilia, and corporate sponsorships should bring in enough funds to cover the $10,000 reunion budget.

Friday, August 6
      9 - 11 a.m.   Music at Magdalen Square
      1 - 3 p.m.  Music at Magdalen Square
      8:30 - 11:30 p.m.. Dance at Magdalen Place
Saturday, August 7
      8:30 a.m.  Parade downtown. The parade route begins at the KC Parking     lot, goes West on Vermilion Street to Main, then South on Main     to Pere Megret, then East on Pere Megret— around Magdalen     Square twice—to Concord, then East on Concord to the Courthouse.
      9 a.m.   Music in front of the Courthouse during the Egg Omlete 
      11 a.m.- 2 p.m. Music at Magdalen Square
 
Education
 
Friday, August 6
      9 a.m. - 5 p.m.  Genealogy research, Magdalen Place
      10 a.m, 1 p.m., 2 p.m. Children Stories, City Council Meeting Room, City Hall
      9 a.m.,11 a.m., 3 p.m. Video Presentation of the Acadian Despora, Abbeville Cultural     Center Theater
 
Saturday, August 7
      Genealogy research, Magdalen Place

Cultural
 
Friday, August 6
      9 a.m. - 6 p.m  Abbeville Cultural & Historical Alliance Center Special Exhibits
      9 a.m., 11 a.m., 2 p.m.Walking tours of Historic Abbeville. The tours will begin at the   & 4 p.m. Cultrual Center.
 
Satruday, August 7
      9 a.m. - 6 p.m.  Abbeville Cultural & Historical Alliance Center Special Exhibits
      3 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Cultural entertaiment—Acadian Music & Dance, Abbeville     Cultural Center
 
Special Events
 
 Friday, August 6 7 P.M.   Opening Ceremonies—Magdalen Place 
 Saturday, August 7 5:30 P.M. Mass & Closing Ceremonies, St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church

 HOTEL/MOTEL

Abbeville
   Sunbelt Lodge   898-1453

Other Areas (Drive time to Abbeville)
   Sunnyside-Kaplan-(10 minutes)   643-7181
   Holiday Inn-New Iberia-(20 minutes)   367-1201
   Best Western-New Iberia-(20 minutes)   364-3030
   Holiday Inn Express Airport-Lafayette-(35 minutes)   234-2000
   Ramada Inn Airport-Lafayette-(35 minutes)   234-8521
   Hotel Acadiana- Lafayette-(35 minutes)   233-8120
   Hilton & Towers-Lafayette-(35 minutes)   235-6111     800-332-2586
   Hampton Inn Willow-Lafayette-(35 minutes)   236-6161     800-426-7866

RV PARKS

Abbeville
   Abbeville’s RV Park   898-4042

Other Areas  (Drive time to Abbeville)
   KOA Kampgrouds of Lafayette-(30 minutes)   235-2739 
   City of Rayne RV Campground-Rayne-(40 minutes)   334-3121
   Acadiana Wilderness Campgrd-Sunset-(50 minutes)   662-5154
   Frenchmen’s Wilderness-Henderson-(one hour)   228-2616

BED & BREAKFAST

Lafayette Area
   Alida’s Bed & Breakfast    264-1191     800-922-5867
   Bois des Chenes Inn    264-1191
   La Maison de T’Fere’s    984-9397     800—984-9347
   Bechet Homestay Bed & Breakfast    896-3213
   Belle of the Oaks    896-4965
   Caillouet Inn    235-5555     800-640-9912
   Cajun Country Home Bed & Breakfast    856-5271
   Country French Bed & Breakfast    234-2866
   La Grand Maison    837-5733
   La Maison de Champagne    896-6529     800-895-0235
   Maison d’Andre Billeaud    837-3455     800-960-7378
   La Maison de Repos Bed & Breakfast    856-6958     800-484-1860 
   Maison Mouton Bed & Breakfast    235-4661
   Sunny Meade Bed & Breadfast    873-3100     800-833-9693

Breaux Bridge
   Bayou Cabins Bed & Breakfast    332-3093     800-346-1958
   Cajun Country Cabins    332-3093     800-318-2423
   La Maison Berard     989-0228