Letter to the Editor

Bill to fund Morganza refilled
January 8, 2007
NSU student among UL Lafayette scholarship winners
January 10, 2007
Bill to fund Morganza refilled
January 8, 2007
NSU student among UL Lafayette scholarship winners
January 10, 2007

LPSO sheriff’s Christmas bike give-away program a hit

Dear Editor,


This year we were able to distribute 195 bikes throughout Lafourche Parish, Grand Isle and a Houma family service center.


Several bikes were given to children living in FEMA trailers, some of whom were evacuees from St. Bernard where they lost everything to Katrina. One elderly lady who is a cancer survivor in Leeville received a bike and said it was the only Christmas gift she would get this year. Her husband has died and she has no children. Her battle with cancer has weakened her body but not her spirit. She jumped on the bike and rode it around her driveway with a wave and a smile we’ll long remember.

In Grand Isle, the mayor’s secretary helped us deliver 13 bikes to youngsters on the island, one of whom was a blind two-year-old boy. We brought him a little plastic four-wheeler that could be pushed around by one of his siblings.


In South Lafourche, we provide bikes to the Angel Tree program each year. They do great work here. A couple of family service centers in Thibodaux and Houma get bikes for some of the families they serve. The bulk of the bikes in Thibodaux are distributed to the families whose names are given to us by the folks with the Thibodaux Toy Drive.


In Raceland the cafeteria workers at Raceland Lower Elementary give us a list to fill each year and they present the bikes at a school Christmas program. More than 100 people throughout the parish called in for bikes this year.

The Sheriff’s Christmas Bicycle Program has been going on for about 12 years now. During that time we have given out over 2,000 bikes to needy kids. This could not be done without the assistance of the trustees assigned to the South Lafourche Sub-station who work on bikes during their free time and on weekends for about three months before Christmas. Piecing together parts of old bikes, fixing kickstands and chains, painting and pumping air in tires are the chores they take on in a good spirit, knowing they are “giving back” to the community.

Also, the help of picking the bikes up from other offices and bringing them to South Lafourche is very much appreciated. Water Patrol deputies, Mounted Patrol, and the Patrol Division along with countless others are called on to go beyond their regular duties in assisting with this program.

Chief Bud Dill was the “enforcer” and did a good job making sure we had the help we needed. Thanks also go to Sgt. Elliott Day and his Explorers and Reserve deputies who helped out.

The Christmas Bike Program is a self-sustaining project, as we receive many contributions from businesses and members of the community that cover the expenses we incur. It is also one of the best public relations activities the LPSO is involved in.

So, thanks for all the help again this Christmas.

Larry D. Weidel

LPSO Public Information Officer