Hercules stood tall Friday

A full-blown Carnival celebration came early for clients of Terrebonne ARC, the non-profit agency that provides services for developmentally disabled people in the parish, and it was a reminder of all that is good about people and some established institutions here.

More than 125 TARC clients were brought to the Krewe of Hercules den by various conveyances Friday evening, and spent a couple of hours eating, dancing, and getting a sneak preview of the floats that will hit Houma streets when the krewe parades Feb. 2.

The Hercules parade is the first of 13 that will be conducted in Terrebonne Parish overall, including those in Montegut and Chauvin.

The Hercules event is in keeping with the ARC’s vision, which includes “the opportunity for community inclusion and the enjoyment of a meaningful life for people in Terrebonne Parish with intellectual and other developmental disabilities.”

The ARC has a “Let’s Get Together Club” which encourages clients to get out, do and see things with people, and on that count nobody was disappointed. The guests were warmly greeted by krewe members who had made arrangements for jambalaya, pastalaya and other foods — along with king cake.

The whole thing was a group effort, but the organization of it fell on the shoulders of krewe member Clay Naquin, who retired as a lieutenant from the Houma Police Department 16 years ago.

For Clay, the project has special meaning. His own son, Clay Jr., is a TARC client and so he knows first hand how important events like this can be.

One of the benefits for TARC clients is the opportunity to be a specially-appointed, honorary grand marshal, and this year that honor went to Don Price. He is an ebullient TARC client for whom the word sociable was invented, and the Hercules members have no doubt he will make a charing honorary grand marshal, as he rides in the parade in a BMW convertible driven by Terrebonne Parish Manager Mike Toups.

Last year was the first year of this program with the den visit and naming of an honorary grand marshal. Last year, the first year, Clay Jr. was named. He rode in a buggy pulled by a horse but it was decided this year, for safety purposes, that a different form of transportation should henceforth be used.

The point of all this is creating smiles, which is what Carnival clubs have done for a long time now, and certainly here in Terrebonne. Friday night the TARC clients smiled, the krewe members smiled, and when the krewe got together for a family event Sunday what everybody talked about was how the TARC partnership can be made bigger and better next year, because that is how many smiles were generated.

What the big Friday deal that Hercules hosted proves was that a few people, properly motivated, can accomplish a lot of good, because that is exactly what happened.

TARC clients get another lagniappe from Hercules on the parade day itself, when the krewe has another special presentation for them, to make sure everybody gets a flavor of the joys a Carnival parade can bring.

It’s difficult for Clay to finish talking about this because whenever he does he chokes up just a little.

“It’s a very emotional thing for me because my son goes there,” Clay Sr. said. “These people are all such truly good people, who really appreciate everything that you do for them, and the feeling in their hearts is in their faces.”

And that’s probably about all that needs to be said.