Roast, Toast & Boast

Sidney Triche grew up among some of the most idyllic lands sportsmen would call paradise. In the 1930s, Delta Farm, just north of Larose, was prime real estate for trapping, fishing and hunting, activities the 79-year-old still enjoys near his now-flooded hometown.

“My father was a trapper and he’d take me out hunting and fishing, taught me all kinds of things about what to look out for and just about everything you needed to know about hunting,” Triche recalled.

His love of the outdoors also brought him to the gridiron where Triche and his team members earned the 1952 state championship title for Larose-Cut Off Middle School in six-man football. In high school, he discovered he had a knack for public speaking, taking home a first place state prize in a 4-H competition. He loved being around people and loved doing his part in the community, fundamental traits he has now built a career, life and legacy on.

The nine years following high school graduation proved pivotal for Triche. Influenced by his father, he trained to be a barber, working for the next nine years in the business. He also met his wife, Annette, marrying in 1957 and raising their four daughters, Cyd, Michelle, Lillie and Carmen along the banks of Bayou Lafourche.

With a bustling household in a small, two-bedroom house, Triche knew it was time for a career change. Before long, he traded in the scissors for a suit, trying his hand at selling insurance after meeting with a New York Life salesman. Fifty years later, he is one of the company’s top agents, running the Larose-based Triche/Doverspike Financial Group.

Outside of work, Triche has also been a tremendous advocate for the various organizations that make the lower Lafourche region such a special place. He started out serving roast beef po-boys with his wife at the French Food Festival and before long he become a sought after part of almost every fair and festival in the area.

“Fifty years ago, the local priest was waiting for the trawlers to go out for shrimping season,” Jasmine Ayo, executive director of the Bayou Civic Club, who has worked with Triche various times for events at the Larose Civic Center, said. “He had boxes of groceries and they needed to figure out a way to make money off of it. He told Mr. Sidney he needed to go auction the stuff off. Mr. Sidney decided to do a live auction, had never had any auctioning experience and now he’s like the community auctioneer that every charity goes to.”

“In the beginning, I was auctioning and I

was collecting all the items,” Triche added. “That was tough. I was going ask the grocery people to give me some can goods and I’d box that. You’d sell that to the trappers to bring to their camps. In the 1960s, that’s what they wanted to bid on. When all these other festivals sprung up, I said, ‘Look guys, y’all have got to help me get the items and I’ll do the auctioning.’ It became a team of people tagging the items, telling us who bought them, somebody had to bring it out on the gym floor. We have a team of people doing their thing and that made it run smoothly.”

Each year, Triche lends his spirited skills to roughly 13 to 15 functions ranging from small church fairs to the annual Wild Game Supper. In fact, he’s so enjoyable to watch, Ayo said he helped bring in six-figure totals during the French Food Festival for the last two years.

“He’s just so charismatic when he’s auctioning,” Ayo explained. “He uses his hands, he throws them up in the air. He’s got a great, projecting voice. To watch him do live auctions – it’s great because the charities are making money, but you are riveted. You can’t look away.”

For Triche, giving back to his community is simply second nature. His heart lies with those who dedicate their lives to doing good deeds for others and is happy to do his part in making sure the community is well served.

“My father was a giving person. He liked to make big gardens and give the vegetables away to all of his friends,” he explained. “My mother made me go to church every morning as a little boy and I was an altar server … I’ve always felt that you had to volunteer and be part of the good things that would be beneficial for the community.”

His time and energy throughout the past 60 years has not gone unnoticed.

Next Wednesday, Aug. 6, the community will gather to honor him as part of Roast, Toast & Boast: A Tribute to Sidney Triche at the Larose Civic Center.

The brainchild of several close friends, the event will feature stories shared from those who know him best. Those expected to speak include employees of the Lafourche Parish Water District, which Triche has been president of for 21 years; a founding member of the community’s Krewe of Versailles, which he helped establish; a priest from Holy Rosary Catholic Church and the principal of the affiliated school, Scott Buzigard.

Triche’s daughters attended the school and he has been a parishioner of the church for many years, serving as a lector for the last 33 years.

The money raised from the event will be donated to three of Triche’s favorite charities, Holy Rosary Catholic School, the Bayou Civic Club, which runs the Larose Civic Center, and Fish the Bayou, a local foundation that provides the Dusty Richardel Memorial Scholarship to high school seniors aspiring to work in a technical field. A film depicting Triche’s life will also be shown during the VIP meet-and-greet open to those who purchase corporate tables.

“I’m totally excited about it,” Triche said. “This is a great, great honor. It’s recognition for the things you’ve done and it makes me feel good that I was able to do all of that for so long.”

Roast, Toast & Boast begins at 7 p.m. Aug. 6 at the Larose Civic Center. Tickets are $50 each or $1,000 for corporate tables of 12. Admission includes dinner prepared by community chef Bob Faulk.

Roast, Toast & Boast