Chris Bessard, President, Abbeville Representative
What is your connection to Vermilion Parish?
Vermilion Parish has always been home to me. It’s where I was raised, built relationships and developed an appreciation for our close-knit community.
Why did you want to serve on the Vermilion Parish Tourist Commission?
I wanted to serve on the Commission because I take pride in being involved. I’m passionate about serving my community in any way I can. The Tourist Commission is a great way to promote everything that makes Vermilion Parish such a special place to live and visit
Our culture isn’t something we put on for visitors, it’s how we live every day. From our food and festivals to our traditions and strong family values. No matter how you choose to spend your time here in Vermilion Parish you will experience a way of life that’s truly authentic.
Theresa Touchet, Erath Representative
What is your connection to Vermilion Parish?
I was raised in Vermilion Parish, as was my husband, and both of our families have deep roots here. Although we spent some years living out of state and in Lafayette Parish during our early years of marriage, we made the decision to move back to Vermilion Parish in 2011. It was important to us that our children have the opportunity to grow up in the same community that shaped us. We wanted them to experience the same sense of community, traditions, and way of life that we were so blessed to grow up with.
Why did you want to serve on the Vermilion Parish Tourist Commission?
Promoting all that is good about Vermilion Parish has always come naturally to me. I genuinely love our communities, our people, our traditions, and everything that makes this parish such a special place to call home. Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to serve and promote Vermilion Parish in many different ways, so becoming part of the Tourist Commission felt like a natural next step. It gives me another opportunity to use my passion for our parish, my community involvement, and the relationships I’ve built over the years to help share everything Vermilion Parish has to offer.
Why, in your opinion, is Vermilion Parish the Most Cajun Place on Earth?
I’ve been blessed to travel throughout our beautiful state, across the country, and even internationally, and in the words of Dorothy, “There’s no place like home.” There is a warmth about Vermilion Parish that is hard to explain until you experience it for yourself. Our food, our family, our faith, our traditions, and our Southern hospitality aren’t things we simply showcase for visitors, they’re part of who we are and how we live every day. There’s something special about the way people are welcomed here, the way a meal brings everyone together, and the way our traditions are passed from one generation to the next. People may come to Vermilion Parish for the food, the festivals, or the culture, but I think they leave remembering most how this place made them feel. And once you experience that, it’s pretty hard not to want to come back.
