The Ville Platte Chamber of Commerce released the nominees for this year’s Ville Platte man and Woman of the Year honors.

    The Women of the Year nominees included: Maggie Thevenot Eades who operates Cottage Couture store and cafe and expanded it to a Bed and Breakfast. She taught school as a Home Economics teacher, involved with Relay for Life as a volunteer and sponsor, Boys and Girls Club, Sacred Heart School and Foundation and involved in the Chamber of Commerce.

Anita M. Fontenot who is President of Southwest Fidelity Corporation, President of Percy J. Fontenot Inc., on the board with Investar Bank, Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center and the Community Foundation of Acadiana. She is involved with the Ville Platte Chamber of Commerce, Ville Platte Rotary Club, Cabot Corporation community advisory panel, Acadian Baptist Center Board of Directors, St. Landry/Evangeline United Way and Louisiana Finance Association. She received the 2015 Business Person of the Year by the Ville Platte Chamber of Commerce; 2016 Philanthropy Award for Evangeline Parish by Community Foundation of Acadiana and the 2016 Distinguished Citizen of the Year award by the Evangeline Area Council of the Boy Scouts.

Angela Mayeau Rozas is the Service Leader for the Ville Platte, Eunice and Opelousas Cleco offices. She has been involved with the Ville Platte Chamber of Commerce, Eucharistic minister for Our Lady Queen of All Saints for weekend end masses and homebound for the past 15 years and has served for two terms on the Parish Council for Our Lady Queen of All Saints;

Virginia L. Morein, principal at Sacred Heart Elementary after retiring from the parish public schools after 36 years. She is a member of Our Lady Queen of All Saints serving as Eucharistic Minister, past member of Come Lord Jesus group, many years spent in Adoration Chapel in the hospital and member of the Les Amis Sorority donating annually to the less fortunate at Christmas.

Melanie Fontenot, owner of Mel’s Total Fitness after working at Walmart Pharmacy for 13 years. She has been a volunteer at Ville Platte Girls and Boys Place; volunteer and supporter of the Relay for Life in Evangeline Parish, volunteer and supporter of Operation Christmas Child and supporter and organizer for the Breast Cancer Walk for Savoy Cancer Center in Mamou.

For Man of the Year, the nominees are:

Horace Edward Jr, retired after spending 25 and a half years at Centurylink as a phone tech and was also worked at Deshotel Supermarket. His community service work includes Usher and Treasurer at St. John Baptist Church, Second Harvest, Food for Family, Booster Club and assisting the elderly with home projects.

Luke Deville is helping manage his family business, Teet’s Food Store along with his father, Chris Deville. Luke has been involved with the Disabled American Veterans, Ville Platte Knights of Columbus, Ville Platte Rotary Club, Ville Platte Chamber of Commerce, Le Grand Hoorah Festival, Smoked Meat Festival and Relay for Life.

Kenneth Ardoin employed as bus driver for the school board and owner of Ken’s Car Care, He was director of Evangeline Parish Youth Basketball, Antioch Baptist Church Usher Board and Male Delegate and a member of the Eastern Seventh Assocation, Ville Platte Lower Elementary Field Trip Driver and assisting the elderly. He also assists the Lions club, Ville Platte High and Sacred Heart, Boys and Girls Club, softball and baseball teams.

Mike Perron employed by T&J Ford for 18 years, currently retired and is in his third term as Ville Platte City Councilman. He is President of the Woodman of the World for 22 years, on the board for Parks and Recreation, Swamp Pop Museum Board member, Village De Memoire board, Evangeline Community Action Board, volunteer fireman for 33 years, involved with the Food Pantry and is currently mayor Pro Tem.