JEANERETTE — Ward 8 Recreation Center in Jeanerette was packed to the brim Friday night with local civil servants, community volunteers, students, and teachers who all turned out to celebrate some of the most noteworthy Jeanerette residents during the year of 2018.

The Jeanerette Chamber of Commerce’s 63rd Annual Outstanding Achievers Awards Banquet took place in the evening with a “Fun in the Sun” theme. The Beach Boys blasted through the speakers throughout most of the event while the more than 100 in attendance dined on food brought by B&B Catering LLC and Mac’s Sugar City Market.

The event included a silent auction with a number of artistic pieces and other items for those attending to peruse, all while notable Jeanerette residents mingled before the event took place.

“The more people that get involved in organizations like this, the better this parish is going to be,” Iberia Parish President Larry Richard said at the event.

Those honored during the course of the night were given awards for Outstanding Volunteer, Outstanding Student, Outstanding Educator, Outstanding Public Servant, Outstanding Veteran, Outstanding Couple and the Outstanding Citizen Award.

The Arthur Lee Verret Memorial Scholarship Fund, named after the former mayor of Jeanerette, was also announced at the event and presented to Tre’Kiah Trekell Bartley, a Jeanerette student.

Lenette Hawk-Hill was honored as Outstanding Educator at the event for her career in teaching and serving as a librarian at St. Charles Elementary.  Caytlyn Collins was brought up as the Outstanding Student as well.

Sherry Landry, fire chief for the Jeanerette Volunteer Department, was given the distinction of Outstanding Public Servant as a credit to her first year serving as chief.

“She’s the first female chief Jeanerette has ever had and she’s doing a great job,” Lionel Lancon Jr. said.

The Outstanding Veteran award was given to Alonzo Tircuit, who has had a long career in the military and currently works with the youth in Jeanerette.

Deidra and Isaac Bowie III were awarded Outstanding Couple for both of their work in volunteering in the Jeanerette community, particularly in church.

Finally, Mona Stansbury was awarded the Outstanding Citizen of the Year. Lancon said Stansbury has worked for different Jeanerette organizations for decades, and has the community as an educator and has volunteered at events like Jeanerette Live and places like the Jeanerette Museum.

“I’m very honored to be recognized,” Stansbury said. “I’m humbled and proud and I hope I deserve it.”