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Debbie Garrot

Debbie Garrot named Cattle Festival Citizen of the Year

Debbie Garrot has been named the Citizen of the Year for the 68th Annual Louisiana Cattle Festival.
The event will begin this week. Garrot will be among the honorees presented during the banquet Thursday night.
Debbie Garrot is married to Louis Garrot, the proud mother of Christl Mahfouz and Bennett LeMaire, and an extremely fortunate grandmother of Alex Mahfouz III.
Public service comes natural to Debbie. 1977 was the beginning of a 32 year career in the District Attorney's Office where she served as a Receptionist, Felony Secretary, Secretary to District Attorneys Nathan Stansbury and Mike Harson, and Office Administrator.
Her retirement 7 years ago opened a door to a world of opportunities. She was quickly recruited to serve as an Abbeville Film and Visitors Commissioner. As such her main goal was and still is today to promote the “Visitors” portion of that title. Attributed to her is the spear heading of the restoration of our lovely Gazebo, the installation and maintenance of our “free” wifi access in Magdalen Square, the creation of the Abbeville Farmers' Market, Robert Dafford's recent murals located in our downtown area, and the revival of Movies Under the Oaks.
Debbie's latest city project, with the approval of Mayor Mark Piazza and the City Council, is the creation of Paint the Town Committee whose main goal is to raise money to be used for more downtown murals. Join her and the Abbeville Farmers' Market Vendors, on December 3, from 8am-3pm, for our first Downtown Pancake and Waffle breakfast, as well as Abbeville's first Downtown Garage Sale. There will be music, great food and wonderful Christmas Shopping possibilities.
Equal to Debbie's passion for Abbeville is saving the lives of abandoned and mistreated animals in our area. For the past 2 ½ years, she has served as a committee member of the Vermilion Parish Police Jury's Committee dedicated to the betterment of Animal Welfare and Control. Debbie also serves as the VPPJ's Liaison for their Rabies and Animal Control Facility. As such, and alongside co-committee members, members and staff of the Vermilion Parish police Jury and members of the Animal Aid for Vermilion Area (AAVA), she has helped to save the lives of thousands of animals.
Debbie is quick to say that none of her accomplishments of the past 7 years are her's alone. She attributes the success of her ideas/projects to the support of Mayor Mark Piazza, the City Council, her Abbeville Film and Vistors Co-Committee Members, Main Street Director Charlene Beckett, city employees, Chief Tony Hardy and his officers, Sheriff Mike Couvillon, members of the Vermilion Parish Police Jury, Tourist Commission Director Allison Miller, the Staff of the Abbeville Meridional, a team of creative/innovative volunteers, Partners and Sponsors, and the great people of Vermilion Parish who support our community projects. It is on the behalf of these individuals and many more who are not mentioned that she humbly accepts this recognition.

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