Vermilion Parish travelers react to bombings in Belgium

The world awoke Tuesday to the tragic news of the reported terrorist bombings of an airport and metro station in Brussels, Belgium.
The attack killed at least 31 people, according to early reports.
While the attacks cut deep for the nation, the Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel called it a “black moment” for the country, the effects are being felt by many in Vermilion Parish.
The Jumelage Committee from Kaplan is set to depart this Sunday for Europe. Part of the trip is a visit to Kaplan’s Twin City, Hannut, Belgium.
Kenneth Broussard, who is organizing the trip, spent much of Tuesday morning speaking to counterparts in Belgium.
“I have been in touch with people from Belgium and our travel agent,” Broussard said. “Right not the plans are still up in the air. We are not scheduled to be in Belgium until about April 4.”
The group will visit France and Normandy prior to the planned trip into Belgium.
“The plan is for our Belgium people to pick us up in Paris next Wednesday and bring us to Normandy,” Broussard said. “Right now our concern is we don’t know if the borders will be open at that time.
“We are just keeping in touch with everyone.”
Again, the group is scheduled to leave this Sunday.
“That is still a go as of right now,” Broussard said.
The attack on Belgium comes a few short months after terrorists killed 130 people and injured another 368 in November.
“After the Paris attack,” Broussard said, “we took a wait-and-see approach for our trip. Everything looked OK until this morning.”
The situation is familiar to one Broussard found himself in after the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. The principal at Rene Rost Middle School at the time, Broussard planned to lead a student trip to Washington, D.C. in April of 2002. As was the chase then, Broussard is not deterred
“Of course I am nervous,” Broussard said. “I have the same feelings I had after 9/11. At that time I felt if we don’t travel, then they (terrorists) win.”
Broussard clarified that he is not speaking for everyone in the group, only personally.
“People have to do what they feel is best for them,” Broussard said. “I am not going to stop traveling because of terrorists.”
He will not ignore proper warnings, either.
“If U.S. officials tell me not to go,” Broussard said, “then I am not going to go.
“We just have to be alert and pray for the best.”
Kaplan Mayor Kirk Champagne and his wife Olivia, are also part of the Jumelage Committee scheduled to go to Belgium.
“I received two phone calls at 3 a.m. this morning from two of my kids telling me what had happened,” Kirk Champagne said. “My son was on duty as an emergency room nurse and my daughter was up feeding her newborn when they both saw the attacks at the airport in Belgium. They both called and asked that Olivia and I not to go there and not to put ourselves in foreign countries that are in red alert. There are too many things that could happen for our safety that would be out of our control.
“As of right now, I am 90 percent sure we are not going. We stand to lose a ton of money, but our safety comes first.”
Richard Melancon, owner of Melancon Jewelers in Abbeville, has been going to Belgium for 22 years.
He and his wife, LaNell, travel to Antwerp, Belgium once a year to purchase diamonds for their business. They travel on the train from Brussels.
He was saddened to hear the news about the bombings.
“It is a sad state of affairs,” Melancon said.
However, the bombings will not stop Melancon from going to Belgium.
“I am not going to let them win by me not going,” Melancon said.