Thank you for the positive, in-depth piece on the French language in Acadiana ("The French Connection," Aug. 9). It is nice to see a hopeful prediction regarding its future here.
The article mentioned several places locals can visit to hear and speak Cajun and Creole French. Please count Vermilionville among the places where Cajun and Creole French are spoken daily. Vermilionville makes a concerted effort to hire French-speaking employees in all departments. Currently, a little more than half of our employees are French-speaking. We believe that keeping Cajun and Creole French alive is a vital component to keeping our culture alive.
Also, thank you for featuring Karl Breaux and his family store, Breaux's Mart, in the article. Karl was recently presented with Vermilionville's Cajun Heritage Award on Aug. 17 for his efforts to help preserve Cajun culture, many of which were noted in the story.
Kudos again for an informative and positive piece bringing attention to this important subject.