There is so much to celebrate tonight. Tonight is a beautiful example of goodness and hard work in a field that brings us so much joy. As I address you tonight, I feel a sense of gratitude for you. Each of you in this room has made what we do at The St. Bernard Sports Hall of Fame special. You are the winners, the parents, the friends, the family, and the ones who have watched from the sidelines, and some of you have played a vital role in our game plan.  We can hear the cheers from the sidelines, and we know that your continued support is special.  Support and loyalty are what we build our foundation on. 

This season has been one of Trust. We have all learned to trust the process in all things. Trusting the Process and being grateful for the journey has proven to bring a harvest of growth in this work. We are especially in awe of so many of you who have chosen to come home. St. Bernard Parish is Home to so many wonderful people. We are excited to be honoring two athletes tonight who missed out on an award because of Hurricane Katrina. Hurricane Katrina took so much from us, but we knew that home was not far away. One thing that remains true to all of us, whether we stayed after the Hurricane or not, is that this is our Home and it always will be. Coming home brings us a sense of pride. I am never embarrassed to tell people where I live and how growing up in this community has helped mold me into the person I am today. Our family’s lives were planted and grew here. It is hard to explain, but there is something very unique about St. Bernard Parish.

In a world where so much separates and divides us, athletics, the love for competition, and the drive to be better bring people together. This year the St. Bernard Sports Hall of Fame has enjoyed bringing together some of the most honored names of its time. Our Board of Directors has set out to establish a clear consistency within its walls. As our team looks to the future, we believe in you and we believe in St. Bernard Parish. 

Thank you to our Board of Directors, Dr. Bryan Frichter, Roy Cortes, Rene Hyer, Eddie Appel, Maurine Liuzza, Shane Quirk, Jeff Southerland, Kelli Plaiscia, Sal Cusimano, April Hagadone, and Roland Barbay, Jr. You are outstanding individuals who have worked tirelessly alongside me as my teammates to make each day better for our organization. Thank you for all that you do! The future is bright for us. 

Special thank you to Nick Saltaformaggio for coming home to share with us tonight. I know that Coach Salt has a deep admiration for all that we do here. He also loves St. Bernard Parish. It was easy for him to come home. Thank you for being a friend and mentor to so many. You are respected by so many in this room, and we appreciate your generosity. 

Our year was filled with the usual “giving back” as we donated over $18,000 to many Youth Recreation Sports Teams, Chalmette High School’s Swim Team, Football, Cross Country, Wrestling, Volleyball Teams, and other community sporting-related events. We are committed to doing more in the years to come. Thank you to our Corporate Sponsors who have become friends in the process of partnering with us. We could not do what we do without your help and support. Gulf Coast Bank & Trust Company, Ronnie Lamarque Motor Company, and The Meraux Foundation have blessed us tremendously and we are indebted to them. Thank you for aligning with our vision and helping us all win!

Here we are! The 29th induction ceremony. It’s our gameday. Take a deep breath and enjoy all the things that make tonight so special. Thank you for coming HOME to celebrate with us. 

God Bless, 

Melissa Barbay Gayé

President

St. Bernard Sports Hall of Fame