OPELOUSAS, La. — It sure is cold out, but a good way to warm up is with a big ol' bowl of gumbo.
That's exactly what neighbors in St. Landry Parish did Saturday at the 20th annual Gumbo Cook-off to benefit Ashley Dupont Hatcher.
That happened at the Yambilee Ag Arena in Opelousas, where teams competed for top honors in the "Battle for the Paddle" gumbo showdown. Cook-off registration was $50 per team, but all those proceeds went to a great cause.
This year's cook-off benefited Ashley Dupont Hatcher, a beloved wife, mother, educator and community servant currently battling stage four breast cancer and bone cancer.
"To see all the people come together for one family is incredible," Hatcher said. "I mean, we do it every year, but to see it happen for us and to see what happens on the backside of everything and all the work that goes into it is incredible, and they have a great team of people to help."
According to the foundation, this cook-off is more than a competition. It's a celebration of resilience, generosity and Louisiana spirit, and Hatcher is one neighbor who represents all of that.
"It's really important for us, as a community, to show this family that we love them. They have a community that's going to stand with them, not just financially to give to them, but be by their side and support them as they go through this," said Tim Marks with the Gumbo Cook-off Foundation.
