IBERIA PARISH (NEW IBERIA) — What began as a festive initiative to bring the community together ended in vandalism when the second annual New Iberia Advent Activities Calendar was found damaged after Christmas.
The Advent calendar, organized by Teresa Courtois, offered 21 days of free activities for families leading up to Christmas Eve. However, on Friday, Jan. 3, Courtois posted a picture of the calendar at Bouligny Plaza, showing it torn apart and ransacked.
In the post, Courtois explained that she had planned to take the calendar down that evening, but was "one day too late."
Though the damage to the calendar was described as minor, Courtois expressed her disappointment in a statement to KATC.
"Even though the damage to our tree is minor, that doesn't make it any less sad or frustrating," she said.
Captain Leland Laseter of the New Iberia Police Department confirmed that authorities are investigating the incident and are attempting to locate video footage from the area.
In a show of support, local grocery store owner Nichole Segura of Millside Market, stepped up to help replace the calendar.
“All the businesses in Iberia Parish donated their time, their money and their energy into making the Advent calendar happen—and I felt like that was our way to give back, to replace the tree,” Segura said. "This is not a good representation of Iberia Parish."
Segura added that she wanted to ensure Courtois and the city knew how proud she was of the event.
Segura’s donation will help repair or replace the damaged calendar, although the exact plans are still being decided.
“I’m not sure if Miss Teresa wants to redo the tree altogether or just fix what’s damaged, but I feel like we’re going to make something positive and better come together because of this incident,” Segura said.
Courtois expressed gratitude for Segura's support and the generosity of local businesses.
"I’m so grateful to them for eagerly jumping in to help make this right for our event," Courtois said. “It is our local business owners that make such a large imprint on our community when they team up with our citizens.”
Here's Courtois's full statement on the situation:
"Despite the amount of crime that happens in all parts of the world, my favorite thing about small towns is how the tight knit community members step up to counteract and turn the negative into a positive. Even though the damage to our tree is minor in comparison of crimes, it doesn’t make it any less sad or frustrating, especially because it’s the Christmas season. But I am forever grateful for so many in New Iberia who have the same resolution that I have - we won’t quit working to show what wonderful things our city has. I am so grateful to Chad and Nicole Segura with Mill Side Market for so eagerly jumping in to help make this right for our event. It is our local business owners that make such a large imprint on our community when they team up with our citizens."
