We are proud to announce our 2017 Volunteer of the Year, Chad Markerson. Chad was born and raised on the Bayou Teche in Franklin, Louisiana. He has many fond memories growing up on the Teche. Since he was 5 years old he would crank up his grandmothers 2 horse Evanrude and go for boat rides. As he got older, the boat engines got a little bigger as Chad began to enjoy fishing and hunting. Chad is currently fixing up that same boat to give to his nephew.
When his mom and dad were not particularly getting along, Chad’s dad would put him in the boat to go and stay at the camp. The next day at school, wearing his mud boots, Chad would puff out his chest and brag about getting to school by boat. It was a long time before Chad understood that “being in the dog house” was a bad thing. To this day Chad, wearing his mud boots, will puff out his chest and slide up to a bar stool at Lil’s because it’s still more fun when you get there by boat.
Chad has found his way back to the Bayou Teche and lives between Breaux Bridge and Parks. Chad owns his own Pest Control Company where he is a dedicated beekeeper. Chad has a great appreciation for living on the Bayou and it doesn’t take much to coax him into a boat ride. In fact, anyone who has been on a boat ride with Chad knows his dedication to “keeping it clean”. If approaching a floating tire, refrigerator, or bag of trash he gives an impromptu rant on the lackings of humanity. In the small spaces between explicatives there is no room for doubt that Chad is passionate about keeping the Bayou Teche clean. So don’t wear your good shoes in the boat with Chad. You may be sharing the boat with old bottles, broken ice chests, and slimy trash.
-From all of us at the TECHE Project Thank you for everything you do to keep our beautiful Bayou Teche Clean!
The paddle trail is the centerpiece of The TECHE Project’s EXPLORE It, one three facets of TECHE Renaissance vision that builds a nature-based economy on the Teche corridor. “The trailhead is the beginning of infrastructure that supports the paddle trail and builds heritage tourism through low-impact recreation,” says Brent Miller, Grant Administrator and Council Member with The TECHE Project, the organization managing the Bayou Teche Paddle Trail. “We are working hard to put a trailhead in each Trail Town along the Bayou Teche and Lower Atchafalaya River.” In January 2015, the non-profit organization successfully applied to get Bayou Teche Paddle Trail added to the National Water Trails System, a first for Louisiana. Designation as a national water trail placed the Teche in an elite group of rivers across the nation.
y for recreationalists to explore the beauty and culture of south Louisiana by way of a water trail. The TECHE Project has done a great job of showcasing Bayou Teche and providing access to it for the people of Louisiana and our many visitors.” Other partners that worked to make this trailhead a reality include St. Martin Parish Tourism, Angelle Architects, Edward Cazayoux, The City of Breaux Bridge, TRAIL, and Nature’s Link. 
