Earlier this summer, Hahnville High School alumni announced plans for a first annual alumni picnic that’s slated to happen later this year – and now, Wildcat Nation is getting in on the fun as well.
The first annual Destrehan Alumni Picnic is set for Nov. 1 — perhaps fittingly, one day after the annual rivalry football game between Destrehan and Hahnville — from noon to 6 p.m. The event will be held outdoors at the soccer field adjacent to Jerusalem Shriners in Destrehan.
Wildcat alums Malcolm Darensbourg Jr. and Malcolm Darensbourg III are among those organizing and promoting the event, and both father and son echoed the same goals: to celebrate the DHS community and the special bond shared by those who are a part of it, and to bring Wildcats of the past and present closer together.
“We’re hoping it really instills that community feeling again,” said Darensbourg III. “It feels like nowadays, the older and younger generations are further apart than we’ve ever been. Bringing that community feeling back and getting everyone together for a good time is something I think a lot of us are really looking forward to.
“We want this to have a big community feel to it, with a lot of people involved – the feedback’s been overwhelming and everybody together is going to make this a great event.”
His father added they hope this event will set the tone for future picnics, where this could perhaps be an annual event.
“It’s for everyone, the young and the old,” Darensbourg Jr. said. “You talk about Destrehan, it’s generations of us – I graduated from Destrehan, my son graduated from Destrehan, my mom graduated from Destrehan – that’s just the way it is for a lot of us. It’s a family. And for people of all ages, we want them to come out and bring that good feeling back to the community. It’ll be a day with good entertainment, food and fun, and hopefully people will go out, talk about how much fun they had and do it again next year.”
Both men took the field as defensive starters on Friday nights for the Wildcats football team. Darensbourg Jr. was part of the 1993 Destrehan state finalist squad, playing under Tim Rebowe – he set the record at the time for most solo tackles in a Class 5A championship game.
“I have a lot of great memories at Destrehan,” said Darensbourg Jr. “Chipper Simon was (also) my coach and my principal and did a great job. Mrs. (Jeannie) Hall, our secretary who was so great with us and for our community. There was a lot of togetherness, a lot of love and (Destrehan) helped me become the person I am today.”
Would a Destrehan win the night before bring a boost for the picnic-goers?
“It would be the icing on the cake,” Darensbourg Jr. said with a laugh.
Darensbourg III said he’s heard from alumni who attended the school as far back as the 1970s.
“It’s been a lot of people asking what they can do to help and how they can help make it go smoother,” he said.
Like his father, Darensbourg III reflects on his time at DHS very fondly.
“My friends and I always joked that Destrehan was like a high school you’d see on the Disney Channel – it was its own little world, and the outside world wasn’t even a factor,” Darensbourg III said. “All of my closest friends are people I went to Destrehan with. It’s definitely a family.”
