Remembering Phil Beridon and his timeless annual leap into Cypress Swamp

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UL -- The University of Louisiana on Thursday kicked off its annual Lagniappe Day festivities with the traditional noontime leap of a man into the moderately disgusting waters of Cypress Lake.

In the finale to the day's events, several thousand pounds of crawfish also took a plunge into water.

"Serial splasher" Phil Beridon made his annual jump into the on-campus lake, making sure prior to takeoff that onlookers appreciated the levels of duckweed and algae he would soon be sharing with the water.

Cypress Lake, modeled as it is to recreate a swamp, is safe for the alligators, turtles and various fish species who make it their home, but isn't noted as a swimming destination.

Lagniappe Day, as part of UL's Lagniappe Week, has been around for 31 years, since 1974, and Beridon started the tradition of the leap 28 years ago.

An optician at a Wal-Mart Vision Center in north Lafayette, Beridon has only missed two years since he started the tradition -- one for illness and one because an unsympathetic employer wouldn't give him the time off -- but had stand-ins both years.

He said he invited himself to be a part of Lagniappe Day for the first 10 years or so that he braved the savage lake, and afterward, UL recognized him as an important part of the festivities and started asking him to come.

Beridon said he's worn costumes ranging from a bikini-style bathing suit to a suit of armor for the jump, but this year chose to wear the jersey of the Louisiana IceGators hockey team and carry a regulation hockey stick, in memory of the Lafayette team that shut down operations earlier this year.

After the splashdown, Beridon threatened to share with the crowd some of the vegetation he and his stick were festooned with, but the students gathered outside the Student Union wisely gave him a wide berth.

Claire Pettit, chairwoman of the university's Tradition Committee and junior in mathematics, said Thursday was the capper for a week's worth of activities

The tradition of Lagniappe Day started when the university's basketball team had been shut down for NCAA violations, and organizers decided to give the student body something to do, she said.

The entire slate of activities was held on campus until the late 1980s, when Lagniappe Day moved -- with the exception of the charge of the Beridon Brigade -- to the grounds of Blackham Coliseum.

The events at Blackham Coliseum Thursday afternoon included games, a crawfish boil -- of about 6,000 to 10,000 pounds of crawfish -- and music by Curley Taylor and Zydeco Trouble.

Story removed from web

By PATRICK COURREGES
pcourreges@theadvocate.com
Acadiana bureau

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Gone but not forotten

Phil at 29th annual Lagniappe Day Jump .

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Lagniappe week offers students a little something extra The University of Louisiana at Lafayette kicked off its yearly Lagniappe week Monday with Laugh Fest, the first of a series of laid-back events to help students take a load off amid preparations for end-of-semester stresses, like finals and graduations. On Tuesday night at 8 p.m., the Student Aquatic Center hosted a dive-in movie, where students in Hawaiian dress swam and reclined in a poolside chair, watching 50 First Dates on a large-screen projection. You can swim, you can sit down and relax, you can do whatever,” said UPC’s Nicole Langlinais. You just kind of chill out. It’s real laid back. Students will have the chance to race canoes across Cypress lake Wednesday at 3 p.m. Participants can sign up in the room 206 of the Student Union. At 7 p.m., hypnotist Dale K. will entrance the masses with a live demonstration, where he will attempt to hypnotize up to 20 students on stage. On Lagniappe Day, Thursday, the University Program Council will celebrate the life of the late lake jumper, Philip Beridon, who for decades has commemorated Lagniappe Week by dressing in costume and hurling himself into Cypress Lake with the fish, turtles and alligators. At 12:15, when Beridon usually took his plunge, UPC will present his family with a memorial plaque and place one on a stump in the lake near his jumping spot. He was very dedicated to what he did, and he really enjoyed it, Langlinais said. According to Langlinais, the UPC has considered starting anew with a fresh tradition, but wants to recruit someone sharing Beridon’s enthusiasm and commitment to UL Lafayette. Our one concern is that we’ll never find someone as dedicated as he was, she said. We don’t want to our person to be different every year, because the tradition was that it was always him. This year, the memorial will take the jump’s place, but Langlinais said UPC will be considering ideas for the next tradition in hopes of starting anew in 2008. The activities continue Thursday at 2 p.m. at Blackham Coliseum with the yearly stress-relieving, crawfish-laiden bash many students await. Admission will be $7 at the door for students and $10 for the general public, and entrants can purchase raffle tickets to win university attire from the bookstore, an iPod and other prizes. Also, noted musicians Jamie Bergeron and the Kickin Cajuns will be on hand supplying the tunes. This year, the UPC will erect a money machine circulating UPC dollars that can be used to purchase other, smaller prizes. Kids at heart will be able to soak themselves on a Slip ‘n Slide and a water slide or spend some energy on a Fun Jump. It’s a tradition that’s fun for any Ragin’ Cajun student, Langlinais said. It’s something that makes your college experience unforgettable. It’s awesome that it’s kept going for all these years. The Vermilion By: Chad West Web Link Broken

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UL Lafayette students are in for a week of fun as Lagniappe Week 2007 gets under way Monday. The fun continues through Thursday.

On April 23, a Laughfest is planned for 7 p.m. at the Student Union. Tickets for the event are available in advance at the Union Information Desk.

The fun continues Tuesday with a Dive-In Movie at the Student Aquatic Center at Bourgeois Hall. “We are Marshall” will be playing at 8 p.m.

On Wednesday, students will fill Cypress Lake for annual canoe races at 3 p.m. Sign up for the race is in room 206 at the Student Union. At 7 p.m., hypnotist Dale K. will entertain in the Student Union Ballroom.

Lagniappe Day is Thursday and will feature a Cypress Lake Jump Memorial at 12:15 p.m. Long-time lake jumper Philip Beridon passed away last year. The memorial will be followed by a pepper eating contest at 12:30 p.m. at the Student Union.

At 2 p.m., festivities begin at Blackham Coliseum. Jamie Bergeron and the Kickin’ Cajuns will provide live music while boiled crawfish and prizes will be available. This event is free for students with a meal plan. Students without meal plans can purchase $7 tickets at the door. Admission is $10 for the general public.

The source of the story


For more information about Lagniappe Week, contact the University Program Council at 482-6945.

Contact: Christine Payton April 20, 2007
(337) 482-6397, payton@louisiana.edu

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Along the shores of Cypress Lake Thursday on the UL campus it was Lagniappe Day. This year's celebration included a time of remembrance. "It'll never be the same without Phil. Maybe I'll take his place next year." University Vice-President Raymond Blanco recalled Phil Beridon, who died last year. Beridon began jumping in Cypress Lake on Lagniappe day in 1977 when he was a student and carried on that tradition for 29 years. Red and white balloons were released Thursday in his memory. The source of the story

[Diapason]

Has it been a year already? RIP Phil there will never be another like you.

[Turbine]

Bump

Thanks for the link CajunAmos

[CajunNation]

Awesome.

I was waiting for this thread to reappear.

Thanks Turbine.