By Monique Roth
L’Observateur

LAPLACE — Nearly 150 residents in St. John the Baptist Parish were served this Thanksgiving season as a result of the time and effort donated by members of the LaPlace Lions Club.

The club, which boasts approximately 65 members, concluded their busy year of giving back to the community by meeting the Thanksgiving food needs of local residents.

Lions Club Vice President Melynie Wright said on Thursday 120 food bags were given out to residents of Place du Bourg, an assisted living facility in LaPlace.

She said the bags were filled with various food items and included handcrafted turkey drawings from Garden of Eden Learning Center students and craft projects and prayers of thanksgiving from students at St. Joan of Arc.

On Saturday, Wright said 20 food baskets were distributed to local needy families who were designated by local Lions.

The LaPlace Lions Club will finish the calendar year with its annual Christmas Party, which Wright said also serves as a food drive for the St. John Ministry of Care.

All efforts are done in continuing with the Lions Club motto, “We Serve,” Wright said.

In 2015, the club will gear up for its largest fundraiser, the Krewe of du Monde Ball and Parade.

Wright said Krewe du Monde — the largest parade in St. John Parish — is a parade with a purpose and serves as a fundraiser for the Lions Club.

The club is actively involved in the community throughout the year, serving through charity work that includes the support of sight programs and services including vision screenings, eye banks and eyeglass recycling.

In 2014, the club conducted eyesight screenings for over 150 parish children, met the Easter food needs of local residents and worked at the Andouille Festival.

Wright said the Lions Club is “always looking for more service-minded individuals” to join, and “many of our Lions can also be found volunteering in many other service needs and opportunities throughout the parish.”

To find out more about the LaPlace Lions Club, visit facebook.com/laplacelionsclub.