VP Rotary Club welcomes Camp Ryla attendee

By: HEATHER BOGARD
Lifestyles Editor

May 3, Meeting
Rotarian Kip Manuel invited McKenzie Fontenot to address the May 3, meeting of the Ville Platte Rotary Club. She, along with Taylor Leger and Trace Trahan, were selected to attend Rotary’s Camp RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards) at Lake Fausse Point last summer. While Leger and Trahan were not present, Fontenot shared a little about her experience at the camp. She said she was honored to be chosen to go and did not know what to expect when she got there. She shares that although she did not know anyone, she made several new close friendships that she is grateful for. Fontenot thanked the club by telling them, “It was a great experience and this opportunity changed my life forever.”
Also during the meeting, Rotary President Mitch Fontenot said the fellowship last week was a wonderful time and thanked everyone who attended. He stated the clean up at Native Plant Heritage Garden went well and another clean up day will be planned in the near future. He said the club received a nice thank you letter from LSUE thank the club for the donation to the LSUE scholarship fund. He shared a little about the district training he attended, and said he and fellow Rotarian Peter Strawitz are both grant certified. He also reminded members that the installation banquet will be held on Tuesday, June 14. Fontenot then asked Rotarian Leonard Fontenot to briefly discuss the Paul Harris fellowship. Leonard stated that non-Paul Harris members will be given first choice and one has signed up. He said if no other non-Paul Harris fellow signs up, it will be opened to other members who are already Paul Harris fellows. He noted that all money raised through this Paul Harris fellowship goes to the Rotary Foundation, which helps people worldwide.