Ville Platte Rotary Club hears updates from club members

By: HEATHER BOGARD
Lifestyles Editor

February 23, Meeting
Rotarian Dr. Willie Buller invited LSUE Chancellor Dr. Kimberly Russell to address the February 23, meeting of the Ville Platte Rotary Club. However, due to the expected inclement weather, her program was postponed until the March 15, meeting. Instead, President Mitch Fontenot gave an update on upcoming club projects, including the Shots for Tots program, which will be held the week of April 16-23, in conjunction with the National Shots for Tots week. He said volunteers were needed to assist with the project. He said nominations for the Camp Ryla candidates is due by April 1. Fontenot said the Sacred Heart Interact Club is planning a clean up day at the Native Plant Heritage Garden for sometime in the near future. Fontenot briefly discussed the Rotary District #6200 convention, which will be held the last weekend of March at L’Auberge Casino in Lake Charles, and encouraged members to attend.
March 1, Meeting
Rotarian Leonard Fontenot addressed his fellow club members with a presentation on the Rotary Foundation during the March 1, meeting of the Ville Platte Rotary Club. He said Rotary International has approximately 1.2 million members worldwide and the organization has persevered in tough times of war and adversity. He shared that a few notable members of Rotary included J.C. Penney, Warren G. Harding and Charles Mayo.
Fontenot stated the hallmark and mission of the Rotary organization is to advance peace and good will and its commitment to service, most notably its Polio Plus program, geared to eradicate polio worldwide. The club promotes international understanding and peace through its high ethical standards and its encouragement of members to participate in the various service projects throughout the communities Rotary serves. Rotary promotes peace, fighting disease, clean drinking water, education, growth of local economies and health and well being of mothers and their children.
The Rotary Foundation, the “giving arm” of the organization, was formed in 1917 with the first donation of $26.50. The foundation know oversees $1 billion, which is used to fund the many worldwide services and projects of Rotary.
Fontenot encouraged all members to donate to the Rotary Foundation annually and encouraged those who aren’t already Paul Harris fellows to become one. Paul Harris fellows are members who have donated $1,000 to the Rotary Foundation. Those members are specially recognized and Fontenot noted that 38 members in the Ville Platte club are Paul Harris members or multiple Paul Harris fellows, which means they have donated $1,000 to the Rotary Foundation more than once. Each year, the Ville Platte club helps two members to become Paul Harris fellows by putting up $500 and the member paying $500. Preference is given to non-Paul Harris fellows in order to give members an opportunity to become one.
In closing, Fontenot encouraged members to donate and support the Rotary Foundation and to visit www.rotary.org, which is a good source of information on Rotary International and the Rotary Foundation.
March 8, Meeting
During the March 8, meeting of the Ville Platte Rotary Club, Rotarian Hillery Hill, a veteran of the Korean War, briefly discussed his involvement with VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) Post #3803. He gave a brief history of the Ville Platte post, noting it was established pre-World War II on June 13, 1940. Over the years, the post has held many notable Ville Platte citizens as commanders, including Jules Ashlock, Parker Fusilier, Lionel Deville, Preston Aucoin and Cecil Colligan. Hill stated that when he joined, the group had 240 members, and now membership is down to 112. This is in part due to older veterans from WWII and Korea passing away. Hill said dues are $30 per year and to be eligible to join, members must have served overseas. As a member of the VFW, Hill said he enjoys volunteering to help cook for the residents of Heritage Manor Nursing Home on the second Wednesday of each month, noting the organization donates the labor, and a sponsor is needed each month to donate the meat to be cooked.
President Mitch Fontenot reminded members of the need for volunteers to assist with the Shots for Tots program scheduled for the week of April 16-23. He reminded members that the deadline to accept candidates for Camp Ryla is April 1. He also noted leadership training is scheduled to be held March 12, and March 26, in Houma and April 16, and April 24, in Gonzales and encouraged those interested to attend.