The Ville Platte Rotary Club today (Tuesday) heard from James Newsom with the Acadian Baptist Center. Newsom gave a brief history of the facility. Acadian Baptist Center was formerly known as Acadian Baptist Academy through the mid 1970’s. The center is now primarily a camp and retreat center used by churches, groups and businesses throughout the region. Newsom announced that the center is in the middle of a capital expansion project. Their plans include renovating the dorms, construction of a dorm, new parking lot, and a new roof for the lodge. The center has raised $1.9 million of their goal of $1.45 million dollars. Newsom was the guest of Rotarian Anita Fontenot.
In other business, Rotarian Mark Suellentrop announced that the St. Landry-Evangeline United Way is sponsoring the Harlem Ambassadors visit to our area for the benefit of the Dolly Parton Imagination Library. The Ambassadors will take on Team United February 20 in Eunice. Team members will also be visiting students in Evangeline Parish at Ville Platte High that morning. Their message to students is to stay in school and stay off drugs. The United Way is attempting to get enough sponsors in the Ville Platte area to have them play a game here next year.
Rotary Club President Bill Brunet announced that on June 17 the club will hold a special program for the induction of new officers and to celebrate the club’s 85th anniversary. The District Governor and spouses will be invited. The location of the special program will be announced at a later date.
Brunet encouraged new members to volunteer to serve on the board and as officers.