The Acosta Foundation and the Ville Platte Police Department are joining forces with Blake’s Gifts LLC to bring some seasonal cheer to local elderly who will not be able to participate in any holiday functions. They will collect candy, Christmas cards, and gifts for 300 residents of Village De Memoire, Chateau Des Amis, and Heritage Manor Nursing Home. The foundation is also hosting a toy drive for the needy children of Evangeline Parish.
The foundation invites the public to help elderly retirement home residents by donating candy, small gifts of a $10 limit, and/or Christmas cards. Cards may be filled out with sentiments or can be blank. Acosta Foundation board members will take all of the candy and make treat bags for every resident. They will also wrap the small gifts. If cards are blank, they will write sentiments in them. The goal is to provide each person with a gift, bag of candy, and a card. Suggested gift items include handkerchiefs, socks, slippers, bath items, kitchen towels, bath towels, wash rags, books, puzzles, and blankets.
Connie Lamke, president of the Acosta Foundation, said, “The COVID-19 pandemic poses a serious risk for our elderly, and they have not been able to visit with family and friends. We are trying to find ways to brighten their holidays just a little and remind them that we are thinking about them.” She added, “We would love our community to participate in a show of love and Christmas joy for our elderly!”
“This is something small that people can do to bring cheer to our elderly for the Christmas holiday so they won’t feel so alone,” said Ville Platte Police Chief Neal Lartigue. “We hope to make their holiday a little more special.”
The Acosta Foundation isn’t just taking care of seniors this holiday season; they are also helping needy children by hosting a toy drive. They ask that toys not be wrapped so they can appropriately match them to children. “We have been honoring needy families for many years and strive to get items that are needed to make a child’s Christmas a magical day,” said Lamke.
According to Lamke, current needs are for Barbie dolls and sets, small electronic games, baby dolls, Hot Wheel cars and sets, coloring books, colors, markers, paint-by-numbers, Play Dough and sets, Nerf guns, and character blankets. She will update their more specific needs periodically on the Acosta Foundation Facebook page. The families chosen are done so through a board member nomination process and are Evangeline Parish residents.
Lamke said of the Acosta Foundation, “My dream was to be able to help others, raise money for charities, and continually give back. My foundation shows what can be done when you work together to reach a goal.” She added how especially important the foundation’s work has been during the pandemic. “2020 has been a year of turmoil and isolation. We want to help where we can, from feeding those who need through our food distributions throughout the past six months, to ending our year doing something nice for our elderly and needy children. I’m proud of what the Acosta Foundation has done and continues to do.”
If anyone would like to contribute toys for the children, and/or small gifts/candy/cards for the elderly, items may be dropped off at the Ville Platte Police Department at 114 Armand Street or Blake’s Gifts by Kylie at 512 MacArthur Street. To make other arrangements or for more information, contact Lamke at 337-831-9915 or 337-363-1316, or call Blake’s gifts at 337-363-6252. The Acosta Foundation is an official 501(c)3 nonprofit charity organization in Evangeline Parish.
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Nancy Duplechain
Associate Editor