A mission above self

Rotary Club of Ville Platte hears about mission trips and the mission of education
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The Rotary Club of Ville Platte ended the first month of the year by being introduced to its newest member Rose May.
“I’m excited to be a part of the Rotary Cub,” May said. “I’m thankful to be part of this group because we’re supposed to be caring, sharing, and loving. When we do that, we will make a difference in Ville Platte and everywhere we go. That’s what life is about.”
Later, in that same meeting, the Rotary Club heard from Winston LaFleur about the Benefit Dance and Meal to benefit the upcoming Ville Platte Christian Missions trip to Honduras.
The dance is slated for Saturday, February 15, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Ville Platte Civic Center. There will be a live band, Cajun food, face painting, and a silent auction. Admission is free, and donations will be accepted with the proceeds benefitting the mission.
LaFleur also regaled the Rotary Club with off-the-cuff stories of experiences over the years in Honduras. He explained, “I keep going back because when I come back I have way more than I left in my heart. I see we are doing some good.”
The following week, this past Tuesday, the Rotary Club heard from Rotarian and Evangeline Parish Superintendent of Schools Darwan Lazard who gave an overview of the school district.
The club, then, heard from Evangeline Parish Elementary Teacher of the Year Megan Velek, who is a third grade teacher at Mamou Elementary School.”
“I’m very blessed to be a part of this parish,” Velek expressed.
She continued, “Being a teacher wasn’t always what I wanted to do, but I was very involved in my church. I did a lot of mission work specifically when I graduated high school.”
Over the years, Velek has done mission work in Africa, Ecuador, and Alaska.
“That’s where my love for children and people who are totally different from me started to grow,” said Velek.
Velek uses her classroom as a mission field and encourages her students to be meteorologists, engineers, paleontologists, scientists, and lovers of their country by doing several different projects in the classroom.