To our many supporters in the Lakes Region: a celebration is in order. The St. Vincent de Paul Society in Laconia turns 25 years old this year. Twenty-five years of providing assistance to those in need in the southern Lakes Region: serving the elderly, children and needy families. This assistance has included food, clothing, financial help, children’s needs and disaster relief.
We’ve done this for 25 years with only volunteer effort in our food pantry, thrift store, financial assistance program and the Children’s Foundation. We’ve never paid a dime of salaries or wages for the dedicated staff and management of our organization. Currently, we have about 120 volunteers who give anywhere from an hour of two up to as much as 30 hours a week. Further, most of the funds involved stays here in the Lakes Region; we pay only a small membership fee to the national organization.
Of course, we couldn’t have done any of this without the wonderful support you, the Lakes Region community, have provided us. If you haven’t volunteered with us, what are you waiting for? We are always in need of new volunteers: cashiers, sorters and furniture pickup people for the thrift store, food distributers for the pantry, interviewers for our financial assistance program, volunteers to help children for the Children’s Foundation.
Finally, for those of you who have donated food, clothing, furniture, and cash contributions, keep up the good work. If you haven’t yet, now is a great time to start, say by spring cleaning your closets, in honor of our 25th birthday! God bless all in the Lakes Region for 25 years of support and encouragement. Many thanks.
Erika Johnson, president of the St. Vincent de Paul Society
Laconia