By ROBIN SHANNON

L’Observateur

LAPLACE – The Rotary Club of LaPlace spent Tuesday afternoon spreading a little Christmas cheer to a few less fortunate families in St. John the Baptist Parish.

Members of the organization fanned out across the parish to bring bedding, clothing, toiletries, toys and a week’s worth of food to five families.

“We got close to $3,000 worth of donations from Rotary members and people in the community,” said Rotary Club President Shawn Steinkamp. “It was nice to get out into the community and do what we do best.”

Steinkamp said the St. John Ministry of Care assisted the Rotary Club in selecting families to help. He said the East St. John High School’s Interact Club, a student group affiliated with the Rotary Club, also chipped in and donated three Nintendo Wii videogame systems.

The high school group also did all of the gift-wrapping for each family.

Ann Miller, who lives with her four children in an apartment on Joe Parquet Circle in LaPlace, said the outpouring from the community overwhelmed her.

“This really goes a long way to making it a happy Christmas,” Miller said. “Watching their eyes light up when I showed them the Wii game was just priceless.”