RESERVE – Volunteers and staff members of a LaPlace church recently presented special gifts to the students and employees of Lake Pontchartrain Elementary who have been relocated to Fifth Ward Elementary since September because of damages caused by Hurricane Isaac to their home campus.
My Heart to Yours Family Worship Center gave each third- and fourth-grade student of Lake Pontchartrain School – about 80 children, in all – a $50 gift certificate to Wal-Mart Stores. They also gave every teacher, counselor, administrator and paraprofessional with the displaced school a $50 Visa card, bringing the total card count to well over 100 and the total value of the gift to more than $5,000.
“These children and educators have gone through so much – losing their school, some losing their
houses and all having to be displaced this school year. We wanted to do something to brighter their day and let them know somebody cares and understands what they are going through,” said Aurejana Ceaser, whose mother, the Rev. Carla Ceaser, is pastor of My Heart to Yours Family Worship Center.
Ceaser said her church is committed to “doing little things” to help the community.  She said the congregation gave 30 turkey dinners to local families over the Thanksgiving holiday. They are currently working on a blanket drive for homeless people in New Orleans, and they are collecting canned goods to give to the local food bank.
From My Heart to Yours Family Worship Center is located at 119 W. Fifth St. in LaPlace. Ceaser said a few of the students who currently go to school on the Fifth Ward Elementary campus go to the church.