St. Jude Court Daughters give gifts to local boys and girls

Published 6:00 am Wednesday, December 26, 2018

A special gift to children who deserved one was the idea behind the Knights of Peter Claver Chapter 179 St. Jude Court Daughters of Olivier’s recent holiday-inspired event. 

Organizer Alisa Butler said the group, which was interested in doing a community service project, came up with the idea to give gifts to children whose parents are incarcerated, deceased or have only a single parent. 

A Christmas party was held Dec. 16 for the children and gifts given after a good time was had by all at the Knights of Peter Claver building on Field Street.

“We went through organizations like Head Start and found these children,” Butler said.

“Some were incarcerated and some were single,” she said about the parents of the children.

Twenty-six children were on hand to receive gifts and enjoy the event, she said. There were more 50 presents donated by generous people in the community, with bicycles and toys being the primary presents to the children, according to Butler.

“We gave toys and bicycles primarily. Not all of them were given bicycles because some already had them, but there were over 50 gifts definitely,” Butler said, proudly.

Also attending the event were New Iberia Mayor Freddie DeCourt and New Iberia City Council members Dustin Suire and Natalie Lopez. 

Capt. Corey Porter with the New Iberia Police Department also was involved with the gift-giving that put a smile on each of the faces of the young boys and girls.