LAC LA BICHE - People who stopped by Lac La Biche’s Bold Centre on Jan. 25 were able to enjoy a free spaghetti dinner provided by the Rotary Club of Lac La Biche.
The meal was served by members of the Rotary Club.
Susan Ward, past president of the Rotary Club of Lac La Biche, said the organization organizes various service projects throughout the year, including collecting books for local kids and helping youth in the community.
While the Rotary Club put on a drive-thru dinner during the COVID-19 pandemic, this marks the first time the club has organized a large dine-in meal as a service project.
“We decided this year we would do something more substantial, and so that’s why we made the decision to do this community dinner,” Ward told Lakeland This Week.
The spaghetti dinner is not a fundraiser, Ward says, but provides an opportunity for the Rotary Club of Lac La Biche to give back to the community while lending a helping hand to those in need.
“There’s a lot of people in Lac La Biche who struggle with food security, and so this was our opportunity to maybe help in that way,” says Ward.
The Rotary Club of Lac La Biche hosts fundraising events each year, including the Brydon Ward Memorial Golf Tournament. The fifth annual golf tournament is set to take place in June at the Lac La Biche Golf and Country Club.
Around $12,000 was raised from the 2024 event. On Jan. 23, the Rotary Club donated $5,000 from the proceeds of the golf competition to APPLE Schools.
APPLE Schools is a school-based health promotion initiative that focuses on teaching healthy eating, mental well-being, and physical activity to students across Alberta and Canada. The program is represented in the Lac La Biche area at Vera M. Welsh Elementary School and Aurora Middle School.
Members of the Rotary Club are also involved in helping at other community initiatives such as the Elks on Ice event in March, and members have made contributions to youth-oriented activities put on by Lac La Biche County FCSS.
