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LANETT — Lanett Senior Center participants did both Christmas and New Year’s celebrating on Friday. It was their final meeting of calendar year 2023. They will meet again on Tuesday, January 2, 2024.

“We always have a break between the holidays,” Senior Center Manager Sandra Thornton explained. “Since they won’t be coming back here for more than a week, we want to make sure they will have plenty to eat over the next week.”

Lanett city employees and the “pink and green” ladies from the Lambda Zeta Omega chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority stepped up in a big way to help them.

Each city department “adopted” some seniors for the holidays and brought them huge gift bags for Friday’s annual Christmas party at the center. Each bag was filled with all kinds of things to eat over the next few days along with many common necessities to help get them through the winter season. The AKAs gave each senior a gift card at Kroger.

Robin Pierre of the Chattahoochee Fuller Center Project (CFCP) brought each senior at Christmas stocking filled with all kinds of goodies. Accompanying her was Mike Perryman, who had everyone laughing with his portrayal of the Grinch who couldn’t steal Christmas.

‘We appreciate so much what they did for our seniors,” Thornton said. “It was the highlight of our Christmas party, and everyone left really feeling the Christmas spirit. I wish each one of them a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I am looking forward to seeing each one of them in 2024.”

The city departments filling big boxes for their adopted seniors included Fire & EMS, the Electrical Department, the Police Department, City Hall and the Streets, Cemetery & Grounds and Gas departments.

Lanett has approximately 130 employees in all departments.

“I want to thank our city employees for coming through to help our seniors at this special time of year,” said Jamie Heard. “We are fortunate to have some of the best employees that can be found anywhere.”

Mayor Heard and wife Brenda provided one of the filled boxes for a senior.