La Pine community steps up: Lions Club spends week feeding Darlene Fire evacuees

Donations from the community make it happen; others in town also offer assistance

LA PINE, Ore. (KTVZ) -- What started as immediate assistance has turned into a saving grace for the La Pine community this week.

The La Pine Lions Club rushed to aid evacuees when the Darlene Fire broke out on Tuesday. Since then, they've managed to hand out three meals a day for those who need it. Members say at one point, they were feeding up to 70 people per meal.

Their trailer spent the week at a temporary evacuation shelter at La Pine Middle School -- all the food is donated. Community members have been donating food and money so the lions club can continue cooking -- and they prepare all the meals themselves.

But their special duty apparently is drawing to a close, as the fire's evacuation levels were reduced late Friday, allowing residents to return home for the first time in days.

The Lions' truck has opened at 6:30 each morning to start making breakfast. Then they served and stayed until 10 at night.

A member says they couldn't have done it without all the help from the community.

"It means everything, and the community has been gracious in their support, but the people who we are serving are fantastic -- they are so happy. They are so grateful. And that means the world. That's what we're here for," said Lions Club member Catherine Foran.

The Lions Club was not just serving evacuees. Firefighting staff, support teams and volunteers all have been going there for a meal.

But Catherine Foran says it takes a team.

"Without the community support, we wouldn't have been able to do that on our own," Foran told NewsChannel 21 on Friday.

Other places in La Pine have been offering assistance for fire evacuees to sleep, park their vehicles, take care of animals and shower.