Lafayette Boy’s Diaper Drive Deserves Your Support

I have found in my time on this planet that the best lessons I have learned have almost always come from the youngest teachers. In this case, the teacher I am speaking of is not even four years old. His name is Julian Williams. Here's the story behind Julian's Diaper Drive

Julian's Diaper Drive is currently accepting diaper donations for infants, children, and adults. The drop off locations are Drip IV Therapies, Cornerstone Village South, Hub City Ford, and Jefferson Street Pub. Donations will be collected all month long. Each drop-off location has specified hours when they can accept your donation, so please check ahead.

Then on July 28th, Julian's birthday, there will be a special drive-thru birthday party at the Love of People office located at 1400 NW Evangeline Throughway, Lafayette, Louisiana 70501. That's the Visitor Center Building on the Thruway if you're wondering why that address sounds so familiar.

Between the hours of 11 am and 1 pm you're invited to drop off a donation of diapers and enjoy some cake and a hot dog for the road. If you already made your donation before the 28th then come by for cake anyway and you can bring even more diapers if you'd like.

Just to be clear. These diapers aren't for Julian or his family. They are going to be donated. The reason for this diaper drive is two-fold. One, there are so many women's shelters and service centers that can use these donations to support their clients, both young and old.

And second, this diaper drive was started as a teachable moment for Julian. His parents wanted to instill in him at a very young age the importance of service to the community and service to others.

The Williams' family goal each year is to build a monument of diapers. The kind of monument that preaches love and kindness, service and gratitude, and all the positive feelings that we as a community need to feel if we are truly to become connected as a community.

And during these pandemic times maybe it would help us all to get out from between our own ears. And maybe for a moment stop staring at our own troubles and do something to help someone else out of theirs. Maybe this simple act of kindness can help us remember that there is more to life than what we are able to see because of our own frailties as a human being.

Lafayette is an amazing place to call home. Families like the Williams family are a large part of why that is so. Happy Birthday, Julian, thank you for being such an incredible role model for this 57-year-old cynical disc jockey. Thank you for reminding me that the best birthday presents are the ones that you share.