Nine-year-old Lila Neal and her patrol pals were the guests of honor at the June 8 meeting of the Catahoula Parish Police Jury in Harrisonburg. Lila, along with her parents, grandparents and a packed meeting room of supporters, attended as she presented twelve boxes of stuffed animals to Catahoula Parish law enforcement officers and first responders.
Lila’s Patrol Pals was founded by Lila and her parents in April with a mission to ensure children have something comforting to hold onto when they need it most. The organization accepts donations of gently used stuffed animals through mail and drop-off locations in DeQuincy, Sulphur and Lake Charles. Once cleaned and processed, the stuffed animals are distributed to law enforcement agencies and first responders across Louisiana.
Speaking during the meeting, Lila explained how the organization began.
“Lila’s Patrol Pals is about bringing comfort to little kids through police officers and first responders who encounter children in difficult situations,” Lila said. “This all started when my dad got a bag of stuffed animals from a nursery to give to kids who were in a bad situation, and I wanted to help other people do the same thing.”
While Lila has delivered stuffed animals to departments throughout Louisiana, from Beauregard and Jeff Davis parishes to Rapides and Ouachita parishes and even into Jefferson County, Texas, her visit to Catahoula Parish was especially meaningful for many in attendance.
Ward 3 Juror Nena Jo McMillin welcomed Lila and thanked her for her generous heart and giving spirit. McMillin also recognized Lila’s grandparents and great-grandparents, who are natives of Catahoula Parish.
“We’d like to welcome Lila,” McMillin said. “I’m not going to cry, but this is so special to me. You’re a brave little girl for going out of your way to take care of other children. I want to thank you for coming to our parish. Catahoula is shining right now.”
To thank Lila for her donations, the Police Jury presented her with a purple “Heart of Gold” T-shirt and an electronic picture frame so she can upload photos of the many memories she is making while delivering donations through her organization. During the meeting, Lila also received a monetary donation from the Enterprise Volunteer Fire Department to help offset expenses associated with receiving and delivering stuffed animals throughout the state.
Catahoula Parish Sheriff Toney Edwards thanked Lila for her mission to bring comfort to children and spoke about the impact a simple stuffed animal can have during difficult circumstances.
“I appreciate this journey that you’ve taken, and I think you’re going to receive tons and tons more animals,” Edwards said. “We pray for you and your journey, that you’ll continue to touch children who really need some help. Thank you, Lila.”
After presenting boxes of stuffed animals to first responders, Lila reminded those in attendance that departments in need of additional stuffed animals only need to contact the organization.
To request stuffed animals for a department or make a donation, visit the Lila’s Patrol Pals Facebook page or the organization’s website at www.lilaspatrolpals.com.
