By Chris Rozas

LSN

ABBEVILLE -- Long before there were message boards on the Internet, Donna Perry was providing messages to Abbeville.

For 20-plus years Perry has been placing messages on the board in front of the Abbeville United Methodist Church.

Perry, a retired first-grade teacher, is in charge of finding uplifting messages. About every two weeks, depending on the weather, the message gets changed.

The messages are placed in a glass case letter by letter.

“I enjoy doing it because it is uplifting for me,” said Perry said. “If the message motivates the person who reads it, then I am happy. This is my way of giving back to the Lord.”

Over the years, Perry has a collection of sayings that she may use again. She writes each saying in a note book and if she needs an uplifting saying around Christmas, she’ll go to the note book.

For the average person who reads the saying, it may be two years before they read the same saying, she said.

Friends have also submitted her sayings that she has used.

The messages have become a fixture in Abbeville. Many steal a glimpse of the message when they stop at the red light at the corner of South State and West Vermilion Street. Or they will try and read it as they pass by the church.

Perry said people have wanted directions to the church and then say, “Oh, that is the church with the sayings.”

Do not look for Perry to retire anytime soon from providing messages to Abbeville. As long the pastor lets her, Perry will be there providing positive messages to those who enjoy reading them.

Read more: VermilionToday.com - Abbeville Meridional, Kaplan Herald, Gueydan Journal | Vermilion Parish, La.