As Valentine’s Day approaches, a group of Franklinton citizens is again offering a gift of love to their community.

Each year, the Franklinton Woman’s Club hosts its annual “Love Coffee” fundraiser. This year the event will be Thursday from 9:30 a.m. until 11 a.m. at Centenary Methodist Church, located at 1015 Cleveland St. in Franklinton.

The free social event will include coffee, punch, refreshments, and live music. A love offering will be taken, and all proceeds benefit two local causes — the Help Center of Churches and the Washington Parish Activity Center.

Lana Branch, a member of the Franklinton Woman’s Club, said the event has become something that local residents look forward to each year.

“It’s a long-standing tradition,” she said. “Our club is basically a social club and not necessarily a service club, but this is the one major philanthropic thing that we do each year. It’s just something that we do to give back to the community that we love.”

Branch said that the club has been spreading word about the event through traditional media as well as online social media, and everyone is invited to attend.

“Any age, any one can come,” she said. “It’s basically a great big social gathering, but it also raises money for some very worthy causes.”