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  <div style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; TEXT-ALIGN: center">UNITED STATES</div>
  
  <div style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; TEXT-ALIGN: center">SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION</div>
  
  <div style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; TEXT-ALIGN: center">Washington, DC 20549</div>
  
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  <div style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; TEXT-ALIGN: center">FORM 8-K</div>
  
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  <div style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; TEXT-ALIGN: center">CURRENT REPORT PURSUANT TO <font style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif"><br>
  </font>SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE <font style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif"><br>
  </font> SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934</div>
  
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  <div style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; TEXT-ALIGN: center">Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)<font style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"> October 11, 2018</font></div>
  
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  <div style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; TEXT-ALIGN: center">Lakeland Financial Corporation</div>
  
  <div style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; TEXT-ALIGN: center">(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)</div>
  
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  <div style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; TEXT-ALIGN: center">Indiana</div>
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  <div style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; TEXT-ALIGN: center">000-11487</div>
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  <div style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; TEXT-ALIGN: center">35-1559596</div>
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  <div style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; TEXT-ALIGN: center">202 East Center Street</div>
  
  <div style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; TEXT-ALIGN: center">Warsaw, Indiana&#160; 46581-1387</div>
  
  <div style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; TEXT-ALIGN: center">(Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)</div>
  
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  <div style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; TEXT-ALIGN: center">(574) 267-6144</div>
  
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  <div style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; TEXT-ALIGN: center">N/A</div>
  
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  </font><font id="TRGRRTFtoHTMLTab" style="FONT-SIZE: 1px; WIDTH: 31.5pt; DISPLAY: inline-block; TEXT-INDENT: 0px">&#160;</font>Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (<font style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; FONT-STYLE: italic">see</font> General Instruction A.2 below):</div>
  
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  <div style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif">Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)</div>
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  </font><font id="TRGRRTFtoHTMLTab" style="FONT-SIZE: 1px; WIDTH: 54pt; DISPLAY: inline-block; TEXT-INDENT: 0px">&#160;</font>Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))</font></div>
  
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  <td style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; WIDTH: 72pt; VERTICAL-ALIGN: top; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; align: right">Item 5.02.</td>
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  <div style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.</div>
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  <div style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; TEXT-ALIGN: left">On October 11, 2018, Lakeland Financial Corporation issued a press release announcing that Darrianne P. Christian has been appointed to the Boards of Directors of Lakeland Financial Corporation and Lake City Bank.&#160; Ms. Christian will serve an initial term as director of Lakeland Financial Corporation that will expire at the annual meeting of the stockholders to be held in 2019, at which time it is expected that she will be nominated for a one-year term.&#160; She will serve on Lake City Bank's Corporate Risk Committee.&#160; There are no other arrangements or understandings between Ms. Christian and any other person pursuant to which Ms. Christian was selected as a director.&#160; The news release is attached as Exhibit 99.1.</div>
  
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  <div style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt; TEXT-ALIGN: left"><font style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Item 7.01.</font><font id="TRGRRTFtoHTMLTab" style="FONT-SIZE: 1px; WIDTH: 72pt; DISPLAY: inline-block; TEXT-INDENT: 0px">&#160;</font><font style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Regulation FD Disclosure.</font></div>
  
  <div style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; TEXT-ALIGN: left">On October 11, 2018, the Company and the Bank issued a press release announcing Ms. Christian's appointment.&#160; A copy of the press release is furnished herewith as Exhibit 99.1.</div>
  
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  <div style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif">Press Release issued by Lakeland Financial Corporation and Lake City Bank on October 11, 2018.</div>
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  <div style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; TEXT-ALIGN: justify; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt">Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.</div>
  
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  <div style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif">By:&#160; <font style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif"><u>/s/Lisa M. O'Neill</u></font></div>
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  <div style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN-LEFT: 238.5pt">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; Lisa M. O'Neill</div>
  
  <div style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN-LEFT: 238.5pt">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer</div>
  
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  <div style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; TEXT-ALIGN: justify">Description</div>
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  <div style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; TEXT-ALIGN: justify">Press Release issued by Lakeland Financial Corporation and Lake City Bank on October 11, 2018.</div>
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text: UNITED STATES
  SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
  Washington, DC 20549
  FORM 8-K
  CURRENT REPORT PURSUANT TO
  SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
  SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
  Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)
  October 11, 2018
  Lakeland Financial Corporation
  (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
  Indiana
  000-11487
  35-1559596
  (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)
  (Commission File Number)
  (IRS Employer Identification No.)
  202 East Center Street
  Warsaw, Indiana  46581-1387
  (Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)
  (574) 267-6144
  (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)
  N/A
  (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
  Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (
  see
  General Instruction A.2 below):
  Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
  Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
  Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange
  Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
  Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange
  Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
  Item 5.02.
  Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.
  On October 11, 2018, Lakeland Financial Corporation issued a press release announcing that Darrianne P. Christian has been appointed to the Boards of Directors of Lakeland Financial Corporation and Lake City Bank.  Ms. Christian will serve an initial term as director of Lakeland Financial Corporation that will expire at the annual meeting of the stockholders to be held in 2019, at which time it is expected that she will be nominated for a one-year term.  She will serve on Lake City Bank's Corporate Risk Committee.  There are no other arrangements or understandings between Ms. Christian and any other person pursuant to which Ms. Christian was selected as a director.  The news release is attached as Exhibit 99.1.
  Item 7.01.
  Regulation FD Disclosure.
  On October 11, 2018, the Company and the Bank issued a press release announcing Ms. Christian's appointment.  A copy of the press release is furnished herewith as Exhibit 99.1.
  Item 9.01.
  Financial Statements and Exhibits.
  (d)
  Exhibits
  .
  99.1
  Press Release issued by Lakeland Financial Corporation and Lake City Bank on October 11, 2018.
  SIGNATURES
  Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
  LAKELAND FINANCIAL CORPORATION
  Dated:  October 11, 2018
  By:
  /s/Lisa M. O'Neill
  Lisa M. O'Neill
  Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
  EXHIBIT INDEX
  Exhibit No.
  Description
  99.1
  Press Release issued by Lakeland Financial Corporation and Lake City Bank on October 11, 2018.