ART SHOW

Works by Louis-Pierre Bougie, artist-printmaker, are on exhibit right now at the little art gallery at the Maison de la Culture John Henry Pope. Bougie’s long career included work and study in France, Portugal, Poland, Ireland, Finland and New York. His website quotes both William Henry Blake and François-Xavier Marange, poets of vision beyond the ordinary. Now we can have a taste of his genius. Be prepared for a large spirit filling our little gallery, like seeing «a World in a Grain of Sand» (Blake).
The John Henry Pope Cultural Centre is open Saturday and Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. It’s located at the main intersection of Cookshire, 25 Principale East, the former rectory of St. Peter’s Anglican Church. The Bougie exhibit continues until December 10.

GIGANTIC SALE

The Gigantic Garage Sale is in full swing at the Trinity United Church, 190 Principale St., Cookshire. It continues on Saturday, October 7, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and then winds up with a Bag Sale on Sunday, October 8, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., at which you can fill a big bag with items of your choice for $5.

COLOUR CAFÉ

The Colour Café in Cookshire kicks off Wednesday, October 11. This fun, informal group for English-speaking adults offers a spot of socializing, relaxing, and colouring each month this winter. No special talent is required. Colouring within the lines is optional! Participants can bring their own books and crayons, but some supplies will also be provided. A few fun crafts, will supplies and instructions, will also be offered.
The Colour Café is a free activity that is open to all. No registration is needed. Just drop in. Snacks will be provided, but participants are also welcome to bring their own beverages. This year the Café will be at the Maison de la Culture John Henry Pope (formerly the Rectory of St. Peter’s Anglican Church), located at 25 Principale E. in Cookshire. This beautiful old home, now a cultural centre and art gallery, may just inspire your colouring and get your creative juices flowing.

The Café is from 6 to 8 p.m. on the second Wednesday of each month: October 11, November 8, December 13, January 10, February 14, March 14, April 11, May 9 and June 13. It is hosted by Townshippers’ Association, La Relève du Haut-Saint-François, the Eaton Valley Community Learning Centre, and the Centre d’Action bénévole (CAB) du Haut-Saint-François. Info: Michelle Lepitre, 819-566-5717, ml@townshippers.org.

CARD PARTY

The next 500 Card Party at the Bulwer Community Center is on Thursday, October 12, at 1:30 p.m. A fee of $6 each includes lunch and the distribution of prizes. The Center is at 254 Jordan Hill Road, Bulwer. Watch the next column for details of Military Whist possibly on October 26.

HERITAGE FAIR

The Eaton Corner Museum is hosting the Eastern Townships Heritage Fair on Friday, October 13, from 1 to 4 p.m. The event brings together historical societies and museums from across the region, and will offer information about the activities and services of the various participating groups. Also a «DREAM» conference and panel discussion entitled «Anatomy of a Fundraiser» will feature Heather Darch, curator of the Missisquoi Museum. The Heritage Fair is free and open to the public, and will take place at the Museum’s Foss House, 372 Route 253/210, Eaton Corner. It is organized by the Quebec Anglophone Heritage Network (QAHN) and Townshippers’ Association. Info: Dwane Wilkin, QAHN projects director, 819-564-9595.

CPR QUICKIE

How to become a Hero, in 30 minutes flat! Certified CPR instructor, Justin Dewey will provide the “Hero in 30©” training program where participants will learn the basics (CPR without ventilation) to save a life. By performing the simple and risk-free CPR technique taught in the Hero in 30© program, you can help save the life of a loved one or a stranger and become a hero for life.
CPR stands for Cardiopulmonary resuscitation. It is an emergency procedure of compressing the chest of someone who is in cardiac arrest. The aim is manually preserve brain function until further measures are taken to restore spontaneous blood circulation and breathing.

«Hero in 30» is a Health Link program on Wednesday, October 18. Lunch begins at 11:30 a.m. and the presentation is from 1 to 2 p.m. It’s at the Armoury Community Centre, 563 Main Street, Bury. To help cover the cost of lunch, a $5 donation is asked. To reserve your space for lunch, contact Kim Fessenden: 819-872-3771, ext. 2 or fessendenk@etsb.qc.ca.
Plan ahead for the next Health Link presentation on November 22, featuring a presentation by ethnobotanist and accredited herbalist Jessica Marais. She will speak about natural ways to stay healthy over the winter.

STORIES ALIVE

Ann Rothfels and Shirley Nortcliffe, both from the Cookshire-Eaton area, are among the accomplished storytellers in Townships Tellers, who will be telling stories about transformation on a magic evening that is open to the public. The Tellers, a group of storytellers shepherded by Rothfels, meet monthly to polish their prose. The event is on Thursday, October 19, at 7 p.m. at the Uplands Cultural and Heritage Centre, 9 Speid St. in Lennoxville. Refreshments will be served and all donations received will be in support of Uplands.

CHURCHES

Baptist. In Sawyerville, the Sunday worship service is at 9 a.m. in French, and 11 a.m. in English. Sunday school is at 10 a.m. in English and French. Info: 819-239-8818.
Anglican. Sunday services are in Bury at 9:30 a.m. and in Cookshire at 11 a.m. Info: 819-887-6802.
United. On October 8, Thanksgiving Sunday, services are in Cookshire at 9:15 a.m., Sawyerville at 11 a.m., and Bishopton at 2:30 p.m., with Communion at each service led by Rev. Tami Spires. Worship on October 15 in Cookshire at 9:30 a.m., and Sawyerville at 11 a.m. Info: 819-889-2838 (listen to message).

Do you have news to share? Call 819-300-2374 or email ra.writes@gmail.com by October 9 for publication October 18 and by October 23 for November 1.

«Was it a success?» she asked. «Yes,» I replied. «The sun came back!»

On August 21st, we were in the deep south, in a hotel parking lot in little Piedmont, South Carolina. How we got there on a rrreally hot Monday was vvvery slowly, along with 3 million others crawling into South Carolina, looking for a prime view of the total solar eclipse. We arrived just a minute after the eclipse began.

It was spectacular, the totality part. I’m sure you’ve heard about it. But just to let you know: Rachel Writes of the Journal Le Haut-Saint-François was on location, tracking the moon’s progress all the way across the face of the sun. The few fluffy clouds dissipated as the shadows lengthened and the air mercifully cooled. Totality lasted only about two and a half minutes.

We were with friends who had the foresight to reserve a hotel room some six months in advance. Even then, space was hard to find. Leading up to the event, rental fees skyrocketed. The hotel maid said a friend of hers had rented out her house for $3,000 for just one night.

Are you listening up? Here is a business tip for you. While the path of totality for the 2017 eclipse went west to east across the United States, the one forecast for 2024 will describe an arc from Mexico northeast up through the mid-section of the States through Vermont, Maine, southern Quebec and New Brunswick. And, yes, the little red central line of totality touches the lower part of the Haut-Saint-François, slicing right through our little Maple Leaf, QC. According to the NASA website, eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov, we are the only place in Canada to be touched by this grace, along with New Brunswick and Newfoundland.

While a few other bits of southeastern Canada, including Montreal, are within the edge of the path of totality, we are at the centre of it. That means the eclipse will be longer and more spectacular chez nous. Ink this date into your agenda: April 8, 2024. The partial eclipse begins at 2:17 and ends at 4:30 p.m. The total phase begins at about 3:28 p.m. and ends at 3:31 p.m. It will be about a full minute longer than the one we saw in South Carolina.

Now’s the time to snap up deeply discounted eclipse eyeglasses, but be sure they’re good. If you can see anything besides the sun with them, they’re not strong enough.

And if you miss out on the 2024 eclipse in Maple Leaf, you can catch another in Iceland in 2026. See you there!

VIACTIVE EXERCISES ARISING
The bilingual Viactive exercise groups are warming up. They’re for people age 50-plus, and all four groups meet every Wednesday, are volunteer-led, and are free of charge.
In Bury, starting September 6, Doris Eryou welcomes you at 10 a.m., at the Armoury Community Centre, 563 Main St., Bury. Info: 819-238-8541.
In Cookshire, starting September 20, Serena Wintle and Lyne Maisonneuve lead the group from 10 to 11 a.m. at the Manoir de l’Eau vive, 210 Principale East. Info: 819-875-5210.
In Newport, Ruth Shipman and Christiane Côté facilitate the Viactive group at the Municipal Hall, 1452 Route 212, Island Brook, from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Info: 819-889-1340 or 819-560-8565.
And in Sawyerville, starting September 27, Denise Nault and Gérard Nault invite you to the Sawyerville Community Centre, 6 Church Street, at 10 to 11 a.m. Info: 819-889-2630.

HAM HARVEST SUPPER
St. Barnabas Church in Milby and St. George’s Church in Lennoxville invite Haut-Saint-Françiscans to a harvest supper on Saturday, September 16, at 5 p.m. There will be ham, scalloped potatoes, squash, baked beans, salads, homemade rolls and dessert. It’s to help support the little church in Milby. At: Ives Hill Community Hall, 370 Ives Hill Road, Compton. Cost: $13/adult or $6/child 12 and under.

SAWYERVILLE VILLAGE MARKET
The Village Market at the Sawyerville Community Garden is open every Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30, until the end of September, in the Community Garden at 70 Randboro Road. Info: Chantal Bolduc at chantalbolduc99@bell.net or 819-889-3196.

SAWYERVILLE HARVEST FESTIVAL
Plan ahead: In the enchanted space that is the Sawyerville Community Garden, you will find Irish music, baked goods from the outdoor bread oven, a variety of activities, workshops and local products, and a lunch made of fresh local produce. That’s the Garden’s harvest festival, and it is planned for Saturday, September 23, from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Info: chantalbolduc99@bell.net or 819-889-3196.

GIGANTIC GARAGE SALE
Plan ahead for the Gigantic Garage Sale at the Trinity United Church, 190 Principale St., Cookshire. There you will find household items, small furniture and lighting, dishes, jewellery, books, movies, movie recordings, toys, linens, and much more. Have lunch at the canteen. The sale goes Saturday, September 30, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday, October 1st, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and then on Saturday, October 7, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. It winds up with a Bag Sale on Sunday, October 8, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., at which you can fill a big bag with items of your choice for $5.

EATON CORNER MUSEUM
The museum is open during September weekends from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Appointments for special visits can be arranged by leaving a message at 819-875-5256, or info@eatoncorner.ca. The Foss House currently features documents, books and artefacts from the Home Child collection. Info: www.eatoncorner.ca.

CHURCHES
United. Sunday worship services are in Cookshire at 9:30 a.m. and in Sawyerville at 11 a.m. Info: 819-889-2838 (listen to message).
Baptist. In Sawyerville, the Sunday worship service is at 9 a.m. in French, and 11 a.m. in English. Sunday school is at 10 a.m. in English and French. Info: 819-239-8818.
Anglican. Sunday services are in Bury at 9:30 a.m. and in Cookshire at 11 a.m. Info: 819-887-6802.

Do you have news to share? Call 819-300-2374 or email ra.writes@gmail.com by September 11 for publication September 20 and by September 25 for October 4.

The rain it raineth every day
Upon the just and unjust fella
But mostly on the just because
The unjust hath the just’s umbrella.
This little poem by Baron Charles Bowen seems just right for this summer in the Haut-Saint-François, given the amount of rain we’ve had. But the meditation on the just and the unjust seems apropos to the world over, most notably at this moment to the U.S., from which this column is being written.
We’re on our way south to see the Great American Eclipse, we told the border guard at Beecher Falls. He seemed happy. Maybe it was the juxtaposition of those two words, «great» and «American». In fact, this eclipse is supposed to be at least partially visible worldwide. But the path of totality on August 21st is to cut a swath southeast across 12 states in the U.S., from Oregon to South Carolina. We’re heading to Piedmont, S.C., to the pool of one of the few hotels in view of the eclipse that still had a vacancy.
Our path to Piedmont cuts a swath north to south, from Maple Leaf, QC, through 10 states, including Virginia. So the riots and demonstrations for and against racism in Charlottesville, Virginia, really caught our attention. «If you’re not outraged, you’re now paying attention.» That’s what Heather Heyer said. She’s the anti-racist activist who was killed at that demonstration.
She was talking about the rise of racist rhetoric in the U.S. in the past year. Not just the tone but the violent actions from the far-right seem bolder than ever. The whole scenario is scary and sickening, because it brings to light the vicious divide in the States between the white supremacists and those who stand on the side of love, as if the Civil War is heating up again.
Former President Obama tweeted the words of Nelson Mandala, «No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin or his background or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love. For love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.» Those tweets have become the most-liked tweets in history, with more than 3 million likes and re-tweets.
But in the midst of all this comes a total solar eclipse. What does it mean? Jeffry Kluger of Time.com says it comes at a time of profound discontent, and could possibly elevate us briefly above those troubles. Is it «mearly a function of cosmic randomness?» he wrote. «Yes. Might you also find order and even divinity in it? Yes again. There is nothing wrong with seeing the 2017 eclipse as a gift to a riven nation – provided we resolve to be worthy of it.»
He is much kinder than many of the eclipse soothsayers. Some say its west-to-east path intersects the projected path of another total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024, going south-to-north. The intersection in New Madrid, Missouri, is on a geologic fault that supposedly will trigger a major earthquake at the time of the second eclipse, splitting the North American continent in half as the Gulf of Mexico rushes northward.
Beware, my neighbours, I jocularly say. Maple Leaf is also right in the path of that 2024 eclipse. So either prepare your solar glasses, or stock up your life raft, depending on whether you take the path of scientific randomness or cosmic significance.
Or think of it all as a metaphor for the differences that already split our world, our continent, and our peoples. And reflect on how the mind will seize on any possible diversion from dealing with the complex and widening divide between the haves and the have-nots in our world. Just a little more justice, just a little more love, seem to be needed.
THE MUSEUM
Although the Eaton Corner 1867 day has come and gone, the yesteryears encompassing 1867 live on at the Eaton Corner Museum. In September, it is open Saturdays and Sundays, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Reservations for other days may be had by phoning the Museum at 819-875-5256.
NEWPORT – IYENGAR YOGA
The Iyengar yoga class with Vanessa Salvatore start again Friday September 8th at 3h00 pm, at the community room of the Town Hall, 1452, Route 212, Newport. 8 classes 160$. Information and inscription 819-875-1767. For 50 and plus. Beginners welcome.
THE MARKET
Continuing until the end of September, the Village Market at the Sawyerville Community Garden is open every Saturday morning from 10:30 to 12:30. It features local, fresh produce without pesticides or artificial fertilisers, and specialties such as venison from the Sabot d’Or farm, sheep and goat cheeses, honey, herbs, and all kinds of vegetables. In the outdoor oven every second week is prepared hot fresh pizza, and the other weeks are baked scones or other treats. The market is in the heart of the Community Garden at 70 Randboro Road. Info: Chantal Bolduc at chantalbolduc99@bell.net or 819-889-3196.
THE CHURCHES
Baptist. In Sawyerville, the Sunday worship service is at 9 a.m. in French, and 11 a.m. in English. Sunday school is at 10 a.m. in English and French. Info: 819-239-8818.
Anglican. On August 27 the Sunday service is in Cookshire at 10:30 a.m. On September 3, a service is at 9:30 a.m. in Bury, and 11 a.m. in Cookshire. Info: 819-887-6802.
United. The Sunday service on August 27 is at 10:30 a.m. in Bishopton, followed by a potluck lunch at the home of Rev. Tami Spires in Bishopton. On September 3, a service is at 9:30 a.m. in Cookshire, and 11 a.m. in Sawyerville. Info: 819-889-2838 (listen to message).
Do you have news to share? Call 819-300-2374 or email ra.writes@gmail.com by August 28 for publication September 6, and by September 11 for September 20.

Children like colouring, and now colouring has become quite the craze for adults. Books of mandalas for colouring-in are available in health food stores. Colouring can be a very calming activity, say researchers.
Now we have a Colour Café, a group get-together where you can colour to your heart’s delight, no matter your age or skill level. It’s every second Tuesday, 6 to 8 p.m., in Cookshire. The next three sessions are on November 15 and 29, and December 6.
You are invited to bring along your own colouring books and crayons, but the organizers will also offer supplies. You can bring your own wine or other beverages, but coffee, tea and refreshments are also provided.
“It’s open to everyone – all ages, all languages, all levels of interest in colouring,” said Michelle Amy Lepitre. She works for Townshippers’ Association and is collaborating with the Eaton Valley Community Learning Centre and La Relève du Haut-Saint-François to bring us the Colour Café. “There are two aims,” she said. “One is social – it’s a reason to bring people together for conversation and a fun evening. The other is for health – we hear a lot about the stress-relieving benefits of colouring lately, so we wanted to create a space where people could get together and share this hobby.”
The Relève is a community organization that aims to improve the lives of families in the Haut-Saint-François. They offer services to young families, including daycare activities, coffee mornings for parents, and more. The Relève is hosting the Colour Café at 54 Bibeau Street, Cookshire, about a block off Principale Street. Info: Michelle, at 819-566-5717, ml@townshippers.org, or Townshippers.org/ColourCafe. Info about the Relève, visit www.la-releve.org.
MOTHER GOOSE
The Parent-Child Mother Goose program offered by the Relève du Haut-Saint-François is an hour of stories, rhymes and songs that you can enjoy with your child, and with other parents and children. It’s free for children aged 0 to 5 and their parents, every Friday from 10 to 11:15 a.m., at the Eaton Valley Community Learning Centre, 523 Stokes Street, Bury, located at the far end of the Pope Memorial School. Info: Jacky Mathieu, 819-875-5050, or la-releve-hsf@hotmail.ca. Visit http://www.la-releve.org/activite1
TT & A SALE
The Sawyerville Elementary School’s annual This That & All Sale is on Saturday, November 19, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. It’s a fundraiser for student activities. In the gym, it features tables of local crafters and artisans selling their creations. In the cafeteria will be a garage sale. “If anyone is interested in donating any items, we graciously accept!” said Jennifer McMullin, “until November 18 at 3 p.m.” Lunch and refreshments will be served throughout the day. All are welcome. Info: Jill Lowry, 819-889-2263, or email clairemysek@gmail.com.
VIACTIVE
Exercises designed for people age 50 or over, Viactive is fun, free, and easy on the knees. They’re led by volunteers who are trained by a kinesiologist from the non-profit group, Sercovie, in Sherbrooke. Here are the four bilingual groups, all on Wednesdays. Welcome to all! “You do what you feel you can do in these exercise classes,” said Diane Grenier of the Centre d’action bénévole du Haut-Saint-François (Volunteer Action Centre, CAB). “Although be warned…an active lifestyle has been known to lead to more laughter, smiles and happy feelings!”
Bury. This is the newest group, led by Doris Eryou of Bury. It’s at 10 a.m., at the Armoury Community Centre, 563 Main St. Info: 819-238-8541.
Cookshire. Serena Wintle and Lyne Maisonneuve lead this group from 10 to 11 a.m., at the Manoir de l’Eau vive, 210 Principale East. Info: 819-875-5210.
Newport. Ruth Shipman and Christiane Côté invite you to the Viactive group at the Municipal Hall, 1452 Route 212, in Island Brook. It’s at 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Info: 819-889-1340 or 819-560-8565.
Sawyerville. Denise Nault and Gérard Nault guide participants at the Sawyerville Community Centre, 6 Church Street, at 10 to 11 a.m. Info: 819-889-2630.
SENIOR AWARE
A talk by a local police officer about fraud and abuse against seniors is planned for Wednesday, November 23, from 1 to 4 p.m., at the Eaton Valley Community Learning Centre, situated at the far end of the Pope Memorial School, 523 Stokes, Bury. The Eaton Valley Community Learning Centre and Townshippers’ Association are partnering with the FADOQ (Fédération de l’Âge d’Or du Québec) to present this Senior-Aware talk. Admission is free. All are welcome. To help in planning the event, please confirm your intention to attend by calling Kim Fessenden, 819-872-3771, x 2.
For information about the Senior Aware program, visit www.fadoq.ca/aineavise/en/program. This talk is part of the Health Link series. Info about the series, or to suggest a topic: Michelle at 819-566-5717 or ml@townshippers.org.
RAMANA ACTIVITIES
A Dave Bassant Band concert is on Saturday, November 12. Le Pouvoir de l’Alignement is on November 25 to 27. Darts are Wednesday evenings, and Yoga and meditation are on Tuesdays to Fridays, starting at 9:15 a.m., open to all. Info: Jean-Sébastien Bachand, 819-889-2967.
CHURCHES
Baptist: In Sawyerville, the worship service is at 9 a.m. in French, and 11 a.m. in English. Sunday school is at 10 a.m. in English and French. Info: 819-239-8818.
United: Sunday services are at 9:30 a.m. in Cookshire, and 11 a.m. in Sawyerville. Thanksgiving Sunday, October 9: Holy Communion at both churches. Info: 819-889-2838 (listen to message).
On Thursday, December 1st, at 3 p.m., at the Waterville United Church, Student Supply Minister Tami Spires will present her research on “How the lack of 20- to 40-year-old people is experienced in rural communities of faith.” The research culminates her study at the Atlantic School of Theology for ordination in the United Church of Canada.
Anglican: On November 20 at 10 a.m. is Holy Eucharist with The Ven. Dr. Edward Simonton, followed by a potluck lunch and parish meeting. On November 27, Services of the Word are at 9:30 a.m. in Bury, and 11 a.m. in Cookshire. Sunday school is in Bury at 9:30 a.m. Info: 819-887-6802.
Do you have news to share? Call 819-300-2374 or email ra.writes@gmail.com by November 21 for publication November 30 or by December 5 for December 14.

Diane Grenier at the door to her office in Cookshire

Things are happening in a tiny office just down the hallway from the offices of the Journal du Haut-Saint-François, at 57 Craig N. in Cookshire. Good things. The new occupant of the little office is Diane Grenier, and right now she’s deep into papers and brochures and getting to know people. She’s a people person, so that makes her eyes light up with genuine enjoyment.
Diane is the new bilingual employee of the Centre d’action bénévole (Volunteer Action Centre, CAB) du Haut-Saint-François. She’s responsible for the CAB’s services in English, things like Meals on Wheels, transportation with volunteer drivers, supporting Viactive volunteers, caregiver support groups, and an income tax service for persons with limited income.
A relatively new service the CAB offers is frozen meals. You can order a minimum of eight meals at a time, choosing the kind of food you like. They’re delivered every two weeks, and you can choose whether or how much you want each time. You give your order by phone to – guess who – Diane. Each meal costs only $5. Desserts and soups are $1 each.
No one welcomes Diane more than I do, because I’m passing this job over to her. It’s been an honour and a pleasure to work with the good and creative folks at the CAB, and all of those who have been involved in the CAB’s activities over the past five years. (You know who you are!) But my plate runneth over, and I’m looking forward to having more time for some more leisurely activities, such as reading and writing, for example. Or travelling!
To reach Diane, just phone the CAB at 819-560-8540 (option 9 for English) or 819-238-8541 or email her at coordo@cabhsf.org. Ask her about the new Health Passport. Or how to volunteer. She’ll be delighted!
JIM ROBINSON
Montreal-based singer/songwriter Jim Robinson will bring his unique contemporary folk music to the Trinity United Church, 190 Principale W., for a benefit concert on October 23, at 2 p.m. Look for his guitar, listen for his harmonica. Tickets are $13 at the door. Info: Don Parsons, 819-875-3796.
MILITARY WHIST & TURKEY SUPPER
Military Whist and Turkey Supper are at the Bulwer Community Centre, 254 Jordan Hill Road, on Thursday, October 27, beginning with card playing at 1:30 p.m. followed by prize giving and supper. Cost: Whist & Supper are $15, Whist only is $3, Supper only is $12. To reserve for Military Whist and/or the supper, call Serena Wintle at 819-875-5210 or Peggy Roy (evenings) at 819-875-3571 by Sunday, October 23.
ARTISAN MARKET
An artisan market organized by jewelry-maker Sonia Zalesak is at the Bulwer Community Center, 254 Jordan Hill Road, on Saturday, October 29, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wide variety of crafts, refreshments, good cheer. Info: Sonia, 819-875-1026.
DAVE BASSANT
Twelve Saturday evening concerts with the Dave Bassant Band are coming up. Put these dates in your calendar: October 29, November 5 and 26, December 10, January 14 and 28, February 11 and 25, March 11 and 25, and April 8 and 29. At the Ramana Hotel in Sawyerville. Info: Jean-Sébastien Bachand, 819-889-2967.
VIACTIVE
Viactive groups offer “adults only” exercises, for people age 50 or over. They’re fun, they’re free, and they’re easy on the knees. They’re led by volunteers who are trained by a kinesiologist from the non-profit group, Sercovie, in Sherbrooke. Here are the three bilingual groups, all on Wednesdays. Welcome to all!
Cookshire. Serena Wintle and Lyne Maisonneuve lead this group on Wednesdays from 10 to 11 a.m., at the Manoir de l’Eau vive, 210 Principale East. Info: 819-875-5210.
Newport. Ruth Shipman and Christiane Côté invite you to the Viactive group at the Municipal Hall, 1452 Route 212, in Island Brook. It’s on Wednesdays, at 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Info: 819-889-1340 or 819-560-8565.
Sawyerville. Denise Nault and Gérard Nault guide participants at the Sawyerville Community Centre, 6 Church Street, on Wednesdays at 10 to 11 a.m. Info: 819-889-2630.
CHURCHES
Anglican: October 23, services are at 9:30 a.m. in Bury, and 11 a.m. in Cookshire (Service of the Word). October 30, local churches will be closed, and all are invited to the St. George’s Church in Lennoxville at 10:30 a.m. for a Deanery Holy Eucharist with The Rev. Canon Fred Richardson officiating. Info: 819-887-6802.
Baptist: In Sawyerville, the worship service is at 9 a.m. in French, and 11 a.m. in English. Sunday school is at 10 a.m. in English and French. Info: 819-239-8818.
United: Sunday services are at 9:30 a.m. in Cookshire, and 11 a.m. in Sawyerville. Info: 819-889-2838 (listen to message).
Messy Church: Messy Church is at the St. Paul’s Anglican Church in Bury on Tuesday, November 1st, at 5:15 pm. Story, crafts, and a meal. No fee. To make sure there’s food for everyone, please contact Tami Spires (United Church Minister) if you would like to attend: 819-884-1203 or email spiresta@hotmail.com. All are welcome.
Do you have news to share? Call 819-300-2374 or email ra.writes@gmail.com by October 24 for publication November 2, or by November 7 for November 16.

The returned bell still bears the date “1873” but lacks its clapper and support.

It was stolen in July 2015, and finally returned by the police this September.
The big 600-pound bell has had a tumultuous life. It was hung in the Sawyerville United Church by the Sawyer family well nigh a century ago, recalled Dr. Curtis Lowry last year. The family were descendants of Josiah Sawyer, the founder of Sawyerville.
When the church burned down on July 9, 2006, only the bell was intact, falling to the ground with a “forlorn ring,” as a viewer reported. It spent some years in a shed before being installed on a cement platform in front of the church. Then thieves cut through the chain fastening it, and thus it disappeared for 14 months. Apparently it spent most of that time hidden under a pile of junk in a scrapyard. The owner had purchased it for $800, said Tami Spires, the Sawyerville United Church minister.
When the police returned the bell to Ian McBurney, president of the church board, it was missing its clapper and the support that it hung from. They asked him to keep its return a secret until they had finished their investigation. So the bell spent some weeks under tarp until September 28, when “the police said we may as well just announce it to the congregation and everyone, because their plan had fallen through, so their file is basically closed,” McBurney said. “Apparently the scrap yard owner is not being charged, because once the police came to his place, he cooperated fully.”
The church trustees are discussing the repairs needed to the bell, and where it will be placed. “Our church community is just thankful that we have our bell back and are thankful to the SQ for their hard work in helping us to get it back,” said Spires.

I got an email last week from David Climenhaga, author of the AlbertaPolitics.ca blog. “I have been following the story, quite big here in Alberta, of Neal Hancock, the rig worker who appeared as ‘Bernard the Roughneck’ for a news conference in Ottawa last Wednesday,” he wrote. He had read about Neal’s leading role in the play, William Stone’s Leg, in an article I wrote in this newspaper on January 14, 2014. The photo and article are now living online at www.estrieplus.com.
“How was Mr. Hancock’s performance?” he emailed. “Neal did a fine job,” I replied. “Like all the other cast members, he was an amateur and volunteer, contributing his time and skills in support of a non-profit organization, the Eaton Corner Museum.”
Now my photo of Neal and Bethany Rothney in Sharron Rothney’s living room fills the screen on AlbertaPolitics.ca. Yup, comparing the photos of Bernard the Roughneck and Neal Hancock, you can quickly see that they are both of the one and the same Neal Bernard Hancock.
But in Alberta, Bernard was playing the role of an oil rig worker, wearing his work clothes to the National Energy Board hearings in Vancouver, and urging the government to approve the Kinder Morgan pipeline. Climenhaga’s blog says he’s been appearing in his work coveralls on the “far-right video blog founded by self-styled ‘Rebel Commandante’ Ezra Levant.” Climenhaga wrote that a Rebel interview with Hancock last February, “is still running under the now-slightly-embarrassing headline, ‘No he’s not an actor: Bernard, the outspoken roughneck has a new message for anti-pipeline protesters’.”
Now AlbertaPolitics.ca headlines “It can’t help the oil-well drillers’ campaign that ‘Bernard the Roughneck’ appeared in 2014 theatrical production.” Climenhaga goes on to describe “William Stone’s Leg, written by Eastern Townships playwright Marlene Lowry.”
His article elicited a heap of comments from readers. One was just on the edge of obscenity, playing on the word “stone.” It seems “Bernard the Roughneck” mugs and T-shirts are even being marketed. Maybe Lowry and the Eaton Corner Museum should ask for a cut?
APPLE PIES
The Sawyerville United Stewards are making apple pies for sale. They come unbaked and frozen, with cooking instructions, at $9 each. To order: Janice Hartwell, 819-889-2498, or Theda Lowry, 819-889-2734.
BULWER IN THE CARDS
A 500 Card Party is at the Bulwer Community Center on Jordan Hill Road, Thursday, October 13, at 1:30 p.m. After the card game will be prizes and a light lunch. Admission fee. Info: Serena Wintle, 819-875-5210.
ALL ABOARD!
Last call to join the Newport municipality’s annual group outing aboard The Orford Express, on Saturday, October 15, for a 3 ½-hour train ride with a meal. Cost: $85. Register now. Info: Lyne Maisonneuve, 819-889-1340; Anne-Marie Dubeau, 819-875-5227; Newport Municipality, 819-560-8565.
LAST CHANCE
The grand finale of both Denis Palmer’s art exhibition and the 2016 season at the Eaton Corner Museum is on Saturday and Sunday, October 15 and 16, from 1 to 4 p.m. Entrance is free to the Museum’s exhibition in the Congregational church, as well as the art exhibit in the Foss House. That’s at the Eaton Corner Museum, 374 Route 253, Eaton Corner.
HEALTH TALKS
This fall’s series of health information sessions on various topics, Health Link, is planned for 1 to 4 p.m. on the third Wednesday of each month, starting October 19. The Eaton Valley Community Learning Centre is presenting the series in partnership with Townshippers’ Association and the CSSS du Haut-Saint-François. They’re free of charge, in English, and all are welcome. Info: Kim Fessenden, 819-872-3771.
JIM ROBINSON
Montreal-based singer/songwriter Jim Robinson will bring his unique contemporary folk music to the Trinity United Church, 190 Principale W., for a benefit concert on October 23, at 2 p.m. Look for his guitar, listen for his harmonica. Tickets are $13 at the door. Info: Don Parsons, 819-875-3796.
RAMANA ACTIVITIES
Some 125 people attended the Ramana Hotel’s inauguration of its Salle André Crête mid-September, and now the hotel in Sawyerville is lining up a stream of activities over the coming months. Darts are every Wednesday evening. Yoga and meditation are on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, starting at 9:15 a.m., open to all. And Saturday evening concerts with the Dave Bassant Band on October 29, November 5 and 26, and nine other dates this winter. Info: Jean-Sébastien Bachand, 819-889-2967.
BULWER INVITES ARTISANS
Jewelry-maker Sonia Zalesak is organizing an artisan market at the Bulwer Community Center, 254 Jordan Hill Road, on Saturday, October 29, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wide variety of crafts, refreshments, good cheer. If you’d like to rent a table, contact Sonia quickly: 819-875-1026.
VIACTIVE
Viactive groups offer exercises, for people age 50 or over. They’re fun, free, and easy on the knees. Three bilingual groups are led by trained volunteers, all on Wednesdays. All are welcome! In Cookshire, Serena Wintle and Lyne Maisonneuve lead a group from 10 to 11 a.m., at the Manoir de l’Eau vive, 210 Principale East. Info: 819-875-5210. In Newport, Ruth Shipman and Christiane Côté invite you to the Municipal Hall, 1452 Route 212, in Island Brook, at 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Info: 819-889-1340 or 819-560-8565. In Sawyerville, Denise and Gérard Nault welcome you to the Sawyerville Community Centre, 6 Church Street, at 10 to 11 a.m. Info: 819-889-2630.
CHURCHES
Baptist: In Sawyerville, the worship service is at 9 a.m. in French, and 11 a.m. in English. Sunday school is at 10 a.m. in English and French. Info: 819-239-8818.
United: Sunday services are at 9:30 a.m. in Cookshire, and 11 a.m. in Sawyerville. On Thanksgiving Sunday, October 9, Holy Communion will be part of the worship. Info: 819-889-2838 (listen to message).
Anglican: October 9th services are at 9:30 a.m. in Bury, and 11 a.m. in Cookshire (Service of the Word). On October 16, the same places and hours, but it’s a Holy Eucharist with The Venerable Edward Simonton. Info: 819-887-6802.
Do you have news to share? Call 819-300-2374 or email ra.writes@gmail.com by October 24 for publication
November 2.