Rachel Garber

Rachel Garber

Rachel Garber writes from her home in the old hamlet of Maple Leaf, in Newport. (rawrites@gmail.com)
Foyer Saint-Paul de Bury
 Non classé

Le Foyer Saint-Paul de Bury : La fin d’une époque

Lors de la fête de Noël du Foyer Saint-Paul en 2019, Frances Goodwin (à gauche) apprécie la musique jouée au piano par Janice Graham, en compagnie de visiteurs à la maison.

En 1964, le Foyer Saint-Paul de Bury a commencé sa carrière de résidence pour personnes âgées, et en 1967 une corporation s’est formée pour l’administrer. Au fil des ans, la maison a été une icône culturelle dans la communauté de Bury, et a bénéficié d’un haut niveau de soutien bénévole. Cette ère prendra fin le 31 mars.

Cette fermeture survient cinq mois après son annonce en octobre. À l’époque, Marilyn Salter a expliqué que la fermeture était prévue bien à l’avance pour donner aux résidents et à leurs familles le temps de trouver de nouvelles résidences. Mme Salter est présidente du conseil d’administration de la St-Paul’s Corporation.

Ce processus a maintenant été mené à bien, a déclaré Hervé du Verle, membre du conseil d’administration. « Les évaluations ont été faites au besoin, et tous les résidents sont maintenant relocalisés. À partir du 31 mars, nous n’aurons plus de résidents. » Les destinations pour les sept résidents comprennent la Wales Home près de Richmond, Grace Village à Lennoxville, le Manoir de l’EAU VIVE à Cookshire, et le CHSLD à East Angus.
Frances Goodwin a déménagé au Manoir de l’EAU VIVE à Cookshire. « Je suis encore en transition », a-t-elle dit. « Je ne suis pas encore installée. »
Mayotta Taylor a déménagé à Grace Village. « Je connais pas mal de gens ici », dit-elle. « Et ma petite nièce est ici. C’est bien. Les choses se passent bien ici, et les repas sont très bons. »

En novembre, plus de 100 personnes de la communauté de Bury ont signé une pétition pour sauver la maison. Walter Dougherty, maire de Bury, a déclaré que la municipalité l’a soumise au conseil d’administration, ainsi qu’une proposition d’actions qui, selon eux, pourraient aider la situation, comme l’amélioration des salaires ou des avantages sociaux du personnel.
« Cela semblait tomber dans l’oreille d’un sourd », dit-il. « Je suppose que c’est un fait accompli. » Une rencontre espérée entre la municipalité et le conseil n’a jamais eu lieu.

En ce qui concerne la pétition, Mme Salter a dit qu’elle était heureuse de constater l’appui de la communauté, « mais nous n’avons pas la possibilité de trouver plus de personnel. C’est la principale situation. Ça ne change pas. »

M. du Verle a déclaré que l’essentiel était que « malheureusement, personne n’est venu à la recherche d’un emploi. » Il a de plus souligné que les nouveaux règlements québécois exigent que tous les employés de résidence aient une certification complète, plutôt qu’une seule personne. « C’est un énorme problème pour toutes les maisons. Cela ne fait que tuer les zones rurales, parce que les petites maisons devront fermer; elles ne peuvent pas trouver de personnel qualifié. »

Dans un communiqué de presse publié en décembre, M. du Verle écrivait sur le contexte élargi concernant la fermeture. Il a fait remarquer qu’environ 560 autres petites résidences pour personnes âgées dans les régions rurales du Québec ont fermé depuis 2014. Les nouveaux règlements provinciaux sur la santé ont forcé ces fermetures, mais la diminution de la population rurale a également joué un rôle.

Il a fait remarquer que les politiques provinciales les empêchent de recruter des travailleurs étrangers et qu’aucune aide n’a été reçue d’aucun niveau de gouvernement.

« Cela a été beaucoup de travail pour beaucoup de gens qui ont donné beaucoup de temps », disait-il. « C’est absolument pénible de fermer, mais nous n’avions pas le choix. »

La société qui régit le Foyer Saint-Paul envisage des possibilités futures, a indiqué M. du Verle. « Nous croyons que le bâtiment sera sur le marché à un moment donné. La société est en bonne forme financièrement, mais après le 31 mars, nous n’aurons plus de revenus. » Il a laissé entendre qu’une possibilité serait de devenir une fiducie et de continuer à travailler pour aider les aînés de la région. Une autre serait de dissoudre la société. « Nous discutons actuellement des possibilités », concluait-il.

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Foyer-St-Paul-de-Bury
 Non classé

St. Paul’s Rest Home: End of an Era

St. Paul’s Home resident Violet Thorneloe dances with Santa Claus, aka Robert Asselin, at a 2019 Christmas Party.

In 1964, St. Paul’s Rest Home in Bury began its career as a seniors’ residence, and in 1967 a corporation was formed to govern it. Over the years, the home has been a cultural icon in the Bury community, and has enjoyed a high level of volunteer support. That era will end March 31st.
The closure comes five months after it was announced in October. At the time, Marilyn Salter explained the closure was planned well in advance to give residents and their families time to find new homes. Salter is president of the St. Paul’s Corporation board of directors.

This process has now been successfully carried out, said Hervé du Verle, member of the board. “Assessments were made as needed, and all the residents have a placement now. As of March 31st, we will have no more residents.” Destinations for the seven residents include the Wales Home near Richmond, Grace Village in Lennoxville, Manoir de l’EAU VIVE in Cookshire, and the CHSLD in East Angus.

Frances Goodwin has moved to the Manoir de l’EAU VIVE in Cookshire. “I’m still in transition,” she said. “I’m not settled in yet.”
Mayotta Taylor has moved to Grace Village. “I know quite a few people here,” she said. “And my great niece is here. It’s good. Things are going on here, and the meals are very good.”
In November, a petition to save the home was signed by more than 100 persons in the Bury community. Walter Dougherty, Mayor of Bury, said the Municipality submitted it to the board of directors, along with a proposal for actions they thought might help the situation, such as improving staff salaries or benefits.

“It seemed to fall on deaf ears,” he said. “I guess it’s a done deal.” A hoped-for meeting between the municipality and the board never took place.
Concerning the petition, Salter said she welcomed the community’s support, “but we don’t have the option of finding more staff. That’s the basic situation. It’s not changing.”

Du Verle said the bottom line was that “unfortunately, nobody came looking for a job.” But more than that, he pointed out that new Quebec regulations require all residence employees to have full certification, rather than just one staff person. This is a huge problem for all homes. It is just killing the rural areas, because all the small homes will have to close; they can’t find people.”

In a December press release, du Verle wrote about the wider context of the closure. He noted that about 560 other small seniors’ residences in rural Quebec have closed since 2014. New provincial health regulations have forced these closures, but the diminishing rural population has also played a role.

He noted that provincial policies prevent them from recruiting foreign workers, and that no help for St. Paul’s was received from any level of government.

“It has been a lot of work for a lot of people who have given a lot of time,” he said. “It is absolutely distressing to close, but we had no choice.”
The corporation governing the St. Paul’s Rest Home is looking at future possibilities, du Verle said. “We believe the building will be on the market at some point. The corporation is in good shape financially, but after March 31st, we will have no more income.” He suggested one possibility would be become a trust and continue working to assist local seniors. Another would be to dissolve the corporation. “We are currently discussing the possibilities,” he said.

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Rachel Garber
 Non classé

FOOL’S SPRING

“We are here,” said the calendar. The arrow pointed to Fool’s Spring. That’s the season that comes just after Winter, and just before Second Winter. Then comes the Spring of Deception, the Third Winter, and Mud Season, before finally arriving at Actual Spring, and Summer.
It sounds a bit like the parade of seasons leading to the end of the Covid-19 pandemic, doesn’t it? As the vaccines approach on the horizon, we go through all the shades of our winter of discontent, leading up to a summer made glorious by herd immunity. Oh wait, might that be a glorious autumn?
I have an appointment, now, for my first vaccination, on March 26. My friend, age 90 in Sherbrooke, got her first vaccination today, and an appointment for the second one on June 30, three-and-a-half months later. (In contrast, my sister, age 80 in Virginia, got her second vaccination yesterday, a month after her first one.) So my vaccine-radar tells me I could be waiting until mid-July for my second shot. And the others in my household, still later. So my goal is a glorious autumn.
And we still don’t know what the various coronavirus mutations will do. So, like I said, as the ice slides and crashes off our roof: We are in Fool’s Spring.
We need to just keep on focusing on our gardens.
Gardening calendars, like temperate zones, vary from hill to valley. That’s why I’ve turned to an ancient system of observation, phenology. Brought to us by the Old Farmer’s Almanac, it has to do with observing nature and following nature’s timing.
So, when my apple trees bloom, I’ll plant bush beans. When my apple blossoms fall, I’ll plant pole beans and cucumbers. When lilacs are in full bloom, I’ll plant annual flowers and squashes. I’ll find my lilies-of-the-valley, and when they flower, I’ll transfer tomato plants to the garden (or maybe I’ll just leave them in our greenhouse). When maple leaves are full-sized, I’ll plant morning glories. When bearded irises bloom, I’ll transplant peppers. And when peonies blossom, I’ll transplant cantaloupe.
And then! Our glorious autumn! No guarantees, but we can hope.
SWEET SEASON
Now we can visit a sugar shanty virtually. This new initiative lets one order a gourmet box of reheatable or ready-to-cook dishes from Quebec sugar shacks, of which many are in the Eastern Townships. Info: Visit www.macabanealamaison.com in either English or French.
DEMENTIA: TIPS
Insights and tips for people with loved ones who live with dementia, offered by Carole Arbery: She is a Licensed Practical Nurse who teaches in the Health Assistance and Nursing Care program at Lennoxville Vocation and Training Center. She has worked in seniors’ care for 27 years, including many in an Alzheimer’s Unit. Arbery is interviewed on Townshippers’ Association’s channel on YouTube, in English.
JOB SEARCH
Job Links is offering a series of online workshops for job seekers, especially young job seekers. “Get ready to apply for the best summer jobs” is the topic for the March 24-25 workshop. On April 27-28, the topic is “Self-knowledge, the key to your dream job,” and on May 26-27, a “Survival guide for anxiety.” For information, visit joblinks.etsb.qc.ca or Facebook.com/Job Links Eastern Townships, or contact 819-566-2422 or joblinks@etsb.qc.ca.
ST. PAT’S FESTIVAL
A virtual Irish Heritage Festival is available from the St. Patrick’s Society of Richmond & Vicinity. On March 17 at 7 p.m. is planned an “At Home” Kitchen Party with songs, music and dance. On March 20 at 2 p.m., Rebecca Taylor will tell stories for children. That evening, at 7 p.m., Louise Chapdelaine will show how to bake Irish Soda Bread; Julie Miller will tell the story of the harp in Ireland; and Nick Fonda will tell the story of Maggie Murphy and her life growing up in Richmond in the 1800s. All the events are free. Details and links are at www.richmondstpats.org.
BUSINESS OF ARTS
Business Skills for Creative Souls: A new online conference for artists on re-imagining the arts is on March 22 and 23. It is free and in English. A combination of networking and panel discussions is designed to open new possibilities for participants. For details, visit www.yesmontreal.ca.
BURY HISTORY
Looking forward to its 20th anniversary next year, the Bury Historical and Heritage Society is taking a look back at the years since its founding in March 2002. The Society has just published a little 12-page Souvenir Yearbook 2002-2020. The bilingual booklet is chock full of details and photos of the Society’s annual accomplishments, and its movers and shakers. For information or to buy it, contact Edward Pedersen, 819-872-3400, or Bury1803@gmail.com.
CHURCHES
United. Home worship services are available for pickup Fridays after 2 p.m. at Sawyerville United Church (box on top of freezer in porch), at Trinity United Church (in plastic bag at basement door). To receive services by mail or email, or for pastoral care, contact Rev Tami Spires at 819-452-3685 or spiresta@hotmail.com. Facebook info: United Eaton Valley Pastoral Charge.
Baptist. In-person Sunday services have begun again for 25 or fewer persons with Covid-19 protocols in place (wash hands at the entrance, maintain a 2-metre distance from others, use assigned seating, wear masks, do not sing, do not shake hands, and leave via the exit door). The service in French is at 9 a.m., and in English at 11 a.m.
A mask is provided for persons needing one, and a list of all the attendees is kept, in case of infection. Persons with flu symptoms are asked not to attend services. The pastor’s message is also available on YouTube: For the link, contact Pastor Michel Houle: 819-239-8818.
Anglican. Bishop Bruce Myers continues to offer Home Prayers at 10:30 a.m. Sundays on Facebook, and at quebec.anglican.ca (Worship Videos). Info: 819-887-6802, or quebec.anglican.ca.
Do you have news to share? Call 819-300-2374 or email rawrites@gmail.com by March 22 for publication March 31, and by April 5 for April 14.

1528
Rachel Garber
 Non classé

GOOD LUCK!

My friend called me after a frustrating online session. She is 90. On February 24, it was in the news that, as of February 25, persons age 85 or older could make an appointment for a Covid-19 vaccination. But the government link did not work.
Maybe it’s because she was a day early? I began exploring. I went to quebec.ca/vaccinCOVID, the Quebec government site. The link led me to lots of information.
The English version said the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that vaccinations help prevent more than 2 million deaths, worldwide, each year. They have wiped out smallpox, globally, and polio across Canada. (That touched me, because my grandfather lived most of his life half paralysed by polio.)
As of February 24, we’ve had 284,472 cases of Covid-19 in Quebec, of which 10,345 died. To get us out of this pandemic, vaccinations are important. The site helpfully listed possible side effects of the vaccination, and reasons for getting vaccinated. It said vaccinations are free, and any call or email offering a vaccination for a fee is fraudulent.
You cannot just drop in. You must get an appointment first.
At 8 a.m., February 25, I was at quebec.ca/vaccinCOVID. I clicked on the tiny “English” box in the upper right corner. Then on the yellow rectangle reading “Make an appointment for a vaccination.” Then another to specify I wanted a Covid-19 vaccination. Important tip: As new menus open, be sure to scroll all the way to the bottom in order to move to the next page.
You’ll have to answer questions about Covid symptoms, affirm you are 85 or over. Give your postal code. And then choose which location – East Angus offered me a time slot on March 17. Coaticook, March 19.
That’s as far as I went, not yet being 85. You can also just phone 1-877-644-4545. Good luck!
FOR TEENS
Introducing the Self-Care Creative Challenge for Teens: How do you look after yourself? Do you write, paint, sing or draw? Do you attend the Alexander Galt Regional High School, Massey-Vanier High School, or Richmond Regional High School? If so, Townshippers’ Association wants to see your self-care creative tips via images, videos, sound clips or texts. Prizes are awarded to students from each school. Submission deadline: March 11. For details, visit www.townshippers.org/selfcarechallenge or email ml@townshippers.org.
STRESS BUSTERS
We’re in the midst of a series of free virtual workshops offering strategies for overcoming anxiety and stress, with Melissa Hindley, a licensed psychotherapist. The second session, on Wednesday, March 3, focuses on understanding anxiety, naming and expressing our feelings, and exploring mindfulness as a coping tool. The final session, on Wednesday, March 10, explores other tools and techniques to better manage anxiety and stressful events, including Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT). Both are at at 10 to 11:30 a.m.
The virtual series is free, in English, and open to all, and is organized by Mental Health Estrie. To register for one or both these workshops, contact Jennifer at mentalhealthestrie@gmail.com.
LENNOXVILLE READS
Now we can take part by Zoom in the annual Canada Reads preview at the Lennoxville Library from the couch, on Wednesday, March 3, at 7 to 8:30 p.m., with Stephanie Brown as MC. Kathryn Owen will defend The Midnight Bargain. Royal Orr will champion Two Trees Make a Forest. Jack Eby speaks for Jonny Appleseed; Sheila Quinn, for Hench; and Angela Leuck defends Butter Honey Pig Bread. The debate is to find the “one book to transport us.” Here’s the link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89624171684
VIRTUAL SEED FESTIVAL
Ok, so we’re doing without an in-person seed festival this spring. Instead, the Sawyerville Community Garden plans a virtual seed festival for the period of February 27 to March 8. Under “Discussion” on the Facebook page Fête des semences de Sawyerville, organizer Karine Waltz is posting a series of articles and information about local seed producers and other resources.
The Garden is also partnering with the Réseau d’Agriculture Urbaine de Québec (RAUQ) to offer a series of 30 online presentations during this week, all about various aspects of gardening. Many are recorded, and a $15 pass gives access to all of them, in French. To participate, links are available on the Sawyerville Community Garden and Fête des semences de Sawyerville Facebook pages, or you can go directly to fetedessemences.rauq.org/conferences.
TAX CLINIC SAWYERVILLE
In addition to the details provided in the February 17th column, the Sawyerville income tax clinic has a small change in the opening hours. In order to respect the 8 p.m. curfew in the Estrie region, on Wednesdays, March 17 and 24, the service is open from 6 to 7 p.m. instead of until 8 p.m. The service is also open Wednesday afternoons from 1 to 4 p.m. on March 10, 17, 24 and 31. Info: Danielle at 819-889-2614, Francine at 819-889-2574 or Suzanne at 819-889-1036.
TAX CLINICS ELSEWHERE
Persons with limited incomes can also use the services of income tax services of the Centre d’Action bénévole du Haut-Saint-François. Clinics are available during the month of March in Cookshire, East Angus, La Patrie, Scotstown and Weedon. For details, hours, and special procedures to avoid the spread of Covid-19, call 819-560-8540.
CHURCHES
Baptist. Services are cancelled until further notice because of pandemic constraints. Info: Pastor Michel Houle: 819-239-8818.
Anglican. Bishop Bruce Myers continues to offer Home Prayers at 10:30 a.m. Sundays on Facebook, and at quebec.anglican.ca (Worship Videos). Info: 819-887-6802, or quebec.anglican.ca.
United. Home worship services are available for pickup Fridays after 2 p.m. at Sawyerville United Church (box on top of freezer in porch), at Trinity United Church (in plastic bag at basement door). To receive services by mail or email, or for pastoral care, contact Rev Tami Spires at 819-452-3685 or spiresta@hotmail.com. Facebook info: United Eaton Valley Pastoral Charge.
Do you have news to share? Call 819-300-2374 or email rawrites@gmail.com by March 8 for publication March 17, and by March 22 for March 31.

1283
Rachel Garber
 Non classé

STUFF OF LIFE

Taxes are the stuff of life, but so is Zoom, these days. Here are some great opportunities, as close as your couch.
LITERARY FESTIVAL
The Knowlton Literary Association invites participants of all ages to three webinars by First Nations authors, including question periods. They are free and in English. Presentations by Phyllis Webstad and Paul Seesequasis will be recorded and can be streamed later; the presentation by Bob Joseph will not.
Phyllis Webstad’s session on Thursday, February 25, at 12:45 p.m., is entitled Orange Shirt Day. She will read her story about her own experiences as a little girl in a residential school. Webstad wrote two books, Orange Shirt Day, and Phyllis’s Orange Shirt.
The same day at 2:35 p.m., Bob Joseph will explain the Indian Act of the 1800s and why it is at the root of the issues facing Indigenous peoples today, and why they lack basic opportunities such as clean water, education, health care and more. (More about the Indian Act is at ictinc.ca/press#television.) Joseph authored 21 Things You May Not Know about the Indian Act.
On Friday, February 26, at 7 p.m., Paul Seesequais will tell about eight different Indigenous communities, from Cape Dorset to Nunavut in northern Quebec. He has authored Blanket Toss under Midnight Sun, an insightful book of texts and photographs.
Details and a link for advance registration are at: KnowltonLiteraryFestival.ca.
INCOME TAX CLINIC
Here it comes, the season of income taxes! The bilingual income tax assistance program in Sawyerville is ready to assist persons with limited income, free of charge, starting in March.
This service is part of the Community Volunteer Income Tax Program organized by the Canada Revenue Agency. Trained volunteers prepare both Canada and Quebec tax returns for persons with limited income.
ARE YOU ELIGIBLE?
You are eligible to use the Community Volunteer Income Tax Service if you are: (1) a single person with a maximum annual revenue of $25,000; (2) a couple with a maximum revenue of $30,000, plus $2,000 for each dependant; or (3) a single parent with a child with a maximum revenue of $30,000 plus $2,000 for each additional dependant.
Eligible persons’ income from interest should not exceed $1,000, and does not include income from self-employment, bankruptcy, or deceased persons.
GOT YOUR PAPERS?
Bring along any slips you’ve received from the Canada Revenue Agency and Revenu Québec in the past months, and your notices of assessment from last year’s returns.
You will need your T4 and Relevé slips from your employer, or any other forms you received regarding income or tuition. Also, if you are a renter, you will need the RL-31 form from your landlord. House owners will need their property tax number, which is on the municipal property tax bill.
Bring receipts for any payments you made for pills, dentist visits, glasses, or other health expenses. (Tip: Your pharmacy can give you a printout listing your pharmaceutical costs for the year.) These expenses may give you a tax credit.
Persons above age 70 should inquire about a refundable tax credit for expenses incurred to continue living independently. Such expenses could include purchasing, leasing or installing eligible equipment or fixtures, or staying in a functional rehabilitation transition unit.
SAWYERVILLE SERVICE
The Sawyerville income tax assistance program features the same team of volunteers as in the past – Danielle, Francine, and Suzanne. The service is sponsored by a very local community organization, Loisirs Sawyerville.
When? Wednesday afternoons from 1 to 4 p.m. on March 10, 17, 24 and 31, and Wednesday evenings from 6 to 8 p.m. on March 17 and 24.
Where? At the Catholic church in Sawyerville, Église Notre-Dame-du-Rosaire, 4 Randboro Road. Use the back door to enter the basement.
How? Do it safely! Wear a mask. Stay two metres away from others. Minimize contact: Inside the door, you will see some plastic publisac bags. Put your papers in one of the bags, and place the bag in one of the three boxes. Each box will be labeled with the name of one of the tax preparers, Danielle, Francine, or Suzanne. For your own safety, please don’t touch other people’s bags.
The tax preparers will keep the papers in the boxes for 3-4 days before touching them. Along with your papers, be sure to give your phone number; one of the tax preparers will call you if they have any questions about your forms.
Or if you need any information, call Danielle at 819-889-2614, Francine at 819-889-2574, or Suzanne at 819-889-1036.
LEGAL INFO
Townshippers’ Association is offering a free, easy and confidential Legal Information Clinic in English, in partnership with the Université de Sherbrooke. Clinic volunteers offer information and referrals, but not legal advice. Info: email LegalInfo@townshippers.org.
Also, Éducaloi is giving a free Zoom information session in English on Wednesday, February 24, at 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. For an overview of important legal tools to make life easier for your loved ones down the road, register for the session at Educaloi.qc.ca.
YES TO JOBS
Non-profit organization Yes has organized lots of free online workshops in English offering enlightenment for job seekers. For details and to register, visit YesMontreal.ca, or call 1-888-614-9788.
CHURCHES
Anglican. Bishop Bruce Myers continues to offer Home Prayers at 10:30 a.m. Sundays on Facebook, and at quebec.anglican.ca (Worship Videos). Info: 819-887-6802, or quebec.anglican.ca.
United. Home worship services are available for pickup Fridays after 2 p.m. at Sawyerville United Church (box on top of freezer in porch), at Trinity United Church (in plastic bag at basement door). To receive services by mail or email, or for pastoral care, contact Rev Tami Spires at 819-452-3685 or spiresta@hotmail.com. Facebook info: United Eaton Valley Pastoral Charge.
Baptist. Services are cancelled until further notice because of pandemic constraints. Info: Pastor Michel Houle: 819-239-8818.
Do you have news to share? Call 819-300-2374 or email rawrites@gmail.com by February 22 for publication March 3, and by March 8 for March 17.

1315
Rachel
 Non classé

SEASON OF PROMISE

In a restaurant, we family and friends were waiting around a large table, some eight of us. (Ah, those were the days…)
The conversation turned to the centrepiece, a dish of little peppers. “Are they hot?”
Various theories were advanced. Moving from theory to practice, my son deftly popped a little red one into his mouth and began to chew. The look on his face was serene. He said not a word.
“Oh, I guess they’re not hot.” Others reached out to snack on them, too.
Only thing is, I know my son. Observing him closely, I saw not a quiver in his expression, but one tear sprang from the corner of one eye and in its wake, others streamed down his cheek. Too late. In a few seconds, the others around the table began choking and gasping. Yes, the peppers were hot. Fiery, in fact.
My son smiled. I’m not sure which he enjoyed more – the pepper, or the practical joke.
What brought that memory to mind was one of a list of 22 seed producers from various corners of Quebec, sent to me by Chantal Bolduc of the Sawyerville Community Garden. (Sadly, the Seed Festival is cancelled for this year, but here’s an alternative.)
PepperSeedz.com
Pepper Seedz is the producer that kindled my memory. Its mission is “to provide the finest superhot pepper seeds available from the exclusive collection built and grown by grower Simon Lanciault.” He grows his garden – piments, not poivres – in pots on his terrasse in Varennes. His website shows 20 varieties for sale. Carolina Reaper, the hottest according to the Guinness Book of Records, is sold out, but MegaDeath is for sale, 10 seeds for $9.99.
Like Lanciault, all the Quebec producers on the list describe their seeds as free of chemicals and pesticides, although not all are certified organic. Most are small-scale and all offer heritage, hand-produced, non-GMO and open pollinated seeds.
February is the season of promise. It’s when to start your indoor seedlings. It’s when seed sellers activate their online outlets. Here are a handful of other bilingual seed-selling websites in Quebec.
TerrePromise.ca
Terre Promise grows heirloom varieties from Quebec and Canada, alongside curiosities from around the world. Its founder, Lyne Bellemare, works for Seeds of Diversity Canada, and is passionate about preserving biodiversity and rare seed varieties. Her website displayes pages of tomatoes and dozens of other plants.
Bellemare’s one-acre farm is on Bizard Island near Montreal. “The soil, a clay loam, is filled with stones a conventional farmer would shriek at,” she wrote. “We use rocks as natural barriers to direct waterflow, as heat convectors, releasing their warmth to the plants at night time, and to create habitat for snakes…. Toads and reptiles help us keep the pest and insect number in balance.”
SeedsForFood.net
The Seeds for Food website exhibits 13 varieties of tomatoes, and dozens of other vegetables, all with informative tips and personal stories. Brian Creelman seems to be downright friendly with his veggies. Look a little further on his site, and you’ll find an expert article on raising and storing onions.
In Dudswell, Creelman works a few acres of “open-pollinated, non-hybrid, GMO-free, public domain seeds – many of them rare and endangered heirloom varieties.” Creelman is also active in Seeds of Diversity, and is an articulate advocate for seed saving.
JardinsDeLaGaillarde.ca
The Jardins de la Gaillarde Organic Seeds are a three-acre organic family farm located in Sherbrooke East. “We grow and select our seeds for enthusiastic small gardeners like us who are willing to be more sustainable,” writes Melanie Chapleau. Their website is full of dozens of vegetable and herb seeds.
ZombieSeedz.ca
“Delicious seeds for your survival needs! Shop now to get your belly full! Fill er up for the zombie meal.” These seed producers in Stanbridge East have a sense of humour: They offer a 3-minute video showing a family of zombies doing weird things with seeds, and each of their 24 varieties of seeds is illustrated by zombie drawings.
FermeTournesol.qc.ca
The Tourne-Sol Co-operative Farm is situated on 17 acres in Les Cèdres, about 60 kilometres west of Montreal.Their online boutique offers a truly broad choice of seeds for vegetables, flowers, herbs, grains and cover crops.
“We are five young farmers who met while studying agriculture at the MacDonald campus of McGill university,” they write. Their “interest in good food, social justice and the environment” led them to start the Tourne-Sol farm.
CroiseeDesCultures.com
The La Croisée des Cultures/ Crossover Cultivars is located in Saint-Lazare de Bellechasse, just a touch southeast of Quebec City. Their website shows off seeds for “vegetables, grains, annuals, perennials, fruits and berries… all grown on our farm!” Their boutique is opening soon.
NorthernSeeds.ca
Northern Seeds is in the Gatineau region, just north of Ottawa. They offer over 70 varieties of vegetable and flower seeds, with stories about their origins. Most of their seeds are produced on their farm, but they also collaborate with two small-scale seed producers with similar growing practices and conditions in Maine and in Centre-du-Quebec, and sometimes others. They are on the ball: Their 2021 online boutique is already up and operating.
CHURCHES
United. Home worship services are available for pickup Fridays after 2 p.m. at Sawyerville United Church (box on top of freezer in porch), at Trinity United Church (in plastic bag at basement door). To receive services by mail or email, or for pastoral care, contact Rev Tami Spires at 819-452-3685 or spiresta@hotmail.com. Facebook info: United Eaton Valley Pastoral Charge.
Baptist. Services are cancelled until further notice because of pandemic constraints. Info: Pastor Michel Houle: 819-239-8818.
Anglican. Bishop Bruce Myers continues to offer Home Prayers at 10:30 a.m. Sundays on Facebook, and at quebec.anglican.ca (Worship Videos). Info: 819-887-6802, or quebec.anglican.ca.
Do you have news to share? Call 819-300-2374 or email rawrites@gmail.com by February 8 for publication February 17 and by February 22 for March 3.

1271
ACTU-Rachel
 Non classé

BY BOREDOM


See how the days are getting longer? How the snow cover waxes and wanes? How the clouds shift uneasily, anointing us now with rain, then with tiny pellets of snow, or again with luxurious snowflakes?
Look how the crows gather in the top branches every morning. How the flying squirrel raids the bird feeder at night. How Harriet the lonely widow hairy woodpecker visits it every day.
Notice how the sunsets shift from violent orange to subtle pink? How they stray south of Mount Orford, then back north again?
Here we are, sheltering at home, while the world travels around us. How lucky we are to have front-row seats in the great arena of nature that is the Eastern Townships.
I’m comparing this time of lock-down to another time long ago, when I was living in Somalia, beside the Indian Ocean, right on the equator. In a way, it was wonderful. But life was also monotonous.
The days were all exactly 12 hours long. The year was one long drought. The sand blew in our eyes, the sunsets were an exact replica of each other.
Worse, we had no access to the privileges we take for granted here in the Townships. At that time, Somalia had a totalitarian and repressive regime. TV was non-existent. Books were scarce. Concerts were never. Dances were forbidden.
Separated from our families and friends far away, we ex-pats were bored. Many took to drink. Others sustained themselves by creative pursuits – making music, writing, sketching, sewing, and so on.
And so I arrive at my point: Boredom can be great good fortune. It is our chance to explore the secret creator within us. Miraculously, we can reach out through Zoom to connect with other secret artists. And creative friends are available to coach us. How blessed we are! Boredom can be life changing.

WRITE HERE, WRITE NOW!
This project offers scads of free Zoom workshops in English on different kinds of writing, from now to June. Topics vary: How to begin writing stories or poems. Fantasy Fugue Forum, on writing tales of the impossible. The ins and outs of writing a novel. Memoir. Non-fiction.
A variety of mentors offer their expertise and encourage your creative ventures through the Write Here, Write Now project offered by the Bishop’s University Lifelong Learning Academy (BULLA). Info: contact jan_whwn@yahoo.com or 819-842-1940. Act fast to get the schedule; the sessions are starting NOW. No prior writing experience required.
HAIKU-A-DAY
Poet and publisher Angela Leuck warmly invites you to the Haiku-a-Day project she’s leading via email. Participants write a daily, simple three-line poem about nature: the weather, landscape, animals, birds, and so on. No need to count syllables, she says.
In a workshop a few months ago, Angela shared seven rules of writing great haiku. 1. It’s short; 2. Mention a season; 3. Use your senses; 4. Use the present tense; 5. Surprise the reader; 6. Share your feelings through images; 7. Write outdoors.
Here’s an example by Angela: listening / to the house creak / as the old year leaves
Says Angela: “You don’t need any writing experience. Just start, one day at a time.” Send your haiku by 7 p.m. each day (or as often as you can) to: Angela Leuck at acleuck@gmail.com. In return, she will send you each day’s haiku poems by all the participants.
WINTER WELLNESS, 21st
“Winter Wellness: Bouncing Back During the Winter Months” is the theme of a Zoom presentation by Mental Health Estrie and Townshippers’ Association. Date: Thursday, January 21, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. It will explore “what will allow us to warm up those winter blues and foster positive mental health.” Free. In English. To register and receive the Zoom link, email Michelle Lepitre at ml@townshippers.org.
POETRY BREAK, 25th
Michelle Lepitre is organizing a Poetry Break via Zoom on Monday, January 25, at 10 a.m. It’s an informal reading and discussion of several poems. No previous experience with poetry is needed. Free. In English. To register and receive the Zoom link, email Michelle, ml@townshippers.org.
BRIGHT BEGINNINGS, 25th
Language Development is the topic of an upcoming Zoom workshop for parents of children aged 0 to 5, daycare workers and teachers. A Speech and Language pathologist will answer questions about your child’s speech development, milestones, and the impact of bilingualism or living in a minority English-speaking population. An interactive discussion will focus on communication development and what to expect; red flags and when to seek support, and more.
Townshippers’ Association offers the workshop twice: Monday, January 25, from 1 to 3 p.m., and Tuesday, January 26, from 6 to 8 p.m. Free. In English. To receive the Zoom link: Lisa Payne, lpayne@townshippers.org.
LEGAL INFO, 26th
Educaloi lawyer Richard Goldman is offering a Zoom workshop, Tools for Planning Ahead. Topics: powers of attorney, protection mandate, wills and advance medical directives. Participants from across Quebec will receive legal information and answers to personal questions.
The workshop is planned for Tuesday, January 26, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. It is offered by Townshippers’ Association and made possible by the Educaloi Community Mobilization Project. Free. In English. To receive the Zoom link: msevers@townshippers.org.
CHURCHES
Baptist. Services are cancelled until further notice because of pandemic constraints. Info: Pastor Michel Houle: 819-239-8818.
Anglican. Bishop Bruce Myers continues to offer Home Prayers at 10:30 a.m. Sundays on Facebook, and at quebec.anglican.ca (Worship Videos). Info: 819-887-6802, or quebec.anglican.ca.
United. Home worship services are available for pickup Fridays after 2 p.m. at Sawyerville United Church (box on top of freezer in porch), at Trinity United Church (in plastic bag at basement door). To receive services by mail or email, or for pastoral care, contact Rev Tami Spires at 819-452-3685 or spiresta@hotmail.com. Facebook info: United Eaton Valley Pastoral Charge.
Do you have news to share? Call 819-300-2374 or email rawrites@gmail.com by January 25 for publication February 3 and by February 8 for February 17.

1393
Rachel Garber
 Non classé

PANDEMIC ERA

I was trying to find out how the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic ended. Instead, I discovered that it never did.

“We are living in a pandemic era that began around 1918.”
This is from a 2009 article in the New England Journal of Medicine by Anthony Fauci, M.D. and two other researchers. They characterize this era as “an elaborate dance” in which the partners – the virus progeny of the 1918 influenza and human immune responses – “remain linked and in step, even as each strives to take the lead.”

We think of 2020 as the year of the pandemic. In reality, the novel coronavirus is only one in a long succession of pandemics. It seems that humans, with our penchant for commerce of every kind, is pandemic-prone.

As of mid-December 2020, worldometers.info/coronavirus/ recorded almost 1.7 million deaths worldwide known to be caused by Covid-19.
But I’d say the pandemic era began long before 1918. The Antonine Plague of AD 165 to 180, most likely smallpox, killed 5 million. It was followed by other pandemics.

I was surprised to learn the Antonine Plague was named for Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius, surname Antonius. Marcus Aurelius authored of one of my best beloved books: Meditations, penned between AD 170 and 180. This, his private journal, was written in the midst of war and of plague. That makes his words particularly poignant.

The Antonine Plague was the beginning of the end for the Roman Empire, and was the likely cause of death for Marcus Aurelius himself. In military might, literature and art, classical scholar J.F. Gilliam wrote, “the ancient world never recovered from the blow inflicted on it by the plague which visited it in the reign of Marcus Aurelius.”

Ok, this may seem a rather dark meditation for a new year. But reflect on this: empires come and go. As do people. All of life is change. The universe is change. This is one of the main messages of the ancient Greek philosophy of Stoicism, elegantly expressed in Marcus Aurelius’s writings to himself.

Shortly before his death, he wrote, “What a tiny part of the boundless abyss of time has been allotted to each of us – and this is soon vanished in eternity.” His message: We have only the present moment to live as fully and gratefully as we are able.
“Go then in peace: the god who lets you go is at peace with you,” his Meditations end.
So go then, 2020, and come, 2021. Our pandemic era has not yet ended. Be strong. Live each day fully and gratefully. Find joy in nature. Happy New Year!

ZOOM, ZOOM, ZOOM
Have you Zoomed yet? If not, and if you’d like to give it a try, help is at hand. Michelle Lepitre is organizing three Zoom events in the coming two weeks, and she offers to help if you could use a bit of guidance on how to Zoom. Did you know you can also join a Zoom meeting by phone, if you don’t have access to a computer? Email Michelle at ml@townshippers.org or phone her at least a few days in advance of the event. Leave a message and she will call you back: 819-566-5717.
MANAGING UNCERTAINTY, 20th
“The Price We Pay for Safety – Managing Risk and Uncertainty in Life,” is a very timely video-conference to be presented by Dr. Camillo Zacchia (Clinical Psychologist), on Wednesday, January 20, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. via Zoom. It’s part of the Community Health Education Program (CHEP) through Townshippers’ Association. Free of charge. In English. To register and receive the Zoom link, email Michelle Lepitre at ml@townshippers.org.
BOUNCING BACK, 21st
“Winter Wellness: Bouncing Back During the Winter Months” is the theme of a Zoom presentation by Mental Health Estrie and Townshippers’. Date: Thursday, January 21, from 10 to 11:30 a.m., via Zoom. You are invited to “grab a cup of hot chocolate, tea or coffee” and “explore what is within our control this winter, and what will allow us to warm up those winter blues and foster positive mental health. We will discover the importance of going back to basics, of cultivating a growth-mindset, and of setting SMART goals/New Year’s Resolutions.” Free of charge. In English. To register and receive the Zoom link, email Michelle Lepitre at ml@townshippers.org.
VIRTUAL POETRY BREAK, 25th
Michelle is organizing a Poetry Break via Zoom on Monday, January 25, at 10 a.m. It’s an informal reading and discussion of several poems. No previous experience with poetry is needed. Free of charge. In English. To register and receive the Zoom link, email Michelle, ml@townshippers.org.
CHURCHES
Anglican. Bishop Bruce Myers continues to offer Home Prayers at 10:30 a.m. Sundays on Facebook, and at quebec.anglican.ca (Worship Videos). Info: 819-887-6802, or quebec.anglican.ca.
United. Home worship services are available for pickup at Sawyerville United Church (box on top of freezer in porch), at Trinity United Church (in plastic bag at basement door), by email, and by post. To receive service mailings, please call 819-889-2838 and leave your contact information on the answering machine, or email Rev Tami Spires at spiresta@hotmail.com. Pastoral care: Rev. Tami, 819-452-3685.
Baptist. In-person Sunday services continue for 25 or fewer persons with Covid-19 protocols in place (wash hands at the entrance, maintain a 2-metre distance from others, use assigned seating, wear masks, do not sing, do not shake hands, and leave via the exit door). The service in French is at 9 a.m., and in English at 11 a.m.
A mask is provided for persons needing one, and a list of all the attendees is kept, in case of infection. Persons with flu symptoms are asked not to attend services. The pastor’s message is also available on YouTube, by invitation only. For the link, contact Pastor Michel Houle: 819-239-8818.

Do you have news to share? Call 819-300-2374 or email rawrites@gmail.com by January 11 for publication January 20 and by January 25 for February 3.

1295
Rachel Garber
 Non classé

A RED CHRISTMAS

Guest writer John Mackley offers this holiday story:
Nick glanced at Mary over his favourite reindeer mug. Steam rose in wisps around his snowy white beard. The pungent scent of cinnamon gave his coffee a festive accent.


“I know that look,” he remarked, taking a sip. “What have you got up your sleeve this time?”
Mary smiled. “You think you know me so well, don’t you?” She continued buttering her toast.
“I’m not saying I know WHAT you are thinking, only that I can tell you have something particular in mind, and the sooner I know what it is, the better it will be for everyone.”
With that door open, Mary walked through. “What if we dressed up as ‘regular’ folk? Common, modern, everyday people on the street. We could go into town and play ‘Secret Santa!’”
“But, aren’t I already ‘Santa’?” Nick queried.
“Yes, of course you are, my silly Mr. Claus, but they don’t have to know that. We’ll get out your old farmer’s coveralls and a plaid shirt, old boots and a tuque and no one will recognize you.”
“What about you?” He asked, curious to learn where this was leading.


“Hardly anyone knows what Mrs. Santa Claus looks like, anyway. I can just dress like a farmer’s wife and be fine. Then all we have to do is keep our eyes open for families who are out Christmas shopping. It shouldn’t be hard to spot the ones without much to spend. They will be the ones with more kids than packages. Or what about the single mothers with their kids in tow because they can’t afford a baby sitter?”


“Okay, I’ll bite. What will we do next?”
When they arrived at the shopping mall, the pair found the place nearly deserted. The Covid-19 safety protocols had many of the shops closed and most of the people staying home.
“We’re in a RED Zone.” Nick pronounced. “This pandemic has been going on for so long, people probably can’t afford to go shopping even if they could go out.”


“With social distancing, there would be no way to get close enough to anyone to slip any candy or money into their bags like I planned! I guess we’ll have to switch to Plan B.”
Before leaving the mall, they passed by the grocery store. They filled their minivan with non-perishable food and special treats. Then they delivered it all to Moisson HSF, along with a generous cash donation. They spent the rest of the day dropping off anonymous gift baskets on random doorsteps in poorer areas.
“It may not be as much fun, not to be able to see their faces when they find their gifts, but you’re used to that. Right, Nick? It feels good anyway.”
“It feels good, at that. Thank you Mary. What a great idea.”
They were anonymous, but not unseen. Someone was spying on them, and was inspired.


That night, Lois sneaked down the street where she lived. On the door knobs of certain houses, she hung an anonymous Christmas stocking full of small gifts for the people who lived there.
Rhoda peeked out her window, watching Lois. Then she began knitting a scarf for Mental Health Estrie’s HUGS for the Homeless (mentalhealthestrie.com). Her brother David saw what she was doing, and sent a donation to Moisson HSF (www.moissonhsf.org).
Younger sister Phoebe helped him with the online donation, and saw how happy he felt. “What can I do?” she asked herself. She quickly searched online for “Continuum HSF,” clicked on “English,” and found a list of local community groups. “I know! I’ll donate to the women’s shelter.”


And so, in this Year of the Pandemic, Nick, Mary, Lois, Rhoda, David, and Phoebe each made a small, secret gesture of solidarity, and all felt profoundly grateful and connected to their community. “Sometimes,” little sister Rachel mused, “small and secret can be exceedingly sweet!”
“Merry Little Christmas to all, and a Tiny Happy New Year!”

POETRY BREAKS
A Poetry Break on December 10 focuses on “Snow Flakes” by Emily Dickinson, “Winter” by Robert Southey, “Little Tree” by E.E. Cummings, and “Mistletoe” by Walter de la Mare. It’s at 10 to 11 a.m., is free of charge and open to all – no previous experience with poetry is needed. To register and receive the Zoom link, email Michelle, ml@townshippers.org.
CHURCHES
Anglican, Baptist, and United churches have all cancelled Christmas Eve and special holiday services because of Covid-19 restrictions. The usual Sunday services are described below.
United. Home worship services continue over the holiday season, and will be available for pickup at Sawyerville United Church (box on top of freezer in porch), at Trinity United Church (bag on ramp door at the back of the church), by email, and by post. To receive service mailings, please call 819-889-2838 and leave your contact information on the answering machine, or email Rev Tami Spires at spiresta@hotmail.com. Pastoral care: Rev. Tami, 819-452-3685.
Baptist. In-person Sunday services continue for 25 or fewer persons with Covid-19 protocols in place (wash hands at the entrance, maintain 2-metre distance from others, use assigned seating, wear masks, do not sing, do not shake hands, and leave via the exit door). The service in French is at 9 a.m., and in English at 11 a.m.
A mask is provided for persons needing one, and a list of all the attendees is kept, in case of infection. Persons with flu symptoms are asked not to attend services. The pastor’s message is also available on YouTube, by invitation only. For the link, contact Pastor Michel Houle: 819-239-8818.
Anglican. Over the holiday season, Bishop Bruce Myers continues to offer Home Prayers at 10:30 a.m. Sundays on Facebook, and at quebec.anglican.ca (Worship Videos). Info: 819-887-6802, or quebec.anglican.ca.
Do you have news to share? Call 819-300-2374 or email rawrites@gmail.com by December 14 for publication January 6, and by January 11 for January 20.

1368
 Non classé

Bury Community Mobilizes: Petition against Closure of St. Paul’s Rest Home

Bury resident Judy Thorneloe signs the petition to keep St. Paul’s Home open. “My mother-in-law, Violet Thorneloe, is in the Home, so it is close to our heart,” she said.

A petition to save the St. Paul’s Rest Home received at least 90 signatures in the first four days, said Lillian Statton at the General Store in Bury, where the petition is available for signing. The petition was started by Eddie Jacklin, Bury’s fire chief, on November 13.

Asked what motivated him, Jacklin said “For me it was my mother’s getting up in her years. She still lives alone. If she has to go to a home, it would be nice if she stayed in the town, where I could visit her regularly. I’m sure others feel the same.”

Jacklin said his aim is to let the St. Paul’s board of directors know people are concerned. He welcomes anyone to sign, both current and past residents of Bury.

The St. Paul’s Rest Home has been a not-for-profit residence for seniors since 1964. It is situated in a grand house at 592 Main Street, Bury, and is seen by many as an integral part of the community.
“I saw the petition at the store. I signed it,” said Bury’s Mayor Walter Dougherty. The Rest Home “creates employment, but it’s also a cultural icon in the town.”

“My grandmother stayed there. It’s always been there. It’d be a shame to lose it. I’m glad to see that somebody has stepped up, to show everybody that, yes, there is an interest in keeping it open.”
Jacklin said he hopes others will propose ideas for solving the problem that prompted the board to plan the closure of St. Paul’s on March 31, 2021. “They stated a lack of staff. I don’t know the nuts and bolts of it, but I would be willing to work with somebody to solve the problem.”

Ideas are being discussed, said Mayor Dougherty. Before the petition even started, he and Claudia Latulippe, the municipality’s new director general, “met with a couple of the board members to see if there wasn’t something maybe we could help them with, through recruitment or whatever.”
They have a draft proposal to be presented to the St. Paul’s board in the very near future. The proposal’s focus is on “obtaining a steady enough supply of employees,” he said, especially full-time workers, in a context of a shortage of health care workers throughout Quebec. He mentioned the possibility of using the municipality’s resources in communications, or calling for assistance from the Mégantic MNA, Mr. François Jacques.
Marilyn Salter, the president of the St. Paul’s board of directors, said she welcomes the community’s support that the petition demonstrates. “But it’s a desire, not a solution,” she said. “Certainly we don’t have the option of finding more staff. That’s the basic situation. It’s not changing.”
She noted that the board of directors has not yet received the petition or any proposals, and would respond to the community in writing at the appropriate moment.

“We need concrete solutions. And if somebody could help us to find them, I’d be more than delighted,” Salter said.”
“We haven’t given up yet,” said Mayor Dougherty. “We won’t just let it go easy.”

2002
 Non classé

La communauté de Bury se mobilise : Pétition contre la fermeture du Foyer St-Paul

Une pétition pour sauver le Foyer St-Paul a reçu au moins 90 signatures au cours des quatre premiers jours, a dit Lillian Statton au magasin général de Bury, où elle peut être signée. L’initiative a été lancée le 13 novembre dernier par Eddie Jacklin, chef des pompiers de Bury.

Lorsque nous lui avons demandé ce qui le motivait, M. Jacklin a répondu : « Pour moi, c’était ma mère qui avance en âge. Elle vit toujours seule. Si elle devait aller dans une résidence, ce serait bien si elle restait en ville où je pourrais lui rendre visite régulièrement. Je suis sûr que d’autres ressentent la même chose. »

M. Jacklin a dit que son objectif était de faire savoir au conseil d’administration du Foyer que les gens se sentent préoccupés. Il invite toute personne à signer, que ce soit des résidents qui habitent Bury présentement ou qui y demeuraient auparavant.

Depuis 1964, le Foyer St-Paul est une résidence sans but lucratif pour personnes âgées. Elle est située dans une grande maison au 592, rue Main à Bury, et est considérée par beaucoup comme une partie intégrante de la communauté.

« J’ai vu la pétition au magasin. Je l’ai signée, » a dit le maire de Bury, Walter Dougherty. Le Foyer St-Paul « crée des emplois, mais c’est aussi une icône culturelle dans la ville. »

« Ma grand-mère y a demeuré. Il a toujours été là. Ce serait déplorable de le perdre. Je suis heureux de voir que quelqu’un se soit mobilisé pour montrer à tout le monde que oui, il y a un intérêt à garder le Foyer ouvert. »
M. Jacklin a précisé qu’il espérait que d’autres proposeraient des idées pour résoudre le problème qui a incité le conseil d’administration à planifier la fermeture du Foyer le 31 mars 2021. « Ils ont déclaré un manque de personnel. Je ne connais pas tous les rouages de la question, mais je serais prêt à travailler avec quelqu’un pour résoudre le problème. »
Des idées sont sur la table, a dit le maire Dougherty. Avant même que la pétition ne débute, le maire et Claudia Latulippe, la nouvelle directrice générale de la municipalité, ont rencontré quelques membres du conseil d’administration pour voir s’il n’y avait pas quelque chose qu’ils puissent faire pour les aider, le recrutement ou autre chose.

Ils ont un projet de proposition à présenter au conseil d’administration du Foyer dans un avenir rapproché. La proposition met l’accent sur « l’obtention d’une réserve suffisamment constante d’employés », a-t-il déclaré, en particulier des travailleurs à temps plein, dans un contexte de pénurie de travailleurs de la santé partout au Québec. Il a évoqué la possibilité d’utiliser les ressources en communications de la municipalité ou de faire appel au député provincial de Mégantic, M. François Jacques.
Marilyn Salter, présidente du conseil d’administration du Foyer St-Paul, a déclaré qu’elle se félicitait du soutien de la communauté dont témoigne la pétition. « Mais c’est un désir, pas une solution », a-t-elle dit. « Nous n’avons certainement pas la possibilité de trouver plus de personnel. C’est là le point fondamental. Cela ne change pas. »

Elle a noté que le conseil d’administration n’avait pas encore reçu la pétition ni aucune proposition et qu’il répondrait à la communauté par écrit au moment opportun.

« Nous avons besoin de solutions concrètes. Et si quelqu’un pouvait nous aider à les trouver, je serais plus que ravie, a mentionné Mme Salter. »
« Nous n’avons pas encore abandonné, » a déclaré le maire Dougherty. « Nous ne laisserons pas les choses aller facilement. »

1298
ACTU-Rachel
 Non classé

OUTSIDE THE LINES

Wow. This is the story of a 92-year-old author who has just published her first book, Colouring Outside The Lines: Recollections of a Lifetime. Anne Hill has lived in North Hatley for the last decade, so qualifies as being “from away” as so many of us Townshippers are. She comes to us by way of Vancouver, Shawinigan, Toronto, New Brunswick, and Saint Lambert, and via the metiers of museum animator, teacher, librarian, and artist.
Her book is full of gems: 74 simply brilliant short stories, essays, and a poem, to be exact. The book weighs in at only 169 pages, so that tells you the pieces are mostly short shorts. But each of them glows with “intelligence, wit, and a rare humility,” as noted by Heather Davis in her introduction to the book.

Davis has led a writing group that began in the North Hatley Library a decade ago, and Hill participated in it. Each week, Davis suggested a “prompt” or topic. Hill researched these suggestions in her memory and her soul, and wrote superbly crafted pieces full of honesty and humour, and with depth. Her book gifts them to us.

One of Hill’s paintings graces her book’s cover. I met Anne Hill in a sketching group, and in “Quiet” she describes how one day firemen (yes, men) burst in on the quiet group as the model posed nude. Funny, yes. But also a meditation on that which is “halfway between silence and noise.”
Colouring Outside The Lines is the second book published by Angela Leuck’s new Shoreline Press in the Townships, and it is available at Black Cat Books. I highly recommend it.

ARCHEO-SAGA
I guess you’ve heard the first humans arrived in North America via a land bridge between Siberia and Alaska. Did you know the Townships had a key role in the dispersal of our forebears on the continent, as the glaciers retreated?
That was some 14,000 years ago, and these Palaeoindians are called Clovis, after the name of the town where their fluted stone points, Clovis points, were first discovered in North America. And 13,000 years ago, Clovis descendants came into the Townships area, where Lake Megantic was one of the first locations to be freed from the glacier.
It took a lot of digging for archaeologists to excavate the traces of these earliest human Townshippers. In contrast, it takes just a few clicks to explore a fascinating virtual exhibition at the Sherbrooke Science and Nature Museum. The exhibit explores three archaeological digs in the Townships, two of them in the Haut-Saint-François. The three locations are Lake Megantic, Bromptonville, and Weedon.
You can explore these sites in either French or English with a guide of your choice, depending on whether you are a student, an archeologist or someone looking for fun. The Archeo-Saga virtual exhibition is found at http://archeo.mns2.ca/. Look for the “English” button in the upper right corner. A good activity for a crepuscular afternoon!
POETRY BREAKS
The second of three poetry breaks offered in English via Zoom by Townshippers’ Association is on Thursday, November 26 at 10 a.m. It features “The Peace of Wild Things” by Wendell Berry, “The Little Boy and the Old Man” by Shel Silverstein, “Snow” by Walter de la Mare, and “A Winter Day” by Lucy Maud Montgomery.
The last of the series, on December 10, focuses on “Snow Flakes” by Emily Dickinson, “Winter” by Robert Southey, “Little Tree” by E.E. Cummings, and “Mistletoe” by Walter de la Mare.
All three hour-long discussions are free of charge and open to all – no previous experience with poetry is needed. To register, email Michelle, ml@townshippers.org, and she will share the Zoom link with you.
CHRISTMAS MARKET
The John-Henry-Pope Cultural Centre is offering a one-day Christmas Market on November 29, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. It’s at the Victoria Hall, 125 Principale West, Cookshire.
FREE LEGAL INFO
A law student from the Université de Sherbrooke offers a free legal information service at Townshippers’ Association, one day per week during the school term. The service is in English, is easy to access, and is confidential. The student answers legal questions by phone or email. Note that the student is not allowed, by law, to offer advice or opinions, but can give information and referrals to appropriate services. Persons using the service are asked to provide their contact information and details about their question. The student researches the question, and then responds within two weeks, Tuesdays from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. INFO: 819-566-2182, or legalinfo@townshippers.org.
CHURCHES
Baptist. In-person Sunday services continue for 25 or fewer persons with Covid-19 protocols in place (wash hands at the entrance, maintain 2-metre distance from others, use assigned seating, wear masks, do not sing, do not shake hands, and leave via the exit door). The service in French is at 9 a.m., and in English at 11 a.m.
A mask is provided for persons needing one, and a list of all the attendees is kept, in case of infection. Persons with flu symptoms are asked not to attend services. The pastor’s message is also available on YouTube, by invitation only. For the link, contact Pastor Michel Houle: 819-239-8818.
Anglican. Bishop Bruce Myers continues to offer Home Prayers on Sunday mornings at 10:30 a.m. on Facebook, and at quebec.anglican.ca (see Worship Videos). Info: 819-887-6802, or quebec.anglican.ca.
United. Home worship services continue, and will be available for pickup at Sawyerville United Church (box on top of freezer in porch), at Trinity United Church (bag on ramp door at the back of the church), by email, and by post. To receive service mailings, please call 819-889-2838 and leave your contact information on the answering machine, or email Rev Tami Spires at spiresta@hotmail.com. Pastoral care: Rev. Tami, 819-452-3685.
Do you have news to share? Call 819-300-2374 or email rawrites@gmail.com by November 30 for publication December 9, or by December 14 for January 6

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Rachel Garber
 Non classé

WHITE FRAGILITY

A funny thing happened on our way to vote on a warm evening in Island Brook. As we entered the hall, someone I slightly knew greeted me with a smile. When he saw my son behind me, his smile froze.

I knew why. My son is black.
I recognized his discomfort because I’ve had many opportunities over my lifetime to see the difference between how I am treated when I am alone, white, and when I am with persons of colour, namely my son or my erstwhile husband. In cities, in rural areas, in the United States, in Canada, in other countries. In Quebec.
Now, racism is a huge topic, and it’s hard to know where to start. It is lifelong, it is life threatening, it is personal and it is systemic. (After all, it is persons who create and apply systems.) And yes, Premier Legault, it is systemic in Quebec. Perhaps not “systematic” or intentional, but certainly present in our systems of governance.

It’s easy to look across the border at flagrant hatred and violence, and to feel righteous by comparison. “But that’s an incredibly low bar,” observed Toula Drimonis on Cultmtl.com. “The cold-hard statistics reveal a different story.”

She cites the unwarranted arrests of black men, of police surveillance and violence that targets them. Indeed, a 2019 report on systemic bias in the Montreal police force found that black or indigenous persons were more than four times more likely to be stopped for a “street check” than a white person.
Drimonis also cites systemic discrimination that keeps black people from advancing into positions of authority. The flagrant lack of visible minorities in all levels of government and services. (Except, might I add, at the very lowest level, the cleaning staff, and the préposés in CHSLDs?)

“Now pay attention to the micro-aggressions black folks deal with, day in and day out; listen to their fatigue and worry and indignation.”

For white people, racism can be insidious. It’s easy not to see, until a sudden crisis. Poet Scott Woods wrote, “Yes, racism looks like hate, but hate is just one manifestation. Privilege is another. Access is another. Ignorance is another. Apathy is another. And so on.

“So while I agree with people who say no one is born racist, it remains a powerful system that we’re immediately born into. It’s like being born into air: you take it in as soon as you breathe.”
Here we come to a book entitled White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism, by sociologist Robin DiAngelo. In a recent podcast, Cape Up with Jonathan Capehart of the Washington Post, she explains why white people are so often defensive about racism: We hear that we are seen as a bad person, so we need to defend our moral character.

But how can anyone be exempt from structural racism? We all have a role in perpetuating it. The bias against dark skin imbues our societal systems, and our being nice doesn’t interrupt it. “The only thing that interrupts it is strategic intentional action,” DiAngelo said.

She recommends listening to people of colour about their experiences. Speaking up at the dinner table when Uncle Bob makes a racist remark that makes you cringe. Learning that white is not the norm for humanity.

“There’s no way I don’t have a racist or white-supremacist world view,” DiAngelo said.

We all have this conditioning.
Which brings me back to that evening in Island Brook. Some weeks later, the person whose smile had frozen came to me. He said he didn’t like to think of himself as racist, but in that instant, he’d been taken aback upon seeing my son. He had spent some time reflecting on his reaction, and realized what it meant. He admitted his bias to himself, and to me. He apologized.
I will never forget his integrity and his courage. It was a moment of healing and learning. There is hope.

ARTHRITIS IN ISOLATION
Physiotherapist Myra Siminovitch offers a video-conference, Coping with Arthritis during Social Isolation, on Wednesday, June 17, at 10 to 11:30 a.m. via Zoom. It can be accessed by phone or by computer. Info and to register: Michelle Lepitre, ml@townshippers.org or leave a message at 819-566-5717. “Need help figuring out Zoom? Let us know and we’ll try to guide you through it,” says Michelle.

This session is part of the Community Health Education Program offered by the CHSSN, who describes it like this: “One in five Canadians live with arthritis, according to the Arthritis Society. Arthritis can cause pain, decrease mobility, and diminish quality of life. Learn how to manage your symptoms better and improve your functioning during these times of social isolation.”

LOOKING AHEAD
A series of virtual workshops to help prepare for the future are also offered by the CHSSN on Fridays, 10 to 11:30 a.m., during the month of June. On the 5th, living wills and mandates were discussed. Coming up are: Choosing a seniors’ residence (June 12), Estate planning (June 19), Funeral planning (June 26). The Zoom sessions can be accessed by phone or by computer. Info and to register: Michelle Lepitre, ml@townshippers.org or Marie-Lisa, mlj@townshippers.org, or leave a message at 819-566-5717.

MUSEUM CLOSED
The Eaton Corner Museum is cancelling its activities and closing its doors this season for reasons of public health safety, due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

CHURCHES
United. Written services are offered by email, mail, at the back door of Trinity United Chruch (via ramp) or at Sawyerville United Church (on freezer), or posted on Facebook: United Eaton Valley Pastoral Charge. Pastoral care: Rev. Tami, 819-452-3685. Info: 819-889-2838 (listen to the message).

Baptist. Contact Pastor Michel Houle at 819-239-8818.
Anglican. Bishop Bruce Myers offers Home Prayers on Sunday mornings at 10:30 a.m. on Facebook, and at quebec.anglican.ca (see Worship Videos). Info: 819-887-6802, or quebec.anglican.ca.
Do you have news to share? Call 819-300-2374 or email rawrites@yahoo.com by June 12 for publication June 23 and by June 29 for July 8.

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