Images of the flames that destroyed the Express 57 in Ormstown overnight on July 26 remain all too fresh in the minds of residents and fans of the restaurant. Firefighters were called to the scene shortly after 3 a.m. that night, and while they managed to douse the flames, all that remained of Claude Gervais’ beloved eatery was a charred shell. While Gervais waited on the verdict of his insurance company, a fundraising campaign spearheaded by Gabrielle Limoges was launched, sparking a generous show of support from the local population. In a matter of weeks, the community raised over $7,000 to replace the many vintage collectibles that had added so much to the restaurant’s charm. On September 24, the community rallied once again to join Limoges at les Vergers Hillspring in Franklin for a special occasion. According to Limoges, over 100 people gathered as she presented Gervais with a cheque for $7,305. Gervais had previously received a $1,000 donation from a private citizen, so a total of $8,305 has been raised through the Support Express 57 campaign. According to Limoges, a production company that had previously used the restaurant as a set will be launching new material this fall in the Haut-Saint-Laurent, and ticket sales will go towards trying to reach the goal of raising $10,000 for Gervais. (ID)
