On August 10, the outgoing Deputy for Huntingdon, Claire IsaBelle, and her team hosted an event to honour volunteers from the riding for their outstanding contributions. The event, held at La Cuisine Privée in Hinchinbrooke, highlighted the amazing efforts of 29 people, one per municipality. It was attended by the mayors and council members of each municipality in addition to the award recipients.
IsaBelle opened the evening by thanking the dedicated volunteers. She detailed her efforts over the last four years to support and celebrate the exceptional people who give of themselves to help their communities.
The MNA and her team chose one person or organization per municipality to recognize, and it was a challenging process, she explained. “Our riding is bursting with talented, devoted, and amazing people. Obviously, we cannot honour everyone, and it was a difficult task to make the selection,” she said before the presentation of the certificates.
IsaBelle closed the evening by telling the crowd that the ceremony also served to remind people that the Huntingdon riding deserves to be recognized, and that we should be proud of our area. “It’s up to us to discover our riding; there are so many things to do, to see, to taste – and so many wonderful people to meet.”
Among those being recognized for their volunteer efforts within the Chateauguay Valley were:
Régula and Martin of La Ferme Estermann (Dundee)
James Gavin (Elgin)
Audrée Bourdeau (Franklin)
Chadi Al Helou and Baharan Baniahmadi (Godmanchester)
Lucie Dupras and Jacinthe Yelle (Havelock)
Carole Laferty (Hemmingford Township)
Jean-Denis Billette (Howick)
Sylvie Painchaud and François Deslauriers (Huntingdon)
Faye McKell-Craig (Très-Saint-Sacrement)
Barrie Memorial Hospital Women’s Auxiliary (Ormstown)
Pascal Day (Saint-Chrysostome)
Alessandro Cassa and Guylaine Beaudoin (Sainte-Barbe)
Sylvain Gascon (Saint-Anicet) (represented by Guy Champagne, president of the Optimist Club of Saint-Anicet)
Rommy Tenorio (Village of Hemmingford)
Shirley Cavanagh (Hinchinbrooke)