Holiday music has filled the airwaves and thoughts are quickly turning to the holidays as the countdown to Christmas has begun. It is truly a wonderful time of the year, especially here in the Valley. From festive light displays to gift giveaways, events sponsored by community organizations, school activities, and municipal happenings, there is an abundance of joy.
Along with the bright lights and garlands, this season also inspires exceptional generosity within our community. Bands of merry volunteers have been at work throughout the region making sure the season remains magical. For example, over 70 people stood on snow-covered street corners in Huntingdon during the Guignolée des Médias du Suroît roadside collection. Countless individuals worked tirelessly for weeks to string lights at the LBA Christmas Village, and most of the region’s community groups came together to provide Haut-Saint-Laurent residents with suggestions for a stress-free holiday.
The elves here at The Gleaner will once again be on the roads this week to deliver this final edition of 2024 to mailboxes and doorsteps across the Valley. They include staff, board members, family members, and some volunteer readers who worked together last edition to cover the delivery routes that our postal workers can’t because of the ongoing strike. We received many messages of thanks, and we appreciated all of them. The Christmas season is a period of joy, and also a time to be grateful.
We have enjoyed the privilege of telling our local stories for a fifth straight year, and we are looking forward to continuing to bring our community together in 2025. On behalf of the entire Gleaner staff and volunteers, I wish you a happy, healthy, and hopeful holiday season.
Sarah Rennie