What does childhood in the Townships have in common with wildlife? Quite a bit, I’m beginning to think.
I’m considering this question as I do two things simultaneously for the Townships Sun: launching the September issue into the public — theme: childhood—and recruiting articles, art and photos for the October/November issue—theme: wildlife.
Childhood and wildlife are both evocative and endangered. “Remember when…?” and our eyes get that faraway look as we recall bygone days. Shanna Bernier writes about “space to wander” in relative safety as a child in the Townships. Elizabeth Paulette-Coughlin writes about the poetry of “the language of birds,” and the owl as her “familiar.” The Freedom, the spiritual, the loving aspects of the untamed within us and in nature.
Then there’s the dark side of wildness, in the human condition as well as in nature. War. Rage. Neglect. Megan Foster, age 12, writes a chilling short story, “Lockdown.” Rachel Lambie, curator of the Lac-Brome Museum, writes about the British Home Children brought to the Eastern Townships, a story that is equal parts tragedy and hope. (Learn more at the Eaton Corner Museum.)
Heating up and overloaded by pollution and exploitation, nature convulses. Wildfires, hurricanes, and other extreme events surround us. In this melee, what of wildlife? As their—and our—habitat is destroyed, so are they. “Half of earth’s species could go extinct by 2050,” reads one headline. Whether it’s bees, three-toed salamanders, or cougars, study after study point a finger at human greed and climate change as the root cause of their demise.
Yet, as Wendell Berry writes, “I come into the peace of wild things.”
Nature. Our survival depends on it. There is hope. Look at the conservation movement in the Townships and beyond. Look at our collective, albeit slow, shift away from fossil fuels.
These are difficult times. How to recognize both the tragedy and the hope in childhood and wildlife? The editor of the Townships Sun magazine is losing sleep over this!
NATURE TRILOGY
Or more poetically, Trilogia Natura. It’s an exhibition bringing together the work of three established artists who share an affinity with the natural world. First is Louise Marois from Sherbrooke, an artist, graphic designer, and poet. The exhibit invitation shows a delicate rendering of a ragged mushroom, in graphite on paper. Preview her work on her website, studiotbone.com.
Next is Denis Palmer of Randboro, well known for his luminous watercolour paintings, now working more darkly in printmaking; the invitation shows a wood-cut of a forest scene on black paper.
Rounding out the trilogy is sculptor George Foster of Way’s Mills, famous for his giant bronze bugs and insects, rendered with relentless intricacy.
These very different ways of seeing and honouring our shared natural world are fascinating in their unique, evocative gazes. The exhibition is at the Cookshire-Eaton Art Gallery, 125 Prinicipale St., Cookshire, until October 9. Opening hours are from noon to 4 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday, or by appointment by contacting galeriecookshireeaton@gmail.com.
TOWNSHIPPERS’ FESTIVAL, Sept. 9
Townshippers’ Festival is planned for the Stone Circle in Stanstead on Saturday, September 9, from noon to 11 p.m., hosted by PACE, Phelps Helps, and the Haskell Library. A supper of poutine, fries and sausages is slated for 4:30 p.m., with beer from the Coaticook Microbrasserie. Music in the afternoon is by Mike Goudreau, and in the evening by The Midnight Groove. Fireworks are at 8:30 p.m. Kiosks of artisans, community groups and more will be there, too.
Townshippers’ Association is partnering with Stanstead’s Septemberfest, put on by the Stanstead Recreational Association. For information, contact Paige Frost, Townshippers’ Association’s Festival and Outreach Coordinator at 819-566-5717 or ta@townshippers.org.
CHURCH TOUR, Sept. 10
A “Portes ouvertes” tour of churches throughout the Haut-Saint-François has been organized by the Conseil du patrimoine religieux du Québec for Sunday, September 10. Participating in the Religious Heritage tour is the Trinity United Church in Cookshire. It will be open from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. for Guided Tours and Discovering the Voices of the Past of Cookshire-Eaton.
Also participating is the Canterbury Center at 1095 Route 214, Canterbury, hosting an Open House from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Formerly the Christ Church Canterbury, the Centre has mounted an exhibit of historical objects from the church. At noon, the Canterbury Committee of the Bury Historical and Heritage Society will install a commemorative plaque for Irwin and Muriel Hammond Watson, and will unveil the Honour Roll of 1916, listing veterans from St. Alban’s Church in Scotstown and Christ Church Canterbury. The document has been in the Christ Church since 1916, and was recently restored by John Mackley. At 1 p.m., lunch will be served.
BROOKBURY, Sept. 23
A community garage sale is planned for Brookbury Hall on September 23, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. To reserve a large table (fee $10) and sell your wares, contact Brenda Bailey, 819-884-5984.
HOME CHILDREN
The Brampton family’s photos and artefacts documenting stories of British Home Children are on exhibit at the Eaton Corner Museum until the end of September. Opening hours for this exhibit in the Academy building, as well as the main exhibit, are on Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Eaton Corner Museum is located at 374 Route 253, Cookshire-Eaton. Admission charged. Info: eatoncorner59@gmail.com, or call Sharon at 819-837-2643.
CHURCHES
United. Sunday services are at 9:30 a.m. at the Trinity United Church (Cookshire), and 11 a.m. at the Sawyerville United Church. Info: 819-889-2838. For pastoral care, call Rev. Spires at 819-452-3685.
Baptist. Sunday services are in French at 9 a.m. and in English at 11 a.m. All services are at the Sawyerville Baptist Church, 33 rue de Cookshire. For information, please contact Pastor Michel Houle at 819-889-2819.
Anglican. On September 3, the service is at 10 a.m. at St. Peter’s Anglican Church, 45 Principale West, Cookshire. For information about the September 10th service, visit deaneryofstfrancis.com and click on the “Calendar” link. Info: 819-887-6802, or quebec.anglican.ca.
Do you have news to share? Call 819-640-1340 or email rawrites@gmail.com by September 4 for September 13.

Just launched is an enchanting story and picture book by Ann Rothfels, entitled Many Lifetimes. Richly illustrated with Rothfels’ own watercolours, it offers an imaginative approach to the age-old question, “Who am I?” by asking in turn, “Who could I be?”
“The story is about a magical seed that becomes one flower after another, experimenting with different life forms,” she said. Using flower imagery, the story of life unfolding promises to enchant both children and adults.
“I’m seeing it as a good story for parents to read to young children,” said Rothfels. “It’s for all ages, really. I’m thinking of The Little Prince. It’s a similar kind of story. It can be read on one level as a child, and as an adult, it’s a much richer story.”
Many of us know Ann Rothfels as the librarian of the little Sawyerville Library and a retired kindergarten teacher. She has raised a family, and in her Eaton Corner home, enjoys fabric creations and watercolour meditations. This is her first book.
Many Lifetimes is a hard-covered book, 8.5 by 11 inches, with 23 pages. It is published by Shoreline Press, headquartered in Coaticook. To buy the book at $20, contact 819-875-5428.
DISASTERS
Remember that ancient curse, “May you live in interesting times”? We do live in interesting times, we always do, because they are ours. The human race has disasters galore!
I wonder, which Townships disaster would you nominate as the most interesting? The July-August Townships Sun explores the question. Top of mind is the Lac Mégantic train explosion 10 years ago. The cover shows a striking photo by Corey Bellam; inside is an insightful story by Marie Moliner.
What about the “paradigm shifting” St. Francis River flood of 1982? Nick Fonda looks at it. More recently, many of us will recall the 1998 Ice Storm of the Century. The Townships Sun offers two memoirs of that experience.
Not to mention the Great Fire in Lennoxville in 1874. Scott Verity Stevenson looks further back to the “Year Without a Summer” in 1816, its surprising cause, and its lasting effects. Yours truly looks way, way back at the massive earthquake of 1663, and the bizarre evidence it left in the depths of Lake Memphremagog, described in the Townships Sun in 1988.
The July-August issue is on the magazine racks in both the Cookshire IGA and the Lachance Dépanneur in Sawyerville. Better yet, you can subscribe at townshipssun.ca, or by calling 819-566-7424.
COOKSHIRE ART
On now at the Cookshire-Eaton Art Gallery is an exhibit that brings together three 20th century artists who worked together in an engraving studio: Master printmaker François-Xavier Marange (1948-2012) from Paris; Louis-Pierre Bougie, an accomplished engraver from Quebec, and Martin Müller-Reinhart, from Switzerland. The exhibit continues until August 20, and the gallery is open Wednesdays to Sundays, from noon to 5 p.m., at 125 Principale W., Cookshire.
CLOUTIER POND, Aug. 4+
Sérénité Sonore offers a new approach to enjoying the stars in our Dark Sky Reserve. Beside the Cloutier Pond at 675 Grenier Road in Cookshire-Eaton, lie back in a hammock-chair under the night sky, while enjoying a concert of harp music. Organized by the Espace culturel Cookshire-Eaton, a series of eight concerts are open for small groups of up to 15 persons. The dates to choose from are August 4, 11, 12, and 18; and September 1st, from 9 to 10 p.m. By reservation only. Email: galeriecookshireeaton@gmail.com. Website: galeriedartcookshireeaton.com.
CANTERBURY, Aug. 5
The Canterbury Centre hosts a Community Potluck Supper on Saturday, August 5, from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. What’s on the menu? Corn on the cob, salads, meats, seafood, and homemade delicacies and desserts. Music! Door prizes! All are welcome; please RSVP to Candace Coleman at 819-657-4661. The Canterbury Centre is located at 1095 Route 214, Canterbury.
COOKSHIRE FAIR, Aug. 17+
The website of the Cookshire Fair from August 17 to 20 is now chock full of up-to-date information. It’s at expocookshire.com.
COOKSHIRE PARK, Aug. 27
An outdoor concert by the SaxoLogie Ensemble, a quartet of saxaphones: soprano (Louis-Philippe Bonin), alto (Stéphane Jackson), tenor (Clio Theodoridis), and baritone (Jean-Philippe Godard): Their repertoire of chamber music ranges from baroque to modern, including works by Glass, Piazzola, and Browning. It’s in the Parc des Braves, 85 avenue du Parc, in the heart of Cookshire on Sunday, August 27, at 5 p.m. Free of charge, open to all.
EATON CORNER MUSEUM
At the Eaton Corner Museum, 374 Route 253, Cookshire-Eaton, the August opening hours are Thursday to Sunday, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission charged. Info: eatoncorner59@gmail.com, or call Sharon at 819-837-2643.
MURMURING IMAGES
Outdoor images projected onto the walls of Victoria Hall and other buildings take you back to the beginnings of the Eaton Township. Beginning at nightfall, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. Murmures du Canton, at the Parc des Braves, 85 Principale West, Cookshire.
BROOKBURY, Sept. 23
At Brookbury Hall is planned a community garage sale on September 23, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. To reserve a large table (fee $10) and sell your wares, contact Brenda Bailey, 819-884-5984.
CHURCHES
Anglican. All services in August are at 10 a.m., in varying locations. On August 6, the service is at St. Peter’s Anglican Church, 45 Principale West, Cookshire. On August 13, the service is at St. John’s Anglican Church, 436 Batley Road, Brookbury. For details, visit deaneryofstfrancis.com and click on the “Calendar” link. Info: 819-887-6802, or quebec.anglican.ca.
United. All services in August are at 10:30 a.m., in varying locations. On August 6 will be a service at Trinity United Church in Cookshire. On August 13 the service is to be at the Sawyerville United Church. Info: 819-889-2838. For pastoral care, call Rev. Spires at 819-452-3685.
Baptist. In-person Sunday services are in French at 9 a.m. and in English at 11 a.m. All services are at the Sawyerville Baptist Church, 33 rue de Cookshire. For information, please contact Pastor Michel Houle at 819-889-2819.
Do you have news to share? Call 819-640-1340 or email rawrites@gmail.com by August 7 for August 16.

So many places to step out and about, now that the snow has abated.
June 23+ EATON CORNER MUSEUM
The season begins at the Eaton Corner Museum, 374 Route 253, Cookshire-Eaton. The doors are open weekends, June 23-25 and July 1-2, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Then, beginning July 6, the opening hours are Thursday to Sunday, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., until the end of August. Admission charged. Info: email eatoncorner59@gmail.com, or call Sharon at 819-837-2643 until the Museum’s phone problems are resolved.
June 23: CONCERT CANTERBURY
Traditional Quebec music, complete with guitar, mandolin, accordion, violin, bass, and voice: A concert by Paula Chiasson, Normand Breton, and Christian Nolet, celebrating Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day at the Canterbury Center, 1095 Victoria Road (Route 214). This is part of the Center’s fundraising campaign to restore its small windows. The concert is on Friday, June 23, at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15. To get yours, call Ed Pedersen at 819-872-3400.
June 30+ CANADA DAY
Friday evening and all day Saturday, June 30 and July 1st, in Bury. See details in English in an article in this Journal.
End of June+ MURMURS
Time travel back to the beginnings of the Eaton Townships through outdoor images projected onto the walls of Victoria Hall and other buildings. All summer, beginning at nightfall, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. Murmures du Canton, at the Parc des Braves, 85 Principale West, Cookshire.
July 2+ CONCERTS COOKSHIRE
Outdoors in the Parc des Braves at 85 avenue du Parc in the heart of Cookshire on Sundays at 5 p.m. are three concerts free of charge, open to all.
July 2: A duet by flutists Marilène Provencher-Leduc and Alexis Dubois will offer a repertoire that roams from baroque to contemporary music.
July 23: Now the musicians are five: The DeVito Brass Quintet (Robin Doyon and Frédéric Gagnon on trumpets, Gabriel Gauthier-Beaudoin on horn, Martin Ringuette on trombone, and Jean-Philippe Dutil on tuba). Expect an eclectic and entertaining journey from baroque to jazz, including film music.
August 27: The SaxoLogie Ensemble is a quartet of saxaphones: soprano (Louis-Philippe Bonin), alto (Stéphane Jackson), tenor (Clio Theodoridis), and baritone (Jean-Philippe Godard). Their repertoire of chamber music promises to amaze, from baroque to modern, including works by Glass, Piazzola, and Browning.
July 7+ HARP & HAMMOCKS
Sérénité Sonore offers a new approach to enjoying the stars in our beloved Dark Sky Reserve. Beside the Cloutier Pond, lie back in a hammock-chair under the night sky, while enjoying a concert of harp music. Breathe.
This relaxing experience is offered by Sérénité Sonore’s founder, Annabelle Renzo, and organized by the Espace culturel Cookshire-Eaton. A series of eight concerts are open for small groups of up to 15 persons. On Friday evenings and the week of the Persiades, the dates to choose from are July 7, 14, and 28; August 4, 11, 12, and 18; and September 1st, from 9 to 10 p.m. (“Doors” open at 8:30 p.m.). The location is the Cloutier Pond, 675 Grenier Road, Cookshire-Eaton. The fee is $60 plus taxes, or $73.22. Per concert. Accessible for persons with limited mobility. By reservation only. Email: galeriecookshireeaton@gmail.com. Website: galeriedartcookshireeaton.com. At this writing, 11 hammocks are still available.
July 11&25 CARD PARTIES
At Brookbury Hall: Card parties on Tuesdays, July 11 and 25, at 1:30 p.m. For a seat at the card and lunch tables, the fee is $8/person. The Hall’s new address is 571 Brookbury Road (aka Route 255). Info: Brenda Bailey, 819-884-5984.
July 29&30; SEPT.23 SALES
A Flea Market/Marché aux puces and Farmers’ Market are planned for the Canterbury Center on Saturday and Sunday, July 29 and 30. The organizers seek donations of small items and antiques. To arrange to drop off donations, or to have them picked up if your mobility is reduced, call 819-872-3400. The Canterbury Center is located at 1095 Route 214, Canterbury.
At Brookbury Hall is planned a community garage sale on September 23, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. To reserve a large table (fee $10) and sell your wares, contact Brenda Bailey, 819-884-5984.
Aug. 5 POTLUCK
The Canterbury Center hosts a Community Potluck Supper on Saturday, August 5, starting at 4:30 p.m. Ed Pederson says, “Everyone is welcome. Candy Coleman is organizing the menu, so she will call you if you participated in 2019. If you are new to Canterbury Cuisine, you can call her at 819-657-4661.” The Canterbury Center is located at 1095 Route 214, Canterbury.
Now: FANTASTICAL
Just two more weeks to catch Paul Grégoire’s three fantastical exhibits: Gordian Knots, Cauchemar d’enfant, and La Chrysalide. All three are at the Galerie d’Art Cookshire-Eaton at 125 Principale West, Cookshire, until July 2.
Until June 25, the Gallery is open on Saturday and Sunday, noon to 4 p.m., and from June 26 to July 2, on Wednesday to Sunday, from noon to 5 p.m.
Now: PARSONS BOOK
New! Stay at home and explore the little historical village of Canterbury on Victoria Road (um, Route 214). Author Gordon Parsons has memorialized it in a large book in full colour, The Community of Canterbury, Quebec. Info: gordparsons@hotmail.com.
CHURCHES
Baptist. In-person Sunday services are in French at 9 a.m. and in English at 11 a.m. All services are at the Sawyerville Baptist Church, 33 rue de Cookshire. For information, please contact Pastor Michel Houle at 819-889-2819.
Anglican. Sunday services are on June 25 at 10 a.m., at St. John’s Anglican Church, 436 Batley Road, Brookbury, and on July 2, at 10 a.m. at the St. Peter’s Anglican Church, 45 Principale West, Cookshire. For details, visit deaneryofstfrancis.com and click on the “Calendar” link. Info: 819-887-6802, or quebec.anglican.ca.
United. On June 25 will be one service, at Trinity United Church in Cookshire, at 10:30 a.m. On July 2nd, at 10:30 a.m., the service is at the Sawyerville United Church. Info: 819-889-2838. For pastoral care, call Rev. Spires at 819-452-3685.
Do you have news to share? Call 819-640-1340 or email rawrites@gmail.com by June 26 for publication July 5, or by July 10 for August 2.

The Cookshire Fair is putting on its big Beef and Pork Mechoui this Saturday, May 27, at 5 to 7 p.m. It’s a fundraiser for the benefit of (ta-da!) the Cookshire Fair, coming this August. We’re all invited.
The Mechoui is at the McAulay Centre, the big hall on the Fairgrounds where dances are held. Newcomers are welcome, and for you, the address is 580 Route 108, between Birchton and Cookshire. It is organized by the SACC/CCAS, and for all of us, that means the Société Agricole du Compté de Compton/ Compton County Agricultural Society.
“That’s why we use the acronym,” quipped Myrna MacDonald, a hardworking part of the SACC/CCAS. (Is that pronounced the “saccas”?)
But listen up. Reserve or buy your Mechoui tickets in advance (right now): Adults, $25. Children 6 to 12, $10. Children younger than 6, Free. To get yours, call 819-875-3771 and leave your name and phone number, and how many people you will bring with you. You can also buy yours from saccas committee members or at Clarke and Sons.
PAUL GRÉGOIRE
Before the Mechoui, stop by the Galerie d’Art Cookshire-Eaton at 125 Principale West, Cookshire. Ok, this is weird, in an intriguing way. Imagination unleashed. A boa constrictor putting the squeeze on a leopard. No wait, the leopard has a raccoon tail. Paul Grégoire is the artist, a multidisciplinary artist. He does performance art, sculpture, drawing, music, and more. On his website, paulgregoire.com, you’ll see a fascinating deployment of animal bones in the form of a mask. For example, jawbones mimicking antlers.
These and other spirited images play roles in three – yes, three at once! – exhibitions, all by Grégoire, at the Cookshire-Eaton Art Gallery.
First is Gordian Knots. You’ve heard of those complex or unsolvable problems, like the world we inhabit? For the story of Alexander the Great’s encounter with the very first Gordian knot, visit history.com/news/what-was-the-gordian-knot. To explore Grégoire’s versions, visit his exhibition.
The second exhibit is La Chrysalide. You know, the chrysalis that protects a caterpillar as it morphs into a butterfly. Immense canvases. Photos documenting all the steps of a sculptural creation.
And third, Cauchemar d’enfant, as in a child’s nightmare.
Grégoire has been called a nomadic artist. His is a travelling exhibition “between Montreal and the Magdalen Islands.” How lucky we are to lie between those points. His exhibits will occupy the entire space, upstairs and downstairs, at the Cookshire-Eaton Gallery, and improvises a space specially named for the occasion, the “Hangar Gallery.”
The vernissage is on Saturday, May 27, from noon to 4 p.m., and the exhibitions continue into the summer. The Gallery is open May 27 to June 25 on Saturday and Sunday, noon to 4 p.m., and from June 26 to July 2, from noon to 5 p.m.
FIRST CONCERT
Belly full of beef? Right after the Mechoui, go on over to the Trinity United Church for Cookshire-Eaton Cultural Space’s first concert of the season. It’s Saturday, May 27, at 7:30 p.m., and it features two musicians, violinist Uliana Drugova and pianist Michel-Alexandre Broekaert. The concert explores the world of French composer Lili Boulanger, the first woman to win the Grand Prix de Rome. Her promising career was cut short when she died of tuberculosis in 1918, at age 24.
The musical pieces will alternate with commentary about the links between Boulanger and composers such as Debussy and other composers of her day, letting the audience “reimagine a French salon of the 20th century,” said the concert description. The concert is at the Trinity United Church, 190 Principale West, Cookshire. Admission is by voluntary contribution. Info: galeriecookshireeaton@gmail.com.
CONCERTS GALORE
And there’s more to come. Plan your summer around them, three concerts free of charge, open to all, outdoors in the Parc des Braves at 85 avenue du Parc in the heart of Cookshire on Sundays at 5 p.m.
July 2: A duet by flutists Marilène Provencher-Leduc and Alexis Dubois will offer a repertoire that roams from baroque to contemporary music.
July 23: Now the musicians are five: The DeVito Brass Quintet (Robin Doyon and Frédéric Gagnon on trumpets, Gabriel Gauthier-Beaudoin on horn, Martin Ringuette on trombone, and Jean-Philippe Dutil on tuba). Expect an eclectic and entertaining journey from baroque to jazz, including film music.
August 27: Swimming in saxaphones (Wait a minute! Is this somehow related to “saccas”? See above.): The SaxoLogie Ensemble is a quartet of saxaphones, soprano (Louis-Philippe Bonin), alto (Stéphane Jackson), tenor (Clio Theodoridis), and baritone (Jean-Philippe Godard). Their repertoire of chamber music promises to amaze, from baroque to modern, including works by Glass, Piazzola, and Browning.
CANTERBURY POTLUCK
The Canterbury Center hosts a Community Potluck Supper on Saturday, August 5, starting at 4:30 p.m. Ed Pederson says, “Everyone is welcome. Candy Coleman is organizing the menu, so she will call you if you participated in 2019. If you are new to Canterbury Cuisine, you can call her at 819-657-4661.” The Canterbury Center is located at 1095 Route 214, Canterbury.
CHURCHES
United. In-person Sunday services on May 28 are at 9:30 a.m. at the Trinity United Church in Cookshire, and at 11 a.m. at the Sawyerville United Church. On June 4, at 10:30 a.m., the Penticost Sunday service is a joint service at the Sawyerville United Church, with communion. Info: 819-889-2838. For pastoral care, call Rev. Spires at 819-452-3685.
Baptist. In-person Sunday services are in French at 9 a.m. and in English at 11 a.m. All services are at the Sawyerville Baptist Church, 33 rue de Cookshire. For information, please contact Pastor Michel Houle at 819-889-2819.
Anglican. The next in-person Sunday service is on May 28, 10 a.m., at St. John’s Anglican Church, 170 Route 255 North, Brookbury, and on June 4 at 11 a.m. at the St. Peter’s Anglican Church, 45 Principale West, Cookshire. For details, visit deaneryofstfrancis.com and click on the “Calendar” link. Info: 819-887-6802, or quebec.anglican.ca.
Do you have news to share? Call 819-640-1340 or email rawrites@gmail.com by May 29 for publication June 7.

What did you do for the earth this year? Earth Day 2023 was last Saturday.
What did we do? We bought an electric car. Mind you, we’re not bragging. We just feel very, very grateful. Our little 2009 Honda Fit was not very fit anymore, with some 500,000 kilometres on it. We ordered our new car in January 2023; it arrived 13 months later.
Our Hyundai dealer says people who order an Ionic 5 today have a two- or three-year-wait. The tide has turned away from fossil fuels. We wonder when our business and governmental infrastructure will catch up.
We’re very happy with our car. We are glad networks of recharging stations are quickly developing in Quebec and Canada; we hope our neighbouring country catches up. Hydro-Québec seems to be on board; in its 10th year of development, their circuit électrique has more than 4,000 charging stations, including 700 fast-charging stations. Our online research tells us a recharge is cheaper in Quebec than anywhere in North America. So far, we’ve paid less than $4 out of pocket. In a few months, we’ll be able to tell you what impact our own private charging station has on our Hydro bill.
We are gratified our car tells us if we have enough charge to reach our destination, and points out where we can find stations along the way. Having this information at our fingertips prevents the “range anxiety” we have had in a gas-powered car, not knowing exactly how many kilometres an almost-empty tank would carry us. But what gratifies us the most is knowing we’re helping curb, at least a bit, the nefarious effect human activities have on our earth.
EVERY DAY
Every day is Earth Day for those who strive to protect vitally important land and water. This Sunday, April 30, at 4:30 p.m., Amnesty Canada offers a free virtual event of stories from three earth heroes.
First, Juana Zuniga and her community in Honduras, who risk their lives to protect the Guapinol River from an iron ore operation. Next, Rosa Marina Flores Cruz, an Afro-Zapoteca in Oaxaca, Mexico, who combats mega-projects that rob Indigenous peoples and violate their human rights. And finally, Chief Na’Moks, one of five Wet’suwet’en Hereditary Chiefs who are resisting the Coastal GasLink’s pipeline. To register, visit amnesty.ca/what-you-can-do/events/.
VOLUNTEER ADVENTURES
Officially, April 16 to 22 was Volunteer Week. It’s good to celebrate volunteers, but let’s not forget that volunteers are hard at work every week of the year. In Canada, more than 24 million people volunteered in 2018, contributing about 5 billion hours, equaling more than 2.5 million full-time year-round jobs.
Real-life stories of adventures in volunteering populate the April issue of the Townships Sun. A few titles: Involuntary Volunteers, by John Mackley. Giving on Hands and Knees, by Marie Moliner. The Power of Women, by Deborah Dimitruk and Janet Watson.
Who are the volunteers who make Meals on Wheels happen at Community Aid? Read Helpers in Plain Sight, by Alden Chorush. Remember Bernie Epps? See his keen wit and artistic talent in a spoof-organigram about the Townships Sun volunteers of 1981. See Janet Cowan Weber’s fine photos of volunteer (wild) orchids in the Marlington Bog, and read about the human volunteers who preserve them.
Read the revelations of volunteers young and old, and do it now before April is replaced by the May issue at the Cookshire IGA and the Lachanche store in Sawyerville.
LEARN FROM YSKL
YSKL stands for Townshipper Yong Sook Kim-Lambert. Her powerful paintings and prints on the theme, Meditation between two Cultures, are on exhibit until May 20 at the Cookshire-Eaton Art Gallery, 125 Principale West, Cookshire. The gallery is open weekends, noon to 4 p.m., and by appointments on weekdays (email galeriecookshireeaton@gmail.com).
“By incorporating Korean words into my paintings, I place the viewer in a position similar to my situation as an immigrant; one who was confronted with yet another new foreign language upon choosing to settle permanently in Canada,” she writes.
Kim-Lambert is offering two workshops at the gallery, both of them free of charge, in both French and English. They are the next two Saturdays from 10 a.m. to noon.
The first, April 29, is on monotype printmaking. Monotypes are unique prints that may explore an image serially, using reusable gel printing plates and acetate films without a large expensive press. Participants will use a variety of cut-out forms to create abstract works. Base colours are provided, but participants may also bring their favourite acrylic colours.
The second workshop, on May 6, is an introduction to the Hangul Alphabet. The story behind this? King Sejong the Great is considered one of the most outstanding Korean rulers of the Choson Kingdom, often called the Golden Age, spanning the years 1392 to 1910. As a Confucian, he placed great importance on education. In 1444, he introduced Hangul, a new script especially created for the Korean language. It is often cited as the most logical system of writing; easy to learn. This could be an intriguing window through which to view Kim-Lambert’s artworks.
Space is limited for both these workshops, so register in advance at galeriecookshireeaton@gmail.com. Visit Kim-Lambert’s website at ykimlambert.com to see more of her artwork.
CHURCHES
Anglican. In-person Sunday services are 11 a.m. every first and third Sunday of the month, starting May 7, at the St. Peter’s Anglican Church, 45 Principale West, Cookshire. For details, visit deaneryofstfrancis.com and click on the “Calendar” link. Info: 819-887-6802, or quebec.anglican.ca.
United. Sunday services are at 9:30 a.m. at the Trinity United Church in Cookshire, and at 11 a.m. at the Sawyerville United Church. Info: 819-889-2838. For pastoral care, call Rev. Spires at 819-452-3685.
Baptist. In-person Sunday services are in French at 9 a.m. and in English at 11 a.m. All services are at the Sawyerville Baptist Church, 33 rue de Cookshire. For information, please contact Pastor Michel Houle at 819-889-2819.
Do you have news to share? Call 819-640-1340 or email rawrites@gmail.com by May 1st for publication May 10.

I’m going on a trip around the world next week, at the 10th edition of the Festival cinéma du monde de Sherbrooke, April 6 to 13. It offers more than 90 films from 40 countries, plus 25 special events, in the Maison du Cinéma plus four other venues.
I’ve picked out the films in English, those partly in English, or those subtitled in English. I found 11 feature-length fiction and eight documentaries. The online schedule (fcms.ca/schedule/) says only one is subtitled in English (Clara Sola), and two are in English with no subtitles (Brian and Charles and God’s Creatures), both from the UK.
Six films are in English with French subtitles. Sans Filtre (Triangle of Sadness), a so-called satirical black comedy about an uber-rich couple on a luxury cruise with an unhinged boat captain (Woody Harrelson). Vivre (Living) from the UK interests me: The screenplay is by the novelist Kazuo Ishiguro.
The Other Tom is about a single mother and son in El Paso, Texas, bordering Mexico. I Like Movies is about a socially inept 17-year-old befriended by an older female. Aftersun (Sous le soleil), from the UK and the US, is about father and daughter. Young Plato documents a search for peace in an all-boys school in post-conflict Belfast.
Three fiction films and seven documentaries were in English and other languages, all subtitled in French. There’s Portraits From a Fire, in English and Tsilhqot’in, about a young Indigenous vlogger. Carmen, in Spanish and English, is about a Mexican woman’s chilling border adventures. In Retour à Séoul (French, Korean and English), a 25-year-old returns to South Korea after growing up in France.
The documentary that most interests me is The Colour of Ink, in English, Spanish and Japanese. It’s about Jason Logan, a Toronto ink-maker who makes ink from weeds, bark, flowers, rocks, rust, and more. I have his book. It is gorgeous and fascinating; I expect no less from the film.
Topical and thought-provoking is Au-delà du papier (Beyond Paper), by Oana Suteu Khintirian, in in French, English, Romanian and Italian. Filmed around the world, it charts the migration of humanity’s archives to the “cloud,” from paper to digital. What is the future of human memory?
Dear Memories is a film from Germany and Switzerland; in German and English. Thomas Hoepker is one of the most important living photographers worldwide; his photos are icons of photojournalism. In 2017, he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. His one last big dream: A road trip through the USA with his wife.
La parfaite histoire (The Perfect Story), is in English, Somali, and Norwegian. By Michelle Shepherd, it is a riveting, intimate look at the ethical and moral challenges sparked by the relationship between a foreign correspondent and a young Somali refugee. Telling his heart-rending story, the film explores the boundaries of journalism and filmmaking, and questions what stories are told, why, and who gets to tell them.
And music! Ennio (The Maestro) is about the legendary film composer Ennio Morricone. It is in Italian, English, Portuguese, and Chinese. Chasseuse de son (Ever Deadly), in English and Inuktitut. Nunavut landscapes, stories, and songs of the innovative musical performer, Tanya Tagaq.
Ok, out of 90 films, that’s 19 films in English or partly so. About 20%. Kinda much. But it’s ok. They’re all from other countries, including those west of us. Many of them are award-winning.
World, here I come!
STORYMAKERS
Last call, if you enjoy stories and doing things by hand: Literacy in Action is offering a creative workshop series in Eaton Corner, using collage and family histories. “Easy and fun activities for all ages. Come solo, with your kids, or with a friend!” Accomplished storyteller, author, and Sawyerville Library coordinator Ann Rothfels will share a story with participants at the start of the first four workshops.
The first workshop is Tuesday, April 4, at 5-7 p.m., with five more to follow on April 11, 18, 25, May 2, and 9. They are free of charge, at the Academy building of the Eaton Corner Museum, 375 Route 253, Eaton Corner. Reservations: 819-346-7009, or info@lia-estrie.org. Or drop in!
BULWER COMMUNITY CENTRE
Bulwer activities are starting up again – a sure sign of spring! The first meeting is on Tuesday, April 11, and will meet every two weeks after that. Cards, bowling, and a light lunch will be served. That should put spring in your step and a smile on your lips! The Bulwer Community Centre is located at 254 Jordan Hill Road, Cookshire-Eaton. For the time or other details, contact Nathalie at the Centre d’action bénévole du Haut-Saint-François, 819-238-8541, or coordo@cabhsf.org.
SPRING IN CANTERBURY
Plan ahead for two summer events at the Canterbury Center: First, a Concert for the Fête Nationale on Friday, June 23, featuring Paula Chiasson on violin, voice, and dance; Normand Breton on bass, accordion, voice, and dance; and Christian Nolet on guitar and bouzouki. Tickets are available soon. Reservations: 819-872-3400.
Second, the Canterbury Center will host a Flea Market/Marché aux puces and Farmers’ Markets on Saturday and Sunday, July 29 and 30. Starting now, the organizers are seeking donations of small items and antiques. To arrange to drop off donations, or if your mobility is reduced, have them picked up, call 819-872-3400. The Canterbury Center is located at 1095 Route 214, Cantberbury.
CHURCHES
Baptist. In-person Sunday services are in French at 9 a.m. and in English at 11 a.m. All services are at the Sawyerville Baptist Church, 33 rue de Cookshire. For information, please contact Pastor Michel Houle at 819-889-2819.
Anglican. For the schedule of services at the St. George’s Anglican Church, 84 Queen St., Lennoxville, visit deaneryofstfrancis.com and click on the “Calendar” link. Info: 819-887-6802, or quebec.anglican.ca.
United. Sunday services are at 9:30 a.m. at the Trinity United Church in Cookshire, and at 11 a.m. at the Sawyerville United Church. Info: 819-889-2838. For pastoral care, call Rev. Spires at 819-452-3685.
Do you have news to share? Call 819-640-1340 or email rawrites@gmail.com by April 3 for publication April 12.

Sure sign of spring? Snow fleas.
They’ve been spotted in Milby, Sharon Moore tells me.
Have you seen any? They’re dark blue. Tiny things, one or two millimetres long. No wings. They have six feet with tiny claws, and two antennae. They jump around on top of the snow on warmish days, sometimes in clusters near a tree or rocks, up to 100,000 of them in a square meter. When it gets cold again, they go back under the snow.
That’s according to Marjolaine Giroux, an entomological-information person at the Montreal Insectarium. Despite her credentials, the little critters are neither fleas nor insects. They are springtails, little arthropods in the species Hypogastrura nivicola, with segmented bodies and jointed legs.
They don’t bite.
And they are marvellous. They enrich the soil. They also have antifreeze proteins in their blood, which researchers at Queen’s University have synthesized. They hope to use it to transplant organs at lower temperatures, thus keeping them viable longer. They also think they can use the snow fleas’ antifreeze to produce better ice cream.
Now that would be a marvel!
ST. PAT’S IRISH FESTIVAL
The Irish Embassy in Ottawa celebrates the Irish diaspora with an exhibition of panels coming to the county just northwest of us, Richmond. The St. Patrick’s Day Parade is on Sunday, March 19, at 2 p.m., but a series of activities extend throughout the month, starting Saturday, March 4th. That’s when the exhibition is open 1 to 4 p.m. at the Richmond County Historical Society Museum, 1161 Route 243, Melbourne. Admission is free.
The panels highlight the history and contributions of 20 Irish immigrants to Canada. From 2 to 4 p.m., violinist Isabelle Gosselin will play traditional Irish music while visitors peruse the exhibit. That same day, a woodworking demonstration is at 1 p.m. in the St. Andrews Hall, and a corned beef supper at 6 p.m. at the Grand Central Hotel.
Over the following weeks will be concerts, a St. Pat’s Party, a Celtic Celebration with Solstice, a St. Patrick’s Day Mass, an art show, an outdoor bandstand show, and more. The activities culminate on Sunday, March 26, with another showing of the Irish diaspora exhibition from 12 to 3 p.m. and music by Isabelle Gosselin from 1 to 3 p.m. For details about the Richmond Irish Heritage Festival, visit richmondstpats.org. It is organized by the Richmond St. Patrick’s Society.
BILINGUAL TAX SERVICE
A free bilingual income tax assistance program in Sawyerville permits trained volunteers to prepare both Canada and Quebec returns for persons with limited income. Here’s who is eligible: (1) a single person with a maximum annual revenue of $35,000; (2) a couple with a maximum revenue of $45,000, plus $2,500 for each dependant; or (3) a single parent with a child with a maximum revenue of $45,000 plus $2,500 for each additional dependant. Income from interest should not exceed $1,000. Persons with income from self-employment, bankruptcy, or deceased persons are not eligible.
You will need: (1) any papers you received from the Canada Revenue Agency and Revenu Québec in the past months, and your last Notices of Assessment; (2) your T4 and Relevé slips from your employer, or any other forms you received regarding income or tuition; (3) the RL-31 form from your landlord, if you are a renter. 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.
Persons above age 70 should inquire about a refundable tax credit for expenses incurred to continue living independently. Bring your home maintenance expenses, including purchasing, leasing or installing eligible equipment or fixtures, or staying in a functional rehabilitation transition unit. This year the credit is up to $2,000, depending on your total income.
When? Wednesday afternoons, March 8 and 29, from 1 to 4 p.m., and March 15 and 22, from 1 to 6 p.m. Where? At the Catholic church in Sawyerville, Église Notre-Dame-du-Rosaire, 4 Randboro Road. Use the back door to enter the basement. If you need any information, call Danielle at 819-889-2614.
ESTATE PLANNING
“Estate Planning: What you need to know in advance” is the topic of a free online webinar offered by Seniors Action Quebec on Tuesday, March 14, at 10 a.m. to noon. The registration deadline is March 7.
The session will include three topics. First, planning ahead: How to prepare your finances and plan your taxes so as to reduce the tax burden on your estate. Second, having a will, and reviewing it: The different kinds of wills, what documentation you need to put together in advance to help with the liquidation of your estate, and what information to share – or not – with your heirs. And finally, the role of the liquidator: The duties and obligations, and how to carry out a will search.
The presenters are Maitres Linda Hammerschmid and Samy Staltari, and Financial Advisor Danny Sirgnano. To register, send your contact information to Ruth Pelletier at ruthkathleenpelletier@gmail.com by March 7. For more information, visit www.seniorsactionquebec.ca.
WRITE HERE, RIGHT NOW!
For information about the free online workshops in March with Bishop’s University Lifelong Learning Academy (BULLA), email bulla@ubishops.ca.
CHURCHES
United. Beginning March 5, Sunday services are at 9:30 a.m. at the Trinity United Church in Cookshire, and at 11 a.m., at the Sawyerville United Church. Info: 819-889-2838. For pastoral care, call Rev. Spires at 819-452-3685.
Baptist. In-person Sunday services are in French at 9 a.m. and in English at 11 a.m. All services are at the Sawyerville Baptist Church, 33 rue de Cookshire. For information, please contact Pastor Michel Houle at 819-889-2819.
Anglican. No Anglican services are planned in Cookshire until the spring of 2023. For the schedule of services at the St. George’s Anglican Church, 84 Queen St., Lennoxville, visit deaneryofstfrancis.com and click on the “Calendar” link. Info: 819-887-6802, or quebec.anglican.ca.
Do you have news to share? Call 819-640-1340 or email rawrites@gmail.com by March 6 for publication March 15.

Honestly, my teeth almost flew out of my mouth, and they’re not even false.
It’s surely not one of Facebook’s finest hours, welcoming Trump back into the fold. But that’s not what shocked me. It’s the Science & Astronomy group, boasting 1.2 million members. It’s been taken over by Flat Earthers.
A poll they’ve posted asks people to vote on the shape of the earth: round, cube, flat, or donut. Encouraging: 92% of respondents voted “round.” Discouraging, a plethora of comments such as this one: “NASA brainwashed 92% of the people who voted on this pool (sic).”
Meaning that they believe the National Aeronautics and Space Administration in the U.S. faked the moon landing in 1969, whose photos clearly show the earth is round.
At first I thought such comments were satirical, but no. They’re dead serious. The Flat Earthers’ responses to science-based reasoning are harsh and mean.
It’s scary: A similarly named Facebook group, Astronomy and Science, whose content really reflects its name, has less than one-third of the Flat Earthers’ group’s.
This topic leaves me speechless. How can you respond to someone yelling insults, denying reason and physical reality?
It’s reminiscent of facing someone in a state of psychosis, who is clinging to an intractable belief in a desperate attempt to defend their ego, their personhood. Let’s leap ahead here to suggest LEAP, the approach Dr. Xavier Amador advocates.
First: Listen. Listen closely. Truly try to understand what the person is saying and how they are feeling. Then: Empathize. Try to reflect the person’s emotions or fears. Next: Agree. This is the hardest! I prefer to use the word “Accept” here. I tell my friend I accept their belief, and will not argue with them. (In return, I ask they accept my beliefs too, and we still love each other.) That brings us to P for Partner. We are in this together.
It dismays me that we are on this earth together with truth-denying Flat Earthers. But I accept this reality, and try somehow to engage with them. A LEAP of friendship. The alternative is scary.
MENTAL ILLNESS? LEAP!
Dr. Xavier Amador wrote one of the most popular books in the library of Mental Health Estrie. It’s entitled I Am Not Sick, I Don’t Need Help! How to Help Someone with Mental Illness Accept Treatment. He will be speaking via Zoom on Wednesday, February 22, at 6 p.m. Mental Health Estrie offers this 1.5-hour workshop.
His book is a resource for family and friends of loved ones experiencing psychosis, a symptom that may be part of schizophrenia or bipolar disorder illness. Helping his brother undertake treatment for schizophrenia, plus his work as a therapist, have inspired him to write this book as well as to found The LEAP Institute. LEAP stands for Listen-Empathize-Agree-Partner, with a goal of building relationships with someone who lives with a serious mental illness.
You can hear Dr. Amador at Youtube.com/@LEAPInstituteOrg, or by joining the February 22nd Zoom. For information, contact Emily McBurney at outreach@mentalhealthestrie.com or 819-565-2388.
BRRR
It’s still on, this year’s HUGS for the Homeless campaign by Mental Health Estrie. Spring is not here yet! For the rest of February, Mental Health Estrie accepts donations of “NEW Hats, Underwear, Gloves, Socks, Scarves, and other warm articles of clothing.” Drop off your items at Mental Health Estrie, 3355 College, Lennoxville. Deposit them in the beige bins next to Door #2. To make a cash donation for the HUGS campaign, please email info@mentalhealthestrie.ca, or call 819-565-3777. Receipts will be issued for donations of $10 or more.
THE SUN’S UP
Right now. Your February Townships Sun is shining brightly beside the crossword books on the magazine stand just before the cash registers at the Cookshire IGA. New! Now you can also pick it up at the Dépanneur C.P.L. in Sawyerville, 2 Cookshire Street.
Can you recognize the 22-year-old on the front cover, tending to his well-drilling rig? Hint: His last name begins with S.
The youngest contributor in this issue was 13 years old. See if you know her! And let anyone in their teens or twenties know: If you enjoy writing, photography or art, you can win a cash award and get published in the Townships Sun. Visit townshipssun.ca/Townships-Young-Voices for details. Deadline: February 28.
WRITE HERE, RIGHT NOW!
Bishop’s University Lifelong Learning Academy offers these free, fun workshops and events on Zoom for lifelong learners like you:
Theme and Structure in Fiction Writing, with Rebecca Welton, on Wednesday, February 8, 1:30 p.m.
How to be a Goldfish, by Jane Baird Warren: A virtual book launch of this novel for students in middle grades, on Saturday, February 11, at 1:30 p.m.
Flash: Writing Short Prose, with Jane Draper, on Thursday, February 16, at 1:30 p.m., featuring turning an event from life into a memoir.
Nonfiction Writing for Magazines, with Rachel Garber, on Friday, February 24, at 10 a.m., about personal essays.
Overseas Adventures, by Arthur Shears: A book launch on Saturday, February 25, at 1:30 p.m., from Afghanistan to Zambia and Points In-Between.
Fugue Forum: U is for Unreal, with Etienne Domingue, on Monday, February 27, at 7 p.m., on Discord, on magical realism.
For information or to sign up for any of these free workshops, please email bulla@ubishops.ca.
CHURCHES
Anglican. No Anglican services are planned in Cookshire until the spring of 2023. For the schedule of services at the St. George’s Anglican Church, 84 Queen St., Lennoxville, visit deaneryofstfrancis.com and click on the “Calendar” link. Info: 819-887-6802, or quebec.anglican.ca.
United. Sunday services are at 10:30 a.m., at the Sawyerville United Church, 42 Principale N., Sawyerville (before Bédard Road). Info: 819-889-2838. For pastoral care, call Rev. Spires at 819-452-3685.
Baptist. In-person Sunday services are in French at 9 a.m. and in English at 11 a.m. All services are at the Sawyerville Baptist Church, 33 rue de Cookshire. For information, please contact Pastor Michel Houle at 819-889-2819.
Do you have news to share? Call 819-640-1340 or email rawrites@gmail.com by February 6 for publication February 15 or by February 20 for March 1.

“The thing is, we’re just going to take it easy.”
Those are the famous last words of someone who is trading in one whirlwind of activity, known as a job, for another, called retirement.
Truth is, Diane Grenier will be busy. She talks about cleaning out her attic. Putting a new roof on the house. Travelling to visit her kids in Prince Edward Island and Michigan. Doing volunteer work.
The job she is leaving? Coordinator for services in English for the Centre d’action bénévole du Haut-Saint-François, often simply known as the CAB. As its name suggests, its role is to support voluntary action in the community.
Diane has been in that role for the past seven years, she reminds me, before, during and after the pandemic. She’s been involved in the Bulwer Community Centre and the Golden Agers. She has promoted the “Hero in 30” program, offering simplified CPR training in 30 minutes. (That’s the kind of volunteer you want around if you go into cardiac arrest!)
She’s been leading two groups for caregivers, in Bury and in Sawyerville. Among other activities, she’s accompanied them on field trips to enjoy an Uplands English tea. Chinese food in Magog. Italian food in Sherbrooke.
Conferences in English for seniors? She’s organized them. A police officer to explain the etiquette of traffic circles, for example. She has been active with Health Link. She’s offered help making appointments for COVID vaccinations and flu shots. She’s distributed frozen meals and organized Meals on Wheels. She’s led bingo games in seniors’ residences. She’s played cards with seniors, she’s played the role of Mrs. Claus.
“It’s been a beautiful run,” Diane wrote in an email. Her enthusiastic tone leads you to believe she has thoroughly enjoyed her job, and will probably enjoy her retirement, too, in equal measure. Only difference: whereas she’s been coordinating Stand Up, a falls-prevention program, now she will be participating in it. Don’t worry, we haven’t seen the last of Diane!
KIMBERLY FLETCHER
So who will be stepping into her shoes at the CAB? Introducing Kimberly Fletcher of Spring Road in Cookshire-Eaton. Kim is an experienced nursing assistant with a bunch of other skills, too.
In fact, one of her first projects is to organize a beginner’s computer course. The course, Pause numérique, is free for persons aged 65 or older, and covers the ins and outs of cell phones, tablets or laptops. The weekly sessions will go four or five weeks, and will be offered in both French and English. Kim herself will be teaching the sessions in English.
She will be working out of the CAB’s East Angus office. To reach her, call the CAB at 819-560-8540 and dial 9 for English. Email her at coordo@cabhsf.org. Or just drop in for a visit. She’ll be working Monday to Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the Cultural Centre, 288 Maple Street, in the CAB office located just inside the front door, on the right.
WERE YOU SCAMMED?
Marie Moliner says yes, she was.
In case you don’t know Marie, she is a lawyer. She even used to be Vice Chair of the Toronto Police Services Board. If scammers can nab her, anyone is fair game.
Marie has written an easy-on-your-eyes article about being scammed. About various kinds of fraud―investment, email, phone and internet, and most insidious of all, the grandparents scam. Her article is a free read offered on the Townships Sun website, townshipssun.ca/Recent-Issues.
Just in case fraudsters have turned your holiday cheer into a lump of coal, here is Marie’s suggestion: Take these six steps recommended by the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.
Step 1: Gather all the information you have about the fraud.
Step 2: Write out a chronological statement of events. For example, when were you first contacted, and how? Then what happened?
Step 3: Report the incident to your local police. For example, in Cookshire-Eaton, phone 819-875-3331, or visit the station at 440 Craig North. (In emergencies, call 310-4141 or 911).
Step 4: Report the incident to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre via the Fraud Reporting System (find out more at antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca), or toll-free at 1-888-495-8501.
Step 5: Report the incident to the financial institution (bank) or payment provider used to send money to the fraudster.
Step 6: If the fraud took place online, report the incident directly to the website involved.
TOWNSHIPS SUN
In the current Townships Sun are “Homeless in the Townships,” “In Praise of Humble Houses,” and “My Old Square Log House,” written by our very own Haut-Saint-Françiscans Jackie Hyman, Denis Palmer, and Scott Stevenson. The Townships Sun is on the Cookshire IGA’s magazine rack, just before the check-out counters. Or subscribe at townshipssun.ca/subscribe.
HUGS
Winter is still before us! Help the HUGS for the Homeless campaign. Mental Health Estrie accepts donations of “NEW Hats, Underwear, Gloves, Socks, Scarves, and other warm articles of clothing,” from now until March. Drop off items at Mental Health Estrie, 3355 College, Lennoxville. Deposit them in the beige bins next to Door #2. To make a cash donation for the HUGS campaign, please email info@mentalhealthestrie.ca, or call 819-565-3777. Receipts will be issued for donations of $10 or more.
CHURCHES
Baptist. In-person Sunday services are in French at 9 a.m. and in English at 11 a.m. All services are at the Sawyerville Baptist Church, 33 rue de Cookshire. For information, please contact Pastor Michel Houle at 819-889-2819.
Anglican. No Anglican services are planned in Cookshire until the spring of 2023. For the schedule of services at the St. George’s Anglican Church, 84 Queen St., Lennoxville, visit deaneryofstfrancis.com and click on the “Calendar” link. Info: 819-887-6802, or quebec.anglican.ca.
United. Sunday services resume on January 15, at 10:30 a.m., at the Sawyerville United Church, 42 Principale N., Sawyerville (before Bédard Road). (No service on January 8.) Info: 819-889-2838. For pastoral care, call Rev. Spires at 819-452-3685.
Do you have news to share? Call 819-640-1340 or email rawrites@gmail.com by January 9 publication for January 18, or by January 23 for February 1.

Received: An email from Charlotte in Calgary, asking if I know someone “who used to teach the art of stencilling” in the Eastern Townships.
“My Aunt Dorothy Newton was a long-term resident of Sherbrooke, and between 1980 and 2000 she participated in stencilling classes, at a location that is likely within 20 kms of Sherbrooke. I am fortunate to have some of her stencilled art on recycled tin trays and am very interested in taking stencilling classes if they are still offered in your area.”
Help! I’ve seen stencilled art. But who teaches, or has taught it? Do you have any idea? Please, for Charlotte in Calgary, let me know at 819-640-1340 or rawrites@gmail.com.
HERITAGE TALKS, 24th
The Quebec Anglophone Heritage Network (QAHN) is hosting a series of free, online public lectures, starting Thursday, November 24. Participants will get to explore Canada’s past in the company of scholars, historians and fellow lifelong learners. The series features historic events and figures in a range of subjects and periods, from origins of Indigenous mission settlements to the rise of modern art.
On November 24, from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m., the pioneering life of Harriet Brooks is featured in a presentation by Marelene and Geoff Rayner-Canham. Brooks’ colleague, Ernest Rutherford, won a Nobel Prize in 1908 for their breakthrough discoveries about radioactivity. She, however, did not receive this recognition.
To register or to learn more about the series, visit QAHN.org, or email Dwane@qahn.org.
CHRISTMAS MARKET, 27th
Back by popular demand: The Christmas Market with 24 artisans and their local products, on Saturday, November 27, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Victoria Hall, 125 Principale W., Cookshire. Organized by the John-Henry-Pope Cultural Centre.
AROUND THE WORLD, 27th
Au tour de la terre is the title of an exhibit at the Galérie Métissage in Lac-Mégantic featuring Nihonga, an ancient painting technique from Japan. The artist, Yolande Bernier, offers 20 large works and some 200 in mini-format. The gallery is at 6361 Salaberry Street, Lac-Mégantic, and is open Thursday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. It closes Sunday, November 27, when the artist will be present.
DEPRESSION & BURNOUT, 30th
At the End of My Rope, Understanding Depression and Burnout. That’s the topic of a free Zoom workshop in English with Dr. Camillo Zacchia, psychologist, on Wednesday, November 30, at 7 to 9 p.m. Organized by Mental Health Estrie. Info: 819-565-2388, outreach@mentalhealthestrie.com.
THE GIFT OF ART, 3rd
An exhibit of small and diverse artworks – just right for gift-giving – is at the Cookshire-Eaton Art Gallery from December 3 to 24. In the Gallery’s upper level will be paintings, prints, collages, and sculptures by 24 different artists. Among them are John Ward, Yong Sook Kim Lambert, Denis Palmer, and Jo Cooper. In the lower level will be Treasures of the Countryside, an exhibit of photos.
The Gallery at 125 Prinicipale West, Cookshire, is open Saturdays and Sundays, as well as December 23 and 24, from noon to 4 p.m.
DARK SIDE OF HOLIDAYS, 6th
Fraud and scams. Beware: Fraudsters thrive in the shadows of holiday activity.
Just in time, Seniors Action Quebec offers an online webinar in English, Protecting Yourself from Frauds and Scams. Tactics are constantly changing. The two-hour session will inform us about the many types of fraud today, what we can do to protect ourselves, who can help us, and how to report fraud and scams. Information is power.
Ken De Melo, senior branch manager at BMO, will talk about the different types of fraud and scams seen at the bank, credit and debit card protection, and spotting financial abuse. Stephanie Senecal, a senior support unit coordinator, will talk about fraud that targets seniors, the Canadian Anti Fraud Centre, and what they can do for us.
Finally, Brad Russell, a senior competition law officer in the deceptive marketing practices directorate of the competition bureau, will explain what the Competition Bureau is, how it protects people from deceptive marketing, and what resources are available to protect us from deceptive marketing.
The webinar is Tuesday, December 6, from 10 a.m. to noon. For details and to register, visit SeniorsActionQuebec.ca, or email ruthkathleenpelletier@gmail.com.
CHRISTMAS CONCERT, 10th
Pierre Heault, tenor; Catherine St-Arnaud, soprano; Julien LeBlanc, piano; Marilène Provencher-Leduc, flute: These are the four musicians offering a Christmas Concert on Saturday, December 10, at 7:30 p.m. at the St-Camille Catholic Church, 170 Principale E., Cookshire. Admission is by voluntary contribution at the door.
“HUGS” FOR THE HOMELESS
Launched: This year’s HUGS for the Homeless campaign spearheaded by Mental Health Estrie. From November to March, this non-profit group accepts donations of “NEW Hats, Underwear, Gloves, Socks, Scarves, and other warm articles of clothing,” which they donate to local shelters for people experiencing homelessness.
Items can be dropped off at the Mental Health Estrie office, 3355 College Street in Lennoxville. Deposit them in the beige bins next to Door #2. To make a cash donation for the HUGS campaign, please email info@mentalhealthestrie.ca, or call 819-565-3777. Receipts will be issued for donations of $10 or more.
Donations received before mid-December are prepared into gift bags for the holiday season. But cold weather does not stop at Christmas; the HUGS campaign runs until the end of March.
CHURCHES
United. Because of construction work at Trinity United Church in Cookshire, weekly Sunday services will be at 10:30 a.m., at Sawyerville United Church until further notice. Info: 819-889-2838. For pastoral care, call Rev. Spires at 819-452-3685.
Baptist. In-person services are in French at 9 a.m. and in English at 11 a.m. For information, please contact Pastor Michel Houle at 819-889-2819.
Anglican. No local service is planned, but on December 4 at 11 a.m. will be a service at St. George’s Anglican Church, 84 Queen St., Lennoxville. For a schedule of services, visit deaneryofstfrancis.com and click on the “Calendar” link. Info: 819-887-6802, or quebec.anglican.ca.
Do you have news to share? Call 819-640-1340 or email rawrites@gmail.com by November 28 for publication December 7 and by December 12 for January 4.