May 4: TRINITY CONCERT
A Country, Gospel and Bluegrass music concert with Terry Howell & Friends/Amis is on Friday, May 4, at 7 p.m., at the Trinity United Church, 190 Principale West, Cookshire. Proceeds will help raise money to paint the exterior of the historic church building, erected in 1863. Admission: $10/adult; $6/student. Light refreshments available. Info: 819-875-3796 or 819-875-3863.

May 5: PERENNIALS EXCHANGE
The Cookshire-Eaton Coeur Villageois is hosting an exchange of perennials on Saturday, May 5, from 10 a.m. to noon, at the Parc des Braves in downtown Cookshire, at 85 Park Street, beside Principale West. All are welcome, rain or shine. Participants are asked to bring their perennials in a pot, and identified, if possible.

May 5: FADOQ MECHOUI
On Saturday, May 5, FADOQ Sawyerville is having its annual spring supper of Mechoui Beef catered by Restaurant 108 on Saturday, May 5, at 5:30 p.m., at the Community Centre, 6 Church Street, Sawyerville. Tickets are $20. To reserve, call Richard Wojiciech at 819-889-3103.

May 5: STAMMTISCH PARTY
What does it mean – Stammtisch? Wikipedia says it means a «regulars’ table» in German. It’s a friendly get-together, an informal meeting of a group that usually gathers around a large table. And that is what the Atelier Auckland will host bilingually on Saturday, May 5, from 7 to 10 p.m. at 15 Principale, Saint-Isidore-de-Clifton. The theme: En mai le Stammtisch fait ce qu’il lui plaît, or maybe «In May, the Stammtisch does what it pleases.» The guests of honour are singer Sylvie Tremblay and writer Nicholas Giguère, and the hosts are artists/writers Sylvain Dodier and Luc Pallegoix. Reservations required. For details, visit atelierauckland.com.

May 9: COLOUR COOKSHIRE
For women: Colouring and bilingual conversations at the Colour Café at La Passerelle Women’s Centre, a place to spend time with other women and practice or share your language skills. The group includes both English- and French-speaking women. The Centre is located at 275 Principale East, Cookshire, and the event is on Wednesday, May 9, at 2 to 4 p.m.
For anyone: A daytime Colour Café at the John-Henry-Pope Cultural Centre, 25 Principale West, Cookshire, on Wednesday, May 9, at 6 to 8 p.m.
Participants are welcome to bring colouring supplies or to use what is available. Tea, coffee and snacks are provided, as well as a table full of information about services offered in English in the Haut-Saint-François.

May 10: CARD PARTIES
The Spring 500 Card Parties at the Bulwer Community Centre, 254 Jordan Hill Road, Bulwer, are planned for Thursdays, May 10, May 24 and June 7. They begin at 1:30 p.m. The cost of the card games and lunch is $6.

May 13: LABYRINTH GARDENING
Following a Mother’s Day Service on Sunday, May 13, at 2:30 p.m. at the Bishopton United Church, 55 Main Street, the Labyrinth Community Garden invites volunteer gardeners to help out. Weather permitting, it will be time to add a new ring to the spiral-shaped garden and to plant shrubs and cold-tolerant seeds. «This is your chance to wear your old clothes to church,» says Wendy Main. «Bring small garden tools, a shovel if you can, containers of water, seeds of vegetable, herb, edible flowers, hardened fruiting shrubs and plants.»
Planting sessions are also planned for 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 19, and Saturday, May 26, for warm-soil seeds and tender seedlings. Info: Wendy Main, 819-884-5417.

May 16: PHARMA HELP
How Your Pharmacist Can Help You is the topic of the final Health Link session before the summer. The speakers are two pharmacists from the local Desruisseaux, Laliberté, and Chouinard pharmacy (Proxim). The session is at the Armoury Community Centre at 563 Main Street, Bury, on Wednesday, May 16, with lunch beginning at 11:30 a.m., and the presentation at 1 p.m. and ending at 2 p.m. Reservations are required for lunch, and a $5 donation to help cover costs. The presentation is free and open to the public. To reserve your spot for lunch, please call Kim Fessenden by Monday, May 14, at 819-872-3771, ext. 2.

May 18: COLOUR BURY
Colouring and conversation at the Colour Café will be on Friday, May 18, from 10 a.m. to noon, at the Eaton Valley Community Learning Centre (CLC), 523 Stokes, Bury (inside the Pope Memorial Elementary School; use the door at the far-right end of the building). Participants are welcome to bring colouring supplies or to use what is available. Tea, coffee, and snacks are provided, as well as a table full of information about services offered in English in the Haut-Saint-François. Some special guests – students – may join the group.

VIACTIVE BREAK
The bilingual Viactive exercise sessions for persons aged 50-plus are taking a break over the summer. The two groups in Cookshire and Newport both finish on May 9. The group in Sawyerville finished on April 25, and the one in Bury is to continue until May 30. They all expect to resume in September. Info: Diane Grenier, Volunteer Coordinator, Centre d’action bénévole du Haut-Saint-François, 819-238-8541 (option 9) or coordo@cabhsf.org.

CHURCH SERVICES
Anglican. On May 6, Sunday services are at 9:30 a.m. in Bury, and at 11 a.m. in Cookshire at the theatre of the Manoir de l’eau vive, 210 Principale East. On May 13, the services are at 9:30 a.m. in Bury, and at 11 a.m. in Cookshire at the St. Peter’s Church, 45 Principale West. Info: 819-887-6802.
United. Sunday services are at the Cookshire United Church at 9:30 a.m. and the Sawyerville United at 11 a.m. On Sunday, May 13, a Mother’s Day service is at 2:30 p.m. at the Bishopton United Church, 55 Main Street. Info: 819-889-2838 (listen to message).
Baptist. In Sawyerville, the Sunday worship service is at 9 a.m. in French, and 11 a.m. in English. Sunday school is at 10 a.m. in English and French. Info: 819-239-8818.

Do you have news to share? Call 819-300-2374 or email ra.writes@gmail.com by May 7 for publication May 16 and by May 21 for May 30.