“You’ve won a sweepstakes,” and you just have to pay a small sum to receive your winnings.

“You owe $5,000 to Revenue Canada, and if you don’t pay up right now, the police are going to arrest you!”

All this in an English that seems to come from the other side of the world. Do you ever get the impression that phone fraudsters target English-speaking Quebecers?

Ok, it’s not just us. The Sureté du Québec (SQ) has alerted French-speaking Quebecers to beware of callers who claim to be a Quebec policeman who only speaks English.

If a Quebec policeman speaks only English, he’s a fraud. So warns a recent article in Le Quotidien. Don’t fall into the trap. Reply in French, and report the call to the SQ at 1-800-659-4264 or Échec au crime (Crime Stoppers) at 1-800-711-1800. Info: https://echecaucrime.com/en/
Stay safe over the holidays. Speak French to pretend policemen.

HUGS FOR HOMELESS
Mental Health Estrie calls for help with its annual HUGS campaign to collect new items of warm clothing for the homeless. HUGS stands for Hats, Underwear, Gloves, Socks and Scarves, and other warm items of clothing. All gifts will be donated to local shelters for the homeless. You can drop off your handmade or store-bought gifts at the Lennoxville & District Women’s Centre, 175 Queen St., Suite 203, in Lennoxville. The entrance is located at the back of the building; drive into the parking lot via Charlotte Street. Info: 819-565-3777, mhe.info@bellnet.ca, or www.mentalhealthestrie.com.

WALKING IN NEWPORT
The Walking Club of Newport offers an informal and free outdoor activity: Walking. When: Every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. Where: In the parking lot of the Newport Municipal Office building, 1452 Route 212 in Island Brook.

TIM BRINK, 30th
Tim Brink gets into the holiday spirit with his new show “Noël Country Christmas” at the Centennial Theatre, Bishop’s University, on Saturday, November 30, at 8 p.m. Tim and his band will interpret heartwarming and nostalgic holiday classics from country and pop repertoires. Tickets: the Centennial Box Office Monday to Friday, 12 to 4 p.m. or one hour before the show. By phone 819-822-9692 Monday to Friday 8:30 to 11 a.m. or 12 to 4 p.m. Online at https://www.centennialtheatre.ca/

CHRISTMAS TEA, NEWPORT, 3rd
A Christmas Tea for the residents of Newport is on Tuesday, December 3, starting at 1:30 p.m. at the Community Hall in the Municipal Office building, 1452 Route 212, Island Brook. Newport invites you to come and have good fun in good company with lovely music by Réjeanne Vachon. Tea by Mystea. Free admission. Door prizes.

BU SINGERS, 5th & 6th
Frostiana: If you missed it last year in Carnegie Hall, New York City, now you can catch it in Lennoxville with the Bishop’s University Singers’ two holiday concerts in Bandeen Hall, Bishop’s University, on December 5 and 6. In homage to the poet Robert Frost, they will offer a modern classical program featuring Randall Thompson’s setting of Frostiana, as well as A Ceremony of Carols by Benjamin Britten and a selection of carols by John Rutter.

Frostiana is a song cycle consisting of seven of Frost’s poems, including his famous “The Road Not Taken.” The town of Amherst, Massachusetts commissioned the piece in 1959. Frost taught at the local college there for many years. The composer, Thompson, was a good friend of Frost’s.
The choir, with guest conductor Jean-Philippe Dutil, will be accompanied on piano by their Artistic Director, Fannie Gaudette, for the first part of the concert. The second part will feature harpist Matt Dupont. Tickets are available at the Centennial Box Office, 819-822-9692, Monday to Friday 8:30 to 11 a.m. or 12 to 4 p.m. Adults $25; seniors $23; students $15.

POINSETTIAS
Concertgoers will also have the opportunity to purchase poinsettias for the benefit of Maison Aube-Lumière, which has offered palliative care for many we knew when they were in the last stages of cancer. Info: www.aubelumiere.com, 819-821-3120, or info@aubelumiere.com.

CHRISTMAS PARTY, 7th
Santa Claus is coming to Saint-Mathias-de-Bonneterre at a Christmas party for children on Saturday, December 7, starting at 1 p.m. at the Community Centre (former church). There will be children’s bingo, followed by a spaghetti supper for all. Info: 819-889-2558.

NUTCRACKER, 14th & 15th
At last. The complete version of Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker” is coming to the Centennial Theatre at Bishop’s University, brought by Les Ballets Classiques de Richmond (yes, the Richmond next door to us) and the Orchestre Philharmonique des musiciens de Montreal. Professional guest dancers will join the ballet students aged 6 to 11 from the Richmond school who play the enchanting roles of live toys and small rodents.

Tickets: the Centennial Box Office Monday to Friday, 12 to 4 p.m. or one hour before the show. By phone 819-822-9692 Monday to Friday 8:30 to 11 a.m. or 12 to 4 p.m. Online at https://www.centennialtheatre.ca/

CHURCH SERVICES
United. Sunday services are in Cookshire at 9:30 a.m., and in Sawyerville at 11 a.m. December 1 is White Gift Sunday, with gifts in Cookshire designated for the Christmas Basket funds at the Cookshire Elementary School and gifts in Sawyerville, for the Sawyerville Elementary School. Gifts of new outerwear, non-perishable food, and monetary gifts are welcome. Also, on December 8 at 7 p.m. is a service at the Bishopton United Church. 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.
Anglican. The December 1st service for Bury and Cookshire combined is at 10 a.m. in the theatre at the Manoir de l’Eau Vive, 210 Principale East, Cookshire. On December 8, Sunday services are at 9:30 a.m. at St. Paul’s in Bury, and at 11 a.m. at the St. Peter’s Church in Cookshire. Info: 819-887-6802.
Do you have news to share? Call 819-300-2374 or email rawrites@yahoo.com by December 2 for publication December 11 and December 18 for January 8.