For 16 years now, the school principal of this Laval’s English school, Josée Pepin, and her students have been the organizers of this event.

“I want to show students that they [those who are experiencing homelessness] are people just like us,” explains the private school’s principal.

“No one is immune to homelessness,” adds Lynne Dupuis, head of philanthropic development for the Old Brewery Mission.

Denis is a good example. “I have worked all my life,” says this former showman. “Because of COVID, I lost my job,” he continues.

Here, at the Old Brewery’s shelter, Denis has a place to sleep, while waiting for the travelling carnivals to come back stronger.

Valentine’s Day for all

Whether February 14^th falls on a Saturday or a chilling day, students of the Academy located in Chomedey can be found here in front of the Old Brewery Mission.

“It’s always on Valentine’s Day,” explains Josée Pepin. It’s part of giving your time. “We can’t just give it away when it’s convenient.”

Quickly, when the students take out the coffee jugs, a line forms to receive the donations.

Many hide their precarious situation well. A man shows up wearing a Canada Goose coat and Adidas shoes. Others are freshly shaven, their hair neatly cut and styled.

Guillaume appreciates the socks and the sweater he was able to take. He has been homeless for five or six years and has been going to the shelter since December.

Angela Kolaric is the Academy’s administrative manager. It is her first distribution.

She was used to working behind the scenes of this event. She is amazed by the number of people who have come to receive donations.

A man asks if he can take a pair of socks. Mira, a tenth-grade student, offers him a hat aswell. Politely, the man refuses.

“It’s surprising how humble they are,” notes Angela Polarik. “They want to leave things for others who might need them more than them.”

On this mild February day, the initiative is popular. After an hour, all that is left is a dash of coffee and half a bag of clothes.

All packaged meals are long gone.

“I was surprised to see how they were surprised,” says Morgan in 11^th grade. “How surprised they were to see that we came to do that.”

“We had a lot of clothes, but they went so fast!” observes Sarwehs a pupil of the same year.

Rewarding experience

The project involves the whole school. But only the oldest students, those in the 10^th and 11^th grade, take part in the distribution.

While those in the seventh grade pack meals.

Every student has the chance to contribute to the generous operation.

Usually, the group drives out to distribute the surpluses.

This year it will not be necessary.

Mira, Aditi, Yoono, Sarwesh and Morgan were chosen to come and experience the distribution clothes, hot drinks and meals in front of the Old Brewery Mission. (Photo 2M.Media–Edith Boisvert)

For Yoono, another student in 10^th grade, the activity made him aware of the needs of others. “We need to do more for the community. I didn’t think there would be so many people.”

Despite the difficulties that the beneficiaries are encountering, “Everyone is in a good mood,” says Aditi, a student in Grade 11.

This year, the school has divided its student workforce to expand its offer to different locations. A second group was present near the Chez Doris women’s shelter.

L’article North Star Academy Laval gives back on Valentine’s Day est apparu en premier sur Courrier Laval news.

Boyer imagines the city of tomorrow as “a network of dense and interconnected neighbourhoods”, which will promote walking and cycling, and whose human relations “give back a sense of community to urban centres”.

Taking advantage of his years of experience in politics, two terms as a municipal councillor, and currently the mayor of Laval, Boyer offers some possible solutions to prevent the expansion of large cities.

These are in an “era where the sense of community is eroding, where cities must meet a growing number of needs, and where climate change is forcing us to rethink the ways of doing things”, informs a press release.

Let’s note that in 2016, Stéphane Boyer won the contest of Personnalité de la relève municipale de l’Union des municipalités du Québec. (J.B./IJL)

translated by Alec Brideau

L’article Stéphane Boyer Publishes an Essay est apparu en premier sur Courrier Laval news.

It’s one of the largest chiefdoms in the country. It’s the second largest in western Cameroon for area and population, just behind Bandjoun. The king has been leading his community since 1994.

Victor Kana III settled here with his close guard, in a rented house near Pont-Viau and Laval-des-Rapides sectors.

“I was outside the country, so I decided to rent my house for a few months,” said Laval resident Roxanne Jean, who’s owning the place. “They told me they’d like to rent it 17 days in order to host a king. Of course, I didn’t believe them at first.”

However, after discussing with the organizers, she understood it wasn’t a bad joke. She wanted to put everything in place for the king’s coming.

Arrival and Stay

The king’s coming didn’t pass over in silence in the neighbourhood. Many neighbours told Roxanne Jean they were impressed by the welcoming ceremony.

Victor Kana III’s visit was then punctuated by stops in Montreal, Quebec and Ottawa to showcase the Bafous’s community.

“We want to promote our culture, and show that even those who’ve gone far from our village shouldn’t leave their culture,” the king said in an exclusive interview with the Courrier Laval. That’s one of the reasons we’re here.”

Roxanne Jean says her meeting with the king and his close guard was particularly touching. She believes she has discovered a peaceful, open-minded, generous and respectful community.

Translated by Alec Brideau

L’article The King of the Bafous is Visiting Laval est apparu en premier sur Courrier Laval news.

The park is located in the very centre of the city, on one of its most important boulevards, “the most beautiful”, said Romanian-born microbiologist Vania Atudorei.

A youth centre is located very close to the place, and right in front of the large hospital of the region.

Other Details

Laval Park is 2360 square meters. To celebrate the 15th anniversary of this twinning, the municipal authorities of Botosani have planted 15,000 flowers, and 1,100 shrubs are planted there.

“At all entrances and exits of the city, the municipality has installed road signs recalling this international twinning,” Atudorei said.

Atudorei’s also the president of the Romanian Association of Laval, and has been living on Île Jésus for more than 30 years.

Important Gesture

Let’s recall that in Quebec, the Romanian community numbers around 55,000 people.

“It’s a tribute to the ethnic diversity of Laval, the third largest city in Quebec [and tenth in Canada], in the current context where 30 per cent of its population comes from cultural communities,” Atudorei concluded.

Founded between a plain of Romanian Moldavia and the plateau of Suceava, Botosanie had a population of 106,847 inhabitants in 2011, as indicated on the Wikipedia page of Romania’s northeastern municipality.

translated by Alec Brideau

L’article A Laval Park in Romania est apparu en premier sur Courrier Laval news.