William Crooks
Representatives from three community organizations joined township officials and the 2025 Volunteer of the Year for a group photo following the signing of a new three-year agreement. From left: Brendan Rhodes and Troy Hopps (CAG), Isabelle Lanari-Boisclair (ACCS, front), James McGregor (ACCS, back), Katherine Snow (SMPMC, in red), Claire Galipeau (Volunteer of the Year, holding flowers), and Sébastien Croteau (Director General of the Township).

By William Crooks

Local Journalism Initiative

The Township of Stanstead hosted its annual Volunteer’s Celebration on May 2 at the town hall, combining recognition of local service with the public signing of a new three-year funding agreement with three core community groups.

This year’s Volunteer of the Year award was presented to Claire Galipeau of Fitch Bay. Galipeau, who moved to the area in 2016 with her husband, said the recognition was a surprise — but one she had quietly prepared for. “This is our first home,” she said. “I’d like to thank the Township of Stanstead and all the residents for their welcome.” She also thanked those who had invited her to get involved and supported her efforts over the years, as well as “all the citizens for their participation in our activities.”

Councillor Constance Ramacieri welcomed guests and spoke on behalf of Mayor Pierre Martineau, who was unable to attend due to a family commitment. In her bilingual remarks, Ramacieri reflected on the Latin roots of the words volunteer and bénévole, both of which mean will, desire, or benevolence. “The combination of these two origins is at the heart of the very meaning of actions of the people we honour today,” she said. “The resilience of our community lies in large part in the caring, voluntary actions of individuals.”

Ahead of the award presentation, Ramacieri invited representatives of three local organisations to join her and Director General Sébastien Croteau for the formal signing of a three-year agreement. The goal of the agreement is to provide greater financial stability and planning capacity for the participating groups, which are active in the Georgeville and Fitch Bay sectors.

The agreement was signed with the Community Association of Georgeville (CAG), the Saint Matthias Property Management Committee (SMPMC), and Action Communautaire du Canton de Stanstead (ACCS). Together, these organisations operate key community spaces and offer cultural and social programming throughout the year.

CAG maintains the Murray Memorial Centre and hosts activities such as book sales and neighbourhood gatherings. SMPMC manages Gustin Hall in Fitch Bay. ACCS, which evolved from the former “Les Amis de Fitch Bay,” runs a Saturday morning café and other inclusive initiatives that foster local engagement.

“The idea was to ensure that the organizations have more of a footing for three years,” Ramacieri explained in an interview during the event. “Instead of having to do this every year, let’s make sure that our organizations have a good footing and know what’s going to happen.”

She noted that the municipal council had made “community” a top priority during its planning session in January, and the agreement was signed during Volunteer Week to highlight that commitment. “This is really more important now than ever,” she said.

One speaker at the signing called the agreement a “very good idea” for three reasons: the multi-year commitment, the support for building maintenance, and the opportunity to present the decision publicly. “Otherwise, people wouldn’t know about it,” he said.

Representatives participating in the signing included Brendan Rhodes and Troy Hopps from the CAG; Katherine Snow from the SMPMC; and Isabelle Lanari-Boisclair and James McGregor from ACCS.

“This event reminds us that the strength of our community comes from the people who give their time and energy to it,” Ramacieri said. “And tonight, we celebrate them.”