A word from the Hull-Ottawa region     Text from Jean-Marc Cloutier.

On October 17, I had the occasion to meet with François and Nicole of Gatineau, co-presidents of our 15th annual gathering taking place at Hull in 1999. I was very agreeably surprised at the amount of work that François has accomplished to date in the beautiful Hull-Ottawa region. The site where our annual festivities will take place has been chosen and the menus have been worked out. Several members of the organising committee, who in passing deserve commendation, have been recruited and capable people have assumed the workload in each field. My dear François, when we see the steps you have taken; we congratulate you and say a big thanks on behalf of the association.

The site chosen is the Tétreau Community Centre, in Moussette Park, located at 95 Prévost Street, in Hull, where a large number of facilities are offered. The site is very pretty and welcoming. The rooms are suitable, comfortable, air-conditioned and well lighted. In addition, we will be on the water’s edge giving an indescribable charm to this site of greenery and rest. The caterer has promised us meals that will be unforgettable..

Mrs. Louise Boudrias, the person in charge of the Centre, is a person of unequalled charm and helpfulness. She has promised us a weekend that we will long remember from the point of view of the support we will receive and the service we would expect for a gathering such as ours, which wants to be more appealing each year.

More information will be communicated to you in the March 1999 issue of la Clouterie. We will provide you with directions to get you to the site as well as a choice of accommodations and their distance from the Tétreau Community Centre.

In order to accommodate in comfort each participant to our large gathering, we will be obliged to limit the attendance to 350 people. You should start making your plans and reservations early. We will accept the first 350 reservations received at our Office in Quebec City. Registration forms will be included in the next issue of la Clouterie. It’s time to plan your holidays so that you can come and meet François, Nicole, the members of their organising committee, all of your cousins in the great Hull-Ottawa region as well as from eastern Ontario, and all of our cousins whom we see each year after year. François and his team assure me that the limit of 350 is very firm. We cannot, under any consideration, exceed that number. The organising committee feels that quality should take precedence over quantity and it is for this reason that they have chosen the site where we will be holding our festivities. Think it over and, starting in March, reserve your place.

Jean-Marc Cloutier