Solidarité Ethnique Régionale de la Yamaska (SERY) is a Granby based non-profit organization mandated by the Ministère de l'Immigration, de la Francisation et de l'Intégration (MIFI) to accompany and support new arrivals settling in the regions of Haute-Yamaska and Brome-Missisquoi.

Established in 1992, SERY partnered up with the MRC of Brome-Missisquoi around four years ago to have a larger, and more visible, presence in the territory.

Theatre Lac-Brome (TLB) is benefitting from a $26,000 grant within the framework of the “L'Entente partenariat territorial pour les arts et les lettres en Montérégie” (“Territorial Partnership Agreement for the Arts and Humanities in Montérégie”).

One of six cultural institutions and artists in Brome-Missisquoi to benefit from a grant, TLB will use the financial aide to put on plays for the general public and for the students of Knowlton Academy and École St-Édouard this year.

Danny Williams decided to kickstart the Lac-Brome Men’s Shed in Brome Lake in 2020 to help retired men break from their isolation.

After Williams’ mother passed away, he witnessed his father become lost and seclude himself from picking up any new activities and interests.

Under Quebec’s language law Bill 96, students graduating from high-school are expected to provide a certificate of eligibility to demonstrate that they are eligible to attend an English CEGEP if they choose to apply to such institutions.

The new requirement for the certificate of eligibility stems from the provincial government’s decision to cap the number of students that can attend English CEGEPs and give priority to those students that have received instruction in English.

A new photo exhibition, “From Past to Present Photo Exhibition & Life Stories,” is kicking off in Mansonville with opening day scheduled for Jan. 21. at the Feather in the Wind Centre.

A collaboration between Danielle Poitras, project coordinator and volunteer, and Monique Gilbert, who previously worked with seniors at the Centre Action Bénévole de la Missisquoi-Nord (CABMN), the idea behind the exhibition is to change perceptions on aging.

Knowlton General opened up its doors in Brome Lake last spring to offer the community something a little bit different; sustainable seafood fresh off the coasts of Halifax and Vancouver.

Working as a chef for most of his career, owner of Knowlton General Dave George decided to take the leap to get a business up and running in a niche, and often times a tough, market.

he municipal council for the Town of Brome Lake held its first meeting of the year on Jan. 9 where it passed a resolution to preserve the municipality’s bilingual status. The bilingual status allows for the municipality to communicate with citizens in both French and English.

Under Quebec’s Bill 96, a recent language law bill that is meant to promote and protect the French language, towns, cities, municipalities, boroughs, and townships that currently hold a bilingual status must pass a resolution to maintain such status if less than 50% of citizens identify English as their mother tongue.

The Yamaska Valley Optimist Club (YVOC) supports the positive development of youth in Brome-Missisquoi through different projects and community undertakings.

The first major initiative undertaken by the organization is called the “Christmas Angel program;” a project that continues during the holiday season to this day.

Since 1981, English-speaking adults (16+) facing literary challenges that live in either Brome-Missisquoi or Haut-Yamaska have been supported by the Yamaska Literacy Council (YLC).

Through its different programs and services, which include one-to-one tutoring, lifelong learning, youth and family initiatives, and promotion, outreach and advocacy, the YLC has a mission to address the literacy needs of both regions and to raise awareness on literacy issues and the possible solutions.

As we head into a new year, the Town of Brome Lake has announced its estimated budget for 2023.

Taking into consideration the high inflation rates, the town is keeping tax rate increases for all taxation categories below the current inflation rate with an increase of about 4.5% more than in 2022.

Between May and November 2022, the Town of Sutton, with the help of consultant Julie Lavallée, organized brainstorming sessions with different target groups, public meetings, and a public interactive exhibition over four weekends in the fall as a part of the Dream Sutton project “Village core: Establishing a comprehensive plan.”

The goal of the discussions and consultations was to gather the opinions and input of Sutton citizens on the issues that concern them and the types of projects they want to see happen in their community.

Non-profit organizations (NPO) Centre D’action Bénévole de Cowansville (CAB Cowansville) and la Cellule Jeunes et Familles de Brome-Missisquoi (The Cellule) are seeking to join forces in support of Brome-Missisquoi citizens.

The idea for the collaboration came about when both organizations decided to put their expertise together to address the different needs of those that rely on CAB Cowansville’s food bank and the Cellule’s emergency food bank that go beyond just food insecurity.

After a two year hiatus, the Heroes’ Memorial Elementary School food drive picked back up again for the 2022 holiday season.

Organized by Merida Wisdom with the help of students from her grade 4 class, the food drive, which ended on Dec. 16, collected five bags and 17 boxes of food for the Centre Action Bénévole de Cowansville’s (CAB Cowansville) food bank.

For over three decades, Sherbrooke based group Bule et Baluchon has served as the prevention centre for violence against children in the Eastern Townships.

Through educational workshops, Bule et Baluchon works with children between 4 and 12 years old to equip them with the knowledge and tools necessary to help them be less vulnerable to violence.

Around this time last year, Logan Lague grabbed his toboggan and trekked through the streets of Knowlton in search of items to give to those living in a vulnerable circumstances, that are unhoused, or do not have permanent housing.

What started as a small initiative eventually became a community effort. Citizens put together whatever items they could find in support of Lague, some volunteered their time to sort through the items, and some even volunteered to do trips to bring the items to various shelters and organizations in Montreal.

Main dans la main, a social paediatric centre for the Brome-Missisquoi community, held its annual “La Guignolée du Dr. Julien” over the weekend raising close to $48,000.

Around 156 volunteers hit the streets on Dec. 10 for the organization’s big collection day in seven different municipalities. All funds raised support the services that Main dans la main provides to children between 0 and 18 years old living in vulnerable circumstances in the region.

In March 2022, the federal government tabled Bill C-13, an “Act to amend the Official Languages Act, to enact the Use of French in Federally Regulated Private Businesses Act and to make related amendments to other Acts.”

The intent of the bill is to modernize the Official Languages Act to protect, promote, and recognize the French language as a minority language in Canada and to encourage the use of both English and French.

Knowlton is celebrating the 18th edition of its Midnight Madness event this Saturday, Dec. 10, with organizers hoping to bring people together from near and far to celebrate the holiday season.

Brainchild of Lucy Hoblyn, owner of Brome Lake Books in Knowlton, Midnight Madness is about getting people in the Christmas spirit and supporting local merchants and business owners.

Pascale St-Onge, candidate for the Liberal Party, was elected as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Brome-Missisquoi in 2021. She also serves as the federal Minister of Sport and Minister Responsible for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec.

It’s her first run as a politician having previously worked as secretary general, and then president, of the Fédération nationale des communications et de la culture. With this role, she addressed the challenges facing the media and the cultural sector.

A year into her mandate, St-Onge looks back on her experience as the region’s political representative and what she has been doing on the ground in support of her riding.

Camp Garagona is getting set to host the second edition of its Christmas market at Le Grammar School in Frelighsburg running from Dec. 17 to Dec. 18.

Camp Garagona is a summer camp for adults living with an intellectual disability and/or an autism spectrum disorder. The non-profit organization also offers a day service program throughout the year that gets campers involved in a variety of activities.