Montreal West Viewspaper September-October 2018, Vol. 46, No. 7 Former Olympian joins CRA’s judo program! Marie-Hélène Chisholm, former other than Nicolas Gill, a two-time Olympian and current manager of high Canadian Olympic medallist in judo. performance judo athletes at Judo “Marie-Hélène is a great addition to Canada will be co-coaching our judo our program”, says Steve. “Not only program this fall. She joins black belt will our judokas benefit from her years coach Steve Morissette, who initiated of elite experience, but with two of us, the popular program four years ago. we’ll be able to help students – includ- Marie-Hélène and Steve met in 1993 ing older ones – progress more quickly when they competed at the Quebec while still learning in an environment Judo games together! that focuses on enjoying the sport. We Marie-Hélène was born in Port- will also now offer interested students Cartier, but moved to Montreal at 15 to the opportunity to compete in the re- pursue her Olympic dream. That dream gion.” came true in 2004 when she went to Registration for the CRA judo pro- Athens and finished an impressive gram is now open at: amilia.com. The fourth. After injuring her knee in 2008, classes will be held at Elizabeth Bal- she began coaching the national lantyne School on Wednesdays, Sep- women’s team at the 2012 Olympics. tember 26-April 10. Marie-Hélène now lives in NDG and Ages 5-7: 6-6:45 pm has two children. Her spouse is none Ages 8-16: 7-8 pm Raffaelle Di Stasio: The Town’s Director General by Maurice Krystal She kept apologizing for her poor English language skills, but Raffaelle Di Stasio is much more fluent than she thinks. The odd time she slipped into a French phrase, it was quite understandable, even when it was predominately legalese. She says she plans to take classes to improve her grammar. continued on page 2 INDEX Community Centre ............ 17 CRA...................................... 8-9 Guides .................................. 11 Horticultural Society .............. 3 IODE ........................................ 5 Kosher korner .................... 12 Libraries .............................. 6, 7 News from the pews ............ 13 Réunion du Conseil............ 15 Rotary .................................. 4 Schools ................................ 5 Scouts ................................ 10 Town Council Report ............ 14 2 Best wishes, Jeannette! Jeannette Brooker has volunteered at The In- 10 Westminster North former for many years and was Chair of the Board Montreal West, Quebec from 1999-2018. Now she and husband Michael are H4X 1Y9 moving to a seniors’ residence. But, that doesn’t mean The Informer’s role is to provide we won’t continue to see her at the editing sessions MoWesters with information about that she so enjoys and is a valued member of the team. their Town and its citizens in order to foster the small-town, close-knit at- Born in Johannasburg, South Africa, as a teen Jean- mosphere that makes Montreal nette moved to Cape Town where she met and married West a special place in which to live. Michael. The couple moved to Canada in 1960 and eventually to MoWest in 1970. Jeannette taught English ISSN: 084741X at a French high school and, after retirement, taught EXECUTIVE BOARD English as a second language. They raised their three Cynthia Koomas - Chair children Mark, Tom, and Ann Sylvia here in Town. Jeanne Ragbir - Secretary We wish Jeannette and Michael much happiness in Bob King - Treasurer Heather Baylis their new abode and look forward to more Saturday Véronique Belzil-Boucher mornings editing The Informer with her. Jeannette Brooker René Boucher Carol Foster Maurice Krystal Change to the schedule of The Informer Fall Artists’ Showcase: Abstract Lise McVey Julia Ross In order to give readers a chance to MoWest amateur and professional artists are in- Rhonda Schwartz read the Town Council report before the vited to display their art at the Town Hall. The theme EDITOR-IN-CHIEF following meeting, The Informer will be for the autumn exhibit is Abstract. We’ll start hanging Heather Baylis published ten days to two weeks earlier the show in September. Application deadline: Septem- 489-7022 than normal. ber 28. Please keep in mind all works on paper, fabric Deadlines and dates on which delivery or canvas must be ready for hanging and three-dimen- LAYOUT DESIGNER begins are as follows: Julia Ross sional pieces, such as jewelry and pottery, must fit in [email protected] Issue Deadline Delivery the front hall cabinet. December October 31 November 16 To find out more about the Artists’ Showcase, or to AD MANAGER February January 9 January 25 get an application form, go to the MW website under Vaughan McVey “culture,” or pick up a form at the Community Centre. 484-6330 March January 30 February 15 [email protected] April February 27 March 15 For more details, you may contact Marian Scully, Recreation and Cultural Services, 484-1610. DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Rhonda Schwartz 482-0227 In her one year in MoWest RATES Raffaelle Di Stasio she appreciates the heart of the 1/6 page: $50. billed annually or Town. Like a small municipal- semi-annually. Monthly billing ity, everyone seems to know $60/per insertion. continued from page 1 actly does this job entail? She each other. The rate of volun- 1/12 page: $30. billed annually. sees it like being an orchestra teerism is impressive. She finds Monthly billing $35/insertion. Raffaelle’s mother came from conductor. Her job is to coordi- the architecture attractive and Flyers: $50 (non-profit) $85 (com- mercial) the Gaspésie and her father came nate every operation under the the facilities young families de- Professional card: $135/year from Italy to Canada when he political will and wishes of the sire is a drawing card. While the Subscriptions: $20 was five. Most of her upbringing councilors and citizens. She has Town has the village feel, it also was in the town of Boucherville to make sure that all resources, has all the benefits of being next Classifieds: 25-50 words – $10 25 words or fewer – $6 on the South Shore. She ob- including financial, material to a cosmopolitan city. tained her law degree from the and human are available to ac- Raffaelle is involved with TASK FORCE Université de Montréal in 2010 complish the activity according and passionate about SAESEM, René Boucher and was accepted to the Bar the to the planification (planning) a non-profit organization that Lina Harun following year. strategy the council and execu- initiates projects to protect the Cynthia Koomas Lise McVey As part of her stage (place- tive have agreed upon. environment and enhance the Maryl Murphy ment) she worked in 2011 in the In the one year she has been quality of life for Montrealers. Jeanne Ragbir Town Clerk’s Office in Amqui, here, she has been actively in- She enjoys travelling, especially Randi Weitzner a small town at the base of the volved in: the design of a new in Europe and reconnecting The Informer is published nine times Gaspé Peninsula. The next two Town web site, repairing and up- with her father’s Italian heritage a year (usually on the second or third weekend of the month) except years she was hired to be the Di- grading infrastructure, work on and culture. She also has a wish June, July and December. Typeset- rector General of St. Florence, Davies Park and the planification to get back to her drawing and ting by Informer staff, printing by Im- also in the Gaspé area. In 2014 strategy for the next four years. painting and sees herself taking primerie Provost. Extra copies available at Town Hall and both li- Raffaelle was employed by the Each councilor was asked to pri- classes in the future. braries. Funded, in part, by the Town Town of Sherrington, not far oritize their wish list. When the Her parents now live in the of Montreal West. Articles are from the NY/Vermont border to Montreal Agglomeration Coun- Eastern Townships near her sis- printed in French or English, as sub- again be the Director General. cil imposed a 9% increase on the ter who will make her, once mitted. She was hired on June 5, Town, the council was able to again, a new aunt this Novem- NEXT ISSUE DEADLINE 2017, to be the Director General react quickly and decrease the ber. Raffaelle lives in The Old October 3 of Montreal West. And what ex- potential negative impact. Port area. 3 Parents & Tots 6th Annual MoWest Terry Fox Run: program Taking strides to find a cure Offered by Le jardin d’enfants Cur- zon Creative Preschool, this program is SUN After another successful Terry Fox Run last September in Strathearn designed to give families a place to meet Park, raising the bar to over $20,000, it’s that time again to lace up your others with young children (1-3 years September running shoes and come out on Sunday, September 16 to support a great old) while providing a fun and enriching cause to continue Terry’s dream to find a cure for cancer. Since Terry’s experience for the kids. Come out and 16 Marathon of Hope in 1980, the Terry Fox Foundation has raised over $750 enjoy a morning full of activities, in- million for cancer research. cluding crafts, free play, music and cir- The Terry Fox Run is a family friendly, non-competitive event. Participants can register cle time! in advance online at Terryfox.org under the Montreal West run site or complete a very Register for the fall session or just brief entry form on site. As there is no entry fee, if you have not collected pledges, simply drop in! Tuesday and Thursday morn- make a donation.