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FROM THE PRESIDENT’S DESK

After forty years, the time has come to dissolve the Federation.  It is not easy to do after having been involved in it in one way or another for all these years.  We have had many successes during those years and there are too many people to name them all, I must simply give them a general thank you for their dedication, talent and hard work over the many years.  However, I would like to thank the present board members, Mary Beth who served until this year, Yvette, Suzanne, Pat and Tom Jacques.  Tom did a great job setting up and maintaining the Federation’s web site.  Yvette did the leg work for some of our trips – Europe, and the trip on Lake George aboard the ship, Lac du Saint Sacrament to name just two. She also handled both the positions of secretary and treasurer in addition to membership.   Suzanne’s help with the film program, and articles for the newsletter.  The wonderful research by Pat Jacques for many of the newsletter articles, Mary Beth for her permission to use material from her Franco American Gravy, and my wife Françoise for proofreading all the English articles for these many years.  The help of many people over the years for our participation in the Festival of Nations, the Troy Festival under member Jane Otto and various other festivals.  Thank you to Margaret Lanoue, Maurice Rivard, Eloïse Brière who organized our Lachine to Albany fur-traders route.  And all who cooked, baked and helped with the French Mass in June each year, the brunches, the dance programs, the celebration of the feast of the Three Kings (Epiphany).  I remember the dance program held at the Italian Society’s building with Mr. Tremblay and Mr. Janis.  And for all the faithful attendance at our board meetings, thank you. 
Covid made it impossible for us to continue some of these programs except for the printing of the newsletter, and following Covid, we found ourselves unable to continue.  Mary Beth did much research to find ways to keep the Federation afloat but it always came back to the fundamental problem, decline of membership, (we have 28 of them this year).  With only five board members, too much work needed to be done by too few of us.  Rather than to provide mediocre programm-ing, it is best not to continue.  Once again, a great thank you (un gros merci) to all who have helped and been part of the Federation for these many years.

Bernie