Andrée, Claude, Manon, Martin, Juliette, Zeyna, Susan, France, Natasha: dozens of volunteers mobilized on Wednesday in Saint-Lambert to collect donations and food for the Grande Guignolée of the South Shore media, which ended up being victims of an escape were December.
Published yesterday at 8:01 p.m.
“The population wears their hearts on their sleeves when we target the most disadvantaged children,” notes Jean-Marie Girard, who has been in charge of the collection for 21 years.
The octogenarian met on Wednesday evening in the Saint-Lambert warehouse, where boxes of food are piled up, and is busy with a thousand tasks. He admits that he only drank half a cup of coffee this morning. His smartwatch keeps ringing. Chicoutim native and adoptee Hubertain takes the time to speak with each donor and volunteer.
Food donations are still pouring in around 5 p.m. “It comes in, it doesn't stop, it's like this all day,” confirms volunteer France Desaulniers. It's a rolling fire! »
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
Volunteer Manon Corbeil volunteered Wednesday to raise funds for Grande Guignolée of South Shore media, which was the victim of a theft at its warehouse in late December.
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
On Wednesday evening, donations piled up at the Saint-Lambert warehouse as part of South Shore Media's Grande Guignolée collection to compensate for a theft in late December.
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
Grande Guignolée volunteer Natasha Lacoste shows boxes torn apart by thieves who wanted to be more selective about what they wanted to steal.
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
Left: Philippe Desmarais, owner of an IGA in Saint-Lambert, came to deliver food on Wednesday evening. He is welcomed by Jean-Marie Girard, responsible for debt collection.
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
Pascale Mongrain, mayor of Saint-Lambert, came on Wednesday evening to bring food.
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
Zayna and Juliette, 15 years old, with Susan Rooke in the background, at the corner of Victoria Avenue and Route 112, in Saint-Lambert, Wednesday evening
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
Susan Rooke and Juliette, volunteers with South Shore media Grande Guignolée, are collecting donations Wednesday evening.
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
A citizen donates, collected by volunteer Manon Corbeil.
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La Grande Guignolée of the South Shore media announced at the end of December that she had been the victim of a theft in the warehouse she had borrowed in Saint-Lambert. About fifty boxes of food for disadvantaged families were stolen.
Enraged, the citizens of Saint-Lambert decided to organize a second fundraiser to make up for the losses.
Thousands of dollars in losses
Each stolen box was worth about $200, for a total of $10,000, estimated Herman Champagne, a volunteer with Entraide Saint-Lambert, an organization benefiting from the Grande Guignolée. It was he who initiated this second wave of collections.
“When I found out about the theft, I was frustrated! “, he says. On December 7, the day of the Grande Guignolée, he went to Saint-Lambert train station in freezing temperatures to collect donations. “We went crazy to raise money,” he remembers. But hey , after the flight we changed sides! »
After the release, there was a rapid announcement of this second collection.
“In six hours we had 25 volunteers! » enthuses Mr Champagne.
On Wednesday, teams waved signs and cans on the corners of several city arteries to collect donations. “I'm really surprised, people are still giving,” says Claude Panneton in the city center with his partner Andrée Paradis. The couple is very involved in their community and decided to make time to get involved on Wednesday.
A kilometer away, at the corner of Victoria Avenue and Route 112, Juliette and Zeyna, 15 years old, are doing their good deed for the New Year. The International Education Program encourages volunteer work in the academic careers of these two students.
“This theft is huge,” says Juliette indignantly. It's the worst thing you can do. »
“It’s criminal!” adds Zeyna.
A close-knit community
“People are so generous and outraged! », It is estimated that the mayor of Saint-Lambert, Pascale Mongrain, met on Wednesday evening at the Grande Guignolée warehouse.
For the mayor, the mobilization of citizens to replenish the coffers of the Grande Guignolée is “concrete proof of our sense of community”.
“In Saint-Lambert we stand together. People help each other and greet each other on the street. It's a joint effort! »
An effort that affects both citizens and businesses, she adds. When La Presse stopped by, Philippe Desmarais, owner of one of the city's IGAs, had just dropped off non-perishable goods at several grocery stores. More donations were expected the next day. The mayor added that pharmacies had also planned to contribute.
Is the warehouse safe from further theft? The police have increased their presence and surveillance of the sector, says Jean-Marie Girard.
This Grande Guignolée 2.0 runs until January 15th for in-person and online donations. The harvest is distributed to around twenty local organizations. Since taking care of the collection in 2002, Jean-Marie Girard has redistributed an estimated $7.3 million in money, food and other products.