Some annual events that had attained, or were at least close to attaining, ‘tradition’ status have fallen by the wayside over the years, among them the local children’s Santa Claus parade and the Rotary Club’s gigantic, much-beloved garage sale and auction.

This love of tradition often leads people to say, “You know it’s a sure sign of Christmas when…”

Another one of Westmount’s most remarkable qualities is that it carries its reputation as a wealthy, privileged enclave with a certain degree of good-natured, often self-effacing humour, even when many know that this label is not entirely accurate. What does surprise some people is the claim that not only are some Westmount residents not millionaires but that some are in fact poor. Perhaps not in the Dickensian sense of the word, which would suggest barefoot urchins with dirty faces and ragged clothing begging for change outside the 5 Saisons supermarket, but certainly at a point of such financial difficulty that a comfortable holiday season might be out of reach.

That’s where Sgt. Denis Proulx of Westmount Public Security comes in. For 25 years now, he and his protective services colleagues have been collecting money and food from Westmounters in order to bring a bit of holiday comfort to those in the community who might have fallen upon hard times — not an uncommon situation in this age of economic uncertainty and thieves posing as financial advisors.

Although carried out on a smaller scale than other food drives around Montreal, the Westmount initiative is no less laudable, for it exemplifies both this city’s strong spirit of community and the old adage that charity begins at home. It also serves to dispel the myth that a poor Westmounter is nothing but an oxymoron.

You know it’s a sure sign of Christmas when you start seeing our local officers at various community events, collecting non-perishable food items for their annual drive. Thanks to them, this is one bona-fide Westmount tradition that really makes a difference to people.