Getting ready for the holidays with Christmas bazaars

Throughout the year, the group that consists of residents and community volunteers led by Ginny Thomas, meet weekly to work on seasonal crafts projects, knitted items and more all of which were sold to enthusiastic residents and the public. In addition the Manoir staff, family and friends and residents provided baked goods that sold off the tables. Local businesses provided raffle items that were awarded during a special Christmas tea. Manager Tom Thompson had a fun time choosing the winning numbers.



St. Margaret’s annual bazaar and bake sale



The administration and volunteers of the day centre at St. Margaret’s senior residence at on Hillside Avenue hosted its annual Christmas bazaar and bake sale last week and throughout this week.

A handicrafts centre of colourful crocheted, quilted and knit items made by volunteers was very popular as were packaged baked items donated by a bakery. But this year the highlight was inspired gift baskets assembled with treasures brought in by staff and clients. The team creatively put those items together in gift baskets embellished with decorations of pine cones, Christmas balls and apples that could be used for gifts or just enjoyed. The sale raised $1,000 that will be used for programs at the day centre that include weekly events and outings.



Rummage sale at Temple this weekend



The public is invited to pick through the treasures at the Temple Emanu-El-Beth Sholom Sisterhood/Brotherhood’s annual rummage sale, which will be held this Sunday, Dec. 10 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Temple members have emptied their closets, corners and drawers of clutter and donated a wide variety of items to the sale: clothing, books, toys, sporting goods, costume jewellery, accessories, shoes, purses, household goods, electronics, and small pieces of furniture.

Ricky and the staff are still accepting items brought to Temple’s side door, 395 Elm Ave. Pick-ups are available for those who have no transportation. Phone Cheryl at 514-486-7162 or Heather Solomon-Bowden at 450-672-9788.



Christmas concert at St. Léon



Enter into the spirit of Christmas at the eighth annual Christmas concert, ‘À minuit fut fait un réveil’ (At midnight, there was an awakening) at St. Léon de Westmount Church, 4311 de Maisonneuve W. on Sunday, Dec. 17 at 3 p.m.

Accompanied by Lucienne Arel at the organ and a small chamber ensemble, the choir will perform excerpts from two of J.S. Bach’s works; the Christmas Oratorio and the Cantate BWV 140: Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme. They will also present some classic French Christmas songs as well as traditional carols. For ticket information phone 514-935-4950.



Unique gifts



Edible Arrangements offers unique arrangements for entertaining and gift giving. The product is just as it sounds… an arrangement of hand-cut fresh fruit designed in unique arrangements including a holiday sleigh, a Star of David, and a Christmas tree, delivered in Westmount and Montreal for gift-giving or as a unique centerpiece at a holiday party. For those who have restricted diets or who just enjoy fresh fruit the concept of sending or serving an arrangement of cut fruit is just too delicious.

This is the third location for owner Patricia Domenic Mautoni, who opened the Westmount store on St. Catherine Street in September and local residents are eating it up. Pineapple stars, strawberries, cantaloupe, honeydew and grapes designed in a holiday drum. For more information about these and other unique gift giving ideas, phone 514-935-8484 or visit the website

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Styl Gallery reopened just in time for Christmas



For 10 years, residents of Westmount enjoyed shopping at Styl Gallery, 5108 Sherbrooke St. , for unique jewellery and antiques. Then, in July 2005, the unthinkable happened. A flash flood in the neighbourhood flooded the downstairs store and owner Eva Jamroziak was forced out, pending promised renovations. Now, a year and a half later, Jamroziak has reopened her shop, which features one of kind items.

The store specializes in a amber, and Jamroziak is currently featuring unusual museum-quality amber collars. Working with a jeweler in Poland, Jamroziak has created a line of unique semi-precious stones set in silver settings. She is also featuring pure silver mezuzoths designed by internationally renowned artist Henry Winograd.

A large part of what Jamroziak carries is estate jewellery and she is always looking for costume and fine jewellery. For more information phone 514-369-5721.



Holiday helpers needed for basket drive



The Artisans’ Festival at Victoria Hall earlier this month began the ‘season of giving’ with donations of non-perishable goods to the Westmount Public Security’s 2006 Holiday Basket campaign. Now coordinators of the annual event are looking for volunteers and families to help make it a success once again.

Every year, Westmount Public Security organizes gift baskets of food and toys for needy families in the community. And this year is no exception. Donations of non-perishable food items, new toys in original packaging, and cash donations can be dropped off at all Westmount municipal buildings and at Centre Greene at 1090 Greene Ave.

Volunteers are also needed to help organize the donations and deliver the baskets. Anyone interested in helping out, or who would like to receive a basket, can contact Community Relations Officer James Novak at 514-989-5468 or jnovak@westmount.org



Quilters Guild donates to RVH



Last month, Francine Leduc-Houde and Lily Lam, members of the Westmount Quilter’s Guild, took 29 cuddle quilts to the neonatal intensive care unit at the Royal Victoria Hospital. Sixteen were made by members of the Westmount Quilters Guild and 13 came from the South Shore Quilters Guild in St. Lambert, of which Lam is also a member.

“Most of quilts are small, 24� by 24�, a perfect size for the tiny infants, but some are bigger. They are all very cuddly and colourful,� said Lam.

Anne Marie Lanctot, the nurse manager, and Linda Boisvert, one of the specialists, were very happy to receive the colourful gifts they said will help brighten their unit and are perfect for cuddling the small infants, some of whom stay in the unit for extended period of time before they are ready to go home. For infants that come from more needy families, the cuddle quilt will go home with them. The unit has a capacity of 27 infants and the Guild will continue to replenish the supply as needed.

The Guild will be ending the year on Dec. 14 with a holiday celebration meeting that will include games, fabric exchanges, the viewing of slide shows and the sharing of good food and great spirit. They will begin the new year with an annual general meeting on Jan. 12 at a restaurant yet to be determined. For more information call Lam at 514-989-7939 or email lilylam@sympatico.ca



Beauty in ‘found’ fauna



Westmount artist Glenn Ellis and his art teacher, Theresa Sapergia, discovered beauty in ‘found fauna’ that Ellis used as models for his most recent collection of still lifes that he exhibited at Chateau Westmount recently.

Every week when Sapergia walks to Ellis’s residence for his class, she looks for something interesting for Ellis to learn with, something that will be both interesting and challenging to the artist who has been sketching and painting and for just over a year. The result was a collection of varied media still lifes that featured everything from weeds to big and bright tiger lilies.

This year the octogenarian put his hands to pencil drawings of fruit, compositions of flowers done in oil pastels and even a self portrait done in pencil. But the most fun for the artist and his teacher, was exploring and bringing to life on paper the different items Sapergia brought. To book an appointment to view his work, call 514-939-7133.



Keith receives QWF Community Award



Westmount short story writer and QWF co-founder Julie Keith was awarded the Quebec Writer’s Federation annual community award last week at the annual Literary Awards Gala. Over 250 writers and associates filled the Lion D’Or to recognize writers who, in the Federation’s opinion, have excelled in their craft.

Keith was recognized for her tireless work to nurture and develop Quebec’s English-language literary scene. She was a board member of QSPELL, the Quebec Society for the Promotion of English-language Literature, in which she played a significant role in developing the organization’s literary awards. In 1998 she was instrumental in facilitating QSPELL’s merge with FEWQ, the Federation of English-Language Writers of Quebec.

In addition, two Westmount authors, William Marsden and Julian Sher were nominated for the Mavis Gallant Prize for non-fiction. Their book, Angels of Death, takes readers inside the biggest American police undercover operation to infiltrate the Hells Angels.



——Marilynn Vanderstay