Donald Teuma-Castelletti
NORWAY BAY July 1, 2018
With beginning of the cottage season underway, the Norway Bay Municipal Association (NBMA) started up their summer of activities with a plenty of sweet treats.
Neighbours from across the Bay gathered at 5 Lothian St. for the eighth annual Strawberry Social on July 1, celebrating both the national holiday and seasonal reunions.
Wilf Brousseau said the event is a great way of kicking off the summer season and getting people back into their summer community.
Calling himself the guest quizmaster, Brousseau made sure to keep kids fully checked in, hitting them with a variety of questions about Canada throughout the afternoon. Kids who answered their questions right would receive a keychain and a loonie as a prize.
Meanwhile, everyone was welcome to partake in the sweets onsite, with strawberry shortcake and a variety of other desserts to choose from. Linda Dent, one of the event organizers, said that the strawberries were all fresh and organic, coming out of Manotick.
Serving up the desserts were just some of the many volunteers involved with the event, boasted Dent. She added that, besides the help of the volunteers, the location complemented the aggressive heat experienced on Sunday.
“This is the hottest one we’ve ever had,” said Dent, of the weather. “The shade, breeze, this is the perfect property.”
Brousseau added that the social event began eight years ago as a seniors’ activity in the Bay.
“A girl named Sandy Monaghan was looking for something for the seniors to do,” he said. “Then it just kind of started the season and got people to gather around.”
Rounding out activities was the chance to add to a mural at the front of the property. Working with Get Art, children added to the theme of the Ottawa River Keeper mural before signing their names.
The painting is just the beginning of their art projects in Norway Bay, as they work with Get Art throughout the summer. First up for young artists will be building mini birch bark canoes on July 5 at the Centennial Hall, with more projects continuing every Thursday evening thereafter. Organizers highlighted that their events are open to any children in the area that are interested, not just those in Norway Bay.
