Jorge Maria
Fort coulonge July 31, 2021
A long-delayed fundraiser brought a large crowd of boaters to Fort Coulonge over the weekend to raise money in support of local families.
The event by and for Les Maison de Familie du Pontiac, (MFD) had been in the works for months prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused it to be cancelled indefinitely.
With vaccination rates increasing and COVID restrictions easing, MFD Director General Lisa Janis thought they could finally make a go of it. Her small team of two employees and two volunteers organized the event over a couple of months. One specific challenge was geography. Since participants had to travel by boat for clues, large sections of the Ottawa River had to be surveyed by her team for suitable locations.
Twenty-seven boats participated in the event after paying the entry fee of $35.
With $600 in prizes up for grabs, there was no shortage of enthusiasm and confidence on the day. Lori Smith, from L’Île du Grand Calumet said, “You might as well take pictures now, because we won it, eh.”
Her team of six were all celebrating the day.
“My favorite part was obviously just being out here on the river. It’s a good time,” Smith added.
Janis was happy the greater Fort Coulonge community had come out for the event, even though many didn’t participate in the boat rally itself. Many of the town’s residents came out to show their support for the event, enjoy hot dogs or participate in the 50-50 draw.
This is the event’s first year, but there will be many more Janis said.
