Usually taking place during the Fort-Coulonge Mansfield Carnival, the event was instead held at the same time as the Pontiac Cup 3 on 3 hockey tournament, due to a scheduling conflict.

For event co-organizer Sandra Armstrong, the Car Rally is a great way for residents to spend time with their friends while competing for a prize and also to support the local rink.

“I think people really enjoy this activity because it allows them to be with their friends,” said Armstrong. “And it’s also a pretty good challenge which is always nice.”

According to Armstrong, the event has been a staple in the municipality for nearly 40 years.

“It’s just a friendly get together among friends,” said Armstrong. “They pay a certain amount of money and it comes back to the winners and the arena. It’s worth the fun. It doesn’t bring that much money, but people really love it and they look forward to it every year.”

Organized by two members of the arena committee, the event consisted of a scavenger hunt divided into two parts, with the first taking place in Fort-Coulonge and the second in Davidson.

With 68 participants in 24 different vehicles, organizers assigned teams with a list of around 100 questions with each answer to be found at different locations throughout two municipalities.

“They start at the arena, where they sign up,” said Armstrong. “Once they finish one part, they come back here to switch courses.”

Each location was outlined on a map provided to each participant. Answers came in various forms of riddles made to confuse the participants, provoking them to use their wits as much as possible, according to Armstrong.

The five fastest participants each won a share of the money from registration fees. Registration fees cost $15 per participant, two thirds of which went to the prize winners while the other third went back to the arena, Armstrong said.

During the event, the Carnival Committee donated $6,500 to the Centre de Loisirs des Draveurs arena committee, according to Carnival Committee member Stephan Beland.

The winners of the 2019 annual Car Rally were Lucienne Laporte-Denault and Michele Bertrand in first place with a $300 prize; Brittany Gervais, Rianna Gervais and Megan Beland in second with $150; Melanie Ladouceur, Ellen Boucher, Julie Fortin-Delorme, Melanie Romain and Sylvie Romain in third with $100; Alex Soucie and Renee McCarter in fourth with $80; and Jenna Bertrand, Isabelle Labine, Tanya Ledoux and Meaghan Doyle in fifth with $80.

The event raised $340 for the arena, according to Armstrong.

Register or subscribe to read this content

Thanks for stopping by! This article is available to readers who have created a free account or who subscribe to The Equity.

When you register for free with your email, you get access to a limited number of stories at no cost. Subscribers enjoy unlimited access to everything we publish—and directly support quality local journalism here in the Pontiac.

Register or Subscribe Today!