CHRIS LOWREY
QUYON Oct. 19, 2019
The streets around Quyon were a blur of brightly decorated vehicles as teams . . .
raced around the area looking for clues in the 32nd annual Quyon Lionettes car rally.
Participants rolled out from Gavan’s Hotel – but not before posing for some pictures showing off their costumes and decked-out rides.
The event featured more than 40 cars with at least four participants in each and its theme was “Where in the World are we?”
The theme, along with the clues, are the brainchild of the team that won the year before.
In last year’s car rally, the team of Ashley Carson, Chelsea Carson, Kelly O’Connell, Shellbie Greer, Gabrielle Breton-Rocan and Amanda Pagé took home first place, albeit reluctantly.
“The real winner is whoever comes second,” quipped Breton-Rocan as last year’s winners sat inside Gavan’s waiting for participants to return.
The group’s members have been participating in the event together anywhere from 5-15 years.
The team clearly has a knack for the competition as they’ve won two of the last three Lionettes car rallies. Last year they tied with another team, but a spelling mistake by the other team secured the win for this year’s organizers.
The ladies joked that next year, their dictionary is going out the window.
Setting up a car rally is no small undertaking. The amount of work required to make it challenging, especially for a group of seasoned veterans like last year’s winning team, takes some time.
“We finished (the clues) this morning and we’ve had a year,” said Greer.
The event serves as a fundraiser each year for a specific area of need in the community. Last year, the event raised money to buy a new bed for the local CLSC. This year, the proceeds are going towards a new wheelchair for the emergency room at Shawville Hospital.
“Whatever is going to help the community,” said first-time organizer Anita Trudeau. “It’s all about giving back.”
Trudeau and Amber Prud’homme were out front of Gavans bright and early Saturday morning making sure that each team was accounted for, and of course had their picture taken, before they hit the road.
The effort level put into each vehicle’s decorations varied, but Trudeau said one car with a Christmas theme came complete with its own theme music.
This years winners were Sue McKay, Cassandra McKay, Charlene Aubertin and Kara Hardie, who will be tasked with planning next year’s rally.
