Happy New Year to all. We had a wonderful holiday season, with many good times celebrated with family and friends. I’m sad that it is over, yet looking forward to what 2019 holds in store. Wishing everyone health and happiness in the year ahead.
There was happy news over the holidays for several couples in our area. Congratulations to Michael Baker and Meghan Smith, as they got engaged over Christmas. Best wishes are going out to Kris Belsher and Brittany McKenny who are also engaged to be married. Wishing the happy couples all the best.

Congratulations to Virginia (Schwartz) and Jeff Freeborn, as they welcomed their first child on Dec. 30. They are the proud parents to a little girl named Lily Skye. Lily is a new granddaughter for Doug and Isabel Schwartz. She is a little doll and we are so happy for the whole family.
I had an email from Bob Steele a former Quyon resident now living in Calgary,. Alta. Bob asked me to send belated birthday wishes to his old friend Clifford Long, as he celebrated his 75th birthday on Christmas Day. Cliff and his family lived in Quyon in the early 1950s when his father was the United Church minister here. Greetings are also sent to Cliff’s older brother Phil and his wife Doris, who live in Oshawa, Ont. but are wintering in Myrtle Beach, U.S. Bob reminded me that the Long family would have once resided in the very house that I now live in (the United Church Manse). Special thanks to him for sharing all of this with me.
Belated birthday wishes are going out to Eric Provost and Priscilla Kluke on Jan. 2, to Sherri-Lynn Foran on Jan. 3, to Grace Côté on Jan. 4 and to Kelsey Stanley on Jan. 5.
2019 is starting out on an exciting note for our village, as the Pontiac Community Gym opened on Jan. 7. This is such a great service to have in Quyon and they are offering opportunities for physical activity for young and old. They are also hoping the gym will become a social hub for the community. I can’t wait to get started my New Year’s resolutions and I have no excuse as it is located right across the road from me.
The Quyon United Church is gearing up for Soup & Sandwich season and it will be starting a little earlier this year with two lunches scheduled for the month of January. The first will be held on Jan. 16 in the Quyon church basement. It’s the perfect time of year to warm up with a delicious bowl of homemade soup and a chance to visit with friends and neighbours. Looking forward to seeing everyone there.