Christian Gammon-Roy
Tribune
The municipality once again hosted the West Nipissing Seniors’ Christmas Party on Wednesday, December 11. Marcel Noel Hall in Sturgeon Falls was decked out with Christmas decor, and filled to its maximum capacity by 450 attendees. Municipal staff, members of council and other community members took the time to volunteer during the event, serving the free feast to the community’s seniors. Food for the event was prepared by Sonia’s Patio, and the bar manned by Tie the Knot Bartending Services. After the meal, attendees got to hit the dance floor while Ghost Rider performed.
“While it’s catered, we bring the food in. It’s all municipal staff, council, and other community volunteers that are plating all the food, and serving the food, and serving the wine and clearing the tables. So, it really is a huge group effort on the part of municipal staff and other volunteers who give their time,” describes West Nipissing mayor Kathleen Thorne Rochon, who was joined by fellow council members Kris Rivard, Jamie Restoule, Dan Gagne and Rolly Larabie in serving food and wine during the supper.
It’s a lot of work for everyone involved, and the event is fully funded by the municipality, but Thorne Rochon insists that it’s worth it. “I think it’s such a nice event, the seniors come out and have a great night, everyone is done up in their finest, and the atmosphere in the room is so buoyant. With the music and the dancing, there would be times after the supper finished that we’d look out and almost everybody in the room was up on the dance floor. So, I think it’s just the general atmosphere of the event, and the happiness and joy it brings for seniors,” she highlights.
The mayor adds that’s it’s also an opportunity for municipal council and staff members to spend some time outside of their usual work environment. After the work is done, they have an opportunity to talk with people who “we normally only see on a professional level,” or that they may not normally see if they work “in a different building or different department.”
More importantly, Thorne Rochon points out that the event provides the opportunity for community members to interact with council members in a social setting. “For many people, the impression that they form of members of council is just off of the pre-recorded meetings, and of course we’re all whole people that have personalities, and likes and dislikes. You don’t get to see that in council meetings because we keep things formal at council, so I think it’s nice for people to see us just in a normal everyday setting,” she describes.
In fact, Thorne Rochon says the Seniors’ Christmas Party is her favourite event put on by the municipality. “I think for me it’s the big one. It’s just such a great event to attend and be a part of, and it’s a way to acknowledge the working contributions of the seniors in the community. Also, when we talk about healthy communities, one of the things that’s really important is social interaction. This gives a great opportunity for people in the community to come together. To me, it’s one of the highlights of the year,” she sums up.