Pumpkin the Cat took the title of Mayor of Lavigne after a brilliant campaign by his manager and handler Gabby Poirier, whose creative posters helped earn the cat more votes than her father Ti-Pois (Marc Poirier), the rival candidate. 
West Nipissing Mayor Kathleen Thorne Rochon (right) crowns Pumpkin the Cat as the new Mayor of Lavigne. Pumpkin is held by his handler and campaign manager Gabby Poirier as his opponent Ti-Pois (Marc) Poirier looks on. The “election” was held in good fun at the Lavigne Tavern as a fundraiser to help a friend recover from a hunting injury. 
Marc Pellerin mingled with the crowd at the Lavigne Tavern as they gathered to elect the ‘mayor of Lavigne’ and help raise money for his rehabilitation after a hunting injury. 
Joyce Beauchamp
Special to the Tribune
It’s official, Pumpkin the Cat has been elected mayor of Lavigne, defeating rival candidate Ti-Pois (Marc) Poirier. However the real winner of the April 26 “election” event at the Lavigne Tavern was Marc Pellerin, as people came out in force to raise money and show support for his recovery and rehabilitation after a hunting accident that led to a leg amputation.
The Sunday afternoon brought sunshine and t-shirt weather, and soon the parking lot of the Lavigne Tavern was full, with cars parked all the way up to the ice rink. “It was amazing,” said Pumpkin the Cat’s campaign manager, Gabby Poirier. “We didn’t really expect that many people. We had so many people that Dan ran out of beer and many people had to go to the store to buy it!” Organizers set up the patio, and that’s how all attendees could be accommodated. Claire McMartin and the French River Band “were sooo good,” says Gabby. “Everybody was ordering food – so much so that it was a two-hour wait – and the waitresses were having trouble getting around to all the people.”
The unofficial mayoralty race was between Gabby’s cat, Pumpkin, and her father, Marc Poirier, aka Ti-Pois. West Nipissing’s actual mayor, Kathleen Thorne Rochon, attended the event, as well as Ward 8 (Lavigne) town councilor George Pharand, contributing their experience and joie de vivre. Thorne Rochon crowned the winner and exclaimed, “This may have been the absolute best community event I have ever attended. Classic idea! Flawless execution! Inspiring spirit! Great job to all those involved in making it happen!”
