Needed: Support for T-Day

The 2009 Ayer’s Cliff Townshippers’ Day Organizing Committee and Townshippers’ Association are calling out for help to support Townshippers’ Day, a bilingual cultural festival and information fair, with activities for all ages. The annual fundraising campaign has begun for this 30th annual celebration of the English-speaking community in the Eastern Townships.

“The spontaneity of volunteers approached to assist the Townshippers’ Day Organizing Committee with the fund-raising activity is deeply appreciated,” commented Dr. Mary Pearson, who chairs both the organizing and fundraising committees.

Since 1979, Townshippers’ Day has been organized by local volunteer committees in collaboration with Townshippers’ Association. It is an occasion for English-speaking and French-speaking neighbours to get together to celebrate the Townships’ English-speaking community and heritage in a climate of mutual respect and friendship. Every year, be the weather fair or foul, thousands of people make a special trip to the host town or village. Past host communities have reported a rise in their tourist revenues for the T-Day weekend, and economic spin-offs for the area and for participants and performers, as well.

Vast volunteer and partners’ contributions, including organizers responsible for everything from logistics to health and security, energise the event. However, the financial support for the event has been increasingly insufficient. In 2006, a $2 parking donation was introduced to help raise funds. Despite this and other measures, T-Day posted a substantial deficit last year.

“The ongoing celebration of our heritage, our culture, as well as showcasing our hopes for the future cannot take place without the involvement and participation of each one us,” said the Association’s Vice-President Gerry Cutting. “Because the vitality of our community needs events like T-Day, I would like to think that community donations will help to make our next T-Day an even greater success.”

For information on how you can support Townshippers’ Day, contact Ronan O’Beirne, Townshippers’ Day Assistant, at Townshippers’ Association’s Sherbrooke office or by e-mailing tday@townshippers.qc.ca. Contributions can be financial, in-kind or donated items for the silent auction. Businesses who make contributions are publicly acknowledged.