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Photo Greg Kielec
CAS makes some noise to launch campaign Rachel Daigneault, executive director of the Children’s Aid Society of the United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengary, cuts the ribbon on cue from Kimly Thivierge of the CAS, at the microphone, to officially launch the CAS’s October awareness campaign with help from children attending the launch event at Lamoureux Park Saturday, while supporters and officials look on.
GREG KIELEC greg.kielec@eap.on.ca
An October “Break the Silence” campaign to raise awareness of child abuse got off to a bang at Lamoureux Park in Cornwall on Saturday. Campaign supporters, urged by Kimly Thieverge of the local Childrens Aid Society, simultaneously burst paper bags handed out at the event in a symbolic breaking of the silence. The bag-popping by 433 participants was one of the highlights of an action-packed event which stretched through the after- noon and into the evening featuring live music, children’s activities a free Benson barbecue and local celebrities plunging in a dunk tank. The launch event attended by about 1,000 people officially kicked off a month-long awareness campaign spearheaded by the Children’s Aid Society of the United Coun- ties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengary. The campaign was officially opened around noon Saturday with speeches from a number of CAS supporters followed by a ribbon cutting on the bandshell stage. “We can’t do it alone. We need the com- munity to help us,”said CAS executive direc- tor Rachel Daigneault. “Each time you use your voice against child abuse, you help us and you help a child,” she said. Tabitha Pilon, herself a foster child, said the CAS is often regarded the“bad guy”, but said it is often “the best thing that can hap- pen” to children suffering from abuse and neglect. “I’m incredibly thankful for all the doors
Photo Greg Kielec
David Murphy, marketing and promotions co-ordinator at Benson Auto – Pak, poses with Pauline Bray, manager of Benson Certi- fied, during a free barbecue provided by the Benson Group Inc. during the Children’s Aid Society’s local campaign launch Satur- day. Pictured below, right, local artist Graham Greer entertains the crowd at Lamoureux Park.
Mayor Bob Kilger who was away on a mu- nicipal government conference in Toronto this weekend. “Take control of your life,” he challenged listeners. “Don’t let the abuse or whatever happened in your life to control you.” The CAS will have its information kiosk at Baxtrom’s Your Independent Grocer on Fri- day from noon to 4 p.m. and Saturday at the Bob Turner Memorial Centre from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for the Wildcats tournament. The CAS will hold a silent auction Oct. 16 at Shoeless Joes and will hold its annual Dress Purple Day on Oct. 19. The event fina- le will feature shows by grand scale illusion- ist Claude Haggerty at the Aultsville Theatre at St. Lawrence College.
they opened for me,” she told a small crowd gathered near the bandshell. Denis Beaudry, general manager of the Caisse Populaire de Cornwall, offered inspi- rational based on his own success story as a foster child. He urged foster children to set goals for every week, every month and every year in order to achieve success. If they do that, anything is possible, he said. “You always think it is going to be difficult to do it, but there’s always a way to make it possible,” he said. “Even though you are in foster care, it doesn’t mean you won’t suc- ceed in life . . . everyone can succeed.” Beaudry’s comments were echoed by city councillor Syd Gardiner, representing
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