Around Town-Events and briefs for March-April 2023

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By Manor Park Chronicle March 9, 2023

Local artist Dawn McArthur’s wilderness-themed paintings will be on exhibit in Chelsea, Que. Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from March 10 to April 16 2023. Image: Dawn McArthur — Local artist Dawn McArthur’s wilderness-themed paintings will be on exhibit in Chelsea, Que. Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from March 10 to April 16. Image: Dawn McArthur

Arteast awards exhibition

The public is invited to view the annual Arteast Awards Exhibition from March 12 to May 31 at the St-Laurent Complex, 525 Coté St. The exhibit includes two and three-dimension work in a variety of media, showcasing the insightful, imaginative, original visual art of Arteast members. The vernissage and awards ceremony will take place on Sunday, March 19 from 2 to 4 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, see the Arteast website.

CDKL5 deficiency disorder awareness

Ashley Tremblay welcomes everyone to join her family in spreading awareness of CDKL5 Deficiency Disorder, a rare genetic condition, in memory of her late nephew, Jakob Ruest, who passed away in 2016 at 3 years old. They are kicking off their second year by holding a bottle drive throughout the year, hosting a walkathon in May, a golf tournament at Madawaska Golf Course on June 10 (registration will be open soon) and a bowl-a-thon in October. The family has raised just over $6,000 to directly support CDKL5 Canada’s efforts of continued research to one day find a cure. They can be contacted by email at jakobrcdkl5@gmail.com or by visiting their website, where you can find links to their Facebook group and Instagram account.

Community forest workshops

As spring approaches, ecological advocacy group Eco Echo is holding two free community workshops, the first in Wakefield, Que. and the second in Chelsea, Que. On Saturday March 25 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., “Care and consideration for food-bearing trees” features demonstrations of early spring maintenance tasks that allow trees, bushes, and vines to flourish led by Forêt Capitale Forest’s Shelley Lambert and Stephanie McNeely. On Saturday April 22 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Shelley Lambert and arborist Paul Hetzler lead “Right tree, right location: Growing a neighbourhood,” tips including best practices for healthy trees. For more information, and to register, see the Eco Echo website.

Local environmental action

A network of residents and community associations dedicated to supporting local environmental action, Community Associations for Environmental Sustainability (CAFES) is looking for volunteers to serve on its board on in leadership roles. A new board will be elected at CAFES annual general meeting 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Wednesday March 22. To apply, or learn more, visit the CAFES website.

Ottawa Public Library events

The St. Laurent branch of the Ottawa Public Library offers regular, drop-in events all week long.

The Knitting and Crochet Club allows crafters to share tips, ideas, tricks and just enjoy conversation with other crafters. The club is bilingual and takes place 1 to 3 p.m. Tuesdays until April 25.

The Homework Club offers help in reading, math, science, French, English and more for students ages 6 to 12. It takes place 4:30 p.m. Tuesdays until June 28.

The Conversation Group is a forum for informal discussions and a chance to practice your language skills by discussing topics of interest to you in a fun and relaxing atmosphere. The French group meets 6 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays until April 25 and the English as a second language drop-in runs 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursdays until April 27.

In April, the Ottawa liaisons of NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) will meet for a few hours of writing and chatting. Camp NaNoWriMo takes place 1 p.m. Saturdays from April 1 to 29.

Finally, the St. Laurent branch book club meets 10 a.m. to noon on the last Thursday of each month. This English club gathers to enjoy and discuss a wide variety of books selected by members. The club will be discussing:

The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead, on March 23,
Washington Black by Esi Edugyan April 27, and
American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins May 25.

Wilderness art

Local visual artist Dawn McArthur’s “Joy in the Wilderness” exhibit will be on display at the La Fab Sur Mill, 8 Chemin Mill, a former church and now cultural centre in Chelsea, Que. From 1 to 5 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from March 10 until April 16. Her rich, acrylic paintings are colourful, story-filled, joyful and optimistic renditions of the wilderness and its inhabitants. See the La Fab Sur Mill website for more details.