Le Village des Sources l’Étoile Filante wants to expand camp program and buy Centre Goéland

Five information meetings set for March 12-13

CAPE EGMONT, PEI – March 2, 2012 – Wanting to ensure that it has a permanent home for its youth personal development camps that it plans to expand to a provincial level, the Village des Sources l’Étoile Filante says it is ready to take over ownership of the Centre Goéland in Cape Egmont. And when it would not be using the facilities for its camps, it would continue to rent out the center for all sorts of gatherings, as is currently being done.

The local Village des Sources committee will therefore organize a series of information meetings March 12-13 to discuss with the public its proposals to expand its program and to buy the center. Jean-Guy Gendron, the founder on the Village des Sources de Rimouski, in Quebec, will attend to speak of the importance of these camps in the lives of its young participants.

The president of the local committee, Jeannette Gallant, explains that since 2008, a nine-person committee of volunteers has been hosting these youth camps, which focus on being welcoming to others, on sharing, on listening with the heart and on the commitment to self-improvement.

“These camps, which are always held at the Centre Goéland, have certainly helped hundreds of lucky kids to heal and to gain hope,” says Gallant. “So far, the camps have only been offered to Grade 6-12 students from Evangeline School.”

“The organizing committee is now ready to ensure that these personal development camps can be delivered to the entire student population of the French Language School Board as of September 2012, from kindergarten right up to Grade 12 – as long as the Acadian and francophone community of PEI is ready to support the project,” she adds.

The group wishes to present the beginning of its action plan to the public in the hope of rallying the entire Acadian and francophone community to commit to this major project, to take responsibility for it and to support it.

“For this to happen, the Village des Sources l’Étoile Filante must seize the opportunity to become the owner of the Centre Goéland. When a whole community rallies around a cause, there are no limits to the wonders that can happen,” says the president. “After all, youth who are sure of themselves, who are confident and happy, will develop into adults who are responsible, happy and confident. We all have a responsibility to ensure the health and wellbeing of our youth. We cannot afford to lose a single one to desperation.”

PUBLIC MEETINGS

The Village des Sources is inviting the community to participate in one of five meetings being organized in various areas of the Island to discuss its expansion plan. Organizers are hoping to attract “all persons and organizations who feel a responsibility and a commitment to our youth,” says Gallant.

During these meetings, attendees will get an opportunity to meet organizing committee members as well as Gendron, who has been working diligently with this type of camp for about 15 years. He will also discuss the “Chanter la vie” project, which is essentially a follow-up to the camps.

Three meetings will be held Monday, March 12:

  • at 10:30 a.m. at the Centre Goéland, primarily for parish councils, representatives of the Diocese of Charlottetown and the Centre d’éducation chrétienne;
  • at 1:30 p.m. at the Centre Belle-Alliance in Summerside for community stakeholders;
  • at 7 p.m. at the Carrefour de l’Isle-Saint-Jean in Charlottetown for community stakeholders.

Two meetings are scheduled for Tuesday, March 13:

  • at 3:30 p.m. at Evangeline Education Centre in Abram’s Village for school and community stakeholders;
  • at 7 p.m., again at the Evangeline Education Centre, as part of the monthly meeting of the French Language School Board, for school and community stakeholders.

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For more information:

Jeannette Gallant, president
Le Village des Sources l’Étoile Filante
(902) 854-7250