2021 Working bees that bring DAR back to life!
Hooray for teamwork
It takes a village to raise a child, as the Senegalese proverb says, and it takes committed volunteers to bring life to a Sutton organization dedicated to artists and the community. The Studios DAR Sutton is coming back to life after undergoing major renovations and the generous manpower of committed volunteers. Artists are looking forward to their stay and the barn will be buzzing with activity until the end of 2021.
“Light my fire…”
The 2021 season of the DAR working bees opened with a joyful "bonfire".
Natasha Evoy had called for volunteers and a first team (Nicole Beaudry, Louise Brisson, Louise and Jean-Pierre Côté, Gilles Lavoie, Liliane Lessard, Pierre Surprenant, Nicole Côté and Henri Lamoureux) showed up on March 21 to burn branches, twigs, and tree trunks that had been piled up in 2020 by Pierre Savard, then responsible for the maintenance of the DAR Park.
There was a huge blaze and then two smaller ones, all fuelled and watched over by a dozen people in the morning; around 11 a.m. a new team (Marie Clark, Natasha Evoy, Katherine Godbout, Pierre Lefrançois, Jean-Jacques Pillet, René Tardif. and Paulette Vanier) arrived to join Pierre Surprenant and continue to feed and watch over the blazes until they slowly died out.
These bonfires allowed us to meet up with friends and volunteers, all happy to share good times while helping out with DAR chores!
Nicole Côté and Liliane Lessard supervise the site.
Nicole Beaudry and Louise Brisson ensure a safe environment.
Louise Brisson and Gilles Lavoie carry branches.
Jean-Pierre Côté, proud of the result.
Cleaning and painting of the Sutton DAR Studios
The month of June brought a flurry of activity to the park and residence. The renovation work having been completed at the end of May, a team of volunteers set to work on June 2 to get the residence back in order.
- A major clean-up was needed to remove dust and construction debris.
- We also took the opportunity to freshen up the paint.
The new residents will now enjoy a beautiful, clean, and bright creative space.
Michèle Vigeoz removes the cobwebs.
Nicole Côté cleans the kitchen and Natasha Evoy attacks the ceiling.
Marianne Lévesque and Natasha Evoy are not finger painting...
Katherine Godbout and Natasha Evoy paint the last room.
Thank you…
- A huge thank you to Katherine Godbout who took care of purchasing all the necessary materials for the chores, as well as performing numerous tasks.
- Many thanks to Nicole Côté, Natasha Evoy, Caroline Guimont, Marianne Lévesque, and Michèle Vigeoz who all valiantly put their shoulder to the wheel.
- Thanks also go to Gilles Lavoie and Liliane Lessard who came to pick up all the bedding and dishes and then did load after load of laundry, hanging it all in the warm June sunshine, while filling up their dishwasher more than once, as well as washing fragile or bulky items by hand!
Rearranging the grounds around the residence
While waiting for the landscaping work planned for this summer, it was indispensable to clean up the grounds around the barn to give the front of the residence a bit of a facelift. A big thank you to Henri Lamoureux who took care of picking up the leftover construction materials and mowing the lawn.
New sign at the entrance of the DAR Park
Gilles Lahaie and Robin De Leeuw, the dynamic duo who built the wonderful gazebo in the wetland area in 2019, have come together again to rebuild the sign at the park entrance by adding a new section and improving its visibility. Sincere thanks to our master craftsmen!
Thank you to all our volunteers who contribute their time and expertise. You are simply the best!
If you would like to participate in a working bee, contact natasha@dartsetdereves.org
Natasha Evoy