Le Club Richelieu in Sudbury celebrated a major milestone this past weekend — the group’s 75 anniversary.
Some 180 people, including members and their spouses, gathered at the Northbury Hotel on Brady Street on Oct. 21 to break bread together, enjoy the music of well-known Franco-Ontarian musician Chuck Labelle, and celebrate the club’s longevity.
Mayor Paul Lefebvre was on hand for the event, as was Sudbury MP Viviane Lapointe. Bernard Landreville, the president of the Fondation Richelieu Internationale, was also on hand. Monique Banville, the president of Richelieu Internationale, was to be on hand but vehicle trouble stranded her in Pembroke, Ont., so she couldn’t make the event.
Like many local service clubs, Richelieu Sudbury raises funds for local causes, but few clubs can say they raise as much money as Richelieu members.
In his address, Landreville, the international foundation president, said over the past 20 years, the Sudbury club has raised some $20 million.
Ronald Gladu, president of Club Richelieu Sudbury, said of that amount, $500,000 was raised in the past five years.
Through volunteering at bingos, hosting their annual lobster dinner (for some 500 people) and other efforts, the club gives its support to numerous local organizations, including Better Beginnings Better Futures, NEO Kids, Our Children Our Future, the Maison McCulloch Hospice, Place des Arts and Compass.
Club Richelieu has supported nearly a dozen additional local causes and groups over the past 20 years. At Christmas, more than 100 local families benefit from one of the many Christmas baskets Richelieu members create and distribute.
The Sudbury club has just over 50 members, making it one of the larger around. In the 1990s, the club had more than 90 members was among the largest of all clubs internationally. Greater Sudbury counts four clubs, totalling some 120 members. The Sudbury club also sponsored the birth of the Sturgeon Falls club (1948), Elliot Lake (1959), Club de la Vallée (1971), Les Patriotes de Sudbury (1985) and le Club Féminin (1992).
The 75th anniversary is a pretty big milestone, Gladu said.
“Not that many clubs can boast of that (a 75th anniversary),” he said. “So that in itself is exciting.”
Gladu in particular wanted to tip his hat to Léo Lefebvre, the club secretary, for his organizational skills when it came to putting together the anniversary celebration and really “putting the heels in motion.”
Sudbury MP Viviane Lapointe said groups like Club Richelieu highlight just how important French is to the local culture.
“There are a lot of proud Franco-Ontarians around and it really weaves the fabric of what Sudbury is,” Lapointe said. “And Sudbury is one of only seven communities across Canada designated friendly to French-speaking immigrants, so we definitely have a rich history, and Club Richelieu is such an important element of that.”
For his part, Mayor Paul Lefebvre touched on the work Club Richelieu members do to improve the lives of people in Greater Sudbury, regardless of what language they speak. The first word he used to describe Richelieu members was “generous.”
“The club is one of the most generous clubs all Richelieu Clubs around the world, and I think that fits right into our community being a very generous community,” Lefebvre said. Drawing attention to the organizations that Richelieu helps support, he pointed out that the vast majority aren’t tied to language or culture. “They may be a French group, but they help the whole community.”
Club Richelieu Sudbury was born on Sept. 27, 1947 at a banquet at the Nickel Range Hotel. It was the 16th club in the Richelieu family and its first president was Dr. Gilles Desmarais.
Over the years, the club has supported numerous charities and local causes, helping support sports teams, build arenas, provide bursaries and scholarships and more.
In 1972, in honour of their 25th anniversary, the club purchased a farm on the Vermilion River and turned it into La Place Richelieu, which was used by Scouts, Guide and schools for various activities. The site was sold recently.
The club motto is “peace and fraternity”.
Mark Gentili is the editor of Sudbury.com.
