MCI kicks off its 50th anniversary celebrations
A cocktail to celebrate those who have contributed
The response was so great that throngs of people had to be turned away for the 50th anniversary celebration of Memphremagog Conservation Inc.’s kick-off, a cocktail party Saturday at the Hermitage Club on Lake Memphremagog on the east side at the north end of the lake, overlooking Three Sisters Islands, Eagle Island, and Mount Orford.
Mayors, prefects and representatives of the region, including MP Denis Paradis, members and friends of MCI were among more than 200 people in attendance. Robert Benoit and Tom Kovacs shared the podium as masters of ceremony, welcoming everyone, praising the vision of the founders, while speaking of the history of the organization. They remembered Croppy and Peter Kohl, Herb Mitchell, Jacques Boisvert, Stuart Hopps, Gisèle Benoit, Don Fisher and all the other presidents and boards in between, lauding those who have since contributed, and reminding all about the significance of MCI as it celebrates its 50th with Expo 67, the 375th of Montreal, and the 150th of Canada, all memorable milestones in Canadian history. Benoit said, “MCI was 20 years ahead of the UN when it comes to lake management. This evening is for all of you who are here and who have been involved. MCI is very proud of the success of the event and deeply thanks its members who support its activities every year.”
While co-honourary president of MCI, Donald Sutherland was unable to attend because the octogenarian is in England working on his 169th movie shoot, his stand-in, longtime member of the Georgeville community, Stuart (Kip) Cobbett, extended warm greetings and congratulations to the organization for its outstanding work over the years, emphasizing that, Sutherland, who has owned property on the lake and been a strong environmental activist since the 1980s, was there in spirit and thought.
“Would it not be for MCI, people would not be able to swim off the dock in Georgeville,” Cobbett said. “None of us would be enjoying this lake like if it would not be for the work of MCI.” He reminisced about his friendship with founders Croppy (Gordon) and Peter Kohl and reiterated what an honour it was to be friends with the two brothers who founded MCI, along with Herb Mitchell.
Clémence Desrochers, the Sherbrooke-born actress and recipient of the Order of Canada among other prestigious awards for her work, and the daughter of famous poet and author Alfred Desrochers, is a resident of Austin. She took the liberty in her role as co-honourary chair to expound the merits of arriving on a Friday night at her peaceful lakeside retreat that has always helped to restore her energy and spirit.
“Arriving here after a long work week, going on the lake with the big waves, the sound of the wind in the trees — Friday night signifies revitalization of the spirit.”
She too congratulated MCI for making sure to keep the water clean. Taking opportunity to express her dismay over the peacefulness of the environment being interrupted by the growing problem of noisy boat engines, she reached to her captive audience for discussion on solutions. Several members agreed with Desrochers on this matter, including Cobbett, who equated the sound of the “cigarette boats” with 747 airplanes breaking the sound barrier.
Robert Benoit, president of the revered lake conservation organization, explained that while many lakes in Quebec are private and owners’ associations can invoke policies on usage of their waterways, Memphremagog water is federally owned, with the land underneath being provincial even though the municipalities surrounding it can control the land use. He says that MCI has always held the position that the lake is for all who want to use it, even though he, too, laments that there are often too many boats on it at one time. “The lake is not owned simply by the people who own shoreline properties. It is a very complicated situation with layers of government policies to sift through.”
Many longtime lake lovers joined the party of well-wishers — family members of Hopps, Fishers, Lymans, Penfields, Marshalls, and Smiths who have been here since the 1800s, along with the “new-comers.” Author and videographer, Louise Abbott, while on the last legs of completing her Volume 2 of “Memphrémagog, An Illustrated History” came armed with a prototype of the dustcover of the publication that will be launched this coming summer. And representatives of the Penfield clan arrived with Uncle Billy Chester sporting an original MCI T-shirt.
Lake Memphremagog potable water for over 200,000 people in the Sherbrooke area is a major resource within the area of sustainable economy.