Hands Across The Border

On April 21st, a beautiful sunny Saturday, Quebec played host to the Hands Across the Border with Vermont. This is an exchange between the two jurisdictions that has been going on for 39 years. It started with Vermont hosting a Friendship Night and was later changed to Hands Across the Border. Vermont is Quebec's Mother Grand Chapter and was very instrumental in getting Quebec Grand Chapter started. We alternate every year where it will be and this year Quebec had the privilege of hosting it. This year we had a total of 108 members from the two Jurisdictions attend. I was sooooo pleased!

I was very fortunate to have a great group of people help to plan this day. The afternoon Tea was hosted by my Chapter, Friendship-Victoria Chapter and our WGP’s Chapter, Victory Chapter. Two of our General Grand Chapter Committee Members even poured the tea for us! We had a banquet in the evening that was put on by the members of Maple Leaf Chapter #2. I asked them in January if they would host the banquet and they readily agreed. This was a fundraiser for their Chapter.

I was in a quandary at first as to who would fill all the offices. As I wanted all the Grand Officers to be able to sit with their counterparts, I didn’t want to ask Officers of the two hosting chapters, as a number of the Chapter Officers are Grand Officers! I decided to ask the Past Grand Matrons and Past Grand Patrons if they would do the honours. Again, they all readily agreed (I have gotten such wonderful support from all of the Past Grands this year). It was a wonderful sight to see, as all but two of the Past Grand Matrons wore their Official Gowns from their own years.

After the meeting was opened in regular form, we had the presentation of Distinguished Guests. What a sight to see all the GGCCM’s, Past Grands and Grand Officers presented. After I was asked to say a few words, I had the pleasure of presenting Honorary Memberships to my chapter to the WGM and WGP of Vermont, Sister Rosemarie Blair and Brother Gary Sage. I, in turn, received Honorary Memberships to their chapters in Vermont, which was a wonderful surprise.

After the meeting was closed, and before the meal, Sister Huguette Strassbourg entertained us with some wonderful piano music and a sign-a-long.

All in all, it was a super day enjoying the fellowship with our friends from Vermont and I hope that this tradition will continue for many, many years to come.