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THE FREE ENGLISH INDEPENDANT NEWSPAPER IN THE REGION

450.371.8051 • 1.877.371.8051 August 15 2018 ı Vol. 20 No.20

Volounteer
Betty Riel

AN EXCEPTIONAL WOMAN

Denise St-Germain, “That was the essence of my volunteer work
while my children were attending school. I
Volunteer correspondant
also worked several jobs, including 23 years at
Translation: Sarah Rennie
the local pharmacy, which I remember very
fondly."
At first glance, one is immediately struck by
the obvious integrity of Betty Riel, as if it were To celebrate their 60th birthday, the couple
somehow inscribed in her aura. It’s no wonder decided to embark on a month-long voyage
people regularly knock on her door to present on motorcycle. "We went to Alaska, a little
her with a cheque for her foundation or even ride over 20,000 kilometers round trip," she
knitted goods to be sold at an auction some- says with a smile. "As I wasn’t driving the bike,
where in the Haut-Saint-Laurent ... After all, I just sat in the back seat. You could say that
volunteering is at the heart of this exceptional we reached the ends of the earth together."
woman. It is her way of life, to spread love and
hope. As the years passed, the couple began to
notice they were losing a lot of friends and
Elizabeth Jock was born in the United acquaintances to cancer. In 2005, with the
States and spent her youth in Fort Covington, help of Claude Pilon, a local notary, she
near Dundee. At the tender age of 14, she created the Betty Riel Foundation with the
began helping her grandmother who was goal of raising funds for the transportation of
caring for the parish priest. At 17, she met cancer patients to Montreal hospitals for their
Gilles Riel, a young 18-year-old Québécois. It medical treatment. At the same time, the
was love at first sight. They fell madly in love foundation partnered with SABEC, an organi-
with each other, got married and settled in zation that coordinates volunteer drivers for
Huntingdon. That was 59 years ago. this purpose.

Five children then arrived in quick Over the past 13 years, the Betty Riel
succession to cement their union. "With all Foundation has provided the equivalent of
these kids, it was important that I became over $ 200,000 in transportation services
involved with school committees," she recalls. to cancer patients living in any of the Betty Riel
13 municipalities that make up the MRC du
to raise funds for this cause, which remains so
year,
the
Each
Haut-Saint-Laurent.
HC Â E T A U G U A AY A V VA ELL Y Foundation organizes a number of activities close to her heart. This summer, the August 15, 2018
Y A
Foundation is inviting the public to register to
A N I T Q U E A S S O CI I O N participate in, or sponsor, the annual Triathlon
I TAAT
Your Authorized set to take place on August 25 in the
Central Boiler Châteauguay Valley.
Dealer
3 3 33 d d d d r Last year, Betty lost her husband, who died

A N N U A L XE I B I H I O I T N Ferme Maiview Farm while fighting an aggressive cancer. He was, The Southwest News

more than ever, the great love of her life. "He
E & R Maither
A U G U S T , 6 2 - 5 2 8 1 0 2 2130, 1 Concession never failed to tell me how beautiful
st
I looked," she said, her eyes suddenly tearing.
F r o m r e R n e e i n M s u ue s m Athelstan, Qc J0S 1A0 “I admit that's what I miss most today!”
Tel.: 450 264-6937
t s 1 , 3 4 7 1 C o o i s s e c n , n R b n r u
R kco
Randy: 450 264-5921 (parle français) And so it now falls on the population of the
n I f 4( : o 5 0 ) 28 3 6 2 Fax: 450 264-8284 Haut-Saint-Laurent to remind her: "Betty Riel, - Page 25
3 - 9 9
w w w c . v a n q i t u e a s s o c t a oi t c . n o m E-mail: er.maither@sympatico.ca 1808107 you are a beautiful person.” n