By: Tim Jaques, The Tribune

Rushing about at the opening ceremonies of Belledune Days on Sunday afternoon is a woman trying to get everyone together in time for the awards ceremony that will honour a senior, a youth, an honorary fire chief, and the runners who were in a race that morning.

"I like to work with people, and I like to organize things where people will get together and have fun. That is probably the main thing," she says of why she keeps at it.

Talbot has volunteered for many other things in the village as well over the years. She was on the Chaleur Economic Standing Committee, and she was a hospital board member for about 12 years. She also did a lot of organizing at the school, such as carnivals and other events. She likes getting involved.

She recalls many events over the 12 years she has chaired Belledune days.

"In 2007, we had a disastrous storm at 3 o'clock. Hailstones the size of golf balls, and I was in that. I kind of thought to myself, ‘that

must be how all those people feel in those countries where they have all these kinds of disaster. That year I will never forget," she laughs.

Luckily, Sunday afternoon proved to be magnificent. The sun shone brightly on the field with the gazebo next to the fire hall in the Jacquet River section of the village. The children danced, the band played, and everyone enjoyed seeing their fellow citizens honoured. She thanked God for the luck of such a splendid day.

Asked if she remembers anything special over the years, she says that she thinks every year has something good to remember: "there is some little special thing that goes on."

As for this year, she wants villagers to remember the theme, which as she speaks is being reinforced by a young girl selling reusable water containers with the words "Belledune Days - Save Our Earth."

"I'm hoping of course that this is going to be our best one yet," she says. "Our theme is green — we're trying to promote being pollution-free and keeping our community and environment clean. Hopefully that theme will catch on, and that would make it a little extra special!"

Patsy Talbot — yet another citizen making her community a better place in which to live!