Author: Lionel Fortin (0011)
Photos: Courtesy of Bernard Lebeuf, Michel Fortin (0148), René Fortin (0022)
Translated by: Pierre Alexis Fortin (0777)
Source: Fortinfo, # 20 – decembre 2012, pages 21-24
Last update: decembre 2012
Email: info@afafortin.com

The “Reine des Cantons-de-l`Est”, Sherbrooke, was host to the AFA’s 6th gathering, held from July 8th, to 10th, 2011. At this event, around 100 people had pleasure in meeting and fraternizing as well as discovering the tourist and cultural attractions of Quebec’s 6th largest city.

The members registration, at the Hotellerie Jardins de ville, 4235 Boul. Bourque, started Friday July 8th at 19h.

Following the registration, all had access to the exposition where they could study the genealogical boards showing the descendants of the five sons of Julien Fortin and Genevieve Gamache, (Charles, Eustache, Jacques, Joseph and Pierre Fortin).

As well, they could review many photos, not to mention books about the genealogy and history of history of many Fortin lineages.

As always, our data base of thousands of Fortin information was very busy; as was the viewing of movies of the 2007 trip to France and of our previous gatherings.

It is worth mentioning that the AFA’s coat of arms painted on a large, engraved, wooden escutcheon attracted a lot of attention and positive comments.

The Saturday, July 9th brought the first group of members, at 9h30, to board the bus for a tour of the great city of Sherbrooke. The participants, accompanied by Mrs. Madeleine Ouellette, guide of the “Destination Sherbrooke” tourism office, were able to see and learn about this city, thanks to her precise comments.

One of the first places of the tour was the University of Sherbrooke’s campus, which is split by a public roadway.

From there, the bus travelled through the Domaine-Howard park (Watch movie), where they could see magnificent homes inspired by the vernacular New-England style.

A fifteen minute stop was made in this park, whose name honour it’s creator: Charles Benjamin Howard (1885-1964), who was elected MP and then became a senator in Ottawa; this stop enable the participants to walk in the gardens, amidst beautiful flower beds, and have a closed-up view of the Howard’s homes, father and son.

The tour then continued and showed the passengers various buildings in downtown Sherbrooke, such as the court house and the post office.

The next stop was near one of the mural frescos entitled “Les Belles Années”. On Alexander street, this Fridolinade mural remembers the 1950 to 60 decade. The passengers where able to see full size portrait of Sherbrooke’s ex-mayor Armand Nadeau, the comedian Jean Besré, and of the educator Brother Theode.

The tour bus then continued to Bishop University in Lennoxville, where a third stop enable the visitors to enter the Saint Mark’s Anglican chapel. (Watch movie)

This religious building, of English gothic style of the Tudor period, contains magnificent furniture, stained-glass windows of great artistic value and an 1892 organ which was rebuilt in 1940 by Casavant et Frères.

The tour then returned to downtown for a fourth stop at the corner of King Est and Bowen Sud where two mural frescos are joined at a 90 degree angle. (Watch movie)

The first mural: “Le Progres de l’Est” shows local people and business of the 19th. Century, coinciding with the arrival of new technologies such as electricity, telephone, tramway and cars. The second mural: “Il était une fois dans l’Est” represents a 1930 to 1960 urban life scene. Some of the historical persons which can be recognized on this mural, are the deputy and minister John- Samuel Bourque, the TV host Louis Bilodeau and the fiddler Ti-Blanc Richard. This first city tour ended at 11h45 upon their return to the Hotellerie.

In the afternoon, two buses left at 13h30 with members who had registered for this tour. The first group was accompanied by Mrs. Ouellette and the second by Mrs. Sylvie Joubert, also a guide with “Destination Sherbrooke”. Everyone was back at the Hotellerie by 17h.

At 18h, members and their families were welcomed in “La Closerie des Lilas” room for a cocktail, followed by the banquet at 19h.

Also certain members were awarded a pin with the number 5 on it to recognize their 5 years of membership to the AFA.

Enfin, un certain nombre de membres présents ont reçu une épinglette portant le chiffe 5 pour être demeurés fidèles à l’AFA durant cinq années.

The musical animation was handled by Jerome Fortin whose ancestors had established themselves around Sherbrooke. He captivated his audience with his interpretation of various Quebec songs from Paul Piché, Garolou, Félix Leclerc, as well as from groups such as Beau Dommage, Mes Aïeux, La Bottine Souriante, etc. The evening ended around 23h.

The following day, July 10th The participants gathered at the Basilica-Cathedral Saint-Michel de Sherbrooke for the dominical mass. Father Donald Thompson welcomed the Fortin in attendance, and mentioned that he would be assisted, during mass, by deacon Guy Fortin, and by father Roger Fortin. The AFA participation at this mass was handled by Hélène Fortin (0021) and Charles Fortin (0459) for the lectures of biblical texts and then by Michel Fortin (0148) and Sylvie Ross (0668) to bring the offerings.

After mass, the members returned to the Hotellerie for the noon brunch served in the “La Closerie des Lilas” room.

Around 13h, our president Rolande Fortin (0305) presided over the opening of the 10th annual general assembly. Following the adoption of the order of the day and of the minutes of the 9th annual general assembly held in Rimouski on July 17th 2010, the president reviewed the past year activities of the AFA. Then the treasurer, René Fortin (022) presented the financial report for 2010-2011. A Propo- sition was then adopted permitting the board members to hold their meetings by video conference. Elections were then held, presided by Lawrence Bernard (0643) assisted by Hélène Langlais as election secretary. Thus, four administrators, whose mandate had passed, were re-elected for two years; Carrier Fortin (0462), Charles Fortin (0459), Lionel Fortin (0011) and Michel Fortin (0148). Monique Fortin (0297) was the new administrator elected for two years. However, there are two administration position left to be filled; one for a two year mandate and the other for the remaining year of Rolande Fortin (0305) mandate, following her withdrawal from her position of administrator and president.

Before the end of the general assembly, the administrators met to choose the officers forming the executive. Upon their return, the new board members were presented to the members and then the annual assembly was closed, which was also the end of the 6th AFA gathering.

The AFA 2011-2012 board is as follows:

Charles Fortin (0459), president, Lionel Fortin (0011), vice-president Carrier Fortin (0472), secretary René Fortin (0022), treasurer Achille Fortin (0082), administrator Hélène Fortin (0021), administrator Michel Fortin (0148), administrator Monique Fortin (0297), administrator Pierre Fortin (0466), administrator Sylvie Ross (0668), administrator Gisèle Vézina (0012), administrator