On a beautiful spring day—April 14, 2019—the 31st Messier family luncheon took place at the Pavillon de l’Érable in St-Jude.

About 115 people attended to reminisce and share good memories. Several family branches were well represented. Once again, Messiers came from far and wide—including Quebec City, the Eastern Townships, Pike River, Mauricie, Centre-du-Québec, Montreal, Laval, and Montérégie.

As always, the food was delicious, especially the desserts, and the service was excellent. Many thanks to Ms. Bousquet and her team! We spent time looking at the displayed photos, particularly those of the large family of Vertume and Angélina Messier. Outside, the children had a great time with the inflatable bounce houses. Two goats and a pony were also big hits. With the weather being pleasant (around 12°C), people were eager to get outdoors following the ice and snowstorm of the previous days. The carriage ride through the woods was popular; for many, being outside was a welcome change. As heavy rain was forecast for late afternoon, we wrapped things up around 3:30 p.m.

Once again, a series of photos taken by my granddaughter, Caroline, will preserve the memory of this event. I am very grateful to her for the excellent work she did throughout the afternoon. I also want to thank her father, Marcel, who helped me direct guests in the dining room while Michèle was held up at home. Three new members joined and eleven renewed their membership in the Messier Family Association, which was well represented by its president, vice-president/treasurer, and secretary.

The next event will take place on Sunday, April 19, 2020. Please mark it in your calendar.

Réal Messier, organizer