News & Updates
Spread Holiday Joy: Centre Meredith Toy Drive 2024 🎁✨
For the fourth year in a row, Centre Meredith is proud to partner with the Low Down Holiday Campaign to bring smiles and holiday cheer to families in need. This cherished tradition ensures that every child in our community experiences the magic of the holiday season.
From now until early December, we invite you to help make a difference by donating NEW, unwrapped toys to our toy drive. Your generosity will directly impact local families, helping to brighten their holidays and spread joy.
🎄 How to Participate:
Drop off your toy donations at Centre Meredith during our regular hours.
Look for the holiday donation box in the main lobby—our team will make sure your gifts are delivered to the Low Down Holiday Campaign.
🎁 What to Donate:
New, unwrapped toys for children of all ages.
Suggestions include games, puzzles, books, art supplies, sports equipment, and educational toys.
Each year, we are amazed by the outpouring of kindness from our community, and we know this year will be no different. Let’s come together once again to ensure every family feels the warmth and generosity of the holiday spirit.
Together, we can make this season a great one for everyone. Thank you for helping us create a brighter holiday for all!
If you have any questions or need more information, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at Centre Meredith. Let’s make this year’s toy drive the best one yet! 🎄🎅
A Spooktacular Success: Halloween 2024 at Centre Meredith! 🎃👻
The 2024 Halloween Celebration at Centre Meredith was nothing short of magical! On a crisp autumn day, our community came together in a spectacular display of costumes, creativity, and camaraderie. With over 400 community members joining the festivities, this year's event was one for the books!
Families and friends enjoyed a packed lineup of activities, making memories at every turn:
Bouncy Castles: Laughter echoed as kids jumped and tumbled in inflatable fun.
Face Painting: From spooky ghouls to whimsical butterflies, our talented artists brought smiles to all ages.
Pumpkin Carving: Masterpieces were created as participants crafted their perfect jack-o'-lanterns.
Games & Trick-or-Treating: Delight and excitement filled the air as kids gathered candy and prizes from themed games.
Costume Parade & Photo Booth: Imaginative costumes stole the show, captured forever in our photo booth.
BBQ & Treats: The smell of grilled delights and the sweet crunch of Halloween goodies kept everyone fueled for fun.
Arts & Crafts: Creativity flourished as little hands crafted spooky and colorful treasures to take home.
This event wouldn’t have been possible without the incredible support of our community, staff, and volunteers. Your enthusiasm and participation transformed the Centre Meredith into a hub of Halloween magic, proving once again the strength of our community spirit.
A huge thank you to everyone who joined us and to all who helped make this day unforgettable. We can’t wait to see you again next year for more thrills, chills, and festive fun!
Did you snap some great pictures? Share them with us on social media and tag #CentreMeredithHalloween2024. Let’s relive the memories together!
Happy Halloween, and see you next year! 🎃✨
A Winning Visit: Audrey Leduc Inspires at Centre Meredith
On October 24th, the Centre Meredith proudly hosted Audrey Leduc, an exceptional athlete and role model, as part of the Jouez Gagnant program. This marked our third year as a recipient of this inspiring initiative, and it was a day to remember for everyone involved!
Local schools were invited to join the event, and the excitement in the room was palpable. Audrey delivered a fantastic and engaging presentation, sharing her journey as an athlete, the challenges she faced, and the determination and resilience it takes to succeed. Her words resonated with students and sparked thoughtful discussions about setting goals, pursuing passions, and overcoming obstacles.
Students also had the chance to interact with Audrey during a lively Q&A session. They asked insightful questions, and Audrey’s thoughtful answers made her message even more impactful. Her authenticity and openness left a lasting impression on everyone present.
At Centre Meredith, we value opportunities to inspire and connect with our community, especially through programs like Jouez Gagnant. Events like these remind us of the importance of role models in shaping the dreams of our youth and empowering them to believe in their potential.
A heartfelt thank you to Audrey Leduc for her time, energy, and inspiring words, and to the Jouez Gagnant program for making this event possible. We can’t wait to see what next year brings!
To stay updated on upcoming events and programs, follow Centre Meredith on social media or visit our website.
A Heartfelt Thank You to the MRC des Collines for Their Generous Cultural Grant
We are thrilled to announce that the Centre Meredith has been awarded a generous Cultural Grant from the MRC des Collines! This incredible support will enable us to embark on an exciting and transformative project: bringing a vibrant wall mural to life, right here in our community.
The mural project is more than just an artistic endeavor; it’s a celebration of our local culture, talent, and community spirit. With this grant, we can engage local artists and community members in creating a masterpiece that reflects the unique identity and values of our area.
Our vision is to create a mural that not only beautifies our space but also tells a story—our story. It will be a visual representation of our shared history, our dreams, the beautiful nature and landscape which we live in here in the MRC des Collines, and our collective creativity.
But this project isn’t just for artists. We believe in the power of community collaboration, and we want everyone to be part of this journey. Throughout the mural’s creation, there will be opportunities for community members to contribute their ideas, participate in painting sessions, and witness the transformation of a blank wall into a stunning work of art.
We are immensely grateful to the MRC des Collines for recognizing the importance of cultural initiatives and for supporting our vision. Their generosity underscores the value of arts and culture in fostering community connections and enhancing our quality of life.
Thank you, MRC des Collines, for your unwavering support and for helping us bring this exciting project to fruition. Together, we will create something truly remarkable.
Amanda DeGrace
Director General
Centre Meredith
Artist bios
Alisha grew up in Ottawa and Chelsea, lived in BC for many years, and has been living back in Chelsea for almost 10 years. Quote from Alisha:” I feel so lucky to live and paint here in Chelsea, so encompassed by nature. Being able to easily step out for a mountain bike ride, or ski from a nearby trailhead directly feeds my creativity. Even just water the garden…”
Stephanie Babij (she/her) is a visual artist of Ojibwe and Ukrainian/other mixed-settler heritage. Originally from Sudbury, and a member of Wikwemikong Unceded First Nation, she now makes her home on Unceded Algonquin Territory (Ottawa). Stephanie’s visual arts practice includes both solo and community-engaged murals, acrylic paintings, illustration, wood-burned art, and beading. In her work you’ll find elements of our connections to the land, waters, animals, plants, cycles, and more.
