Knot-weaver Céline B. Sioui takes great pride in the symbolism surrounding her traditional macramé work. The wooden body of this bird of prey was collected from the banks of the St. Lawrence River. (Photo by Myriam Labbé) 
Representatives of the Société du développement commercial (SDC) Maguire lit the tallest Christmas tree in the region on Nov. 26. Hundreds of people came to watch the tree lighting, standing on both sides of the street and almost creating a traffic jam for passing cars. 
There was a lot of smoke, but no visible flames from the fire on the roof of the Hôtel Acadia at 43 Rue Sainte-Ursule on Nov. 27. All occupants of the building were safely evacuated, according to the fire department. The cause of the fire was unknown at press time. More than 80 firefighters and dozens of emergency vehicles quickly surrounded the site of the fire in Old Quebec. (Photo by Shirley Nadeau) 
Members of the cast of Tempêtes & Passions’ Le Comte Ory applaud pianist Jean-François Mailloux and musical director Sylvain Landry at the end of their performance at the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity. Behind them are Hugo Laporte, Luce Vachon, Louis-Charles Gagnon, Marie-Andrée Mathieu, Carole-Anne Roussel (behind Landry) and Marc-André Caron; behind them are the choristers. (Photo by Shirley Nadeau) 
Valcartier Elementary School students show where the yurt will be in the schoolyard: “Our yurt will be year-round insulated, 28 feet in diameter and will go right here!” These students are looking forward to learning “outside the box!” (Photo by Emma Perreault) Valcartier Elementary School is taking learning outside
Submitted by Jayne Doddridge, Community Development Agent, Valcartier Elementary School
Valcartier Elementary School sits comfort- ably in a vast natural schoolyard in Saint-Gabriel- de-Valcartier. This year we welcome 92 students to our lovely little school every day. With the rise in popularity of outdoor education and the un- questionable benefits to our children of being outside, we want to take action on behalf of our students and staff and give them as many opportunities to take their learning outside as possible.
We got the idea to build a yurt on our school property which would provide extra space as well as a better connection to the outdoors. We know technology is important. We also know using our imagination and being outside promotes a healthy brain. Of course, living in Quebec, we do need some protection from the elements! The yurt will be our quiet place, with no technology, no plastic and only natural fibres for playing. It will be used by all of our classes for yoga, reading, art therapy and more. During the summer months, the local day camp will also use the space.
We are continually looking for different ways to raise money and have recently launched a GoFundMe campaign. We need $45,000 to make this happen. Please donate at gofund.me/c127b468 to help us learn outside the box.
OBITUARY: George Hilbert WADDINGTON (1935-2022)
George Hilbert Waddington passed away peacefully on Nov. 1, 2022, in Quebec City at the age of 87. He was the son of the late George Waddington, professor at Université Laval, and Madeline Lardon, translator for the US army in Paris during the First World War. He was predeceased by brothers and sisters Jacqueline, Edward, Colette, William and Madeleine. Funeral arrangements will be private.
Waddington graduated as class valedictorian from Quebec High School in 1952. He studied at McGill University and spent six years teaching at Department of National Defence (DND) schools in Europe before returning to an illustrious teaching career at QHS until his retirement in 1992. At QHS he introduced several new programs, including driver education, Ciné Club, a cultural program for gifted students, a media centre and student exchanges with Western Canada, to name a few contributions. He also introduced the first hardcover school yearbook. Donations in his memory to Quebec High School Alumni would be appreciated.
OBITUARY: Charles Arris CORMIER (1942-2022)
Mr. Charles Arris Cormier passed away at the palliative care unit of the Institut universitaire de pneumologie et cardiologie de Québec (IUCPQ) on Nov. 9, 2022, at the age of 80, sur- rounded by his loved ones. He was the husband of Donna Partington and the son of the late Delia Phillips and the late Jean-Baptiste Cormier. He lived in Quebec City.
The family will welcome you at the Complexe du Parc Commémoratif La Souvenance, 301, rang Ste-Anne, Québec QC G2G 0G9 on Sunday, Dec. 4, 2022 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. A celebration of life ceremony will then take place in the same hall.
Besides his wife Donna, he is survived by his children Carolyn (Stéphane Leclerc) and Karl (Melissa Willis); his brothers Gaston (Pauline Auger) and Denis (Ginette Fortier); his grandchildren Laura Marie, Kobie, Tyson and Connor; his sisters-in-law Linda Partington (the late Clifford Shillington) and Rolande Plante (the late Eric Partington) as well as his nephews, nieces, goddaughters and friends. He went to join his sisters Fleurette and Lyne.
Charles served in the Canadian Armed Forces for 32 years.
The family would like to thank the staff of the IUCPQ sincerely for their good care, particularly in his final moments at the palliative care unit. The family would also like to thank the staff of the CLSC de la Jacques-Cartier for their professionalism and dedication over the past year.
Your sympathy can be expressed in a donation to the IUCPQ Foundation, 2700, chemin des Quatre-Bourgeois, Québec, QC G1V 0B8, tel.: 418-656-4999, web: fondation-iucpq.org.
For more information:
ATHOS
Telephone: 418-529-3371
Fax: 418-682-6249
Egsreception@athos.ca
To send a personalized message and/or flowers
and sign the register in memory of the deceased, visit lepinecloutier.com.
Exhibitors from all over Quebec and Ontario shared their unique paper goods with visitors. (Photo by Myriam Labbé) 
The Université Laval Rouge et Or football team raised the Vanier Cup for the 11th time in the school’s history when they defeated the University of Saskatchewan Huskies 30-24 on Nov. 26 in London, Ont. (Screenshot)