The Townships Sun’s Photo Detective Challenge – Solving the Mysteries of the Past by Daniel Kirchin. History has a way of hiding in plain sight. It lurks in forgotten archives, tucked away in old boxes, waiting to be rediscovered. That’s exactly what happened when Townships Sun archivist John Mackley stumbled upon a trove of historical…
The Sunflower Bends toward English Speakers Read about the Sunflower project in the Memphrémagog and La Pommeraie healthcare systems, in the February 2025 Townships Sun! (You can subscribe here, at TownshipsSun.ca/Subscribe) Have you used healthcare services in these regions, or accompanied someone who did? Were you looking for services in English? Did you know about…
(Français à suivre) COULD PHYTONCIDES HELP YOUR HEALTH? The Art of Forest Bathing by Marie Moliner I did not expect it. In the back corner of the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Sherbrooke (MBAS), the odour of a forest fire. Imagine my wonder when I learned I was smelling art, carefully crafted by artist and…
Wanted: Photo Detectives in Knowlton! This Saturday, February 1st, the Photo Detective Challenge invites you to the Lac-Brome Museum (Children’s Museum), 130 Lakeside, Knowlton. Archivist John Mackley and his agents need your help to identify the who, what, where, and when of some 36 historical photos from the Townships Sun’s archives. We’ll be there with…
From the Townships Sun‘s Archives ― Mystery Photos & Exhibit ~~~ The Townships Sun is asking help from history buffs to discover the who, what, when, and where of historical photos unearthed in the magazine’s photo archives. To do this, archivist John Mackley is launching a series of Photo Detective Challenges around the Townships, plus…
Happy New Year! There are still three weeks left to enter the Townships Young Voices arts and writing competition for youth ages 11-29 who reside in the Eastern Townships. Sixteen prizes totaling $3,000 are available to be won in the categories of art, photography, fiction, nonfiction and poetry, plus a prize for…
Sherbrooke has a hidden history that people don’t often see. Downtown are sites that hold deep and compelling histories. We often pass by them every day without further thought. Many are familiar with Les Chutes de Magog, one of the most picturesque parts of the city. Looking from Rue Dufferin,…
When I was a bit of a boy, we lived on the edge of a fisherman’s town in the county of Kent in the country of England and there was a war on. Didn’t matter to us. My sister and I were used to war. We were used to bombs and sirens and searchlights and…
In a world where stories bridge childhood wonder and adult introspection, Ké Kampeas-Rittenhouse has carved out a unique space. Their debut illustrated-children’s book, Mara and the Bad Wolf, weaves together themes of identity, self-discovery, and emotional resilience. In a recent conversation with Ké for the Township Sun, they shared their journey from loving children’s…
Bernard Epps wrote this little graphic story for Susan Epps, his wife. It was published in the Townships Sun of November 1977, and shows off his imagination, gentle humour, and graphic art skills. Bernie contributed much, over the years, to the Townships Sun, and died in 2007. This story appears in the TownshipsSun.ca blog space…
The Eastern Townships Holiday Book Fest and launch of: The Eastern Townships Adventure by Bernard Epps Sunday, December 8, 2024
At the Townships Holiday Book Fest Exhibit of Historical Photos from the Sun’s Archives An exhibit of 31 photos selected from the Townships Sun archives ― that’s the delightful bonus offered to guests at the Townships Holiday Book Fest and Lennoxville launch of the newly published two-volume set of The Eastern Townships Adventure…
Townships Holiday Book Fest & launch of The Eastern Townships Adventure, by Bernard Epps. Sunday December 8, 2024. 1 to 4 p.m. Lennoxville United Church, 6 Church Street. Sponsored by: Townships Sun Magazine ETRC/CRCE Shoreline Press Black Cat Books Bibliothèque Lennoxville Library The RECORD Mme Elizabeth Brière (MP, Sherbrooke)
Townships Holiday Book Fest This Sunday, 1-4 p.m., at the Lennoxville United Church (upstairs hall), 6 Church Street. Free. Fine company. Good books. Great gifts! Welcome, one and all. Here’s the programme!
by Ross Murray It would be hard to find a more appropriate setting than the Bury Armoury Community Centre for the launch of The Eastern Townships Adventure by the late Bernard Epps. Not only did the British-born Epps make his home in the area but he embraced the Eastern Townships, collecting and writing its stories…
Pitching to a Newsroom: Tips and Strategies from the CBC by Daniel Kirchin For content creators, artists, and community organizers, pitching a story to a newsroom can feel like an intimidating leap. How do you cut through the noise to ensure your story gets noticed by busy journalists? Recently, CBC Montreal and Quebec’s communications team…
An exhibit of 25 photos selected from the Townships Sun archives ― that’s the delightful bonus offered to guests next week at the launches of the newly published two-volume set of The Eastern Townships Adventure by Bernard Epps. Over the past 50 years, the Townships Sun has published many historical articles and photos. Buried…
As heard on CJMQ and CIDI Community radio stations!
Left to Right: Andrew Blanchard (Blanchard Litho), Jody Robinson (ETRC), Rachel Garber (Townships Sun), Angela Leuck (Shoreline Press), and Denis Palmer (artist). — EPPS Team, photo by John Mackley Endings/Beginnings – As the Sun Rises by R.A. Garber The Townships Sun used to publish books under the “Sun Books” label. Some four decades later, we…
Yes, Bernard Epps’s The Eastern Townships Adventure, Volume 1 & 2, has come alive! Please visit our brand-new SHOP page on this website to learn all about this new edition, and how and where to get yours. Who’s publishing it? The Townships Sun, the Eastern Townships Resource Centre, and Shoreline Press have joined forces to…
Bury, November 14, 2024. The long-awaited two-volume set of The Eastern Townships Adventure by Bernard “Bernie” Epps will be released this December 1st at the first of three exciting holiday launches. The first, a gala Christmas Tea and Launch, will be hosted by the Bury Historical & Heritage Society on Sunday, December 1st, at…
“Camp N” or “Camp 42” (i.e. prison), located beside what is now the Talbot Prison, bordering a well-travelled bike path along the St. Francis River in Sherbrooke. Prisoners walk back to their quarters in November 1945. The walkway connected two separate sections of the camp. — (Source: Dept. of National Defence, LAC PA-114463, POWsinCanada.ca) …
As heard on CJMQ and CIDI Community radio stations! Bernard Epps has given us a treasure-trove of tales about fascinating folk living their lives with passionate purpose. (Guy Rex Rodgers) Between now and November 15 is your chance to pre-order these two new books for only $45! You’ve heard the story…
Bernie Epps’s typewriter invites you to preorder “The Eastern Townships Adventure” by Bernard Epps. Volume 1: A History to 1837 Volume 2: 1837 to 1900 Townships Sun Eastern Townships Resource Centre Shoreline Press have joined forces to publish this riveting read by Bernard Epps, Townships writer & historian. Supported by the Bélanger-Gardner Foundation •…
Coming Soon ― The Eastern Townships Adventure by Bernie Epps — October 19, 2024. A new two-volume set of The Eastern Townships Adventure by Bernard Epps is slated for publication on December 1st. Pre-orders are accepted from now until November 15. Well-known Townships writer “Bernie” Epps extensively researched and wrote the two volumes in the…
The Bury Historical and Heritage Society is hosting the Townships Sun’s upcoming Bernard Epps “The Eastern Townships Adventure” Book Launch. The two volume set will include a new edition of Volume 1 and a never before published Volume 2, and feature commentary from numerous local personalities and the covers will feature paintings by…
It’s been in the news recently. Back in December 2022, the Townships Sun published an article about just this problem, by retired anthropology professor Jacqueline Korschun Hyman. More than just describing the problem, she discusses an approach to address it! Read Hyman’s “Homeless in the Townships” right here. – R.A. Garber, Editor
My Father’s Hands (First published in the Townships Sun, June 1982) by Bernard Epps (A couple of years ago, I wrote a piece about my mother called “A Wartime Christmas.” When someone told me “I cried when I read that,” I was delighted because I’d cried when I’d written it, and only regretted I…
There’s a Cow in my Tree! Bernard Epps was an extremely versatile writer and artist. His daughter, Jennifer Epps, recalls that he “used to go away on drafting jobs in cities, work overtime, and save up the money to come back and write.” His dexterous drawings and supple wit found expression in cartoons. Here is…
That Fellow Epps! The September issue of the Townships Sun is out, featuring the legacy of Bernard Epps, writer of Townships stories. Bernie was the larger-than-life writer and editor of the Townships Sun during the 1970s, 80s, and 90s.This special edition looks at his writing career, his quirky humour, and his many contributions to the…
A variety of entertainment! Thursday September 5 Registration and installation (opening of the site) Friday September 6 Judgements Horse Shows Visits from Schools Elyse Saunders Brittany Kennel Coty Robinson Saturday September 7 Street Truck and Semi Pulls Nikyta ASTTQ Pulls Horse Shows Sunday September 8 Ninja Warriors 4-H Show Farm Tractor Pulls Car Raffle …
Around since 1856, Brome Fair is organized by the Brome County Agricultural Society (BCAS). BCAS is a non-profit organization consisting of over 150 volunteers commited to its mandate of showcasing agricultural achievements and providing agricultural related educational opportunities to Brome Fair visitors. Brome Fair is an agricultural fair which takes place every Labour Day weekend.…
The Festival is just around the corner! It’s time to get ready for the festivities! Transportation Take advantage of our free shuttles that depart regularly from the Galeries Quatre-Saisons (on 13th Avenue, at the corner of rue du 24-Juin), Station du Cégep (Bus stop B), Place Fleurimont, and Parc Quintal (corner of Duplessis/Brûlotte).…
Summer weather is glorious in Quebec, typically continuing into autumn, offering wonderful opportunities to spend time in the great outdoors. We learned in childhood, though, to watch out for stinging and biting insects. Bees, wasps, hornets, biting flies, ants, and mosquitoes are standard fare we’ve all come to expects and guard against. I…
Congratulations to the Nunatsiaq News, who won second prize in the Best Community Newspaper Promotion Awards in this year’s Quebec Community Newspaper competition. (The Townships Sun won first prize for the 2023 inaugural Townships Young Voices Awards.) The Nunatsiak News’ second prize was for their 50th anniversary special edition in 2023.…
Congratulations to Cedric Gallant of the Nunatsiaq News, who won second prize in the Best Feature Article Awards in the 2024 Quebec Community Newspaper Awards competition. (The Townships Sun came in first with Marie Moliner’s “Megantic, Then and Now.”) Gallant’s winning article was “Who really discovered this remote Nazi weather station on the…
The Low Down also joined us in taking home an award for Best Community Promotion. (We won first prize for our Townships Young Voices inaugural edition.) “In a creative promotion entitled: “No News is Bad News,” the Low Down published a virtually blank newspaper, demonstrating what would be lost if yet another local…
The Low Down to Hull & Back won third place in the Best Feature Article Awards, sharing the podium with the Townships Sun (first place for “Megantic, Then and Now” by Marie Moliner), and the Nunatsiak News. The Low Down award winner was Trevor Greenway, editor, and his story was entitled “Wakefield mom has ‘no…
EXPO Cookshire Fair Whether it is to see the region, for those who are nostalgic of their childhood, those who want to escape, those who are eager to learn more about technologies, to see the best 4 X 4 and horse pulls; the Cookshire Fair is for you! 819 875-3771 [email protected] CP 988,…
HERE IS HOW IT ALL BEGAN… In 1824, a group of farmers, sharing the same concerns, decided to get together and go into action. Their discussions were fruitful, and in 1828, the Bedford County Agricultural Society was official recognized. At the time the county included the Missisquoi, Brome and Shefford counties. A year later, following…
The 2024 Ayer’s Cliff Fair For people of all ages, there is always a lot going at the fair! Competitions, shows, music, artisans, and midway rides, all included in the price of admission. www.ayersclifffair.com www.facebook.com/AyersCliffFair Photos and images courtesy of Ayer’s Cliff Fair © 2024
A Visit to Brandy Creek by Ruby Robinson & Beverly Taber Smith On a beautiful day this summer, 12 members of the CFUW Dining Out Club travelled to Valcourt for lunch on the terrace at the Brandy Creek Bistro. Some of the dishes we chose from the menu were: Fish and chips. Burgers. An especially…
The Old North Church Cemetery on the North Road to Hatley Village by Janet Little McLellan The Old North Church Cemetery is the oldest of three cemeteries in Hatley Township. It was restored in 1990 and the Old North Church Cemetery Association was formed to continue with its maintenance and to do genealogical research for…
Flipbook or page-down pdf: Which is best? If you have an e-subscription to the Townships Sun, you know you can go to the TownshipsSun.ca home page, click on the “Latest Issue,” input your email address and password, and view your PDF version of the latest issue in full colour. Every page in full colour! (The…
New! Townships Sun is on sale at the aptly named Le SUNSHINE in STANSTEAD! This welcoming little café/bistro/inn/bakery with enticing designer breads and all kinds of goodies, cheeses, cold cuts and so much more… now offers the latest issue of the Townships Sun! Stop by and pick up yours for $2.50 while they’re still…
TYVoices 2023 Wins Best Community Promotion Award At the 2024 Quebec Community Newspaper Association Awards on June 28, the 2023 edition of the Townships Young Voices earned first place in the Community Promotion Awards. This was our inaugural TYVoices; we have just completed our second annual TYVoices initiative (2024), with growing participation from youth across…
QCNA Award-winning Feature Article… Here it is! This article won first place as Best Feature Article in the Quebec Community Newspapers Association 2023 Awards. It was originally published in the Townships Sun (July/August 2023). Congratulations, Marie Moliner! ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 10 Years Ago, Downtown was Devastated Megantic, Then and Now by Marie Moliner “You had…
NEW! Find the new Townships Sun in Sutton! In Sutton – L’Art des possibles offers so much. Fine teas. Arts and crafts boutique. Relaxing atmosphere. Space for creative work, either individually or in group. And NEW! Now this inviting tea salon also offers the TOWNSHIPS SUN. Stop by 4 rue du Dépôt in Sutton, just…
If it’s May, it must be a new Townships Sun… and the theme is Gardens in the Townships. Brought to us by guest editor, Angela Leuck, gardener and poet, poet and gardener! If you have subscribed, it’s in your mailbox. If not, you can find it at our distribution points in the next few days.…
Townships Young Voices 2024 Winners by Category FICTION Johnny Beauvais, 16, Cowansville: Remember To Live Brooklynn Beaudoin Driscoll, 17, Lennoxville: Remember Ruohan Wallis, 18, Brompton: Call Me Back Emry-Waven A. Côté, 12, Magog: Excerpt from a novel-in-creation called “Nhako’s Quest” Sofia Thibault, 11, Sherbrooke: …The Fear… NONFICTION Avigaelle Court, 12,…
$3000 in Prizes Go to 15 Creative Youth Knowlton, April 28, 2024. “You had to be there,” is what everyone is saying. A convergence of over 100 youth, families, teachers, and friends gathered last Sunday in Knowlton for the Townships Sun’s 2024 Townships Young Voices creative awards. The gala saw 21…
Happy Poetry Month! You are warmly invited to our Poetry Tea on Sunday, April 21, from 2 to 4 p.m. at Uplands Cultural & Heritage Centre, 9 Spied St., Lennoxville. Admission is free, courtesy of Uplands, and tea and treats are complimentary, courtesy of participating poets. A series of Townships Poets will read from…
Sherbrooke, March 19, 2024. Just published―the Townships Sun’s 50th Anniversary Legacy Edition, a full 52 pages of stories and images reflecting on the life and times of this “small yet mighty magazine.” Those are the words of Marie Moliner, its 50th Anniversary Coordinator and Assistant Editor, who led the team organizing a celebration of the…
Are your feet killing you? We have a solution for you! Put your feet up and read the Townships Sun. Your feet will get a special rest while you read our 52-page March 2024 special edition, celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Townships Sun. Yes, your editorial team and contributors have been…
Townships Young Voices Competition closes on February 29! There are only a few days left to enter the Townships Young Voices competition, open to people aged 11-29 who live in the Eastern Townships. Fifteen prizes totaling $3000 are available to be won in the categories of art, photography, poetry,…
Townships Sun Seeks Submissions for Upcoming issues on Astronomy, Waterways, Gardens, and Humour CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS Please refer to the Contribution Guidelines at TownshipsSun.ca/Submit. REFLECTIONS The Townships Sun is seeking submissions for its April 2024 issue on Astronomy and Waterways in the Townships. We’re looking for original, unpublished works by writers fr om…
Dining Out: Lunch at L’Entr’Amis by Marisa Tessier & Beverly Taber Smith These photos by Marisa Tessier show two desserts: Can you tell which is a chocolate mousse, and which a gâteau au pomme (apple cake)? The duet of desserts were part of a lunch enjoyed by the Dining Out Group of the Canadian Federation…
QUEBEC AM WITH PETER TARDIF Friday, Jan.19, 2024: Writing groups in the Eastern Townships bringing people together. CBC’s Gordon Lambie spoke with author Richard Andrews of Magog, Angela Leuck of Shoreline Press and the Townships Sun, Marie Moliner of the Townships Sun’s Townships Young Voices 2024, and Jan Draper of Write Here, Right…
$50 for the 50th Campaign: $3266 strong! Plus… Yes, the Townships Sun‘s 50th Anniversary celebrations ARE happening! The “$50 for the 50th Anniversary” campaign came to a happy close at the end of December 2023, with $3266 donated by a total of 48 donors, according to our partner, Townshippers’ Research & Cultural Foundation. Thank you…
The Book Fest is Over… Long Live the Book Fest! The Townships Sun‘s Holiday Book Fest organized by the Townships Sun is over now; but it lives on! On December 10, more than 125 persons came out on a rainy day to enjoy a full programme of speakers and videos, and to explore books by…
Donate $50 for the 50th Campaign: Update, December 22, 2023 The thermometer is heating up! If we’re reading it right, we’ve come three-fifths of the way to our goal for the $50 for the 50th campaign! Thank you so much for your help! In the works are two very special 50th anniversary editions of the…
You’ve been wondering: How’s the $50 for the 50th campaign coming along? It’s a work in progress! We still need your help. We want to celebrate the Townships Sun’s 50th anniversary this February with a reprint of our very first issue (February 8, 1974), and then a one-time, double-size “Legacy Edition.” This means double the…
Dining Out: Brunch at La Shop in Magog by Janet Watson & Beverly Taber Smith Recently the Dining Out Group of the Canadian Federation of University Women, Sherbrooke & District (CFUW) decided to forego our usual habit of going out for lunch. Instead we went to La Shop in Magog for brunch at…
Here’s how far we’ve come in one week! As of December 8, we’ve received $1000 toward our goal of $5,000. THANK YOU SO MUCH! Can you help us get the rest of the way there? As a reader of the Townships Sun magazine, you already know our commitment to provide high-quality, engaging stories and images…
You, your friends, and your family are invited to the launch of the 2024 edition of the Townships Young Voices on Sunday, December 10th, at 1:30 p.m. during the Townships Sun 50th Anniversary Book Fest at the Salle Amédée Beaudoin Hall, 10 Samuel Grantham, Lennoxville (where the TYVoices awards were held last year). If you…
As a reader of the Townships Sun magazine, you already know our commitment to provide high-quality, engaging stories and images to the English-language community of the Townships: past, present and future. Now we need your support. We want to celebrate the Townships Sun’s 50th anniversary this February with a one-time, double-size “Legacy Edition.” This means double the work for our volunteers,…
As a reader of the Townships Sun magazine, you already know our commitment to provide high-quality, engaging stories and images to the English-language community of the Townships: past, present and future. Now we need your support. We want to celebrate the Townships Sun’s 50th anniversary this February with a one-time, double-size “Legacy Edition.” This means double the work for our volunteers,…
Book Fest! The Townships Sun Holiday Book Fest invites all book lovers to meet with an exciting line-up of 25 or more recent Townships authors who will display and talk about their books. Enjoy a program of short readings, panel discussions, videos, and music throughout the day. A free pancake breakfast will be served until 1 p.m., and tea and…
Townships Sun 50th Anniversary Event: Ross Murray Stole the Show Sherbrooke, November 13, 2023. Invited author Ross Murray entertained a cozy crowd of more than 40 at the second Books & Brunch offered by the Townships Sun in Lennoxville last Sunday. The buffet was plentiful and the books table did brisk business. “Ross Murray easily…
Sherbrooke, November 2, 2023. Invited authors Ross Murray and Louise Carson will be featured at the second Books & Brunch offered by the Townships Sun. The event is to take place on Sunday, November 12, from noon to 2 p.m., at the Amédée-Beaudoin Community Centre, 10 Samuel-Grantham, Lennoxville. The first Books & Brunch, on October 15,…
The Townships Sun launched its new online archives last Friday and rolled out plans for a year of activities celebrating its 50th year of publication. Archives Project The Archives Project saw the entire 50 years of its publication scanned and uploaded to the Bibliothèque et archives nationales du Québec (BAnQ), where they can be consulted…