Melanie
Robertson
October
2010
Kind
hearted,
Kind
souls
When
thinking
about
who
has
made
a
difference
in
my
community,
I
automatically
think
of
the
Guardian
Angels.
This
group
of
women
are
great,
kind-‐hearted
people.
To
say
they
have
made
a
difference
is
not
enough,
considering
they
have
done
so
much
more,
touching
the
hearts
of
so
many
people.
The
actions
and
favours
they
have
performed
for
the
members
of
this
town
are
unbelievable.
The
Merriam-‐Webster
dictionary
defines
compassion
as
“the
sympathetic
consciousness
of
others'
distress
together
with
a
desire
to
alleviate
it.”
In
my
opinion,
this
matches
the
Guardian
Angels
to
a
tee.
The
Guardian
Angels
is
an
organization
in
my
community
of
La
Tabatiere
and
Mutton
Bay
which
donates
money
to
those
around
the
village
who
need
it.
When
a
member
of
our
community
passes
away
or
becomes
ill,
these
women
step
into
action.
As
you
may
know,
the
Lower
North
Shore
is
a
very
unique
place.
Though
it
has
its
advantages
and
is
the
home
to
many,
it
also
has
its
disadvantages.
Being
so
isolated
from
the
rest
of
the
province,
not
being
connected
to
any
other
village
other
than
Mutton
Bay,
sometimes
brings
difficulty.
The
village
of
La
Tabatiere,
Quebec
is
a
very
distinct
one.
Having
a
population
of
only
500
people,
this
is
a
very
small
place.
Everyone
knows
each
other
here,
and
everyone
is
very
close.
There
is
a
bond
between
the
people
in
this
community
like
no
other;
everyone
here
has
each
other’s
backs
through
troublesome
times.
The
town
is
completely
isolated,
with
no
highway
connecting
us
to
any
other
town
on
the
coast.
The
closest
city
is
Sept-‐Iles,
which
is
nearly
1000
kilometres
away,
a
1
hour
and
45
minute
plane
ride!
To
get
there
is
very
difficult,
making
leaving
town
relatively
hard.
Medical
attention
is
not
a
very
easy
thing
to
attain
in
this
community,
with
only
a
small
clinic
on
the
premises.
The
clinic
contains
only
two
nurses
working
from
9
am
to
4
pm,
Monday
to
Friday,
with
a
doctor
visiting
only
once
a
month
for
only
a
few
days.
The
closest
hospital
is
further
down
the
coast,
in
Blanc
Sablon,
which
is
approximately
160
kilometres
away,
and
can
only
cover
basic
needs.
For
greater
injuries,
important
tests
or
treatments,
the
only
option
is
to
travel
even
farther
away
from
home,
which
again
requires
more
difficulty
and
even
greater
costs.
To
most
people,
family
is
what
matters
most,
and
The
Guardian
Angels
understand
that
completely.
During
a
time
of
sorrow,
being
with
family
members
is
what
gets
many
people
through
the
rough
times,
although
travelling
to
and
from
our
village
can
be
very
costly
and
makes
it
hard
to
be
with
those
you
love.
During
the
times
of
need
of
their
fellow
community
members
and
friends,
the
Guardian
Angels
of
La
Tabatiere
gladly
donate
money
to
the
families
of
sick
or
recently
deceased
people.
Can
you
imagine
knowing
that
your
mother,
father
or
other
family
member
was
extremely
ill,
possibly
about
to
pass
away,
and
that
you
cannot
be
with
them
because
you
can’t
afford
the
travel
costs?
The
thought
of
such
a
thing
is
heartbreaking,
but
happens
frequently
in
places
like
here,
along
the
Lower
North
Shore.
Luckily
for
us,
this
organization
is
there
to
help.
The
group
consists
of
five
women
from
La
Tabatiere
and
Mutton
Bay
who
have
gotten
together
on
their
own
with
the
desire
to
help
others.
Their
names
are
Christiana,
Karen,
Betty,
Dorothy
and
Jenny
-‐
five
people
who
are
completely
and
utterly,
truly
amazing
women.
Each
one
of
them,
with
a
giving
heart
and
kind
soul,
is
admired
by
so
many
people
in
this
little
community.
They
volunteer
their
own
time
and
energy
each
year
to
their
projects,
working
extremely
hard
non-‐stop.
Raising
money
can
be
a
difficult
task,
but
every
year
these
women
do
so
by
various
events.
Through
fundraising
like
bingos,
the
annual
winter
carnival
and
ticket
sales,
the
Guardian
Angels
raise
money
and
then
give
it
away
when
they
feel
someone
needs
it.
The
annual
winter
carnival
in
Mutton
Bay
is
the
most
popular
of
all,
and
my
personal
favourite.
People
from
all
over
the
Lower
North
Show
travel
for
the
weekend’s
events
that
are
always
lots
of
fun!
During
those
two
spectacular
days,
several
events
take
place.
Throughout
the
day
carnival
games
take
place
for
both
adults
and
children,
with
great
prizes
for
the
winners.
That
same
night
there
is
a
potluck
supper,
where
the
entire
town
brings
dishes
of
food,
and
everyone
enjoys
a
great
homemade
meal!
Throughout
the
day,
tickets
on
donated
baskets
and
goodies
are
sold
and
everyone
enjoys
the
festivities
at
the
local
community
hall
as
so
many
fun
things
take
place.
Later
that
evening,
a
bar
service
is
open
while
a
band
plays
for
the
older
people,
and
everyone
has
a
great
time!
Everyone
in
the
area
participates
and
each
year
a
few
thousand
dollars
are
made
through
the
winter
carnival.
Every
cent
of
the
money
is
given
to
those
who
need
it,
and
nothing
is
wasted.
Receiving
a
cheque
of
a
few
hundred
dollars
in
some
bad
times
can
often
go
a
long
way.
My
family,
being
from
La
Tabatiere,
is
known
by
the
Guardian
Angels,
and
we
are
among
the
many
people
whom
they
have
helped
throughout
their
time
together.
Last
February
my
mother,
being
the
last
of
her
family
to
live
here,
was
all
alone
when
my
grandmother
became
sick.
As
my
grandparents
lived
in
Sherbrook,
a
town
a
couple
of
hundred
kilometres
away,
the
idea
of
travelling
from
here
was
almost
impossible.
Costs
were
just
too
high
and
things
just
didn’t
seem
like
they
would
work
out.
Knowing
that
you
may
never
see
a
member
of
your
family
again
is
not
a
great
feeling,
but
thanks
to
the
Guardian
Angels
my
mother
got
to
say
her
goodbye.
Thanks
to
their
generous
donation
during
the
days
when
we
really
needed
it,
my
mother
was
able
to
make
it
in
time.
The
ability
to
be
there
with
the
rest
of
her
family
through
my
grandmother’s
last
days,
definitely
made
letting
go
a
whole
lot
easier.
Being
as
amazing
as
these
women
are,
they
have
not
only
helped
my
family.
A
few
years
back,
a
young
girl
from
this
community
became
sick
with
stomach
cancer
while
away
studying
at
school.
Her
mom,
being
a
single
mother
with
not
a
lot
of
money,
just
could
not
afford
to
pay
for
treatment
AND
send
her
home
for
Christmas.
Having
a
child,
knowing
that
they
are
sick
and
not
knowing
when
OR
if
you
will
ever
see
them
again
is
horrendously
terrifying,
but
that
pain
did
not
last
for
long.
The
Guardian
Angels
gave
that
small
family
the
best
Christmas
present
they
could
have
ever
asked
for.
By
holding
a
bingo
and
bake
sale,
enough
money
was
raised
to
send
the
young
girl
home
for
the
holidays!
Seeing
the
joy
on
the
face
of
her
mother
as
she
walked
off
of
the
plane
that
December
was
enough
to
warm
your
heart
-‐
a
moment
that
I’m
sure
none
of
us
will
ever
forget.
One
of
the
best
things
about
the
Guardian
Angels
is
that
they
always
have
your
back,
but
you
never
have
to
ask.
Their
help
is
constantly
there
for
the
people
of
La
Tabatiere
and
Mutton
Bay
and
never
have
they
failed
anyone.
There
are
not
enough
words
that
could
ever
describe
how
magnificent
these
ladies
are,
and
I’m
sure
the
entire
500
people
of
this
village
would
agree.
The
most
spectacular
thing
of
all
is
how
modest
they
are.
These
women
do
not
even
realize
how
amazing
the
things
they
are
doing
really
are.
When
I
was
speaking
to
Betty
Green,
one
of
the
women
in
the
group,
she
talked
about
her
actions
as
if
were
only
minor.
These
women
have
only
the
well-‐being
of
others
on
their
minds,
and
that
is
something
that
in
my
opinion
should
really
be
recognized.
The
Guardian
Angels
have
been
together
for
more
than
10
years
now,
and
over
that
period
have
done
so
many
great
things.
Being
there
for
all
of
our
community
members,
they
have
helped
dozens
of
families,
including
hundreds
of
people.
Being
fair
to
everyone,
these
five
women
resemble
saints.
To
possess
such
amazing
qualities
is
something
I
could
only
ever
dream
of.
My
greatest
ambition
is
to
someday
have
helped
people
as
much
as
they
have,
although
such
a
thing
must
be
nearly
impossible.
The
selflessness
of
these
five
women
is
incredible.
Their
generosity
and
kindness
have
helped
so
many
people
throughout
our
town,
bringing
families
closer
together,
especially
in
times
of
need.
These
five
magnificent
women
are
admired
by
many
and
deserve
acknowledgment.
The
Guardian
Angels
of
La
Tabatiere
have
without
a
doubt
made
a
difference
in
my
community,
touching
the
hearts
of
so
many
people,
being
the
town
heroes,
making
miracles
happen
every
single
day.