More than 60 people gathered for a dinner with the purpose of meeting with the team from the "Youth Secretariat". The children, parents, and grandparents spoke about the needs of the children in Beauharnois.

The deputies carried on a factual conversation with the citizens on the importance of the development of the "Maison des enfants Marie-Rose" in Beauharnois.

One grandmother said: "If my two granddaughters had not gone to la 'Maison des enfants', they would have been hanging around the streets! I prefer seeing them playing the clarinet, doing theatre, cooking or making movies!"

Some parents mentioned that they could not enrol their children at MDE due to a lack of space. Many of them said that their children were accepted unconditionally and none were refused.

Julie Leduc, president of the Management Board of the MDE mentioned the importance of this type of artistic program in Beauharnois. There was nothing like this in Beauharnois when I was young. I would have loved to attend a center for arts like 'Maison des enfants'. I would have been able to develop my artistic talents!

It is important that the 'Maison des enfants' be able to grow and to offer to all the children who so desire, a place for arts and culture after school. That is why we want to rebuild the manoir: a project which is rallying a lot of support in the community: the business community, of which I am a part, the MRC, CRÉ, CLD, le Table Jeunesse Beauharnois-Valleyfield, and la Fondation des Canadiens pour l’enfance, etc.

After their visit, the team from the "Youth Secretariat" said they had greatly appreciated their visit to the 'Maison des enfants'.

They said that they have not seen anything like it elsewhere in Quebec and that they were delighted with their visit.

 Refer to the Pdf document below for Mme Janine Lefebvre's word of welcome.