Submitted by Glen Lipinski, MNO Community Relations Coordinator
From left: MNO Community Relations Coordinator Glen Lipinski,
Niagara Regional Councillor Paul Grenier, MP Vance Badawey and
MNO Niagara Region Métis Council President Derrick Pont.
On October 25, the Métis Nation of Ontario (MNO) Niagara Region Métis Council held its annual Métis Harvest Dinner at the Club Richelieu in Welland.
Over 140 people enjoyed an excellent evening. Special guests in attendance included newly elected Member of Parliament (MP) for Niagara Centre and MNO citizen Vance Badawey, Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) Cindy Forster, Welland Mayor Frank Campion and Niagara Regional Councillor Paul Grenier.
During the evening, MNO Niagara Region Métis Council President Derrick Pont presented Métis sashes to MP Badawey, MPP Forster and Mayor Campion.
The evening featured an impressive potluck dinner and food provided by MNO staff from the Welland office. Culinary students from École secondaire Confédération also gained real-life experience by preparing additional meals for the Harvest Dinner. Needless to say; no one went home hungry!
Toe-tapping tunes by the Niagara Old Tyme Fiddlers livened everyone up after the meal when the Volunteer of the Year Award was presented to MNO citizen Amanda Pont-Shanks.