By William Crooks
Local Journalism Initiative
Two Mon Shack tenant testimonials elicited standing ovations at the organization’s annual fundraising dinner March 22. Carl Tremblay and David Patry extolled the virtues of Mon Shack in front of nearly 150 supporters in the large hall located in Sherbrooke’s Collège Mont Notre-Dame.
Michel Tardif, father of a current Mon Shack 2.0 resident, also spoke. Founder and Director Josée Parent presided over the event, which included a multiple course meal, a silent auction, and live music. Dignitaries in attendance included Sherbrooke MP Élisabeth Brière, Saint-François MNA Geneviève Hébert, Lennoxville Borough President Claude Charron, and Lennoxville Borough Councillor Jennifer Garfat.
Mon Shack, located in Lennoxville, offers supervised residential units and related bilingual services for young adults struggling with mental health issues. A resounding success, the organization expanded and opened nearby Mon Shack 2.0 in the fall of 2023.
Carl Tremblay
“I will try to be brief,” began Tremblay, “but I’ll put things in context.” He is 35 years old. He was put under the protection of the directeur de la protection de la jeunesse (DPJ) at the age of five because his mother was violent. His father, suffering from epilepsy, could not take care of him, and passed away when he was 14 years old.
Tremblay was institutionalized at the age of 18. He spent 10 years on the street and fell into periodic drug abuse. In his times of sobriety, he married and pursued personal projects such as rap music. He received therapy which gave him some tools to cope. “I think I’m a resilient person,” he said.
