Poinsettia season has arrived

By Gordon Lambie
Poinsettia season has arrived

The Maison Aube-Lumière kicked off its 24th annual poinsettia campaign on Tuesday at the Serres Saint Élie greenhouses in Rock Forest. This year the palliative care home is looking to raise $100,000 through the sale of the festive flowers between November 26 and December 22. Once more working in collaboration with the Serres Saint Élie, the Maison Aube-Lumière has 5,400 plants of different shapes, sizes and colours to be sold.

“It was with great pleasure and pride that I accepted this honourary position this year,”said honourary campaign president Sylvie Lussier of Jean-Coutu. “In 2009 my father died of cancer at the Maison Aube-Lumière. The Maison Aube-Lumière took care of my father and of our family.”

Stating that she was a partner of the facility long before her personal connection, Lussier called the home a precious service and a great privilege to the people of the region. She pointed out that since its opening in 1997 the home has hosted more than 2,750 terminal cancer patients for free, drawing heavily on the generosity of the surrounding community.

Marie Bécotte, Executive Director of the Maison Aube-Lumière, pointed out that although this is the 24th edition of the campaign, it is only the home’s 18th year in operation because the campaign began as part of the way to raise funds for the facility in the first place.

Drawing on more than $1 million per year to carry out its mission, the Maison Aube-Lumière’s $100,000 goal represents about one month of service to 12 patients.

Mélanie Grégoire of the Serres St-Élie said that poinsettias are known in the greenhouse community to be one of the most difficult crops to grow in Quebec. She said that the team had extra pressure this year because the added light from the work to extend Portland Boulevard threatened the very exacting light needs the plants have in order to develop their distinctive colouring. Fortunately agreements were reached and care was taken to ensure that this year’s crop is as festive as ever.

Poinsettias linked to the Maison Aube-Lumière’s campaign are available at the Serres St-Élie, at Sears in the Carrefour de L’Estrie and, for the first time this year, through the centre’s online store : www.maisonaube-lumiere.qc.ca.

Share this article