Gaétan and Murielle Dugas.  Murielle holds the beautiful, hand-crafted artwork she presented at the 2024 AGM.  Three years in the making, Murielle's artistic rendering of the AAMS logo, which she designed herself, using sea glass (also called "mermaid's tears") as her medium, is an exquisite expression of AAMS colors, culture, and character
and hers and Gaétan's devotion to AAMS.

The AAMS AGM 2024, held August 10, 2024, proceeded on time, despite the high winds and rain brought on by Hurricane Debby.  The AGM began promptly at noon with an opening prayer led by Past President, Paul Tufts, an offering by Gaétan Dugas, Director, and included presentations by Joseph Jacquard, First Vice, Michael Deveau, Treasurer, Office Administrator, Janelle Robichaud, and Paul Tufts.  Marie Rundquist gave a talk about the Acadian Amerindian DNA project as related to Acadian lineages, followed by questions and answers.

Joseph Jacquard and Alyre Theriault, Second Vice, accepted the gift of the art work which was so graciously donated by Gaétan et Murielle Dugas. A video portraying AAMS history, culture, meetings, and events played throughout the meeting. Kristanne Chandler, the wife of AAMS Director Gilbert Chandler, may be seen seated behind the table, with Claudette Tufts, the wife of Past President Paul Tufts. After the close of the meeting, Joseph, Alyre and Gaétan gathered outside the Meteghan Firehall.  Thank you to AAMS members and directors who braved the weather and attended!

During the meeting, AAMS member Peter Theriault announced his own, personal, $500.00 contribution to next year's AAMS bursary fund.  Peter challenged every AAMS member to contribute $100.00 to the AAMS bursary.  Tuition costs are on the rise, as Peter noted in his presentation, and Peter Theriault's contribution to the AAMS bursary and his challenge to our members are both greatly appreciated.  Peter Theriault's, and the contributions of AAMS directors and members, benefit future AAMS bursary winners for years to come!

AAMS is grateful for Peter Theriault's overwhelming outpouring of generosity at the 2024 AGM.

On a sad note, following the 2024 AGM, on August 31, 2024, Helene Deveau sent the following notice of the passing of two AAMS members:
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This week, AAMS lost two valuable & faithful members of it’s community:
 
Jean-Louis Belliveau #348  who used to make workshops at the local Saulnierville Legion on the Acadian-Métis Language & other things Métis and;
 
Eric P. Belliveau #724, his grandmother a direct Métis descendant. Both were very proud of their Métis roots & were faithful AAMS members. Although they both carried the same family name, I don’t believe that they were closely related ( I could be wrong). Eric’s wife, Janice was a well known psychologist in the Clare area & she & I were friends & coworkers for almost 40 yrs.
 
May their souls now rest in Eternal Peace with their Creator!
 
-- Helene

The AAMS AGM is also available by Zoom.
Click here to join:  https://zoom.us/j/96524871705
Click the image below to view and print the agenda in PDF format.
Or click here to download: https://acadiens-metis-souriquois.ca/uploads/3/4/5/0/34506400/agm_notice.pdf

"Indomitable Will, Leonine Courage, Were the Noble Characteristics of L'Abbe Signone: Driven from France by Bitter Revolutionary Persecution, He was Drawn to Acadie. And in the Wilderness of Nova Scotia the Pioneer Priest Labored Heroically."

Note:  The following excerpt is from a 3-column newspaper article.  Read column 1 (scroll from top to bottom), then column 2, (scroll from top to bottom).  The original column 3 of the article has been placed at the end of column 2 for readability (scroll from top to bottom).

Columns 1 and 2 of the original article:

Column 3 of the original article:

Note:  The following excerpt is from a 3-column newspaper article.  Read column 1, (scroll from top to bottom), then column 2, (scroll from top to bottom).  The original column 3 has been placed at the end of column 2 for readability (scroll from top to bottom).

Cite: Saunders, E.M., D.D. (1897, July 27). "Indomitable Will, Leonine Courage, Were the Noble Characteristics of L'Abbe Signone: Driven from France by Bitter Revolutionary Persecution, He was Drawn to Acadie. And in the Wilderness of Nova Scotia the Pioneer Priest Labored Heroically." The Halifax Herald (Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada) · Tue, Jul  27, 1897 ·Page 5. Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/774528023/ Downloaded on Aug 1, 2024

Re-published by Association des Acadiens-Metis Souriquois on the https://www.acadiens-metis-souriquois.ca/ website with the express, written permission of Ancestry.com. Source: Newspapers.com by Ancestry.

Thank you, Claire Robicheau, for recommending the quotation from Russell Charles Means (November 10, 1939 – October 22, 2012).