Clare shows its true colours in accepting Lieutenant Governor's Community Spirit Award

By Michael Gorman

THE VANGUARD

NovaNewsNow.com

It seems that even Mother Nature thinks Clare has spirit.

On a day when everyone from the Municipality of Clare was gathering in Little Brook to celebrate the annual Festival acadien de Clare and National Acadian Day, and the community was being honoured with the Lieutenant Governor's Community Spirit Award, Little Brook was just about the only place along Highway 1 not shrouded in fog.

About one kilometer away from the event location the sun poured through the clouds and cast a golden hue around the colourful and noisy festivalgoers. Bright costumes, flags and noisemakers were in abundance.

This was indeed Clare's day.

Lieutenant Governor Mayann Francis was in Clare all of Friday, Aug. 15. Francis said she was overwhelmed by the spirit of the people and the sense of community she experienced during her visit. It was a reaction, she said, that proves people are interested in community.

The Lieutenant Governor's Community Spirit Award was developed by Francis. She said she wanted to find a way to "single out communities that truly embody the spirit of community." The Whitney Pier native said the thing that stands out most about growing up in the small Cape Breton community was that although they had their challenges, everyone worked together to solve problems and take care of each other. It's that spirit, said Francis that she hoped the award would promote.

"When you're strong (as a community) there's nothing you cannot do," she said.

Few people know better what Francis means than Paul-Emile LeBlanc.

LeBlanc was part of the organizing committee that nominated Clare for the award. He said as soon as he heard about the award and its criteria he knew Clare was the perfect fit.

"When we saw it we said 'that's us.'"

LeBlanc's pride in his community was obvious on this day. A permanent smile was tattooed across his face as bands and dancers filled two stages and hundreds of people danced and clapped along. An Acadian headband wrapped around LeBlanc's brow and a necklace of Acadian flags draped around his neck further emphasized his overwhelming pride.

LeBlanc said his committee and the rest of the community were elated when news arrived that they were one of the winners of the award — even more so because this is the inaugural year for it. Annapolis Royal, Port Morien and Tatamagouche were the other communities that received the award.

For the community of Clare, LeBlanc said, it was a sense that they were being honoured and recognized for doing what they've always done.

"(The community) is so proud of their heritage and culture," said LeBlanc. "They're proud to be Canadian, but they're also proud to be Acadians."