Temiskaming Shores Comments Received

DATE	SUBMITTED BY	COMMENTS/SUGGESTIONS
March 11, 2007	Robert Robinson	I am very happy to see how well the tri towns have been expanding.so nice to see a community growing so fast.Not too forget how nice a place to live.
October 25, 2006	Ida Hilson	Hi my name is Ida Hilson I have a concern I can't understand why kids get the signs and Break them they Just have anything alse to do but touch people signs on there lawn why can;t they just leave them alone I think the High school are Just making a mess with all there garage all over the school yard and alone the streets Ida Hilson it just looks off.
October 22, 2006	Ida Hilson	I have been after the council member of the city of Temiksaming shores I have been very concen about the arossing by the Northdale manor for a long time we had someone a few months ago and was walking to church and a Truck hit him There are some very older people who in the senior homes On market at and they have a hard time getting aross the road I have talked to some of the seniors and they told it is very dangers place to aross the road I wish the council members would release that we have older people who have a hard time aross the road and I would like to see something done now right now I want to see a walk way and lights just like down town
June 17, 2006	Gary Anderson	As I was going through your website it (your town) reminded so much of my hometown of my younger years. I'm now 62 yrs. old and grew up in a small town in northern Michigan located on the shores of Lake Michigan. It was alot like yours in that tourisum was a very important part of it's livelyhood and people from down state would travel north to ski in the winter and vacation in the summer. As the years have past the town of my memories has transformed into a community now run by people that have moved north to get away form the hussle and bussel of the big city. The bad part is they brought the big city money and a big city mind set with them. As a result where I used to hunt and fish has been replaced with condos and expensive homes. The shoreline has all but been sold to speculators and contractor. I no longer return to my hometown as it is but a memory of an aging man. I would hope that your city fathers will have the foresight to move foreward carefully with keeping a nice small town intact. I wish you all well and my God bless!!
June 12, 2006	Raymond Laferriere	The Temiskaming webpage is an asset for information given to the tourists passing by . Often travelers who plan on staying just for a night of camping have stayed for over a week because of the info we have provided on the history of our area "Temiskaming". Lets keep working together and show them that we have so many things to offer. I also would like to congratulate all the event organisers and also espescially all the volunteers. I take my hat off to the Biker's Reunion's Good work . I am also having my student workers use the Temiskaming Shore webpage so they can help our tourists who may have any question about the area . Félicitation et merci pour se site internette très informatique .
June 10, 2006	Valerie Beattie-Dolan	Hello. My father was born in Haileybury, in 1914, to William Beattie and Edith Pearl (Armstrong) Beattie. My grandfather, William, worked in a butcher shop in the town. The family was living there when he received his attestation papers, sending him overseas for The Great War. It has been nice to connect with a place that is a part of my family's history. I hope to get to Haileybury some day.
May 9, 2006	Adam Larocque	I often visit this site to find out the news and any new waterfront property for sale in the area. I hope to visit my hometown (north cobalt) this up coming yr. if anyone remembers me from HPS or TDSS drop me a line. Would love to hear from yah! Take Care. larocque_adam@hotmail.com
April 7, 2006	Ashley Armishaw	Hi my name is Ashley, and I will be moving up to Haileybury/New Liskeard area this coming summer due to attending Northern College the upcoming school year. I do not know the area, as I have never been up there before. But I have been looking at any site there is about the area. I will be coming up easter weekend to get a feel for the place before I accept the offer of admission. So I was wondering if anyone new of any places to rent that will be available around july. They can either be appartments, small houses, or part of a house. I was also wondering if any construction companies were looking for an employee. My boyfriend will be moving up with me and is in the construction feild already and is hoping to stay in that feild. Also if there are any farms, hopefuly horse farms needing a stable hand please contact me. I have been working with horses for 6-7 years now and will need a summer/ part time job. Thank you for your time and respect for reading this. You can conntact me at pony_gurl_35@hotmail.com
February 22, 2006	Mrs. Baril	To whom it concerns, Recently i had to watch an ambulance with it's lights on,going down to the nursing home have to pull into a driveway in order to let the town bus go by. There is no reason for this. In all my years in Haileybury I have never seen the side roads so bad. Why can't the town crew take a handful of guys and the road equipment from Haileybury and start doing the streets of Haileybury, while the rest of the crew could take the equipment from New Liskeard and do the roads there? All the other cities have more than one crew in different parts of the city working together to get the job done so why can't this city? It's starting to look lik Haileybury and Dymond don't matter as much as New Liskeard. I am not the only one who feels this way but I seem to be the only one not afraid to say something.
February 20, 2006	H. Pawluk	Hi! I know that this probably doesnt really apply, but Im hoping it will be printed anyway. My husband and I are coming to visit my grandma soon and we would like hotel/motel reccomendations. If anyone can help that would be greatly appreciated. Thank you. Email: dhespaw@telus.net
January 29, 2006	Ida Hilson	I feel that we need more senior Builds because there are a lot of people who what to get in to a senior Building so I sure would like to see more Builded for senior and for people who are fit in come so that they can get into a senior Building. I know some seniors hate moving the cars when the plow comes to clean they rather have they cars in place when they don't have to move them. You think they would like them use those white covers. I just can't under stand it. I have lived at 154 market st and you never get anything done around here at 154 market. I think Temiskaming shores should get over to 154 market st and 1OO market st. Your truly Miss Ida Hilson
January 12, 2006	Roger Leveille	Hi, I've been surfing this website for while now to keep up to date. I just want to let you know of how of a great job you are doing.
January 5, 2006	Jan Kersten	I found your site when looking for information about Ontario. Very nice and informative. I made a link from my website, so everyone can enjoy it. When placing this link is a = problem, please let me know and i will remove it from my site. You can find my webiste at: http://jkersten.topcities.com Greetings from Holland and a Happy New Year
December 31, 2005	Baril	On December 28 2005 an elderly woman called the public works department inquiring about getting the side streets of Haileybury ploughed. They have not been done in over three weeks. She was told that the streets would be done after the next snow. Meanwhile the side streets of New Liskeard have been done. It has since snowed and I noticed on my way to this womans house today that the streets before and after her street had been done. From Rorke down to Georgina and from Meridian to the nursing homes had been done. But not the section of street that she lives in. Between Georgina and Meridian. I also noticed that the plough had left a snow bank across the tops and bottoms of every street making it difficult to cross over. In my opinion this is fair as you don't see that in New Liskeard. If calling in and asking a simple question about snow removal or snow ploughing is going to put someone in the dog house with this new city, I am very greatful that I am not part of that city. I feel very bad for the elderly lady I clean for as it was my suggestion that she call the public works and inquire about street cleaning services for Haileybury. I hope in the future things will work out better for the people of Haileybury.
December 11, 2005	Ernie Tretheway	Awesome website - nicely Laid out
November 3, 2005	Jose Manuel	Hello, good day, I know you won't understand me, but I am also certain that someone there will understand my message. In 1999 I went there to study in the municipal college, I am Spanish from vigo - galicia ( www.vigoenfotos.com ). For some reason or other I had to go back to my city 7 years later. I remembered some superb days I spent in that precious area, but I must admit it is a little hidden, but was glad I decided to study there. I am hopeing to return to stay a while but this time as a visitor. In this message I put a web link to the city I live in, so you can see where I live. While I was in Timskaming there was a Spanish speaking family of French decent that helped me very much. There was another boy who spoke with an Argentinian accent ( made me laugh ) and a little more. It is curious the way people live in that part of the world. In Europe we have a different rythm, actually I work and live in Barcelona. I would like to hear (contact - I assume email ) from someone from over there who must speak Spanish since my English hasn't been practiced much anymore. Thank-you for taking the time to read this.
October 12, 2004	Jocelyne Forget	Born in Haileybury aug,1957 Live on Georgina street across the street from the Hospital. Grand daughter of Blanche Dinel Fleury who worked for so many years at the post office.In our summer holidays me and my older sisters would sometime go to the post office on weekend with ( memère )and help her out with the mail. We had fun stamping the letters manually or distributing them in the mail box behind the wall. Spending all day at the beach or playing at the play ground was mostly our daily activi ties. 2004 Centennial Celebration was a great opportunity to visit our hometown and even have a tour of our old house.Many thank's to Mr. Brown,the new owner for letting us in. Have a nice day to you all and friends who, maybe ,remember's me , this is a great site. Bonjour à tout le monde. Jocelyne
October 10, 2005	Alfred E Humphreys	I was born in Hailybury in August of 1953. My mother, then Gabrielle Cote, was training to be a nurse at the Haileybury Hospital when she met my father, Leslie Humphreys who was a patient at the time. My mother is french Canadian. She spoke very little english at the time. They dated , married and raised four boys. I'm the oldest. I never met my dads father. His name was Alfred (Alf) Humphreys. He died in 1953. He was from England. He was the Govenor of the Haileybury Jail. His wife, Winifred Humphreys, also from England, worked with the female prisoners. I think she was a gaurd. She passed away in the early eighties. They now rest in the Haileybury cemitary overlooking Lake Temiskaming. As a young boy I chaerished my summers in Haileybury with my Grandmother. She lived on York street. My cousin Tom Reavel lived about a five minute walk past the Free Masons building. My father, now living in North Bay,and youngest brother David, still frequent the Lodge meetings. I cherish my memories of Haileybury. I used to say, as a young boy that I would one day return and run for Mayor. Perhaps I said that because I wanted to take care of a town that once took such care to raise me. I'll always remember swimming beside the goverment dock with my cousins and local friends . Ordering french fries from the "chip truck". Walking up the steep streets from millionare row to my Graddmothers home and recalling some of the stories of THE GREAT FIRE. I look back to a time when my parents would take us to ABRAHAMS to buy our new clothes and shoes at the beginning of the school year. I can still hear the tearing and the wrapping of the brown paper as it was folded over new shirts and trousers and then carfully tied with white string and carefully knotted. On my 50th Birthday in 2003 I flew from my home here in North Vancouver to vistit my parents and brother David in North Bay. They asked me what I wanted to do on my Birthday and I quickly replied."Let go to Haileybury". We made the drive up stoping on the way to visit a friend of my parents in Cobalt. I could just see the History in that little Historical mining town. As we entered Haileybury we went to the Cemitary to see where my Grandparnts were resting, side by side. After a while we set off towards town. We drove past the Jail house where Grand Dad worked. It was being renovatied to be an apartment building. If only the walls could talk ! I just had to see where my Grandparents home. The big old tree that stood in front of the house, just up the stairs from the steet, was no longer there. I have a picture somewhere in my photo collection of my brothers and I standing with by Grandmother beside the tree. We were all smiling in our Sunday best, except for David. He was wiping a tear from his right eye because he was the only one of the boys wearing "shorts". Even as I write this my heart goes out to him. He lookes so sad. I can not watch "Mary Poppins" without thinking of THE STRAND THEATRE. I saw Mary Poppins there six times. I saw a lot of movies at The Strand. "FOLLOW ME BOYS" with then child actor Kurt Russel inspired me to become a Boy Scout. As mentioned I now live with my own family in North Vancouver.We have a thriveng Film Industry here. We live about ten minutes away from LIONS GATE STUDIOS. I've been an actor in TV and Film for thirty years. As we drove past what used to be the STRAND Thearter, I could'nt help but wonder if that was where the acting bug was planted? I know Hialybury will always be in me and I'm sure that to a certain degee a little of it will spill off onto the screen. I hope so. I know I should "rap" this up but I really don't know how. It was alway very difficult for me to leave Hialeybury and say goodbye to my Grandmother at the end of the summer. I feel like I'm going through the same emotions again. Thank you Haileybury. And as Bob Hope would sing... "Thanks for the memories". PS.Please excuse any grammer and spelling mistakes.
September 6, 2005	Ida Hilson	Dear Temikaming shores I have a concren about The Kids hang around The New Liskeard Public Library throwing all there garbage I think that is off to see There Kids hang out The New Liskeard Public Library.I think it is off to see that everytime I walk to The New Public Library.something has to be done about Those kids hang out The new Liskeard Public Library.and also Thoses skate broads they should be going on the broad walk with them all and going into seniors Parking lots with there skate broads well I hope you can do something about This matter thanks
August 29, 2005	Sil	I was reading through some of the comments, and I noticed there are quite a few from people talking about the problem of not knowing where to put the City Hall. As one lady suggested, what about the convent? Here is a beautiful building, holding so much of it's own history for our area, and perfectly suited for office and living space. Even from an economical point of view, it's just something that makes sense. Why build a new structure and us tax payers pay an exorbant amount of money, when we already have one that can be easily converted at a fraction f the cost of building. And not to mention
July 28, 2005	Marc Lapalme	I Think the name change is very good. Becoming a city is exactly what needed to be done, its all part of evolution. My wife and I really enjoy travelling through the Tri-Towns, as much as possible we take highway 11B right through. Please keep up the 11B signage and maybe increase them. We beleive its an import part of history, and nice reasurance for passerbyers. I have a few expensive suggestions. Please consider making a merging access lane from 11B north to 11 north, which is right in from of your GMC dealer. a seamless connection from the "B" highway to the Trans-Canada north would increase trafic flow effectiveness, reduce line ups at the red light, wihich in turn increases efficiency. The other expensive suggestion is to widen highway 11 from the Elk Lake turn off all the way north to the city limits, complete with on and off ramps merging lanes and turning lanes. I'm a stron beleiver in highway and road ifrastructure. We need more of these up north. My wife and I are both born and raised in Timmins and we plan to live here for a very long time. We are proud to be Canadians, and proud to be from Northern Ontario. Thank you for you time, you have a really nice web site.
July 18, 2005	Brenda Goodine	I was checking out your website out of curiousity about my grandfather's family. He was William Grant and his family was in logging. He died in 1918. I see that there is a Grant's Forestry Products business in the area. Has this business been in the area, in one form or another, for a number of years? I realize that Grant is a fairly common name but I would like to contact someone at the company to see what their history is. Thanks and enjoyed the website. Brenda Goodine
July 7, 2005	Diane Peters	Please ,let us not make the same mistakes .We were rushed into amalagmation much to the dismay of many people NOW!Let us think and plan before our precious waterfront property is sold off to compensate for monies lost or not anticipated for due to this amalgamating mess!!There are many properties suited to a medical site that would leave our waterfront available to promote tourism in the area.You,our council,are responsible to us the people, please,this time LISTEN.I can't believe counci l would even consider this issue!We need revenue from the visiting public and if we have'nt an attractive waterfront we will lose this potential income . The waterfront is for all of us let us think of a more resonable alternative. LET US ALSO REMEMBER OUR YOUNG PEOPLE THEY WOULD RATHER TENNIS COURTS TO PLAY ON THAN A MEDICAL CENTER TO LOOK AT.sincerly Diane Peters.P.S where did you all play as children and walk around and admire as adults?
April 27, 2005	Ida Hilson	Hi lam Miss Hilson lam would like to see Niven st get clean up and sweep alone streets it is just off On Niven st it sure lookd off Your truly Miss Hilson
April 11, 2005	Barb Duval	I know somebody who is from New Liskeard, so I decided to check this site out. It reminds me a lot of my own home town. Very pretty and friendly looking.
April 5, 2005	Tina Ethier	I would like to compliment Temiskaming Shores website. It is easy to navigate and there is a variety of resources on the site which allow me, as a citizen of Temiskaming Shores, to get mostly all the information I need. My only suggestion would be to add a youth component to the site - there are many young residents here who have started businesses in the area, created inventions, etc...wouldn't it be nice to devote a page to those youth with their profiles, how they survived the north - their resources ie: how they went about it. This would encourage young visitors to the site. If part of our problem in this northern region is youth outmigration, let's try to encourage them in everyway possible. The reason I suggest this type of feature to the site is because I am a 25 year-old youth and I own my own golf-range business in Haileybury. I established this type of business in order to stay in this beautiful community where I was born and raised and I love it. But this site is incredible and I will attempt to suggest it to as many of my golf clients as possible.
February 15, 2005	Cécile Lemieux	What a beautiful website. It's really nice to be able to stay in touch with news/events from my hometown. I especially enjoyed the pictures, and am now "homesick". Way to go and keep up the great work! Also, "Temiskaming Shores", don't like the new name and why the need to amalgamate the towns.
February 6, 2005	Lauchlin McPhee	As a former resident of the north , I am truly flabbergasted that the city fathers would adopt a name for the city that does not reflect the past history of the area. Temiskamang Shores , my god that sounds more like a condo development in a slum area of Toronto....tell me it was only a joke!
January 5, 2005	Denis Campeau	Hi, It was a pleasure visiting this site. It reminded me just how much a vibrant town Haileybury was and still is. I was born and raised on Elliot St. in Haileybury. My grand-mother's home is currently being sold off which is my sad reminder that I needed to leave my beloved town to find work.I owe much to the Dinel family who took care of me for so many years in this wonderful town called Haileybury. Best wishes to you and the city in this festive season.
December 13, 2004	Phyllis Bateman	Location of city hall in Haileybury Aside from earlier promises and concessions re the location of city hall, I think it would be a welcome change to have a more equalized flow of traffic between the north and south ends of the city. We in Haileybury, have been enjoying the scenery along the Lake for years as we drive, sometimes several times a day, northward for work, services or shopping. Some of the City departments such as Public Works and Recreation will likley remain in New Liskeard anyway, so how about the rest in Haileybury??
November 30, 2004	Renee	Very interesting website indeed! Thank you! I was wondering if there was any possible way of having direct links to businesses and job searches for the area, seeing as how many are unemployed and are looking for possibilities in Temiskaming Shores. Hats off to you for a marvelous job! This is no simple task! Another possibility may be easy access to health services offered in the area and clubs and associations. Keep up the great work! From a true Northerner to another! Yours respectfully!
November 9, 2004	Brenda Morissette	Will you please add a link in the menu on the left of the services clubs available in the area, giving links to name of clubs, services provided, mailing address, and contact information which will include e-mail address(es). I was looking for a specific club, and unfortunately, I had to find the club through a search engine, instead of this site. I am thinking of educational clubs, Friends of Libraries clubs, religious clubs, and sports clubs. Thank you.
October 25, 2004	Ray Sutton	Hi, Folks... I grew up in New Liskeard, but ran away from there in the 1950s to work for Ontario Hydro, which itself is now history too. I moved to B.C. in 1968, and until I retired, I worked out here for B.C. Hydro at locations all over B.C. I haven't been home down there for years, and judging by the news and pictures, I probably wouldn't recognize the old place these days. If you weren't so far away, I'd come for your bikers rally with my old but well-preserved Kawasaki Ninja 900. All the best to everyone...
October 18, 2004	David Masters	There is a website from a person who has a 1972 Sirocco sailboat at Haileybury Marina. He invites questions or comments but has no address listed, no e mail, no name, no way of contacting him that I can find. I also have an old Sirocco and am in some need to talking to this person relative to rigging the boat. Can you help?? Thanks, Dave Masters P.O. Box PA,. 18981. Email, dmas62630@enter.net.
September 28, 2004	Tannis Geddes	Good Afternoon, I am writing to see if anyone remembers a man by the name of Gary Fournier. He use to work out of the New Liskeard Office for DE BEERS Canada Ltd. In the 1980s he took an early retirement from the company. The man I am looking for travelled extensively to Northern communities in Ontario, Manitoba, NWT and the Arctic Islands. If anyone has any information on his whereabouts, please call Tannis Geddes at the University of Manitoba 1-888-216-7011 ext. 8000 or email me directly at geddest@ms.umanitoba.ca. This is an urgent matter and any information would be useful.
September 25, 2004	Nicole Cooke	I honistly think that "Temiskaming Shores" is a really name. Like I mean I understand that you guys wanted to join all towns together but I mean. Like you didn't have to change New Liskeard, Hailebury, Dymond and what ever else to Temiskaming Shores. That's my point of view and I hope I am appreciated by it. I've lived in Liskeard all my life and now I'm imbarrised to say that I live in Temiskaming Shores, WHAT A STUPID NAME (freedom of speach) is allowed in Canada
September 12, 2004	Mary Rousseau	Hi I am just trying to find out some information and can not find it on here. I have been trying to find out what New Liskeard Travel CE New Liskeard On. stands for as it has showed up on my visa and I would like to know what it is. Can you please help me
July 5, 2004	Sophie Brisson	I was born in Earlton and grew up in New Liskeard. I just decided to have a look at what there was on the subject on the web. I was happy to discover a wonderful website where I can catch up and see what I'm missing. Keep up the good work.
July 5, 2004	Garry Scott	I just wanted to thank everyone for putting on one of the finest rallies that I have ever attended and I'm sure the word will spread about just how well organized it was. Everyone that I talked to was very impressed. I was really glad to see Yamaha have demo rides there as the only other place to ride these fine bikes is in southern Ontario. Hope they come back next year. I'm already looking forward to Bikers reunion 2005.
July 4, 2004	Ray Wright - Director of The Sault Ste. Marie HOG Chapter	To all the Great Committee of the '04 Bikers Reunion, I can't even begin to tell you what a pleasure it was to join your party this past weekend!!! I truly can say that Barry did an outstanding job as your Organizer. He's a true Gentleman as well as a man who never says quit. I had the pleasure of meeting Barry at the Dance last night with some of my fellow HOG Members from Sault Ste. Marie. We had about 20 from the Sault this time but I'm sure we'll bring back at least 50 more. Thanks as well to the fine People of New Liskeard for the great hospitality too!!! The only way you could improve on your Rally for next year would be to do the Show & Shine with at least 10 classes. Please send me a copy of your Video or CD once you make it OK? If there's any cost, please just let me know and I'll send you whatever you require. Excellent time and Thanks Again!!!! We'll see you next year for sure.
June 26, 2004	Cathy Waters	Am I able to access the Temiskaming Shores bi-laws on the internet? Especially about; for example, building a fence, building a deck, putting in a pool, noise after 11:00 pm, neighbors who don't cut their grass or are very messy, and other interesting topics like those. If not on the internet, who would you contact about these questions?
May 18, 2004	Judy Tinney	I have a suggestion for the new town offices. Buy the Convent in Haileybury. Keep one floor for town offices. Rent out other rooms as offices. Keep one floor for a 'mini-mall' and rent out spaces for little stores, restaurants, etc. at very reasonable prices until they get established. Rent out one floor for a public archives - so our court documents etc. can be stored in the north. One floor could be dedicated to Seniors, with room rentals, and Dr. offices, and a restaurant/buffet included in their rent. Just some ideas! Not just mine, friends added to them! Have a great week! Judy Tinney, Haileybury
April 23, 2004	Julie Gauthier	hoooo my goodness... I did stay in Hailybury...years ago....1956..to 1969!!! and was so amazed to see this site.... Cobalt and Haileybury...My dad was a miner....long time... since 1969...that I have seen the place... Que de souvenirs... to bad the site is not in french.... thank you so much...très intéressant....!!!!
February 25, 2004	Sue Thompson	Lived in New Liskeard and the Tri-town area for 17+ years. I miss the clean air and the roaming hills. Perhaps a guest book and forum would be nice for this site. Would like to touch base with some friends who are still enjoying the North. Sue :-)
February 18, 2004	Bill Ogilvie	Message: I would like to invite everyone to visit my new website www.tri-town.ca where they will find lots of photos, video and audio downloads from last summer's town celebration and High School Reunion.
February 9, 2004	John Sherk	I just by accident discovered your interesting web site. I typed in New Liskeard into Google. I was born in New Liskeard in1920 and left there in 1940 I'm afraid that I don't recognise any of your execellant photographs. Jack Sherk in Florida .
February 7, 2004	Barbara Nagy	Hi - The new site looks great. Do you have any information on Haileybury and Dymond history/events/maps etc. to go on the site yet? Thanks
February 2, 2004	Jenifer & Larry from Surrey, BC	Like New Liskeard web site, nice too see what is happening in the Great White North. Lots of snow, good photos of the snowmobiles, almost wish we were living back there.
February 1, 2004	Norah Tucker	During August and September of last year I visited your home page routinely. We were considering moving to your area and were in search of area resources and general info on the area. I found the site to be extremely helpful in our search. I found everything that I wanted and the links were all easy to follow. Since that time we have moved to the area, while your page did not find our home, a link to a local real estate office did. Thanx for a great site.
January 27, 2004	Bert Crandall	Great to see New Liskeard and the surrounding area has a web site to promote the communities in your area. Was looking for political information regarding wards and population per ward. But didn't find it. When I saw the picture file regarding New Liskeard streetscapes I checked those out. Was curious to see what your pictures revealed as I once lived in New Liskeard in the late 1950s. And I visited the town as a child through the 1930s, 1940s and early 1950s. I was somewhat amazed to see that the old established homes on Farah Avenue were not shown. I realize the photographs are from one person's perspective. But even the old homes on Mary Street are not shown. Historical buildings are an attractive feature for any town, even if they are residences. At least the old Carnegie library had a notable picture. I moved away in the late 1950s and after living in many cities in Canada and the U.S. I now reside in Toronto. Sorry I missed your centennial celebrations.