Low Down Articles
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Article 47 of 49
This article first appeared in the August 25, 2004 issue of the The Low Down to Hull and Back News.
Reprinted with permission. Search complete list of Low Down Articles.
o o o
Historic bargains, baking and bidding wars...
By Pamela Ledoux
Despite a chilly morning, a few black flies and a tight time constraint, the 41st annual Gatineau Valley Historical Society Auction raised $6,785 on Aug. 21 in the yard of St. Stephen's Church in Chelsea.
"We're very pleased," says Carol Martin, a member of the Auction committee. There were 82 registered bidders this year from all over the area including Ottawa, Gatineau, Chelsea, and Val-des-Monts. "lt brings the community together," claims Martin. "When the community gets involved, that is what really makes the auction."
The baked goods, the silent auction, and the flea market all did much better than last year's result. And people always love to browse through the book section. Andrea Joumeaux, a Chelsea cottager from Toronto, admits that she can't resist. "We bring some and then we take some home," she laughs.
The steal of the day went to Anna-Marie Fortin, of Aylmer, when she acquired a long fur coat for $2.50. Most purchases went to Louise Carling Coats, of Ottawa, who went home with 45 lots. Many people thought she was an antique dealer when really she was purchasing the furniture for her brother who has recently bought a house in Chelsea.
The house he purchased had furniture in it but the former owner donated all of it to the auction and Carling Coats was buying it back. She described the event as very stressful but enjoyed herself nontheless.
