An anniversary is a cause for celebration among friends and neighbours. I am pleased that you invited me here as both a friend and neighbour to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of the founding of the Grande-Digue Historical Society. Preserving the memory of our past was the objective set by those who founded your Society. And that was a wise choice, since the history of Grande-Digue is important.
Some people distinguish between the great events in history and the minor events.
Well, there are no minor historical events, there is just history. History is made of the sweat, and sometimes the blood, of the pioneers and those who followed in their footsteps. My warmest congratulations to the Grande-Digue Historical Society for all its impressive accomplishments over these twenty years. Firstly, it produced a key book, the Grande-Digue Monographie historique d une paroisse acadienne . The Society produced many other publications, established a museum, and participated in key events which marked and still mark the contribution of the pioneers.