By MIKE DONOGHUE Islander Staff Writer ISLE LA MOTTE - St. Anne’s Shrine has a new Vermont Historic marker that is bilingual -- only the third created by the state. The new sign is English on one side and French on the other and gives the background of the historic site, which is important to both residents of the U.S. and Canada. The old marker was only in English, but the new one also allowed for expanded text, according to the Rev. Brian Cummings, spiritual director of the shrine. The old historic marker had deteriorated and needed replacing, Cummings said. The shrine honors the French-built Fort St. Anne in 1666 and hosted the first Mass celebrated in the northeast. A chapel was built in 1892 and starting in the following year the shrine has hosted countless personal and group retreats. The shrine was entrusted in 1904 to the Society of St. Edmund, which was founded in France in 1843 and established St. Michael’s College in Colchester that year. Cummings said he worked with Celine Paquette of Champlain, N.Y., a longtime history buff and friend of the shrine and with Laura Trieschmann, state historic perseveration officer to produce the new marker. Cummings said crafting the sign was a little tricky because there were a limited number of lines and characters and in some cases even the punctuation might impact the spacing. He said the Rev. Marcel Rainville, a native of Swanton, also helped with the French translation. Trieschmann said the state has nearly 300 roadside cast-aluminum green markers, which have a distinctive gold state seal on the top. They commemorate people, events and places of regional, statewide or national significance. She said the other two bilingual signs were erected in 2019 and are on the Burlington waterfront and in Newport City. By Liese Reagan Did you know youth with mentors have higher rates of high school graduation and are less likely to drop out of school? They find more self-confidence, higher self-esteem and are able to create big goals for themselves. Additionally, studies show that behavior, attitudes and relationships improve when a youth has a mentor. Do you have an hour a week during the school year to share what you know and mentor a child? If so, we would love to hear from you! The Grand Isle County Mentoring Program is a school- based mentoring program, which matches community children with adults who have similar interests. They meet once a week for one hour in the school at a mutually convenient time. We are currently recruiting new mentors to be matched with children in our community. All five island schools are involved in the program and students range from grades K to 8. Mentoring doesn’t require an expert; it only requires your time. “Make a difference in a youth’s life; be a mentor.” If you would like more information, please contact Liese Reagan at 233-5846 or email lreagan.gicmentoring@gmail.com. |