2008 winners

Youth Assistance – 1 prize of $5,000

Conseil du loisir scientifique de l'Estrie (CLSE), Sherbrooke

Ms. Émilie Dostie, Project Manager – Phone: 819 565-5062
Member of the Caisse Desjardins de Sherbrooke Est – Phone: 819-565-9991
Mr. Martin Sévigny, General Manager – Mr. Claude Gagnon, President

The organization has led many activities to promote interest in the sciences, such as the Club des Débrouillards, an engineering challenge for elementary school students, as well as Expo-sciences, Les Innovateurs à l'école and Tables de concertation régionales at the high-school level. The project selected by the judges was Les filles et les sciences: un duo électrisant, a program that encourages girls in 8th and 9th grades to consider careers in science. Over 130 people took part in this activity, which was organized in conjunction with parents, teachers and schools.

Senior Citizen Assistance – A tie with 2 prizes of $5,000 each

La Voix des aînés Choir, Alma

Ms. Fabiola Bouchard, Director – Phone: 418-662-7911
Member of the Caisse populaire Desjardins d'Alma – Phone: 418-669-1414
Mr. Laurent Villeneuve, General Manager – Mr. Régis Tremblay, President

The choir has been combining their love of music with their love of sharing since 1992, and performing for other seniors (often with reduced mobility). The choir's popularity is ever-increasing and it receives numerous invitations requiring much travel, which is done with a view to sustainable development. Over 1,500 people have attended their concerts.

Conseil des organismes francophones de la région de Durham (COFRD), Oshawa

Ms. Élaine Legault, General Manager – Phone: 905-434-7676
Member of the Caisse populaire Lasalle inc. – Oshawa branch – Phone: 705-566-3644
Mr. Jean-Marc Spencer, General Manager – Ms. Carole Kairovicius, President

This group's mission is to encourage the development, growth and vitality of the francophone population in Durham through a diverse community, social and artistic program in French. The achievement that caught the judges' attention was the creation of a community theatre troup, Le Trait d'Union. The actors, primarily seniors, perform for intergenerational audiences which have already totalled 600 spectators.

Cultural Services – 1 prize of $5,000

École de musique Denys Arcand, Deschambault-Grondines

Ms. Manon Chénard-Marcotte, directrice générale – Phone: 418-286-6941
Member of the Caisse Desjardins de l'Ouest de Portneuf – Phone: 418 268-3521
Mr. Jean Bertrand, General Manager – Mr. Serge Lessard, président

The École de musique Denys Arcand has been providing the municipality of Deshambault-Grondines, Portneuf and other areas with music instruction since 1994. It counts 400 students: children, teens and seniors who enjoy expressing themselves creatively through music. In offering professional lessons in various styles of music, as well as concerts and other musical activities, the school has proven that cultural development in rural areas contributes to community vitality and individual growth.

Community Development – 1 prize of $5,000

Lettres en main, Montreal

Mr. Gilles Landry, Coordinator – Phone: 514-729-3056
Member of the Caisse Desjardins de Lorimier and the Caisse d'économie solidaire Desjardins
Ms. Louise Desautels, General Manager – Caisse Desjardins de Lorimier
Mr. Laurent Bourdon, President – Caisse Desjardins de Lorimier
Mr. Paul Ouellet, General Manager – Caisse d'économie solidaire Desjardins
Mr. Gérald Larose, President – Caisse d'économie solidaire Desjardins

Lettres en main has been organizing reading, writing, arithmetic and computer workshops for illiterate adults in the Rosemeont district for 25 years. The organization produces and distributes instructional material for illiterate adults. The project selected by the Desjardins Annual Prizes panel of judges is the "Les nouvelles connaissances usuelles" collection that today includes 11 titles. Each title saw 15,000 and then 30,000 printings, distributed free of charge to 400 centres and organization who promote literacy in Quebec and French-speaking Canada.

Sustainable development – 1 prize of $5,000

Coopérative de solidarité en développement durable de Bellechasse, La Mauve, Saint-Vallier

Ms. Marie Lacasse, Coordinator
Member of the Caisse d'économie solidaire Desjardins
Mr. Paul Ouellet, General Manager, Phone: 418-647-1527
Mr. Gérald Larose, President

Founded in 2002, La Mauve is a social economy business with the mission of fostering sustainable development in agriculture, farming and the environment. La Mauve creates direct contact between consumers and over 30 local producers by transforming and distributing their produce. The organization also offers plots of land to set up microproductions and testing, and it organizes awareness and educational activities related to its mission. In total, almost 5,000 people have benefitted from these initiatives.