The Sault’s Cross needs a new co-ordinator and money too

Gerry Ouellette, the co-ordinator, master gardener and lots of other titles he has worn for over 20 years looking after the city’s famous Cross could use some help.

In fact, after a long chat with him last week I found out that he will be turning 90 soon, and I firmly believe that it’s time that he think of his succession. There is a committee of 10 or so people who meet regularly to help with decisions and fundraising, but finding his full-time replacement may be the biggest task they have had to deal with in recent time.

But aside from that I learned that he also needs some things to be done that might be done either as a donation or as a cost price issue in the form of an income tax deduction.

For example, I don’t know the politics but I understand that The Cross once had a website, but not now. I am surprised that a local Internet provider has not put up a website with a credit to a local business that pays the bill. And there is the matter of tree trimming.

This is not something those who volunteer to help with the gardening can do, but the trimming has to be done so that those visiting the site can still see the view – which is slowly disappearing behind the leaves.

There must be a local firm that does tree trimming that could do it as a donation or at a preferred rate — again with lots of advertising credit. And on a less-urgent need — but weeds are always with us — and there are lots of them to pull — and Gerry said he is getting some volunteers for this — but weeds come back! And on top of his full time master gardener’s job at The Cross – he visits his wife Betty in the hospital every day.

I know that high school students now have to do some community service work as part of their graduation, but I don’t think Gerry is over-whelmed with help from this program. The Cross has had problems over the years with lighting — something that is so important so that visitors to the Sault can spot the Cross as they drive into the Sault on the International Bridge. The various lighting tubes that have been tried seem to have a very short life, but Gerry said there is a plan to switch to LED lights which seem to be the order of the day — from car headlights to flashlights — but they cost money. That will be one of the items of business at the committee meeting coming up this month. So here’s your chance to get involved — even if it’s just to show support — go to the meeting and plan to help out somewhere. Maybe, just maybe, there is a person somewhere in the Sault who has a background that fits in with looking after the grounds, the Cross itself — electrical, brick work, gardening and trees — who might like to take over. No, Gerry is not leaving, and he will train any volunteer or volunteers (could be more than one person) who would like to give it a try. To learn more, contact Gerry directly at 705-450-0211.