With the weather cooling off and, sorry to say, snow just around the corner, my thoughts have been turning to the approaching holiday season. It’s a special time for my family, one of connecting with the community, taking time to enjoy each other’s company, and a chance to partake in all things festive.
To kick off the season, I am excited to share that I have launched my annual Christmas Card Contest to celebrate the creativity of local students and have a little fun!
Submit your holiday-themed drawings, and one lucky winner’s artwork will be used as the cover of my Christmas card. To properly recognize the winner, please make sure that the artist’s name, grade, and school is clearly marked on the back of the artwork. The child whose art is selected, will also be presented with a congratulatory certificate to thank them for participating.
Artwork can be dropped off the following locations:
- Bob MacQuarrie Recreation Complex – Orléans, Customer Service Desk, 1490 Youville Road
- Lois Kemp Arena, at my ward office, 200 Glen Park Drive
- Ottawa Public Library, Orléans Branch, 1705 Orléans Boulevard
- Ottawa Public Library, Blackburn Hamlet Branch, 199 Glen Park Drive
I am also accepting both hard copies and digital submissions through my email at Laura.Dudas@Ottawa.ca. Please hold on to the original copy in case yours is selected. Deadline for submissions is Friday, November 22.
Continuing the holiday theme, there are always a multitude of Christmas-related crafts, bazars, concerts and events this time of year. In my role, I like to keep track, and stop in to support, these many locally-run events. So, in the spirit of the season, I will be dedicating a page on my website, LauraDudas.ca, to shine the spotlight on what is coming up each weekend in and around our community.
It will not be a comprehensive list, by any means, with so many activities going on in the area, but if you wish to have your holiday event included in the list, please send me the information at Laura.Dudas@ottawa.ca.
As we enter the holiday season, we also foray into the annual City Budget season (see how I segued there!). I have already co-hosted one Budget Consultation with my east end colleagues, and I have several more coming up that will be specifically focused on our Ward and our community’s priorities.
Ward-specific consultation drop-ins:
- Saturday, November 16, from 1 to 2:30 pm, Bériault Room, Orléans Branch of the Ottawa Public Library, 1705 Orléans Boulevard
- Saturday, November 23, from 10:30 am to 12 pm, Foyer, Bob MacQuarrie Recreation Complex, 1490 Youville Drive
- Thursday, December 5, from 6:30 to 8 pm, Community Room, Lois Kemp Arena, 200 Glen Park Drive
I would invite you to attend any of these upcoming meetings, or if you cannot make it in person, take a moment to fill out my Budget survey at LauraDudas.ca/2025-city-budget-survey/.
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