The 18^th Awards Gala for Excellence in Environmental projects in the Cantons de l'Est took place on October 25, 2011, at the Delta Hotel in Sherbrooke, at the invitation of the Fondation Estrienne en environnement (FEE) and the Conseil régional de l'Environnement de l'Estrie (CREE). Luc Larochelle hosted the event before 450 guests, inviting them to join him in a cocktail and a delightful meal.

Among the Honoured Guests attending this celebration of “Green Power” victory were Eric Arbour - Honorary Chairman of the Gala and CEO of Demix Concrete, division of Holcim Canada and Guy Fouquet - President of la Fondation Estrienne en environnement who noted: ''It is amazing to see that each year brings with it a lot of good initiatives. I see no exception, this year, to the high quality of projects presented in each category. The great popularity of the show, the new Youth Award and recognition given to Mr. Chornet reflects the vitality of the region's environment. This Gala is a must and we are proud to participate in outreach initiatives here.''

The presentation of the two most anticipated awards, the Youth Prize and the Michel Ledoux Prize – the highest honour of the evening was indeed the highlight of the Gala. The students from l’école Le Triolet de Sherbrooke won the Youth Award ($1000 Scholarship) for their achievement in ‘Planting for Clean Air’, by planting 15,000 trees. The Michel Ledoux Prize went to Esteban Chornet - Chief Executive Officer of Enerkem technology and associate professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Sherbrooke. In the 2000s, Chornet and his son founded the company Enerkem - a company that has developed and marketed the platform '' gasification converts waste heterogeneous into uniform synthesis gas''.

In other categories, the winner in the Agriculture & Forestry category was l'Abri Végétal Inc - a technology showcase for greenhouse agriculture; Personal Contribution Category won by Stanjse Plantenga – ‘Wildlife Without Borders’ in Quebec; Large and Medium enterprises and Institution won by Caisse Desjardins Granby-Haute-Yamaska for Carrefour de la coopération; Environmental Group and non-profit organization: Groupe Écosphère for the Exposition on environmentally healthy living in Brome; Innovation in Sustainable Development Award to Rackham for a Solar-powered Dairy; Small Business and Institution prize awarded to ‘Attraction for Ethica -- organic and ethic cloth’; Municipality, MRC and municipal organization: Sherbrooke, Magog and MRC de Memphremagog for the Master Plan for Water Basin of the Magog River. The Foundation has also provided a financial contribution to the Carrefour Solidarity International (CSI) for two new coffee cooperatives in Haiti and Awareness Workshops in 19 elementary schools in the Eastern Townships.

Information: 819 821-4357 or at http://www.environnementestrie.ca/

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Photo 1: Winners of youth prize

Photo 2: A delicious and colourful meal...

Photo 3: 450 guests came to celebrate the winners of the Gala...

                     Photos SM