Group hoping to make county a stop for Acadian visitors
                                             The Evening News

          A local group is hoping to ass Pictou County to the map of places to visit during the Congres mondial acadien (world Acadian congress) being hosted by Nova Scotia in 2004.

          Daniel Cameau, congress co-ordinator for the central region, will make a presentation about the event in New Glasgow April 3 for those interested in seeing a project or event organized locally that would tie into the International gathering.

          Pictou County is known for its strong Scottish heritage but has also had an important French presence, said Bridgeville historian John Ashton, who has been researching a former settlement of French miners, called Raymond-ville, in the Trafalgar-Lorne area.  He and some of the miners' descendants are hoping to see a permanent monument erected at the settlement site in time for the Acadian congress.  While the miners were not Acadian but came from France much later, in the 1870's, their story would add to the overall celebration of French and Acadian culture, he said.

         Ashton said the phonebook shows many Acadian surnames in Pictou County, such as Arsenault, Boudreau, Delorey, Doucette, Gerrior, Landry, LeBlanc, Melanson, Pettipas and Richards, and some of these people might be interested in participating in the congress and learning more about their Acadian roots.

         The year 2004 will mark the third Congres mondial acadien.  The 16-day event, which runs from July 31-Aug. 15, is expected to attract about 100,000 visitors from outside Nova Scotia, including other Atlantic provinces, Quebec, the New England States and Louisiana, said Vaughne Madden, general manager of Congres mondial acadien 2004.

         The Nova Scotia event will have a special significance because 2004 marks the 400th anniversary of the arrival of the first French settlers' on the eastern coast.

          A main focus of the congress will be dozens of family reunions expected across the province.  Opening ceremonies will be held in Clare and the closing ceremonies and mass will take place in Grand Pre.  A series of conferences is also being planned.

          People can find out more information about the congress and the reunions being planned by visiting the event's Web Site at www.cma2004.com.

          Wednesday's presentation will take place in the boardroom of The Evening News, East River Road, New Glasgow, at 7 p.m. For more information contact 928-3527*

*This presentation has already taken place, so please do not call.  Thank-you.