Denis Coderre, Rhonda Massad, Montreal Rib Fest

Mayor Coderre takes a moment with Montreal Grandma

I had the chance to meet the Mayor of Montreal, Denis Coderre at the Montreal Rib Fest 2016.  I want to say that whatever policies or platforms this Mayor has, he put them aside for the sake of the kids when he visited the Montreal Rib Fest in the rain.

Much to the dismay of my colleagues on the organizing committee, the weather man called for rain all weekend. Last year, with sunny conditions, we received 35,000 rib eaters. The Montreal Mayor was scheduled to make an appearance thanks to the help of Pierrefonds-Roxboro Mayor Jim Beis. But let’s face it, with the rain we all thought we were going to be removed from Coderre’s list of events for the day. There were fewer people than all of us had hoped for. There was less fanfare, and we had no media outlets on site to attract anyone who needed the limelight to further their careers. The radio stations had left for the day.

What happened was the exact opposite of what we expected. Coderre came in the rain knowing there would be a low turnout of people and no media attention.

I was moved beyond words. Whatever his policy, whatever his goals, there was little for him to gain by coming out to Pierrefonds in the rain. He came because of the kids. He was like the rest of the volunteers. He came to support Big Brothers Big Sisters of the West Island. Plain and simple. He smiled and laughed with us; he took the time to take countless pictures with anyone who wanted one. He gave of himself when he could have been home under the covers like most of us who had been standing in the rain had been dreaming about.

I was honoured as a board member of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the West Island to have him at our event. Not because of who he is politically but because who he is as a human being.

Thank you to the Mayor of Montreal from yours truly Montreal Grandma, Rhonda Massad.

Hope to see you all tomorrow, Sunday, for the last day of rib fest 2016. It is supposed to be a gorgeous day.

Judges at the Montreal Rib Fest were from left to right,

Tasso Patsikakis, Sheldon Kagan, Mayor Denis Coderre, BBBS Exec Dir. Francesca Corso, Mayor Jim Beis, Montreal Grandma Rhonda Massad and Ted Bird.

Montreal Rib Fest, Denis Coderre, Rhonda Massad, Big Brothers Big Sisters West Island

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