Updated: January 14/2010

Information About Our City:

Azilda is a community in the Ontario city of Greater Sudbury. It gets its name from Azilda Bélanger, the first female pioneer of the area. The community surrounds the eastern part of Whitewater Lake.

From 1973 to 2000, Azilda was part of the town of Rayside-Balfour, in the Regional Municipality of Sudbury. On January 1, 2001, the Regional Municipality was dissolved into the single-tier City of Greater Sudbury.

The community's population is majority francophone. There are two francophone schools (École publique Franco-Nord and École catholique Ste-Marie) and no English schools. All anglophone students must attend a school in one of the neighbouring communities.

On September 12, 1906, Azilda was the site of a train wreck.

Town of Rayside-Balfour

"People are the strength of any community."  More than any other town amalgamated into the City of Greater Sudbury, Rayside-Balfour illustrates this quote from one of its mayors.  The people of Chelmsford and Azilda and their descendants succeeded in developing a modern dynamic town while preserving the warmth, spirit and intimacy of the small agricultural community of the early days.

Land clearing began with the arrival of the Canadian Pacific Railway workers, initiating the economic activity of the region.  Pastors of various beliefs came to serve the community and religious life was organized.  Church and language were at the heart of the development of education in the Townships of Balfour and Rayside.  The parish became the centre of social activities and many sporting events.

Within the space of a few months, the Township of Rayside (1890) and the Township of Balfour (1891) organized themselves into municipalities.  Azilda, a village in the Township of Rayside, never established itself as an independent municipality.  In 1909, the village of Chelmsford, located in the Township of Balfour, separated from the countryside to establish itself as a town.  The township and town were run separately until 1968 when the Township of Balfour annexed the town along with the Townships of Creighton and Morgan.  In 1972, Rayside and Balfour were amalgamated to form the Town of Rayside-Balfour.

The amalgamated town chose to celebrate its centennial in 1991.  The souvenir album prepared on this occasion is a vibrant account of a community that managed to blossom socially and economically while maintaining a deep awareness of its cultural heritage.

It's easy to get around in the Sudbury once you know where you're going, how it all started and who's here.
http://sudbury.foundlocally.com/Local/Info.htm

·         City Information Basic information about Sudbury

·         Visitor Tips What to see and do (for the impatient tourist)

·         Customs & Immigration Entering Canada

·         History Lesson From the Precambrian era to recent events

·         How far is Sudbury from you? Pick a town...any town!

·         Local media (radio, TV, newspapers, magazines)

·         Community maps

Transit Information: http://www.city.greatersudbury.on.ca/cms/index.cfm?app=div_transit&lang=en&currID=255&parID=233

 TalentMatch has created a community for a wide variety of amateur to professional talent in Azilda

http://www.talentmatch.com/localscene/Ontario/Azilda.html

 Playgrounds in Azilda:

Azilda

Rayside Balfour Community Action Network

The Rayside Balfour Community Action Network serves as a neighborhood resource for community development and as a source of information and feedback to City Council and municipal staff thus enhancing the quality of life for Rayside Balfour residents.

Since it's inception in April 2005, the Rayside Balfour CAN has already had a number of success stories:

1. Adoption of Municipal Road 35 between Montée Rouleau and Montée Principale.
2. Assisted the City of Greater Sudbury Leisure Services Department and Rayside Balfour Youth Centre with the selection of skate park equipment for the Coté Park site.
3. Established a Stewardship Committee for Whitewater Lake and participated in the national Great Canadian Shoreline Clean Up program.
4. Purchased winter banners to be displayed this holiday season throughout Azilda and Chelmsford.

About Our Club

The Azilda Lions Club was sponsored by the Chelmsford Lions on December 21st, 1971 with the following members and Lion Camille Gauthier as its first president.  Here is a list of the charter members.  The bolded names are members that are deceased:

Over the years, the Azilda Lions Club had been home of the "Azilda Lions Annual Agricultural Fair" which ran till the mid '90's on the Fairgrounds situated on Labine Street.  The Club was also reknowned for being the "Easter Seal Society for Crippled Children" sponsor club for the Nickel District.  It was also a firm supporter of the "Resource Centre for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing", "Sight-First", "All Community Projects" such as the Annual Winter Carnival, the Christmas Telethon, Minor Sports, Senior's Picnic, School Graduations, "Grass Drag Races", the annual Grey Cup Party, Christmas Toys Packaging and Distribution for the Telethon, the annual Rayside-Balfour Winter Carnival, the Easter Seal Superthon  and a multitude of other projects.  The club was the first sponsor for the 1st Rayside Scouts, Cubs and Guides.  Over the years, a matinee Bingo was held every Saturday up until 2003.  Every year, some of our Lions attend the Annual Convention in April in one of the following cities: North Bay, Sault Ste-Marie, Sudbury or Elliot Lake.   We also attend any Charter Nights celebration for different clubs around the region.  We were and are still proud supporters of the Western Days put up by the Chelmsford Lions Club, putting in a float or having some members help or walk the parade route as well as helping during the the weekend activities.

To this day, only one charter member remains with us and that is Lion Claude Landry.    The club evolved through the years but its goal remains the same: TO SERVE.  Through such events such as the ones listed above, the club was able to help many needy families and volunteer organizations in our community over the years.   Now, our Annual Golf Tournament is and Jug Curling Tournaments among our most successful fund raising activities.   Compiled with our bi-monthly spaghetti suppers and a few other fundraisers we come up with during the course of the year, our club has managed to maintain its goals. 

The club diversified through the years, allowing women to join in.  This opportunity has opened more doors, given a new insight and allowed spouses to join in.  Though our club is silent to the public and the media on the vast area of work that we undertake, our presence is required and noted by the organizations surrounding us and the people in need. 

We need to propagate our activities in order to let our citizens know that we are there for them, not only to care but to assist in any way, shape or form required, for the betterment of our community.  We are there to SERVE, as our mandate prescribes.  With the help of this website, we are hoping to do just that:  let the community know that we are indeed still very much alive and active and ready to help!  If you would like to join our group, please do not hesitate to communicate with any of our members or simply leave an email at boubou358@hotmail.com  and someone will get back to you as soon as possible.  It is a great way to feel part of the community and feel good about yourself.  Come and join us!

Past Presidents since it's beginnings.  How many do you recognize?

* Charter Member

+ Past President

- Deceased members

Recently deceased Members:

Lion Diane Terava -January 9/2010

Lion Andre Villeneuve - December 11/2008

Lion Larry Nault - October 20/2008

Lion Marcel Brouillette - August 8/2008

Board for 2010-2011

What does the Azilda Lions club do for the community:

-support our local high school with a scholarship each year

-support local camps and youth organizations

-visit other groups and organization to promote the good in the community

-we participate in the recycling of eye glasses, batteries and ink cartridges

-help the disabled in various ways

-participate in the Easter Seals program

-participate in the yearly Lions MCTV Christmas Telethon

-help families through certain crisis, financial or otherwise

-we participate and organize different awareness programs such as Diabetes

How do we raise funds?

Our two main events are our yearly Jug Curling  and our Golf Tournament

-hold draws

-host suppers for different groups or organizations

-rent our hall

-we hold a spaghetti supper every second month

-collect and recycle such things as pop cans, aluminum, ink cartridges, car batteries

-just about anything that is legal, we will try!

What organizations do we help?

-Annual Lions CTV Children Christmas Telethon

-Canadian Diabetic Society

-Lions Effective Speaking Competition

-Peace Poster Competition

-Effective Speaking Contest

-Child Find

-Canadian Cancer Society

-Crime Stoppers and K-9

-Disaster Relief

-Heart and Stroke Foundation

-Maison la paix

-C.N.I.B

-The Eye Sight Program

-Lions Home for the Deaf

-Pet Save

-Parkinson

-Purina Walk for Dog Guides

-École Ste-Marie

-École secondaire Champlain

-École publique Franco-Nord

-C.V.D.C.S.

-Western Days

-Lions Foundation

-Vermillion River Campers Association

-Fishing for kids

-District A-5

-Lions Club Sudbury

-The Lung Association

-Association Jeunes de la rue

-Camp Quality

-Sudbury Community Service Center

-Lions Foundation of Canada

-Social Planning Counsel

--Banner Lions Home for the Deaf

-Friendship Arches

-The Kidney Foundation

-Canadian Legion Remembrance Wreath, Chelmsford Branch

-Parents et enfants en difficulte

-purchasing of all other area Lions Clubs raffle and draw tickets at their Fundraising programs, in addition to part funding of medical equipments not covered by OHIP or other benefits

-use of wheelchairs, hospital bed and various other hospital equipment available upon request

-our local school programs and youth organizations

-the disabled, the less fortunate and the old

-many more which I'm sure I've missed

What do we do for fun?

-we hold a  meeting on the 1st Monday at 7p.m.and 3rd Sunday at 10a.m. of every month

-we attend conventions, visit other groups, have get togethers

-hold a Christmas party for the old folks in our community

-usually have an annual fondue for the members

-if we find a reason to get together for some rest and relaxation and to get reacquainted, we don't let the opportunity pass us by!

Would you like to join our group?  Does this sound like something you would like to be involved in?  Don't hesitate to contact one of our members.  They will be more than happy to give you more information.  The Azilda Lions is a great group of hard working people wanting to help the needy.  So come on, join us!  At the November 2005 Board Meeting, the Lions Clubs International Board approved two entrance-fee-rebates for one spouse of current members and two former Lions.  These rebates are available until June 30th, 2006.  A great incentive indeed!  What a great time to come back to a great organization that helps your community! 

Contact any Lions member for more information or simply email me at boubou358@hotmail.com  and I will gladly forward you the information need or put you in contact with the proper person.

and remember, if you would like to see for yourself what we are all about, come and be a guest at one of our meetings.  Contact any member and let them know you would like to attend.  Our doors are always open.

mailto:boubou358@hotmail.comm