by CONNIE TABBERT
Editor
WESTMEATH — A teacup with matching saucer and a journal will be travelling to a variety of homes over the next year.
Linda Rose began this tradition as she opened the Christmas Tea at the Westmeath community hall Sunday afternoon.
Ms. Rose was the emcee of the event organized as a fundraiser for the Catholic Women’s League (CWL) of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church in La Passe and Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church in Westmeath.
There were 14 beautifully decorated tables inside the hall, the decorations representing 15 women’s ideas of what a Christmas Tea table should look like.
This was the 16th year a tea was held as a fundraiser for the CWLs, said Pauline Wright, one of the organizers. Each of the hostesses invited between 12 and 14 people to sit at their table, she said.
Sunday’s event included entertainment by Amanda and Mich Smithers of Petawawa. There was also a Christmas sing-along and silent auction.
The proceeds are split 50-50 between the two CWLs, Ms. Wright said. This year, Our Lady of Grace CWL is using its funds to continue renovations in the church’s basement while Our Lady of Mount Carmel CWL is donating it to Hospice Renfrew and the Whitewater Bromley Community Health Centre. Last year, the tea raised just over $1,900. Ms. Wright said the tea’s theme is different each year.
As the guests entered the community hall, you could hear the oohs and aahs as they saw the beautifully decorated Christmas tea tables.
When the clock chimed 2 o’clock, emcee Ms. Rose began the program by thanking the hostesses for the beautifully decorated tables.
“Each and every table is stunning,” she said.
She encouraged all the women to walk around the room throughout the afternoon and check out the tables. She then introduced each of the hostesses: Shannon Dunfield, Brenda Grady, Linda Bromley, Mona Lacroix, Dannielle Thomas, Doreen McNair, Pam Bertrand, Sherry White, Eileen de Haan, Lynn Dupuis, Pauline Wright, Leatrice Norlock, Sheila O’Brien and Anne and Jackie Bromley.
“When I was growing up, tea played such a big role in my family’s life,” she said. “My mother loved her tea. Mom would always begin the day with a pot of tea. Everything revolved around tea.”
Explaining, Ms. Rose said if someone was sick, dropped in for a visit or if there was a celebration, her mother always made tea.
When Ms. Rose’s mother died, she inherited her mother’s tea wagon and her china tea cups.
“This is one of her treasures,” she said. “In our very busy, busy lifestyle today, we sometimes don’t take the time to just sit and enjoy a cup of tea with a loved one, family, friend or someone in need.
“So, this is my time today.
“I would like to share this teacup with my hostess, my friend, Doreen.
“So, we will sit together today Doreen and enjoy a cup of tea.
“This will be the beginning of the travelling tea cup.”
Ms. Rose said Ms. McNair will take the teacup and enjoy a cup of tea with someone else. A journal travels with the teacup, which includes a list of names as to who gets the teacup after each hostess has enjoyed her cup of tea. There is also room in the journal for each hostess to write their experience while having the cup of tea.
“You will then pass it on to the next hostess on the list provided in the journal.”
Over the next year, the travelling journal will visit many homes, Ms. Rose said.
“Eventually it will make it back to our 17th annual Christmas Tea.”
Ms. Rose encouraged those who were going to enjoy a cup of tea in this tea cup to have fun with it.
“Use your imagination and enjoy your cup of tea,” she said.
For the next couple of hours, the women listened to music, socialized, enjoyed some goodies and even sang some Christmas songs.
