Vankleek Hill Christmas Home Tour

Arbor Gallery

Arbor Gallery, located in Vankleek Hill, is a registered charity supporting arts and culture in a community context. It offers a space for local emerging and established artists and artisans to share their artworks with the public, as well as providing a venue for visiting artists and artisans to facilitate cultural diversity and appreciation within the community. The Gallery hosts numerous exhibitions each year, along with musical concerts, artisan pop-up markets, and other community-oriented events.

As Arbor Gallery celebrates its 30th anniversary, it is developing many new programs to extend its outreach efforts, including partnering with Vankleek Hill Collegiate Institute to offer arts enrichment programming for students, especially those interested in pursuing fine arts in their post-secondary education. The Gallery also hosts weekly networking events for artists and artisans to break the solitude of their creative work, connect, and exchange ideas with other creators, and offers art workshops for artists of all levels in a new classroom space.

Eco East

In 2019, the organization rebranded as Eco East to reflect a broadening of the scope and geography of their work. Eco East is involved in information, advocacy, and grassroots sustainability projects spanning themes of climate and energy, waste reduction, habitat conservation and regeneration, local food systems, and pollution from landfills.

The organization is 100% volunteer-driven, with about 20 engaged volunteers between the board of directors and working groups. They have been humbled by the support of hundreds of community members for more casual volunteer opportunities and engage with the wider public regularly on social media, through their quarterly newsletter, and at in-person gatherings.

The Higginson Tower

The Higginson Tower Committee is a not-for-profit volunteer group which oversees special events at the Higginson Tower. Each year, a summer student is employed as a tour guide and organizes additional activities at the tower. Volunteers are available during the off-season for guided tours, and in the past, weddings, an after-dark paranormal investigation, plein-air art events, artisan events, children’s scavenger hunts, photo contests, and more have taken place at the Higginson Tower, restored in 2006 by a volunteer group, thanks to incredible community support.

The Higginson Tower is owned by Champlain Township and is grateful for annual financial support.

Popote Roulante Vankleek Hill Meals on Wheels

Popote Roulante Vankleek Hill Meals on Wheels delivers meals twice a week throughout the year. They do not receive referrals from social services as the HCCSS controls that process.

They have about 25 volunteers, generous with their time, who deliver warm meals once a month. Their biggest expense is insurance.

Meal costs continue to rise while the company keeps its client price as low as possible.

The Vankleek Hill Agricultural Society

The Vankleek Hill Agricultural Society is a charitable organization in our town. The Directors and Associate Directors are all volunteers working to promote agriculture in our area and local communities.
Agricultural education is very important for young people to help them understand the importance of growing our own food and crops.

The Vankleek Hill & District Horticultural Society

The Vankleek Hill and District Horticultural Society is willing to volunteer for the Home Tour. They give a bursary annually at the Collegiate Institute. They gave a potted plant to each senior’s residence in Vankleek Hill in December. For two years, they participated in the town seed exchange. Their regular public meetings are open to all with interesting speakers, and their excursions are advertised electronically and in The Review.

They paid for the installation of two trees: one in Miner Park and one at the fairgrounds. They continue to plant the town sign flower boxes as well as the beds of the 30-year-old Mill St Park.

The Vankleek Hill & District Nature Society

The Vankleek Hill and District Nature Society has the motto ‘Conservation through Education.’ Each year, they give a bursary to graduates of VCI as well as sponsor or support an attendee at the Ontario Nature Youth Summit held in September. They also have knowledgeable speakers at five meetings open to the public throughout the year in the library at VCI.

Two bird feeders are kept and filled, one on the PR walking trail at Highway 34 and one at the entry to Voyageur Park. They have encouraged participation in the observation of biodiversity during the year. At present, members are promoting the construction of an Osprey pole and nest in Hawkesbury as the ball diamond light standard has challenges.