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8/20/2019 2015 Newslette ENG August Final
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August 2015
Missisquoi Heritage NewsNewsletter of the Missisquoi Historical Society
www.missisquoimuseum.ca
2015Museum Season Begins
Stanbridge East celebrates its 125that the Museum!Cover Photo:
The photo on the cover page is from the opening day celebrations of theMissisquoi Museum held on May 31st 2015. Pictured in the photo are
Stanbridge East Mayor Greg Vaughan and MHS president François Reid
preparing to cut the 125th Anniversary of Stanbridge East cake. Photo:
Heather Darch
The Missisquoi Historical Society gratefully acknowledges the financial support
of the Ministère de la Culture et des Communications du Québec and the Pacte
Rural of MRC Brome Missisquoi
Heritage Missisquoi is published by The Missisquoi Historical Society. It is intended as a newsletter to members of theSociety to provide interesting articles on Missisquoi County’s past and to eep our members! friends and volunteersinformed of new acquisitions by the Museum! publications available! upcoming events and other items of generalinterest. Comments and suggestions regarding the newsletter are welcome. "lease contact "amela #eal$e at thehistorical society o%ce for information at &'()*&+),-', or at infomissisquoimuseum.ca
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
President's Note …. Pg. 2
A Disaster Hits Hard.. Pg. 3
Our 50th Anniversary...Pg. 4
Remembering Judy… Pg. 5
Lightening Strikes …. .Pg. 5
Fenian Raid Book ….. Pg. 5
Special Projects……. Pg. 6
Activities &
Events……………… Pg. 7
This & That…...……. Pg. 8
Book Listing………… Pg. 9
Membership Form….. Pg. 10
http://www.missisquoimuseum.ca/http://www.missisquoimuseum.ca/
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Heritage Missisquoi -2- August 2015
Our President's Report
What a tough year we have had to start our
51st
year at the Missisquoi Museum. It waswith sadness that we learned about the illness
of our archivist Judy Antle in 2014. I am sorry
to report that Judy passed away in March this
year. This was a blow to all of us who worked
with Judy professionally and knew her
personally. We all felt the loss of her presence
in the historical society and of course our
sincere sympathies are extended to her family
and friends.
In April, our storage building known locallyas Bill's Barn burned to the ground with all of
its contents inside. This suspicious fire caught
us off guard and made us realize how
vulnerable historic sites really can be. From
these two difficult events, we had to regroup
and move forward and moving on has meant
making changes.
In the archives we welcome our new archivist
Rolande Laduke. Rolande is a retired teacherand well-known and respected in the
community. She is currently familiarizing
herself with the cataloguing methods and the
contents of our archives. Rolande has already
replied to all of the correspondence that came
in last year during Judy's sick leave and is
now taking on new requests for information
and research. On behalf of the board of
directors I would like to welcome her to the
historical society and certainly wish her well
as she takes on this new position.
After the Bill's Barn site was cleaned and
made safe for the community, the staff and
board of directors had several emergency
meetings to discuss the future of the site and
the immediate aftermath decisions that had to
be made. Following these meetings a special
strategic planning session was held between
the board and staff to determine not only how
we can recover from this disaster but how we
can recover in a stronger and more focusedway for our museum's future. The strategies
developed at this meeting and at other follow-
up meetings to come this year will ideally
help us to keep our mission clear and our
objectives and long-term goals manageable
yet progressive.
Finally, I would like to thank our very
dedicated staff Pamela Realffe, Heather Darch
and Rolande Laduke for their continued good
work. The challenges and difficulties we have
faced as a society lately were somehow made
easier to manage because of their level of
commitment and professional integrity.
Thank you to each and every member for your
continued support of the Society. I ask for
your assistance now as we recover and move
forward this year.
François ReidPresident
Missisquoi Historical Society
Board of Directors 2014-2015
Executive:
President: François Reid
Vice-President: Brendan O'Donnell
Treasurer: Donna Butler
Secretary: Marc Grenon
Directors and Portfolios:
Katherine Delaney: Paige Knight Gallery
& Communications
Claire Lanctôt: Strategic Planning
Marthe Lanctôt: Education
Brendan O’Donnell:
Cemeteries/Communications
Grace Getty: Walbridge Foundation Liaison
Kurt Alder: Grounds & Maintenance
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Suzanne Dubé: Communication
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Heritage Missisquoi -3- August 2015
A Disaster in Our Museum
The calls came into 911 just after 7:15The calls came into 911 just after 7:15
a.m.a.m.on Saturdayon Saturday April 11, 2015. Neighbours
on both sides of our annex known as "Bill'sBarn" at first thought the morning was foggy
with a few snow flakes in the air. When they
smelled smoke and suddenly realized they
could see flames shooting out of the upper
windows of the barn, it was already too late.
The suspicious fire resulted in complete
devastation of the structure and its contents.
While the historically significant collection of
farm equipment was no longer stored at the
site, the Missisquoi Museum lost its collection
of carriages dating from the 19th century, most
of the antique sleighs, its collection of school
desks and other 19th century items such as
animal husbandry equipment. Most
significant however was the loss of unique
historical objects from Missisquoi County
including the 1890s water wagon from the
Bedford Agricultural Fair and a horse-drawn
hearse made by carriage maker Ari O. Wescott
made in the early 1900s. The objects were tooscorched and burned to be restored. In
addition to these artefacts were practical items
such as display cases, mannequins, coat racks,
picnic tables, a bicycle rack, signage, extra
office desks and chairs and our Apple Pie
Festival tables.
The loss of the collection will be deeply felt by
the Museum and also by our community; the
cost in the end will not only mean dollars.
There is a loss of our history and heritage that
cannot be replaced. The board of directors was
extremely grateful to the local citizens who
alerted emergency services and to the
Stanbridge East and Bedford fire departments
that contained the blaze. It is obvious that no
historic building or collection is immune from
fire. Of the many disasters that can strike a
museum, a fire is among the most destructive.
Soon after the fire, the board of directors and
staff held an emergency meeting to discuss
options and strategies. The press wasinformed of our situation and a notice was
placed on our Facebook page to keep the
community updated. As site clean-up was
crucial for the safety of the community,
Excavations Giroux was contracted to clean
the site after the staff examined what could be
salvaged from the ruins. Precious little in fact
was recovered except for a jail house door that
once contained prisoners at the Cowansville
Courthouse, several wagon wheels, a horse
hitching brake and a stationary motor. The sitewas quickly levelled and cleaned and while
the historical society did have insurance, there
was not enough to cover the expense of the
clean-up of the site.
An inventory of the lost objects was quickly
provided by the curator for reference and the
objects that could be removed from the site for
cleaning were stored at the Cornell Mill.
Several think-tank strategy meetings will be
held over the summer months to determinethe direction the board should now take with
the land on which the annex stood,
addressing the issue of replacing some of the
lost items and the steps necessary to ensuring
that our museum sites are better protected
against the agents of destruction like fire, theft
and flooding. Strengthened by a renewed
commitment, the board will be creating a
strategy to ensure the safe-keeping of our
collection for future generations to enjoy.
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Annex Fire on April 11 2015
Photo: Donna Butler
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Heritage Missisquoi -4- August 2015
A Loo !ac at Our 50th Anni"ersary #ear
Our 50Our 50thth Anniversary year has come andAnniversary year has come and
gonegone , but in true historical society fashion –
let's look back! We had a successful year that
started with a 50th Anniversary party at the
opening of the museum exhibition "50 Objects
for 50 years" and ended with a special
anniversary supper held in November 2014.
Over 60 people sat down to a delicious meal
held at the community centre in Stanbridge
East.
Our Vice-president at the time, François Reid
welcomed the members of the society and
thanked our volunteer board of directors and
our many volunteers who help us throughout
the year for keeping history alive in
Missisquoi County. Through an appreciation
of our material and cultural heritage, from
financial donations and support offered in
hours of time and by the belief and trust that
the historical society is trying their very best
to preserve the history of our region of
Quebec, our volunteers remain the "life-
blood" that keeps our museum and the
historical society relevant and necessary.Mr. Reid also took care to recognize the
important contributions of the historical
society members who worked so hard to
establish the Missisquoi Museum 50 years
ago. It was their commitment to the idea that
Missisquoi County should have a museum
that resulted in the doors opening on July 19th
1964.
A special presentation was made to our
dedicated and hard working executivesecretary Pamela Realffe. Pam has worked for
the MHS for 40 years and has logged an
incalculable number of volunteer hours
during that time as well. It is her voice that
you mostly likely will hear on the telephone
when you call the office to ask a question. To
be sure, Pam will know the answer! The board
of directors also acknowledge the 24 years of
service given by Judy Antle to the historical
society until illness required her to resign her
position. Judy was not able to attend the
meeting but her commitment to the MHS and
the special relationship she had with
genealogists and researchers helped to make
our archives a well-respected aspect of the
historical society.
Guest speaker Michel Racicot of the
Cowansville Historical Society presented a
very interesting talk about the Campbell Farm
of Stanbridge East. Wealthy businessman
Charles Sandwith Campbell bequeathed his
farm and mansion located on the Ridge Road
to the Sweetsburg hospital (now the Brome-
Missisquoi-Perkins Hospital) to create a
convalescent home. Unfortunately, this project
proved more complicated than expected and
the hospital had to sell the estate to Colonel
Colin W.P. Ramsey some years later.
MHS board Secretary Marc Grenon and
Philippe Fournier. Photo: François Reid
Philippe Fournier, author ofLa Gazette des
paysanstook the opportunity to present a
cheque for $ 1200 to the secretary of the board
of the Missisquoi Historical Society, Marc
Grenon. This cheque represented the balance
of the sum of $ 7,000 from the profits of the
sale of the book Mr. Fournier had undertaken
to donate to the Missisquoi Historical Society.
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This donation has provided a big boost to our
fundraising efforts.
Thanks again to our volunteers and staff and
board members who helped to make our 50th
Anniversary special. On we go into the next
50 years!
Heritage Missisquoi
-5-
$emem%ering &u'y
It is with deep regret that we announce the
passing of our long-term archivist and friend
Judy Antle on March 13th 2015. Judy fought a
courageous battle against cancer with the
humour and the positive energy she had
throughout her life. Many of us worked with
Judy on various projects over the years and
we all know from experience that she was
goal oriented and loved a good challenge
when it came to research. Among her many
fine character traits that served her well in her
position as archivist was her loyalty, sense of
professionalism and her kindness whenworking with the public. We were often
amazed by her endless patience when
answering those complicated and sometimes
tedious genealogical questions. We lost a dear
friend and colleague and our deepest
sympathies are extended to Judy's family and
her friends.
Judy Antle in the historical society office in
2013 Photo: Heather Darch
Lightning Stries
At the end of the museum season and just aswe were getting ready to close for the year,
lightning struck our Hodge's Store. Despite
the power surge bars, our newly installed
audio and visual equipment suffered the
affects of a tremendous electrical jolt.
Fortunately, insurance covered the
August 2015
cost of a new television monitor so that our
"Mr. Hodge" can still tell his tales to our
museum visitors this year. The equipment for
the audio presentations that provided some
lovely stories from people who actually used
the store was also damaged and unfortunatelywill not be ready for this museum season.
(he )enians are *oming
Next year marks the 150th Anniversary of the
first Fenian Raid into Missisquoi County. On
June 7, 1866, a group of Fenians crossed the
border and held Pigeon Hill and the surrounding
area including Frelighsburg and St. Armand
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without any opposition and proceeded to
intimidate the communities by damaging
property and stealing supplies. By June 9, 1866,
the Fenians received word that Canadian militia
and volunteers were advancing and in response,
they retreated across the border. As they went
many discharged their rifles into the air and
carried their looted household articles. At the
borderline they were met by American troops
who disarmed them and placed the officers under
arrest.
To mark this event and as a prelude to the 150th
celebrations of Confederation, the historical
society is planning to publish a book about the
1866 and 1870 Raids. Local historian Laurent
Busseau will be writing the text and our staff
Heather and Rolande will be assisting him with
research materials and the search for funding tohelp finance the project. It is hoped too that a new
installation can be made in the exhibition to
present the Fenian Raids to the public. The quest
for funding is underway for this initiative as well.
Fenian Raid Medal MHS
collections
Heritage Missisquoi
-6-
)un'ing for +n"ironmental+qui,ment Successful
Thanks to a new grant from thePacte Rural the
Museum has received funding to purchase better
environmental controls to help combat the
humidity within our archives. While there is
currently a dehumidification system in place, it is
outdated and inefficient. The funding will allow
us to purchase a new system as well as
environmental monitors that will record
humidity levels for accurate readings.
Guaranteeing that our documents and
photographs can be stored in stable conditions
will ensure their longevity and will help us meet
the required standards for archival collections.
Oral History -ro.ect *ontinues
The oral history project funded by a Pacte Rural
grant continues and stories are being collected
using our new digital hand-held recorder. Marthe
Lanctôt and Heather Darch have been
interviewing people in our community who have
long memories and good stories to share. Do you
know of someone who has an interesting story
from Missisquoi County’s past? Should we be
recording their story before it's too late? Do
you have a story to share? Please be in touch
with suggestions or to offer your own story.
We’d love to hear from you!
+/hi%ition 2015
Town Square: Celebrating the125th Anniversary of StanbridgeEast
This year Stanbridge East celebratesits 125th
year as an incorporated municipality and the
Missisquoi Museum is pleased to present anexhibit featuring this lively little community.
The historic images and objects in this
exhibition serve to commemorate the 125 year
milestone and reveal the growth of an historic
hamlet into a community-minded and busy
village. The Museum is open every day from
11:00 to 4:30. For more information about
events and admission prices, please contact
Pamela Realffe at
August 2015
450-248-3153. Bring a friend and we hope to
see you this summer!
$ising )rom the Ashes
It sometimes is surprising how acommunity
can rally behind you when you have suffered
8/20/2019 2015 Newslette ENG August Final
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a blow. The board of directors would like to
take this opportunity to thank some good-
hearted citizens who wanted to do something
to help the historical society after the fire at
Bill's Barn. We lost all of our picnic tables in
the blaze but thanks to Nicole, Pat Bob, and
Mike and we now have six brand new tables
sitting on the museum lawn ready for the
tourists to enjoy their picnics. When we had a
problem with our water well this past spring
too one amazing volunteer took care of the
plumber's bill for us. These little gestures
make all the difference and have certainly
helped us start to regain some ground that
was lost.
Perhaps you would consider helping us in this
way as well? Could you help us with a small
bill? Would you help us pay for a new table
for our Apple Pie Festival? Would you like to
help us purchase some museum and archival
supplies or help us with the costs in replacing
some of our display cases? It will be the little
gestures that will help us in the biggest way
and donating specifically to a need in our
historical society will ensure that projects,
equipment and supplies will be completed
and furnished. A tax receipt for your donation
will be issued.
Here's a list of some of the needs we have:
Tables for our activities – the cost of one table
is $70.00.
Dress forms – a dress form costs $160
Archive & museum boxes – one box costs $40
Display cabinets for exhibitions – a display
case costs $500
Contribution towards the clean up of debris
from the fire (total cost $11,000)Some outstanding bills in the amount of
$440, for digging of new pipe from the well.
Heritage Missisquoi
-7-
Shhh ts the Silent Auction
It's a Silent Auction year and weare now
collecting items that can be auctioned off at
our fundraiser that will be held in November.
If you have some very gently used items,
never-opened gifts from well-meaning
relatives, a skill that you wouldn't mind
sharing or a talent like cooking or baking that
someone would be happy to bid on, please
drop off your objects or call us to let us know
what skill you could donate to the auction.
Ma/ Mallette is here
Children's author and local educator Luce
Fontaine launched her new book "Max
Mallete: Le Secret du musée" at the Missisquoi
Museum. Illustrated by Irina Georgeta
Pusztai, the front cover depicts the Missisquoi
Museum with the familiar landmark of the
Pinnacle behind. A portion of the proceeds
from the sale of the book will come to our
Museum. Thank you so much Luce!
3,'ate on Our 4-itchn4*am,aign
Thank you very much to all of our members
and friends who have already contributed to
our annual Pitch-In fundraising campaign. To
date we have raised $8,000.
Contributing to the Pitch-In campaign allows
the historical society to use your donation
where it is needed most.
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August 2015
The museum-quality boxes we purchase each
year, all of our acid-free archival supplies,
maintaining the grounds of the Cornell Mill
and Hodge's Store, the materials for
developing our education programmes,
supplies for operating 3 busy offices,
equipment for oral history projects and
maintaining 18 heritage cemetery sites are just
some of the ways your donation is used. We
ask you to please make your gift to the
Missisquoi Historical Society this year. A form
is provided on the last page.
Stu'ent 6rants 7 6reat
Stu'entsAgain this summer we were fortunate to
receive two grants that allow us to hire
summer students. The Young Canada Works
grant gives us the opportunity to hire a
student to assist the curator in digitizing the
collection. A Service Canada grant has a
student scanning photographs in the archives
into a searchable database. We welcome Eliza
Dussault, Jeanne Leblanc-Cyr, Jessica Plouffe
and Félicia Boudreau to our staff. It is also
great to have Francine Marzialli back with us
again for the months of June, September and
October and Stephen Laduke as our caretaker.
Here *omes the A,,le -ie)esti"al Apples, Apples, Apples! What would
September be without the Missisquoi
Historical Society’s annual Apple Pie
Festival? This year, the 33rd Apple PieFestival will be held on Sunday afternoon
September 20th 2015. A better fall day can’t
be had and the pies can’t be more delicious.
With help from community volunteers,
from pie makers the county over, the
fabulous women from Avante and our
wonderful local musicians, a super
afternoon is always to be had. Join us and
bring a friend and help support the
historical society in its big fundraising
event. All of the proceeds raised during the
day are directed to the maintenance of the
museum sites and to the care and
conservation of the collections.
Heritage Missisquoi
-8-
(he 2015 -aige 8night 6allery Sche'ule
A great line-up of local artists is exhibiting
the Paige Knight Gallery of the Missisquoi
Museum:
May 28- June 20 : Studio 31 Artists, SandraFortier and students: Carolle Hébert,
Beverly Hébert, Barb Bellingham, Rolande
Laduke, Johanne Bourgoin, Cindy Butler,
Heather Darch.
June 21 to July 18: Judith Anne Epstein and
Lucino Veo
July 19 to August 15: Pamela Dillon
August 16 to September 12: Stephen
Laduke
September 13 to October 11: Bernice Sorge
If you are an artist or know someone who
would like to display their art in our Paige
Knight Gallery, please contact the Museum.
Outreach to Seniors
We have been very lucky to have a board
member who is also a teacher and has a great
interest in the senior citizens of our
community. Marthe Lanctôt and a volunteer
are taking our travelling museum boxes
into
seniors' residences in Missisquoi County. Our
boxes, filled with items that elderly people
8/20/2019 2015 Newslette ENG August Final
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will remember from their childhoods, are a
great way to not only start a conversation but
also keep one going as memories and stories
connect to the objects. Through the outreach
seniors' programme Marthe has also been able
to meet very interesting people who are
perfect for the on-going oral history project.
Thanks to Marthe and Monique Remillard for
their hard work and dedication to this
programme.
August 2015
9e ha"e a )ace%oo -age
Come and visit us on the Missisquoi
Museum Facebook page. "Like us" at
www.facebook.com/pages/Musee-
Missisquoi-Museum. The Facebook page is
public so you can view it even if you don’t
have a Facebook account. It is a great way to
keep track of what we are doing and to
share local history resources and
announcements.
History A"aila%le : nquire 9ithin
Have you thought about leaving a little piece
of your story or something to represent your
family's history at the Missisquoi Museum? If
you would like to donate objects such as
textiles, costumes, household furnishings,
personal items, agricultural equipment,
documents, letters, images or personal papers
pertaining to Missisquoi County or to your
own family, please contact the historical
society. Items must have some relevance to
Missisquoi County's history and be in good
condition for our collection. Your history is
our history and your inquiries can be sent to
(he Search is On
Despite plans to move the remaining
agricultural and transportation artefacts to theexterior exhibition shed at the Walbridge
Barn, these objects were unfortunately
destroyed in the Bill's Barn fire.
The shed at the Walbridge site can
accommodate six or seven additional
carriages, sleighs and machinery to
accompany the objects that are already located
there. We are looking for objects that are in
good condition, that were used in the fields or
on the roads in Missisquoi and date from the19th century up to the 1950s. If you have such
an item sitting in one of your sheds with an
uncertain future and would like to see it
displayed at the Walbridge site, please contact
the museum.
MISSISQUOI HISTORICAL SOCIETY – PUBLICATIONS1st Report 1906, 2nd Report 1907, 3rd Report 1908, 4th Report 1909 (photocopies)
$15.005th Report 1913, 6th Report 1960, 7th Report 1961, 8th Report 1965 (photocopies)
$15.009th Volume 1967 Here & There i !issis"uoi, 10th Volume 1967 The & #o i !issis"uoi
$ 7.5011th Volume 1970 Re%e'ous ith the st i !issis"uoi
$ 7.5012th Volume 197* !issis"uoi, + tore o- !emories 13th Volume 197 /ter the !ill$ 7.5014th Volume 1976 !issis"uoi 2olists 2ecies (photocop)
$15.0015th Volume 1978 !issis"uoi !emorim & 4orell 4oectios (photocop)
$15.0015e Volume 1978 ou'eirs %e !issis"uoi et les Reltios 4orell
$ 7.5016th Volume 1980 The Voice o- the Ri'er
Memento mori
Painted memorial, circa 1
Ruth Cornell 1778 - ?
Watercolour and ink on linen
Missisquoi Museum, VI-9-46,
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$ 9.0017th Volume 198* emets o- !issis"uoi
$15.0018th Volume 198 Ro'ers, Reels % Rolists
$15.0019th Volume 1986 Re-lectios o- ester%
$15.0020th Volume 1990 usiess i !issis"uoi
$*0.0021e Volume 1996 uel"ues 4otes 4hoisi
$1*.00
hort /li Tour o- tri%e st : Visite ; ie% %u tri%e st NEW!!!$ 6.00
Histori"ue !issis"uoi Historic
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4emeter Herite i ueec (H%oo !tthe =r-)$15.00The choolcr-t =milies o- chohrie, # % !issis"uoi 4out (@'i% llis) per? $35.00 4@?
$0.00The /lri%e stte i !stic (@ielle ieo)
$1*.00=our esos i the ster Toships (. 2rmIe & !.E. +uclir)
$0.00oetr L.. (+%ri /illiso)
$*0.00The ster Toships
$10.00
#ote? lese iclu%e -9.00 er /oo -or poste & h%li
MEMBES!"# "$%&MAT"&$
''#lease be sure your (e(bershi) is u)*to*date by+he+,ing your address label
#lease +o()lete the following se+tion:
EM)
G rt permissio to the !H to se% i-ormtio (esletters, upcomi e'ets etc. emil)
es No
!emership 'li% -rom ur 1st to @ecemer 31st
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G%i'i%ul $ 15.00 OOOOOOOOOO
=mil : @ul $ *5.00 OOOOOOOOOO
2i-e $1*5.00 OOOOOOOOOO
+ul upporti @oor $ *5.00 E $*9.00 OOOOOOOOOO
ee-ctor $*50.00 P
OOOOOOOOOO Kritio $ 50.00
OOOOOOOOOO (4orportios, =ou%tios, usiess, Aroups)
4emeter =u% OOOOOOOOOO
!useum =u% OOOOOOOOOO OOOO 4orell !ill OOOOO Ho%eFs tore OOOOO/lri%e r
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