On April 4th Bernard Pilon of Velleromain and Madame, members of our Association celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary.  Our two cousins from Loir-et-Cher returned in front of theMayor, the grand-child of the mayor who had married them fifty years earlier.  Afterwards the religious ceremony was held in the little village church; the entire family and friends were present and wholeheartedly, with mayor and parish priest offered their best wishes to the charming and venerable couple.   At the ceremony in church the parish choir, to which belong the couple, was thoroughly involved and happy to join in with their voices.  Official ceremonies were followed with a banquet and dance at the same place and residence where Bernard was born 76 years earlier. The Faucheux orchestra was the same  as the one that celebrated the festivities at the couple's wedding fifty years earlier...grey haired and somewhat more robust at the waist though. 

What's ahead ?

At the end of this year 1998 it is customary to plan ahead for improvements over last years activities.  The Association as in the past will not be inactive. For 1999 changes will be done in many areas. If all goes well in our September edition of Le Pilier you will be offered the opportunity to purchase Christmas and New Years cards to send to members of your families and friends.  This will be an exclusive to our Pilon Association.  You will not find anything like it in commercial venues.... and at competitive prices as well.

Other projects:

At our General Assembly held last September at Mans it was proposed and decided to plan a trip to Slovenia for year 2000.  Presently this project is in its
early stages and still has to be defined. In our next Le Pilier you will read further details and information to assist you in your decisions.  At this stage I can assure you that we shall visit the "Galerie Veno Pilon" at the house where he was born.  You will be able to re-read the article about this artist and photographer in our number 8 edition of Le Pilier of 1996. 

Our next edition of Le Pilier will also contain an article about the "Confession of a Drug Addict", as you will notice our peek into literature of a "scandalous" nature.  Also articles about famous Pilons, sometimes unknown, the lineage of Germain Pilon, sculptor of great renown of which we have written before. 

Questions to be addressed:

Trip to Canada:  To organize a trip either to Canada or the United States it is preferable that membership to the Association increase dramatically.  Two thirds of our present membership has already participated in our great trip to Canada in 1995. 

Trip to Slovenia:  Dominique Pilon, member #17 from Melun, has proposed this trip with a detour within Frioul where many Pilons live.  This could take place for a duration of 10 days in year 2000 .  Details will arrive to you during 1999 since members have voted on this project at our September 1998 Annual Assembly. 

Next General Annual Assembly:  There exists a village in Meuse named Pillon.  15 out of 32 members voted in favour of holding our meeting there.  Other places suggested were Tours and since our Annual Meeting, Vernon, Eure.