Soulanges Irish Society Gives Back: Supporting Health Care in Vaudreuil-Soulanges

For many people, the Soulanges Irish Society (SIS) is best known as the organization behind Hudson’s beloved Saint Patrick’s Day Parade and Celtic Festival. But beyond the music, celebrations and sea of green, the society has built a reputation for something equally important, giving back to the community.

Founded in 2019, the SIS grew out of Hudson’s long-running Saint Patrick’s Day Parade. According to SIS President Jay de la Durantaye, the organization was created not only to celebrate Irish heritage, but also to embrace the Irish tradition of supporting the communities in which people live.

“It is an organization that started in 2019 as the Saint Patrick’s Day Parade in Hudson,” said Durantaye. “We quickly found out that there was quite a community of Irish descent in the greater Vaudreuil-Soulanges area.”

As the parade expanded, organizers realized they wanted to create something that would have an impact year-round.

“When we created the organization, we needed a mission statement, a vision and a focus,” Durantaye explained. “We embraced a lot of Irish heritage of giving back all year long.”

Since then, the non-profit organization has supported numerous local causes throughout Vaudreuil-Soulanges, including food banks, educational initiatives, veterans’ organizations and health-care charities. In addition to organizaing the annual Saint Patrick’s Day Parade, the society runs one of the region’s largest charity golf tournaments, attracting nearly 200 golfers each year and raising funds alongside the Hudson Firefighters Emerald Society.

One of SIS’s most ambitious initiatives is its commitment to supporting health care in the region through fundraising for the new Vaudreuil-Soulanges Hospital.

The organization has set a goal of contributing $100,000 toward neonatal and pediatric care services at the new facility.

“We’ve been fundraising quite heavily to help support the neonatal care unit in the new hospital when it opens,” said Durantaye. “It is our hope to be able to donate $100,000 to the fund.”

The cause is a deeply personal one for several members of the society.

“There’s a couple of people within our association that were born prematurely, myself being one of them,” Durantaye said. “It was really the kids and the children that made it special for us.”

The new Vaudreuil-Soulanges Hospital represents a major milestone for the rapidly growing region. Approved in 2015 after years of advocacy from local residents, the facility is expected to include more than 400 beds, individual patient rooms and expanded access to emergency, specialized, and inpatient care. The hospital is being developed to serve one of Quebec’s fastest-growing regions and is expected to open progressively beginning in 2028.

The Fondation de l’Hôpital-Soulanges (FHVS), which supports health-care projects throughout the region, welcomed the society’s decision to focus its fundraising efforts on pediatric and neonatal care.

“The Soulanges Irish Society is a fantastic group,” said Patricia Sévigny, Director of FHVS. “They’re very devoted, passionate and committed to providing support for children and families in the region.”

Founded in 2009, the foundation’s mission extends beyond supporting the future hospital. It also helps fund equipment and projects that improve patient care throughout the Vaudreuil-Soulanges health-care network, including long-term care facilities and community health services.

“Our mission is really the health care of the population of Vaudreuil-Soulanges,” Sévigny said. “We’re there to provide the added value for patients.”

The foundation supports initiatives that fall outside government funding, helping health-care institutions acquire specialized equipment, supporting nursing students through bursaries and assisting programs that help recruit health-care workers to the region.

For local families, having expanded neonatal and pediatric services closer to home will make a significant difference. Currently, many families must travel to Montreal hospitals for specialized care.

“Having that here is going to be fantastic,” Sévigny said. “We’re going to be able to help families much closer to home.”

Community fundraising remains at the heart of the Society’s mission. Through the Saint Patrick’s Day Parade, annual golf tournament and other events, SIS typically raises between $20,000 and $25,000 each yearr for charitable causes throughout the region. The organization also supports local food banks, the Hudson Legion, the Vaudreuil-Soulanges Palliative Care Residence and educational initiatives throughout the community.

“It is a community-driven organization,” Durantaye said. “Our members and volunteers are very important to us.”

Events such as the parade and golf tournament rely on dozens of volunteers, many of whom return year after year to help the organization achieve its goals.

While the Saint Patrick’s Day Parade may be the Society’s most visible event, its impact reaches far beyond a single weekend. In recent years, the parade has attracted more than 30,000 visitors to Hudson, a remarkable number for a town of roughly 5,000 residents.

“It’s really turned into a benchmark of the launch of spring for us,” Durantaye said. “People come together to celebrate, reconnect with their community and enjoy everything the region has to offer.”

For Sévigny, the partnership between FHVS and SIS demonstrates the power of local organizations working together to strengthen the region.

“Any action that people take has a direct impact on the citizens of Vaudreuil-Soulanges,” she said. “People have many options when it comes to giving back, and when they choose the hospital, they choose the citizens of Vaudreuil-Soulanges.”

As the Vaudreuil-Soulanges region continues to grow, organizations like the Soulanges Irish Society are helping ensure that residents benefit not only from cultural celebrations but also from investments in the services and institutions that improve quality of life for everyone.