Terry-modo hunches up (rare picture of sweaty politician)

Ward 2 Councillor Terry Sheehan brought along a couple of buddies to help with today's big bell-ringing.

It's lucky he did, too.

By the end of the eleventh toll of the bell at Precious Blood Cathedral, the three Quasimodo wannabes had broken a sweat.

At 11 a.m. Sheehan, his brother-in-law Greg Hannah and friend Kevin Lamour rang the bell eleven times to wish Quebec City a happy 400th birthday.

Although we couldn't hear them over the Precious Blood Cathedral bell, SooToday.com is assured that similar dinging and donging was heard from other churches and pretty much anyone who had a bell to ring in the twin Saults.

Lamour, a francophone, was all smiles and just a little winded over the opportunity.

"It's obviously a historic day for Quebec and for Canada, but a lot of people don't realize how deep our connection we have with Quebec City and the original European settlers who came to Sault Ste. Marie, which was called Sault de Gaston, and established it just 17 years after Quebec City was founded," he said. "My family on my mom's side is from Quebec and my dad's family came from France so it's especially significant."

About the bell ringing he said with a big smile: "It was surprisingly heavy but it felt pretty good."