Medalists from Bennington
Two athletes who grew up in Bennington were part of Canada’s Pan-Am team. The two women have something else in common too – they both won silver medals, finishing second to a fellow-Canadian and teammate. Swimmer Martha McCabe, daughter of Joe and Nancy McCabe of Heathbridge Park, who was in the London Olympics in 2012 and was named Leaside’s first Athlete of the Year in 2013, competed in the 200-metre breaststroke finishing just 0.13 seconds behind Kierra Smith, who won the gold medal. Rachel Honderich, daughter of David Honderich and Terri Bulger of Moorehill Dr., competed in badminton, losing an all-Canadian final to friend and training partner Michelle Li. Both McCabe and Honderich are working hard to be part of Canada’s Olympic team in Rio de Janeiro next year.
Fundraising for Georgia
It’s been over a year now since 6-year-old Georgia Walsh was killed while crossing the street at Millwood and McRae. Now a volunteer team is seeking to raise $1 million in her memory to rejuvenate and improve safety in Trace Manes Park where Georgia liked to play. Among the intended upgrades are fencing around the park perimeter, a new splash pad, a rubber tile ground cover to replace the current sand and facilitate handicapped access, improved seating and a rebuild of the playground structures. Fundraising plans included a memorial baseball tournament on Saturday, Aug. 29 (after our deadline) with activities for the whole family and special guests. For more information and to donate: www.rememberinggeorgiawalsh.com.
A library gift
The latest Free Little Library in the neighbourhood has been spotted at 214 Airdrie Rd. This one, installed last winter, was a birthday gift to 16-year-old Shannon Broughton from her parents. Shannon and her father built it from leftover scraps after a rebuild of their backyard shed. Shannon, a voracious reader, reports that her library is visited by locals who “sometimes take one book and leave 10 behind! A book for a book will suffice according to the Free Little Library website,” she says. The success of Shannon’s library is a testament to her dedication to keeping it well-stocked.