Diving Alumni Newsletter – September 2010

This weekend our thoughts are with Steve Power in Christchurch New Zealand where they are coping with the devastation of a 7.4 earthquake yesterday. I noticed that Steve posted pictures on Facebook and he made the observation that he can't go skiing today due to threats of instability and avalanches! No kidding! As well our Maritime Alumni have had another hurricane/tropical storm roll through this morning which certainly dampened Labour Day weekend plans. Add the BC forest fires and smoke from them in the Prairies, and it seems a lot of Alumni have had their natural 'events' to deal with this summer.

A quick note came from Debbie Dwyer who said she has been working for Bell Canada for the past 13 years. She has two beautiful boys. Mathieu is 5 and goes to English school so his is almost bilingual and Gabriel is 3 1/2..so they keep Deb quite busy !!

Kym McGahey wrote that she is practising law in Kemptville, south of Ottawa. "I have been a lawyer since 2000. I practised at Burke-Robertson in Ottawa after articling, then moved to Toronto to work for Bombardier Aerospace. I did the same job that EvelynBoisvert is doing, but out of Toronto.

I moved to Ottawa a few years ago, and took a position as the Director of Legal Services and Human Resources at a large printing company in Kanata. After the birth of my second child, I decided to start a practise of my own, in my home-town. I started the practise in the fall of 2007. I started at 3 days / week, no assistant. I have now moved to a different office, have two employees, and work about 70 hours per week. So things are going in the right direction.

I have two kids, Wolfe (6 1/2), and Liesl (4), and three step-kids, Cole (15), Riley (13), and Jack (3). I am engaged to be married to my 2nd husband. He is a builder/contractor. It's a busy life, but very happy indeed."

*** I've had a request from Alex Brown to ask that Ontario Diving Alumni join the Facebook group for Dive Ontario ***

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=661660539#!/group.php?gid=7005127562&ref=ts

Dr. Stephanie Anisko wrote that she traveled with the National team to Changzhou China for FINA Diving World Cup in June, and she will be traveling to Doha Qatar for a training camp, and then New Delhi India for the Commonwealth Games this October as their chiropractor!

How many of our Alumni are Chiropractors, Physios or MDs?????

It was nice to hear from Kelsey Patterson who dove with ESPDC. Kelsey left Canada upon graduation to accept a scholarship from Auburn University in Auburn, Alabama, and then transferred to the University of Utah in Salt Lake City where she completed her eligibility. She just graduated with her second degree in Exercise and Sports Science Teaching this past May, and on July 30th, married Brandon Bailey in Fort Collins, Colorado. They moved to Texas two days after the wedding as her husband accepted a position as a baseball coach at Tarleton State University.

A note from Brad Robeson said he is still living in Ottawa and recently was promoted to Director, Services: Europe and Middle East. He is now responsible for all their Implementation projects in this region, with Mxi Technologies. Judging by all his travel on Facebook Brad must have a ton of aeroplan points!

Risky rescue earns Casey Peirce a bravery award By Jen Gerson, Calgary Herald August 4, 2010

When Casey Peirce heard a couple crying for help from a tipped canoe on Spray Lakes, she simply did what needed to be done. The Calgarian's bravery two years ago has earned her the Star of Courage, a medal granted by the Governor General for courage in perilous circumstances.

Peirce's act of heroism took place when she and her family were cycling in the backwoods in 2008. They saw a couple in distress, clinging to life on their partially submerged canoe. Her sister tried dialing 911 but couldn't get through. The freak storm that toppled the canoe had also cleared the lake of other boaters. Peirce, who had competed in several triathlons, did what had to be done: she swam into the lake to get them.

"The water was so incredibly cold that it took my breath away immediately. My heart was hammering and my hands and feet were numb within minutes. It was so frigid that I couldn't put my face into the water for the first 200 metres of the swim," she said. When she got to the canoe, she realized the boat couldn't be righted and the paddlers were in rough shape. Their lips were blue and they could barely speak. So Peirce wrapped the canoe's mooring rope around her numbed hands and spent the next 45 minutes towing them back to shore. "I barely made it. I wasn't able to get out of the water unassisted."

When she got home, she spent the next 24 hours huddled in a blanket trying to warm up. She credits her success to her athletic training, which she began after a debilitating car accident.

"I had a conversation with my dad on the shore. We realized it was a very high-risk situation," Peirce said. "We also realized that there was no other option."

Congratulations Casey!

Bruno Fournier (living in Orlando FL) recently ran into Wendy (Fuller) Lerew who told him that she and her hubby were moving to Texas where her husband has taken a coaching job in San Antonio ? Bruno thinks!

Congratulations to ..... Kristin Wingfield and hubby on the birth of their son on May 22. Hudson Robert Williams weighed 6 lbs 8 oz! ..... Reyna Smith Lajiness had her third baby, Max David Lajiness, born on April 8th weighing 6 pounds 13 ounces ..... Paige Gordon Parenti and Eddie had their " third and final baby girl :)" Sloane Olivia Parenti on July10. Paige says "having a daily shower, nursing Sloane and getting the older kids clothed and to the park is pretty much a successful day for me!! Other than that, we now own a mini van and will likely not travel as a family by airplane for several years.....no joke." LOL! ..... Meghan (Zack) and Brian Bell welcomed their first child, daughter Delaney Patricia, on June 21st. The family is still residing in Chicago, where Meghan is a practicing Chiropractor ..... Janet Hoffman Hawkins and her hubby who had a daughter in April named Vivian. "Her big sister Audrey is so happy to have a sibling and we are excited to have another smiling face at our home in Calgary. I am still teaching yoga (11 years now) and hope to take the kids with us to India next year enjoy the cultural experience" ..... Barb Gorst Renaud and her hubby Chris who had a baby girl on Friday, July 16th. Jordanna was a couple of weeks early, weighed 5lbs 13oz, and all are doing well!

Thanks everyone for your news.

National Championship schedule for 2011 -

Winter Sr. Nats February 3 - 6 London ON
Summer Sr. Nats June 2 - 5 Edmonton AB
Speedo Jr. Nats. July 7 - 10 Pointe Claire QC

Yours in Diving!

Bev