™
Inspiring Stories by Members of
Barry Spilchuk, Sarah Freeman, Sasha Marusich
Girl Guides of Canada 1
INSPIRING STORIES BY AND ABOUT OUR HEROES Written by:
The Girls and Women of Girl Guides of Canada-Guides du Canada Barry Spilchuk, Sarah Freeman, Sasha Marusich
YMH Media Corporation Burlington, ON www.YMHMediaCorp.com III
8 DEDICATION
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To all Members of Girl Guides of Canada-Guides du Canada, past, present and future‌. You are all HEROES!
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8 HONOUR ROLL
8 Listed alphabetically by FIRST NAME of the Author
Writer’s Name
Hero’s Name
Abbie Farrar .......................................Dr. McCall Abigail Denney ..................................Erin Thornley Abigail Jeanveau .................................Erin Jeanveau Abigail Jupp .......................................Caitlan Warman Abigail Theresa Machado ...................Margaret Lima-Machado Addie Hill ..........................................David Suzuki Adeline McLean Hughes ....................Marjorie Pallister Ainsley Ross-Howe.............................Sara Ross-Howe (Leader with the 1st Campbellville Sparks)
Alana Noel .........................................Alyssa Alena Jones ........................................Mom (Ang Jones) Alessia Parison....................................Sarah Heron Alexandra F. Weber ............................My Best Friend Lita Alexandra Hamel ...............................Richard Hange (Grampa) VII
HONOUR ROLL Writer’s Name
Hero’s Name
Alexandra Mitchell.............................Daddy Alexis Holmgren ................................Brown, Golden, Violet Owl, 16th Red Deer Brownies (2009) Alexis Weir .........................................Sydney Crosby Alice (Grandma GG) .........................Jessica and Rebecca Grandma GG's Grandaughters Alida van der Vlag..............................Stacey van der Vlag Alisa Cleave........................................Brett Lustri Alisa Nikitov ......................................Olga Brezven Alisha Janiga.......................................Angela Janiga Aliyana Jiwani ....................................Sidney Crosby Allison................................................Esther Allison S.............................................Mom Alma Kessel........................................Claudette Vague Alysse Macdonnell .............................My Mom Amanda B ..........................................Roberta Bondar Amanda Smith - Guider, ...................My Dad - Cory Smith Bishop Falls, NL Amber Dawn Colebourne ..................Bosco Amber Joelle Schneider ......................Robyn Cassidy Schneider Amber Leonard ..................................Martin Leonard Amy Pohl ...........................................Brandilyn Amy Pynenburg .................................Clifford James Amy Ruttan .......................................Donna Ruttan Amy Topshee......................................Donna Amy-Lynn Boyle ................................Jennifer Boyle Anastasia Miranda..............................Tyrone Miranda Angela Kruger ....................................Peggy Miner Anisha Rajaselvam..............................My Dad Rajesh Rajaselvam VIII
Chris Burton Chief Commissioner
“I am very excited to support Girl Guides’ very own “You’re My Hero” book. It captures so many aspects of what Guiding is about today! I know you will be touched by the stories and will be able to relate to so many of them. The book is a great celebration of our sisterhood and displays so many ways we are demonstrating girl greatness!” Happy Reading!
Chief Commissioner, Girl Guides of Canada-Guides du Canada
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SPECIAL THANKS
Linda Crawford
Bobbi Hoadley
Lynne Hodgson
Catherine Mort
Shannon O’Donnell Vernon Russell Margaret Valois
Mary Vincent
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OUR GUIDING LEADERS
Elaine Paterson Chief Commissioner (and The Queen of England) July 1, 2006 - Canada's birthday. My mother received a call to see if I could be a last-minute replacement escort for the Chief Commissioner of Girl Guides of Canada when she arrived in Ottawa later that day. My duty was to attend the Garden Party at Rideau Hall (the Governor General's residence) in Ottawa with the Chief Commissioner. There was a possibility that I would be able to meet Queen Elizabeth II, since the Garden Party was on her itinerary. Needless to say, my mother went over my uniform, hair and shoes with a fine tooth comb and critiqued me on every aspect of my appearance. Mom also reminded me of my personal manners and how I should address the Chief Commissioner. I was spick and span, nervous and excited when I set off to meet the new Chief Commissioner, Elaine Paterson. I got along with Elaine like a house on fire; we were almost two peas in a pod. After lunch we headed off and soon realized that we didn't know anyone at the Garden Party so we relied on each other for support. At the time I was 17 and thought that, for being an older lady, the Chief was pretty cool. We laughed and joked the whole day. Elaine gave me some pointers as to how to address the Queen, such as don't shake hands with her, curtsey when greeting her, and never look her in the eye. Around 3:40, the Queen arrived. Elaine and I squeezed our way through the crowd and eventually ended up near a lovely young girl in a wheelchair. We lucked out - the Queen spoke to the child in the wheelchair! As the Queen moved on, Elaine and I waved and tried to grab her attention. It was a success! The Queen of England walked right over to us!
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OUR GUIDING LEADERS As Girl Guides, we pride ourselves on being women and this was such a moving moment. It was an amazing experience to come face to face with such a powerful woman. All the rules Elaine had spoken about flew out the window, I became very excited and told the Queen that our Guiding group would be visiting Great Britain that summer. The Queen replied softly and ever so politely, that she hoped that the weather would co-operate while we were there. I then presented her with the World Friendship pin that I had on my uniform and explained that it represented the friendship among Guides around the world. Her Majesty thanked me and then moved on her way. Governor General, Romeo LeBlanc, recognized me as being a Ranger. He asked me if I have been working on my Duke of Edinburgh Award. I replied that I hadn't but I had just earned my Commonwealth Award. He jokingly said it wasn't the same. By Trina Brink Editor’s Note: We have found out from Trina that, after telling the Queen that Trina and her family were going over to England, Trina’s mother wrote to Queen Elizabeth. The Queen remembered Trina and wrote back to ask if she wanted to watch the changing of the Guards - from inside the Buckingham Palace gates! She was able to walk inside the gates and see the Palace Guards up close. She even got to pet the Guard's goat. Trina says, “Never will I forget that day.”
QUEEN ELIZABETH by Miranda Madsen Orr My Hero is: Queen Elizabeth Because: She is a very good role model and she always acts properly, eats with her mouth closed and respects everybody around her.
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CELEBRATING 100 YEARS IN GUIDING
CAMPING THROUGH-OUT THE YEARS
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8 Camping 1927
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8 Camping 1935
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CELEBRATING 100 YEARS IN GUIDING
8 8 Camping 1960
8 8 Camping 1963
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CELEBRATING 100 YEARS IN GUIDING
Rally Day Celebrations
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8 Vancouver
8 8 Lloydminster
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CELEBRATING 100 YEARS IN GUIDING
8 8 Moose Jaw
8 8 Brandon
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CELEBRATING 100 YEARS IN GUIDING
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Ottawa (top) & Toronto
8 8 Montreal
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OUR MOTHERS
Me and My Hero My name is Erin Alden and my hero is my mommy. I picked my mom as my hero because she is always there for me. She cares for me every day and loves me immensely. I can always trust her with my secrets and she never, ever tells them to anyone. Any time I have a bad dream, I snuggle up to her she always tells me, "It’s just a dream and that I am safe with her." She supports me in times of need and loves me even when I misbehave. Whenever I get hurt, she tends to all my wounds, kisses them better, and tells me, “I love you.” Oh, and did I tell you that she says that a lot? Another thing is that my mommy is like an angel as she flies through all her errands; it always impresses me whenever she does. She can cook dinner while helping me with my homework and that is amazing. No matter what anyone else says, my mom is a hero and you had better believe it. There are so many things I could say about my mom but I will end it here. My mom is my hero; she is the greatest mom in the world!
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A Very Proud Brownie
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By Erin Elizabeth Alden
OUR MOTHERS
My Mom My mom is my hero. She is always there for me. Last year my mom wanted to be a firefighter - she was 48 and she got in. She is now a 3rd class volunteer firefighter. My mom works full time and she is also a Brownie Leader. Last year my mom’s doctor told her that she had to have surgery because she had tumors. She put the surgery off until January because she said she didn’t have time with birthdays, Thanksgiving and Christmas. She had the surgery and is back to work at the station but she can’t have any more babies. My mom is a hard worker and she takes time to read and play with me. She teaches me to love everyone because that is what God wants us to do. Sometimes l get mad at my mom when she is busy and can’t spend time with me, but that’s okay because I know she is out there helping other people. She will always be my mom and l love her very much. By Samantha E. A. Lampman
“MY MOM” by Skye Gromow
My Hero is: Mommy Because: She loves me. She does lots of things with me. She is nice to me. She helps me with lots of things. She is my mommy and I love her.
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OUR MOTHERS
Sharon Martin "Who is your hero" my teacher says. Everyone jumps and says, Superman or Justin Bieber or Obama. But the teach asks why and they just say because. I, on the other hand, have a great hero. I can say why too! My mom, Sharon Gale Gilbert-Martin. Since I've been a baby my mom, including the rest of my family, treated me like a gift from heaven. As I got older, my mom started volunteering at stuff I went to. She volunteered and still volunteers at minor hockey, which my brother, Zack, has been in for years. She volunteered as a minor hockey mom. The go in the canteen, organize stock, take orders when open. My mom spent most of her time there. She also did minor hockey registration at the beginning of the year. People came to our door everyday. She does Pioneers as a teacher. She helps me when I'm sick and hurt. I love my mom and when I grow up I want to be like her. That's my backup to when someone says "Who's your hero?" By Rebecca Martin
MY MOM by Grace Hamilton
My Hero is: My Mom Because: She always makes me eat good things
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OUR MOTHERS
An Invitation ”Want to be a Brownie?” “What’s that?” an eager child asks. “A part of Girl Guides”...and from there it all began. Wow! Camp, badges, new friendships, new experiences, learning to swim, what more could a nine-year-old (in 1965) ask for? Elizabeth (Morrow) Dinn - an English war bride, Red Cross nurse, wife, mother and my hero - gave me the opportunity to experience adventure, excitement, challenges and life skills. Looking back, one realizes the magnitude of the door that opened up that September day. Those skills learned in Guiding became a part of me and helped make me the person I am today. Always encouraging me to do the best I could, no matter the task, that was my mother. Unconditional love, no strings attached. She chose me to be her daughter. She was my adoptive mother, my hero, who I lost at the age of sixteen, due to illness. Her strength and encouragement have remained with me throughout my life, as I became a nurse, wife and mother. She inspired me, encouraged me to stand tall and proud, to share what I know, to never be afraid to question, to be organized, to spread my wings. These are also some of the traits that I gained throughout my Guiding experiences. Guiding! An opportunity encouraged by my mother when I was child, an organization with opportunities I chose to be a part of as an adult. I continue to be inspired by Guiding and see the rewards from Guiding that my mother saw. To think it all began with one question from my mother, my hero. “Want to be a Brownie?” By Maxine Gladney
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OUR HEROES IN PICTURES MY SISTER ZEYANNA
MY 2ND BEST FRIEND LAURA
by Leena Shafik Ramji
by Leigha Reid
My Hero is: My Sister Zeyana
My Hero is: My 2nd best friend Laura
Because: She always helps me with my homework, how to do times tables, how to colour nicely and she always stands up for me
Because: She always helps me when I’m sad and hurt. She is always nice to me. She en I work together amazingly as a team. Thats why she’s my hero.
ALEX BILODEAU
COURTNEY D.
by Mackenzie VanLanduyt
by Madelin Harvey
My Hero is: Alex Bilodeau
My Hero is: Courtney D.
Because: he was the first canadinan to win a olympic gold metl on canadinan soil.
Because: If I didn’t meet her I wouldn’t have a friend l ike her. She also helps me out a lot, and she’s encouraging.
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OUR HEROES IN PICTURES MY FAMILY
MY FRIEND - JULIA
by Madison Homeniuk
by Madison Kerr
My Hero is: My Hero is my famulee
My Hero is: Julia ** Because: She is my best friend.
SHUSHIE - MY BLANKET
SUPER MOM & SUPER DAD
by Maegan Beach
by Maiya Samoridny
My Hero is: Shushie (blanket)
My Hero is: My Hero is my Famulee
Because: I like to hug her when I have a cold or a cut.
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OUR OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS
The Sisterly Bond Ever since I was young I have never thought that I was loved. I had the thought that no one cared about me and I was just too young to understand. Just before my eighth birthday I was placed in a foster home with my sister. I still didn't feel like I had the loving family that I had always wanted. Throughout the rest of my childhood I was in and out of foster homes. It wasn't until I was thirteen when I found my loving family. Cathie treated all the girls like they were her own children but when Cathie got sick and had to leave I began to feel empty again. I felt that no one would be able to replace that hollowness in my heart. Danielle came into my life in December of 2008 - she had come from a rough family too. We didn’t have much of a bond at first, let alone a sisterly one; it took us a few months to get used to each other. When we finally developed a bond it was extraordinary. Danielle has stuck with me through the thick and thin and even though we have had our differences we still stick together. I haven’t had contact with my family in years but Danielle treated me like I really was her little sister. She introduced me to her family and they made me feel like I was loved. Whenever we were frustrated with the foster home, school or anything life threw at us, we would go and talk to each other - we were each other’s support. One day when I was really upset and feeling overwhelmed Danielle walked into my room gave me a hug and we just started talking. There have been days where we would fight and had no one to turn to but we made it through the rough patches and stuck together. Every time we would have a disagreement we never let the sisterly bond disappear - and that is what has kept us together. She has helped me realize that there is always someone out there who is going to love and care about you. Danielle is my hero because she has showed me that life is worth living and everyday should be lived to the fullest. No matter what kind of family you come from, you are loved by someone and you can always find that sisterly bond to share with someone. Danielle and I have that amazing sisterly bond! By Maddison Bailey 222
OUR OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS
Brandee Upton My name is Cheyenne and I am 6 years old. My hero is my Aunt Brandee. She helps me with my math and she is a good speller. She is a very nice girl and she is very pretty. She helps everyone in our family and she always listens to me. She lets me help her do things too. Aunt Brandee takes me out for girl’s day, just me and her. We always go out for lunch and get our nails and feet done. We always get the same colour. She is a very, very good cook and that is why I want to be just like my Auntie when I get big. By Cheyenne Ramos
You Can Do Anything "You may never walk again," the doctors told my cousin, Cory. When my cousin Cory was fifteen, he got a virus that put him in a coma for four weeks. When he woke up, the doctors told him he was paralyzed from the waist down and he would never walk again. Before all this happened, Cory played competitive hockey. He was crushed by the news. One day he decided he wanted to get well and walk again. He did lots of exercises. The hospital asked him if he would like to watch wheelchair sports. He decided to try hockey but it bothered him too much. He then wanted to play basketball. He played so well he played for the Canadian Wheelchair Basketball team. He also trained for the Paralympics. Cory is now twenty and can walk with a cane. In the summer we play croquet together. Cory is a true hero. If you put your mind to something, anything can happen. By Michelle Leigh Smith 223
OUR COURAGEOUS HEROES
65 Red Roses I was two when I met her, but I don’t really remember, obviously. Her name was Eva Markvoort. I met her at a party at her school where my mom worked. Eva had made me a Christmas ornament, a tiny brown bear in a red stocking with a big smile on his face. On the back it read, “To Audrey, Joyeux Noël, Eva.” The ornament was adorable. Every year at Christmastime, my mom would unpack the ornament as we were decorating the tree, and I would ask who Eva was. After years and years of my mother telling me Eva’s story, I decided to surf the web and learn more about her. Eva suffered from cystic fibrosis, a fatal genetic disease that caused you to cough incessantly. There is no cure and most people with it die young and spend the majority of their time in a hospital. Cystic fibrosis is described as drowning alive. I found out that Eva had a website of her own named “65 Red Roses” where she blogged about her life with cystic fibrosis - the good, the bad and the ugly. When I read her blog, I learned that she had hopes of becoming an actress. Unfortunately, whenever she auditioned for a movie, the film directors were apprehensive, scared that she would start coughing during a scene. Still, Eva never gave up. She stayed upbeat, even if things were going badly, she always held on to the dream of becoming an actress. She finally got her break when she got to star in a documentary about cystic fibrosis. I recently watched her documentary on CBS. The whole movie documents her life at home, her life at the hospital, her life waiting for a double lung transplant and most importantly about her legacy: making people aware of the need for organ donation. Eva was a fighter to the very end. In her last video blog, as she was dying, the only thing that Eva felt like talking about was the love of her family and friends and how great her life had been. As she put it herself, “Love. 282
OUR COURAGEOUS HEROES Love. Love.” She was never resentful or angry and was possibly the strongest girl I have ever met. Even when she was in pain, she kept blogging to encourage other kids with cystic fibrosis to keep going and to encourage other people to become organ donors. Sadly, Eva died just before her 26th birthday, on Saturday, March 27th, 2010. Eva was a huge inspiration to me because I am frightened by diseases and I often worry about possibly getting sick. However, after watching her videos, I decided to become an organ donor myself and to face some of my fears. I found out that with a parent’s permission, children could become organ donors. Now, I have talked to some friends about it and they are also considering becoming organ donors. Before Eva passed away, she had said that she would like her legacy to be continued, not only by family and friends but by everyone. If she could inspire me to become an organ donor, what could she do for others who never had the chance to meet her or have yet to read her wonderful blogs? Please help keep Eva’s legacy alive and consider becoming a donor. By Audrey Bourassa-Tait
FIGHT IT, BEAT IT by Gracie Glencross
My Hero is: Suzanne Delaney Because: She is going to bike across Canada to raise Money to Help Children with Cancer. She is my gym teacher. I love her.
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OUR COURAGEOUS HEROES
Dr. Annie Huang My hero is Dr. Annie Huang. I look up to her because I want to find a cure for cancer, like she does. Dr. Huang works at the Arthur and Sonia Labatt Brain Tumor Research Centre at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. She is trying to find a cure for brain cancer in children. I want to find a cure for cancer because then people would no longer have to worry about getting sick from any type of cancer. I want to go to medical school at the University of Toronto to become a cancer doctor. I am only in the third grade now so it will take me nine more years until I start university! I feel hopeful that I can find a cure for cancer! By Molly Lewis
MY MOMMY - DR. McCALL by Abbie Farrar
My Hero is: My Mommy Because: Once I got an earring stuck in my ear and my mommy took me to the hospital and the doctor took it out. It hirt alot.
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OUR COURAGEOUS HEROES
Regina “Dream Writer� Evans Regina Evans is the hero of our units. She has been in Guiding for over 15 years and comes to our weekly meetings every week, riding her scooter, Sally. She rarely misses a meeting and while she can't come to camp, she helps out by being our Home Contact. Regina gives guidance and leadership skills to both the Brownies and the Guides. She is very creative and shares her ideas with us all. Regina is special. Four years ago, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and was given only a few short months to live. Through several chemotherapy sessions and radiation treatments, she battled through and promised not to give up. She amazed us all with her perseverance and drive and still came to our meetings. Four years later, Regina is still fighting the biggest battle of her life but she doesn't let it stop her one bit. Although she is limited in her activities, she doesn't let that stop her. She joined us all at Casa Loma for the 100th Celebration party - she wanted to be a part of that once in a lifetime event. Now, with Rally Day approaching, she has volunteered by helping with the opening ceremonies and campfire closing. She refuses to give up. When we all think we have it really bad, we look to Regina - she is our inspiration, our drive, our hero! By Karen Pennington
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OUR HEREOS REMEMBERED
A Legacy of Song In the late 1970s and into the 1980s, I was fortunate to be a member of the 187th Guide Company that was led by Susan McCullough, or “Cap” as we called her. She, and a couple of her friends, (“Lefty” and “Louie,” as we referred to them) led this unit, and its re-birth as a Pathfinder Unit, for what must have been a couple of decades. They were an extraordinarily strong force in teaching us skills that have positively influenced my perception of myself, and my capabilities, in the years since. In particular, Susan McCullough was an influence in my recognizing that girls could do just about anything, if they put their minds to it. The skills we learned were broad-based, and extremely well taught. They led me to become a competent leader for the next generation of Guides. They led me to discover a love of the outdoors (we went camping three times a year, like clockwork), a love for music, guitar playing, and what it was to create a memorable campfire. It was Cap’s influence in teaching us every song under the sun, including dozens and dozens from all the songbooks that were published at that time, that led me to bring the joy of that music to Guides across Canada, and into the United States. I have lived and worked in Ontario, British Columbia, Quebec, Wisconsin, Virginia, and Finland. In all those places, I have brought the music and singing that Cap taught me. As a site staff member, Program Director, and then Camp Director at Doe Lake in central Ontario, the base of knowledge she provided to me in terms of how to create a masterpiece of a campfire stood me in good stead. Because of this, I had some of the best signing experiences of my life - with girls from all over the province. In the late 1990s, Susan McCullough was killed while on a vacation in Africa. Her influence, love of music, and singing continues to live on in all the Guides who sang with her around that electrically-lit wooden campfire at St. Timothy’s Church in North Toronto. It will live on as I continue to sing and play the guitar for generations of Guides to come. By Kirsten Vice ("Kit") 306
OUR HEREOS REMEMBERED
A Hero In Many Forms I walked into grade one and she taught me sharing and cooperation TEACHER I walked onto the fifth grade softball diamond and she taught me about sportsmanship and fair play - COACH I walked into the Guide meeting and she taught me perseverance and how to have fun - GUIDER I went to Guide camp and she taught me about shared leadership and teamwork - LEADER I went to my first national Guide camp and she taught me about being flexible and adaptable - FACILITATOR I went to my new teaching position and she taught me about work ethic and professionalism - MENTOR I became Area Commissioner and she was the first to offer her congratulations and assistance, if needed - ROLE MODEL I became Chief Commissioner, and though she was no longer beside me, I know she is looking down providing that ever present encouragement - HERO A hero is bold, inspiring, courageous and greatly regarded for her qualities, for these reasons, Ruby Gordon is my hero! By Chris Burton
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OUR CELEBRATED HEROES
My Hero - Joannie Rochette My hero is figure skater Joannie Rochette. During the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, Joannie’s mother died a few short days before she was supposed to skate. Even though her mom died, she still found the strength to compete. During her program she fought back tears, but finally allowed herself to cry when the music finished. She struck a pose and let the tears for her mom flow. She was very brave through it all and will always be my hero for being so brave and believing in herself. She won a bronze medal. I hope to be as brave as her when I’m older. By Mackenzie Goulding
JOANNIE ROCHETTE by Apryl Carney
My Hero is: Joannie Rochette Because: When her Mom died she waz brave. She taught me scared or not, courage.
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OUR CELEBRATED HEROES
Sidney Crosby Sidney Crosby is my hero because he got the gold medal-winning goal for Canada in overtime in the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games. He didn't think it would go in but it did! I jumped in the air when he scored. The Canadian women won gold in hockey as well! Hockey is my best sport. Sidney Crosby's number is 87, he plays for Pittsburgh in the NHL, and he played for Canada in the Olympics. He is from Nova Scotia and is a great Canadian hockey player. He also helped win the Stanley Cup in the 2008-2009 NHL season. I really wish I could skate and play hockey like him. All my friends think he's great, too; even my older brother! I wish I could meet him someday. He's my hero! By Hayley MacDougall
SIDNEY CROSBY by Aliyana Jiwani
My Hero is: Sidney Crosby Because: He has good sportsmanship and he follows the rules in hockey. Plus he does not have any bad traits like smoking or drinking and that is good.
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OUR CELEBRATED HEROES
Anne Frank - My Hero "I want to go on living even after my death! And therefore I am grateful to God for this gift, this possibility of developing myself and of writing, of expressing all that is in me. I can shake off everything if I write; my sorrows disappear; my courage is reborn. But, and that is the great question, will I ever be able to write anything great, will I ever become a journalist or a writer?" Anne Frank My hero is Anne Frank. I think that with her words, "I want to go on living even after my death!" she means that even though she died, her story has never been forgotten because she has lived on through her written words. Her memory is still moving within all of us. Anne Frank was an ordinary girl who had all of her rights, nationality - everything that was dear to her - taken away by the Nazis. Even though times were hard, she kept on going and went into hiding with her family. When the Nazis found them hiding, both families were taken to concentration camps. Anne Frank wished that when they were liberated from the concentration camp, she would publish her book and become an author. Anne Frank died of starvation in the concentration camp along with most of her family except her father. When he got out, he went back to the hidden attic and found her diary to publish it. Anne's dream came true: she became an author. Anne Frank and six million other innocent people risked their lives to save others and were killed just because the Nazis didn't like their religion. Anne Frank is my hero because after everything that she went through, she remained brave and determined to the very end. She wrote about everything that happened to her in her diary and never at any moment let her dreams die. Like Anne Frank, I dream of being an author; I love writing stories and I dream of publishing a book one day. Anne Frank is not only a hero but she is also a role model. By Naomi Vallance Shaw 350
OUR CELEBRATED HEROES
J.K. Rowling - My Hero J.K Rowling is my hero; she is the woman I aspire to be in life. I consider her my hero for many reasons; she has written one of the best book series in the world— Harry Potter, and she is very determined. She never once gave up on her dream of becoming an author. Before Harry Potter, she was an unemployed single mother living off of welfare and would write every day in a small cafÊ. Before finding a publisher she tried seven different publishers who all turned her down. She is now the richest woman in England, 122nd richest person in the world and the second richest woman in the world, with a worth of 280 million pounds. J.K Rowling has become an important figure in my life; she is the person I look up to when I am feeling troubled. I always think about her and her wonderful books and how they have created so many wonderful memories in my life. J.K Rowling has helped me as a member of Girl Guides because in Girl Guides we talk about women and their great achievements and J.K Rowling is a woman who has achieved so much. She was a Brownie and a Girl Guide in Scotland, which helped to inspire me to join as well. I have been motivated to write because of her. I will never forget that she is the reason that I am where I am today. From her, I have learned to never give up, to always fight for what you believe in and to never let anything get in the way of what you want. By Gwenyth Anne Wren
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OUR TEACHERS, PETS & OTHER HEROES
Mrs. Linda Costello There is a teacher named Mrs. Linda Costello that teaches the third grade. She is my hero. She is easy to talk to and she always listens to me. She helps me with my problems when my friends and I have a fight. I look up to her. She is strict in a very nice way. She helps me with my goals and helps me to be a better person. It is important to her that every child in her class learns. She loves all of the kids in her class and her family. She works hard and takes care of her husband who is sick. She treats all of the kids in her class the way she wants to be treated and shows us what is right and what is wrong. She gives extra math help and will have a re-test for people who did badly on the previous test. She is helping us to get to grade four. She teaches us about others and shows us how to solve our problems with our words. I want to be like her when I grow up because she shows me that teaching is a fun job. By Elizabeth Abbate
MRS. LARMOUR, MY TEACHER by Cheyenne Morris
My Hero is: Mrs. Larmer, my teacher Because: She help’s me when I fall she’s kind and care’s for me. When I fell off the bed she came runing to help me up.
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OUR TEACHERS, PETS & OTHER HEROES
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A smile - The universal language
NAVA by Zoë Topshee
My Hero is: Nava, my babysitter when I was 5 Because: She took care of me very well and was very fun to be around. We make cookies and went tobaganning together. She also helped me make fun crafts, like paper maché. I made a kitty cat. I move away and I miss
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OUR TEACHERS, PETS & OTHER HEROES
Everyone's A Hero! A hero is someone who helps someone else - what a vague description! That means that the store clerk whose name I don’t know is a hero. It means that the person who picked up my mitten while I was walking home from school and gave it back to me is a hero. That means nearly everybody I’ve met is a hero, whether they believe it themselves or not. You don’t have to do the most heroic deed to be a hero, all you really have to do is be nice and help other people. If it weren’t for that one person who commented on how well I preformed as a character in that play, I might not have continued with acting. All the “what if that hadn’t happened?” experiences are mindboggling. It’s weird to think that if that little thing someone did for me hadn’t happened I could ultimately be living a different life than I am today. I owe it to those strangers and the people I know for helping me. How incredible an idea it is to think that nearly every person you interact with is a hero. More people should be thanked and appreciated for being heroes in our everyday lives. Thank you to all ordinary heroes who have helped me in my life.
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A Flock of Heroes
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By Sierra Robertson-Roper
Girl Greatness Starts Here Hero
noun 1. an extraordinary person with superhuman powers to inspire you, make you laugh or do amazing things 2. A champion who makes the world a better place 3. Someone who plays a starring role in our new book, You’re My Hero, Girl Guides of Canada. As Girl Guides of Canada-Guides du Canada’s marks our 100th anniversary, there’s never been a better time to acknowledge the everyday heroes in our lives who often remain unknown. This book is full of stories about such heroes – people that inspire us, challenge us, and make us feel like we can do anything. They are friends, relatives, Girl Guide Members and those whose actions make a big difference. Their stories are touching, inspiring, light-hearted, silly and even a bit wacky. These inspiring stories by Girl Guides of Canada Members truly reflect amazing spirit of Guiding and all that Guiding makes possible. It’s time to celebrate the heroes in our lives. YMH Books is a Canadian publishing company dedicated to raising funds for charitable organizations and foundations through the sale of our inspirational book series You’re My Hero™. Our publications present the opportunity for real people to tell real stories about their real heroes. YMH prides itself on finding inspiration in Everyday Heroes and joining in the celebration and acknowledgement of heroes worldwide. We are very proud to participate in the 100th Anniversary of Girl Guides of Canada and we are extremely honoured to help celebrate Girl Greatness. ISBN 978-0-9866135-0-0
$20.00 CAN/U.S.
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