Sandy Supposes....

Even L'il Ol' Sundridge Produces Greats

Sunday's prompt; Tell us about a famous person or persons who lives or came from your Home Sweet Home

         I know, I know. I'm Canadian and because of this people have expectations. They presume I am born to like hockey. The so-called national obsession is supposed to flow in my veins as does maple syrup. Ah no, hockey is not my thing, my jam, my raison d'etre.

         Oh, I recognize hockey-isms. I've absorbed them despite my indifference. Hat trick, gloves thrown, high-sticking, penalties, icing, an assist, whatever ,I'm aware of hockey. I just don't choose to become a slobbering fan. My mother, God bless her enthusiasm, had more than enough hockey fervor for several citizens.

         During my childhood we would abandon Mom in the den located in the basement on Hockey Night in Canada. We did this to preserve our sanity, our dignity. Neighbours ten houses away heard Mom scream and cheer. The poor couch suffered abuse as she jumped and pounded it.

         Despite my indifference, my son is also a die-hard hockey devotee and he chooses to support the mystifying underdogs, the Toronto Maple Leafs. He lives each agonizing defeat and floats on cloud nine when they rally to a win.

         Why do I babble on about hockey? Well, my home sweet home, l'il ol' Sundridge's claim to infamy is its bragging rights to not one, but three sons of hockey. Yep, three lads were born here to one day make their hometown proud. I know this because I consulted the almighty Google.

         Future hockey great Bill McCreary entered this world December 2nd, 1934. He followed hockey and all its ups and downs to The New York Rangers, The Detroit Red Wings, the Montreal Canadiens and the St. Louis Blues.

         Keith Mc Creary, born June 19th, 1940 played hockey for the Montreal Canadiens, the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Atlanta Flames.

         The third hockey enthusiast of note, Greg DeVries, was born January 4th, 1973. Two of the teams he wore a jersey for were the Edmonton Oilers and the Colorado Avalanche.

         I prefer to recognize a woman born in Sundridge, Mary S. Edgar. She made her grand entrance May 23rd, 1889. Her claims to fame? She wrote poetry and hymns.God Who Touchest Earth With Beauty has been reprinted in many church hymnals and its beautiful words have been immortalized in a local stone cairn. My Nanny gifted me one of Miss Edgar's books of poetryUnder Open Skies and as a child the included autograph/signature awed me. She was also an entrepreneur and business woman.

         In 1922, Mary Susanne created a girls' camp, Glen Bernard, on the shores of Lake Bernard. She enjoyed all things camping and wished to introduce this to others. The camp still operates today and strives to be a leader in environmental issues.

         On the opposite side of Lake Bernard sits a gorgeous park known as High Rock Lookout. Miss Edgar donated this parcel of land to Sundridge.

         Now this woman left a legacy.

( 529 words minus the 19 words of the prompt)