SHE WOULD BE 20 GONE TOO SOON: Sara Allison Carlin was an active, enthusiastic and academically successful student in high school. But all that changed in her final high school semester when she was prescribed the anti-depressant drug, Paxil, for anxiety. What followed was a downward spiral that ended in suicide. In order to prevent other parents from experiencing such a tragedy, Sara's parents contacted The Oakville Beaver to tell her story.
WARNING SIGN Sara Carlin wrote this letter to herself one month after her dosage of Paxil was increased. Her parents did not discover the letter until after her death.
SPIRITED BUNCH The Kids R Us team from the Halton Children's Aid Society won the Spirit award at last year's Oakville Charity Dragon Boat Festival. The team consisted of camp counsellors and friends as well as two young men who have no contact with their parents, and members ranged in age from 17-25. The 2008 festival will take place next month at Kelso Conservation Park.
MEDAL HOPEFULS Dolphins Swim Club members (front, left to fight) Lauren Dixon, Conor Russell, Bronwyn Evans, (back, left to right) Sinead Russell, Marina Biasutto and Jacquie Baillie are the club's top medal hopes at next week's age group national championships in Calgary.
Bonnie Brown, Oakville MP
CELEBRATION Christy Taberner, program co-ordinator, listens while Patty Kiczuk reads a poem during an ErinoakKids Independent Living Program's (ILP) open house and graduation at Sheridan College Wednesday night.
WORLD-CLASS SKIPPERS HEADED TO SOUTH AFRICA Local sisters Jaclyn (left) and Samantha (right) Santamaria, along with cousin Brittany Gillies, are preparing to represent Canada at the International Rope Skipping Federation World Skipping Championships in South Africa later this month. Jaclyn and Brittany are both previous two-time national champions for their age group, while Samantha is currently a provincial champion with her team. Members of the Brampton Acro Ropers, the girls are among the best jump rope athletes from 19 countries that will compete at the world championships.
NEW ON THE NATIONAL SCENE Training partners Jason King (left) and Colin Reinholt have both made their debuts on the national cycling scene this summer. King, a 15-year-old Abbey Park student, recently competed at a Cadet team competition in preparation for the track nationals in Burnaby, B.C. The 18-year-old Reinholt, a student at T.A. Blakelock, finished 20th at a national junior road race earlier this month and will compete in the prestigious Tour d'Abitibi road race in northern Quebec next week.
"In addition to the personal sense of contribution to a greater food, you often get a smile or gesture of gratitude -- and that's the best payback ever." - Doug Coate, president, OTMH Auxiliary
ROLE MODELS HELPING KIDS: When the Minor Oaks Hockey Association (MOHA) Minor Peewee Sharks celebrated the end of a successful house league hockey season with a team party at ICE2ICE Hockey Development Centre on Speers Road, the team presented Big Brothers Big Sisters of Halton with a donation of $1,000 -- the team raised the money throughout the season via numerous fundraisers. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Halton, a United Way-funded agency, has been serving the community for more than 40 years and continues to be the leader in mentoring children. It will serve more than 700 children living in Oakville, Milton and north Halton this year. The agency is currently running a campaign to find 100 male volunteers to be a Big Brother. For information, contact 905-339-2355 or visit www.bbbshalton.ca.
PET OF THE WEEK ACTIVE: Isaac is happy, active dog. He needs a home whose members like to exercise and he will fit right in. For more information on Isaac...visit www.oakvillehumane.ca
ESCORT SERVICE The Burlington peewee Stampeders' offensive line paves the way for a touchdown run by Will Finch (6) last week versus Brampton.
