
Gaudreau Family 5K raises more than $500,000 for accessible playground at special education school
Thousands attended the Gaudreau Family 5K Walk /Run and Family Day in May at Washington Lake Park in southern New Jersey, a place John and Matthew went hundreds of times as kids and around the corner from Hollydell Ice Arena, where they started playing hockey. The 5K drew more than 1,100 participants in the walk, along with more than 1,100 virtually in the U.S., Canada and around the world.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Winnipeg Free Press
13 minutes ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Ex-Olympic champ Rowdy Gaines calls for changes at USA Swimming as team struggles in Singapore
SINGAPORE (AP) — Rowdy Gaines, a three-time Olympic gold medalist, minces few words when he broadcasts swimming for the American network NBC. And he didn't hold back in an interview with The Associated Press over the shaky state of American swimming. He's calling for big-time changes as the Americans struggle at the world championships in Singapore. The American team isn't winning as much as expected or dominating, it's battling a case of 'acute gastroenteritis' picked up at training camp in Thailand before arriving in Singapore, and the governing body — USA Swimming — has been without a CEO for a year. Gaines called the body 'rudderless.' 'Can you imagine any corporation going for a year without a CEO?' Gaines asked. Underwhelming Americans The Americans were also underwhelming a year ago at the Paris Olympics. They led the medal table, but won only eight gold medals, the lowest total since the 1988 Seoul Olympics. 'We're far from killing it,' said Gaines in a telephone interview from the United States. 'It's a major struggle and we can't hide our heads in the sand and say this is just a blip.' Gaines said he's been texting frequently with Greg Meehan, the national team director who was appointed four months ago. Meehan is also the head coach in Singapore. The American haven't said how many swimmers have fallen ill, but in an interview Meehan said 'the overwhelming majority of the team has gone through something' at the championship.' 'Greg and I have been going back and forth in a very good way, very positive,' Gaines said. He called Meehan a good choice and said he's had too little time to turn things around. Gaines also pointed out that the focus is the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. These world championships, less so. 'I think he's (Meehan) going to be great,' Gaines said. 'He's got that calm reserve. He had great success at Stanford. He's coached some of the best swimmers ever. I think he's a good choice, he's just walking into a bit of a landmine.' Thailand training camp Like many, Gaines questioned why the Americans picked Thailand as a training camp site and noted that global swimming now has dozens of countries that can beat the Americans, and many of their elite athletes train in the States. Those include the two stars in Singapore: Frenchman Léon Marchand and Canadian Summer McIntosh. Marchand trains at the University of Texas at Austin, and McIntosh will be there this fall and join Bob Bowman's training group. Bowman is, of course, the former coach of American swimming legend Michael Phelps. 'You can blame it on the illness, you can blame it on the inexperience — most of these kids have never been in this situation — and you can blame it on logistics,' Gaines said. 'Thailand doesn't make sense to me in the first place.' He also put some blame on what he called the 'state of today's athletes.' 'I think in some cases there's an entitlement for a lot of these kids, they feel like — 'I should be in the finals of the world championships. And I can still do the peripheral stuff and not worry about making it all the way'.' 'I think there needs to be a more focused attitude on the task at hand,' he added. Post-Olympic blahs Gaines also noted that many swimmers struggle the year after the Olympics. They just finished a four-year cycle, so where is the motivation to start over again? 'It just beats you up because mentally and physically you are focused on four straight years, and the post-Olympic year can beat some people up. The post-Olympics is a real thing for all athletes whether you're from China or the United States.' On the positive side, he talked up the future of 10 to 15 young American male swimmers including Luca Urlando, the winner of the 200-butterfly and the only American man to win gold over the first five days. The championships end Sunday. 'The women are already very good,' Gaines added. Gaines said much of the problem is that USA Swimming has gone for a year without a leader. Tim Hinchey resigned as the CEO a year ago. He was replaced by Chrissi Rawak, who stepped down after just a few days. 'I do think changes need to be made, there needs to be a complete reset,' Gaines said 'But I don't think the sky is falling. But there needs to be some great leadership. Whoever they hire as CEO needs to be the leader that is sorely needed.' __ AP sports:


Winnipeg Free Press
13 minutes ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Benintendi, Sosa each hit a HR as White Sox beat Angels 6-3
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Andrew Benintendi had a double and a home run, Lenyn Sosa also homered among his two hits, and the Chicago White Sox beat the Los Angeles Angels 6-3 on Friday night. White Sox starter Shane Smith gave up two runs and two hits while striking out four over 4 1/3 innings in his first start since July 11 following a stint on the 15-day IL. Jordan Leasure (4-6) earned the win in relief, striking out four in 1 2/3 innings. Benintendi and Sosa each hit solo home runs in the second inning off Angels starter Tyler Anderson (2-7), and Luis Robert Jr. had a sacrifice fly drove Miguel Vargas home in the fourth inning to make it 3-0. Gustavo Campero's second home run of the year, a two-run blast to deep center field in the fifth, got the Angels within one, but Colson Montgomery answered with a deep homer of his own in the sixth inning. Logan O'Hoppe scored on Zach Neto's sacrifice fly to bring the Angels within one again, and Nolan Schanuel appeared to drive in Travis D'Arnaud with a two-out single, but Campero was thrown out at third prior to D'Arnaud crossing the plate. Sosa had an RBI single in the eighth and Josh Rojas added a solo homer in the ninth. Steven Wilson got the last six outs for his second save of the year. Key moment Campero's baserunning error prevented the game-tying run from scoring in the seventh, ending what was a bases-loaded, one-out threat for the Angels. Key stat Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. Montgomery continued his second-half tear with a solo home run, which represented his 18th RBI since the All-Star break. He is now tied with Philadelphia's Kyle Schwarber for the most RBIs since the break. Up next White Sox RHP Aaron Civale (2-6, 4.38 ERA) starts opposite Angels RHP Kyle Hendricks (6-7, 4.73). ___ AP MLB:


CTV News
an hour ago
- CTV News
Witt, Wacha push Royals to 9-3 win over Blue Jays
Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. (7) reacts as he rounds the bases after hitting a three run home run against the Toronto Blue Jays during first inning MLB baseball action in Toronto, Friday, Aug. 1, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sammy Kogan TORONTO — Bobby Witt Jr. belted a three-run homer and veteran starter Michael Wacha pitched a three-hitter to lift the Kansas City Royals to a 9-3 win in the opener of a three-game series against the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday. Witt's blow came off Toronto starter Kevin Gausman (7-8) and was the second of four homers for the visitors as the Royals (55-55) won their third straight. The Blue Jays (64-47) were without George Springer for a fourth straight game. He was placed on the seven-day concussion injured list on Friday, retroactive to July 29. The home team snatched the lead in the first inning with Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s 16th, a 428-foot blast into the left-field seats. But a two-run homer from Mike Yastrzemski in the second inning put the Royals up for good. Witt followed with his three-run homer in the third. In his eight innings, the 34-year-old Wacha (5-9) allowed only two hits after the Guerrero homer with no walks and five strikeouts. Gausman managed to last six innings despite the rough beginning. He surrendered his five runs on six hits and no walks with five strikeouts. Daulton Varsho (hamstring) returned from his two-month stay on the sidelines to play centre. Designated hitter Ty France and reliever Louis Varland made their Blue Jays debuts. France went 0-for-4, while Varland pitched a 1-2-3 seventh. Varsho was 0-for-3. Toronto reliever Mason Fluharty yielded a solo shot to Salvador Perez and a two-run homer by Adam Frazier in the Royals' four-run ninth. Addison Barger countered a two-run shot in the bottom half of the inning. TAKEAWAYS Royals: Yastrzemski, acquired from the San Francisco Giants on Thursday, impressed his new teammates with a one-out two-run homer in his first at-bat. Blue Jays: Alejandro Kirk (concussion) had a two-run single in three at-bats in a rehab assignment in triple-A Buffalo on Friday. He also picked off a runner at third base. Toronto expects to have him in the lineup on Sunday. KEY MOMENT Witt's three-run homer with none out in the third inning pushed the Royals to a four-run advantage. KEY STAT The Blue Jays slipped to 9-6 since the all-star break, having lost four of their last five games. UP NEXT Max Scherzer (1-1) will face Kansas City's Noah Cameron (5-4) on Saturday in the middle outing of the three-game series. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 1, 2025. Tim Wharnsby, The Canadian Press