Latest news with #Beardy
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Tataskweyak wildfire evacuees in Thompson 'meeting place' hoping to reconnect with family all over
Grace Beardy's youngest child was born in Takaskweyak Cree Nation on May 19, Victoria Day. Ten days later, power in the community was out. The boy was about two weeks old when he became an evacuee. "It was sad, especially going through postpartum and carrying the little one," Beardy said Wednesday. "I was alone out there with him for four days, until my sister came." Tataskweyak, also known as Split Lake, declared a state of emergency on May 29, with a wildfire only about a kilometre away from the northern Manitoba First Nation. Beardy and her three children were among the more than 2,400 Tataskweyak residents forced to leave their homes because of the fire. WATCH | Tataskweyak evacuees in Thompson: "There was buses coming in and they were just loading people up," said Melanie Spence, who was in Thompson for a day trip as the evacuation began. "People were kind of hesitant to go," she said. "They didn't know how big the fire was going to be there. They were hoping that it [would] be put out every day. We've never seen anything like this." PR 280 connecting the community to Thompson on the west and Gillam to the east is the only road servicing Tataskweyak. The road was closed off last week because of the fire. With the way home blocked off, Spence decided to help evacuees who ended up in Thompson, which is about a 100 kilometres southwest of the community, as the crow flies. She's been directing people to the city's Wawatay Inn, which is owned by Tataskweyak and usually serves people coming for medical appointments. "It's the closest thing to home," she said. "They serve food here. So I figured, well, this will be … the meeting place." Duke Beardy, an economic development officer with the First Nation, said the facility is open to evacuees from Tataskweyak as well as other communities. "There's people from Lynn Lake here too, and Nelson House too.… If there's room, then they stay here too," he said. But with only 18 rooms, space at the inn is limited. 'It's been chaos' Sylvia Saunders said about seven people in her party — including a baby and a toddler — were staying in the same room at the inn as of Wednesday. "It's been chaos for everybody here. Still a lot of people don't have rooms," Saunders said. "I did manage to fit everyone in there and to try and have a comfortable sleep." Saunders said people have resorted to sleeping in couches at the inn's lobby because of the lack of rooms. Edwin Beardy said the situation is already stressful enough. "It's frustrating as well as sad because of family, … they're all over," he said. "From what I'm hearing, my family, some of them are in Gillam, some of them in Winnipeg and a few are in Niagara Falls…. It's hard." Grace Beardy, who was also staying at the inn as of Wednesday, said she was waiting to connect with family who ended up in Winnipeg. Leaving the community "was cold and sad," she said. "But I couldn't be sad in front of my kids. I had to stay strong." The fire at Tataskweyak was about 21,000 hectares as of the latest provincial fire bulletin Friday. Find the latest wildfire information at these sources: Are you an evacuee who needs assistance? Contact Manitoba 211 by calling 211 from anywhere in Manitoba or email 211mb@
BBC News
23-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Wales and Lions lock Beard to leave Ospreys
Ospreys have announced Adam Beard will leave at the end of the season, with the Wales lock expected to join French side is out of contract at the Welsh region at the end of this season and is set to join the French Top 14 side, although that move is yet to be officially 29-year-old, who has played 58 internationals for Wales and one Test for the British and Irish Lions, made his Ospreys debut as an 18-year-old in 2014 and has played 139 games for his home-city is hoping to prove his fitness for the final United Rugby Championship (URC) home game of the season against Dragons in Swansea on Saturday. Flanker Justin Tipuric is set to miss his home farewell before he retires at the end of the suffered a pectoral injury in the Challenge Cup defeat against Lyon earlier this month. Leaving 'a special place' Beard says it was difficult to decide to leave Ospreys having "loved" his time at the region."I grew up being an Ospreys supporter and I was lucky enough to have come through the academy system and then progress to the first team," he added. "I have had lots of conversations with my family, friends and the coaches here, and feel like this is the right time to venture into a new challenge for myself and my family."I have enjoyed every second of playing here and have made friends and memories that will last a lifetime. This a special place that has played a hugely important role in where I am as a player, and person, today." Elite professional Ospreys head coach Mark Jones says Beard will be missed and hopes the next generation of locks can fill the void. "Beardy's influence has been ever-present in his time at the Ospreys," said Jones."He will leave a big hole as a player, a set -piece expert, and a leader."The Ospreys have historically placed a high importance on having a strong front five and he has been a key contributor in that for a long time. "He's an elite professional, but most of all, a great person."While we'll miss Beardy's presence at the club, we have high hopes for a lot of our second rows that have come through the ranks recently. "His departure will provide an opportunity for those boys, along with any new additions we have, to step up as leaders."Wales captains Dewi Lake and Jac Morgan have signed new deals to stay at Ospreys next season, while Ross Moriarty is set to join from Brive.
CBC
21-03-2025
- Sport
- CBC
Shamattawa First Nation teen wins gold at Special Olympics World Winter Games
A gold medal at the 2025 Special Olympics World Winter Games for 15-year-old Cory Beardy had friends, family and supporters cheering last week. Beardy, a cross-country skier from Shamattawa First Nation who lives in Thompson, Man., won gold for Canada in the 4x1K relay - free technique, with teammates John O'Neil, Sarah McCarthy and Marley Gayler. He took part in multiple cross country skiing events during the games, including a fifth place finish in the 500-metre classic race and a fourth place finish in the 1K classic race. Beardy's coach Marlene Enberg was thrilled with his results. "Just a smidgen off of the medals in those two races!" Enberg said. Over 1,500 athletes converged in Turin, Italy to compete in eight sports March 8-15. In 2023, Beardy competed at the Special Olympics Manitoba Winter Games in Winnipeg and was one of two Manitoba cross-country skiers selected to advance to the 2024 Special Olympics Canada Winter Games in Calgary. Beardy has been training four to five times a week for the World Winter Games since qualifying for Team Canada after the Calgary competition. In a post on Facebook, the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs said Beardy's resilience, determination and passion was an inspiration to all young athletes across the 63 First Nations it represents. R.D. Parker Collegiate vice-principal Jeff Paradis, who also works with Beardy as a coach, praised his work ethic. "He's like the Energizer bunny," Paradis said. "Whenever I was out there with him, we would take breaks with some of the other kids and just relax and talk. Cory would be out there doing one, two, three, four more laps around the track. So, yeah, he's definitely a great athlete." Beardy plans to train for the 2029 Special Olympics World Winter Games that will be held in Chur-Graubünden, Switzerland. But for now, Beardy is a 2025 Special Olympics World Winter Games gold medallist. "I said, 'hey, how about next week, like Monday, think you can bring them in,'" Paradis told Beardy ahead of the school's spirit week festivities during the final week of March. "And he said, yeah, that'd be cool."
