By Greg Nikkel
Perfect weather and large crowds helped to make Abbie’s Day a success on Saturday in Yellow Grass, with many volunteers stepping up to help at the day-long series of events.
The Yellow Grass Community Club organized the day to help benefit the children of Abbie Speir, with events including a day-long slo-pitch tournament, children’s activities like face-painting and a slip-and-slide, tree-planting and unveiling of a special bench in Allen Park, and a sold-out supper and cabaret at the Yellow Grass Communiplex.
Abbie’s family, including her parents, sisters and maternal grandparents, were on hand for much of the day, helping to plant a tree and unveil a bench in her memory. Abbie’s sisters spoke at the ceremony in Allen Park, and then her parents spoke briefly at the cabaret.
“The family is just amazing. I was so grateful to them. They handled this with such grace and dignity. They came to Yellow Grass and really embraced it, and they were very grateful to everyone for the support,” said Jen Wilkinson of the Community Club.
The supper was served to 250 people, and around 300 attended the cabaret, with many people turned away at the door, she added, estimating there were around 200 on hand to watch the nine teams involved in the ball tournament and children’s activities.
“It was healing for all of us to be together. We were so grateful the family was willing to be there with us, and we were all amazed at the out-pouring of support. It was bittersweet, because we were sad about why we were there, but we were happy with the support we had, and Abbie had such a beautiful day,” said Wilkinson.
She noted they hardly had to ask anyone to volunteer, as people just stepped up to help out, both people who knew her and those who had never met her.
At the tree-planting, Abbie’s sister Lorell Linke spoke of the outpouring of support from the community.
“It is an amazing thing to come, as Abbie’s family to witness how you have loved her and to get to participate in the ways she loved you. Abbie brought the small town to the cities she lived in, introducing herself and striking up friendships and offering to help out to make things more fun. And you experienced how she brought the city to small towns, with her crazy hair and animal prints and high heels. Abbie told us about Yellow Grass, and now we are getting to experience for ourselves the friendship, laughter and support she found here,” she said.
The family was grateful for the memorial created on Abbie’s front step, and for her many friends who shared stories about her with them.
Of the tree-planting, sister Leah Perrault told the crowd, “This tree is such an awesome symbol of Abbie’s lasting impact on everyone she met. It means the world to us that the community she finally made a home in has made a permanent home for her, in your hearts and in this park. Thank you so much for loving her, and Coby, Eris and Eve. And thank you for loving us in this way today.”
At the supper and cabaret event, Abbie’s parents spoke of their loss, and of what the day meant to them.
“In the midst of such a tremendous loss for us all, you’ve captured Abbie’s love of fun and hard work to build community and show love. She had the biggest heart, and she’s been here this whole day,” they said in a joint statement.
“On the night we lost Abbie, it broke our hearts that we couldn’t be here to be with her. In a particularly special way, we want to acknowledge and thank the neighbours and first responders who loved and cared for her. We are so grateful for every effort made and every tear cried to care for Abbie in death.”
They noted there have been many generous gifts to the trust fund for Abbie’s children, and said they are being loved so well by so many people as a result.
They thanked the members of the community for walking the road of grief with them, and added, “It is easier to carry the sadness together. Because Abbie lived in and loved Yellow Grass, Yellow Grass will live and love in us.”
