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Mandy and the animals


by Judi McLeod
August 12, 2002

A lot of people, including crusading Toronto Sun journalist Peter Worthington, are trying to save the Bergerons’ Animal Sanctuary in Picton. Sadly, the animal sanctuary is the latest to fall victim to radical animal rights activists like Rob Laidlaw, who seems to have frightened the mayor and council of Picton out of their usual commonsense.

None of the crusaders for keeping Bergerons open is as compelling as 11-year-old Mandy Frum.

This pint-sized lady publisher has her very own newspaper called The Animal.

In the Sun’s Aug. 2 Letter of the Day, Mandy made her point about why Bergeron’s Animal Sanctuary should be saved, in a remarkably well-crafted letter.

"To whom it may concern: "I’m Mandy Frum, Peter Worthington’s granddaughter. I’m 11 years old, and I’ve just visited the Bergeron Animal Sanctuary at Picton.

"I have my own newspaper called The Animal, and I really don’t think this place should be closed.

"Why? They take animals in need. They also tell you really interesting things, like how, if an animal lived in the wild, it has a shorter life span than one in captivity.

"The animals in Picton are in enclosures. The people who work there, like Tammy Thompson, are always friendly and kind-hearted.

"When I went there recently, I got to hold A BABY LION! How many times do you get to hold a baby lion?

"Whenever I go to zoos, I always wish I could hold one of the animals. At the Bergeron’s sanctuary, they ask you if you want to hold a baby lion!

"Besides that, you know the money you buy a souvenir with goes to help the rainforest.

"Zoos are great and all, but why close this wonderful place?

"My mom likes it that when we pull up in the parking lot, she sees a peacock or some chickens and geese and baby goats roaming around and making friends. It establishes freedom.

"I hope that my letter isn’t too long. That’s it."

Mandy’s remarkable writing style is in her genes. The daughter of Dani (Crittenden) and David Frum, she comes from a whole family of writers that goes well beyond her parents and grandfather. There’s her Aunt Linda, and Uncle Guy. Mandy’s late paternal grandmother was Barbara Frum, and Grandmother Yvonne, on her mother’s side is no slouch in the world of letters either.

A resident of Washington, D.C., and surrounded by city concrete rather than farmer’s silos, one can imagine how grass-chewing colts and baby goats would fire the imagination of this passionate young writer.

It takes one kind of pluck to actually hold a baby lion, but quite another to descend down into the deep in a shark tank, as Mandy did with her father and brother, taking equanimity along for the ride, last March in Mexico.

To me the little girl is the image of her mother, both physically and in personality.

The only time I ever met the already precocious Mandy, she was barely walking. On the occasion of our meeting, her mom was pushing her along Bay Street in a stroller. Dani and I were busy talking because it was our first visit in years, and we had a lot of catching up to do in just a couple of hours. We were ambling along the sidewalk together and headed for lunch, when Mandy jumped out of her stroller and began pushing it along herself, explaining to Dani that she could probably concentrate more on our conversation without having to worry about the stroller.

Later over a Red Lobster lunch, she explained to a waitress in her little girl lisp, about how her great- grandmother had told her that caviar was nothing but fish roe!

The engaging toddler, who was a tinier cameo of her mother, charmed all who came into her sight.

In terms of accomplishment and making a difference, nothing about this veritable little dynamo and protector of animals, large and small, surprises anyone who knows her.

Then again, there is nothing much about the vast and intriguing world around her that surprises Miss Mandy.

Those interested in learning more can go to the web site, www.bergerons.ca.

Canada Free Press founding editor Most recent by Judi McLeod is an award-winning journalist with 30 years experience in the print media. Her work has appeared on Newsmax.com, Drudge Report, Foxnews.com, Glenn Beck. Judi can be reached at: judi@canadafreepress.com


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