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•T he IFP• H alton H ills, Thursday, July 25, 2013 29 15 MOUNTAINVIEW RD. N., GEORGETOWN 905-877-2296 www.georgetowntoyota.com 2013 Matrix $20,630 + taxes Model #KU4EEM-BA Financing Available 0% up to 84 mos. OAC Matrix + taxes Model #KU4EEM-BA $21,630 - 1,000 Rebate SPORTS "Quote/unquote" 'I can't fi ght without that boxing passport and it takesa long time to get a replacement.'-- Heather McIsaac ... see story below McIsaac pleads for return of stolen equipment Olympic hopeful Heather McIsaac of Acton sports the goves that were taken from the back of her vehicle along with most of her other box- ing gear in a theft in the early morning hours of Wednesday, July 17 at her home on Church St. E. A reward of $200 has been set for the return of the equipment. Submitted photo A boxer from Acton with dreams of competing in the 2016 Summer Olympics has been living a nightmare this past week after most of her equipment was apparently stolen from her vehicle. Heather McIsaac, 21, is a member of Team Ontario and three-time Canadian champi- on who has a couple of quali- fying meets in the fall that, if successful, could send her on to major events such as next year's Commonwealth Games, the 2015 Pan-Am Games in Toronto and the 2016 Summer Olympics in Brazil. But right now, McIsaac would just like to have the estimated $1,500 in gear and invaluable boxing passport re- turned to her - with a $200 re- ward for the person who brings it back - after she discovered it missing from the back of her vehicle last Wednesday morn- ing (July 17). "The one time that I didn't bring my stuff in... Who would want to take a bag of smelly, sweaty clothes with them any- way?" she wondered, in disap- pointment. "We've scoured Acton look- ing for it with no luck. You'd think that after somebody ri- fl ed through it they'd discover it wasn't worth anything to them and toss it, but it means a lot to me. I can't fi ght with- out that boxing passport and it takes a long time to get a re- placement. All the other stuff has a sentimental value to it, but it's replaceable. I'm just hopeful we can get it back." McIsaac, who works two part-time jobs and operates a personal-training business on the side, said she had spent the previous day training at the Bigtyme Boxing Gym in Oran- geville in the intense heat and upon returning to her home on Church St. East in Acton exhausted, uncharacteristical- ly left her purple and paisley print duffl e bag in the back of her car before going to bed. Upon fi nding the bag miss- ing the next morning, she spent the entire day search- ing every corner of Acton with no luck. She's been unable to train and will have to rely on friends to provide her with replacement gear. Without her boxing passport, however, she'll be unable to compete in exhibition matches in Ireland next month unless she can get an emergency replacement be- forehand. The contents of the bag in- cluded a red leather Greenhill- brand headgear, black leather Rival boxing gloves, orange and black boxing shorts with her nickname "Mayhem" em- broidered on the waist, purple hand wraps and the small light blue Boxing Ontario passport with all of her fi ght history. To contact McIsaac, email heather.mcisaac@hotmail.com or call 519-994-6243. By EAMONN MAHER Staff Writer Acton teen prepares for Lake Ontario crossing Aug. 9 While local resident Colleen Shields makes an unprecedented attempt with a fi ve-person team to swim lengthwise across Lake Ontario this week, a teenag- er from Acton is gearing up for her own daunting mission on that body of water. Lexie Kroezen, 18, will try to make the traditional 52-km crossing from Niagara- on-the-Lake to Marilyn Bell Park in Toron- to on Friday, Aug. 9 with a goal of raising $5,000 to help families coping with cancer expenses that aren't covered by OHIP. The Christ the King Secondary School graduate has been training both in the pool and on the open water and is confi - dent she'll be able to complete the swim in about 14 hours, but with two weeks until she takes to the water, Kroezen is in dire need of two 30-foot guide boats (with a washroom and galley) in order to be prop- erly prepared. "We do have a couple of zodiacs but we still need the two bigger boats," Kroezen said Monday. "I won't be able to do this without them so it would be great if someone can do that for us." A member of the Acton Aqua Ducks Swim Club for the past 11 years, Kroezen said she was motivated to do the swim after witnessing the struggles of a family friend who had to shut down his business during cancer treatments and although he had a strong support system in place, she's making the effort for those who don't have that help. Kroezen and her crew, including her coach, Lindsay Lobelio of the Aqua Ducks, are holding a fundraiser on Sunday, July 28 from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. at the Acton Indoor Pool at 69 Acton Blvd. It's a free swim and the public is welcome to attend the event, where caps commemorating the campaign will be sold. To contact her, email lexie_kroezen@ hotmail.ca or to donate to her cause visit the website http://convio.cancer.ca/goto/ crossingforacure LEXIE KROEZEN By EAMONN MAHER Staff Writer