Friday, January 4, 2013
Evanston swim coach Oswald Frederick "Trevor" Roper died Wednesday at age 59. He taught swimming at the YWCA for nearly two decades and toured the world in the Jamaican reggae band Chalice.
Oswald Frederick “Trevor” Roper—known to many as simply “Oz”—was a lifelong entertainer, whether it was teaching kids to swim over two decades at the Evanston YWCA or performing around the world in the Jamaican reggae band Chalice. “He was an entertainer of the highest quality,” says Mary Miller, a longtime friend. “Even until his last days a week ago, if a visitor would pop into the hospital he would become an entertainer and do his very best to engage them in that way.” Roper was a swim coach at the YWCA Evanston/NorthShore for nearly two decades, touching the lives of thousands of children through the YWCA’s ‘Flying Fish’ program. “He used that naturally entertaining personality to motivate them and engage with them, and that brought…
Thursday, June 21, 2012
The YWCA Evanston/North Shore’s 12th annual Ricky Byrdsong Memorial Race Against Hate drew its largest numbers ever last Sunday. Top finishers included two Evanstonians.
Some 4,375 runners and walkers turned out for the YWCA Evanston/North Shore’s Race Against Hate last Sunday, the largest crowd ever in the race’s 12-year history, according to a press release from the YWCA. First run 12 years ago in memory of former Northwestern University men’s basketball coach Ricky Byrdsong, the race was founded to honor Byrdsong’s legacy and combat hatred in all forms. For the last seven years, proceeds have gone to support the YWCA’s anti-racism and violence prevention school programs. “You have no idea what this race means to me and my family,” Byrdsong’s wife, Sherialyn told participants on Sunday, according to the release. Joined by her three children, Sabrina, Kelly and Ricky Jr., Sherialyn welcomed racers along …
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
A member of Evanston Police's Victims Service Unit and the YWCA's violence prevention coordinator share their insights with Patch.
When police announced last week that a 14-year-old boy was charged with sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl at Evanston Township High School, people immediately started wondering how such an incident could be prevented. In light of the school's statement that the alleged assault "was not random", Evanston Patch talked to two local experts about what teens can do to protect themselves from such violence and who they should turn to if they are sexually assaulted. Sign up for Evanston Patch's newsletter to get the top headlines daily. Approximately 19 sexual assualts against juveniles happened in 2010, while 25 incidents occurred in 2011, according to Evanston Police Department Victims Advocate Beckie Fischer. "If you think about the …
Friday, January 27, 2012
The YWCA said the program will help empower local women.
Colorado based CoBank recently announced that it will contribute $34,000 over the next three years to help the YWCA Evanston/North Shore to support an expansion of their urban farming initiative. The urban farm started in the spring of 2009, when the YWCA built a small raised bed vegetable and herb garden to grow fresh produce for Mary Lou’s Place, their domestic violence shelter for women and children. The Evanston-based urban garden is a helpful tool to empower women, according to YWCA Evanston/North Shore Communications Director Julie McBratney. "The women tend the garden and harvest vegetables and herbs for their meals," McBratney told Patch. "They cook their own meals each night, and once a week, the have a lesson in healthy cooking …
Stephen Packard
11:18 pm on Sunday, January 6, 2013
I was always so proud that Oswald was a three generation "Packard" coach, with my mother Dorothy in her mid 80's at Michigan Shores, for me on the Master Swim Team, and for my son McKelvey and daughter Alice as Flying Fish. He was truly loved by this family. He will be missed. more ›