Breslau baker selling pies to benefit Walkerton school after fatal crash
'I just felt that I need to do something,' Fran Adsett says
Fran Adsett says she felt she needed to give back to the community where she grew up after hearing about the crash that killed four students and a teacher from Walkerton District Community School last month.
Adsett grew up in Mildmay, Ont., a neighbouring town to Walkerton, and her family is still there. She's now the owner and baker at Frannie's Restaurant and Bakery on Highway 7 between Kitchener and Guelph. The restaurant is known locally for its baked goods.
"I have a strong background with going back home and supporting back home. So when I saw the story, my heart goes out to all of the family, the friends, the community, the team. So I just felt that I need to do something," Adsett said. "It's not just a town. It's not just a village — you're family."
Four teenage girls from Walkerton District Community School were travelling home with their teacher on the afternoon of May 23 after a softball tournament east of London when the SUV they were in collided with another SUV and a transport truck.
Rowan McLeod, Kaydance Ford, Danica Baker, Olivia Rourke and Mat Eckert were killed. Their deaths were acknowledged across Canada, including by Prime Minister Mark Carney, who wrote it was an "unimaginable loss that no family, no classmate, no school should ever have to endure."
Funeral services were held over the weekend.
Throughout June, Adsett is selling her pies for $50, with the restaurant keeping about $14 for ingredients and the rest of the money going to the school.
Adsett said she hopes the money could be used for the school's Riverhawks sports teams.
"I know that there's lots of money that's going to the families, but my concern is for Riverhawks, for the actual team, so that they can have their mourning as well," she said.
"They can do whatever they feel free to do in honour of all of the people that have passed away ... whether they want to do a scholarship, whether they want memorial benches, whatever the team as a family want to do, this money will go towards them."
People can order a pie by contacting the restaurant.