Downeyville’s different kind of bottle drive

It’s doubtful the story behind a community hall’s bottle drive would make it to the airwaves of the country’s national radio broadcaster – not since the passing of Stuart McLean, certainly. And the producer/host of The Advocate Podcast: Stories from Kawartha Lakes admits he was doing his best to channel the late and beloved CBC Radio broadcaster whose homespun yarns were a staple on Peter Gzowski’s Morningside.

“Honestly,” admits Denis Grignon, “I wasn’t sure there was a story here, even for a show that’s so focused – exclusively – on local and community.”

“I mean, they put up a sign – a very nice sign, mind you – requesting people to drop off their empties,” says Grignon, about the Downeyville Hall fundraiser. “How interesting could the back story to that really be?”

But when Grignon learned one of the main players behind the project was Downeyville’s de-facto matriarch, Mary Connell, he took a chance. “She didn’t disappoint,” says Grignon, a veteran journalist who still occasionally contributes to CBC Radio. “I figured if the interview wrapped up after the first question, well…nothing ventured, eh,” says Grignon, admitting that does occasionally happen when he’s chasing stories for the twice-monthly newsmagazine show.

“But there’s so much in Mary’s voice, her excitement and passion for her community and the people in it, that says as much about this story as how they made it happen.”

As an example, Grignon cites Connell’s response when he asked how her neighbours, unilaterally and without debate, bought into the program. “(Mary) paused, briefly, sighed, then, with a chuckle confessed, ‘Umm…some of us might be a little bit more forceful than others’.”

You can listen to the whole interview with Mary Connell here.

Wards Lawyers is the official and exclusive sponsor of The Advocate Podcast: Stories from Kawartha Lakes. Download and stream it for free via Spotify, Apple Podcasts and at the link at bottom of this page.