Ledger-Dispatch

By Stephanie Minasian (sminasian@ledger-dispatch.c= om)=20

The Conrardy family, pictured with = Anne, walking=20 in front of the Knight Foundry in Sutter Creek.

Photo by: Courtesy to the Ledger=20 Dispatch

Her legacy = and courage=20 inspired an entire community, and now a Sutter Creek footbridge will be=20 dedicated to her name for remembrance and thanks.

Anne Conrardy = lost her=20 battle with breast cancer in February, but her bravery, spirit and = audacity=20 allowed her to stand out as a strong role model. The Sutter Creek = pedestrian=20 footbridge will receive three plaques in Conrardy's honor at a ceremony = on the=20 bridge Dec. 2 at 4 p.m. - her birthday.

"It really is an = tremendous honor=20 that people in the community have helped us," said Conrardy's husband, = Craig.=20 "And this dedication is really to honor all those people."

Sutter = Creek=20 Mayor Gary Wooten and the city council came up with the idea to dedicate = the=20 footbridge to her because of the legacy and inspiration she had left in = the=20 community.

"The main thing was that the community came together. = There=20 was a ton of people who helped Anne with food and dinners," Wooten said. = "She=20 never complained once, was very nice and was always quick to smile. Anne = and her=20 problems brought a lot of the community together and showed that Sutter = Creek=20 was a great town with great spirit and very nice people."

The = three=20 plaques in Conrardy's honor will be placed on the bridge to represent = her=20 journey. To symbolize the assistance she and her family received from = others,=20 one side of the bridge will read "Community" - the other, "Courage" - to = stand=20 for her strength and perseverance throughout her bout with cancer. In = the center=20 of the bridge, a larger plaque will bear Anne's name.

"This is = done in=20 recognition of the beautiful community support," said Conrardy's mother, = Sandy=20 Anderson.

In September 2005, Conrardy discovered a large lump on = her=20 breast, but caught it too late. Unfortunately, the cancer had developed = into=20 metastasized bone cancer. She became an advocate for early detection in = women,=20 spoke openly about her story and continued to run a structured and = loving=20 household for her five children and husband.

"I know Anne = affected a lot=20 of people," added Craig. "It's very humbling and we're very grateful for = this=20 dedication."

Donations to pay for the plaques can be made to = Helen=20 Bierce, who is acting as treasurer for the dedication, and sent to P.O. = Box 1014=20 Sutter Creek, CA 95685. Any money left over will be donated to Hospice = of Amador=20 and Calaveras and Amador STARS - organizations that assisted and = supported the=20 Conrardy family, Craig said.

The dedication ceremony will take = place rain=20 or shine at the Sutter Creek pedestrian bridge located near the Eureka = Street=20 Inn at 55 Eureka St. in Sutter Creek. Anyone who wishes to speak at the = ceremony=20 may do so.

"She never lived one day dying," Anderson said. =

For=20 questions, call Loraine Davis at 304-5125 or e-mail=20 loraine@suttercreek.com.

Stephanie = Minasian