The Elizabeth Fry Society of Peterborough (EFry) is inviting the community to join them in celebrating outstanding four local individuals, organizations, and businesses that have shown advocacy and action in the community.
EFry’s annual “Rebel with a Cause” event will be held from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, October 28 at the McDonnel Street Community Centre in Peterborough. For $50, guests will enjoy an evening of live music, food, speakers, a silent auction, and opportunities to celebrate local heroes, all while supporting EFry’s good work.
“Rebel with a Cause is our annual fundraiser where we try and highlight people that have advocated for our community — people that are fighting the system, people that are standing up for what they believe in and just doing good for the vulnerable folks in our community,” says EFry community program coordinator Aakanksha.
“Especially now when money is tight, the economy is crumbling, and it’s so hard. People are still showing up every day and they’re putting in the hard work, so this is our very small way of recognizing some of the brilliant work that happens every day in the community.”
EFry supports individuals who are criminalized or at-risk of criminalization through gender-responsive services and programs, while advocating for broader social change.
This year’s “Rebels” — nominated by staff, board members, and the public — are all connected to this year’s theme “Justice & Mental Health.” The nominees are all making a difference in the community through “advocacy, compassion, and action.”
“We were looking at what are they doing for mental health and justice — and justice not specific to the criminal justice system, but also social and making sure people have access to these services — as well as their impact on our community and on our clients,” Aakanksha explains.
One of the Rebels is Dan Hughes, a criminal lawyer and duty counsel with Peterborough Community Support Court, a specialized court stream that deals with individuals facing criminal charges as a result of an underlying mental health, addiction, or concurrent disorder.
He has spent years advocating for vulnerable community members, working extensively with individuals experiencing mental health and substance-use challenges, while helping clients navigate the criminal justice system.
“For someone when they’re having the hardest day of their lives, seeing somebody that is nice and kind to them is all that really matters, and that’s Dan,” Aakanksha says.
Another Rebel is Jordanne McLaren, the manager of client services and human trafficking response at Kawartha Sexual Assault Centre. She supports survivors of sexual violence and human trafficking as they navigate pathways to safety, healing, and justice through trauma-informed advocacy, legal support information, court preparation, and support through police reporting and criminal court processes.
Chrysalis Outreach Midwives is being recognized for their work in ensuring that people who often face barriers within the healthcare systems are supported. Officially launched in November 2025 by Kirsten Schmidt and Dr. Kate Gerster, and later joined by midwife Krysta Moland, Chrysalis Outreach Midwives is about harm reduction and providing non-judgmental sexual and reproductive healthcare through outreach services to shelters, drop-ins, methadone clinics, and tents.
The final Rebel is Wild Rock Outfitters, which is being recognized as a responsible local business whose initiatives like the ComPassion Project and Wild Again, their used gear program, finds creative ways to break down barriers and support social services and conservation, while increasing affordable access to outdoor gear.
According to Missy Knott, EFry’s Indigenous partnerships and housing worker, recognizing these Rebels is an important way to show them they have the support of the broader community.
“Some of this advocacy work and service work in general can be pretty isolating, and I just think it’s about banding together, knowing that they do have a community of folks who support them and support the work they do,” Knott says. “It’s also just making more room for collaboration too, because we work closely with a lot of these organizations and it brings such a balance. Sometimes we don’t have everything we need and then somebody else can fill that void for us.”
“I also think sometimes we forget the impact that we have because you come in and do your emails, do your meetings, and we get so lost in some of that so we forget the impact that our work has in the bigger scheme of things,” adds Aakanksha. “Every so often, we need a little bit of a reminder that what we do matters, and what we do does have an impact.”
Hosted by Knott, Rebel with a Cause will be a lively evening featuring food and refreshments, traditional Indigenous hand drumming by Naandewegaan – Healing with Drums, and musical performances by Joslynn Burford and the duo Sarah van den Berg and Cheyenne Burnett, with Peterborough-based photographer Wayne Ferguson capturing special moments throughout the evening.
Featuring a Halloween theme, the event will also include decorations by local artist Makayla of Stones N Bones, who creates distinctive pieces incorporating insects, animal bones, skulls, and other foraged natural materials. Artwork will be available for purchase during the event.
Stones N Bones is one of the many supporters who have donated to the silent auction that will be held during the fundraiser. Tickets to events from Public Energy Performing Arts, Showplace Performance Centre, the Art Gallery of Ontario, and ReFrame Film Festival are all up for grabs, alongside donated goods including dining experiences at Silver Bean Café, mixed beauty and wellness baskets, goods from Wiigwaas Craft Supplies and Gifts, and jewellery from Hi Ho Silver.
“The more you give, the more you get,” Knott says.
“There’s such a positive feeling that comes from supporting something like this. We all know how dire the situation is. We need more housing and everybody knows it, and I think once you start looking into the finer lines, into those deeper details about how transitional housing works, and ways that we can advocate, this is a small thing that people can do, and it’s very heartwarming and beneficial to so many.”
It’s not too late for local businesses and organizations to show their support for Rebel with a Cause, as EFry is still seeking sponsors for the event.
Depending on the sponsorship tier, opportunities include recognition throughout the event and on social media before and after, opportunities to showcase your business, and tickets to the event. Those interested in being a sponsor can reach out to Aakanksha at aakanksha@efryptbo.org or Knott at missy@efryptbo.org.
“Any amount of support helps and also pushes the conversation about it, too, and gets people talking,” Knott says. “The work that we’re doing here is just to make sure that everybody can feel a sense of community and safety because that’s what Nogojiwanong-Peterborough is supposed to be. Any amount is super impactful and doesn’t go unnoticed.”
To learn more about Rebels with a Cause and tp buy tickets, visit efryptbo.org/events/.
