Peterborough ReStore manager Carmen Hawryszko celebrates the newly expanded store at 300 Milroy Drive. Habitat for Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha Region (Habitat PKR) is inviting the community to attend a grand reopening celebration on January 24, 2026. (Photo: Habitat PKR)
Habitat for Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha Region (Habitat PKR) is inviting the community to the grand reopening of the newly expanded Peterborough ReStore.
The grand reopening takes place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. this Saturday (January 24) at the ReStore’s location at 300 Milroy Drive, where more than 2,000 additional square feet of space has been added to the store.
The expansion has created a dedicated area for housewares, décor, and home essentials while opening up more room in the main store for furniture, kitchens, and larger donated items.
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According to Habitat PKR CEO Susan Zambonin, the expansion is in response to growing community demand.
“Over the past few years, we’ve seen a huge increase in demand for thrifted housewares and glassware, alongside affordable furniture,” Zambonin says in a media release. “This expansion allows us to have the best of both worlds — more variety for shoppers, more space to accept donations and, ultimately, more support for local families in need of affordable homes.”
At the Peterborough ReStore grand reopening celebration, visitors can enjoy cake and refreshments and enter a raffle for a $200 ReStore gift certificate.
Habitat for Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha Region (Habitat PKR) has added more than 2,000 additional square feet of space to its Peterborough ReStore, creating a dedicated area for housewares, décor, and home essentials while opening up more room in the main store for furniture, kitchens, and larger donated items. (Photo: Habitat PKR)
Proceeds from ReStore sales help fund the organization’s mission to build affordable housing across the region, most recently including a newly built four-bedroom home in Fraserville in Peterborough County for a family of five — the 100th family supported by Habitat PKR.
Beyond bargain shopping and supporting affordable homeownership, Habitat ReStores play a significant role in environmental sustainability.
By selling donated furniture, décor, and household goods at its two ReStores — the Peterborough location and the Lindsay ReStore at 55 Angeline Street North in Lindsay — Habitat PKR diverted more than 300,000 items from the landfill last year.
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The organization also operates a Kitchen & Home Deconstruction Program, where professionals come to donor homes and remove built-in household items such as kitchen cabinets and countertops, appliances, bathroom fixtures, doors, windows, built-in shelving, and more at no cost. Donors not only save on demolition and disposal costs, but also receive a tax receipt, and the salvaged materials are resold through ReStore locations.
Both the Peterborough and Lindsay ReStores are open Monday to Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with donations accepted during store hours. Donors receive a $5 ReStore gift card as a thank-you.
To schedule a free pickup of larger items or to access the Kitchen & Home Deconstruction Program, email donate@habitatpkr.ca.
Environment Canada has issued a “yellow” warning for snow squalls for Haliburton County beginning Thursday morning (January 22) and ending Friday morning.
Local snowfall amounts of 20 to 40 cm are expected, with significantly reduced visibility in heavy snow and blowing snow.
The snow squalls are expected to move south of the area Friday morning.
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Travel will likely be hazardous, with visibility suddenly reduced to near zero at times. Consider postponing non-essential travel and outdoor activities until conditions improve.
Roads and walkways will likely be difficult to navigate due to accumulating snow.
The seven films in the 2026 ReFrame Film Festival's "Flora & Fauna" collection are (left to right, top and bottom) "Ocean Seen From the Heart," "Tuktuit : Caribou," "Yanuni," "Fairy Creek," "Future Council," "Shropshire Sheep Scandal," and "Woolly." (kawarthaNOW collage)
Each week, GreenUP provides a story related to the environment. This week’s guest column is by ReFrame Film Festival staff.
Each year, the ReFrame Film Festival groups its films into thematic collections. The festival’s commitment to environmental justice takes centre stage this year in its “Flora & Fauna” collection, which comprises seven powerful films exploring the human connection to, and impact on, the planet.
This article spotlights each film in the Flora & Fauna collection.
The festival opens at 4:45 p.m. on Friday, January 30 at Showplace Performance Centre in downtown Peterborough with the breathtaking Ocean Seen From the Heart, which follows scientists, explorers, and activists into the depths of the ocean, led by renowned astrophysicist Hubert Reeves. The documentary invites the viewer to reconsider the ocean not as an infinite resource, but as a living, regenerative system under threat.
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Both poetic and urgent, Ocean Seen From the Heart sets a profound tone for the festival weekend. The film is also available during the virtual program from February 3 to 8.
Also on Friday evening at 7:30 p.m., two selections from the Flora & Fauna collection will screen simultaneously at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre and Showplace and are also available during the virtual program. Hybrid passholders can choose which film to see in theatre and which to watch online.
Tuktuit : Caribou at Market Hall is an experimental short film by Lindsay McIntyre that traces the relationship between Inuit, caribou, land, and habitat disruption in Nunavut. The film was created using handmade emulsions derived from lichen and caribou gelatin. Tuktuit : Caribou is followed by the animated feature Endless Cookie, a one-of-a-kind film showing in-person only.
VIDEO: “Yanuni” trailer
VIDEO: “Fairy Creek” trailer
Richard Ladkani’s Yanuni at Showplace follows Chief Juma Xipaia of the Xipaya people as she rises to the political frontlines of climate justice in Brazil. Vibrantly shot and profoundly intimate, the film traces Xipaia’s defence of the Amazon while she navigates political leadership, personal risk, and impending motherhood. Yanuni is preceded by the short audio-visual whirlwind Pidikwe by Canadian director Caroline Monnet.
On Saturday, January 31, ReFrame presents back-to-back screenings from the Flora & Fauna collection at Showplace. These films depict starkly different approaches to environmental action.
Jen Muranetz’s gripping documentary Fairy Creek at 10 a.m. at Showplace (also available virtually) chronicles the historic protests against old-growth logging in the unceded Ada’itsx (Fairy Creek) valley on Vancouver Island. Through immersive frontline footage, the film brings audiences inside the tensions and breakthroughs inherent to direct defence of a land under threat.
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After a short interval, the doors reopen for Future Council at 12:30 p.m. at Showplace (not available virtually). In this spirited film, director Damen Gameau invites young people from across Europe to challenge major corporations in their own boardrooms.
The Flora & Fauna collection concludes on Sunday, February 1 at 7:30 p.m., as Market Hall hosts a pairing of two films centred on farming, food systems, and inter-generational knowledge.
With Maya Bastian’s 22-minute Shropshire Sheep Scandal, audiences are taken into the story of Ontario farmer Montana Jones’ fight to protect her sheep from government seizure and culling. Tense and deeply personal, the film is followed by the heart-warming feature Woolly by Rebekka Nystabakk.
VIDEO: “Shropshire Sheep Scandal” trailer
VIDEO: “Woolly” trailer
The film (also available virtually) offers a thoughtful portrait of life on a small sheep farm in Arctic Norway, where a daughter and her wife inherit a way of living that tests their resilience. Offering fresh views on sustainability and what it means to farm for the future, Woolly is an uplifting close to ReFrame 2026.
GreenUP is proud to sponsor ReFrame’s Flora & Fauna film collection this year. The social and environmental justice documentary festival runs with in-person screenings at Showplace and Market Hall in downtown Nogojiwanong/Peterborough from January 30 to February 1, followed by the virtual program available across Canada from February 3 to 8.
For more information and to purchase passes and individual tickets, visit reframefilmfestival.ca.
Toronto-based "guerilla-folk-punk" band Lemon Bucket Orkestra performing at the 2025 Peterborough Folk Festival at Nicholls Oval Park. (Photo: Luke Best)
With the Peterborough Folk Festival set to return for its 37th year from August 13 to 16, festival organizers are now accepting submissions from established musical artists who want to perform at the 2026 festival and are also accepting applications for the 2026 Emerging Artist of the Year — with a celebratory concert set for Friday (January 23) that will feature three past recipients.
Over 16,000 people attended the festival in 2025, so securing a performance slot is both highly desirable and highly competitive, with the festival receiving almost 1,000 artist submissions last year.
Submission forms to perform at the festival are available at peterboroughfolkfest.com/artist-submission, with separate forms available for local artists in Peterborough and the Kawarthas (including those originally from the region) and artists from outside the region.
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As for the 2026 Emerging Artist of the Year, submissions will be accepted until February 20 at peterboroughfolkfest.com/emerging-artist, with the recipient to be announced in June.
Award recipients are given showcase performance spots at the festival and receive a trip to the Folk Music Ontario Conference, where they have the opportunity to interact with many people from the music industry including artistic directors, agents, promoters, and other musicians.
Starting in 2025, the Peterborough Musicians Benevolent Association (PMBA) began supplementing the award with the $1,000 PMBA Lynn Morris Memorial Award and Electric Alchemy Recording Studio began providing the recipient with recording and production of a single.
The Peterborough Folk Festival attracted more than 16,000 people in 2025 and contributed nearly $2 million to Peterborough’s economy. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough Folk Festival)
The Emerging Artist Award is selected by a committee who assess applicants on skill, dedication to a musical career, and artistic merit.
Applicants may be solo artists, groups or bands and must live in Peterborough and the Kawarthas, including Hiawatha, Curve Lake, and Alderville First Nations, and must either be under the age of 30 or otherwise considered emerging (for example, by starting a musical career after pursuing education, work, or family).
The inaugural recipient of the award in 2001 was a 19-year-old Serena Ryder, who has since gone on to achieve international success, releasing eight studio albums and winning seven Juno awards, most recently for her 2021 album The Art of Falling Apart.
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Here’s the full list of recipients of the Emerging Artist Award (no award was given in 2020 due to the pandemic):
2025 – Jeanne Truax
2024 – Calvin Bakelaar (aka VANCAMP)
2023 – Irish Millie & Nicholas Campbell
2022 – Nathan Truax
2021 – Lauryn Macfarlane
2019 – Paper Shakers
2018 – Hillary Dumoulin
2017 – Mary-Kate Edwards
2016 – Nick Procyshyn
2015 – Evangeline Gentle
2014 – The Lonely Parade
2013 – Dylan Ireland
2012 – Jos Fortin
2011 – Melissa Payne
2010 – Kate LeDeuce
2009 – Missy Knott
2008 – Sean Conway
2007 – Dave Simard & Kelly McMichael
2006 – Drea Nasager
2005 – Benj Rowland
2004 – Beau Dixon
2003 – Jill Staveley
2002 – James McKenty
2001 – Serena Ryder
Jeanne Truax, Calvin Bakelaar (aka VANCAMP), and Irish Millie, who are three past recipients of the Peterborough Folk Festival’s Emerging Artist award, will perform at the Market Hall in downtown Peterborough on January 23, 2026. (kawarthaNOW collage
Three of the most recent Emerging Artist Award recipients — Jeanne Truax, Calvin Bakelaar, and Irish Millie — will be joined by some special guests to perform at a concert celebrating the legacy and impact of the festival’s Emerging Artist program at 8 p.m. on Friday, January 23 at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre in downtown Peterborough.
Tickets for the concert, which cost $44 for assigned cabaret table seating or $34 for regular assigned seating, are still available at markethall.org.
With planning now underway for the 2026 festival, organizers are encouraging community donations to support the festival’s $200,000-plus cost, which includes artist fees, rental of stages and other equipment, artist and volunteer hospitality, production, site and security, and insurance and permits. Donations of $25 or more at peterboroughfolkfest.com/donate include a charitable tax receipt.
The Peterborough Police Service launched a refreshed public education and awareness campaign on January 21, 2026, aimed at increasing the reporting of hate-motivated incidents and improving community understanding of hate and bias. (Graphic: Peterborough Police Service)
The Peterborough Police Service has launched a refreshed public education and awareness campaign aimed at increasing the reporting of hate-motivated incidents and improving community understanding of hate and bias.
Branded as N0H8 (pronounced “No Hate” and stylized with the letters N and H and numbers 0 and 8), the initiative is funded through a three-year Proceeds of Crime Grant from the Ontario government.
Announced during a media conference at the Peterborough police station on Water Street on Wednesday morning (January 21), the campaign encourages residents to learn what constitutes hate and bias, how to report such incidents, and the role of police in responding.
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N0H8 aims to raise awareness about what hate and hate incidents may look like in the community, promote personal stories of courage and acceptance, make educational resources more accessible, and encourage more people to report hate incidents through the police service’s online reporting portal at www.peterboroughpolice.com/n0h8.
From 2020 and 2024, the Peterborough Police Service says there were 201 hate/bias incidents or crimes in the region it serves (the City of Peterborough, Village of Lakefield, and Township of Cavan-Monaghan).
The highest number of incidents (67) occurred in 2023 and included multiple reports related to the distribution of antisemitic flyers in Peterborough. After a four-month investigation, police arrested and charged a 31-year-old Peterborough man in connection with that incident.
Some of the supporting graphics that are part of the Peterborough Police Service’s “N0H8” public education and awareness campaign aimed at increasing the reporting of hate-motivated incidents and improving community understanding of hate and bias. Police are asking residents, businesses, and schools to help share the N0H8 message. (Graphics: Peterborough Police Service)
Chief Stuart Betts said the N0H8 campaign responds to both ongoing community concerns about hate/bias incidents and the underreporting of these incidents.
“Over the past five years, on average, 46 hate/bias incidents are reported (each year) to our service,” the chief said. “In 2024, more than half of those incidents resulted in charges. We are also aware that these types of incidents are underreported and that is why we are reaching out to the community to encourage more people to report.”
Betts noted he anticipates the campaign may result in a “spike” in the reporting of hate-motivated incidents or crimes, adding that this “to be expected with a campaign of this nature.”
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As part of the grant-funded work, the police service has created a dedicated website that defines hate and bias incidents, lists resources and community supports, and links directly to the online reporting form.
Police are also developing training for both sworn and civilian members of the service and are working on an online visual tool to illustrate how hate manifests locally.
Police say that throughout the development of the campaign, they connected with community partners to better understand local needs and gaps, including the City of Peterborough, the New Canadians Centre, the Race Relations Committee, and Peterborough Youth Services.
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To build engagement, police are asking residents, businesses, and schools to help share the N0H8 message. Businesses can display window stickers, add links on their websites, and share information through social media. Schools are being encouraged to discuss the campaign in class, invite police community service officers to speak to students, and learn how to report hate and bias incidents. Individuals can access the online toolkit and share campaign materials on social media using the hashtags #nameit #reportit #n0h8.
Residents can also expect to see the Peterborough Police Service supporting the campaign by placing N0H8 stickers on police vehicles, wearing pins, providing direct links to the online reporting portal, hosting pop-up outreach events, and attending community events.
The refreshed N0H8 campaign reflects an initiative that has existed for more than a decade. N0H8 information cards were first launched in the early 2010s with community support, updated in 2017, and expanded in 2022 when the police service began accepting hate and bias reports through its online portal. The revamped campaign, including updated information cards, marks the latest phase of activity using the provincial grant.
A demonstration in November 2025 conducted by Tulmar Safety Systems with the support of the Hawkesbury Fire Department of the company's KOVA EV fire blanket, a Canadian-engineered and Canadian-made tool designed to support first responders in managing electric vehicle (EV) fires. (Photo: Tulmar Safety Systems)
Six fire services in the city and county of Peterborough are receiving a total of $316,565 in provincial funding to improve firefighter health and safety, modernize station infrastructure, and strengthen capacity to respond to emerging fire risks such as lithium-ion battery incidents.
The funding comes through Ontario’s Fire Protection Grant, an application-based program first introduced in the 2024 Ontario budget as a three-year initiative to provide municipal fire services with the resources needed to address contemporary safety challenges faced by Ontario’s 33,000 municipal firefighters.
According to a media release from Peterborough-Kawartha MPP Dave Smith, the province-wide grant has increased from $10 million to $20 million for 2025-26 so that more small and mid-sized municipalities can access specialized equipment upgrades and cancer mitigation measures.
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“By doubling this year’s Fire Protection Grant, we are ensuring our local heroes have the specialized equipment and training they need to stay safe on the job and return home healthy to their families,” Smith said in the release.
Eligible projects for 2025-26 grants focus on cancer prevention, response to incidents involving lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles and electronics, and infrastructure modernization including high-speed broadband for rural fire halls.
The projects in the city and county of Peterborough receiving grants are listed below.
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (known as PFAS) are so-called “forever chemicals” present in older firefighter gear that pose health concerns including increased cancer risk. Selwyn will replace legacy gear with PFAS-free materials and install industrial decontamination cabinets to remove carcinogenic contaminants from equipment before reuse.
“Protecting the health of our firefighters is one of our highest priorities,” said Selwyn Fire Chief Gord Jopling. “This funding enables us to invest in equipment that directly supports cancer prevention and ensures our crews’ health and safety is protected.”
Douro-Dummer Township – Station Air Quality & Hose Care – $68,141
The project will add exhaust scrubbers to remove diesel soot — a recognized carcinogen — from station air, while specialized hose-washing equipment will ensure fire hoses are free of toxic residue before they return to service.
“As we are experiencing the loss of a firefighter brother from a workplace-related cancer, the Government of Ontario’s financial support to reduce exposure to cancer-causing carcinogens really hits home for us,” said Douro-Dummer Fire Chief Chuck Pedersen.
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Municiality of Trent Lakes – Modernization & SCBA Care – $65,780
Upgrades include improved station broadband, enabling real-time mapping and thermal information sharing during emergencies, and support for equipment care for self-contained breathing apparatuses (SCBA) used during structural firefighting.
“With the implementation of this grant, we are able to ensure our firefighters are better protected while serving our community,” said Steve Brockbank, Fire Chief of Trent Lakes Fire Rescue, calling the provncial grant an investment in firefighter safety and cancer mitigation measures.
City of Peterborough – New Battery Threats & PPE – $50,000
Funding will support new fire blankets designed for lithium-ion battery fires in electric vehicles, which burn hotter and longer than other fires, and will provide individual face pieces to reduce cross-contamination risk between firefighters.
“Firefighting is a demanding profession that carries real and lasting health and safety risks,” said Chris Snetsinger, Chief of Peterborough Fire Services. “Whether that’s limiting exposure to contaminants or improving protective equipment, investments in firefighter safety are investments in the well-being of our entire community.”
Funding will support ram-air dryers that force heated airflow through the internal layers of heavy gear to prevent mould growth and to ensure equipment dries quickly between calls.
North Kawartha Township – Cancer Prevention Packs – $18,536
“Decon packs” will allow firefighters to perform an initial on-scene scrub before re-entering trucks, reducing cabin contamination and limiting secondary exposure to carcinogens following structural firefighting incidents.
“The new bunker gear will enhance firefighter safety and ensure our fire department continues to meet current safety standards,” said North Kawartha Mayor Carolyn Amyotte, adding that the provincial grant helps offset the cost to the township of acquiring critical protective equipment.
A sold-out crowd of 200 people attended the Peterborough and Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce's inaugural Luminary Awards celebration at the Great Hall of Trent University's Champlain College on May 8, 2025, which saw awards in five categories that recognize women at all stages of their careers presented to Sheena Howard, Jenisha Sanjit Arora, Rachel Stark, Tiffany Arcari, and Jeannine Taylor. (Photo: Jordan Lyall Photography)
You still have time to nominate an inspiring woman in business — whether a owner or employee — for the second annual Luminary Awards at www.luminaryawards.ca.
Nominations for the awards, which are organized by the Peterborough and Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce, close at 5 p.m. this Monday (January 25). The awards are open to anyone who identifies as a woman and who lives or works in the city or county of Peterborough or who has demonstrated an ongoing impact within the region.
“Women have a lot of things that they balance, deal with, and keep sorted and I think taking a moment to pause and really celebrate all the hard work that women do in the community — celebrating the remarkableness of them — is something we should do and I’m really excited to do that,” says chamber CEO and president Brenda Whitehead.
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Previously the CEO of the Port Hope and District Chamber of Commerce for more than seven years before joining the Peterborough chamber last summer, Whitehead says she was already aware of the Luminary Awards, which were launched in September 2024, and is “excited” for the second edition of the awards.
“It was one of the things that I really valued and appreciated, that the (Peterborough and Kawarthas) Chamber of Commerce was taking the moment to pause to celebrate women who deserve some focus,” she says. “The Luminary Awards, celebrating the luminaries and the people who are lighting up the community, is really a fantastic program.”
Along with the five previous award categories of Trailblazer, Barrier Buster, One to Watch, Emerging Entrepreneur, and Legacy, the 2026 Luminary Awards include the two new categories of Building Belonging and Community Catalyst.
“What the committee noticed through some of the nominations (last year) is these were characteristics of some really remarkable, rising women, and they realized they should probably think about celebrating those two components as well,” says Whitehead.
Sheena Howard of Acceptance Nurse Psychotherapy and BizNurse Savvy reacts to winning the Trailblazer – Entrepreneur award during the Peterborough and Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce’s inaugural Luminary Awards celebration at the Great Hall of Trent University’s Champlain College on May 8, 2025. (Photo: Jordan Lyall Photography)
Last year, 56 women were nominated for a Luminary Award, with five award recipients announced at a sold-out celebration in May at Trent University.
The inaugural recipients were Sheena Howard (Trailblazer – Entrepreneur), Jenisha Sanjit Arora (Barrier Buster – Employee), Rachel Stark (One to Watch – Employee), Tiffany Arcari (Emerging Entrepreneur), and Jeannine Taylor (Legacy).
“The committee that is responsible for the Luminary Awards are women,” Whitehead notes. “They are women leaders, they believe in the power of women, they believe in the power of Peterborough. They really do believe that leadership and innovation and having vision is important, and so they are trying to pay attention to the nominees, the lucky recipients, and what’s actually happening in the community as things arise around women in business.”
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Whitehead suggests it’s important that the awards not just celebrate women who are entrepreneurs or who have built a legacy running their own businesses, but that they also celebrate women at all levels and stages of their career — which is why the awards also include two employee award categories.
“Leadership doesn’t come with experience, it doesn’t come with age, it doesn’t come with expertise, it doesn’t come with those things that can be typically associated with recognition” Whitehead says. “Leadership and setting an example and being a luminary can happen to anybody at any time because of who they are and what they do.”
“I think it’s important to remember that we’re celebrating who women are almost in their natural state and that’s why it’s important to have the different levels, different stages, and different accomplishments to look at. Leadership and lighting the world up happens at all ages and stages.”
kawarthaNOW founder, CEO, and publisher Jeannine Taylor speaks at the podium at the Peterborough and Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce’s inaugural Luminary Awards celebration at the Great Hall of Trent University’s Champlain College on May 8, 2025 after being announced as the winner of the Legacy award. (Photo: Jordan Lyall Photography)
With the exception of the Barrier Buster category where self-nominations will be considered, all categories are only open for peer nomination. The nominator will be asked to provide a brief overview explaining why the nominee is a candidate.
“We really want this to be a celebration of recognition, and the Barrier Buster category is one that we agreed to accept self-nominations for because it’s a different story to tell,” says Whitehead. “Not everyone knows how high somebody has risen above the barriers that are put in front of them, but we know our own stories from that perspective and some of them may be very surprising.”
Following the end of nominations on January 26, women who have been nominated will be notified in early February and invited to submit a full application package. The Peterborough and Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce will also be hosting an orientation session for nominees to learn more about the process and to ask questions.
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Whitehead explains that many women who were nominated last year “couldn’t believe” they had been recognized by their peers, demonstrating the significance of the nomination process itself.
“It reminds them that the work they do is important,” says Whitehead. “It also reminds them that they can overcome things, that we all have our own story to tell, and that we need to pause and look at what women in business are doing.”
The award recipients will be announced and celebrated during an event scheduled for Thursday, May 7. More information and ticket sales will follow.
“The positivity from that first event has really amplified things so that we could add a couple more categories this year, and we’ll continue to watch the program sparkle and really light up the community,” says Whitehead. “Everybody knows a woman and it’s time that we give them ‘flowers’ for the great work they’re doing — those flowers are the nominations.”
Community members gather for the sold-out celebration for the Peterborough and Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce’s inaugural Luminary Awards at the Great Hall of Trent University’s Champlain College on May 8, 2025. (Photo: Jordan Lyall Photography)
Nominations are open in the seven categories listed below until 5 p.m. on Monday, January 26. For nomination forms, visit www.luminaryawards.ca. The chamber will contact all nominees, and will also be offering a nominee information night.
Trailblazer (Entrepreneur) – Celebrating a business owner whose leadership, ingenuity, and boldness have sparked success and inspired others.
Emerging Entrepreneur – Celebrating a rising business owner who has launched a fresh, innovative venture that is already making its mark and shows exciting potential for the future.
Barrier Buster – Celebrating a remarkable woman who has excelled in her field by breaking through barriers. She has faced challenges — whether gender-based, systemic, cultural, language, disability-related, or otherwise — and risen above them with skill, creativity, and perseverance.
One to Watch (Employee) – Recognizing an emerging leader whose innovative ideas, meaningful contributions, and proven success show outstanding potential for the future. (Nominee may hold entry to mid-level management roles.)
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Legacy – Honouring a woman whose career is defined by excellence, generosity, and community impact. Her vision and success have created opportunities for others — through employment, mentorship, philanthropy, or long-term influence — leaving an enduring mark.
Building Belonging – Celebrating a woman whose inclusive leadership and equity-driven innovation has reshaped how business is done—demonstrating that building for belonging is not just the right thing to do, it’s a strategic advantage. Nominees may focus on workplace culture, employee experience, and/or customer-facing innovation.
Community Catalyst – Celebrating an individual whose leadership, collaboration, and vision have sparked positive change in the community. A Community Catalyst brings people together, builds partnerships, and drives meaningful progress on local priorities. Nominees can be paid staff or volunteers of a not-for-profit organization, or be an employee or owner of a business or enterprise.
kawarthaNOW is proud to be the presenting media sponsor of the Luminary Awards.
The Kawartha Community Foundation has announced a new initiative that will see $180,000 in funding for six local non-profit organizations to support residents who need help navigating the justice system.
“Together for Justice” is a community-driven initiative designed to strengthen access to justice and address systemic barriers across Kawartha Lakes by investing directly in local organizations and community-led solutions.
Led by the Kawartha Community Foundation (formerly Community Foundation of Kawartha Lakes), the initiative is funded by Community Foundations of Canada along with The Law Foundation of Ontario, which awards millions of dollars each year to grants, class actions, and Legal Aid Ontario to advance access to justice across the province.
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According to the Kawartha Community Foundation, the Together for Justice initiative focuses on early intervention, prevention, and navigation to help people access legal support before their challenges escalate.
Funded activities include legal education and rights awareness, justice navigation and access supports, restorative and diversion-based approaches, and practical supports that reduce barriers to accessing justice related to poverty, geography, trauma, age, youth involvement, and newcomer status.
Together for Justice is also aligned with the work of the Kawartha Lakes Human Services and Justice Coordinating Committee, which brings together partners from justice, health, housing, and social services to improve coordination, reduce service gaps, and better support individuals with complex needs who are either involved with the justice system or at risk of becoming involved.
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The six organizations receiving funding from the Together for Justice initiative are:
A Place Called Home (APCH) in Lindsay, which will provide transportation support to legal, court, and justice-related services for people facing housing instability and vulnerability.
Community Care City of Kawartha Lakes, which will provide senior-focused justice education and cyber-fraud prevention to reduce exploitation and support early intervention.
Kawartha Lakes & Haliburton Integrated Immigrant Services Association, in collaboration with the New Canadians Centre in Peterborough, which will provide newcomer rights workshops and strengthened collaboration among service providers and employers to improve access to justice.
John Howard Society of the Kawarthas, which will providing educational support as well as technology and a safe spaces to access justice-related services.
Kawartha Haliburton Victim Services, which will providing mobile justice outreach, legal education, and navigation supports, especially for residents in remote and rural communities.
BGC Kawarthas, which will support the Youth Justice Committee Program to enhance accountability, diversion, and positive outcomes for youth. The program is an alternative to formal court proceedings, where youth and their parents/guardians meet with a committee of community volunteers and the victim to negotiate meaningful ways for outh to repair the harm caused.
In addition to receiving funding from the Together for Justice initiative, the participating organizations will participate in facilitated community roundtables to share learning, identify service gaps, and strengthen coordination across justice, social, and community service sectors.
Lindsay native Pearl Hart's gun on display in the Yuma Territorial Prison State Historic Park in Arizona. (Photo: Wikipedia)
Audiences can get a preview of a new historical play written by Maja Ardal when Millbrook’s 4th Line Theatre presents its 19th annual “Breaking Ground” event on Saturday, January 31 at Bagnani Hall at Traill College in Peterborough.
Beginning at 2 p.m., the free public reading of excerpts from Ardal’s play The Legend of Pearl Hart will feature 4th Line Theatre founder Robert Winslow, Amy Keating, Colin A. Doyle, Lindsay Wilson, Ryan Tobin, and Celine Gadoury. Anita La Selva is directing the public reading, with 4th Line’s managing artistic director Kim Blackwell serving as dramaturge.
The Legend of Pearl Hart tells the story of the most famous female bandit in the American West. Born Pearl Taylor in Lindsay in 1871, Hart’s colourful life story includes becoming enamored with a rakish young man named Hart at the age of 16, with whom she had two children, and later attending the Chicago World’s Fair where she developed a fascination with the cowboy lifestyle while watching Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show.
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By early 1898, Hart was living in a mining town in Arizona when she fell upon hard times after the mine closed. Looking to raise money after receiving a message asking her to return home to her seriously ill mother, the 28-year-old Hart partnered with a man known only as “Joe Boot” to look for gold in an old mining claim he owned. When that endeavour failed, Hart and Boot decided to rob a stagecoach. While the pair galloped away with over $400 (worth over $16,000 today), they were captured by a posse less than a week later.
The robbery and Hart’s gender created a media frenzy. After a sensational trial in which she was acquitted, Hart was immediately rearrested for interfering with U.S. mail and sent to Yuma Territorial Prison, an all-male prison. During her incarceration, she continued to attract public interest until she was pardoned three years later in 1902 and largely dropped out of the public eye.
An Icelandic-Canadian based in Muskoka, Ardal is an actor, director, and playwright who has performed across Canada, the U.S and the U.K. with her award-winning solo shows You Fancy Yourself and The Cure for Everything. Her plays The Hero of Hunter Street and Wishful Seeing saw their world premiere performances at 4th Line in 2016 and 2022 respectively.
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Breaking Ground is part of 4th Line Theatre’s New Play Development program, designed to support, nurture, and encourage the creation of environmentally staged historical plays.
“Public readings are an important part of the creation of plays,” says Blackwell in a media release. “This forum gives the writer the opportunity to figure out what resonates with audiences. The audience’s feedback during the discussion afterward may be the most valuable aspect of Breaking Ground.”
While the public reading is free, seating is very limited. To reserve a seat, call 4th Line Theatre’s Box Office at 705-932-4445 or email boxoffice@4thlinetheatre.on.ca.
Peterborough-Kawartha MPP Dave Smith with Cheesy Fromage owner Tanya Bailey and her Rural Entrepreneur award from Ontario's Ministry of Rural Affairs. The Lakefield business owner was formally presented with the inaugural award as part of the first Rural Inspiration Awards event at the Rural Ontario Municipalities Association (ROMA) conference in Toronto on January 19, 2026. (Photo: Office of Dave Smith)
Lakefield entrepreneur Tanya Bailey, owner of The Cheesy Fromage, has been recognized by Ontario’s Ministry of Rural Affairs with the inaugural Rural Entrepreneur award.
Rural Affairs Minister Lisa Thompson presented Bailey with the award on Monday (January 19) as part of the first Rural Inspiration Awards event at the Rural Ontario Municipalities Association (ROMA) conference in Toronto.
Bailey was recognized for her efforts in delivering sustainable, local, and healthy home-made meal options to assist residents with meal planning and nutrition.
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“Rural small businesses like Cheesy Fromage are what keeps rural Ontario moving,” said Thompson in a media release. “It is so important to celebrate the entrepreneurial spirit found each and every day in rural Ontario.”
Bailey first opened The Cheesy Fromage in 2022, offering a selection of Ontario cheeses with sit-down dining and take-out along with custom charcuterie boards.
In 2025, she purchased the historic building at 14 Queen Street where Lakefield’s first general store was located and renamed the business The Cheesy Fromage General Store, preserving the store’s original history and including a gallery space.
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Bailey said she was honoured to receive the Rural Entrepreneur 2026 award.
“I am very blessed to have a small business in a rural community which allows me to connect farming and the production of Ontario cheeses with an amazing community like Lakefield in the heart of the Kawarthas,” she said.
“I hope that in some small way I can continue to raise awareness of the hard work of Ontario cheese makers and how they stand shoulder to shoulder with the best cheese producers in the world.”
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Bailey was also recognized for revitalizing the Peterborough Agricultural Society by helping steer the 180-year-old organization back from the brink of permanent closure in early 2025.
“Tanya has proven that her dedication to the county’s agricultural community extends far beyond the walls of her Queen Street business,” said Greg Bartlett, vice chair of the Peterborough Agricultural Society.
Bartlett also recognized Bailey’s “strong voice” in local recovery efforts after the October 2025 fire in downtown Lakefield.
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Peterborough–Kawartha MPP Dave Smith praised Bailey’s contributions to the region, crediting her with strengthening connections between farmers and consumers.
“By revitalizing the Peterborough Agricultural Society and championing sustainable food through The Cheesy Fromage, Tanya has created a blueprint for rural innovation,” Smith said. “Her tenacity — especially in the face of this past year’s challenges — is a driving force for Peterborough–Kawartha.”
The Cheesy Fromage General Store will be participating in Selwyn Township’s PolarFest winter festival by hosting “The Great Cheese Melt” from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday, February 1. Guests can indulge in melted cheeses while exploring the Lakefield Winters Past exhibit at the Lakefield Historical Society Gallery located inside the store.
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