Peterborough Performs IV has raised more than $30,000 for the United Way Peterborough & District’s partner agencies supporting people in the community who are experiencing homelessness.

Held last Thursday (March 7), the benefit concert saw 16 acts perform on two stages at Showplace Performance Centre in downtown Peterborough. Along with ticket sales, there was also a virtual auction to raise additional funds.

Organized by Paul Rellinger, the event was supported financially by Peterborough Performs founder David Goyette, virtual auction sponsor LLF Lawyers, artist sponsors Miskin Law and Dr. Stephan Ragaz, and Local Love sponsors Ashburnham Realty, Sullivan Law, Brian Mulligan Desjardin Insurance, Lancer Electric, McDougall Insurance, and Swish.

In-kind donation sponsors were Andy Tough of RMS Events, Porter Sound, Long and McQuade, and Showplace Performance Centre, with kawarthaNOW as the exclusive digital media sponsor and the event emceed by Tiffany Arcari.

Thanks to the support of sponsors, the United Way was able to provide the over 40 local musicians and performers who offered to volunteer their time and talent with an honorarium.

After expenses, the total amount raised at this year’s event was $30,105 — the highest amount ever, bringing the grand total raised by Peterborough Performs since the first concert in March 2020 to $109,975.

While International Women’s Day is over, Peterborough isn’t done celebrating all the extraordinary contributions of women in the community.

Women United Peterborough has opened nominations for the inaugural Women of Impact Awards, which will recognize women and individuals who identify as women in the city and county of Peterborough who have gone above and beyond to demonstrate remarkable contributions in the community.

Twenty local women of diverse backgrounds and professions, to be selected by Women United Peterborough’s volunteer steering committee, will be honoured at an event on Thursday, May 30th at Keene’s Farmhill Weddings. Nominations for the award are open until Sunday, April 14th.

“Here in Peterborough City and County, our goal is to elevate the Women United movement and shine a spotlight on the incredible local women who are driving positive change,” says Maryam Monsef, founding chair of Women United Peterborough, in a media release. “Through our collective efforts, we aim to raise funds to support vital programs and initiatives that empower and uplift women and those who identify as women in our community.”

Launched in 2002, Women United is an international initiative of United Ways across the globe and, regionally, representing a collective of women, inclusive of those who identify as women and allies. Across North America, Women United has 70,000 women involved in 165 communities. In Peterborough, the initiative empowers women, girls, those who identify as women, and their families through mentorship, advocation, and amplification of marginalized voices.

“It’s about elevating the role of women in the community by thinking about challenges and gaps, and what we can do as women to support women and fund more initiatives and programs,” says Anne Ondercin, director of philanthropy at United Way Peterborough & District. “Through the pandemic especially, women became more disadvantaged, and it just hasn’t bounced back the same way, so we have to continually make sure that we don’t lose the progress that we make.”

While the role of Women United is to move towards empowering more women, it’s also about recognizing the successes and changemakers happening now, with the hope of inspiring others to follow in their footsteps.

“We want to encourage people to start thinking about recognizing the role that women play in the community and what we would be missing without it,” says Ondercin. “When women are supported socially and we remove those economic and social barriers, we’re providing a situation in an environment when girls and women and those who identify as women can lead to their full potential into the future.”

With the aim of always being inclusive, those nominated for the Women of Impact Awards can be living or deceased, be of any age and background, and can offer any story. Whether it’s women who have helped their neighbours, dedicated time to a cause or organization, advocated for marginalized groups, or offered their knowledge and resources to social advancement, there is a place for everyone in the awards.

“We really want to recognize the impact that women have every day, and particularly women who are the unsung heroes — women who are working tirelessly in the background and don’t necessarily get picked up for the prestigious awards,” Ondercin says. “Those are the stories we love because we want to show how together we can have an impact. Even if it seems to be smaller, the power of that collective impact on the community is really important.”

While details are still being finalized, the event at the woman-led Farmhill Weddings from 6 to 9 p.m. on May 30 will include opportunities to hear from speakers, connect with honourees, and celebrate women and those who identify as women in the community. Tickets will be on sale after the 20 award recipients are announced following the closing of nominations.

“We want to create that special feeling for women to come out and really feel like their heart is more fill than it was when they arrived,” says Ondercin. “Our goal is to really fill up women’s cups with recognition and gratefulness that we feel.”

Aligning with the nomination submissions period, Women United is hosting the inaugural session of their speakers series, held online from noon to 1 p.m. on Monday, March 25th.

Moderated by Monsef, the debut session will include local pioneers Lynn Zimmer, the founder of Interval House and former long-time executive director of YWCA Peterborough Haliburton, and Dr. Dawn Lavell-Harvard, the director of the First Peoples House of Learning at Trent University, who will speak on the struggle for a national inquiry on missing and murdered Indigenous women.

To register for the free webinar, visit www.uwpeterborough.ca/women-united-speaker-series/.

Moving forward, Women United will be seeking feedback from guests and viewers on the types of conversations they want to explore through the speaker series, with the aim of presenting three to five webinars over the course of the year.

“We are getting women connected and thinking about these conversations around women and having them in smaller digestible bits,” says Ondercin. “It’s an uplifting conversation, but we’re also learning about where we’ve been and that’s why this is a great first series.”

With the series highlighting conversations around progress and the past when it comes to women’s initiatives, the Women of Impact Awards is the focus of the impacts happening now from those in the community, while Women United continues to connect and open conversations surrounding future initiatives.

“It’s a really wonderful parallel to the work that United Way does in the community, because together we are stronger,” says Ondercin. “That’s what we’re aiming for with these Women of Impact Awards.”

Those looking to contribute to the Women United are encouraged to make a donation to United Way Peterborough at the leadership level by March 31 for it to be matched.

Visit www.uwpeterborough.ca/women-of-impact/ to nominate an individual. Women United are still seeking sponsors for the event. Email Anne Ondercin at aondercin@uwpeterborough.ca for more information.

It’s the first day of spring on Tuesday (March 19), but the City of Peterborough has already started its annual spring street maintenance program of street sweeping and pothole patching.

With the mild temperatures and lack of snow and ice, the annual program is beginning almost three weeks earlier than last year.

From March to May, the city’s street sweepers will be cleaning all 958 lane kilometres of roadways in the city, as well as city-owned sidewalks, trails, and parking lots. Many areas receive a secondary sweep as required, based on the amount of residue on the surface.

Each year, crews begin street sweeping at a different area of the city. This year, street sweeping will begin in the city’s east end, followed by the north and west ends and finishing in the south end. The work typically takes seven weeks to complete, depending on weather conditions.

The city is asking residents to keep streets clear by placing garbage and recycling containers on lawns or driveways, removing sports nets, and not parking on the street. This ensures the sweeping equipment can reach the full street surface.

The city is also asking residents to proceed with caution when approaching street-sweeping vehicles, and allow for plenty of room for safe operations.

The city’s public works crews are also patching potholes in city streets, which frequently happen in late winter and early spring when water gets below the surface of the road and is subjected to repeated freeze-thaw cycles. Water expands when it freezes and weakens the pavement, with traffic driving over weakened areas causing potholes.

The city is asking motorists to use caution and reduce speed when approaching road maintenance crews, leaving a safe distance for crews to complete their work.

While the city monitors and fixes road surfaces year-round according provincial maintenance standards as conditions permit, residents can report potholes that need attention using the online form at www.peterborough.ca/reportanissue.

In the realm of architecture and construction, innovation isn’t confined to towering skyscrapers or sprawling complexes. As we work toward meeting Canada’s climate targets, there is a growing recognition of the need for more sustainable, cost-effective, and resilient building materials.

Traditional building materials like concrete and steel often have significant environmental costs, from the depletion of natural resources and high emissions during manufacturing and transportation.

By turning to alternative materials, we can reduce the negative impacts of conventional construction and create structures that are not only durable and sustainable, but beautiful as well.

“We can create spaces where both people and nature can thrive — where we welcome nature back to our built environment, where we mimic natural cycles in the building materials we use and in the way we design our buildings,” says Jacob Rodenburg, executive director of Camp Kawartha, a children’s camp and education facility that has been at the local forefront of building with natural materials.

Whether by utilizing carefully sourced materials or repurposing waste products, these approaches can be used by individuals, businesses, and communities to build more sustainable structures tailored to their unique needs and environments.

There are countless options for alternative building materials, but the local agricultural sector makes straw bale building and hempcrete especially attractive.

The practice of straw bale building is exactly what it sounds like: using straw bales that are stacked, then plastered or encased to form walls that result in a structure with excellent insulation properties. Straw is an affordable, readily available agricultural product that is easy to source locally.

Hempcrete is another alternative building material that can be created with locally produced agricultural products.

Hemp hurds are a byproduct made from the woody stem residue that makes up the largest portion of the hemp plant. These hemp hurds are mixed with lime and water to create a strong, lightweight, and breathable alternative to concrete. This material can then be used to build self-insulating walls.

Rammed earth building, another hyper-local approach to building, does not rely on agriculture for production. Instead, this type of construction involves compacting a mixture of earth, gravel, sand, and a binder into a frame using techniques called tamping or ramming to create a solid wall.

In some cases, the soil removed to create the foundation of the building can be the same soil used to form the walls while, in other cases, materials are sourced from local quarries.

This method has been practised for centuries around the world and is renowned for its durability and thermal mass, which means it can store heat and protect against temperature fluctuations. Rammed earth buildings are easily recognized by their natural aesthetic, with walls showcasing beautiful layers of distinct textures and colours of the materials used.

All of these materials will be showcased for the public to enjoy during the “Building with Sustainable Materials” tour and talk on Thursday, March 28th from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the Camp Kawartha Environment Centre at 2505 Pioneer Road in Peterborough.

Built in 2009 by students of Fleming College’s former Sustainable Building Design and Construction program, the Environment Centre demonstrates various innovative approaches to green architecture such as straw bale walls, thatched roofing, hempcrete and slip-straw insulation, as well as geothermal heating.

“It’s a place that shows that it is possible to live differently, to regenerate our built spaces, and to welcome nature back home,” Rodenburg notes.

Hosted by Green Economy Peterborough and Farms at Work, the “Building with Sustainable Materials” event will feature a guided tour of the Environment Centre alongside presentations from Rodenburg, Sylvia Cook of Aerecura, and Sharon Inward of Inward Design and Consulting.

As space is limited, interested participants are encouraged to register early at eventbrite.ca/e/857569241687.

Cobourg entrepreneur and former Northumberland-Peterborough South MP Kim Rudd has passed away at the age of 66, following a lengthy battle with ovarian cancer.

The Northumberland-Peterborough South Federal Liberal Association shared an announcement of Rudd’s passing on Wednesday (March 13).

According to her daughter, Rudd entered Ed’s House Northumberland Hospice Care Centre in Cobourg on Friday. She passed away on Tuesday surrounded by her family.

Rudd began her entrepreneurial career in 1985 as a stay-at-home mom when she and a friend opened Cook’s Day School, a not-for-profit organization that eventually grew to employ 35 workers and nurture 170 children, to address a lack of child care in the community.

In 1992, she became president and owner of Willis College’s Cobourg campus, a private career college, for which she was recognized with the 2011 RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Award.

“I’ve been an advocate for entrepreneurship my whole life and we have a major problem with unemployment,” Rudd said at the time. “We need to be more creative in the area of job creation and I want to be part of a government and a movement that makes it happen.”

VIDEO: Kim Rudd – 2011 RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards

Rudd entered politics when she ran for the Liberals in the 2015 federal election, becoming the first MP of the then-new Northumberland-Peterborough South riding.

She was appointed parliamentary secretary to the natural resources minister, served as chair of the parliamentary health research caucus, and was a member of the federal standing committees of both finance and natural resources. After she was defeated in the 2019 federal election by Conservative Philip Lawrence, Rudd became a consultant for the Canadian Nuclear Association.

During her career, Rudd served as president of the Northumberland Central Chamber of Commerce and chair of the Physician Recruitment and Retention Committee of Northumberland. She was also involved in many local charitable organizations, including as a long-time member of the Rotary Club of Cobourg, and was actively involved with local sports groups, including baseball and hockey.

Outside of Northumberland County, Rudd served as vice-chair of the Ontario Training Completion Assurance Fund Secretariat, vice-president of the Association of Career Colleges, and was the founding executive director of the Association of Private Colleges.

Rudd is survived by her husband Tom Rudd, her daughter Alison Rudd and her wife Kathy Johnson, her daughter Stefanie Rudd and her husband Ziyad Sidawi, and grandchildren Morgan Johnson, Avery Koehn, Hobie Johnson-Rudd and his wife Ridhi Sharma, and Amira Sidawi.

On Wednesday afternoon, Cobourg mayor Lucas Cleveland issued a statement on Rudd’s passing.

“Kim Rudd was a respected entrepreneur and committed volunteer who will be missed,” Cleveland said, outlining her accomplishments as an entrepreneur and MP, including her work on five housing projects in Northumberland County and her support of the Venture13 Innovation and Entrepreneurship Centre.

“Ms. Rudd was an advocate for Cobourg and Northumberland County, a committed volunteer and a trusted and valued mentor. On behalf of all council and staff, we would like to thank her for all that she did for our community and its residents.”

While flags across all municipal buildings are currently lowered in honour of former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, they will remain lowered until after Mulroney’s funeral on March 23 in honour of Rudd.

Northumberland County deputy warden and Port Hope mayor Olena Hankivsky also issued a statement on Rudd’s passing on Wednesday afternoon.

“Kim was not only a distinguished public servant but also a remarkable community member whose passionate voice for women, and whose contributions to her community, extended far beyond the political arena,” Hankivsky said in part. “Her commitment and dedication to so many important causes, both within politics and in our community, will leave a lasting legacy.”

Along with the Town of Cobourg, flags at Northumberland County buildings will remain lowered as a mark of respect for both Rudd and Mulroney.

On Wednesday night, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also issued a statement on the passing of Rudd.

“Kim was a thoughtful and tireless advocate for Canadians,” Trudeau said in part. “When we spoke last week, I was inspired by the optimism she felt toward our country. Kim truly believed in Canada and in Canadians — and her generosity left a positive impact on thousands.”

“On behalf of the Government of Canada, I offer my deepest condolences to her family and friends. She leaves behind a legacy of kindness, warmth, and remarkable strength.”

Today, we mourn the passing of former Member of Parliament, Kim Rudd. A thoughtful and tireless advocate for her community and rural Canadians, her generosity left a positive impact on thousands. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s statement on her passing: https://t.co/Q3UYUEf86U

— CanadianPM (@CanadianPM) March 14, 2024

This story has been updated to include a statement from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Applications are now open for the City of Peterborough’s youth council for the 2024-25 term.

The Peterborough Youth Council is a voice for local youth in the community, with members attending monthly meetings and collaborating with city recreation and parks services staff to organize and become involved in community events that may take place on evenings, weekends, and sometimes during school hours.

“The youth council contributes a lot of valuable perspectives to community events,” says councillor Lesley Parnell who, along with councillor Gary Baldwin, is co-chair of the city’s new community services (recreation and parks, fire services, and arenas) portfolio. “In turn, members gain valuable experience and make new friends. I encourage anyone who is interested to apply.”

Young people between the ages of 12 and 21 who live or attend school in Peterborough can apply to be on the youth council by visiting peterborough.ca/youthcouncil. Applications are open until 4:30 p.m. on Friday, April 26th.

A role on the youth council is a volunteer position. High school students can use the volunteer hours towards achieving their Ontario secondary school diploma.

“The young people in Peterborough are the future of our community,” councillor Baldwin says. “We value their perspectives and welcome their input. Peterborough Youth Council is an opportunity to develop our leaders of tomorrow, while offering lots of fun along the way.”

Potential candidates will be contacted by phone or email, with interviews for selected candidates taking place during the week of May 21 to 24.

The YWCA Peterborough Haliburton has opened applications for the 2024 Hazel Education Bursary in support of the educational advancement of women who have experienced gender-based violence.

The organization’s board of directors, through its education awards committee and supported by community donors, is distributing two bursaries of $1,500 and two bursaries of $2,500 to women residing in the city and county of Peterborough and Haliburton County.

Applications are open until Thursday, April 18th to women who have experienced barriers related to the impact of violence and abuse, have a dream to strengthen their economic security, and seek to further develop their formal or informal education or training.

Funding from the bursary can be used towards a range of educational pursuits from post-secondary programs and classes to skill enhancement, career training, and more. Women who have applied to or received the bursary in previous years are welcome to apply again.

“Many survivors have not had the opportunity to obtain an education or specialized training due to poverty, raising children, and/or controlling behaviours in the abusive situation,” says Emily Jensen, executive assistant at YWCA Peterborough Haliburton. “These skills are essential in achieving their goals to start or re-start their careers and achieve independence.”

The YWCA awards the bursary in honour of a local woman who, while fighting cancer, removed herself and her three children from what her daughter describes as “a life of domination and violence,” and later used her experiences to help other women in similar circumstances. Hazel passed away in 1996 after a long battle with breast cancer, and the fund was created in 1998 by friends and admirers to carry on her vision.

“When people met the strength of this smiling, laughing woman little did they know their lives would be enriched by her knowledge and life experiences,” writes Hazel’s daughter in a message on the YWCA website. “Mum believed that everyone deserves a chance and that chances should be made possible.”

In 2021, the YWCA merged the longstanding YWCA Hazel Education Award and the YWCA Long Term Education Award, which was established in 2016, into the Hazel Education Bursary to simplify the application process for women whether their educational dream is a course, a diploma, or a degree program.

Every year since, the YWCA has opened applications for the Hazel Education Bursary on International Women’s Day. To honour Hazel’s own request, women from rural communities are given special consideration for the bursary award.

“Hazel was committed to raising awareness on issues women from rural communities face,” says Jensen. “(These women) face unique challenges in getting help largely due to isolation and lack of transportation.”

Jensen further notes that women in rural or remote communities are additionally distanced from the support systems of friends and family, may have reduced access to phone connection and internet access, and could be at risk of firearms danger if living on a farm or with hunters.

“In many small towns, there is also the sense of ‘everyone knows each other’ which can make reaching out for help particularly intimidating,” Jensen adds, “even more so when children are involved.”

By providing a means to overcome the economic barriers, the Hazel Education Bursary is intended to reduce this intimidation and make it easier for survivors to seek independence.

“Economic security and a sense of personal mastery are important pieces in moving forward,” says Jensen. “The goal of the Hazel Education Bursary is to help women on this journey.”

YWCA Peterborough Haliburton assures that all applicant personal information is kept confidential and applicant names are not shared with committee members.

Apply to the Hazel Education Bursary by visiting ywcapeterborough.org/education or learn more by contacting Emily Jensen at 705-743-3526 ext. 120 or ejensen@ywcapeterborough.org.

Five Counties Children’s Centre is calling on families in the communities it serves to share their thoughts around ways to improve the supports and services offered by the regional organization serving children with special needs.

Five Counties has launched a survey geared to current and former Five Counties clients, parents, caregivers, and families in the City of Kawartha Lakes and counties of Peterborough, Northumberland, and Haliburton. The centre encourages families to have their say by completing the Client and Family Experience Survey before March 31.

Bill Eekhof, spokesperson for Five Counties, said the survey has an important role. Information about families’ experiences at Five Counties, along with detailed suggestions about an area or areas of improvement, are two areas of input that are particularly useful to the children’s centre.

“These types of insights are very important to Five Counties,” Eekhof told kawarthaNOW.

“While we try to assist families and children as best we can, if we’re not listening to and equipping parents and families with what they need to help their children be the best, then we need to hear that to improve what we’re doing.”

The survey is confidential and takes less than five minutes to complete. Participants are asked about which programs they’ve used at Five Counties, their satisfaction with those services, and their suggestions for improvement. Anyone completing the survey can choose to provide his or her name to be entered in a draw to win one of three $25 grocery store gift cards.

Full details about the survey are available at fivecounties.on.ca/yoursay/. The survey is available until Sunday, March 31.

“Families are at the core of what we do,” said Darlene Callan, director of clinical services at Five Counties, in a media release. “Regularly engaging with and encouraging the input of parents and caregivers can help us better support kids while improving our overall services for families.”

While Five Counties typically does a client satisfaction survey every other year, seeking parent input is part of an ongoing conversation.

“We pride ourselves on having the very best of pediatric therapists, but it really is a partnership with the family to see a child succeed,” Callan added.

Five Counties staff works with kids and youth to support their communication, physical, and developmental needs, but treatment sessions are typically less than an hour each week for defined periods of time.

As parents spend the most time with their child, their role in following through with treatment tips is important to help their child reach their full potential, Five Counties noted.

“Our role as clinicians is to educate, demonstrate and collaborate with the parent or caregiver so they feel confident and well-equipped to go home and support their child,” Callan said.

Getting family input through the client experience survey provides “a snapshot in time” that tells Five Counties how well it is doing right now, she added.

“We encourage parents to take part, as their input will help us to improve and better support families to work with their child at home.”