A benefit concert featuring Charlie Angus and The Grievous Angels on August 31, 2024 in support of affordable housing efforts in Haliburton County netted $2,500 for the non-profit organization Places for People. (Photo courtesy of Places for People)
A recent concert in Haliburton has garnered a standing ovation for Haliburton County’s Places for People.
Minden-based Places for People (PFP) says its August 31 event at Haliburton Forest and Wild Life Reserve Logging Museum raised $2,500 through ticket sales and raffles in support of local affordable housing efforts.
The fundraiser, featuring the music of Charlie Angus and The Grievous Angels, drew a crowd of 150 for the event that was spearheaded by the Highlands Summer Festival, the Haliburton Speakers Series, and the Haliburton County Folk Society.
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Fay Martin, P4P founder and board member, said the evening was a grand success.
“It was a marvellous response,” Martin told kawarthaNOW. “It was much more than I thought we’d make, because that was a six-piece band so the overall cost for the event was pretty high but the community that came out … was a very generous audience.”
The 50/50 draw and toonie auctions were also “very graciously supported,” Martin added.
“It was one of those incredible outflowings of support that are quite common in Haliburton County for issues that people feel strongly about.”
Places for People treasurer Jody Curry at a benefit concert featuring Charlie Angus and The Grievous Angels on August 31, 2024 in support the non-profit organization’s affordable housing efforts in Haliburton County. (Photo courtesy of Places for People)
P4P provides affordable housing across Haliburton County and recently purchased 12 additional units allowing all tenants to remain in their homes at an affordable rent. P4P uses fundraising dollars to cover expenses related to its volunteer-run board, maintain its rental units, and pay down capital debt.
Angus, who leads the six-member alt-folk country band Grievous Angels, is also the MP for Timmins-James Bay and champions social issues, including the dire need for affordable housing.
“We were honoured to play for such a great audience in such a great venue,” Angus said in a media release. “We will have really great memories of Haliburton’s hospitality.”
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Also on the agenda for the night were the toonie auctions, that featured various items up for grabs including a Haliburton Forest gift certificate, tickets for a “Telling our Stories Speaker Series” event, and tickets for a Haliburton County Folk Society concert.
Founded in 2007, PFP has provided homes for more than 100 people in the community since 2010. Its mission statement is to create and manage quality affordable rental housing in Haliburton County, “fostering an environment in which our tenants can thrive.” P4P has rental units in all four municipalities of Haliburton County.
For more information about Places For People and to volunteer or donate, visit www.placesforpeople.ca.
Katherine Cullen in the 2016 film adaptation of Rosamund Small's award-winning play "Vitals" that takes audiences into the psyche of a paramedic named Anna. Cullen, who also starred in the original 2014 Toronto production, will reprise the role of Anna for New Stage Theatre's production at Peterborough's Market Hall on September 27 and 28, 2024. (Photo: Mike McLaughlin)
New Stages Theatre is kicking off its 2024-25 season with a production of Rosamund Small’s award-winning medical drama Vitals for two performances only on September 27 and 28 at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre in downtown Peterborough.
The one-woman play tells the story of a paramedic named Anna, whose daily routine of responding to traumatic emergency calls pushes her to the breaking point.
Vitals was first produced in 2014 by Toronto’s Outside the March as an immersive experience, staged for small audience groups inside of a transformed residential house in Roncesvalles and performed using a live-broadcast audio headset system, with Katherine Cullen in the role of Anna.
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In 2016, the play was adapted into a feature film, also starring Cullen, which was presented in a single 90-minute-long point-of-view shot. Cullen will reprise her role as Anna for the New Stages production.
Written by Toronto playwright Rosamund Small when she was 23 years old, Vitals was inspired by her conversations with a real-life Toronto paramedic who spoke in a no-holds-barred way about her daily work life.
“I asked her what it was like to spend every day in somebody else’s emergency, and became really obsessed with that concept,” Small said in a 2014 video interview with Outside the March. “The excitement of that, and the humanity of that, really struck me. Your job is life and death.”
Toronto playwright Rosamund Small’s her play “Vitals” was inspired by her conversations with a real-life Toronto paramedic. The play has been praised by paramedics and other first responders for offering civilian audiences a real glimpse into the life of an emergency medical services worker and the post-traumatic stress disorder that can result. (Photo via Soulpepper Theatre)
The play, which has been praised by paramedics and other first responders for offering civilian audiences a real glimpse into the life of an emergency medical services worker and the post-traumatic stress disorder that can result, won Dora Mavor Moore awards for Outstanding Production and Outstanding New Play as well as the Nora Epstein National Literary Award and the JP Bickell Award for Drama.
Vitals weaves together different affecting, poignant, and disturbing emergency stories and explores their impact on the first responder to these calls.
“None of the stories are 100 per cent fact, but the major features of every story are true ones that I’ve been told,” Small said in a 2014 interview with The Toronto Star. “I didn’t reproduce them verbatim for two reasons. First, I didn’t want to get into any lawsuits and, second, the real-life versions were often too far-fetched to put on a stage. Believe me, truth is stranger than fiction.”
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Along with Katherine Cullen in the starring role, the New Stages production features video projections from local filmmaker Shahed Khaito, sound design by Paul Tedeschini, costume by Jen Naus, and lighting by Patricia Thorne.
“We are thrilled to bring a moving artistic work of this timeliness and quality to our Peterborough audiences,” says New Stages artistic director Mark Wallace in a media release that describes the play as “unforgettable, heart-wrenching, catch-your-breath kind of theatre — the kind of show that stays with you for days after the play is over.”
Vitals will be performed at 7 p.m. on Friday, September 27th and again on Saturday, September 28th at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre. Tickets are $32 ($16 for EMS workers, students, arts workers, and the under-employed) and are available in person at the Market Hall box office (140 Charlotte St, Peterborough), by phone at 705-775-1503, or online at tickets.markethall.org.
As Vitals contains intense scenes, themes of suicide, and coarse language, the production is not suitable for children.
kawarthaNOW is proud to be media sponsor of New Stages Theatre Company’s 2024-25 season.
"The Story of Us" by Canadian author Catherine Hernandez was chosen as the selection for the Peterborough Public Library's 2024 "One Book, One Ptbo", which aims to connect the community through a shared reading experience. "One Book, One Ptbo" includes several topical events throughout the fall relating to the novel, including book clubs, presentations, potlucks, and a reading from the author. (Photo: Peterborough Public Library)
One might think of reading as a solitary activity but, with the return of the “One Book, One Ptbo” shared community reading experience, the Peterborough Public Library is proving it doesn’t have to be.
This fall, the program is returning for its second year with even more thought-provoking and educational events lined up, all linked together by the emotional 2023 novel The Story of Us by award-winning author and screenwriter Catherine Hernandez.
From book clubs and conversations led by local organizations to workshops and a visit from the author herself, “One Book, One Ptbo” offers no shortage of opportunities to connect with other readers and learn about the issues and themes discussed in the book.
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“One Book, One Community” events are held across North America, with the first Peterborough event held last year featuring Anishinaabe writer Waubgeshig Rice’s bestselling novel Moon of the Crusted Snow. Hernandez’s novel was selected by community vote to be this year’s book from a community-chosen shortlist of three finalists that also included Omar El Akkad’s What Strange Things and Zalika Reid-Benta’s River Mumma.
Narrated through the perspective of the protagonist’s baby, The Story of Us follows an overseas Filipino worker named Mary Grace Concepcion who leaves home and her husband to first be a caregiver in Hong Kong before travelling even further to Toronto. After navigating careless employers and unruly children, she then cares for Liz, an elderly transgender woman suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, and the two form a surprising and heartbreaking bond.
“There’s a lot to discuss here about caring for the elderly, about respect and the struggles faced by the trans community, and about overseas workers,” says Karen Bisschop, Community Development Librarian at the Peterborough Public Library. “There are a lot of important and serious discussions in the book, but there’s a little bit of humour in it as well and even recipes. There’s a lot that can be done with a story like this.”
Catherine Hernandez is an award-winning Canadian author, screenwriter, and queer woman of Filipino, Spanish, Chinese, and Indian descent and married into the Navajo Nation. As the grand finale for the “One Book, One Ptbo” community reading experience that features her national bestseller “The Story of Us,” Hernandez will be visiting the Market Hall Performing Arts Centre in downtown Peterborough on November 4, 2024 where she will read from the book, do an interview, and sign copies. (Photo: Noor Khan)
The Story of Us author Catherine Hernandez is a queer woman of Filipino, Spanish, Chinese, and Indian descent who married into the Navajo Nation. Having just released her fourth novel Behind You, she is most known for her acclaimed debut novel Scarborough, which was a 2022 Canada Reads finalist and adapted into an award-winning film.
This year’s “One Book, One Ptbo” culminates on Monday, November 4th when Hernandez will be at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre to read from her work and participate in an on-stage interview.
“Hernandez has been getting a lot of attention, so we’re really excited that she’s coming to Peterborough,” notes Bisschop.
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With more than 70 copies of The Story of Us available for check out from the Peterborough Public Library, including audio book and e-book formats, there is ample opportunity for interested readers to read the book and participate in the events in advance of the Hernandez’s visit.
“There’s serendipity that happens when you see someone reading the same book that you just read, whether that’s someone you know or a neighbour on the bus, and it encourages opportunities for spontaneous conversation,” says Bisschop.
“One of the things something like this or a book club does is encourages you to read a book that you wouldn’t otherwise. Sometimes you learn something new from it and it can open up worlds.”
The Peterborough Public Library has more than 70 copies of this year’s “One Book, One Ptbo” title, “The Story of Us,” by Catherine Hernandez, including audio books and e-books. The book was voted by the community after being selected as a finalist for its wide range of current issues and themes. (Photo: Peterborough Public Library)
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Bisschop adds that, having studied the novel in the library’s general book club earlier this spring, she witnessed in-depth conversations surrounding topics of which readers had no previous knowledge.
“These shared reading experiences open a door into further discussion and oftentimes the more we talk about something, the more people are interested to dive deeper and learn more on their own,” she explains.
“It’s the fiction that draws readers in, but the truth behind it will invite them to explore something in more detail, so we’re hoping to see that happen again.”
To help readers organize and host their own book clubs during “One Book, One Ptbo,” the Peterborough Public Library has curated “Book Club in a Bag” kits, complete with copies of Catherine Hernandez’s novel “The Story of Us,” background information, and discussion questions. (Photo: Peterborough Public Library)
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Those looking to start their own book clubs with friends, neighbours, and co-workers can also check out the “Book Club in a Bag” kit from the library. The sets come complete with copies of the book, a tracking sheet, discussion guides, and other articles and background information.
Alternatively, interested readers who already have their own book clubs can ask Bisschop and other library staff for guidance. Email libraryprograms@peterborough.ca for more information.
“It can be very helpful to have a standard set of questions and draw people into those themes to create conversations that stem from having read the book,” Bisschop says. “And I’m always happy to learn about other book groups in the community as well.”
VIDEO: Catherine Hernandez on CBC’s Q with Tom Power
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New this year, the library has started a “One Book, One Ptbo” public Facebook group which anyone can join to share their thoughts, reviews, and questions about The Story of Us. The library is regularly posting quotes from the book along with guiding questions to invite discussion and engagement.
“It gives readers a space to discuss something or interact with others anytime,” Bisschop says. “Not everyone is able to make it out to the events, so the Facebook group lets them still be involved.”
Further encouraging engagement from readers, the Peterborough Public Library will soon be uploading the Beanstack Reading Challenge. The digital platform incentivizes reading by providing “badges” for various reading achievements and for attending the in-person events. The more badges earned, the more chances for readers to win prizes from the library.
Below is the full list of events relating to this year’s One Book, One Ptbo program. Note that most events require advance registration; visit calendar.ptbolibrary.ca to register.
One Book, One Ptbo Book Club – Pride Week Session
Wednesday, September 25 from 6:30 – 7:30 p.m., Main Library
During “One Book, One Ptbo,” the library will be hosting extra book club meetings featuring The Story of Us, with the first held during Peterborough Pride Week with an LGBTQ+ focus. Book club copies are available at the check-out desk on a first come, first served basis.
Advance registration is required.
Aging with Pride
Thursday, September 26, 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Main Library
In partnership with Age-Friendly Peterborough, this event during Peterborough Pride Week spotlights current issues older 2SLGBTQIA+ adults face as they age. The discussion will help listeners understand challenges to healthy aging and engage in discussion about promoting mental, physical, and social well-being. A presentation will be followed by a refreshment break and discussion.
Advance registration is required.
Preserving Your Heirlooms
Thursday, October 3, 2 – 3 p.m., Peterborough Museum & Archives
Catherine Hernandez’s novel “The Story of Us” features some precious historical items that are stored in a damp and dark basement. In a “One Book, One Ptbo” event on October 3, 2024, the Peterborough Museum and Archives will be teaching participants how to properly preserve their own family heirlooms using examples from its collection. Pictured is preventive conservation officer Owen Thompson stabilizing flaking paint on a object in the museum’s collection. (Photo: Peterborough Museum and Archives)
Since The Story of Us features some precious historical items that are stored in a damp and dark basement, the Peterborough Museum & Archives will be teaching participants how to properly preserve family heirlooms. Using examples from its collection, the museum will share the best techniques and practices for protecting important artifacts for years to come. Questions regarding specific heirlooms are welcome.
“We sometimes don’t appreciate the older objects that our family will want to look at and enjoy later, so we thought this was a good twist to bring in more topics of discussion,” says Bisschop.
Registration is not required.
One Book, One Ptbo Book Club – General Session
Saturday, October 5, 2 – 3 p.m., Main Library
During “One Book, One Ptbo,” the library will be hosting extra book club meetings featuring The Story of Us. Book club copies are available at the check-out desk on a first come, first served basis.
Advance registration is required.
Let’s Talk About Dementia
Tuesday, October 15, 1:30 – 2:30 p.m., Main Library
The Story of Us follows a caregiver who works with a client suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. That’s why the library is hosting a general discussion and question-and-answer session led by the Alzheimer Society of Peterborough, Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland & Haliburton for guidance and resources to help those affected.
Registration is not required.
Cookbook Club: Lemongrass and Lime
Thursday, October 24, 6:30 – 7:30 p.m., Main Library
Each month, the Peterborough Public Library picks a cookbook and invites novice and seasoned cooks to pick up a recipe to test out for a community potluck. In October, the club is exploring Filipino and Southeast Asian recipes inspired by foods mentioned in The Story of Us.
Advance registration is required.
Grand Finale featuring author Catherine Hernandez
Monday, November 4, 7 – 9 p.m., Market Hall Performing Arts Centre
The “One Book, One Ptbo” program culminates in a grand finale visit from The Story of Us author Catherine Hernandez. The evening will feature readings, a live interview, book signings, and the opportunity to purchase the book from local independent bookseller Take Cover Books.
“Invited authors read from the work we studied, but they also usually read from their other work as well, so it’s always nice to get that sneak peek,” says Bisschop. “It’s a nice opportunity to hear directly from the author, but also to gather in person with other readers.”
Advance registration is required. Registration will open on Tuesday, October 1 and close when full.
Community Conversation: Exploring Canada’s Temporary Foreign Workers Program
Tuesday, November 19, 6 – 8:30 p.m., Main Library
VIDEO: “Becoming Labrador” trailer
The Story of Us highlights the vulnerability of temporary foreign workers in Canada. That’s why the Peterborough Public Library and the New Canadians Centre are inviting readers to explore issues surrounding Canada’s temporary worker permits by viewing the documentary Becoming Labrador, about a group of Filipino workers living in Happy Valley. The screening will be followed by refreshments and a panel discussion and conversation.
“It’s an ongoing topic in Canada, and highly relevant to the book,” explains Bisschop. “We’re hoping people will be interested, wanting to know the rules, the ways people are exploited, and how they can help overseas workers when they’re here.”
Advance registration with New Canadians Centre is required. Registration opens in September.
This branded editorial was created in partnership with the Peterborough Public Library. If your organization or business is interested in a branded editorial, contact us.
Flying Colours Corp. at the Peterborough Airport specializes in maintaining, refurbishing, and overhauling business jets. The company offers many opportunities for those with trade experience and backgrounds, from carpentry and interior design to painters and installation specialists. For some roles, Flying Colours Corp. will train those who are willing to join a dynamic business. (Photo: Flying Colours Corp.)
Job seekers who think a career in the aerospace sector means flying planes or working as flight attendants or baggage handlers or air traffic control crew will be surprised to learn the extent of employment opportunities that are actually available, some of which don’t even require aviation education or experience.
“We have a full pipeline of work and are looking to employ workers from a diverse set of industries to strengthen our workforce,” explains Kate Ahrens, who manages community and government relations for Flying Colours Corp. “Many of the skills we seek are transferable from other industries, such as the automotive trade, interior decorating, boat fitting, woodworking, and construction fields. For some roles, we are not looking for experience, just willingness to join a dynamic business.”
Flying Colours Corp. is one of the 22 businesses operating out of the Peterborough Airport and specializes in maintaining, refurbishing, and overhauling (MRO) business jets. The magic happens in spacious hangars large enough to house Airbus A220 or Boeing 737 aircraft types. It requires a diverse range of skills, including repairing, restoring and upgrading cabinetry and soft furnishings, cabin installation, and quality paint finishing. For those plying their trade at Flying Colours, no two days are the same.
One of the 22 businesses operating out of the Peterborough Airport, Flying Colours Corp. specializes in maintaining, refurbishing, and overhauling business jets. The magic happens in spacious hangars large enough to house Airbus A220 or Boeing 737 aircraft types. (Photo: Flying Colours Corp.)
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“The aircraft we work on fly a varied set of passengers,” Ahrens says. “The aircraft are used by captains of industry to keep their businesses growing, music stars and sports celebrities to enable their demanding schedules, and government leaders needing to fulfill complex itineraries in the shortest time possible. Our work contributes to driving the global economy, keeping us entertained, and forging and maintaining international relationships.”
This international influence originates in the variety of jobs available to those seeking work in the aerospace sector. Recent graduates, skilled craftspeople, or those willing to learn new skills in a highly buoyant industry that spans the globe could all be qualified to join Flying Colours.
“We’re aware that too often those seeking work think that aviation employment is limited to pilots, flight attendants, baggage handling, or air traffic control — the complete opposite is true,” Ahrens explains. “If you can think of a career outside of aviation, there will certainly be an equivalent within the sector.”
Employees at Flying Colours Corp. have a diverse range of skills, including repairing, restoring and upgrading cabinetry and soft furnishings, cabin installation, and quality paint finishing. (Photo: Flying Colours Corp.)
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Ahrens says Flying Colours recruits are well-paid and have the option to follow defined career progression paths. Some roles require specialist knowledge, but an aviation background is not an essential requirement, as the company looks for enthusiasm, commitment, and a willingness to learn when recruiting.
“The potential is limitless,” Ahrens says. “We understand that our workforce needs to be stimulated and rewarded, and we aim to promote from within as we develop career trajectories. We think it’s important to encourage career growth and are always willing to support a colleague who is keen to evolve.”
According to Ahrens, evidence of this commitment is demonstrated by the longevity of Flying Colours employees — many of whom have worked at the facility for more than 10 years, with some celebrating more than 30 years of employment.
Flying Colours Corp.’s facility at the Peterborough Airport boasts three dedicated paint shops, avionics workshops, four maintenance hangars, a design centre, and dedicated cabinetry and upholstery workshops. (Photo: Flying Colours Corp.)
Ahrens says Flying Colours’ central location in Peterborough was “integral” to the developments and accomplishments of the business. Today, the company’s facility boasts three dedicated paint shops, avionics workshops, four maintenance hangars, a design centre, and dedicated cabinetry and upholstery workshops.
“We’ve evolved in tandem with the airport and work closely together to make it a successful proposition,” Ahrens notes.
As the Peterborough Airport has continued to grow since the launch of the airport development program in 2010, more and more businesses have joined the local aerospace sector, doubling the number of jobs from 251 to more than 500.
Employees at Flying Colours Corp. are well-paid and have the option to follow defined career progression paths. Some roles require specialist knowledge, but an aviation background is not an essential requirement, as the company looks for enthusiasm, commitment, and a willingness to learn when recruiting. (Photo: Flying Colours Corp.)
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“Peterborough is an ideal location for the aerospace sector due to several strategic advantages,” says Kyle Bruce, the Manager of Airport Administration at the Peterborough Airport. “Firstly, its proximity to major urban centres like Toronto and Ottawa makes it accessible, yet removed from the congestion and high operational costs associated with larger airports. This balance provides a more cost-effective and efficient environment for aerospace businesses.”
“For visitors to YPQ, it’s effortless to fly in, have a meeting, and fly back out in a day,” Ahrens says. “There aren’t the same limitations as at busy hub airports, which streamlines our business and makes us more efficient.”
“The presence of a vibrant business hub at the Peterborough Airport stimulates the local economy, encouraging the development of ancillary services,” says Bruce. “This economic growth translates into a broader range of employment opportunities and supports overall career progression across different industries.”
In 2023, Flying Colours Corp. joined the Flexjet family, one of the world’s leading private aviation companies with more than 2,200 employees worldwide, 12 business divisions, and a fleet of over 250 aircraft that regularly need maintaining, refurbishing, and overhauling. (Photo: Flying Colours Corp.)
Ahrens points out that Flying Colours provides employment directly to hundreds of residents and, by extension, to suppliers, shops, hotels, real estate, and more.
“It all adds to the local economy,” she adds.
“We started as a family business, and that family culture remains today and has contributed to our success. This is why we value our team so much. They have helped us develop our reputation for high-quality work, an innovative spirit, and a strong collaborative culture.”.
Employees at Flying Colours Corp. celebrating National Aviation Maintenance Technician Day on May 24, 2024. The company began as a family business and that family culture continues today, with the Flying Colours team helping to develop the company’s reputation for high-quality work, an innovative spirit, and a strong collaborative culture. (Photo: Flying Colours Corp.)
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This has not gone unnoticed by the industry. In 2023, the company joined the Flexjet family, one of the world’s leading private aviation companies with more than 2,200 employees worldwide, 12 business divisions, and a fleet of over 250 aircraft that regularly need MRO services. Integrating with Flexjet brings many new opportunities, translating into more jobs in Peterborough while ensuring Flying Colour’s longevity and sustainability.
“We are part of an incredibly exciting sector — aerospace is buzzing right now,” Ahrens says. “Every day brings new opportunities, ideas, and thoughts, which is why we source the best workforce possible to support us and the global business aviation industry. It makes Flying Colours such a dynamic, interesting, and attractive workplace.”
This supplied branded editorial is one of a series published in partnership with Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development. If your organization or business is interested in a branded editorial, contact us.
Kenner Collegiate Vocational Institute in Peterborough is one of 32 schools across Canada receiving $320,000 in funding from the MusiCounts Slaight Family Innovation Fund, which provides grants for culturally relevant or technology-forward approaches to music education that exist outside of mainstream practice, as well as contemporary music making. (Photo: Drew Patrick Miller)
Kenner Collegiate Vocational Institute in Peterborough is one of 74 schools across Canada that will receive $1 million worth of musical instruments, equipment, and gear under two school funding programs from MusiCounts, Canada’s music education charity associated with the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) and the Juno Awards.
Since 1997, the MusiCounts Band Aid Program has been providing under-resourced schools with grants to keep school music programs alive. It funds traditional forms of music education like concert and jazz band, choir, Orff ensembles, guitar and ukulele groups, and more.
For the first time this year, the MusiCounts Slaight Family Innovation Fund is also supporting schools with grants from $5,000 to $20,000 for culturally relevant or technology-forward approaches to music education that exist outside of mainstream practice, as well as contemporary music making.
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Kenner Collegiate Vocational Institute is one of 32 schools across Canada, including nine in Ontario, receiving a total of $320,000 in funding from the MusiCounts Slaight Family Innovation Fund.
Culturally specific programs supported by the fund can include Indigenous drumming, steel pan percussion, African percussion, Métis fiddling, and more. Technology-forward programs can include music production, digital music creation, hip hop and beat making, and more. Contemporary music making can include rock bands and popular music ensembles.
“MusiCounts is thrilled to welcome students back to school and back to music with the investment of $1 million worth of much-needed instruments and gear,” says MusiCounts president Kristy Fletcher in a media release. “As students return to the music classroom, they’ll not only find guitars, drums, horns, and turntables, they’ll also find a safe space in their school where they can connect with their peers, build their confidence, and find their voice.”
MusiCount’s school music funding programs have provided $14.3 million to 1,439 schools in Canada. Applications are now open for MusiCount’s 2025 programs at https://musicounts.ca/smfp.
The Lindsay Exhibition (LEX) is celebrating its 170th anniversary from September 14 to 22, 2024 with agricultural events along with attractions and entertainment for the entire family at the Lindsay Agricultural Society Fairgrounds. (Photo courtesy of Lindsay Agricultural Society)
The Lindsay Exhibition (LEX) is celebrating its 170th anniversary with over a week of agricultural events along with attractions and entertainment for the entire family from September 14 to 22 at the Lindsay Agricultural Society Fairgrounds, with a midway open daily starting on September 18.
The annual fall fair is presented by the Lindsay Agricultural Society, which was founded in 1854 to improve agricultural knowledge within the community and create opportunities for dialogue between the agricultural community and the residents of the Kawartha Lakes.
“The directors and volunteers of the Lindsay Agricultural Society extend a warm invitation to everyone, near and far, to join in the festivities,” reads a media release. “The LEX is more than just a fair — it’s a celebration of community, tradition, and the rural way of life. Whether you’re a longtime attendee or a first-time visitor, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.”
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The LEX kicks off on Saturday and Sunday (September 14 and 15) with a family weekend, featuring bouncy castles, family games, arts and crafts activities, puppet shows, circus performers, the Back Alley Cruisers classic car and RV show, and more, as well as livestock shows featuring rabbits, guinea pigs, sheep, dairy cows, and heavy horses.
Also on the kick-off weekend, the Lindsay Agricultural Society will host a 170th anniversary party on Saturday in the Commonwell Exhibition Building. The party will feature dinner, dessert, and a concert with music by Boots of Hazard. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., with dinner service at 7 p.m. and the concert beginning at 8 p.m. A fundraiser for the Lindsay Agricultural Society, tickets are $40 for the dinner and dance ($20 for dance only) and are sold separately.
After being closed to the public on September 16 and 17 for judging, the LEX fairgrounds will reopen on Wednesday, September 18th including a midway from World’s Finest Shows running daily and entertainment taking place at the grandstand and the family stage.
During the 170th Lindsay Exhibition (LEX) from September 14 to 22, 2024, the barns on the Lindsay Agricultural Society Fairgrounds will feature several livestock shows daily, including beef cattle, dairy cattle, sheep, goats, poultry, rabbits, light horses, heavy horses, and more. The fairgrounds will be closed to the public on September 16 and 17 for judging. (Photo courtesy of Lindsay Agricultural Society)
Featured grandstand entertainment includes a canine circus, ProRider FMX freestyle motocross, demo cross, truck and tractor pulls, a demolition derby, and light and heavy horse pulls. Featured family stage entertainment includes DooDoo the International Clown, the Magic of Aaron Matthews, Tim the Puppet Tamer, Blackfly Band, Parliament of Owls, Richard Henderson, Four Lanes Wide, and Otonabee Square Dancers.
The barns on the fairgrounds will feature several livestock shows daily, including beef cattle, dairy cattle, sheep, goats, poultry, rabbits, light horses, heavy horses, and
more.
Along with vendor booths and food at the Commonwell Exhibition Building, there will be quilts, homecrafts, preserves, vegetables, agriculture products, flowers, junior arts, vendors, fudge, beer nuts, and more in the Exhibition Building.
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Admission for the LEX opening weekend is $10 for adults, youth, and seniors and $5 for children 6 to 12. Admission is free on September 18. For September 19 and 20, admission is $16 for adults, youth, and seniors and $5 for children 6 to 12. For September 21 and 22, admission is $20 for adults, $10 for youth and seniors, and $5 for children 6 to 12. Admission is always free for children 5 and under.
Pay one price wristbands for unlimited rides at the midway are available in advance until September 17 for $42, or $46 at the fairgrounds.
For a full schedule of events, fair and midway hours, and to purchase tickets, visit www.lindsayex.com.
Left to right, top and bottom: Big Sugar, The Bowie Lives, Chris D'Elia, Peterborough Concert Band, Foley's East Coast Pub, and Talisk. (kawarthaNOW collage)
encoreNOW is a bi-weekly column by Paul Rellinger where he features upcoming music, theatre, film, and performing arts events and news from across the Kawarthas.
This week, Paul highlights Big Sugar at the Grove Theatre in Fenelon Falls, Michael Bell’s The Bowie Lives coming to Bancroft, comic Chris D’Elia’s tour stop at the Peterborough Memorial Centre, the 5th annual Big Band Day at Millennium Park, the Showplace return of Foley’s East Coast Pub, and Folk Under The Clock’s final season opener featuring Scotland’s Talisk.
Big Sugar featuring Gordie Johnson has a Fenelon Falls date
VIDEO: Big Sugar in Nova Scotia (2023)
During a music career that has spanned 36 years and counting, Gordie Johnson has consistently had a Midas touch, be that as a singer, guitarist, songwriter, or producer. Most every music project he has been involved with has flourished, including, of course, his day-one founding and leadership of Toronto-formed Big Sugar.
Twice nominated for a Grammy Award — in 2008 as co-producer of Taj Mahal’s album Maestro and in 2011 as producer of Warren Haynes’ album Man in Motion — Johnson has heard Big Sugar’s name announced as a nominee at five Juno Award presentations. Then there are the Winnipeg native’s numerous production and performance credits with the likes of The Trews, Joel Plaskett Emergency, Sarah Slean, Colin James, and Ashley MacIsaac.
But for all his contributions to other artists’ success, Big Sugar has been, and remains, Johnson’s calling card. Since the band’s debut self-titled album was released in 1991, 10 albums have followed, with 1996’s Hemi-Vision and 1998’s Heated certified as platinum.
As successful as those albums were, Big Sugar has released a deluxe vinyl version of its 1993 album Five Hundred Pounds and is on the road to promote it — a celebration of what Jack White describes as “the best blues-based record to ever come out of Canada.”
One of the stops on the 500 Pounds Theatre Tour is at The Grove Theatre in Fenelon Falls on Friday, September 6th, when Johnson, joined by bassist Anders Drerup and drummer Root Valach, will lead the band through its paces.
This is an excellent opportunity to get up close and somewhat personal with one of Canada’s most popular touring bands of the past three decades plus.
Tickets to the 7:30 p.m. concert at www.grovetheatre.ca cost $58.50 plus fees, but you best hurry — according to Big Sugar’s website, more tickets have been released to meet the demand and it’ll be sold out soon.
The Bowie Lives at Bancroft Village Playhouse presents singer Michael Bell in his element
VIDEO: “The Bowie Lives” promo
I have a confession to make that’s as embarrassing as it is hard to believe.
Before I caught The Bowie Lives concert at Peterborough Musicfest in late July 2022, I had no idea just terrific a showman longtime Peterborough musician Michael Bell is.
Sure, I had seen and heard Bell perform over the years, in clubs and on stages, and he was very good, but his tribute to the late British glam rocker is off the charts. It’s almost as if everything that Bell has done musically over the past decades was leading up to this gig.
Bell’s infatuation with Bowie goes back to his teen years. In the 1980s, he toured his ChangesAllBowie production, calling it a day in the early 1990s as he dedicated much of time to publishing The Wire.
When Bowie died in early 2016, Bell and Michael Beauclerc rejuvenated the tribute. Since then, the pair have toured the show extensively, joined at times by a number of local audience-familiar artists such as Sarah Jayne Riley and Dawson McManus.
On Saturday, September 7th, The Bowie Lives will headline at the Bancroft Village Playhouse. Expect, as I discovered at Del Crary Park on that summer evening, spectacular covers of Bowie’s biggest hits, from “Ziggy Stardust” to “Suffragette City” to ‘”Space Oddity” to “Fame,” to name but a few.
Bell was born to do this — the voice, mannerisms, and stage presence are spot on. A friend of mine caught The Bowie Lives at the Orillia Opera House and raved about the show. I was familiar with her reaction, having lived it myself.
Comic Chris D’Elia bringing the funny to Peterborough Memorial Centre
VIDEO: Chris D’Elia Roasting Small Towns
One of the perks of my profession has been, and remains, the opportunity to get to do different things, most of which are a mile out of my comfort zone.
Such was the case more than a few years ago when Jon Bryan, then the owner of the former Mexicali Rosa’s, invited me to do a stand-up comedy bit at the Peterborough restaurant. The idea was I would make with the funny and write about the experience to promote a weekly live comedy showcase he was presenting.
Well, a funny thing happened on the way to the punchline as I discovered firsthand the sinking feeling that comes with not making an audience laugh. I didn’t just bomb — I imploded. Because I stacked the audience with family and friends who’d chuckle no matter what I said or did, I got a few courtesy laughs, but it was the most nerve-wracking experience of my life. Lesson learned.
Since that deflating night, my respect for those who stand alone on a stage with the sole goal of making their audience laugh has risen tenfold. It has to be the hardest gig out there and those who do it really well, like New Jersey-born Chris D’Elia, are truly gifted.
On Friday, September 13th, D’Elia will bring his Straight Outta The Multiverse tour to the Peterborough Memorial Centre. His comedic talents, which he’s called on to full effect via multiple TV show roles and big screen film appearances, will be on full display.
Having first performed stand-up comedy in 2006, D’Elia has also released two comedy albums in 2013 — Such Is Life and White Male. Black Comic. From 2012 to 2015, he was one of three hosts of the Ten Minute Podcast and, since 2017, has hosted his weekly podcast Congratulations with Chris D’Elia.
Now, because I don’t want nasty emails and phone calls saying I didn’t mention it, full disclosure. In 2021, D’Elia was accused of sexual abuse by a woman who was 17 years old at the time of alleged incident. D’Elia vehemently denied the allegation. He was never charged and the woman dropped her lawsuit a little more than a month after it was filed. That followed a 2020 allegation of sexual harassment, that again D’Elia denied, although he posted a YouTube video admitting “sex controlled my life.”
Tickets to D’Elia’s performance range from $32.20 to $62.50 plus taxes and fees. Order online at www.memorialcentre.ca.
Big bands bring their big sound to Peterborough’s Millennium Park once again
The Peterborough Concert Band is one of five big bands performing in Peterborough’s Millennium Park on September 14, 2024 during the 5th annual Big Band Day, a free afternoon concert presented by the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA). (Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Concert Band)
If you’re a fan of music of the big band variety, you want to be in Peterborough’s Millennium Park on Saturday, September 14th.
The 5th annual Big Band Day, presented by the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA), will see five bands — the Peterborough Concert Band, the Northern Spirit Big Band, The Marenger Band, Electric City Swing, and Knightshift — perform a free concert from noon to 5 p.m.
History with a capital H is prominent in the case of the Peterborough Concert Band.
Formed in the 1850s as the Rifle Brigade Band, it is the oldest continuously operating community concert band in Canada. When the Peterborough Lift Lock opened in 1904, the band is believed to have entertained those on hand. Among its past members are big band music luminaries Del Crary (namesake of the Peterborough park) and John Oosterbroek.
Meanwhile, Knightshift is a 16-piece ensemble with classic swing, jazz, and some rock ‘n’ roll and funk, in its musical arsenal. It’s led by conductor John Knight.
Each band performing rehearses hard in preparation for this annual showcase. Let’s give them a good audience. After all, there are worse ways to spend a late summer Saturday afternoon.
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East Coast music and culture as close as Showplace’s lounge
During the annual Foley’s East Coast Pub on September 15, 2024 in the Cogeco Studio at Showplace Performance Centre in downtown Peterborough, Hugh Foley will reprise his role as seanchaí (a traditional Irish storyteller) while local musicians will perform songs by well-known East Coast musicians such as Lennie Gallant, Joel Plaskett, The Rankin Family, Rita MacNeil, Great Big Sea, and more. (Photo courtesy of Theresa Foley)
Why go through all the fuss and muss, and expense, of travelling to Canada’s East Coast when the music of the region is as close as downtown Peterborough?
On Sunday, September 15th at 2 and 7 p.m., Foley’s East Coast Pub returns to Showplace Performance Centre, again taking up residence in the lower-level Cogeco Studio.
Foley family patriarch Hugh Foley will be in his usual fine form as a seanchai (a traditional Irish storyteller), regaling his audience with stories both fun and factual related to East Coast culture.
Oh yes, there’s music too. Lots of music, with songs by Lennie Gallant, Joel Plaskett, The Rankin Family, Rita MacNeil, Great Big Sea, and others performed very well by Foley’s Celtic Pub Band comprised of Fiddlin’ Jay Edmunds, Andrew Martin, Glen Caradus, Ron Kervin, Theresa Foley, Sheila Prophet, Norma Curtis and, for sure, a few special guests.
This event — it really is an event — gives full evidence of one undeniable fact: you don’t need a kitchen to have a kitchen party.
General admission tickets cost $30 ($15 for students) and are available at showplace.org.
Final season of Folk Under The Clock opens with a Scottish treat at Peterborough’s Market Hall
VIDEO: “Dystopia” – Talisk
Since 1986, the best in Canadian and international folk music has been brought to Peterborough, year after year, by Mike Barker, a huge fan snd promoter of the music genre who has since served as a juror with Juno Awards and the Canadian Folk Music Awards.
Now, 38 years after debuting Folk Under The Clock — most shows have been staged at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre with a few at Showplace — Barker has announced the 2024-25 edition of the series will be the last.
To close things out, Barker is presenting what he’s billing as the International Concert Series, a four-show slate that will open Tuesday, September 17th when Scotland’s Talisk takes to the Market Hall stage.
Formed in Glasgow in 2015, the trio is now comprised of Mohsen Amini, Charlie Galloway, and Benedict Morris. A must-have act for festivals worldwide, Talisk fuses concertina, guitar,and fiddle to produce a multi-layered sound that continues to earn it critical acclaim and the awards the come with that.
Of note, by securing Talisk for the final season opener, Barker is continuing a long tradition of bringing top folk music acts to local audiences — a long and impressive list that includes Tom Paxton, Stephen Fearing, Lennie Gallant, Harry Manx, Jill Barber, Alex Cuba, Arlo Guthrie, Bruce Cockburn. and the late Colleen Peterson.
Details of the final series concert in spring 2025 are forthcoming but I’m pretty sure Barker has some very special in mind for last call.
Tickets for Talisk’s 8 p.m. performance costs $45 and are available at www.markethall.org.
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Encore
Death and taxes aren’t the only certainties: there’s also Crash & Burn each and every Monday at the Black Horse Pub in downtown Peterborough. Recently, Rick and Gailie Young marked 19 years of their residency at the George Street pub. Incredible. Even when Rick was struggling with some health challenges a few years back, Gailie, with the help of good musical friends such as Paul Clark, made sure the show went on. While the duo is well known for its excellent covers of British Invasion classics, both are, well, so nice. There’s another certainty — you’ll never hear a bad word said in connection with either one. On a personal level, they’ve helped me hugely with benefits I’ve been involved with. Frankly, I can’t imagine Peterborough’s live music landscape minus their talent, dedication, and support of their fellow musicians. In that sentiment, I know I’m not alone.
Guyestock is returning to Peterborough for a fourth year on Saturday, September 7th, featuring a full lineup of live music over nine hours starting at 11 a.m. Hosted by Guye Vandette at his Juliet Road property, with Catherine McGrath and Laurie Wood as co-hosts, the eight-act lineup includes The Hippie Chicks, The High Waters Band, and Mark Edwards. Admission is a $20 donation at the door. Bring a lawn chair and your cooler and enjoy what has become an end-of-summer staple for many.
Northumberland County residents who are interested in the development of homeless shelter services at 310 Division St. in Cobourg can apply before September 18, 2024 to be considered for a seat on the volunteer community liaison committee. (Photo: Google Maps)
Northumberland County is inviting community members interested in the future of homeless shelter services on Division Street in Cobourg to apply for a position on a new liaison committee.
Interested residents are being encouraged to put their names forward now for a seat on the Community Liaison Committee (CLC). The CLC will be tasked with helping support the roll out of modernized shelter services at 310 Division St.
This fall, homeless shelter services will transition from 10 Chapel St. to 310 Division St. “with expanded services to help improve pathways out of homelessness for people in need,” the county noted in a media release.
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“This committee will play a vital role in helping to integrate shelter services effectively within the neighbourhood and the broader community, delivering the best possible support to vulnerable community members, and ensuring strong neighbour relations,” said Rebecca Carman, Northumberland County’s associate director of housing and homelessness, in a statement.
“We encourage interested community members to apply to join the CLC to contribute their voice and support the shelter’s success, improving pathways out of homelessness for people in need. We greatly value the opinions and ideas of shelter neighbours and local community members, and look forward to working together to create opportunities and resolve challenges.”
The new shelter will provide a 24/7 hub, offering about 35 emergency shelter spaces alongside drop-in warming and cooling spaces, health, wellness and skill-building programming, along with a resource centre. The shelter services are being designed with the intent of reducing barriers for couples, 2SLGBTQ+ community members, people with pets, and people who have disabilities.
The county’s overall goals are to provide a roof for more people who are living unsheltered in the community and to modernize homeless shelter services through the new endeavour.
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Back in December 2023, Northumberland announced it was buying the 47-bedroom complex at 310 Division St., which was the former location of Cobourg Retirement Residence. During a special meeting of county council, the community learned about the partnership with Transition House for the new facility.
The county heard from nearby business owners and residents who were concerned about the impact on the neighbourhood of having the shelter and its services moved to Division Street. Staff, county councillors, service providers, residents, and business owners spoke in support of, and against, the new facility.
“County council recognizes the need to rapidly expand new shelter, supportive, transitional, and affordable housing opportunities for vulnerable and low-income residents,” said Northumberland County councillor Mandy Martin, who was warden at the time.
“With homelessness a rising concern across Canada, we are seeing the increasing impacts in Northumberland, with more people living rough in their cars, in parks and forested areas, individually or in encampments. The county is looking at all possibilities, all real estate ventures, to increase options across the entire housing spectrum.”
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Since then, the county and Transition House have conducted extensive community consultation to collect feedback from neighbours, community members, local businesses, community partners and people experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity to inform plans for 310 Division St., the release noted.
“A key theme identified as part of this process, and presented as a recommendation to county council, was community interest in the creation of a CLC to facilitate communication between community members and shelter management.”
To move ahead, the county engaged OrgCode, considered leaders in homelessness system transformations, to advise on best and common practices to establish shelter CLCs, the release noted.
“OrgCode has assisted in devising a committee framework designed to align with community expectations and foster effective collaboration between shelter staff and residents.”
The 310 Division CLC is intended to be a committee of diverse perspectives, including 12 to 15 members representing shelter neighbours, community members, people experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity, local businesses, faith organizations, Cobourg Police Services, town, county and shelter staff, and community partners who work closely with the shelter and its clients.
Northumberland noted CLCs are generally put in place for a shelter’s first year of operations, focusing on addressing initial concerns, setting up effective communication channels, and integrating the shelter into the neighbourhood.
“As shelter operations stabilize and become routine, the need for a dedicated liaison committee often decreases. Ongoing communication is typically then maintained through established channels, regular community meetings, or other mechanisms that support continued engagement without the need for a formal committee.”
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The 310 Division CLC will meet once a month for at least a one-year term, perhaps longer. During the meetings, committee members will share information, discuss ideas and collectively problem-solve concerns, the county noted.
“The committee will be an advisory body, providing guidance and feedback to help the county and Transition House make informed decisions for the shelter’s successful integration within the neighbourhood and community.”
Those interested in applying to join the 310 Division CLC can submit an expression of interest by Wednesday, September 18 to begin the application process. All applicants will be required to attend an in-person training session in Cobourg on September 25 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. to learn about homelessness in Northumberland, shelter services, and the structure and purpose of a CLC.
CLC members must be available to volunteer at least two-and-a-half hours per month to attend committee meetings and review materials.
Peterborough poet PJ Thomas, pictured during a reading in October 2023, will be launching her latest book "Drifting" at The Gordon Best Theatre in downtown Peterborough on November 24, 2024. (Photo: Andy Carroll)
Originally scheduled for September 24, the book launch has been rescheduled to November 24.
As a form of creative expression, poetry doesn’t get its due. That is indeed strange, considering the literary art form has been with us forever — the earliest surviving poem being Epic of Gilgamesh written on clay tablets in ancient Mesopotamia in and around 2100 BC.
More recently, works penned by the likes of John Keats, Oscar Wilde, Emily Dickinson, Robert Frost, and Maya Angelou brought poetry wider attention. Locally, poets indeed walk among us, many of them writing verse for their own enjoyment before tucking their poems away from prying eyes.
Then there’s PJ Thomas. Few in Peterborough have done as much as she has to bring poetry to a wider audience, sharing her work mostly via social media. There’s a lot to share. Thomas has written more than 1,400 poems, a selection of which are at the heart of Drifting, her third book of poetry published by PAJE Press.
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Drifting, the final instalment of her Water Trilogy (Thomas published Undertow in 2020 followed by Waves), will be launched on Sunday, November 24th from 1 to 3 p.m. at The Gordon Best Theatre at 216 Hunter Street West in downtown Peterborough.
Emceed by fellow poet and Show and Tell Poetry Series founder Justin Million, the launch will also see readings by Peterborough-based writer and poet Esther Vincent and Trent University Professor Emeritus, playwright, and novelist Ian McLachlan. Copies of Drifting will be available, priced at $15 (cash only), with the author more than willing to sign each.
“Undertow was a very open, honest, and simple addressing of mental health issues, love, community, water — all the things I write about,” says Thomas, adding “I read it now and I go ‘Oh, isn’t that cute.’ Waves looked more at the sensuality of nature and answers (found) in the beauty of the natural world; being in your physicality and being alive. It’s a very uplifting, more hopeful book.”
For her poem selections for Drifting, Thomas pulled from more personal experience.
“I fell in love for the first time when I was 59 and wrote a lot of love poems,” she says, adding “It was just a natural progression from that.”
“Drifting brings full circle the water theme, of living in the Kawarthas. The rivers, the lakes, the streams — it overwhelms me with beauty and admiration. We are so lucky to live here.”
The jacket of Peterborough poet PJ Thomas’s book “Drifting” with words from playwright and novelist Ian McLachlan, who will also be reading during the launch of “Drifting” at The Only Cafe in downtown Peterborough on November 24, 2024. (Photo: PJ Thomas)
McLachlan, clearly impressed with Thomas’ work, wrote a few words for the back cover of Drifting.
“These poems perform their own individual acts of magical transformation,” he writes. “Their roots are deeply embedded in everyday experience. We recognize our own lives in them. There is nothing elitist about them, none of the condescending pretensions of literature with a capital L.”
“They speak to us in a variety of different voices, filled with humour, sadness, flashes of anger, warmth, pain, and truly wonderful generosity. They express our feelings openly, celebrating the ways in which quite ordinary moments can suddenly become extraordinary. Read them! You will find beauty and emotional truth in them, and they will give you pleasure.”
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Considering the source, that’s remarkable praise indeed and, for that, Thomas is grateful. That said, writing is a daily regimen for her, done not only for the joy it brings her way but as an emotional outlet for whatever she’s feeling at the time.
“I write poems to communicate with my friends on Facebook and then just spill out to the bigger poetry world,” says Thomas.
“It feels really good when people say ‘Thank you for describing how I feel’ or ‘I can so relate to that.’ It’s nice to feel connected. I live alone with my cat — I’m one of those crazy childless cat ladies — but I’m very happy to be writing and connecting with people in Peterborough and poetry people across the country.”
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Not lost on Thomas is poetry’s “reflective” place in a world spinning way too fast.
“My landlord was just in hospital. I gave him a copy of the new book. He read it while he was in the hospital. He said to me, ‘I’m not one to pick up a poetry book but that was really relaxing.’ I think simmering down to the simple beauties speaks to this complex busy world in ways that we can appreciate more than ever now.”
Making her home by the Otonabee River, Thomas is an associate member of the League of Canadian Poets and is a voting member with the Writers’ Union of Canada.
Prior to publishing Undertow, Thomas wrote two novels and years later, in 2021, wrote the lyrics for three songs on Rick Fines’ 2021 Juno Award-nominated album Solar Powered Too.
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While writing poetry will always be a focus, Thomas is thinking over a new writing direction.
“I would love to write short stories,” she says. “I wrote a book of erotica short stories. That was my early days, and then I didn’t write for five years and, then, I thought ‘I feel like writing something about being schizophrenic.’ Not a lot of people understand schizophrenia. I’m a very accessible schizophrenic. I’m a very mild case and I take my meds religiously.”
“So the first poem I wrote was called The White Cat. Very short. It was about the Expo year here in Canada (1967) and I called it Schizophrenic Poem Number One. From there, Waves moved out of the mental health arena into love, beauty, and connection, and Drifting takes off with that, and water in this incredible part of the world.”
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Thomas’ introduction to poetry came at a young age in her Grade 5 classroom.
“I took to it like a duck to water,” she says, adding “My teacher put my first poem on the wall. None of the other kids got their poems on the wall. I toyed around with it in high school. I wrote a little bit of poetry for a novel that was mixed with poetry.”
“That’s my next project: to do a prose and poetry combination. I’m just applying for grants now — we’ll see if someone will pay me to write it. It’s going to be about the downtown arts scene going through COVID. I’m going to interview arts professionals and write poems from their stories and connect them, I think, in a linear timeline with prose or creative non-fiction.”
VIDEO: “Up From Under” – Lyrics by PJ Thomas, video/music by Sherine Cisco
In the meantime, Thomas is excited over the prospect that there are people who have yet to discover poetry and its related soul-soothing benefits.
“One of the highest compliments my poetry has been paid is it’s not high-brow language. People who don’t like poetry like my poetry. It’s not trying to be classic with old world language. It’s very real, experiential, and in the now.”
Back in 2022 before her launch of Waves, Thomas noted being out there wasn’t something she was all that comfortable with. That, she says, has changed.
“I’m getting better at it. I’m actually almost enjoying it a bit. Relaxing with audiences and connecting. We’re all humans in the same room. While we’re here, let’s have a laugh.”
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Noting she likes the challenge of writing lyrics — “It’s like writing poetry into a crossword” — Thomas recently collaborated with Peterborough musician Sherine Cisco on a song that has been submitted to the Don Skuce Memorial Music Collective songwriting competition.
Also ahead on November 21 is Thomas’s first out-of-town reading, at the Best Western Cobourg Inn as part of the Third Thursday Reading Series. Editor’s note: this event has been cancelled.
For more information about Thomas, to read her poetry, to order her books and to support her work by donating, visit pjpoet.ca. You can also follow her on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) where she regularly debuts her poems.
The original version of this story has been updated with the rescheduled date for the book launch.
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