Independent dental hygienist Mya Zammit aims to increase access to dental care for Kinmount and area residents at Kinmount and District Health Centre. (Photo: The Smile Studio)
An independent dental hygienist is hoping to provide Kinmount and area residents with better access to dental care and increased support for managing their oral health.
Hygienist Mya Zammit, owner of The Smile Studio in Kawartha Lakes, recently joined the team at the Kinmount and District Health Centre in Kinmount.
With the addition of dental care to its offerings, the Kinmount and District Health Centre is providing broader health care services for the community.
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“The Kinmount and District Health Centre now has head-to-toe health care with working in collaboration with the other health professionals including physicians, physiotherapist, foot care nurse, and pharmacists,” Zammitt said.
“As an independent dental hygienist, I can perform most procedures completed in a regular dental office without a dentist being present,” she noted.
Residents and/or patients of the Kinmount and District Health Centre can visit The Smile Studio for services that include oral health assessments, dental cleanings, fluoride treatments, desensitization, denture cleaning, oral cancer screening, custom sports mouthguards and teeth whitening.
The Kinmount and District Health Centre is welcoming the addition of The Smile Studio to its offerings. Pictured is Dr. Lesslie Ponraja (second from right), who joined the centre in March 2023, with receptionists Lisa Russell and Nelly Gluck. (Photo: Kinmount and District Health Centre)
“Any suspected issues or concerns can be referred to appropriate professionals for further treatment,” Zammitt said. “We strive to make dental appointments relaxing and as stress free as possible.”
The move to the new location makes sense for both Zammitt and rural residents, she said.
“After working out of our current home in Rosedale for the past four years, the plan was to expand the business and help those in rural areas that have limited services available. My husband and I, with our family, are planning to build our new home just outside of Kinmount in the next couple years to be part of the growing community.”
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Zammitt said two of the best things that could happen as a result of the move would be expanding access to dental care and raising the profile around the importance of good oral health.
“My goal is to bring awareness that independent dental hygiene is an option for dental care to make access to oral health services achievable and affordable. Also, to emphasize the importance of the correlation between overall health and oral health so the residents of Kinmount and surrounding (areas) can achieve optimal health for better quality of life.”
For more information about The Smile Studio, visit www.thesmilestudio.org. For more information about Kinmount and District Health Centre and its services, visit www.kdhc.ca.
One of Canada's greatest songwriters, Willie P. Bennett (pictured here in the 1970s) died at the age of 56 from a heart attack in his Peterborough home on February 15, 2008. Ever since, Peterborough musicians have gathered in February to perform the "Blue Valentine" tribute in his honour. (Photo: Willie P. Bennett Legacy Project)
The passage of time has done nothing to diminish Pat Temple’s vivid memory of musician Willie P. Bennett on one particular 1974 evening at Smale’s Pace, a then very popular London, Ontario coffeehouse now long gone.
“Dixie Flyers, a bluegrass band, was playing,” recalls Temple.
“Bert Baumbach, the band leader, said ‘We’re going to get Willie up to sing a few tunes.’ He grabbed a guitar and played solo between sets. He just blew everybody away. I couldn’t believe how great he was. Something resonated with me — his voice, his songwriting, everything.”
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Fifty years on, Willie P. Bennett’s music continues to resonate, influencing countless musicians across Canada, Temple among them.
So much so that Blue Valentine, an annual tribute to the legendary singer-songwriter, debuted shortly after Bennett’s unexpected death in 2008.
On Saturday, February 10th at Jethro’s Bar + Stage at 137 Hunter Street West in downtown Peterborough, the 16th Blue Valentine tribute will take to the stage from 2 to 5 p.m.
Joining Temple is a number of local musicians, among them Al Black, Gary Peeples, Kayla Howran, and Washboard Hank, who organized the first few Blue Valentine events before Temple picked up the mantle.
VIDEO: Willie P. Bennett as the Festival of Friends in Hamilton in 1976
Born in Toronto, Bennett was a fixture on the 1970s folk music landscape, having released his first single “White Line” in 1969. As well as being a singer-songwriter, he was an accomplished harmonica player and mandolinist.
Yet, for all his talent, his comfort zone was as a sideman in bands fronted by others, such as Joe Hall, Fred Eaglesmith, and Temple, whose HiLO Players brought him into the studio for three albums in the early 1990s.
In 1996, Bennett returned to prominence when Stephen Fearing, Colin Linden, and Tom Wilson formed Blackie and the Rodeo Kings, named after Bennett’s 1979 album of the same name. The group subsequently recorded an album featuring Bennett’s songs.
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During a 2007 Victoria Day weekend concert in Midland, Bennett suffered a heart attack on stage. He played on but was forced to stop touring. Despite efforts to take care of his health, on February 15, 2008 he suffered another heart attack — this time fatal — in the Peterborough home he shared with local artist Joe Stable. He was just 56 years old.
“It was really sad for all of us,” says Temple.
“He probably would still be alive if he had gone for bypass surgery. I don’t know if he talked himself out of it or his doctor said he’d be okay with that. That’s a big decision for anybody to make, right?”
VIDEO: “Blackie And The Rodeo King” – Willie P. Bennett (1977)
In the 1980s, long after that initial introduction to Bennett, Temple, who was living in Toronto, was busking on a street with two others. Quite by chance, Bennett was walking by.
“He stopped to listen for a minute,” Temple recalls. “He asked ‘Where are you playing? Can I sit in with you guys?'”
“We were playing at Sneaky Dee’s. He showed up and played with us. At the time, I was playing a lot of minor key swing music — like western swing meets eastern swing sort of stuff. He really enjoyed trying to play the harmonica in minor keys. That’s a whole different thing on the harmonica.”
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Beyond their musical collaboration that night and later with The HiLO Players, Temple and Bennett had a special friendship.
“He was a pretty complicated person,” says Temple.
“He was kind of flippant. He had his good days and his bad days — as we all do — but he was a great friend. He would do anything for you. I think that’s part of his legacy. He was good to his friends. He gave me a guitar. He gave me a mandolin. He was just that kind of person.”
Blackie and the Rodeo Kings formed in 1996 to record a one-off tribute album for Peterborough singer-songwriter Willie P. Bennett (front). Pictured are Stephen Fearing, Colin Linden, kawarthaNOW’s Jeannine Taylor, Fred Eaglesmith, and Tom Wilson at a July 27, 2007 benefit show at the Market Hall in Peterborough for Willie P., who had to stop touring after suffering a heart attack (he died of a second heart attack six months after this photo was taken). The middle fingers are an in-joke known as the “Willie P. salute.” (Photo: Rainer Soegtrop)
Asked if he can narrow down to a few words what is at the heart of Bennett’s legacy, Temple comes back quickly with one word: soul.
“He had that thing, you know, but it was just pure soul,” he says, noting it didn’t hurt matters that Bennett was born at the right time, in 1951, to find himself squarely in the folk genre mix that dominated the Canadian music scene in the early 1970s.
“He hit that wave of singer-songwriter just slightly after it was getting radio play,” says Temple. “It would have been nice for him to be able to get commercial radio play but it wasn’t a game changer for him. He just did his thing.”
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“I don’t really think he was really that interested in fame,” Temple adds. “I think he was kind of scared of it, as a lot of people are. He was kind of a shy person. But he was so great. His first two records (Tryin’ To Start Out Clean and Hobo’s Taunt) are amazing. The songs are so heartfelt — so beautiful.”
In total, from 1975 to 1998, Bennett recorded eight albums, the last of the bunch being Heartstrings, which earned him a 1999 Juno Award for Best Solo Roots and Traditional Album — proof that fame will sometimes find those who aren’t looking for it.
Of note, Heartstrings features the song “Blue Valentine,” adopted since as the name of his annual tribute. Featuring Russell deCarle and Keith Glass of Prairie Oyster, the video for “Blue Valentine” marked Bennett’s first foray into that medium — “A great song and a cool little video to watch,” assesses Temple.
VIDEO: “Blue Valentine” – Willie P. Bennett
The Blue Valentine tribute was staged at Jethro’s Bar + Stage last year. In previous years, it was held at The Garnet and, for the 10th anniversary tribute, The Black Horse was the venue.
“It was packed,” recalls Temple of that show, noting that people were asked on Facebook for their favourite song of Bennett’s, drawing “hundreds of responses from across Canada.”
Temple readily admits this iteration of Blue Valentine “will be emotional for me.”
“But I love hearing all the different voices doing his songs. It’s really, amazing. I think he (Bennett) would be a little embarrassed by all the fuss but, on the other hand, he would probably love it.”
Willie P. Bennett was a virtuoso mandolinist and harmonica player as well as being a prolific and talented songwriter. He continued to perform until he suffered his first heart attack on stage in May 2007. (Photo: Willie P. Bennett Legacy Project)
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Available for purchase at the 16th annual Blue Valentine will be Bennett’s last recording made in fall 2007, just months before his death. It was recorded in Winnipeg at producer Jaxon Haldane’s home. The songs were first heard on a Bennett legacy website that Haldane started in 2014.
“The songs are a real jewel — just Willie playing so well,” assesses Temple.
“We made up some CDs that people can purchase by donation. Any money that comes in goes toward gas for people coming in from out of town. The event is a break-even thing. We also like helping out the pub. It’s tough to run a music venue these days.”
VIDEO: “Patience of A Working Man” – Willie P. Bennett (1993)
Temple, meanwhile, is coming off what he terms “a great year”; one that saw him busy performing at festivals, including Lakefield’s Jazz, Art and Craft Festival where his band was joined by Peterborough-based fusion electric violinist Victoria Yeh.
“I’m still out there doing my thing,” says Temple.
“I’m working on possibly going to the East Coast this spring. I’m also working on a new album. I’ve got two or three songs cut. I’m hoping to get that finished this year.”
This 1787 portrait of Robert Burns by Alexander Nasmyth, on permanent display at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, has become the most well-known and widely reproduced image of the famous Scottish poet. Nasmyth painted the portrait quickly and left it unfinished, as the artist was afraid of losing the likeness. (Public domain photo)
Even centuries after his death, the songs and poems penned by Robert “Robbie” Burns continue to be relevant and recited today. That’s why on Thursday (January 25), people around the world will be joining together in song, dance, whisky, and, of course, lots of haggis in honour of the 265th birthday of Scotland’s national bard.
But who is he, and why did his work inspire several of the famed writers who followed in his path, including William Woodsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge?
The eldest of seven children, Burns (commonly called “Rabbie” in Scotland) was born in Alloway on the Ayrshire Coast of Scotland. The house he grew up in, which his father built, still stands today as a museum dedicated to the poet’s life and work. Though he came from a poor family, Burns was well-educated and showed promise as a writer from a very young age.
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Beginning to write seriously after his father’s death in 1784, Burns published his first collection of poetry, Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect (commonly known as “The Kilmarnock Edition”), at 27 years of age. The collection featured some works that had gained popularity through circulation in the region, and others that have become some of his most well-known works to date, including “To a Mouse,” “To a Mountain Daisy,” and “Address to the Deil.”
Moving to Edinburgh, Burns published another edition of the collection, with added poems, and wrote more than 200 Scottish folk songs. Like today’s expressions of art, his work often focused on themes of injustice, inequality, and the hardships of the working class, with radically political commentary.
Other well-known songs and poems from Burns includes “A Red, Red Rose”, “My Heart’s in the Highlands”, “The Battle of Sherramuir”, “Ae Fond Kiss”, and “Auld Lang Syne” which continues to be sung around the world to ring in the new year.
Scotland’s national dish of haggis is traditionally served during a Burns Supper. Not for the squeamish, authentic haggis is a savoury pudding containing sheep’s pluck (heart, liver and lungs) that’s minced with onion, oatmeal, suet, spices, and salt, mixed with stock, and traditionally encased in the animal’s stomach and simmered for approximately three hours. (Photo: Wikipedia)
After his death in 1796 at the age of 37 (attributed to a longstanding heart condition combined with a bacterial infection, possibly from a tooth abscess), Burns’ political writing and views became a great source of inspiration to the founders of liberalism and socialism.
To pay tribute to the poet, Burns Suppers hosted on his birthday has become a tradition not just in Scotland but around the world, dating back to 1801 when several of his friends hosted the very first. In the most formal of gatherings, bagpipes are typically played while the meal’s centrepiece, the haggis, is brought in. A toast is then given to the meal, with the recital of Burns’ “Address to a Haggis” while slicing into the dish during the line “An’ cut you up wi’ ready slight.” Mashed potatoes and turnips are customarily served alongside the haggis.
There is often a teasing toast to the “lassies” and the opportunity for said lassies to respond with a toast to the lads, before the meal is bookended with a group chorus of “Auld Lang Syne.”
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While other renditions of the evening have come to include traditional Scottish dancing, flights of whisky, or variations of the meal served, the main purpose of the night is to gather in celebration and have a grand ol’ time.
Communities in the Kawarthas wouldn’t dare miss joining in the fun, so there is much whisky and haggis to be had this week.
At 452 George Street North in downtown Peterborough, the Black Horse Pub’s heart will be in the Highlands on Robbie Burns Day from 5 to 7 p.m. Washboard Hank takes to the stage at 5 p.m, with Rose Petal piping in the haggis at 6 p.m. before a reciting of Burns’ “Address to the Haggis” at 6:30 p.m. Following the event, the weekly jazz and blues night begins at 7 p.m. More information can be found on Facebook.
Piping in the haggis at the Grafton Legion in 2020. (Photo: Grafton Legion / Facebook)
Visit the Victorian-inspired Arthur’s Pub at 390 Burnham Street in Cobourg on Robbie Burns Day for a taste of Scotland. Shepherd’s pie, haggis, and soda bread will be served for $21.95. Pair it with a flight of Scotch whisky if you’re feeling extra Scottish. Call 905-372-9940 for reservations.
Head to downtown Port Hope’s The Thirsty Goose at 63 Walton Street at 6 p.m. on Robbie Burns Day for an evening of poetry, traditional food, and celebration. The $40 ticket gets you a four-course meal, served after the piping in and ode to the haggis. Scotch flights will also be available for purchase through the evening. Call 905-800-0338 to make a reservation.
On Saturday (January 27), visit the Grafton Legion at 10240 Highway 2 between Cobourg and Grafton for a Robbie Burns Dinner featuring music by the Cobourg Legion Pipes and Drums, Scottish country dancing led by Diane Coulombe, and songs from Chris Devlin, who is the emcee for the evening. Happy hour begins at 5 p.m. followed by with a roast beef and haggis dinner served at 6 p.m. Tickets must be purchased in advance at a cost of $40 per adult and $20 for children 10 and under. Tickets are available at Nessie’s British Shop at 16 King Street East in Cobourg (905-372-7158) or from members of the Cobourg Legion Pipes and Drums.
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12 things you may not know about Robbie Burns
1. He produced a lot more than poetry.
By the time he died at the age of 37, Burns had sired 12 children by four different women. His oldest child Elizabeth was born after he had an affair with his mother’s servant. His youngest child Maxwell was born on the day of Burns’ funeral.
2. He’s a monumental figure.
Burns has more statues dedicated to him around the world than any other non-religious figure, other than Queen Victoria and Christopher Columbus.
Robert Burns Monument in Ayr, Scotland. (Public domain photo)
3. He almost worked on a slave plantation in Jamaica.
Burns was planning to emigrate to Jamaica to work on a slave plantation, but he changed his mind because of the successful sales of his first book of poetry.
4. He wrote the third most popular song in the world.
Burns’ iconic song “Auld Lang Syne” is one of the three most popular English language songs, after “Happy Birthday” and “For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow.”
5. He had a big head — literally.
When Burns’ body was exhumed in 1815 to be moved to a new mausoleum, a plaster cast was taken of his skull and he was found to have a larger-than-average skull. In 2013, forensic experts at the University of Dundee used the cast along with contemporary portraits to recreate an accurate 3D depiction of his head.
Forensic experts used a cast of Robbie Burns’ skull and portraits to create a 3D model of his head and face. (Photo: University of Dundee)
6. Bob Dylan is a big fan.
When asked about the source of his greatest creative inspiration, Bob Dylan said it was Burns’ 1794 song “A Red, Red Rose.”
7. Michael Jackson was a big fan.
Michael Jackson was such a fan of Burns’ poetry that he recorded a collection of show tunes with American producer David Gest based on Burn’s life and work (they were never formally released).
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8. The former Soviet Union was a big fan.
The former Soviet Union commissioned a commemorative stamp of Robbie Burns in 1956 to mark the 160th anniversary of his death.
9. His work inspired the names of two literary classics.
The titles of J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye and John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men come from Burn’s poems (“Comin Thro the Rye” and “The best laid schemes o’ mice an’ men / Gang aft agley” from “To a Mouse”).
10. He’s a pop icon.
In 2009, Burns was the first person ever to appear on a commemorative bottle of Coca-Cola.
The limited edition Robbie Burns Coca-Cola bottle. (Photo: Coca-Cola)
11. He’s been in space — figuratively.
In 2010, astronaut Nick Patrick took a miniature book of Robert Burns’ poetry into space for a two-week mission.
12. Your clothes may have been designed by one of his descendants.
American fashion designer Tommy Hilfiger is the great, great, great nephew of Robert Burns (Hilfiger’s aunt Rose Kirbis was the granddaughter of Burns’ brother Gilbert).
“It was never discussed in my house, because it was said that Robert Burns was a womaniser and a boozer,” Hilfiger has said.
Fashion designer Tommy Hilfiger is a descendant of Robert Burns. (Photo: Elizabeth Lippman)
Situated on a 1.6 acre site, the current Peterborough police station at Water and McDonnel streets in downtown Peterborough opened in 1968. In June 2021, the cost to replace the outdated building was estimated at $68 million. An earlier report recommended that a new 95,000-square-foot building be built on a six-acre site. (Photo: Google Maps)
Peterborough police have laid their first-ever charge of wilful promotion of hatred in connection with several incidents related to antisemitic flyers being distributed in neighbourhoods throughout the city in 2023.
Last September, police had already charged a 31-year-old Peterborough man with mischief and obstructing a peace officer and, at the time, indicated they were consulting with the Ministry of the Attorney General to have the incidents deemed as a wilful promotion of hatred under Canada’s criminal code, which is an indictable offence punishable with a prison term of up to two years.
“Police must balance constitutional rights with the Criminal Code of Canada which makes investigations very complicated,” police said at the time. “Before laying some hate-motivated or bias-motivated criminal charges under the Criminal Code of Canada, police are required to conduct an investigation and then turn the file over to the local Crown Attorney’s office and get consent from the Attorney General’s Office.”
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There are several charges under the criminal code that require the Attorney General’s consent before charges are laid: advocating genocide, public incitement of hatred, wilful promotion of hatred, and wilful promotion of antisemitism. Advocating genocide is punishable with a prison term of up to five years, with the other charges each punishable with a prison term of up to two years.
In December, the police’s application to the Attorney General was granted and earlier in January the accused man was notified of the new charge. He appeared in court on Tuesday (January 23) for a first appearance on that charge. This incident is the first time the Peterborough Police Service has received authorization to lay a charge of wilful promotion of hatred.
“As a service tasked with ensuring public safety, and on behalf of our community, we are thankful the Ministry of the Attorney General agreed with our assessment that the charge of wilful promotion of hatred was warranted,” said Peterborough police chief Stuart Betts in a media release. “We take these types of incidents very seriously and believe that there is no room for hate in our community.”
Peterborough police created this map showing the city neighbourhoods where antisemitic pamphlets have been reported in May, June, and July 2023. (Police-supplied map)
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Between May and July last year, antisemitic pamphlets were reported in the area of Parkhill Road West and Crowley Crescent, in the Medical Drive and Weller Street area, in the Lansdowne Street and George Street area, in East City, and the Wolsely Street and Chemong Road area. In total, police received 19 reports of the antisemitic flyers from residents.
In September, after a four-month investigation, police officers obtained a warrant to search a Peterborough residence and located items connected to the distribution of the antisemitic flyers. During the investigation, the suspect in the case provided police with a false name and address. He was arrested and charged with mischief and obstructing a peace officer.
The accused man’s Tuesday court appearance on the charge of wilful promotion of hatred comes four days after the provincial government announced a $167,000 grant for Peterborough police to develop a public education campaign about the difference between a hate bias incident, to streamline reporting protocols, to provide ongoing training to officers, and to establish a comprehensive hate incident database.
Tony Grady demonstrating the folding crampon system that come with Olang boots in a TikTok video from Grady's Feet Essentials in Peterborough that has been viewed more than 4.7 million times. (kawarthaNOW screenshots of TikTok video)
Grady’s Feet Essentials in Peterborough has gone viral on TikTok.
Almost two weeks ago, the shoe store posted a 30-second video with co-owner Tony Grady outside in the snow demonstrating the folding crampon system that come with Olang boots to increase traction in slippery conditions.
“It’s a good day to flip my grips in my Olang boots,” Tony says. “In weather like this, it gives me added protection in the snow and the ice.”
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Over the past week, the Grady’s clip has gone viral, garnering more than 4.7 million views, 70,000 likes, and 1,300 comments.
“What did he just do? Did he switch to 4×4?” reads one popular comment.
Founded in 1990 in Italy, Olang makes trekking and outdoor footwear and winter shoes and boots. Olang’s OC grip system has retractable crampons with stainless steel studs set in flexible polyurethane that are integrated into the soles of the boots.
“It’s been a crazy few days,” Grady’s Feet Essentials wrote on their Facebook page on Sunday (January 21). “We’ve been scrambling to update our TikTok account with links to our website as well as reading and responding to the hundreds of comments and messages.”
Aside from the footwear, many of the comments are about Tony Grady’s appearance in the clip.
“Not going to lie, the comments comparing Tony to Mr. Rogers, Edward Norton, and Chandler Bing have kept us amused,” reads Grady’s Facebook post.
Grady’s Feet Essentials is located at 231 King Street, on the southeast corner of King and Aylmer, in downtown Peterborough.
Dr. Sean Godfrey (left), pictured with Five Counties Children's Centre CEO Scott Pepin, is a new consulting pediatrician joining Five Counties. He will spend about one-quarter of his time seeing clients at Five Counties sites in Peterborough, Lindsay, and Cobourg and the remainder of his time seeing and supporting children and families from across Peterborough, Northumberland, Kawartha Lakes, and Haliburton at the private medical practice he is establishing at the Five Counties site in Peterborough. (Photo courtesy of Five Counties Children's Centre)
Given Ontario’s current physician shortage and the high number of “orphaned” patients, the enthusiastic reaction to word that a new doctor was coming to town is no surprise.
Every month, Five Counties Children’s Centre provides a story about the work of the charitable organization. This month’s story is by Scott Pepin, CEO, Five Counties Children’s Centre.
The applause from our own staff and the explosion of interest on social media to news that Dr. Sean Godfrey is joining Five Counties Children’s Centre as a consulting pediatrician isn’t surprising. As a children’s treatment centre, anything that boosts care for our kids is worth celebrating.
While Dr. Godfrey’s arrival here is not a cure-all to what ails pediatric care in our region, his presence is a dose of good news.
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Pediatricians are doctors who specialize and focus on the health of infants, children, and youth, but these medical experts are few and far between.
At Five Counties, we’ve been extremely fortunate to have our long-time pediatrician and former medical director Dr. Mary Thain continue to work diagnosing and assessing children for autism spectrum disorder.
As Dr. Thain keeps up this important work, securing the services of another well-respected and highly-regarded pediatrician like Dr. Godfrey is an added bonus.
VIDEO: Welcome to Dr. Sean Godfrey
“Five Counties has a wonderful reputation for what it does for families in this region, and I look forward to contributing to that success,” says Dr. Godfrey, who brings 25-plus years of experience in hospital and community settings helping children and adolescents with a wide range of physical and developmental needs.
Based on the arrangement with Five Counties, Dr. Godfrey will spend about one-quarter of his time seeing our kids and clients at our centre locations in Peterborough, Lindsay, and Cobourg. The partnership will provide quicker access to care for Five Counties kids — especially those who need the specialized services of a consulting pediatrician.
It also fits the centre’s long history of collaborating with others and our strategic aim “to innovate and explore alternative methods to address the needs of our families that reduces wait times.”
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The remainder of Dr. Godfrey’s time will be spent seeing and supporting children and families from across our region — Peterborough, Northumberland, Kawartha Lakes, and Haliburton — at the private medical practice he is establishing at our Five Counties site in Peterborough.
Referrals from doctors and nurse practitioners will be required, although — knowing that many families do not have a primary care provider — families can call Dr. Godfrey’s practice directly at 705-745-1313 to inquire about a self-referral.
Having a private practice within a community setting is nothing new for Dr. Godfrey, as it provides him independence and a chance to work directly with families.
Among its many services, Five Counties Children’s Centre provides physiotherapy for children and youth in Peterborough, Northumberland, Kawartha Lakes, and Haliburton. Last year, the centre served more than 6,200 children and their families across the region. Dr. Sean Godfrey’s partnership with Five Counties Children’s Centre will provide quicker access to care for Five Counties clients, especially for those who need the specialized services of a consulting pediatrician. (Photo courtesy of Five Counties Children’s Centre)
“In both situations, it’s a joy to see kids flourish and grow to reach their full potential,” he notes.
Five Counties echoes the sentiment. With the recent launch of our SmartStart Hub online referral form, enhancements to our provincial funding, and the new partnership with Dr. Godfrey, we will be able to help more kids and families get timely, life-changing care close to home.
Globus Theatre has announced its 2024 season of plays, music, and comedy featuring 10 mainstage shows and three special events between May 10 to December 15 at the Lakeview Arts Barn at 2300 Pigeon Lake Road in Bobcaygeon. (Photo: Dahlia Katz)
After celebrating its 20th anniversary last year with an extended season, Globus Theatre in Bobcaygeon has announced its 2024 season of plays, music, and comedy will be even larger.
This year’s season will feature 10 mainstage shows and three special events between May 10 and December 15 at the Lakeview Arts Barn at 2300 Pigeon Lake Road.
“Last year’s community response to our extended season was incredible and that, coupled with the success to date of our ongoing capital campaign, means this will now be the new normal for Globus,” says co-founder and artistic producer James Barrett in a media release.
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The 2024 season will kick off from May 10 to 12 with Raised on Songs & Stories by Globus favourite Mark Whelan followed by the world premiere of The Dating Game, a romantic comedy by award-winning playwright Peter Quilter running from May 29 to June 8.
One of Canada’s most popular sports podcasts will come to the Globus stage from June 14 to 16 with This Day in Sports by Sandy Jobin-Bevans, Mike Shara, and Matt Kippen. From July 3 to 13, Globus presents Kristen Da Silva’s Where You Are, a hilarious and poignant comedy about love and family, followed by the concert Bond, James Bond: The Songs of 007 by Rebecca Perry from July 17 to 21.
Globus Theatre’s popular interactive murder mystery dinner experiences return from July 24 to August 3 with Who Killed The King, about a murder at the Elvis Festival. A season at Globus would not be complete without a play from Canada’s most-produced playwright, and Norm Foster’s golf comedy The Ladies Foursome will run from August 14 to 24.
The line-up of Globus Theatre’s 2024 season. (Graphic courtesy of Globus Theatre)
Coinciding with the Ontario Plowmen’s Association’s International Plowing Match being held in the Kawartha Lakes this year, Globus is presenting Buying the Farm, a comedy by Shelley Hoffman and Stephen Sparks, from September 25 to October 5. Leisa Way, another Globus mainstay, returns to the Lakeview Arts Barn from October 15 to 19 to present the music of legendary singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot in Early Morning Rain.
From November 13 to 23, Globus will be presenting the second interactive murder mystery of the season with Murder at the Snowball Ball. Capping off the mainstage shows of the 2024 season will be Globus Theatre’s annual traditional British panto, with Sarah Quick’s Aladdin running from December 4 to 15.
Along with Mark Whelan’s Raised on Songs & Stories kicking off the season, other special events in 2024 include the annual hit comedy Girls Nite Out on August 9 and 10 and a reading of Poster Boy, a new play by Norfok County’s Chris Rait, Jeannine Bouw, and Mark Williams — whose first play, the musical comedy Tip of the Iceberg, ran at Globus last August — on September 14.
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“After the success of last year’s 20th anniversary season, planning something to top it in 2024 has been a daunting task, but I think we’ve done it,” says Globus co-founder and artistic director Sarah Quick. “Programming 10 mainstage shows and three special events that combine to show theatrical diversity and something for everyone is no small task, but it is a lot of fun.”
Different subscription packages for Globus Theatre’s 2024 season will go on sale for supporters on January 22, for 2023 subscribers on January 29, and for the general public on February 1, with single tickets on sale for the general public on March 4 at a cost of $50 for theatre only or $100 for dinner and theatre.
For more information or to purchase subscriptions or individual tickets, visit globustheatre.com or call the box office at 705-738-2037.
Richard Csanyi (left) with filmmaker Stephen Hosier, who grew up in Lindsay with Richard and his twin brother Attila, during the filming of the documentary "Attila" that follows Richard as he explores the life and tragic death of his brother, who was found dead at the age of 28 in May 2020 on a Hamilton rooftop after becoming homeless when he was expelled from a long-term care residence as he grappled with addiction and schizophrenia. The documentary is now available on the Crave streaming platform. (Photo: Brian Bettencourt)
Attila, a documentary by Lindsay native Stephen Hosier that explores mental health and social issues, debuted on the Crave streaming platform on Monday (January 22) — two days ahead of Bell Let’s Talk Day.
The debut feature documentary by the Toronto-based filmmaker follows Hosier’s childhood friend Richard Csanyi as he investigates the life and tragic death of his 28-year-old twin brother Attila. Hosier and the Csanyi brothers all grew up in Lindsay and made videos together during high school.
On May 2, 2020, police and paramedics responded to a call about a man found without vital signs on the roof of Jackson Square Mall in Hamilton, Ontario. He was pronounced dead at the scene after unsuccessful resuscitation efforts. More than a month later, he was identified as Attila Csanyi.
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Prior to his death, Attila has been homeless and missing for weeks after being expelled from a long-term care residence as he grappled with addiction and schizophrenia.
In the documentary, Richard opens up to Hosier about the abuse he and his brother suffered as foster children. According to a media release about the film, Richard’s own life is also now precarious, teetering on homelessness as he navigates the systems that failed his family.
“I believe it was our lifelong friendship and the fact that we had been making videos together throughout our youth that made Richard comfortable enough to open up to me about his and Attila’s more troubled past,” Hosier told Addison Wylie shortly before the documentary’s world premiere last October at the Rendezvous With Madness festival in Toronto. “I also believe that making this film allowed Richard (and me) an opportunity to channel our grief through a creative outlet.”
VIDEO: “Attila” teaser
“Stephen gave me a voice and a platform with hopes that one day there will be justice in his name and healing in my own life, and that similar tragedies could be prevented,” Richard added.
Richard’s hopes may at least be partially realized after the provincial government announced on December 13 that an inquest will be held into Attila’s death, with the potential of the jury making recommendations aimed at preventing further deaths.
“Attila will be viewed by the investigating team as part of the inquest,” according to the film’s media release.
The 20th annual ReFrame Film Festival kicks off on January 25, 2024 at Showplace Performance Centre in downtown Peterborough with an exclusive screening of the award-winning film "Boil Alert" directed by James Burns and Stevie Salas. The film profiles artist and activist Layla Staats as she investigates and campaigns around issues of unsafe and unclean water supply in Indigenous communities in both Canada and the United States. Staats, along with the film's co-producer Joshua Neuman, will be attending the screening. (Photo courtesy of ReFrame Film Festival)
For 20 years, the ReFrame Film Festival has provided Peterborough-Nogojiwanong with the chance to be not only be entertained, moved, and inspired by acclaimed documentary films, but it has done so in a way that is accessible and encourages viewers to think well beyond the screen and into their own communities.
This year’s festival takes place in person in downtown Peterborough from January 25 to 28 and then online across Canada from January 29 to February 4, with the online component featuring a selection of the festival program.
The 20th anniversary of a festival with such significance should only be kicked off in the most monumental of ways. At 7 p.m. on Thursday (January 25), ReFrame Film Festival is hosting their opening night at Showplace Performance Centre in downtown Peterborough with the screening of an award-winning and thought-provoking film, special guest speakers, and performances from local changemakers.
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“It’s going to be so gratifying to be in a space with the community and have people experience these films which explore issues that only few have been aware of and privy to for so long,” says ReFrame’s creative director Eryn Lidster. “We’re excited to welcome everyone and share what we’ve experienced over the months of working with the community we care about. There’s a magic that will happen in that theatre.”
The very first film of the festival, exclusive to opening night, is one that sets the stage and introduces the audience to what they can expect from the more than 60 short and feature-length social and environmental justice films that will be screened live and virtually throughout the festival.
Directed by James Burns and Stevie Salas, Boil Alert follows Mohawk activist Layla Staats as she visits First Nations communities in North America to shine a light on the struggle for clean water, while grappling with her own identity along the way. The film takes the statistics — there are currently 29 long-term drinking water advisories in effect in 27 communities across Canada alone — and puts a face, a person, and a story to them, with poignant first-hand accounts from those living in the crisis.
VIDEO: “Boil Alert” trailer
“I was struck by how many of the core issues and styles that are going to be at the festival were presented in the film,” says Lidster. “The hybrid format of the film is stunning. There is a lot of play with sequences, in addition to the footage they’re capturing and the interviews that they’re doing in these different First Nations communities.”
The film, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival last September, was produced by Seeing Red 6Nations, an Indigenous-owned media company based on Six Nations of the Grand River about 40 kilometres south of Hamilton. Lidster notes that as an Ontario-based company, Seeing Red 6Nations touches on “ongoing issues” in communities close to Nogojiwanong.
Nearby, there have been several long-term drinking water advisories — for more than a 12-month period — in communities in just the past two decades: from July 2016 to June 2018 at Curve Lake First Nation, from October 2008 to December 2021 in Mississaugas of Scugog First Nation, and from May 2013 to February 2016 in Alderville First Nation.
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“One of the most important points we want to make with all the films in the festival, but particularly this one, is that local connection,” says Lidster. “We’re making sure these films don’t exist just in space, but are issues that affect us all year round. We want to instill that education piece and connect viewers to actions that they can take around the energy that’s generated by the film experience.”
To the end, Staats herself will attend ReFrame’s opening night celebrations, joining the team for a Q&A with the audience following the film. An artist, filmmaker, and musician, she uses her platform to advocate for Indigenous rights. She will speak to her experience connecting with First Nations communities and to the ongoing water crisis, as well as perform a song before the audience.
“In addition to Layla being on the front lines of some of these high-conflict spaces, she has done these really personal interviews talking about the personal experience of individuals that are directly affected by these issues,” says Lidster. “It’s going to be really wonderful to hear her speak.”
Joshua Neuman is the Senior VP of Development at Seeing Red 6Nations, the Indigenous media company that produced “Boil Alert,” ReFrame Film Festival’s opening night documentary on January 25, 2024 at Showplace Performance Centre in downtown Peterborough. Neuman will be a special guest speaker at opening night and will talk about the production of the film from a behind-the-camera perspective. (Photo courtesy of Joshua Neuman)
Joshua Neuman, co-producer of Boil Alert and Senior VP of development at Seeing Red 6Nations, will also be joining the post-screening Q&A. A writer and filmmaker himself (Johnny Physically Lives), Neuman’s speaking engagements have taken him from the United Nations to the Super Bowl.
“We’ll be talking to him about the production of the film from a behind-the-camera perspective,” notes Lidster.
For a local perspective, Curve Lake Elder and artist Alice Olson Williams will be a speaker for ReFrame’s opening night as she has done in years’ past. As well, she will join Trent University’s Dr. Nadine Changfoot on stage at the Market Hall at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, January 27th to moderate a panel of six filmmakers of Wshkiigmong Dibaajmownan/Curve Lake who will share Anishinaabe knowledge following the screening of their short documentaries.
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One of those Wshkiigmong Dibaajmownan/Curve Lake filmmakers is another guest speaker at ReFrame’s opening night: Anishnaabe Kwe spoken word artist, activist, and musician Sarah Lewis. Peterborough’s inaugural poet laureate, Lewis — whose short film The Rez is screening on January 27 — will be performing a poem to welcome guests to the festival.
“If there are guests coming to opening night who want to hear more from filmmakers, it’s an opportunity to hear from local people who are telling stories right here in the community,” says Lidster.
Following the screening of Boil Alert, audience members are invited to connect with one another in Nexicom Studio downstairs at Showplace Performance Centre.
Curve Lake First Nation Elder Alice Olson Williams will be a guest speaker at ReFrame Film Festival’s opening night on January 25, 2024 at Showplace Performance Centre in downtown Peterborough. Later in the festival, she will also be one of the moderators for a panel of six filmmakers of Wshkiigmong Dibaajmownan/Curve Lake who will share Anishinaabe knowledge following the screening of their short documentaries. (Photo courtesy of Aging Activisms)
Leading up to the opening night celebrations, ReFrame will be announcing additional guest speakers for other in-person film screenings.
“Guest speakers are what make ReFrame,” says Lidster. “Coming to the theatre to experience the films and joining the virtual theatre with the community is so special and turns it into so much more than just a film screening.”
Opening night not only launches the 20th anniversary of the beloved film festival, but also the most accessible one yet — physically, emotionally, and financially.
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For in-person screenings, each of the three venues (Showplace Performance Centre, Market Hall, and the Peterborough Public Library) is wheelchair accessible (except for the Showplace balcony), with ramps and elevator service available. Accessible seating will be reserved in advance and clearly indicated at each venue. All venues are fragrance free. Sensory kits (fidget gadgets, sunglasses, and earplugs) are available to borrow at the reception table at each of the venues.
Most virtual screenings include subtitles, open captions, or closed captions where possible, while each of the livestreams, panels, and Q&As will indicate whether captions, subtitles, or ASL interpretation is available. ReFrame’s Frequently Asked Questions page has resources and guidelines for accessing the virtual theatre through various devices and networks.
ReFrame’s online film guide also supplies content and trigger warnings as well as “tone notes” — such as “inspiring” and “hopeful” — to help guide viewing decisions.
Anishnaabe Kwe spoken word artist, activist, and musician Sarah Lewis will be performing a poem at the opening night of the 2024 ReFrame Film Festival on January 25, 2024. Her film “The Rez” will be included at a screening of shorts from Wshkiigmong Dibaajmownan/Curve Lake filmmakers at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre on Saturday, January 27. (Photo courtesy of ReFrame Film Festival)
To promote income-based accessibility, ReFrame offers a pay-what-you-can option for all individual film programs, both for in-person and virtual screenings. ReFrame has also distributed 400 free passes and ticket packages through its Community Access Program in partnership with local advocacy groups and service organizations .
“We are trying to have these conversations around very important issues that involve everyone, and everyone should be at the table for those conversations,” says Lidster. “Doing the work of social and environmental justice through the festival is the goal and reducing barriers is so important if we are truly going to do it.”
For those who can afford them, there are three festival pass options available: a $125 all-access hybrid pass for both the in-person and virtual components of the festival, a $100 all-access in-person pass, and a $50 all-access virtual pass (offering a reduced online selection of the same films screened during the in-person component).
Tickets for opening night are not included in the festival passes and must be purchased separately for $25 or pay what you can. Opening night tickets and festival passes are available online at reframefilmfestival.ca. Tickets for all individual in-person screenings, available 20 minutes in advance of each screening, are $15 or pay what you can.
kawarthaNOW is proud to be a media sponsor of the 2024 ReFrame Film Festival.
Jacklyn Pearce, occupational therapist, and family physician Dr. Daniel Pepe, who both hail from London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) in London, Ontario, are the guest speakers at the first Northumberland Personalized Assessment and Change Education (PACE) talk of 2024 with the topic "Why eliminating homelessness should matter to everyone." . The virtual talk on January 25, 2024 is free to attend but advance registration is required. (kawarthaNOW collage of supplied photos)
The first Northumberland Personalized Assessment and Change Education (PACE) talk of 2024 will address the topic of housing and “why eliminating homeless should matter to everyone.”
People can register now to take part in the virtual conversation, which is being held on Thursday (January 25). Called “Why eliminating homelessness should matter to everyone,” the session features guest speakers Jacklyn Pearce, occupational therapist, and family physician Dr. Daniel Pepe, who both hail from London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) in London, Ontario.
The event is being moderated by Dr. Mukesh Bhargava of Northumberland Hills Hospital (NHH). NHH is one of the partner organizations that present the PACE talks.
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Bhargava shared his thoughts with kawarthaNOW about the subject of homelessness being the focus of the upcoming talk.
“PACE talks have covered a huge variety of subjects — everything from marijuana to the microbiome,” Bhargava said.
Topics are developed in a variety of ways. Sometimes they’re crowd-sourced at the monthly events during which the moderator will ask for input on future ideas and subjects of interest, Bhargava noted. Ideas also stem from PACE partners and the working committee that reviews the potential ideas and matches them with speakers each year.
“All topics tend to be connected by a tie to health and wellness, and this is a very timely topic for both, not just in Northumberland but across the country,” the doctor said.
Lasting an hour long, each PACE talk consists of a 30-minute talk, a 20-minute question-and-answer period with the guest speakers, and a short moderator summary.
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The first speaker, Pearce, is executive director for the office of health system transformation at LHSC. Through her work, she strives to help build everyone’s capacity to solve complex problems “by helping them to walk the path to solutions one step at a time,” a media release about the event stated.
“She is passionate about building inclusive communities, where every person has a place, purpose, and voice.”
The second speaker, Pepe, is the physician lead for the office of health system transformation at LHSC. “Pepe sees the art of the possible in the toughest of challenges and believes that if you do the right thing for each person you see, then success naturally follows.”
Their discussion will explore issues about homelessness, including, “why the path to becoming homeless is a winding road filled with many dead ends” and “what the impacts of homelessness are for you and your community.”
“They will also share their insights into how communities can start building bridges to end homelessness and create a blueprint for shifting hearts and minds,” the release noted.
Questions from the audience will also be addressed during the PACE talk. Questions can be submitted in advance by emailing mbhargava@imcare.ca before January 25, or, if time permits, can be posed live during the event itself.
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Advance registration is required, and space is limited to the first 300 registered attendees.
This event is hosted on Zoom, and attendees are asked to login five minutes prior its 5:30 p.m. start time. To register for “Why eliminating homelessness should matter to everyone,” visit www.pacetalks.com.
Northumberland PACE is a collaborative between community health care providers and area residents interested in learning more about, and promoting, health and wellness. PACE began as “a TED Talks-inspired speakers’ series.”
Since 2018, Northumberland PACE partners have been hosting free public education sessions on a broad range of health and wellness topics and have consistently drawn large groups of community members with a variety of questions and perspectives, organizers noted.
NHH, the Northumberland Family Health Team, the Community Health Centres of Northumberland, internal medicine specialists IMCare and local patients and caregivers are all represented at the Northumberland PACE planning table, together with the Ontario Health Team of Northumberland.
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