Each of these five leprechauns will be hiding on a rotating schedule in 13 pubs in downtown Peterborough during the "Catch the Leprechauns" scavenger hunt in March. The first 100 people to ind all five leprechauns will win a "pint of gold" including a piece of glassware from a local brewery, swag, and more. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough DBIA)
Begorrah, leprechauns are on the loose in downtown Peterborough! And if you can catch them, you can win a ‘pint of gold’.
The Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA) has launched “Catch the Leprechauns”, a new promotion beginning Wednesday (March 1) that celebrates Peterborough’s Irish heritage while encouraging people to enjoy the vibrant downtown pub scene.
The month-long scavenger hunt will see five pint-sized leprechauns hiding on a rotating schedule in 13 local pubs: The Black Horse Pub, One Eighty Sports Pub, The Dirty Burger Company, Crook & Coffer, The Only Cafe, Jethro’s Bar + Stage, Champs Bar And Grill, McThirsty’s Pint, Maple Moose Pub, The Social Pub, Bijoux Bar, Dr. J’s BBQ & Brews, and Riley’s Pub.
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The first 100 people to find all five of the mischievous mythical creatures will win a prize — a so-called ‘pint of gold’ that includes a piece of glassware from a local brewery, fantastical swag, and even a few tricks. Leprechaun hunters must be 19 or older to redeem the scavenger hunt prizes.
To participate, download the free mobile scavenger hunt app Goosechase (available on the Apple App Store and Google Play). Once in the app, search “Catch the Leprechauns” or use the game code 5W9B4Z to join in on the hunt. Players earn points by submitting live-capture photos of each leprechaun they find.
The five leprechauns are named after the five local breweries they escaped from — Petey O’Haven from Haven Brewing Co., Persian Murphy from Persian Empire, Bobby McCaygeon from Bobcaygeon Brewing Company, Feilhem Falls from Fenelon Falls Brewing Co., and Publican O’Leerie from Publican House Brewery.
Persian Murphy, Bobby McCaygeon, Petey O’Haven, Publican O’Leerie, and Feilhem Falls were created by local artist and maker Brooklin Stormie, hand-felted and made to have their own look and personality. You can find out the backstory of each of the mischievous mythical creatures by visiting the “Catch the Leprechauns” website. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough DBIA)
All five poseable leprechauns were created by local artist and maker Brooklin Stormie, hand-felted and made to have their own look and personality.
“Working on this project was so much fun,” Stormie says in a media release. “It was a nice re-entry into the world of textiles, I let each leprechaun reveal themselves to me organically throughout the process.”
“I can’t help but feel a motherly connection to these five little Faye creatures. I’m excited to see what adventure await these little chaps — my wayward sons.”
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“Words cannot describe the amount of joy I’ve experienced working on our mythical leprechaun hunt,” says DBIA communications and marketing manager Hillary Flood.
“Catch the Leprechauns is another example of how we at the DBIA are creating unique and experiential ways to bring people back into the heart of our city in a manner that builds connection and community pride. This project was designed to celebrate our vibrant pub scene that is renowned for its historic charm, world-class hospitality, and now leprechauns.”
For more information on how to participate in the “Catch the Leprechauns” scavenger hunt, and for the legend and lore behind each of the five leprechauns, visit catchtheleprechauns.com, where you’ll also find an interactive leprechaun pub map. You can also follow their shenanigans on Instagram and Facebook at @CatchTheLeprechauns.
Bill McMillan's 94th birthday coincides with the date of his first-ever art show. 'Together, We Paint' also features works by Jose Miguel Hernandez Autorino, his mentor and friend and an instructor at the Art School of Peterborough. It opens on March 3, 2023 during the First Friday Peterborough art crawl at the Art School of Peterborough's Launch Gallery in Charlotte Mews and continues until March 9. (Photo: Jose Miguel Hernandez Autorino)
As a form of creative expression, putting brush to canvas can be, and very often is, deeply personal — a reflection of not only the artist’s mood at the time of creation, but also a window into the dreams and hopes of the creator as well as emotions, including frustration and, yes, anger.
On the cusp of marking his 94th birthday, Bill McMillan has done more than his fair share of dreaming and hoping, and it’s a safe bet that any frustration and anger he has experienced is well in his rear view mirror. He now paints for the pure joy of doing so, interacting with the world as a creative person who still has much more to give.
At the Art School of Peterborough in Charlotte Mews, that will be fully evident when McMillan’s first-ever art exhibition calls the school’s Launch Gallery home. Titled ‘Together, We Paint’, the exhibition will also feature paintings by art school instructor Jose Miguel Hernandez Autorino, McMillan’s mentor and friend.
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‘Together, We Paint’ opens this Friday (March 3) — timed to coincide with McMillan’s 94th birthday — as part of the First Friday Peterborough art crawl at the Launch Gallery at the Art School of Peterborough (174A Charlotte St.). Opening night runs from 6 to 9 p.m., with the exhibit continuing through Thursday, March 9th.
“It’s really important that people realize that art doesn’t always have to be about making a masterpiece,” says Jenni Johnston, the executive director of the Art School of Peterborough, noting the man most all refer to as ‘Uncle Bill’ provides full evidence of that.
“Art can be just about the experience and connecting with people and skill building,” Johnston explains, referring to McMillan and Autorino’s relationship. “It doesn’t always have to be an end product of its own. I really think that’s what this whole kind of partnership they have is all about. Miguel has learned as much from Uncle Bill as Uncle Bill has learned from Miguel.”
A sample of 94-year-old artist Bill McMillan’s work, which will be on display during the ‘Together, We Paint’ exhibit during the First Friday Peterborough art crawl on March 3, 2023 at the Art School of Peterborough’s Launch Gallery in Charlotte Mews. (Photo: Jenni Johnson / Art School of Peterborough)
McMillan’s niece Elizabeth Hutchinson notes he isn’t exactly a novice when it comes to creating art. She says there was a time, many years ago, when he had an opportunity to serve as an apprentice to a stone carver. He balked, thinking he wasn’t ready for such a step and questioning how he could earn a living as a carver.
After moving to Peterborough from Trenton and attaining employment at General Electric as a draftsman, he joined a painting group. Fast forward to last year when McMillan’s wife Georgina — they married late in life when both where in their 40s — suffered a fall. She has been at the Peterborough Regional Health ever since, with her husband living at a local retirement home where they resided together after selling their Bridgenorth home a few years back.
“That’s when he really got sad … he missed her so much,” says Hutchinson. “I got thinking ‘What are the threads in his life that have made him happy?’ I remembered when I cleaned out their house, I found an easel and the paints, and some musical instruments too. I bought him an electric piano and had it delivered during the lockdown. As soon as I could, I arranged for some people to come in and teach him piano. Now he loves it.”
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Hutchinson notes when she suggested the idea of painting again, her uncle said he was “too old and too tired.” Undaunted, Hutchinson made inquiries to the Art School of Peterborough, the ultimate response being “We know who to send.” Enter Autorino.
“He’s wonderful,” says Hutchinson of the Venezuelan native who came to Canada in 2014, bringing with him huge talent as an oil painter, illustrator, and mural creator. “He’s such a lovely, kind person. I could tell he would make it work — that he would spend time with him and be really flexible and see how it goes. They hit it off right away.”
As Autorino recalls things, McMillan “wasn’t too keen on painting” at first but “slowly we moved from sketching to some watercolour and, finally, oil painting.”
Growing up in Venezuela, Jose Miguel Hernandez Autorino took seven years of art classes and worked in industrial design before immigrating to Canada in 2014. Now, in addition to his own artistic practice, he teaches art classes with the Art School of Peterborough. (Photo: Jose Miguel Hernandez Autorino)
“At first I was focused on spending not only quality time with Uncle Bill, but also on the idea of creating interesting work,” Autorino explains. “With time, I finally understood that this opportunity was about the power of creation — keeping the brain sharp and giving him the opportunity of making something new every week.”
“Now we sit down every week and dedicate two hours to exploring ideas, colours, textures, life experiences and, usually, end up with a painting. For me, Tuesday morning is my favourite time of the week. It’s a life-changing experience. I hope this story helps people understand the power of art.”
For her part, while very happy her uncle is deriving such pleasure from his revived interest in painting, Hutchinson isn’t surprised.
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“He’s really old and has big long naps but he’s pretty spry,” Hutchinson says, noting Autorino will often text her after a session and send her images of her uncle’s work.
“I feel like his world is getting bigger and more interesting at a time when most people’s lives seem to get smaller. He’s got more people in his life; more things to look forward to that are creative and life affirming.”
Mostly, however, she’s impressed by her uncle’s “will to create something and will to participate; to be curious and pick up a brush or sit down at the piano. It’s not how much you can do or how well you can do it or how long you can do it. None of those things matter. The main thing is interacting with the world as a creative person.”
When Bill McMillan’s niece Elizabeth Hutchinson suggested to her uncle that he take up painting, he said he was “too old and too tired.” Undaunted, she made inquiries to the Art School of Peterborough. Venezuelan-born artist Jose Miguel Hernandez Autorino, an instructor at the school, began mentoring McMillan and the two quickly became friends. (Photo: Jose Miguel Hernandez Autorino)
An artist who teaches painting herself, Hutchinson is impressed by her uncle’s work.
“He’s not a beginner. He’s been doing it for quite awhile. He has a pretty good handle on how to create form but that’s really not the point. The point is he’s doing it.”
Asked if she has a Bill McMillan painting in her home, Hutchinson says not yet, adding “I’ll have to see if he wants to give me one.”
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“I’m happy for him — it was pretty glum for awhile when Aunt Georgina went into the hospital,” says Hutchinson, noting her uncle visits with her aunt at PRHC three afternoons each week. “Maybe this is just the beginning for Uncle Bill. Maybe he’ll have another exhibition next year. He’ll just do what’s he doing. I think it’s really sweet that he’s doing it with his friend Miguel.”
‘Together, We Paint’, notes Johnson, will see the art of Autorino and McMillan displayed side by side.
“I hope when I’m 94 someone will come paint with me,” she says. “His reconnecting with art is wonderful. I give kudos to Elizabeth for putting two and two together and thinking this would be beneficial for him, which it certainly has been.”
For more information about programming and classes offered by the Art School of Peterborough, visit artschoolptbo.org.
‘Together, We Paint’, featuring works by Bill McMillan and Jose Miguel Hernandez Autorino, opens from 6 to 9 p.m. on March 3, 2023 at the Art School of Peterborough’s Launch Gallery in Charlotte Mews and continues until March 9. (Poster: Art School of Peterborough)
A dragon boat team races at Peterborough's Dragon Boat Festival in 2015. Since 2001, the annual festival has raised more than $3.9 million for cancer care at Peterborough Regional Health Centre. (Photo: Linda McIlwain / kawarthaNOW)
Registration for this year’s Peterborough’s Dragon Boat Festival will open this Wednesday (March 1) at ptbodragonboat.ca, organizers announced on Monday, with the first three teams to register winning a free bonus lake practice.
The 22nd annual festival will take place on Saturday, June 10th at Del Crary Park and will once again feature dragon boat races, artisan and food vendors, a family fun zone, a beer garden, and more.
This year’s fundraising goal is $205,000.18 — an amount that reflects the estimated two out of five Canadians who will be diagnosed with some form of cancer in their lifetime and the one in eight women will develop breast cancer, according to festival chair Michelle Thornton in a media release.
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“We continue to work hard to fulfill our motto of ‘making a difference one race at a time’ by raising money to help fund world-class breast and other cancer screening, diagnosis, and treatment at Peterborough Regional Health Centre,” Thornton says.
Peterborough’s Dragon Boat Festival returned as an in-person event at Del Crary Park last June for the first time since the pandemic began, setting a fundraising goal of $180,000 and raising $202,268.41 for the Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC) Foundation.
Since the festival was first launched in June 2001 as Liberty Mutual’s “Day on the Water”, becoming Peterborough’s Dragon Boat Festival the following year, it has raised more than $3.9 million for PRHC. The event is hosted every year by Survivors Abreast, a group of breast cancer survivors from the Peterborough area in various stages of treatment and recovery.
On October 4, 2022, volunteers from the Survivors Abreast Dragon Boat Team and the Peterborough’s Dragon Boat Festival organizing committee presented the Peterborough Regional Health Centre Foundation with a cheque for $202,268.41. Pictured among the volunteers are PRHC Foundation president and CEO Lesley Heighway and festival platinum sponsor Kawartha Credit Union’s president and CEO Norah McCarthy (back row, left) and festival chair and Survivors Abreast member Michelle Thornton and top fundraiser Rhonda Barnet (kneeling, left). (Photo courtesy of Peterborough’s Dragon Boat Festival)
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“We know first hand the importance of PRHC’s continuing mission to bring the best cancer care the world has to offer, right here to our hospital,” says team president Ann Stabler. “With community support, the hospital will be able to serve more patients, support earlier cancer diagnosis, and ensure safer, more effective treatment, close to home.”
Proceeds of the 2023 festival will allow PRHC to invest in the equipment and technology that makes cancer care possible, including minimally invasive surgical tools and a second cutting-edge MRI machine, while attracting and retaining the best and brightest health care professionals.
“Cancer volumes are on the rise and the number of patients from Peterborough and the surrounding area who receive treatment at PRHC has grown significantly,” says PRHC Foundation president and CEO Lesley Heighway. “PRHC’s ability to provide expert, compassionate cancer treatment depends on having state-of-the-art equipment and technology. But the government doesn’t fund equipment, so our hospital counts on donations to purchase the tools. That’s why Peterborough’s Dragon Boat festival is such a vital fundraiser for our community. The festival helps save lives.”
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Along with community members pledging to support the dragon boat teams racing on Little Lake, the festival relies on the support of local businesses and organizations to cover expenses and provide the best experience possible for participants. Kawartha Credit Union, which has been the festival’s presenting sponsor every year since 2001, is returning to support the festival for their 22nd year.
“At Kawartha Credit Union, ‘care for others’ is one of our core values and we are passionate about contributing to the well-being of the communities we serve,” says Kawartha Credit Union president and CEO Norah McCarthy. “Being the platinum sponsor of Peterborough’s Dragon Boat Festival allows us to provide financial support while also participating in a fun event that unites Peterborough and our surrounding areas in a common goal to improve local health care resources.”
Registration for the 22nd edition of Peterborough’s Dragon Boat Festival opens at midnight on Wednesday, March 1st at ptbodragonboat.ca. The first three teams to register will win a free extra practice in a dragon boat on Little Lake.
Two Peterborough teenagers are facing charges for allegedly assaulting a homeowner early Saturday morning (February 25).
At around 1 a.m. on Saturday, Peterborough police were called to a residence in the Chamberlain Street and Goodfellow Road area. After arriving, officers learned that a group of teens had been trying to get into the residence before running away.
The homeowner went outside and was approached by a male teen, who was brandishing a knife, and was verbally threatened. The homeowner managed to knock the knife away and was then attacked by a female teen before the pair fled. The homeowner was not injured in the incident.
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The canine unit was called in and police service dog Gryphon tracked one of the suspects to the area of Clonsilla Avenue and Western Avenue, where police spotted a person matching the description of the male suspect. The suspect took off and officers chased him on foot before taking him into custody.
Meanwhile, an officer spotted a person walking in the area of Goodfellow Road and Chamberlain Street who matched the description of the female suspect and took her into custody without incident.
As a result of the investigation, a 16-year-old Peterborough male was arrested and charged with assault with a weapon, uttering threats (cause death or bodily harm), and possession of a weapon for dangerous purposes. He was held in custody and appeared in court on Saturday.
An 18-year-old Peterborough female was also arrested and charged with assault. She was released on an undertaking and is scheduled to appear in court on March 21.
Edvoy founder and CEO Sadiq Basha and Trent University president Dr. Leo Groarke on February 15, 2023 at ICEF Dubai, where the two signed an agreement to launch the TEX Advanced Learning Centre at the university's Durham campus in Oshawa. (Photo: Edvoy)
Peterborough’s Trent University is partnering with Edvoy, a company supporting international students, to launch the TEX Advanced Learning Centre at the university’s Durham campus in Oshawa.
Edvoy founder and CEO Sadiq Basha and Trent University president Dr. Leo Groarke signed an agreement on the joint venture February 15 in Dubai at an event hosted by ICEF, a company that provides business-to-business networking events and services for the international education sector.
Founded in 2007 at IEC Abroad, Edvoy is a free digital platform that helps thousands of international students find over 50,000 courses at more than 120 educational institutions in seven countries, apply and receive offers, and receive virtual counselling.
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“We’re thrilled to be embarking on this joint venture with Trent University,” says Basha in a media release. “Edvoy aligns with quality universities, globally. Our agreement means we can both focus on what we do best — Edvoy guiding students through their application process and Trent University delivering world-class teaching.”
Trent University, the top undergraduate university in Ontario since 2010, will deliver the curriculum at the TEX Advanced Learning Centre and manage the academic programs, while Edvoy will bring hundreds of international students to the centre.
“Edvoy’s mission to serve international students with integrity is at the heart of our relationship with them,” Groarke said. “We trust that they will work to match students with the right courses and programs to meet their goals at Trent.”
For 2023, TEX Advanced Learning Centre will offer one-year postgraduate certificate courses in human resource management, marketing and entrepreneurship, business communications, and financial analytics, with two-year dual postgraduate certificate courses in human resource management and marketing and entrepreneurship and in business communications and human resource management. Applications for the May intake are now open.
Peterborough resident Tilly Stimpson is a 15-year-old advocate, volunteer, and fundraiser for JDRF, a non-profit organization working to change the reality for those living with type 1 diabetes. The organization has selected her to represent Canada at the JDRF 2023 Children's Congress in Washington, D.C. in July 2023, where she and other delegates will meet with some of the top decision-makers in the U.S. government to help them understand what life with type 1 diabetes is like and why research to fund both life-changing and cure-based therapies is so critical. (Photo: Stimpson family)
Tilly Stimpson, a young Peterborough resident living with type 1 diabetes who been has raising awareness and funds for many years, has been chosen to represent Canada at the JDRF 2023 Children’s Congress in Washington, D.C. this July.
JDRF is a non-profit organization working to change the reality for those living with type 1 diabetes (TD1) by funding research, advocating for government support of research and new therapies, ensuring new therapies come to market, and connecting and engaging the T1D community.
The organization was formerly known as the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, when T1D was commonly called “juvenile diabetes” because it was frequently diagnosed in young children. Today, it is known that an equal number of children and adults are diagnosed with TD1 every day, and the organization recently changed its name to reflect this.
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Every two years, more than 160 children living with TD1 gather in Washington, D.C. for the JDRF Children’s Congress, where they meet face-to-face with some of the top decision-makers in the U.S. government. Representing the millions of people living with T1D along with their families and loved ones, JDRF’s youth delegates help U.S. members of Congress understand what life with T1D is like and why research to fund both life-changing and cure-based therapies is so critical.
Tilly, who is 15 years old and a Grade 10 student at Thomas A. Stewart Secondary School, was diagnosed with T1D in June 2010 when she two and a half years old.
“I have no recall of living a ‘normal’ life without T1D,” Tilly says. “Ever since I can remember, I have had to count carbs, test my blood, be poked and prodded several times a day.”
Tilly Stimpson in June 2010 when she was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at two and a half years old. (Photo: Tilly Stimpson @diabetes.the.bully / Instagram)
Since her diagnosis, raising awareness about T1D has been extremely important for Tilly and her family — including her dad Matt, who is also living with TD1.
Tilly has attended JDRF’s Kids for a Cure three times. Similar to the Children’s Congress, the bi-annual advocacy event sees youth advocates from across Canada help Canadian politicians understand the daily challenges of living with T1D and the importance of accelerating progress towards a cure.
She has also been a key speaker at the Access for All speakers circuit in Pickering and surrounding areas and a spokesperson for Access for All at Queens Park in Toronto. She has advocated at the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), a key JDRF Canada funding partner for vital cure-based research.
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In 2021, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the discovery of insulin, Tilly wrote 100 letters to seniors in nursing homes and the community to provide company during pandemic lockdowns. She is also an active youth ambassador and has filmed countless videos and participated in several activities with JDRF.
Tilly has also raised more than $80,000 for diabetes research. Her fundraising activities have included being a JDRF Let’s Make History Again ambassador and raising over $10,000, helping lead the Peterborough Sun Life Walk to Cure Diabetes for a number of years, co-hosting a gala in Peterborough with her family in support of JDRF Canada, and participating in JDRF walks in Peterborough, Ottawa, and Toronto since 2010.
She has also taken part in two clinical trials, where new therapies designed to prevent, treat, or cure TD1 are tested.
Tilly Stimpson has participated in two clinical trials, where new therapies designed to prevent, treat, or cure type 1 diabetes are tested. In June 2021, she began a five-month clinical trial to improve kidney function in those with type 1 diabetes. (Photo: Tilly Stimpson @diabetes.the.bully / Instagram)
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She has been a stock image photography model for diabetes representation, and was nominated for “Day of the Girl”, a project of INSPIRE: The Women’s Portrait Project that honours and celebrates inspirational young women under the age of 19 in the Peterborough area
All these activities led JDRF to select Tilly to represent Canada at the Children’s Congress in Washington, D.C. this July.
“I am absolutely honoured to be chosen to represent Canada at the International Children’s Congress,” Tilly says. “Advocacy and educating about T1D are important to me and to be given the opportunity to have a voice alongside international delegates is extremely exciting. I hope I make Canada proud!”
Tilly Stimpson with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. She has attended JDRF’s Kids for a Cure three times. The bi-annual advocacy event sees youth advocates from across Canada help Canadian politicians understand the daily challenges of living with type 1 diabetes and the importance of accelerating progress towards a cure. (Photo: Tilly Stimpson @diabetes.the.bully / Instagram)
Renowned textile artist Alice Olsen Williams visits a Grade 10 art class at Thomas A. Stewart Secondary School in Peterborough for "These Are The Artists In Your Neighbourhood", where six local artists each prepared an educational art workshop for the class and then had conversations with the students that were recorded and edited. The conversations will be presented at a free launch and listening party at The Gallery of Sorts at Watson & Lou in downtown Peterborough during the First Friday Peterborough Art Crawl on March 3, 2023. (Photo courtesy of Public Energy)
“What does it sound like when a class of Grade 10 visual art students have conversations — about art, life, and … anything — with a series of prominent visiting artists from their city / neighbourhood?”
That question will be answered when Public Energy Performing Arts and Mammalian Diving Reflex present These Are The Artists In Your Neighbourhood at The Gallery of Sorts at Watson & Lou during the First Friday Peterborough Art Crawl on March 3.
For the project, Public Energy curator Laurel Paluck chose six Peterborough artists whose work covers a wide range of creative mediums, from quilting to children’s illustration and multi-media installation: Nicole Bauberger, Anita Murphy, Kathryn Durst, Alice Olsen Williams, Gillian Turnham, and Melanie Marion McCall.
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Each of the six artists was asked to prepare an educational art workshop for a Grade 10 art class from Thomas A. Stewart Secondary School, under the guidance of teachers Andrew Bigg and Lesley Givens.
The following day, the group of inquisitive high school students were allowed to ask the artists any question they wanted, with the artists choosing whether or not to answer the question. Then the roles were reversed, with the artists asking the questions and the students answering.
Finally, the artists were asked to leave the class and the students were interviewed about what they really thought.
The six artists who participated in “These Are The Artists In Your Neighbourhood”, presented by Public Energy Performing Arts and Mammalian Diving Reflex at a free launch and listening party at The Gallery of Sorts at Watson & Lou in downtown Peterborough during the First Friday Peterborough Art Crawl on March 3, 2023. From left to right, top to bottom: Nicole Bauberger, Anita Murphy, Kathryn Durst, Alice Olsen Williams, Gillian Turnham, and Melanie Marion McCall. (kawarthaNOW collage of supplied photos)
The entire experience was recorded to audio and edited down to result in six frank, heartfelt, and silly conversations covering the whole spectrum of art, growing up, and pets.
The six conversations, along with a highlight reel of video documenting the artists’ classroom visits and interviews, will be presented at a free launch and listening party on Friday (March 3) at Watson & Lou at 383 Water Street in downtown Peterborough, who are opening up their Gallery of Sorts for the event.
Visitors, who can drop-in any time from 6 to 10 p.m. during the First Friday Art Crawl, have the option of listening to the interviews on headsets or by using their own devices to access the recordings, which will be available online through the websites of both Public Energy and Mammalian Diving Reflex.
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These are the Artists In Your Neighbourhood is a mash-up of two popular Mammalian Diving Reflex touring projects: These Are the People In Your Neighbourhood and the award-winning audio series It’s Been A While.
Produced in collaboration with Public Energy, this new artist intervention and audio work was made possible in part by grants from the Canada Council for the Arts’ Public Outreach program, the Ontario Arts Councils’ Artists in Communities and Schools program, and the Ontario Trillium Foundation’s Resilient Communities Fund.
Peterborough artist Gillian Turnham (right), who specializes in Islamic geometric art, visits a Grade 10 art class at Thomas A. Stewart Secondary School in Peterborough for “These Are The Artists In Your Neighbourhood”, where six local artists each prepared an educational art workshop for the class and then had conversations with the students that were recorded and edited. The conversations will be presented at a free launch and listening party at The Gallery of Sorts at Watson & Lou in downtown Peterborough during the First Friday Peterborough Art Crawl on March 3, 2023. (Photo courtesy of Public Energy)
kawarthaNOW is proud to be a long-time media sponsor of Public Energy Performing Arts.
Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement for the southern greater Kawarthas region, forecasting a messy mix of wintry precipitation and strong winds on Monday (February 27), with a winter weather travel advisory now in place for the most southern areas.
The special weather statement is in effect for southern Peterborough County and southern Kawartha Lakes. The special weather statement for Northumberland County has been upgraded to a weather advisory.
For southern Peterborough County and Kawarthas Lakes, precipitation will likely begin as snow late in the afternoon or early in the evening and then become mixed with ice pellets after midnight. Snow and ice pellet amounts near 5 cm are likely, with local amounts to 10 cm possible. There is also a risk of freezing drizzle overnight into early Tuesday morning. Untreated surfaces may become icy and slippery. The tail end of the evening commute may be significantly impacted.
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For Northumberland County, snow is expected to begin early Monday evening and may be heavy at times, with total accumulations near 10 cm and peak snowfall rates of 2 to 4 centimetres per hour. The snow may become mixed with ice pellets after midnight before tapering to light snow, drizzle or freezing drizzle by early Tuesday morning.
Expect reduced visibility in heavy snow and blowing snow and slippery surfaces due to accumulating snow. Travel may be hazardous due to sudden changes in the weather.
In addition to the wintry precipitation, strong southeasterly winds gusting up to 70 km/h gusting are also expected Monday night into Tuesday morning, followed by strong southwesterly winds gusting up to 70 km/h Tuesday. Local power outages are possible.
This story has been updated with the latest forecast information from Environment Canada.
Peterborough GreenUP is one of 25 charitable organizations, Indigenous communities, and municipalities in Ontario each receiving a $25,000 grant from Hydro One's Energizing Life Community Fund. GreenUP will use the grant to support Summer Ride Club, a new program that will keep kids active and promote health by encouraging families to cycle together throughout the City of Peterborough. (Photo: Lindsay Stroud / GreenUP)
Peterborough GreenUP, Alderville Black Oak Savanna, and Camp Maple Leaf are three of 25 charitable organizations, Indigenous communities, and municipalities in Ontario each receiving a $25,000 grant from Hydro One’s Energizing Life Community Fund.
Hydro One established the fund in 2021 during the pandemic to support community-led initiatives that promote physical, emotional, and psychological safety and well-being for Ontarians.
“Local charitable organizations, Indigenous communities and municipalities are powerful agents of positive change, and we are proud to support them through the Energizing Life Community Fund as they build a brighter future,” said Hydro One’s vice president of marketing and communications Jay Armitage during an announcement of the grant recipients in Goderich on Friday (February 24).
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Peterborough GreenUP will receive a $25,000 grant for Summer Ride Club, a new program that will keep kids active and promote health by encouraging families to cycle together throughout the City of Peterborough. Participants who compete the Summer Ride Club passport get bragging rights and are eligible for a grand prize.
Alderville First Nation will receive a $25,000 grant for the Alderville Black Oak Savanna initiative, which aims to preserve, restore, and expand these rare grassland habitats, and educate and expand the environmental information about this ecosystem.
Camp Maple Leaf, a not-for-profit sleepover camp that fosters a sense of belonging and pride for children of Canadian military families and for children with other shared unique life challenges, will receive a $25,000 grant for their “Increasing Access” initiative will enable more children from across Ontario to benefit from the fun and friendships of camp. Headquartered in Oakville, Camp Maple Leaf established its flagship summer camp location on Jacob Island on Pigeon Lake in 1955.
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The other 22 recipients of $25,000 grants from the 2023 Energizing Life Community Fund are:
City of St. Catharines
Elephant Thoughts – Durham & Southwest
Enliven Cancer Care – Huntsville
Garden River First Nation
Gateway Centre of Excellence in Rural Health – Goderich
George Jeffrey Children’s Foundation – Thunder Bay
Julien Gaudet’s House – Windsor
Lac des Milles Lacs First Nation
Live Love Louder – Sudbury
Chatham-Kent Fire Rescue – Municipality of Chatham-Kent
Municipality of Thames Centre
Northwestern Ontario Métis Child and Family Services – Dryden
Niska Foundation – Temiskaming
Precious Minds Support Services – Uxbridge
Rainbows for all Children Canada Inc. – Barrie
Regional Food Distribution Association of Northwestern Ontario – Thunder Bay
Shawanaga First Nation
Town of Atikokan Public Library – Atikokan
Township of Macdonald – Meredith – Aberdeen Additional
Deacon, Talon, Damien, Blake, Alexis, and Carter assumed roles as General Manager, Coach, Assistant Coach, PA Announcer, In-Game Host, and Radio Broadcaster at the Peterborough Petes game on Family Day (February 20, 2023), as part of the Petes' Next-Gen program that lets kids shadow the real people in these roles. The six kids are all clients (or siblings of clients) of Five Counties Children's Centre. Despite Five Counties on track to serve its highest-ever number of clients in a single year, nearly 2,000 area children are waiting for care up to two years. (Photo courtesy of Five Counties Children's Centre)
While Deacon, Talon, Damien, Blake, Alexis, and Carter didn’t suit up for the Peterborough Petes, they provided an assist to the club while representing ‘Team Five Counties’ with class.
Every month, Five Counties Children’s Centre provides a story about the work of the charitable organization. This month’s story is by Five Counties CEO Scott Pepin.
The six kids — all Five Counties Children’s Centre clients or their siblings — assumed roles as General Manager, Coach, Assistant Coach, PA Announcer, In-Game Host, and Radio Broadcaster at the recent Petes game on Family Day (February 20). It was part of the Petes’ Next-Gen program that lets kids shadow the real people in these roles.
“Had this cool cat up in the PA booth,” tweeted Matty Buller, the Petes’ PA Announcer. “His name is Deacon and he nailed it. I’m sure if there were no child labour laws, he’d easily take my gig.”
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Five Counties helped select this year’s Next-Gen participants and was proud to partner with the Petes.
The Family Day matinee game has become an annual tradition for the two organizations. It allows Five Counties to raise funds and awareness for our treatment services offered to kids/youth and families in the area.
Besides the six Next-Gen-ers, many Five Counties families also attended the Petes game, and one — young Scott McDonald and his entire family — was featured in the pre-game ceremonial puck drop.
Five Counties Children’s Centre CEO Scott Pepin (second from left) with the McDonald family, whose son Scott gets treatment at the centre, taking part in the ceremonial puck drop before the Peterborough Petes game on Family Day (February 20, 2023). While Five Counties is on track to support more than 6,000 kids/youth and their families in 2022-23, almost 2,000 area children are waiting for care up to two years. (Photo courtesy of Five Counties Children’s Centre)
The Petes game capped a busy weekend of in-person and virtual Winterfest 2023 activities organized by Five Counties. While not present at the festivities, there’s always an elephant in the room.
In 2022-23, Five Counties is on track to support more than 6,000 kids/youth and their families in our region — the highest number of clients we have ever served in a year. It’s testament to our staff going above and beyond to provide support.
Even as we make progress to provide more speech, physio, and occupational therapy for kids like Talon and Deacon, the cold hard fact remains: too many kids are waiting too long for services.
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Wait times for children’s treatment services were a problem a decade ago and have only grown worse. Today, especially for speech/language therapy and occupational therapy, close to 2,000 local children are waiting for care for as long as 18 to 24 months.
We understand how difficult and frustrating this can be.
Like other children’s treatment centres in Ontario, Five Counties is working diligently to improve access to treatment for our clients. As a member of Empowered Kids Ontario and the Children’s Health Coalition, we’ve lobbied the provincial government for additional support through the Make Kids Count campaign.
VIDEO: Cooper’s Story: With Her, Every Step of the Way – Five Counties Children’s Centre
It’s estimated only one in three kids receives community-based rehabilitation services within the clinical standard, while the majority can wait almost three years to access care.
Every day (not just Family Day), our kids and families demonstrate the power of resilience, hard work, and reaching for the stars. These are life lessons from which we can all learn and benefit — on or off the ice.
At Five Counties, we realize even as we make strides in care, our work is never done!
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